The latest expansion pack for The Sims 4 has truly shaken things up. Players now get the chance to explore their Sim’s ambitions and launch their own ventures. While the “Get to Work” expansion back in 2015 flirted with this idea, it never quite hit the mark; the active careers were entertaining, but running a retail business just didn’t pan out smoothly. Enter “Hobbies and Business”, the newest addition, which takes the concept to a whole new level and does so with notable success.
These new ventures can be quite lucrative or lead to unique social interactions that wouldn’t easily occur otherwise. However, before investing heavily in constructing your Sim’s new business from scratch, there are some important considerations to keep in mind. Let me share a few insights from my hands-on experience with The Sims 4: Hobbies and Business.
Starting a business in The Sims 4 is fairly straightforward. In the bottom right corner of your screen, you’ll find a cash register icon labeled “owned businesses” with four options: a small business, vet clinic, restaurant, or retail store. Setting up a small business requires a $750 investment, and from there, you can either choose a preset model or tailor the offerings, decide on your target audience, and even set an entry fee.
You have the freedom to craft activities like listening to music, getting tattoos, sipping tea, or admiring art. Deciding on your “target customers” involves criteria such as specific skills, wealth, occult traits, or celebrity status. These can be either encouraged or required, depending on your business strategy, and can be adjusted at any time.
If you aim to attract a niche clientele, like Occult Sims, it could be worthwhile to introduce them to your neighborhood through the gallery. This approach ensures a wider customer base rather than relying solely on the existing neighborhood demographics.
After establishing your business, you can either operate from your home lot or purchase a new one. In build mode, you’ll need to categorize rooms as residential, public, or employee-only areas. Keep in mind that opening your business costs $75, so make sure you have goods to sell to avoid running at a loss.
Once you’ve settled on a location, assigning lot traits can change the atmosphere—like “great acoustics” for a lively bar or “bracing breezes” to energize gym-goers. Remember, the business owner needs to be onsite while the establishment is operational, otherwise, it’ll automatically close. Employees may come and go, but the owner must remain.
You can operate multiple businesses from a single building, albeit one at a time. For instance, a coffee shop during the day could transform into a movie theater by night. Franchising across various lots is possible, but since only one can be open at a time, it may not be a wise financial move. Businesses can also be run from San Myshuno apartments or Tiny Home lots, though you can’t rent apartments and manage a business on the same lot.
Interestingly, even children in the game can own businesses, though they can’t be employed, likely due to Sim child labor restrictions.
For those managing retail operations, bear in mind that sold items need restocking. This setup is perfect for Sims busy creating endless crafts or artworks, but it can present challenges for new households lacking skilled characters. It might be worthwhile to hold off on diving deep into the new Hobbies and Business content until you have capable Sims ready to produce goods or manage customers effectively.
