Making Your Mark in Second Life: Business, Land, and Money

Second Life Business 101

If you talk to anyone about business, they will probably say that the objective of business is to make money. It is more true to say that the objective is to make more money than you spend.

The first rule of business in Second Life is that everything changes—quickly. This rapid evolution—which can also be seen as a source of risk—is community-driven and lightly governed by Linden Lab. This does not mean Linden Lab will step in every time you are wronged. It does mean that when acting and reacting, one should maintain the spirit of the Terms of Service and Community Standards which Linden Lab has set forth on the Second Life web site.

That said, one should have a plan for one's business—not necessarily to impress venture capitalists into investing in you, but as a general guideline for yourself. If you do not have a plan, don't worry; just keep your eyes open and be creative. You may even find some ideas within this document. Sometimes you start off doing something that you do not enjoy or that is not profitable. This is a process—a path to success on your own terms.

You should be keeping records as well: a modest spreadsheet derived from your transaction history on the Second Life web site (it can be found under the link to your specific account). Tracking your credits and debits is an important part of business, whatever business you are in. Such information is invaluable: it tells you when something needs to change. If, for example, you are renting a spot ...