What's the most profitable business?

[Toxicwire†]

Trying to learn the game from the Guild 2 and want my first playthrough to be smooth. I'm in one round so far and not making much from herbalism hut however I see my neighbors business the barbership is bumping. In the Guild 2 I'd just build fishing huts for easy money to start off with. What do you recommend?

[Technikhighknee]

I recommend starting with the blacksmith since you can from the beginning make a lot of money by selling iron bars to the market and also in your workshop.

[Technikhighknee]

Iron bars have a very short production time so you will need to be constantly refilling your workshops inventory with iron ores.

[Wulf_Jarlson]

I'm new to the game, but I was surprised by how much gold the fishing hut brought in.

[Xhazahh]

The barber makes pure profit by servicing their customers with absolutely no required inventory...

[OutLander]

What about preaching? Same as barber no required inventory costs at all

[Eight Ball]

I always liked starting out with a herbalist hut, and i make sure to place it near a grove so the travel time is small. the tea sells very well. so well in fact if i recall, not many trips needed to markets, since customers will buy em in bulk when they visit shop. also their demand increases in winter.

[BrowneHawk]

I have tried most tier 1 business's. If starting from poor fellow setting Barbershop, Orchardist, Farmer, fisherman, or Gravedigger. The last 2 give an ability to fish, or dig up a grave, but things give a chance to get items, although gravedigging can result in poor town relations, so do it somewhere not populated.

[BrowneHawk]

If you start from career mode thats a different ball game, most of the next tier business's can make money if done right. I still suggest doing a solid foundation of some t1 business's before going into t2.

The biggest ones I suggest to stay away from at the start are the thief type business, although they can be huge money makers, everyone will hate you, and once the AI's get into council positions they will come after you hard, even pass down death penalties to you if they secure judge seats. So get an economic foundation laid down, get your body guards armed and armored, gain a council seat or two, then dip into crime for profit if you wish.

My favorite t2 business is Big farm, mixed with Butcher shop. Then I also always build mercenaries, 2-4 buildings based on how big the map is. Its never bad having extra muscle around.

[Vote Quimby]

Bakery imo is pure profit.

[=][= Jarran Kell]

In my opinion, the best business is to be a trader. The only problems are, the start is a bit longer and you don't get any exp for trading.

[AsukaLover]

sorry for necro,
dunno abt "exact" profitable, because for me even if it do profitable but too much miromanagement, is so tiring, i just found easy way to play, but maybe "less profutible"

i mostly start as fisherman, and speed run until we can produce, fish oil, its always easy because the demand mostly higher than supply just put it on fish oil on production, set it on store front storage, and leave at it as...

then after u can have more bussiness, pick orchard, one to automaticly produce rock candy, and one for juice...

less hassle and guaranteed stable income for early play.

[Delle(DK)]

Personaly i like the church or the hospital/clinic.. The good thing is the money, BUT you also get some prestige and that is good in politics if people like you and such things.
( regarding the priest, investigate what religion is the biggest in the city and follow that fait that way you get more people comming to your church early on )
And send your followers out on the street to gain more followers and get donations or sell stuff on the street.

[Bloodsong]

Comes down to how in-depth you want to go with your supply chain. If you set up your supply chain right, the crude craftsman/smithy route is stupidly profitable. If you want nothing to do with that, barber/hospital or tavern is the way to go.