Order Only: Private message to Bill Weasley and Charlie Weasley

[alt_gredforge]

This is from both of us, of course. We could use some advice.

You know we're interested in developing a business, selling the sorts of products we've been experimenting with for years. Some of them are joke/prank products, of course, like the trick wands, for example. But if we have the right facilities and equipment, some of the things we have in mind could be dead useful for the Order, too.

Thing is, we need a backer. Or more than one. Mum and Dad aren't in a position to help (and Mum's dubious about a lot of our ideas anyway). We had hopes that we had raised a stake for ourselves with the bet we placed with Ludo Bagman at the World Cup last year, but the git welched on us, leaving us stuck without the money we'd earned. We know that you two aren't exactly flush, but maybe you know some people who are?

Another thing: if we DO use some of the products for the Order, we have to be careful about it. We're a bit squeamish about keeping two sets of books to hide the money needed to make anything the Order might use on Order activities. But we'd do it if we had to.

Do you two have any rich classmates just dying to sink loads of galleons into a couple young entrepreneurs' startup business?

Comments

[alt_charlie]

None of us up here are all that flush, yeah, but none of us are hurting too badly, either, since we've all got room and board included. If you can't find a single backer, I could probably turn up a few who could contribute. (And you can put me down for, oh, a hundred Galleons at least. I'll get back to you.)

I've stayed in touch with a bunch of people from school, but I can't think of anybody who's got deep enough pockets to bankroll you the way it seems like you're going to need. And anybody likely to be willing to fund you is also going to want a business plan, and a share in the profits, which means you probably will have to keep those two sets of books. So you might want to look more for people you know and trust. (Ideally, it'd be somebody inside the Order, but, well, I know what our finances look like, and I don't think anybody can front the cash involved.)

How much do you think you're talking about?

[alt_gredforge]

We have been working on a business plan, actually. Several different scenarios, depending on whether we start with a direct sales approach, person to person, or we add advertising and owl orders, or we set up our own shop. We've mocked up scenarios ranging from Γ200 to Γ1000. Γ100 would certainly help to get us started. But if it's a stretch for you, we'd prefer to hit on someone with really deep pockets, so to speak.

[alt_bill]

I'm intrigued by your plan and admire your ingenuity, but I have to admit that I'm probably not rubbing elbows with people of the right social/financial class. I have some money in savings, too, and can probably stake you for another 100 galleons. But as for a rich backer, I'll have to give that further thought.

Do you have rich classmates? If they don't have the money now, maybe a fond relative does?

But yeah, any Order-related business should probably be split out, and staked with Order funds.