When the cash runs out: runway, crisis escapes and debt

Even when your company account runs dry, the game does not end right away. Instead, sign-off requests pour in. This guide is about a fictional satirical game. Do not take the choices you try in the game as real-life investment or loan advice.

Runway and the first-hire grant

Runway is how many months you can last on the money you have now. When you are losing money, it is your company cash divided by the monthly loss. When you are profitable, it shows "profitable ∞". Under 3 months it shows in a danger color, and under 6 months in a caution color.

Hiring someone adds to your payroll and shortens your runway. The hire button carries a line like "Runway after this hire: 4.0 → 2.5 months". It is an estimate based on last month's profit, so it changes if your sales change. If the runway after the hire is under 3 months, you have to press the button one more time to hire.

If you hire your first person within 12 months of opening the company, you get an employment grant. It is about 5 months of the new hire's pay (it can be smaller depending on the country's market). You get it only once per company, and the estimate already includes it.

Alerts and the confirm window

A "🚨 Bankruptcy risk alert" shows at the top of the Bank book. It appears when company cash runs out, when runway drops under 3 months, or when loan-shark or credit-card debt piles up. When a risk level newly appears or doubles, it is also written to your life log as "🚨 Bankruptcy risk".

The game asks once more before an action that could send a lot of money out. It runs the action ahead of time, and if it would create debt, drain more than half your personal wealth, or push company cash below zero, it opens a "Big money may go out" window. It tells you how much leaves if your luck is bad. Read it, then choose "Do it anyway" or "Never mind". Things you cannot undo, like shutting a company down, also get one more question.

Crisis-exit sign-offs

When company cash goes negative, or runway falls to 1 month or less, a "🛟 Crisis exit" sign-off request arrives. There is one offer per crisis, and it comes at least 6 months after the last one. You cannot choose which offer you get. Every offer has both a gain and a cost.

• Downsize: Fixed costs go down, but so do your customers.
• Pay-cut deal: Payroll drops for 6 months, and morale falls.
• Bridge round: Money comes in, and you give up equity.
• Customer prepayment: You get paid up front and cover the delivery cost 6 months later.
• Emergency stabilization loan: This is debt, not a grant.

The other offers are an asset sale, putting in your own personal funds, and winding down and then pivoting. You can also choose "Pass on this offer". If the account stays negative, a "Bankruptcy looms" sign-off request arrives as well.

Debt, loan sharks, stocks and crypto

When your personal cash runs short, the game creates credit-card debt on its own. It carries 18% interest a year. A company loan has you as guarantor, so if the company fails, it becomes your debt. The description of the loan action says so too.

Loan sharks are a risky gamble at 5% interest a month. About six times in ten when you borrow, the interest is taken off the top, and now and then you get lucky and the terms improve. 5% a month is frightening once it piles up, and sometimes a sign-off request arrives about the loan shark coming to see you. "Pay off debt (loan sharks first)" repays the loan sharks first. For a true dead end there is "File for personal bankruptcy & discharge", but the conditions are strict and your credit drops to rock bottom.

"Buy stocks" and "Go all in on crypto" put in half of your personal cash. Stocks swing from month to month and follow the economy. Crypto swings much harder, and now and then it jumps or gets cut in half. When you sell, the profit or loss against what you paid is shown. These are not safe choices. They are gambles inside the game.

Cashing out assets and shutting down

"Cash out assets" costs no action points. It sells your stakes, home, car, luxuries, stocks and crypto at a discount and turns them into personal cash. For example, a stake in a private company pays only 60% of its value, and a car pays 80%. You must keep at least 5% of any stake.

Shutting a company down cannot be undone. The remaining company cash goes first to repay the company loan. If anything is left, you receive your share of it, minus 20% for tax. If it falls short, you, as guarantor, take on the rest as bank debt. Closing one company does not end your life, and a closed company can trigger a fitting business ending once.

Quick recap

• Under 3 months of runway is the danger sign. Always check the number before you hire.
• Read the alert and the confirm window. They show the worst case the game worked out in advance.
• Every crisis-exit offer has a gain and a cost. Passing on it is a choice too.
• Loan sharks and crypto are gambles inside the game. Cashing out assets and shutting down are the last cards you play.