The oldest lesson in business: Buy low, Sell high
The most obvious lesson that ones could from this game is buy low, sell high. Money is made when we sell our goods at higher price than the purchase price. In this game, the market price fluctuates from time to time, and is different from one port to another port, depending on the market demand at each port. This market situation creates lots of money making opportunity for the traders. In our real world, the traders also play the same game. The market price fluctuates and is different between places.

Trade frequently and fast
The key to accumulate wealth in this game is trade frequently. Small profits, from here and there, and from now and then, will accumulate to a big, wealthy amount. In the real world, many self-made millionaires and billionaires worked out their ways to millionaire and billionaire titles/recognitions by trading frequently, actively. They appreciate small profits, which are still better than making losses. Their small efforts and profits accumulate to their wealth.

And if ones desire to be wealthy fast, trade fast – the second key. In this game, trade fast means trade goods that would give you the highest profit margin. Your ships’ total cargo space and warehouse space are limited, and hence, you must choose your goods mix wisely to maximise your trading income. In the real world, resources are limited as well. Factories’ capacities are limited and therefore they have to carefully plan their product mix to maximise their profit. Funds are limited and thus, investors have to choose wisely where to put their money to get the highest rate of return.

Increase capacity to trade more goods
The cargo space in the ships are limited. Furthermore, in order to better protect the ships, the player will buy more cannons. These cannons reduce the cargo storage capacity of the ships. Thus, the player will buy more ships to increase his trade volume. But there is a limit for the number of ships a fleet could have: 25 ships per fleet. Luckily, the game offers another way to leverage: warehouse. A warehouse can store good hundred times more than a fleet could carry. Thus, it is the best way to increase the trade volume. Whenever player spots a good buying price, he can buy as much as his warehouse can store. He could sell his goods later, when he spotted a good selling price. In the real world, trading capacity is limited as well. Businesses open more branches to serve more customers. Factories expand their capacity to produce more goods. Internet businesses offer affiliation opportunity to expand their marketing, and outsourcing their business activities to expand the size of their operations.

Consider good debt when necessary
There are times when player sees good buying price and has capacity to store the goods, but do not have enough cash money to buy. He can borrow from the money lender. In the real world, similar things happen every day. We can go to bank to apply for home loan if we found a good house for investment put on sale. A civil contractor, who managed to get a contract but does not have enough capital, went to bank to borrow money. An investor, who spotted a good buying price but does not have enough fund, applied share margin facility to buy that particular stock. Having not enough money shouldn’t stop us from trading.

Maintain well your business system and upgrade
In this game, the business system covers the ships, cannons and warehouses. These are the things needed to make money here. The ships need repairs and the broken cannons need to be replaced. And the player can trades ship for better ship. Better ships are the ships that can carry more cannons and goods. The player also needs to pay port authorities to protect his warehouses. Again, the costs to buy ship, buy cannon, repair ship, buy warehouse and to subscribe warehouse protection service fluctuate and different between ports. So, the player is encouraged to spend more to maintain his business system when the price is right. In the real world, things are not much different. A big time businessman needs to maintain good relationship with his CEOs, who manage his businesses. Businesses protect themselves by hiring legal advisors to look after legal matters, buying insurances, patenting its intellectual properties, and investing on security systems. Businesses also send their staffs to training courses. An investor needs to go training or attend investment seminar or talk once awhile to keep him self up-to-date and refresh. He also needs to invest on investment tools and information.