Wednesday, November 27, 2019
30A Final Reflection
Personally I think the most formative experience was either networking or my first elevator pitch. I had never done anything life that before. I realized how non intimidating and easy both of those were in comparison to how I thought they would be. From both of those exercises I feel incredibly more comfortable pitching ideas and forming new connections. Evaluating my mindset from the start of the semester to now I believe I've formed a much more entrepreneurial mindset. At the beginning of the semester I thought an entrepreneurial mindset involved complex ideas and strategic thinking far greater than common knowledge. Now I'm aware an entrepreneurial mindset is being able to take initiative to conquer your goals now. Problem solving, simplistic innovations; I can now look at things and think, what can I do right now? I recommend for incoming students to really just be proactive and keep up with your responsibilities. It is easy to succeed in this class if you literally just do the work.
29A Venture Concept No. 2
1) For my venture concept, an opportunity exists within students here at the University of Florida. Coming to college whether the school is within your state, hometown, or out of state, the transition is scary. It is the first time kids are on their own taking care of themselves and being on top of their own responsibilities. Although many students have friends from their high school go to the same University as them, many do not. Making friends is difficult and at such a large school with such an immense campus initiating the new relationship is intimidating. I believe formulating a service here on campus connecting students with similar interests for incoming students with no other affiliation to campus organizations would benefit a wide range of people. The market is defined geographically within the 6 mile radius of campus. It is also defined demographically through similarities between peers. Customers are currently satisfying this need by going to class, if they can, or joining campus clubs and greek life. This opportunity is fairly big and has a long life since the University recruits new students every semester.
My innovation would be the buddy system. Through surveys and interest categories students could relate to and form connections with other students based on their similar personalities. Every student willing to participate would receive a buddy for a certain interest category and would go on to pursue the activity with. The buddies are constantly changing for each category so everyone would be able to meet tons of new friends. The service will constant of both a membership option or individual fee option. Members would pay a monthly amount like $15 that would grant access to participate in the activities offered for that month. Customers who do not want to commit to a membership price would pay individual fees for each activity they are interested in.
My innovation would solve the problem of not meeting or making new friends. It is a cheaper way to connect and get involved with the school than greek life but would still present many social opportunities. People would be willing to buy my service because it is a unique way to affiliate themselves with people similar to them. With over 50,000 students at UF, this service makes the campus feel much smaller. The competitors would be different clubs and organizations on campus. My service is vulnerable because it is not free and there are free opportunities on campus. Also it requires my customers to initiate business so if no one is interested then I could not succeed.
Really what sets this business apart from others is that I want it to help the students on campus. I'm not solely focusing on generating money. I know for myself the transition to UF was difficult because the people I was closest with went to a separate school from me. I was also online and lived far from campus my first year making it tedious to come to campus. If this only benefits PaCE students I think it would still have a huge opportunity of succeeding because there are so many students in that program. Eventually once this service generates more attention I could extend it to other schools across Florida, or even to everyone in the community of Gainesville rather than just the students. This would benefit far more people on a much larger scale.
2) The only aspect of feedback that I received was that my my philosophy of not focusing on revenue is not the driving factor of my business. I agree, that is not what differentiates me from others but it does give me more leeway to perfect any kinks within the business
3) I didn't really change my venture concept because I didn't receive any feedback that required me to.
4)
My innovation would be the buddy system. Through surveys and interest categories students could relate to and form connections with other students based on their similar personalities. Every student willing to participate would receive a buddy for a certain interest category and would go on to pursue the activity with. The buddies are constantly changing for each category so everyone would be able to meet tons of new friends. The service will constant of both a membership option or individual fee option. Members would pay a monthly amount like $15 that would grant access to participate in the activities offered for that month. Customers who do not want to commit to a membership price would pay individual fees for each activity they are interested in.
My innovation would solve the problem of not meeting or making new friends. It is a cheaper way to connect and get involved with the school than greek life but would still present many social opportunities. People would be willing to buy my service because it is a unique way to affiliate themselves with people similar to them. With over 50,000 students at UF, this service makes the campus feel much smaller. The competitors would be different clubs and organizations on campus. My service is vulnerable because it is not free and there are free opportunities on campus. Also it requires my customers to initiate business so if no one is interested then I could not succeed.
Really what sets this business apart from others is that I want it to help the students on campus. I'm not solely focusing on generating money. I know for myself the transition to UF was difficult because the people I was closest with went to a separate school from me. I was also online and lived far from campus my first year making it tedious to come to campus. If this only benefits PaCE students I think it would still have a huge opportunity of succeeding because there are so many students in that program. Eventually once this service generates more attention I could extend it to other schools across Florida, or even to everyone in the community of Gainesville rather than just the students. This would benefit far more people on a much larger scale.
2) The only aspect of feedback that I received was that my my philosophy of not focusing on revenue is not the driving factor of my business. I agree, that is not what differentiates me from others but it does give me more leeway to perfect any kinks within the business
3) I didn't really change my venture concept because I didn't receive any feedback that required me to.
4)
Thursday, November 21, 2019
27A Reading Reflection No. 3
1) The general theme of the book, Cognitive Surplus, raises awareness to the immense time consumption television and interactive media have on people.
2) Within this class there is an emphasis on taking action on things you can pursue today. The book focuses on how social media and TV's distract their users from doing productive activities and wasting large amounts on time on something that produces little to no benefits. Connecting both ideas creates benefits for both things. Instead of spending countless hours with no productivity, social media can be used as a platform to promote new ideas and actually make a difference.
3) An exercise would be to create a social media platform that can be interactive with the users and be the sole generator of advertising and revenue for your product.
4) My biggest aha moment was when Shirky was expanding on the different collaborative was we could change social media. I thought it was really cool to create interactive ways to turn just anyone into an active producer.
2) Within this class there is an emphasis on taking action on things you can pursue today. The book focuses on how social media and TV's distract their users from doing productive activities and wasting large amounts on time on something that produces little to no benefits. Connecting both ideas creates benefits for both things. Instead of spending countless hours with no productivity, social media can be used as a platform to promote new ideas and actually make a difference.
3) An exercise would be to create a social media platform that can be interactive with the users and be the sole generator of advertising and revenue for your product.
4) My biggest aha moment was when Shirky was expanding on the different collaborative was we could change social media. I thought it was really cool to create interactive ways to turn just anyone into an active producer.
28A Your Exit Strategy
1) Five years from now I do intend to sell my business not necessarily for a large return. I don't see my business generating large sums of revenue rather I see it generating meaning to my customers. Im hoping to pass down my business to a fellow student after I graduate who is sees the bigger picture of the help this can bring to people and wants to continue it within their time at University.
2) I have selected this particular exit strategy because I think it should be run by a student who is on campus rather than an adult who is starting a family and isn't prioritizing that. I don't see this becoming my career because I would like to pursue different things but I definitely want it to continue running and benefiting kid's duration at college.
3) I think it has influenced other decisions I've made throughout my venture. Since I never saw this growing to a much larger scale I didn't put the effort into making bigger connections. I feel like the resources I've acquired are nothing out of the ordinary or too complicated because I wanted it to be small and genuine. Its a business that can be run by anyone.
2) I have selected this particular exit strategy because I think it should be run by a student who is on campus rather than an adult who is starting a family and isn't prioritizing that. I don't see this becoming my career because I would like to pursue different things but I definitely want it to continue running and benefiting kid's duration at college.
3) I think it has influenced other decisions I've made throughout my venture. Since I never saw this growing to a much larger scale I didn't put the effort into making bigger connections. I feel like the resources I've acquired are nothing out of the ordinary or too complicated because I wanted it to be small and genuine. Its a business that can be run by anyone.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
26A Celebrating Failure
1) This past semester I was determined to get more involved on campus. Although I did join a greek chapter this semester I haven't really put in any initiative to be that involved in it or in other things on campus. I tend to do this a lot when it comes to stepping out of my comfort zone and it causes me to miss out on potential new growth for myself.
2) I learned that the only way I can grow more as a person and enhance my happiness within college is trying new things and stepping out of my comfort zone. I noticed that when I fail to pursue new things I end up more frustrated within myself than I was when I wasn't affiliated with anything on campus.
3) Failure is a common fear holding people back from a lot of things. No one likes it, its discouraging, and it's embarrassing. But, failure is one of the most important takeaways from any challenge. It challenges you to view things from another angle and to improve. I've had a lot of failures within life and once I overcome them they turn out to be my favorite things. Failure is essential for improvement and although it's unpleasant and scary it adds so much more to you. In this class it was hard for me to come up with a business idea because I doubted how successful or feasible they could be. Now, I've learned to just go for it. Your first try or idea doesn't have to be perfect you just have to start and in time you will get better. I feel like I am more likely to take risks now than I was a couple months ago. I tend to overthink and now when I do I just think, what's the worst that could happen? Usually it's pretty minuscule.
2) I learned that the only way I can grow more as a person and enhance my happiness within college is trying new things and stepping out of my comfort zone. I noticed that when I fail to pursue new things I end up more frustrated within myself than I was when I wasn't affiliated with anything on campus.
3) Failure is a common fear holding people back from a lot of things. No one likes it, its discouraging, and it's embarrassing. But, failure is one of the most important takeaways from any challenge. It challenges you to view things from another angle and to improve. I've had a lot of failures within life and once I overcome them they turn out to be my favorite things. Failure is essential for improvement and although it's unpleasant and scary it adds so much more to you. In this class it was hard for me to come up with a business idea because I doubted how successful or feasible they could be. Now, I've learned to just go for it. Your first try or idea doesn't have to be perfect you just have to start and in time you will get better. I feel like I am more likely to take risks now than I was a couple months ago. I tend to overthink and now when I do I just think, what's the worst that could happen? Usually it's pretty minuscule.
Friday, November 15, 2019
24A Venture Concept No. 1
For my venture concept, an opportunity exists within students here at the University of Florida. Coming to college whether the school is within your state, hometown, or out of state, the transition is scary. It is the first time kids are on their own taking care of themselves and being on top of their own responsibilities. Although many students have friends from their high school go to the same University as them, many do not. Making friends is difficult and at such a large school with such an immense campus initiating the new relationship is intimidating. I believe formulating a service here on campus connecting students with similar interests for incoming students with no other affiliation to campus organizations would benefit a wide range of people. The market is defined geographically within the 6 mile radius of campus. It is also defined demographically through similarities between peers. Customers are currently satisfying this need by going to class, if they can, or joining campus clubs and greek life. This opportunity is fairly big and has a long life since the University recruits new students every semester.
My innovation would be the buddy system. Through surveys and interest categories students could relate to and form connections with other students based on their similar personalities. Every student willing to participate would receive a buddy for a certain interest category and would go on to pursue the activity with. The buddies are constantly changing for each category so everyone would be able to meet tons of new friends. The service will constant of both a membership option or individual fee option. Members would pay a monthly amount like $15 that would grant access to participate in the activities offered for that month. Customers who do not want to commit to a membership price would pay individual fees for each activity they are interested in.
My innovation would solve the problem of not meeting or making new friends. It is a cheaper way to connect and get involved with the school than greek life but would still present many social opportunities. People would be willing to buy my service because it is a unique way to affiliate themselves with people similar to them. With over 50,000 students at UF, this service makes the campus feel much smaller. The competitors would be different clubs and organizations on campus. My service is vulnerable because it is not free and there are free opportunities on campus. Also it requires my customers to initiate business so if no one is interested then I could not succeed.
Really what sets this business apart from others is that I want it to help the students on campus. I'm not solely focusing on generating money. I know for myself the transition to UF was difficult because the people I was closest with went to a separate school from me. I was also online and lived far from campus my first year making it tedious to come to campus. If this only benefits PaCE students I think it would still have a huge opportunity of succeeding because there are so many students in that program. Eventually once this service generates more attention I could extend it to other schools across Florida, or even to everyone in the community of Gainesville rather than just the students. This would benefit far more people on a much larger scale.
My innovation would be the buddy system. Through surveys and interest categories students could relate to and form connections with other students based on their similar personalities. Every student willing to participate would receive a buddy for a certain interest category and would go on to pursue the activity with. The buddies are constantly changing for each category so everyone would be able to meet tons of new friends. The service will constant of both a membership option or individual fee option. Members would pay a monthly amount like $15 that would grant access to participate in the activities offered for that month. Customers who do not want to commit to a membership price would pay individual fees for each activity they are interested in.
My innovation would solve the problem of not meeting or making new friends. It is a cheaper way to connect and get involved with the school than greek life but would still present many social opportunities. People would be willing to buy my service because it is a unique way to affiliate themselves with people similar to them. With over 50,000 students at UF, this service makes the campus feel much smaller. The competitors would be different clubs and organizations on campus. My service is vulnerable because it is not free and there are free opportunities on campus. Also it requires my customers to initiate business so if no one is interested then I could not succeed.
Really what sets this business apart from others is that I want it to help the students on campus. I'm not solely focusing on generating money. I know for myself the transition to UF was difficult because the people I was closest with went to a separate school from me. I was also online and lived far from campus my first year making it tedious to come to campus. If this only benefits PaCE students I think it would still have a huge opportunity of succeeding because there are so many students in that program. Eventually once this service generates more attention I could extend it to other schools across Florida, or even to everyone in the community of Gainesville rather than just the students. This would benefit far more people on a much larger scale.
25A What's Next?
Existing Market
Step 1: In terms of what's next for new growth I need to start taking action with forming connections with activity based companies. I need to promote my business and start creating small events to test out how efficient my business has the potential to be.
Step 2:
#1
I interviewed my friend in PaCE. She believed organizing a discussion forum for anyone interested would be the next move to see what starting activities I could begin with. She thought it would be important to hear what areas are lacking within the University. She also said I should extend the market beyond incoming freshman to all grades in the University.
#2
I interviewed a student transferring into UF from Santa Fe. He said I should reach out to rec sports and see what things they can aid my service with. He also said aside from thinking big, what I can do right now is round up about 20 people who would be interested to just meet each other and just hangout somewhere. He also thought I should try to organize my service into a club here at UF.
#3
I interviewed a senior graduating this fall. She advised me to promote my service on all social media platforms like, instagram, facebook, twitter etc.
Step 3: In terms of growing my venture I think I just need to start forming connections within the University and see what I can get done right now to start my business. Create the survey, website, etc, and promote it on facebook class pages affiliated within UF. Also I thought it was a cool idea to create an instagram page for my business which is something I never thought of doing. Also, I can begin organizing events without the help of larger companies by starting things at my apartment or even at public places like parks. Within growing my existing market I think its important that I promote my business further than just incoming student but extending it to all students here at UF. Even adjusted student may want to meet new people in a new way and extend their connections throughout other peers.
New Market
Step 1: A radically new market would be older people. Instead of targeting UF students for my market I would focus on adults around Gainesville. Stay at home mothers, retired couples, etc. Once you are no longer in a confined environment like work, or school, its hard to meet people so this could benefit my new market.
Step 2: I think this could really benefit my new market because I know it is difficult for adults to meet new people after they have a set day to day life. Adults have families, companions, responsibilities, usually making their social life not one of their biggest priorities. My business gives them flexibility to choose and activity that they are interested in and to meet new people based off of it.
Step 3:
#1
I interviewed my mom for this. She is a stay at home mother who often wants to try new things like dance and art classes but finds it more fun when she has someone to go with. She said my business could greatly benefit her because then she would be able to meet someone new while also trying something new. She said my interest categories should meet the older age group and be personalized for my new market in order to really catch their eyes. Also, instead of promoting through the internet I should put up flyers and physical ads since she doesn't really go on her phone that often.
#2
I interviewed my uncle. He also thought this would be really beneficial to the market. Before my grandma passed his life was focused on taking care of her needs and spending time with her. Now, he has so much free time that he doesn't really know what to do with. Also since he isn't married he said its hard to find someone at his age. He thinks this service could benefit him both socially and romantically.
Step 4: When I originally started this venture, I had considered focusing on this market because my mother has always told me how she wanted someone to come try a ballroom dance class with. After speaking to other people within the market I definitely think there would be success and possibly more for this new market. Younger kids are hesitant to reach out for help especially socially and sometimes there can be a negative stigma around it. For older people, those hesitations are really non existant. I did expect my interviews to go the way the went because I had thought about this new market initially but I definitely think it is something to focus more on. The only thing is the promotional aspect would be harder to voice. Without the internet being the center hub for spreading the word I would have to get more creative with how I promote my service.
Step 1: In terms of what's next for new growth I need to start taking action with forming connections with activity based companies. I need to promote my business and start creating small events to test out how efficient my business has the potential to be.
Step 2:
#1
I interviewed my friend in PaCE. She believed organizing a discussion forum for anyone interested would be the next move to see what starting activities I could begin with. She thought it would be important to hear what areas are lacking within the University. She also said I should extend the market beyond incoming freshman to all grades in the University.
#2
I interviewed a student transferring into UF from Santa Fe. He said I should reach out to rec sports and see what things they can aid my service with. He also said aside from thinking big, what I can do right now is round up about 20 people who would be interested to just meet each other and just hangout somewhere. He also thought I should try to organize my service into a club here at UF.
#3
I interviewed a senior graduating this fall. She advised me to promote my service on all social media platforms like, instagram, facebook, twitter etc.
Step 3: In terms of growing my venture I think I just need to start forming connections within the University and see what I can get done right now to start my business. Create the survey, website, etc, and promote it on facebook class pages affiliated within UF. Also I thought it was a cool idea to create an instagram page for my business which is something I never thought of doing. Also, I can begin organizing events without the help of larger companies by starting things at my apartment or even at public places like parks. Within growing my existing market I think its important that I promote my business further than just incoming student but extending it to all students here at UF. Even adjusted student may want to meet new people in a new way and extend their connections throughout other peers.
New Market
Step 1: A radically new market would be older people. Instead of targeting UF students for my market I would focus on adults around Gainesville. Stay at home mothers, retired couples, etc. Once you are no longer in a confined environment like work, or school, its hard to meet people so this could benefit my new market.
Step 2: I think this could really benefit my new market because I know it is difficult for adults to meet new people after they have a set day to day life. Adults have families, companions, responsibilities, usually making their social life not one of their biggest priorities. My business gives them flexibility to choose and activity that they are interested in and to meet new people based off of it.
Step 3:
#1
I interviewed my mom for this. She is a stay at home mother who often wants to try new things like dance and art classes but finds it more fun when she has someone to go with. She said my business could greatly benefit her because then she would be able to meet someone new while also trying something new. She said my interest categories should meet the older age group and be personalized for my new market in order to really catch their eyes. Also, instead of promoting through the internet I should put up flyers and physical ads since she doesn't really go on her phone that often.
#2
I interviewed my uncle. He also thought this would be really beneficial to the market. Before my grandma passed his life was focused on taking care of her needs and spending time with her. Now, he has so much free time that he doesn't really know what to do with. Also since he isn't married he said its hard to find someone at his age. He thinks this service could benefit him both socially and romantically.
Step 4: When I originally started this venture, I had considered focusing on this market because my mother has always told me how she wanted someone to come try a ballroom dance class with. After speaking to other people within the market I definitely think there would be success and possibly more for this new market. Younger kids are hesitant to reach out for help especially socially and sometimes there can be a negative stigma around it. For older people, those hesitations are really non existant. I did expect my interviews to go the way the went because I had thought about this new market initially but I definitely think it is something to focus more on. The only thing is the promotional aspect would be harder to voice. Without the internet being the center hub for spreading the word I would have to get more creative with how I promote my service.
23A Your Venture's Unfair Advantage
1. Empathy: This resource is valuable because it allows me to understand the view point of my customers while also targeting their need in the most genuine way. Although it is not the most rare, I believe it is rare to an extent. I chose this service not to make a profit but to actually help my customer's experience. It is inimitable because you can't just create empathy within yourself. You either feel it or you don't. I wouldn't call it non-substitutable because you may posses the ability to understand where the customer's need is coming from without empathizing with them.
4. Indecisiveness: Although being indecisive doesn't seem like beneficial human capital, this resource is valuable because it allows me to think thoroughly for a decision. I will always outweigh the pros and cons of any given situation and try to come up with the best decision. It isn't rare because a lot of people are indecisive. It is inimitable because some people don't overthink as much and don't think a tiny decision may have a great impact on something. It is non-substitutable because some people can just make a fast decision right away.
9. Creativity: This resource is valuable because I have a unique outlook on things. It is rare because not everyone has the ability to see things when they are just starting out. It is not inimitable because you can hire someone to be creative for you. It is non-substitutable because thinking outside of the box and being creative cannot be replaced.
2. Relatability: This resource is valuable because I can relate to how my customers feel. It is rare because not everyone can see both sides to a situation. It is inimitable to a certain degree because with a if you never had a bad first start within college you can't relate to the need for my service. It is non-substitutable because if you can't see the same situation from two different perspectives then you cannot relate.
3. Experience: This resource is valuable because having experienced a need for my service I know what to implement within it that I would've wanted back then. It is rare because some people rush immediately when coming to college or know many people at their school from home that they have a great starting experience. It is inimitable because you can't experience it if it never happened to you. It is also substitutable because you cannot just create a bad college experience for yourself if you never had one.
4. Indecisiveness: Although being indecisive doesn't seem like beneficial human capital, this resource is valuable because it allows me to think thoroughly for a decision. I will always outweigh the pros and cons of any given situation and try to come up with the best decision. It isn't rare because a lot of people are indecisive. It is inimitable because some people don't overthink as much and don't think a tiny decision may have a great impact on something. It is non-substitutable because some people can just make a fast decision right away.
5. Connections: This resource is valuable because it gives you an advantage and a closer starting spot than people who don't have connections. It is rare because some people may not have connections within their field. It isn't inimitable because anyone can put themselves out there and begin networking and forming connections. It is non-substitutable because you need higher connections than yourself to grow your business fastest.
6. Loyalty: This resource is valuable because I can never just let go of or quit on something when it gets tough. It is rare because not many people see how important loyalty is and act the way they would want to be treated. It is inimitable because if you don't see this importance of loyalty you cannot just create it within yourself. It is substitutable because there is nothing similar to loyalty.
7. Problem Solving: This resource is valuable because I have creative ways in coming up with numerous solutions. I don't think its rare because everyone has a different way of thinking and a solution they come up with might be easy for them to see and not easy for me to. It is not inimitable because you can practice your problem solving skills. It is not non-substitutable because you can hire someone to do the job for you.
8. Determination: This resource is valuable because I will always try to reach my goal. It is rare because some people quit when situations and ventures become difficult. It is inimitable because it comes from within your work ethic so if you are not already like that it is difficult to change. It is non-substitutable because determination helps you continue without having someone forcing you or incentivize you to do something.
9. Creativity: This resource is valuable because I have a unique outlook on things. It is rare because not everyone has the ability to see things when they are just starting out. It is not inimitable because you can hire someone to be creative for you. It is non-substitutable because thinking outside of the box and being creative cannot be replaced.
10. Wisdom: This resource is valuable because I have knowledge on many different life experiences. It is rare because not everyone has had experiences in life that give them worldly knowledge. It is not inimitable because as you get older you become wiser. However, it is non-substitutable because you cannot replace the knowledge you get from experiences.
I think my top resource is empathy. It is extremely important for my venture because my service comes from a genuine place and not just a want to make a profit. It allows me to feel how my customers feel and grow my business in the best way possible for them.
I think my top resource is empathy. It is extremely important for my venture because my service comes from a genuine place and not just a want to make a profit. It allows me to feel how my customers feel and grow my business in the best way possible for them.
Friday, November 8, 2019
22A Elevator Pitch No. 3
1) https://youtu.be/MDOQPtzTx5Q
2) I didn't really get much feedback between my first and second elevator pitches. During my first I was critiqued based on my speaking tempo as well as what additional information I could incorporate. I took that critique and added it to my second pitch. For my second pitch the feedback was really positive acknowledging the improvement. So, I didn't really change anything for this last one but I felt a lot more comfortable in the execution.
3) Although I didn't change any dialogue I changed my tone and enthusiasm. I knew the pitch much better and found myself pausing and stuttering much less.
2) I didn't really get much feedback between my first and second elevator pitches. During my first I was critiqued based on my speaking tempo as well as what additional information I could incorporate. I took that critique and added it to my second pitch. For my second pitch the feedback was really positive acknowledging the improvement. So, I didn't really change anything for this last one but I felt a lot more comfortable in the execution.
3) Although I didn't change any dialogue I changed my tone and enthusiasm. I knew the pitch much better and found myself pausing and stuttering much less.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
21A Reading Reflection No. 2
How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, Scott Adams
1) The general argument of the book is basically manipulating your perspective and mindset in a way that maximizes your success.
2) In my opinion, this book enhanced what I learn in this class because it was centered on what you can do today. Gradually heightening your skills and focusing on things that maximize your personal energy towards your goal. It starts with the little things, eating right, getting enough sleep etc. Once you strive towards benefiting yourself you can enhance your success in the future. And, thats really what this class focuses on. We don't set goals, we practice a little bit everyday on what steps we can take right now to benefit us in the future.
3) Based on this book I would design an exercise focusing on increasing personal growth. Spending an hour outside each day doing something each person enjoys. Adding that increases your excitement for the next day and essentially rolls over into your work ethic.
4) I think what I really loved about the book was how subtle and simple the solutions were. How changing something that may have deemed itself not the biggest priority amongst other things that seemed far greater were actually so important and served as a stronger foundation to enhance abilities outside of those small base steps.
Thursday, October 31, 2019
20A Growing Your Social Capital
1) Adam Neumann is an Israeli businessman who founded and owns the company WeWork. Born in Tel Aviv, now living in New York, Adam and I have similar backgrounds to connect on since I am a first generation American coming from Israeli parents. WeWork is an American real estate company providing workspaces for start up companies. Adam moved on to buy the company meetup. He is the domain expert since he is an entrepreneur interested in upcoming prospects and he also now owns a company very similar to the service I am providing. I happened to find his name when I googled a description of services similar to mine. Once I found meetup, the owner was Adam. After clicking on his name and seeing his connections which were broader than the founder of the company I found his email. I proceeded to email him explaining my idea and asking for any possible advice to improve my business making it more realistic. Although I got no reply, he is a great person to form ties with because he has many different connections.
2) Scott Heiferman is the founder of the company meetup. His company connects online interest groups with real world in person groups allowing people with similar interests to 'meet up'. Scott fulfills my market expert. Since he founded a company extremely similar to my service he has worked through necessary kinks the market may have. After googling a description of my service I found his company. I then typed in his name and added contact info after where I then found his linkedin profile. However, I could not find an email for Scott. I did find his twitter profile where I direct messaged him. Including him in my network gives me a strong tie for my direct market where I can learn from any mistakes Scott encountered.
3) There were many different suppliers for my industry. One specifically was an event happening near me at The Retreat Silver Springs. This is a meetup group for paper crafters held in a nearby venue in Gainesville. I found this event by going on the meetup website and looking at any nearby events I could attend. After I clicked on one I found the location and time of the event. The director of the retreat is a woman named Mary Beth Harper. I was able to contact them directly through the retreat's website. Forming a connection with this specific supplier provides me with a possible venue to host one of my activities.
After doing this assignment I realized how easy it is to network on small scale if needed. I can go through that internet rabbit hole and find so many people to network with who can fulfill so many different areas I perhaps didn't even think of in the first place. It has definitely changed how I view networking and am excited to continue on my endeavor.
2) Scott Heiferman is the founder of the company meetup. His company connects online interest groups with real world in person groups allowing people with similar interests to 'meet up'. Scott fulfills my market expert. Since he founded a company extremely similar to my service he has worked through necessary kinks the market may have. After googling a description of my service I found his company. I then typed in his name and added contact info after where I then found his linkedin profile. However, I could not find an email for Scott. I did find his twitter profile where I direct messaged him. Including him in my network gives me a strong tie for my direct market where I can learn from any mistakes Scott encountered.
3) There were many different suppliers for my industry. One specifically was an event happening near me at The Retreat Silver Springs. This is a meetup group for paper crafters held in a nearby venue in Gainesville. I found this event by going on the meetup website and looking at any nearby events I could attend. After I clicked on one I found the location and time of the event. The director of the retreat is a woman named Mary Beth Harper. I was able to contact them directly through the retreat's website. Forming a connection with this specific supplier provides me with a possible venue to host one of my activities.
After doing this assignment I realized how easy it is to network on small scale if needed. I can go through that internet rabbit hole and find so many people to network with who can fulfill so many different areas I perhaps didn't even think of in the first place. It has definitely changed how I view networking and am excited to continue on my endeavor.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
19A Idea Napkin No. 2
1) As a second year student here at the University of Florida, I have experienced both sides of the college lifestyle. Beginning University, I lived off campus in an apartment 20 minutes away from campus by car. I did not get involved in greek life nor did I partake in any clubs or organizations on campus. Joining a greek chapter this year has made it more than evident to me how the experience here at UF could be changed completely by this one thing. Going from barely knowing anyone, a homebody, and someone who was hesitant to pursue new endeavors on my own, to knowing all theses people involved in various things around campus and Gainesville itself has made me more open minded to get out of my comfort zone and try new things. My idea strayed from a system they implement in my chapter pairing girls together to make the new members as comfortable as they can be. That comfortability is what I aspire to give to everyone on campus regardless of your affiliation with greek life. I want these kids who are hesitant or scared to feel safe and welcomed on campus. Starting this business I see it becoming a great transitioning bridge for students entering their first year in college. Ultimately the positive impact it has on my customers life will carry over into mine.
2) What I'm offering to my customers are new doors. Every customer will fill out a survey describing their personality, interests, and what they aim to gain from my service as best as they can. Customers can be new students in Gainesville, or non students who have yet to find their place in this city. Additionally, active members on campus and around the city who want to get new people involved will fill out the survey as well. New students/residents, and active members, will be paired based on similar answers. With their buddies, they can sign up for activities around campus and the city to explore where they belong in Gainesville as well as network and make connections with people they possibly would not have met otherwise.
3) I am offering my service to both residents and students, new or not. The demographics I am focusing on are age, and ethnicity. Psychographics being hobbies and interests. The ages can range from 18+. Ethnic backgrounds will aid in allowing people to connect to their roots and hopefully make them feel more at home. But, pairings are not determined through ethnicity unless wanted. Hobbies and interests will connect those with similarities and help determine which activities are most demanded. What I think connects all my customers is that unfulfilled support group or social need. They have shared experiences of being frightened by this new change and they all want to enhance the experience to understand why people talk so highly of their college experience.
4) People would actually care about this service because I know a lot of people can relate to the difficulty of meeting new people when coming into a new environment. I know from personal experience I would've been interested in a service like this, as well as know older people who could also potentially benefit from a service like this. The service itself would not be expensive and be affordable to as wide of an income market as possible. Having connections with people make a city and campus like Gainesville seem much smaller, safer, and welcoming.
5) My core competency is that I experienced this lack of myself. Also, I have connections with people in many diverse areas within Gainesville. My service stems from compassion and a genuine want to help people that feel out of place not revenue. Relating to my market helps me better understand where the need is and how to provide a viable solution for it.
I think all elements and reasoning fit well in creating this service. I think the area I need to focus on most is how to generate a gain from this service. Whether I should focus on a membership service or If I should also include individual activities. Also I need to focus on setting a reasonable price that exudes value and affordability. I think my biggest take away from the feedback I received was adding the idea of a subscription similar to study edge. I hadn't thought about putting that bundle idea into my service and I thought it was a really great one.
2) What I'm offering to my customers are new doors. Every customer will fill out a survey describing their personality, interests, and what they aim to gain from my service as best as they can. Customers can be new students in Gainesville, or non students who have yet to find their place in this city. Additionally, active members on campus and around the city who want to get new people involved will fill out the survey as well. New students/residents, and active members, will be paired based on similar answers. With their buddies, they can sign up for activities around campus and the city to explore where they belong in Gainesville as well as network and make connections with people they possibly would not have met otherwise.
3) I am offering my service to both residents and students, new or not. The demographics I am focusing on are age, and ethnicity. Psychographics being hobbies and interests. The ages can range from 18+. Ethnic backgrounds will aid in allowing people to connect to their roots and hopefully make them feel more at home. But, pairings are not determined through ethnicity unless wanted. Hobbies and interests will connect those with similarities and help determine which activities are most demanded. What I think connects all my customers is that unfulfilled support group or social need. They have shared experiences of being frightened by this new change and they all want to enhance the experience to understand why people talk so highly of their college experience.
4) People would actually care about this service because I know a lot of people can relate to the difficulty of meeting new people when coming into a new environment. I know from personal experience I would've been interested in a service like this, as well as know older people who could also potentially benefit from a service like this. The service itself would not be expensive and be affordable to as wide of an income market as possible. Having connections with people make a city and campus like Gainesville seem much smaller, safer, and welcoming.
5) My core competency is that I experienced this lack of myself. Also, I have connections with people in many diverse areas within Gainesville. My service stems from compassion and a genuine want to help people that feel out of place not revenue. Relating to my market helps me better understand where the need is and how to provide a viable solution for it.
I think all elements and reasoning fit well in creating this service. I think the area I need to focus on most is how to generate a gain from this service. Whether I should focus on a membership service or If I should also include individual activities. Also I need to focus on setting a reasonable price that exudes value and affordability. I think my biggest take away from the feedback I received was adding the idea of a subscription similar to study edge. I hadn't thought about putting that bundle idea into my service and I thought it was a really great one.
Friday, October 25, 2019
17A Elevator Pitch No. 2
https://youtu.be/UxiVNd8M4qg
2) I hadn't really gotten much feedback on my first elevator pitch. Most critiqued on the speed of my speech. I could agree with this comment because I did try to slow down my speech in order to be understandable. I was also advised that if I spoke a little faster I would be able to add more information within the pitch without increasing the length of time. I thought this was really important.
3) Based on my advice to speak faster I tried to utilize that in this elevator pitch. I also added prices which I did not in my first pitch. This would allow my audience to get an idea on how I would ensure financial profit within my service.
2) I hadn't really gotten much feedback on my first elevator pitch. Most critiqued on the speed of my speech. I could agree with this comment because I did try to slow down my speech in order to be understandable. I was also advised that if I spoke a little faster I would be able to add more information within the pitch without increasing the length of time. I thought this was really important.
3) Based on my advice to speak faster I tried to utilize that in this elevator pitch. I also added prices which I did not in my first pitch. This would allow my audience to get an idea on how I would ensure financial profit within my service.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
18A Create a Customer Avatar
My prototypical customer is an 18 year old college freshman. She is an outgoing introvert. She has 2 dogs and she loves to bike in the morning. She focuses on mindfulness and personal growth. She is coming into college knowing some people yet all of her friends went to a different school. They have hobbies they would like to pursue, like volleyball, but are intimidated to begin the process of joining things on campus and do not want to play for the school. She lives off campus with random roommates who she doesn't necessarily get along with. She drive a black Volkswagen and does not own a scooter. Commuting from her apartment to campus is a hassle due to lack of parking so she doesn't spend a lot of time on campus. She never went through recruitment so she is not affiliated with any greek chapters. She loves chill music like milky chance and The paper kites and watches shows like Game of Thrones and the Office. She loves self help books like ones written by Mark Manson. She has doubts on whether she wants to transfer to another school to be with her friends or stay at her current school and meet new people. What I have in common with my avatar are a lot of things. Like my avatar I lived off campus and didn't love my roommates. And, all my best friends went to a different University than I causing me to have doubts on whether or not I was going to stay at UF. Its no coincidence my prototypical customer and I have commonalities. Having shared experiences allows me to understand why there would be a need for my service in the first place and gives me an advantage of knowing what to include that I may have wished were available for me.
Friday, October 18, 2019
16A What's Your Secret Sauce?
1) Human capital that I have which I think are really unique to myself are: compassion, determination, understanding, kindness, and creativity. I'm very compassionate towards others and am always able to see both sides or perspectives of two people. I am very determined when I put my mind on something. I am understanding and will try my best to accommodate needs. I am kind when it comes to listening to others. And, I am very creative. Often times I can come up with multiple solutions for problems.
2) When I interviewed my best friend and asked her about my skills and strengths that set me apart from others she focused on my creative aspect. She has seen it firsthand in helping her in regards to clothing or problem solving.
My other best friend focused on my understanding for others. When ever in need she knows she is always able to come to me.
My next childhood friend basically focused on leadership. How my skills and abilities set me apart from other leaders.
My brother jonny explained how since I was a Captain I hav experience leading people. Leadership abilities are important for human capital
Lastly my mother. She would know best what my skills and human capital are and she touched upon many things.
Interestingly enough, my own descriptions in human capital were extremely similar to those others gave me. I was surprised to see how close our descriptions were. I wouldn't make changes to my list because of how similar their lists were to mine. I think my interviewees are correct about me. Possibly the only thing that causes differences would them noticing little things about myself that I don't necessarily notice.
2) When I interviewed my best friend and asked her about my skills and strengths that set me apart from others she focused on my creative aspect. She has seen it firsthand in helping her in regards to clothing or problem solving.
My other best friend focused on my understanding for others. When ever in need she knows she is always able to come to me.
My next childhood friend basically focused on leadership. How my skills and abilities set me apart from other leaders.
My brother jonny explained how since I was a Captain I hav experience leading people. Leadership abilities are important for human capital
Lastly my mother. She would know best what my skills and human capital are and she touched upon many things.
Interestingly enough, my own descriptions in human capital were extremely similar to those others gave me. I was surprised to see how close our descriptions were. I wouldn't make changes to my list because of how similar their lists were to mine. I think my interviewees are correct about me. Possibly the only thing that causes differences would them noticing little things about myself that I don't necessarily notice.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
15A Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2
Interview #1:
Asking whether or not price mattered when it came to my service and its alternatives, this sophomore in the computer science program at UF said it did. And, I totally agree. She emphasized although she would be willing to pay her budget didn't exceed more than $10. Also, there were alternative solutions for her like utilizing group facebook chats to meet people that were free. However the quality wasn't that great that she was finding through facebook and she found the style to be awkward and weird. All 3 factors were equally important to her, but she said maybe price was the most just because as a college student already paying for basic survival she didn't have much excess cash to spend. She regarded the most convenient way for her to both pay and sign up for the service as online. Like a membership and monthly fee similar to study edge. The purchase is only worth it if she finds a few solid people she would actually rely on and enjoy spending time with so that this would only be a temporary subscription.
Interview #2:
In my second interview, this junior also stressed heavily that price mattered. Already working two jobs and associated with a chapter on campus, it is hard for her to find money that she would want to spend on a service like this. She has her alternative through greek life. If she wasn't affiliated with a chapter her budget to spend on this service would be similar to that of my first interview. Quality was the second most important factor because if she wasn't enjoying it to the extent that she expected then it would be a waste of money. Instead of a subscription she found it easier to pay independently for each activity of interest so that if she didn't utilize the service for some time no money would be wasted.
Interview #3:
Lastly, this sophomore didn't regard price as the biggest determining factor. It was more about the style of how the service worked. He thought price could fluctuate between activities reasonably and that if the service was greatly beneficial, then a higher price would be worth it. Most important to him was whether or not the service was hands on and organized. He figured online purchases based off activity was the most convenient. He compared it to Rec sports. Being able to sign up for an activity and purchase the spot. The purchase was a good idea if it was well organized, satisfied him, and provided all that it claimed it would provide.
I think all 3 are huge determining factors. I agreed with all reasonings within my interviews. I think each post purchase evaluation is really up to what the customer wants to get out of the service. Price especially within college students is a big deal. Not many people are willing to spend more than a couple bucks for something often. It is my responsibility to ensure my customers are satisfied with what i supply them with and to be as inclusive as possible so that they continue to purchase the service.
Asking whether or not price mattered when it came to my service and its alternatives, this sophomore in the computer science program at UF said it did. And, I totally agree. She emphasized although she would be willing to pay her budget didn't exceed more than $10. Also, there were alternative solutions for her like utilizing group facebook chats to meet people that were free. However the quality wasn't that great that she was finding through facebook and she found the style to be awkward and weird. All 3 factors were equally important to her, but she said maybe price was the most just because as a college student already paying for basic survival she didn't have much excess cash to spend. She regarded the most convenient way for her to both pay and sign up for the service as online. Like a membership and monthly fee similar to study edge. The purchase is only worth it if she finds a few solid people she would actually rely on and enjoy spending time with so that this would only be a temporary subscription.
Interview #2:
In my second interview, this junior also stressed heavily that price mattered. Already working two jobs and associated with a chapter on campus, it is hard for her to find money that she would want to spend on a service like this. She has her alternative through greek life. If she wasn't affiliated with a chapter her budget to spend on this service would be similar to that of my first interview. Quality was the second most important factor because if she wasn't enjoying it to the extent that she expected then it would be a waste of money. Instead of a subscription she found it easier to pay independently for each activity of interest so that if she didn't utilize the service for some time no money would be wasted.
Interview #3:
Lastly, this sophomore didn't regard price as the biggest determining factor. It was more about the style of how the service worked. He thought price could fluctuate between activities reasonably and that if the service was greatly beneficial, then a higher price would be worth it. Most important to him was whether or not the service was hands on and organized. He figured online purchases based off activity was the most convenient. He compared it to Rec sports. Being able to sign up for an activity and purchase the spot. The purchase was a good idea if it was well organized, satisfied him, and provided all that it claimed it would provide.
I think all 3 are huge determining factors. I agreed with all reasonings within my interviews. I think each post purchase evaluation is really up to what the customer wants to get out of the service. Price especially within college students is a big deal. Not many people are willing to spend more than a couple bucks for something often. It is my responsibility to ensure my customers are satisfied with what i supply them with and to be as inclusive as possible so that they continue to purchase the service.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
13A Reading Reflection No. 1
1) Although I have a deep interest in fashion and design, I've never read up on the uprisings and history of many designers. Reading Coco Chanel an Intimate Life, almost all of the information surprised me. Her impact on the culture and industry as a whole was revolutionary. I admire her confidence and her willingness to take risks and be controversial. Her strength and rebellious attitude shaped couture. She faced a ton of adversity. Taking masculine clothing and wearing them in an elegant, classy, feminine, way put power into women's hands. Furthering my research I definitely don't admire all aspects of her perspective. Her political views and affiliations with certain groups are not something admirable. But, solely for the fashion industry she broke boundaries. Being different comes with tons of negativity at the start. People are scared of change because it offsets the balance they are comfortable with. She had a lot of negative views surrounding her but what she did set a domino effect on the fashion industry striving for looking out of the ordinary and pushing boundaries that wouldn't normally be pushed.
2) She was a trend setter, confident, bold, iconic. Her competencies came from within. She liked being a contrarian. And was good at it.
3) One part of the reading that was confusing to me were the chapters about war and exile.
4) If I could ask her 2 questions they would be:
- Were you ever scared?
- Did you ever regret anything you've done?
5) I think her opinion of hard work is strength. Everything meticulously thought out. All things done had to be evaluated in a way where both the negative and positive attitudes put you on the map. I admire her contribution and her attitude. Being a powerful woman comes with a lot of comments and people become envious. The resilience of powering through no matter what comes your way is something I remind myself all the time and I think she really encapsulated that.
2) She was a trend setter, confident, bold, iconic. Her competencies came from within. She liked being a contrarian. And was good at it.
3) One part of the reading that was confusing to me were the chapters about war and exile.
4) If I could ask her 2 questions they would be:
- Were you ever scared?
- Did you ever regret anything you've done?
5) I think her opinion of hard work is strength. Everything meticulously thought out. All things done had to be evaluated in a way where both the negative and positive attitudes put you on the map. I admire her contribution and her attitude. Being a powerful woman comes with a lot of comments and people become envious. The resilience of powering through no matter what comes your way is something I remind myself all the time and I think she really encapsulated that.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
14A Halfway Reflection
1) This course really emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility. Maintaining an above average grade and keeping up with the course work is all up to the student themselves. I think these past two months I have strayed away from procrastination. My behaviors regarding this course are mainly being proactive. Reviewing assignments for each week prior to beginning the week so I can delegate necessary time to this class and my other classes in an efficient way. No one will be on top of you reminding you to complete your work, not only in regards to school but life in general, other than yourself.
2) There was a moment when I felt like giving up which was the week elevator pitches were due. I had an important exam that week for a course I had prior difficulties with that was making me very on edge. I also had a lot of social obligations for my participation on campus. I hadn't thought much about how I was going to gain a profit from my service or even really put a price on it. But, I knew if I planned accordingly and didn't dwell on the fact that I was stressed I would be okay. I had to pull myself down from my angst and back to reality. Without letting my emotions get in the way of my productivity I was able to push through and everything worked out. I've definitely developed a more tenacious attitude these past two months because I've had a lot more on my plate this semester than semesters before. At first it seems scary but just because you have more responsibilities that for some don't seem possible to achieve doesn't mean it's impossible for you to achieve. I feel a lot more motivated and even if I'm not successful a small portion of the time I know that I'm learning from my mistakes and everything is only going to better me in the future. Perfection doesn't lead you to success, perseverance does.
3) Three tips I would offer to next semester's students would be to delegate efficient time for every class far in advance. Plan your week's work accordingly so that you can finish everything you have to do without a ton of stress or tears. And, to just keep a positive mindset. The further you advance in life and University things only get harder. But, it's important to grow from everything rather than let obstacles set you behind.
2) There was a moment when I felt like giving up which was the week elevator pitches were due. I had an important exam that week for a course I had prior difficulties with that was making me very on edge. I also had a lot of social obligations for my participation on campus. I hadn't thought much about how I was going to gain a profit from my service or even really put a price on it. But, I knew if I planned accordingly and didn't dwell on the fact that I was stressed I would be okay. I had to pull myself down from my angst and back to reality. Without letting my emotions get in the way of my productivity I was able to push through and everything worked out. I've definitely developed a more tenacious attitude these past two months because I've had a lot more on my plate this semester than semesters before. At first it seems scary but just because you have more responsibilities that for some don't seem possible to achieve doesn't mean it's impossible for you to achieve. I feel a lot more motivated and even if I'm not successful a small portion of the time I know that I'm learning from my mistakes and everything is only going to better me in the future. Perfection doesn't lead you to success, perseverance does.
3) Three tips I would offer to next semester's students would be to delegate efficient time for every class far in advance. Plan your week's work accordingly so that you can finish everything you have to do without a ton of stress or tears. And, to just keep a positive mindset. The further you advance in life and University things only get harder. But, it's important to grow from everything rather than let obstacles set you behind.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
12A Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1
1) The one segment I am focusing on is the customer's interests.
2-5) Interview #1
Need Awareness: I began by asking a junior transfer student from Santa Fe. She was first aware of her need about 2 weeks after she started her freshman year of college. Being a dancer her entire life up until moving to Gainesville for school, she noticed the absence of dancing everyday like she was used to. At first it seemed relaxing to quit but she was later left unfulfilled. Wanting to start practicing once again she realized she had no one to introduce her to local studious around the city. Also, knowing the high pressure and judgment new comers have when entering a studio she was hesitant to try one on her own.
Information Search: She explored through web search local studious offering open classes for those 18+. It wasn't until she transferred to UF and was eligible for the recruitment process that she heard of dance ensembles pertaining to the University for all levels. Without the connections of knowing people already involved she admitted she would've given up on the idea of dancing altogether.
Interview #2
Need Awareness: For my second, I interviewed someone interested in fitness. Although she happens to attend UF, her boyfriend attends Santa Fe. Both very interested in fitness he goes to Gainesville Health and Fitness while she goes to Southwest Rec Center. She says she feels way more comfortable working out with her boyfriend but she does not want to pay for a membership at a gym when one is free for her through the University. Still maintaining her regimen, she wishes she had a "gym buddy" to workout with her making the overall experience more enjoyable.
Information Search: Really wanting someone to workout with her she went on the UF facebook groups and wrote posts searching for a companion. Luckily she found people interested, but she says its never consistent enough for her to continue working out with those people.
Interview #3
Need Awareness: For my final, I interviewed a freshman in the PaCE program. Playing soccer from middle school to high school she aspires to continue at University but through clubs or intramural teams. Not attending classes since she is fully an online student and no live lectures available has made her opportunity to meet new people very slim. Also, she doesn't even know where to begin her search to participate in soccer.
Information Search: Majority of her information search and sources come from facebook groups. Without spending much time on campus it is really hard for her to keep tabs on when events and opportunities arise that she may be interested in. She said she wished there were a way to connect to people who are also or were also once in her shoes.
6) Interests include a really large range and part of my market. However, the breadth and range has so many people with a need for this service that poses a positive direction for the success of my business. People are mostly getting their information from facebook groups and event groups that could be a great way to promote my service without the hassle of an app.
2-5) Interview #1
Need Awareness: I began by asking a junior transfer student from Santa Fe. She was first aware of her need about 2 weeks after she started her freshman year of college. Being a dancer her entire life up until moving to Gainesville for school, she noticed the absence of dancing everyday like she was used to. At first it seemed relaxing to quit but she was later left unfulfilled. Wanting to start practicing once again she realized she had no one to introduce her to local studious around the city. Also, knowing the high pressure and judgment new comers have when entering a studio she was hesitant to try one on her own.
Information Search: She explored through web search local studious offering open classes for those 18+. It wasn't until she transferred to UF and was eligible for the recruitment process that she heard of dance ensembles pertaining to the University for all levels. Without the connections of knowing people already involved she admitted she would've given up on the idea of dancing altogether.
Interview #2
Need Awareness: For my second, I interviewed someone interested in fitness. Although she happens to attend UF, her boyfriend attends Santa Fe. Both very interested in fitness he goes to Gainesville Health and Fitness while she goes to Southwest Rec Center. She says she feels way more comfortable working out with her boyfriend but she does not want to pay for a membership at a gym when one is free for her through the University. Still maintaining her regimen, she wishes she had a "gym buddy" to workout with her making the overall experience more enjoyable.
Information Search: Really wanting someone to workout with her she went on the UF facebook groups and wrote posts searching for a companion. Luckily she found people interested, but she says its never consistent enough for her to continue working out with those people.
Interview #3
Need Awareness: For my final, I interviewed a freshman in the PaCE program. Playing soccer from middle school to high school she aspires to continue at University but through clubs or intramural teams. Not attending classes since she is fully an online student and no live lectures available has made her opportunity to meet new people very slim. Also, she doesn't even know where to begin her search to participate in soccer.
Information Search: Majority of her information search and sources come from facebook groups. Without spending much time on campus it is really hard for her to keep tabs on when events and opportunities arise that she may be interested in. She said she wished there were a way to connect to people who are also or were also once in her shoes.
6) Interests include a really large range and part of my market. However, the breadth and range has so many people with a need for this service that poses a positive direction for the success of my business. People are mostly getting their information from facebook groups and event groups that could be a great way to promote my service without the hassle of an app.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
11A Idea Napkin No. 1
1) As a second year student here at the University of Florida, I have experienced both sides of the college lifestyle. Beginning University, I lived off campus in an apartment 20 minutes away from campus by car. I did not get involved in greek life nor did I partake in any clubs or organizations on campus. Joining a greek chapter this year has made it more than evident to me how the experience here at UF could be changed completely by this one thing. Going from barely knowing anyone, a homebody, and someone who was hesitant to pursue new endeavors on my own, to knowing all theses people involved in various things around campus and Gainesville itself has made me more open minded to get out of my comfort zone and try new things. My idea strayed from a system they implement in my chapter pairing girls together to make the new members as comfortable as they can be. That comfortability is what I aspire to give to everyone on campus regardless of your affiliation with greek life. I want these kids who are hesitant or scared to feel safe and welcomed on campus.
2) What I'm offering to my customers are new doors. Every customer will fill out a survey describing their personality, interests, and what they aim to gain from my service as best as they can. Customers can be new students in Gainesville, or non students who have yet to find their place in this city. Additionally, active members on campus and around the city who want to get new people involved will fill out the survey as well. New students/residents, and active members, will be paired based on similar answers. With their buddies, they can sign up for activities around campus and the city to explore where they belong in Gainesville as well as network and make connections with people they possibly would not have met otherwise.
3) I am offering my service to both residents and students, new or not. The demographics I am focusing on are age, and ethnicity. Psychographics being hobbies and interests. The ages can range from 18+. Ethnic backgrounds will aid in allowing people to connect to their roots and hopefully make them feel more at home. But, pairings are not determined through ethnicity unless wanted. Hobbies and interests will connect those with similarities and help determine which activities are most demanded.
4) People would actually care about this service because I know a lot of people can relate to the difficulty of meeting new people when coming into a new environment. I know from personal experience I would've been interested in a service like this, as well as know older people who could also potentially benefit from a service like this. The service itself would not be expensive and be affordable to as wide of an income market as possible. Having connections with people make a city and campus like Gainesville seem much smaller, safer, and welcoming.
5) My core competency is that I experienced this lack of myself. Also, I have connections with people in many diverse areas within Gainesville. My service stems from compassion and a genuine want to help people that feel out of place not revenue. Relating to my market helps me better understand where the need is and how to provide a viable solution for it.
I think all elements and reasoning fit well in creating this service. I think the area I need to focus on most is how to generate a gain from this service. Also which companies are willing to offer a special first time price for customers within my service.
2) What I'm offering to my customers are new doors. Every customer will fill out a survey describing their personality, interests, and what they aim to gain from my service as best as they can. Customers can be new students in Gainesville, or non students who have yet to find their place in this city. Additionally, active members on campus and around the city who want to get new people involved will fill out the survey as well. New students/residents, and active members, will be paired based on similar answers. With their buddies, they can sign up for activities around campus and the city to explore where they belong in Gainesville as well as network and make connections with people they possibly would not have met otherwise.
3) I am offering my service to both residents and students, new or not. The demographics I am focusing on are age, and ethnicity. Psychographics being hobbies and interests. The ages can range from 18+. Ethnic backgrounds will aid in allowing people to connect to their roots and hopefully make them feel more at home. But, pairings are not determined through ethnicity unless wanted. Hobbies and interests will connect those with similarities and help determine which activities are most demanded.
4) People would actually care about this service because I know a lot of people can relate to the difficulty of meeting new people when coming into a new environment. I know from personal experience I would've been interested in a service like this, as well as know older people who could also potentially benefit from a service like this. The service itself would not be expensive and be affordable to as wide of an income market as possible. Having connections with people make a city and campus like Gainesville seem much smaller, safer, and welcoming.
5) My core competency is that I experienced this lack of myself. Also, I have connections with people in many diverse areas within Gainesville. My service stems from compassion and a genuine want to help people that feel out of place not revenue. Relating to my market helps me better understand where the need is and how to provide a viable solution for it.
I think all elements and reasoning fit well in creating this service. I think the area I need to focus on most is how to generate a gain from this service. Also which companies are willing to offer a special first time price for customers within my service.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
9A Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2
Who: After interviewing an additional five people, I found that those who fall out of the boundary have more extroverted characteristics despite their circumstances. Those who didn't have the need, had a close group of friends that either changed location with them, or stayed in their hometowns. Had joined a greek life chapter immediately coming into college. Or, had moved around most of their lives staying in one place no longer than 2 years and had experience going out of their comfort zones and meeting new people. Some people were also just confident and comfortable exploring on their own as well as enjoyed it which lead to people gravitating towards them.
What: The need I identified differs from other needs because social involvement is a basic part of a hierarchy of needs. Although the needs stems from a broader range of underlying issues, it differs from the just the need of being accepted by others because acceptance is not what drives the desire to put yourself out there and try new things. Acceptance comes with forming bonds but the need is to find others that are interested in what you are so that there is a pool of people to choose from with each different activity.
Why: The outsiders of the boundary definitely differ from those inside the boundary. Those outside the boundary don't necessarily need a companion to try new things with. The one's inside the boundary feel companions would increase their motivation to go outside of their comfort zone because they have someone to make them feel safe.
Inside the boundary
New residents
Having a mentor or companion to try
new things with
People are often intimidated to put
themselves out there in fear of rejection
or failure
Outside the boundary
Those comfortable being alone, have a group of friends, or are already settled in their area
Having a mentor or companion to try new things with
They are familiar with their area or
are already involved in what they enjoy
What: The need I identified differs from other needs because social involvement is a basic part of a hierarchy of needs. Although the needs stems from a broader range of underlying issues, it differs from the just the need of being accepted by others because acceptance is not what drives the desire to put yourself out there and try new things. Acceptance comes with forming bonds but the need is to find others that are interested in what you are so that there is a pool of people to choose from with each different activity.
Why: The outsiders of the boundary definitely differ from those inside the boundary. Those outside the boundary don't necessarily need a companion to try new things with. The one's inside the boundary feel companions would increase their motivation to go outside of their comfort zone because they have someone to make them feel safe.
Inside the boundary
New residents
Having a mentor or companion to try
new things with
People are often intimidated to put
themselves out there in fear of rejection
or failure
Outside the boundary
Those comfortable being alone, have a group of friends, or are already settled in their area
Having a mentor or companion to try new things with
They are familiar with their area or
are already involved in what they enjoy
Thursday, September 19, 2019
8A Solving The Problem
My solution is a service provided to people connecting each person to someone with similar interests. You can request a guide, someone who is there to aid you with what ever you want them to; whether it's getting you involved with things you are interested in, showing you around, or introducing you to new things. You can also request to be paired up with someone else who is new. Rather than a mentor, you will have 'buddy' who is in the same position as you are. Each person will sign up for interest groups. These interest groups will include as much as possible like: music, fashion, art, education, gym, religion, etc. The goal is for inclusivity. No one should have to go through things alone. They will describe themselves and what they are looking to get out of this service. With that information every one will get a 'buddy' that they can explore new opportunities with.
7A Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1
Opportunity: Entering a new environment, like college, can leave some students feeling isolated and out of place because of either not knowing anyone, or not having a friend to explore the different involvement activities each campus has to offer. I believe there is an opportunity to form a buddy system for various specific interest groups guiding new people and exploring new ventures with a paired buddy.
The who: College students.
The what: Lack of motivation to explore campus activities.
The why: Not having someone to do those things with.
Testing the who: Although college students are the largest 'who', adults may also face this challenge. Meeting new people outside of a confined setting like school or work can be quite difficult to achieve. I also do not believe every college student or every adult faces this problem. Certain people have a more difficult time settling into a place a branching out in comparison to others. Greek like is also a huge contributor in helping students connect socially. As is staying in state, or coming to college with a close group of friends. This opportunity could be extended to anyone who is interested, but mostly for those who are not apart of those organizations or don't really know many people.
Testing the what: The boundaries of this need is really just the fact of only involving who is interested in participating in something like this. Not everyone is going to need someone by their side. Some people like branching out and exploring on their own, while others feel more comfortable having someone to explore with.
Testing the why: Some campuses and cities are more close knitted than others. Limiting the amount of people in one's surroundings can make it easier to feel more comfortable and less isolated because of how much easier it is to get to know everyone. In hindsight no one is going to know every single person everywhere they go; however, the more people you are familiar with makes for a more welcoming environment. This system would offer a wide range of interests reaching for inclusivity for all.
Interviews:
#1
For the first interview, I interviewed my roommate and friend who goes to Santa Fe. She believed people who aren't eligible to go through the recruitment process for greek life could benefit from an opportunity like this. She also emphasized the financial aspect of Greek life organizations because of how costly they potentially are. Adding that expense on top of tuition, books, housing, and meals is unnecessary added stress. Depending on the environment, she reiterated the idea of different comfort levels some people have and individual rate each person has at adapting to change. To her, the buddy system forces people to get involved and create new friendships and connections that perhaps wouldn't happen for some people if they didn't have this opportunity. Connecting students based on common interests, personalities, music genre, sports, etc.
#2
I interviewed my mom for the second interview. Her 'why' for this need was basically that, as a busy mother while not working a conventional job, she struggles to form new friendships within her community. Her friends are spread from all different cities, states, and even countries. Being able to explore common interests with new people fulfills the social aspect of her life. Our family comes from a different culture and often times it's difficult to find people with the same mentality as her. Having something to connect her with similar views could only benefit her life.
#3
For this one, I interviewed an online freshman here at the university. Being online and not living on campus, she found it very difficult to feel connected to the university. She said however, she was really lucky to have roommates from home that were her close friends. Had this not been the case, she would not have been willing to see what the university had to offer on her own. Being able to sign up for interest groups and be paired with people similar to her would make her transition to college all the better. Even though her roommates are her close friends, they are not always willing to do that activities that she enjoys. Having a buddy with commonalities would keep her in the know to events coming up like intramural sports.
#4
I interviewed my childhood friend who now lives in Israel. She moved there starting college in a whole different country by herself. Moving anywhere on your own is scary enough but moving to a whole different country speaking a different language could be petrifying for some. She is extremely happy with her decision and loves every one she's met and everything she's done there to the extent that she decided to stay there in her future. She put in the effort to go out there and try regardless of failure; nonetheless, having someone to guide her and rely on could have made her transition process move faster than it did. She emphasized that in the end most people will find where they belong and will be okay but having a safety net to fall back on if you are scared is a great thing.
#5
For my final interview, I interviewed my godmother who moves around a lot. She's moved around so many places partially because she has never achieved fulfillment from one place. She finds it difficult meeting people that are excited to try new things with her and many of her friends are too busy with their own lives. Her desire for the 'why' is to be able to feel like she's truly found a place where she belongs. Being in her 60's yet feeling so much younger it's really hard for her to connect with her age group. She thinks an arrangement with someone like her could make her much happier.
I didn't necessarily learn anything that I didn't already know about my opportunity. Seeing it from all of the perspectives ranging from people who were involved to people who weren't just strengthened the idea that there is an opportunity like this for people. One aspect that I didn't really think was as big as it was is the fear of rejection. Today every one is judged more based on their look, style, interests, and the thought of not socializing out of fear of being rejected is just a really sad thing. I don't want that to be the reason people are lonely or not as connected as they want to be. Having an inclusive opportunity like this is really important and I hope it could potentially change this social fear.
The who: College students.
The what: Lack of motivation to explore campus activities.
The why: Not having someone to do those things with.
Testing the who: Although college students are the largest 'who', adults may also face this challenge. Meeting new people outside of a confined setting like school or work can be quite difficult to achieve. I also do not believe every college student or every adult faces this problem. Certain people have a more difficult time settling into a place a branching out in comparison to others. Greek like is also a huge contributor in helping students connect socially. As is staying in state, or coming to college with a close group of friends. This opportunity could be extended to anyone who is interested, but mostly for those who are not apart of those organizations or don't really know many people.
Testing the what: The boundaries of this need is really just the fact of only involving who is interested in participating in something like this. Not everyone is going to need someone by their side. Some people like branching out and exploring on their own, while others feel more comfortable having someone to explore with.
Testing the why: Some campuses and cities are more close knitted than others. Limiting the amount of people in one's surroundings can make it easier to feel more comfortable and less isolated because of how much easier it is to get to know everyone. In hindsight no one is going to know every single person everywhere they go; however, the more people you are familiar with makes for a more welcoming environment. This system would offer a wide range of interests reaching for inclusivity for all.
Interviews:
#1
For the first interview, I interviewed my roommate and friend who goes to Santa Fe. She believed people who aren't eligible to go through the recruitment process for greek life could benefit from an opportunity like this. She also emphasized the financial aspect of Greek life organizations because of how costly they potentially are. Adding that expense on top of tuition, books, housing, and meals is unnecessary added stress. Depending on the environment, she reiterated the idea of different comfort levels some people have and individual rate each person has at adapting to change. To her, the buddy system forces people to get involved and create new friendships and connections that perhaps wouldn't happen for some people if they didn't have this opportunity. Connecting students based on common interests, personalities, music genre, sports, etc.
#2
I interviewed my mom for the second interview. Her 'why' for this need was basically that, as a busy mother while not working a conventional job, she struggles to form new friendships within her community. Her friends are spread from all different cities, states, and even countries. Being able to explore common interests with new people fulfills the social aspect of her life. Our family comes from a different culture and often times it's difficult to find people with the same mentality as her. Having something to connect her with similar views could only benefit her life.
#3
For this one, I interviewed an online freshman here at the university. Being online and not living on campus, she found it very difficult to feel connected to the university. She said however, she was really lucky to have roommates from home that were her close friends. Had this not been the case, she would not have been willing to see what the university had to offer on her own. Being able to sign up for interest groups and be paired with people similar to her would make her transition to college all the better. Even though her roommates are her close friends, they are not always willing to do that activities that she enjoys. Having a buddy with commonalities would keep her in the know to events coming up like intramural sports.
#4
I interviewed my childhood friend who now lives in Israel. She moved there starting college in a whole different country by herself. Moving anywhere on your own is scary enough but moving to a whole different country speaking a different language could be petrifying for some. She is extremely happy with her decision and loves every one she's met and everything she's done there to the extent that she decided to stay there in her future. She put in the effort to go out there and try regardless of failure; nonetheless, having someone to guide her and rely on could have made her transition process move faster than it did. She emphasized that in the end most people will find where they belong and will be okay but having a safety net to fall back on if you are scared is a great thing.
#5
For my final interview, I interviewed my godmother who moves around a lot. She's moved around so many places partially because she has never achieved fulfillment from one place. She finds it difficult meeting people that are excited to try new things with her and many of her friends are too busy with their own lives. Her desire for the 'why' is to be able to feel like she's truly found a place where she belongs. Being in her 60's yet feeling so much younger it's really hard for her to connect with her age group. She thinks an arrangement with someone like her could make her much happier.
I didn't necessarily learn anything that I didn't already know about my opportunity. Seeing it from all of the perspectives ranging from people who were involved to people who weren't just strengthened the idea that there is an opportunity like this for people. One aspect that I didn't really think was as big as it was is the fear of rejection. Today every one is judged more based on their look, style, interests, and the thought of not socializing out of fear of being rejected is just a really sad thing. I don't want that to be the reason people are lonely or not as connected as they want to be. Having an inclusive opportunity like this is really important and I hope it could potentially change this social fear.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
6A Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends
1) "Why the Saudi oil attack is a ‘big deal’ that could be a ‘game changer’ in stock markets and crude prices"
My first opportunity is based on pushing towards sustainable energy sources. I found this in an article from MarketWatch describing how the Saudi Arabia oil attack can potentially be a game changer in the stock market. Since Saudi Arabia is one of the world's largest processors of oil, the destruction of supply has lead to a belief in the spike of oil prices for the rest of the world. This spike in pricing is why I believe there is an opportunity. Oil is one of the most important energy sources, if not most, used worldwide. Complications with oil drilling and fossil fuels within our atmosphere has led the environment to a sharp decline. Pushing on the idea of creating sustainable energy resources could be a drastic shift for longer lasting energy, usage of replenishing resources, and overall bettering our environment. I think since sustainable energy today is still such a new and imperfect source, the target customer would primarily be individual households, rather than large scale factories. As much as I would love to be able to say this would be an easy opportunity to exploit, it's not. The resources used for sustainable energy could be expensive, unstable, and produce more expenses in comparison to oil which is why it's not a big thing in every ones mind. I saw this opportunity mainly because of research I recently done on artificial photosynthesis for my biology class as well as my growing interest in sustainability. I believe a small difference to every day life styles could have a huge impact on the world if every one participates. I'm not saying everything should change within the blink of an eye but if every year there is more emphasis on sustainability, the impact could eventually be drastic.
2) "Are We in a Baby Boomer Retirement Crisis?"
Because of the recession in 2008, many baby boomers are hesitating to retire. I found this opportunity in an article from Investopedia. They are lacking funds, and are not taking advantage of government benefits like social security. I believe there is an opportunity in a service, like one on one advisors, helping these baby boomers gracefully come out of the work force and secure their retirement funds. The prototypical customer would be generation between 1946-1962. A lot of older people lack the technological skill set that the younger generations are better adapted to. This is why one on one interactions with them could help them in their retirement plans. I believe this will be relatively easy since its a very old fashion service. No complicated technology, no drastic change, and a selective target group. I believe I saw this because my dad, for example, is not the best technologically. He has a tough time trying to copy and paste. So, if there were a younger generation trained in planning and helping secure these funds for the older generation, I feel like there could be a very positive impact.
3) "Trump's proposed ban on vape flavors may not stop teens from vaping, experts warn"
Found in an article from USA Today, I believe there is an opportunity for educating kids, starting in 5th grade, on the effects if vape. Like said in the article, the proposed ban on vape flavors except for tobacco may only have a limited impact on the teens who use them. When cigarettes first came out there was no knowledge of the harmful effects they lead to until these effects were prominent throughout the clientele. Similar issues arise with vape. At the beginning there was barely any knowledge of their effects in the future until kids started showing up at hospitals. The effects have been showing up at a much faster rate than cigarettes ever did. I believe there is an opportunity to begin educating these kids at a young age like they did with cigarettes and drugs for my generations. Programs should be implemented in elementary and middle schools warning kids of their effects and steering them away from this path. I feel this opportunity would be neither easy or difficult to exploit. The target group would ultimately be the children's parents. If they agree for the educational program it shouldn't be too difficult to implement. I believe I saw this opportunity because of how close it is to me personally. Although I never got into them, majority of my friends and family did and I would hate to see anything that happened to those kids happen to them.
4) "Marijuana Legalization and Regulation"
I found this opportunity from the drugpolicy.org. Throughout this year, regulations on legalizing marijuana both medically and recreationally have widely been implemented. I believe there are countless opportunities within this business. The CBD component in the marijuana plant have helped numerous people with issues ranging from mental illness, stress, anxiety, to physical illnesses like cancer and chronic seizures. I believe legalizing marijuana could catalyze all sorts business opportunities. In addition to business opportunities, it can also steer a large amount of people away from opioids and pain relievers. The prototypical customer would be, someone with a high stress level, or chronic pain. I saw this opportunity because I've seen the benefits components in marijuana have had on people close to me with recreational or medical usage. Classifying it as a narcotic drug is irrational because there are legalized drugs out there, like alcohol, which pose far more destruction than any marijuana case.
My first opportunity is based on pushing towards sustainable energy sources. I found this in an article from MarketWatch describing how the Saudi Arabia oil attack can potentially be a game changer in the stock market. Since Saudi Arabia is one of the world's largest processors of oil, the destruction of supply has lead to a belief in the spike of oil prices for the rest of the world. This spike in pricing is why I believe there is an opportunity. Oil is one of the most important energy sources, if not most, used worldwide. Complications with oil drilling and fossil fuels within our atmosphere has led the environment to a sharp decline. Pushing on the idea of creating sustainable energy resources could be a drastic shift for longer lasting energy, usage of replenishing resources, and overall bettering our environment. I think since sustainable energy today is still such a new and imperfect source, the target customer would primarily be individual households, rather than large scale factories. As much as I would love to be able to say this would be an easy opportunity to exploit, it's not. The resources used for sustainable energy could be expensive, unstable, and produce more expenses in comparison to oil which is why it's not a big thing in every ones mind. I saw this opportunity mainly because of research I recently done on artificial photosynthesis for my biology class as well as my growing interest in sustainability. I believe a small difference to every day life styles could have a huge impact on the world if every one participates. I'm not saying everything should change within the blink of an eye but if every year there is more emphasis on sustainability, the impact could eventually be drastic.
2) "Are We in a Baby Boomer Retirement Crisis?"
Because of the recession in 2008, many baby boomers are hesitating to retire. I found this opportunity in an article from Investopedia. They are lacking funds, and are not taking advantage of government benefits like social security. I believe there is an opportunity in a service, like one on one advisors, helping these baby boomers gracefully come out of the work force and secure their retirement funds. The prototypical customer would be generation between 1946-1962. A lot of older people lack the technological skill set that the younger generations are better adapted to. This is why one on one interactions with them could help them in their retirement plans. I believe this will be relatively easy since its a very old fashion service. No complicated technology, no drastic change, and a selective target group. I believe I saw this because my dad, for example, is not the best technologically. He has a tough time trying to copy and paste. So, if there were a younger generation trained in planning and helping secure these funds for the older generation, I feel like there could be a very positive impact.
3) "Trump's proposed ban on vape flavors may not stop teens from vaping, experts warn"
Found in an article from USA Today, I believe there is an opportunity for educating kids, starting in 5th grade, on the effects if vape. Like said in the article, the proposed ban on vape flavors except for tobacco may only have a limited impact on the teens who use them. When cigarettes first came out there was no knowledge of the harmful effects they lead to until these effects were prominent throughout the clientele. Similar issues arise with vape. At the beginning there was barely any knowledge of their effects in the future until kids started showing up at hospitals. The effects have been showing up at a much faster rate than cigarettes ever did. I believe there is an opportunity to begin educating these kids at a young age like they did with cigarettes and drugs for my generations. Programs should be implemented in elementary and middle schools warning kids of their effects and steering them away from this path. I feel this opportunity would be neither easy or difficult to exploit. The target group would ultimately be the children's parents. If they agree for the educational program it shouldn't be too difficult to implement. I believe I saw this opportunity because of how close it is to me personally. Although I never got into them, majority of my friends and family did and I would hate to see anything that happened to those kids happen to them.
4) "Marijuana Legalization and Regulation"
I found this opportunity from the drugpolicy.org. Throughout this year, regulations on legalizing marijuana both medically and recreationally have widely been implemented. I believe there are countless opportunities within this business. The CBD component in the marijuana plant have helped numerous people with issues ranging from mental illness, stress, anxiety, to physical illnesses like cancer and chronic seizures. I believe legalizing marijuana could catalyze all sorts business opportunities. In addition to business opportunities, it can also steer a large amount of people away from opioids and pain relievers. The prototypical customer would be, someone with a high stress level, or chronic pain. I saw this opportunity because I've seen the benefits components in marijuana have had on people close to me with recreational or medical usage. Classifying it as a narcotic drug is irrational because there are legalized drugs out there, like alcohol, which pose far more destruction than any marijuana case.
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