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.