Reflection

It was fun reading through my posts from the semester and seeing how my ideas developed. I have been passionate about this idea from day one, but seeing it become more realistic and developed was cool. I did not like having to think of the logistical aspects, but I understand that is part of business.

I am most proud of my venture concept because it is developed and makes it seem like I can actually create this app. I also like reading about Coco Chanel, because I love the brand and she is a very interesting woman and I learned a lot from that assignment.

I think I have moved towards having an entrepreneurial mindset and wanting to start my own thing, but I don't know if I am there completely yet. I think I still want experience in the corporate world before I go off on my own.

For future students, I recommend picking a product that you are actually passionate about and could use yourself because it will make the assignments more interesting. If not, you will get bored and dread writing about your product. You will also do better in the course if this is the case.

Venture Concept 2

Venture Concept 2



My product is an app that connects people in the Greek community. It is like Tinder, but will only be used for date functions. You will get suggestions based on past dates and what kind of date you want. You will also not show up in the mix if you are not available for a certain date function.

Opportunity

Interactions, even in college, are becoming much more digital. Everything is done through the phone, texting, snap chatting, instagram. These changes make an app the perfect product to appeal to college kids. Even more so because a lot of people use Tinder and Bumble and are comfortable and aware of the concept that my app will model.

The market right now would be defined geographically by the people who go to the University of Florida. Later, as we expand it would be used on campuses across the US. Greek life really isn't a thing internationally so it would never expand past the US. Demographically, the market is men and women ages 18-22 who are in a greek chapter.

Customers are currently satisfying their need by asking their friends if they know anyone to take or just taking someone they already know that may not be as much fun. They may be risk takers and dm someone they don't know at all, but this is no platform like my product on the market.

The window of opportunity would be for as long as greek life is still around. This actually may not be that long since national policies are getting much stricter and greek life as a whole is viewed in a negative light by the general public. Many chapters are being kicked of campus at other university's and it could start happening here.

Innovation

There is nothing like my product on the market. It is an app for college students in greek life. You can pick preferences based on what kind of date you want (friend, fun, romantic). You can have bio where you can show your personality and humor. There will also be a calendar of all possible date functions so you can select you availability. If you are not available for a certain date, you will not show up in results to make this process as efficient as possible. Once you use the app a few times, you will start getting suggestions based on past dates. The app will be free for download but I will add premium features that are for purchases within the app.

Venture Concept

I think my customers will switch to this new product because a lot of people have this problem. M generation also loves trying new things and getting instant gratification of swiping and finding a date. I have no competitors besides traditional dating apps like tinder and bumble. For people like me and my friends, I would never use tinder and bumble for find a date for a function because these apps aren't used for that. I don't have packaging in my product because its an app but I know the design will be very important. If it doesn't look like its made fo r gen z, my consumers won't use it. At first, I'd probably just have me as an organizer for the business and my software engineer for my technical aspects.

Unfair advantage: nothing like this on the market
What's next: development and testing
Next for me: I will probably not be in the venture in 5 years since I will be out of college and I will be on my next venture, possibly something my corporate.


Summary
Everyone agreed that it makes sense to leave this app once I graduate college because I will be past the point where I am still relevant on the knowledge of date functions and greek life. I will also not have enough of a vested interest to continue. Everyone also agrees that my idea for anonymous ratings is good and that I should get help from psychologists for this. Someone also suggested that I hire people from competing apps as long as they don't have an NDA which I agree with. I still think my idea is unique and successful, but there are still a lot of things to work out. Another thing I just considered is if UF could regulate the use of the app since universities are looking to minimize greek life activity on campus. 

Reading 3

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future

I picked this book because my sister is obsessed with Elon Musk and I wanted to know more about him. I found this book very inspiring and motivating. Obviously Elon is very successful and he gives tips on how to do this. He says to not chase money, but to chase meaning in a way that will benefit the whole society. He also says don't complain and that vacations can kill you. some of his other lessons are:

• figure out what questions to ask yourself
• create your own opportunities
• vacations can kill you
• value your time 
• get used to pain and suffering. 

Exit Strategy

My exit strategy will be to sell the company after four years. I really love my product, but since it is based around college student and greek life, I will want to move on to something else once I don't fit into those categories. My exit strategy has influenced the development of this product because I know I don't want to do this forever so I made the product very niche. I could possibly pass on the company when I am ready or there might be something new to replace it by then.

Failures

I failed this semester when I was late to an FLA session. It was in a different location than usual so I was going to have to Uber there. I made sure to call the Uber 20 minutes early so nothing could go wrong. After 18 minutes, the uber still wasn't there to pick me up and I was going to be late. I had to ask my roommate to scoot me there. I was really upset to be late to the first session because it doesn't make a great first impression. Even though I tried to prevent this, I know uber is not always reliable and I should've asked my roommate to take me from the beginning. I will have to keep this in mind when I have other important things like interviews and meetings.

What's Next

Existing Market

I interviewed three of my friends that I have already described the product to. They think all the features I have are good and two of them did not have any more ideas. One of my friends said that maybe we could figure out how to do an organic rating system that no one else sees and just affects the algorithm.

I would have to work with my software engineer to develop this and try to figure out how to incentive the "good dates". I don't want people to be rated poorly because their date did not hook up with them or things along that nature. However, I do want the good dates to be incentivized and get matched with the other good dates. If the good people are getting matched with people who are rude or boring they will stop using the app.

Since there are no other direct competitors, it is hard to see what others are doing to combat this problem. Maybe I could team with psychologists to create very objective questions to rate dates. These are things I will have to figure out as development progresses.

New Market 

I want to look at the baby boomer market. This is radically different from my target market of Gen Z'ers. They don't go on date functions so for my product it is kind of hard to expand to different consumers since it is so niche.

I interviewed my parents since they are in this generation. I explained my product but they obviously can't relate since they are not longer in greek life and married. They did however think my idea was clever.

I don't think I can expand my product into other markets since it is for a specific demographic and it is a niche product. This could be a downfall, but could also be one of my values since I have no competitors and if I make my product the best right off the bat, there will be barriers to entry to for copycats.

Venture Concept 1

My product is an app that connects people in the Greek community. It is like Tinder, but will only be used for date functions. You will get suggestions based on past dates and what kind of date you want. You will also not show up in the mix if you are not available for a certain date function.

Opportunity

Interactions, even in college, are becoming much more digital. Everything is done through the phone, texting, snap chatting, instagram. These changes make an app the perfect product to appeal to college kids. Even more so because a lot of people use Tinder and Bumble and are comfortable and aware of the concept that my app will model.

The market right now would be defined geographically by the people who go to the University of Florida. Later, as we expand it would be used on campuses across the US. Greek life really isn't a thing internationally so it would never expand past the US. Demographically, the market is men and women ages 18-22 who are in a greek chapter.

Customers are currently satisfying their need by asking their friends if they know anyone to take or just taking someone they already know that may not be as much fun. They may be risk takers and dm someone they don't know at all, but this is no platform like my product on the market.

The window of opportunity would be for as long as greek life is still around. This actually may not be that long since national policies are getting much stricter and greek life as a whole is viewed in a negative light by the general public. Many chapters are being kicked of campus at other university's and it could start happening here.

Innovation

There is nothing like my product on the market. It is an app for college students in greek life. You can pick preferences based on what kind of date you want (friend, fun, romantic). You can have bio where you can show your personality and humor. There will also be a calendar of all possible date functions so you can select you availability. If you are not available for a certain date, you will not show up in results to make this process as efficient as possible. Once you use the app a few times, you will start getting suggestions based on past dates. The app will be free for download but I will add premium features that are for purchases within the app.

Venture Concept

I think my customers will switch to this new product because a lot of people have this problem. M generation also loves trying new things and getting instant gratification of swiping and finding a date. I have no competitors besides traditional dating apps like tinder and bumble. For people like me and my friends, I would never use tinder and bumble for find a date for a function because these apps aren't used for that. I don't have packaging in my product because its an app but I know the design will be very important. If it doesn't look like its made fo r gen z, my consumers won't use it. At first, I'd probably just have me as an organizer for the business and my software engineer for my technical aspects.

Unfair advantage: nothing like this on the market
What's next: development and testing
Next for me: I will probably not be in the venture in 5 years since I will be out of college and I will be on my next venture, possibly something my corporate.

My Venture's Unfair Advantage

1. My personal drive

• Value: I will not quit
• Rare: Not many other people have it
• Inimitable: I am self motivated
• Non substitutable: I don't think anything else can substitute drive

2. My parents are entrepreneurs 

• Value: I have seen a business grow and struggle
• Rare: Not many other people grow up learning about business the way I have 
• Inimitable: You can go to school to learn about this, but I grew up watching it 
• Non substitutable: I don't think anything else can substitute my experience growing up

3. My best friend goes to Duke for Engineering

• Value: He could help me with the technical side of the app
• Rare: He is also in greek life and relates to my consumers problem
• Inimitable: I could get another software engineer
• Non substitutable: No one would work better together than us

4. I am in a large sorority 

• Value: I have access to 300 potential consumers right at the tip of my fingers
• Rare: Not many other people have this close of contact with their consumers
• Inimitable: Other people in are also in large chapters
• Non substitutable: The girls in my chapter are very supportive and would help me test my product

5. I have friends in fraternities 

• Value: Access to the other side of my market 
• Rare: Again not many other people are this close to their consumers
• Inimitable: Other people have friends in frats
• Non substitutable: Non friends in fraternities could also help me 

6. I have a clear vision 

• Value: I can manifest what I want to happen with my product 
• Rare: Not many other people have it
• Inimitable: It is difficult to relay this vision to people sometimes 
• Non substitutable: I don't think anything else can substitute my vision besides a better idea

7. Support from my family 

• Value: If things get hard I know I have people to lean on and encourage me 
• Rare: Not many other people have the unconditional support I do 
• Inimitable: You can copy family support
• Non substitutable: Nothing can substitute this 

8. I am one of my consumers

• Value: I can understand what my consumers want and need
• Rare: Not many other people my age are their own consumer
• Inimitable: Other people could be their own consumer
• Non substitutable: Only research could give me the insight I naturally have 

9.  My finance background 

• Value: To understand a business you have to understand money 
• Rare: Other people could have this 
• Inimitable: Other people could have this background 
• Non substitutable: I could hire a finance professional 

10. Taking this entrepreneurship class

• Value: Learned things about starting  a business
• Rare: Not many other people have this knowledge 
• Inimitable: You can take another course 
• Non substitutable: You can't substitute these learning experiences 

I think the most valuable asset I have is my drive. I will never give up on my goals and vision which is something entrepreneurs need when encountering failures. 

Elevator Pitch 3

My feedback last time was to go more into depth and be more enthusiastic. I think I am more enthusiastic in this elevator pitch than last time. I know more about the direction of my product and features that I want in it. I also know more about who I am pitching to. 

Reading Requirement

 Thinking fast and slow is about the two ways we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. The impact of overconfidence on corporate strategies, the difficulties of predicting what will make us happy in the future, the profound effect of cognitive biases on everything from playing the stock market to planning our next vacation―each of these can be understood only by knowing how the two systems shape our judgments and decisions.

I think we had to use both these systems in this class when thinking about our product, consumers, and strategies. My biggest aha moment was just realizing there were two different types of thinking. 

Napkin 2

I believe the aspects of my idea do fit together. People on date functions want to have a good time and take someone they will have fun with. I also know a lot of college kids who want to broaden their network but do not know how. I got comments on my last post about people being afraid of taking strangers, which is true. Perhaps I could add a feature that shows you mutual connections with people so they seem like less of a stranger.

Growing Your Social Capital

I decided to talk to someone  who is a Tinder rep because it relates to my product. They are a domain expert for my product. I found them through mutual friends so I just asked them for their number. The favor they did for me was just tell me a little bit about more about the matching process and about the industry that I didn't know. I will keep in touch with this person and possibly make them a rep for my app in the future. This experience made me realize that it is easy to network with people and get help.

Customer Avatar

Since my product is geared towards college greek life my avatar will be:

• UF kids ages 18-22
• In a fraternity/sorority 
• Has a smartphone
• Single
• Ready to mingle
• Watch popular shows like Euphoria, the Office
• They don't have kids
• Might have siblings
• Probably major in bio, business, or engineering 

I am similar to my avatar because I would be a prospective consumer of it. That's why I think this product could succeed, I know what the market wants. 

Elevator Pitch 2

My feedback last time was to go more into depth and be more enthusiastic. I think I am more enthusiastic in this elevator pitch than last time. I know more about the direction of my product and features that I want in it. I also know more about who I am pitching to.

Secret Sauce

1. I think I am motivated, driven, caring, loyal, and confident. I get my motivation, drive, and confidence from myself which I think is important because you cannot rely on other people for those things. Obviously having a supportive family and group of freinds helps, but I know my goals and I really want to reach them. I have always been more mature than my peers which I actually did not like about myself for a while. I felt like I couldn't relate to kids my age and couldn't just have fun and be a kid. It;s something I value now because I know when to take things seriously, know how to manage relatrionships and am able to prioritize things.

2. I asked my two best friends, my sister, mom and dad what makes me different. Both of my best freinds said that they are impressed by my clear view of what I want for myself in the future and I don't stop doing things that will help me get there. They said I can say no to fun things to stay home and stud which other people can't. My family said that I was authentic, strong-willed, responsible and poised with strong moral and ethical values.




3. I think I am pretty aware of myself which include my strengths and weaknesses so there wasn't a lot of discrepency between what I thought about myself and what other people think.

Buyer Behavior 2

What I'm evaluating: App price

Person 1: Buys apps on the app store, only for free. If offered in-app purchases, they never do it or upgrade to premium.

Person 2: Also gets apps in the app store, has bought some apps, but not more than $3. They never make in-app purchases.

Person 3: Never buys apps, but makes in-app purchases.

I would want to test a free app, but have a premium option where I would charge, just like tinder. If no one was interested in the premium, I could just make it free and make revenue from advertisements.

Tenacity

Through this class I have learned how to reflect and take objectively take other people’s perspectives into my ideas.

I have done sports my whole life so I have learned how to push through the hard times when I want to give up and quit and this has translated into how I deal with school. I know there is an end goal I have to meet and it’s easy to keep going when you have that.

The tips I would give is to be prepared, know that it’s easier than it seems and to try to have some fun with it.

Readings

I chose to read about Coco Chanel because I already know a little bit about her story and love the brand she created. You would never guess that the creator of the brand most associated with luxury and beauty was an orphan that came from poverty. The nuns in her orphanage taught her how to sew and that’s how she got into making clothes. I admire how she took men’s fashion and made it feminine, but still strong. She made classic fashion statements that are eternally timeless. I don’t know how she could have such foresight into the future of fashion and create such a powerful statement behind her brand. I assume because the strength and class in her translated into her designs and company, but I’d ask her that if I had the chance.

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior

The segment I chose for these interviews was freshman since they know the least amount of people. I interviewed two girls and one boy. All of them are single and don't have anyone in mind for their next date functions. They've met people out, but didn't get their contact info or don't know if they had a boyfriend or girlfriend. They would ask their friends if they knew anyone, but their friends are in the same boat. The could ask their bigs if they could set them up, but don't want to take older people. They were talking about taking people they already knew from home. I feel like this segment is a big portion of who needs this app. They are aware of their need, but are struggling with their information search and finding a solution to their problem.

Napkin Idea 1

I believe the aspects of my idea do fit together. People on date functions want to have a good time and take someone they will have fun with. I also know a lot of people who want to broaden their network but do not know how. I got comments on my last post about people being afraid of taking strangers, which is true. Perhaps I could add a feature that shows you mutual connections with people so they seem like less of a stranger.

Elevator Pitch

Testing the Hypothesis 2

As my sorority has a date function approaching, girls are already talking about who they are going to take or that they don't know who to take. I randomly selected four girls from different ages at Chapter to interview. I also talked to one of my friends not in greek life.

Interview 1

Who: The first girl I talked to was a freshman who came into college with a boyfriend, but they just broke up because of distance. She isn't ready to take a new boy on our function and is planning on just taking a friend in a different chapter for now.

What: She said even besides finding a date to the function she wants to meet more guys as friends and thinks an app like this will help find her a date but also develop friendships after the fact.

Why: Even though she had a boyfriend, she knows it's been hard to meet boys or make actual connections with them because all of the freshmen are meeting everyone and most of the time people don't even remember each other's names.

Interview 2 

Who: The second girl I interviewed was a sophomore who was always asking in our groupchats for advice on who to take, but she recently started talking to someone and now has someone to count on coming to our functions.

What: She said prior to this she struggled with finding dates because the same groups of people hang out with each other and even if she wanted to take one of her guy friends, he probably already got asked by someone else. She felt frustrated by the end of the year and wanted to branch out and have more guy friends in different frats.

Why: Sometimes you get bored being with the same group of people over and over again.

Interview 3

Who: I interviewed a junior who is a chemical engineering major and never goes out. She never plans on going to our functions because she's always busy and if she can she just ends up taking one of her girl friends.

What: She's too focused on school and clubs to think about finding a guy to take on functions and doesn't care that she doesn't meet new guys usually.

Why: She's here to get into med school, not find a boyfriend or date anyone.

Interview 4

Who: I interviewed a senior who has a boyfriend. She said she wouldn't need this app but think it would be useful for her friends who don't have boyfriends and wait to the last minute to find someone.

What: She realizes that in a year her friends will be in the real world and doesn't think they are going to know how to meet new guys because they have gotten so close to their guy friends over the past 4 years.

Why: They won't have the security of being in a place where everyone is the same age in less than a year and they are all worried how the will make connections.

Interview 5 

Who: I interviewed a guy friend not in greek life. He doesn't need dates for functions but expressed that it sometimes is hard to meet people outside of clubs and class.

What: Has a set group of friends and doesn't know how to branch out more than he has.

Why: Thinks people in greek life don't need an app because we have socials where we have the opportunity to meet different people and ask someone on a date if we want to.

Inside the Boundary                                       Outside the Boundary
People who need dates                                      People who already have someone to take or don't care
Connections                                                      Finding a date
Hard to branch out                                            We can ask people in person or just ask friends


Obviously, not everyone is going to need this app for various reasons. I think the deeper reason beside finding dates is wanting to experience new people and make new connections.

Solving the Problem

My opportunity was finding a way to make it easier and more fun for people in Greek life to find dates for date functions. An idea for this is to make an app like Tinder but have it be solely for people in Greek organizations and solely for date functions. You could put in preferences of the other organizations you’d like to go with, a schedule of your availability so you’re taken out of the system for the functions you’re not available for, how you are as a date and what you want out of a date. This would make it more fun and allow people to get to know they otherwise might not have. It also takes the fear of rejection away because if you don’t match with someone, you won’t even be able to ask. Once the date is over, you can leave comments on the person and rate how they were on a date function.

Testing the Hypothesis 1

The opportunity: Making it easier for people in Greek Life to find dates to functions. 

Who: College students involved in Greek life that do not have a boyfriend, girlfriend, and doesn’t want to take the same person for every function.

What: Even though there is a Greek community, it is difficult to be in contact with people in other organizations that you may not have solid connections in. Even if you do have connections, relying on a friend of a friend is not always the best way to secure a date. 

Why: It is pretty stressful finding a date for functions and if you decide to take someone random, you don’t know how they will be as a date which could affect your time on the function. I think creating a way to streamline and make finding dates less stressful and more effective would be useful.

Interview 1 

I interviewed a friend in my sorority who does not have a boyfriend. She felt that finding dates for functions wasn’t too hard since she usually took her guy friends, but sometimes got bored with taking people from the same fraternity and the same friend group. Her struggle is that she doesn’t know a lot of boys in other fraternities and doesn’t want to ask a friend to set her up with someone. 

Interview 2

I interviewed my little in a sorority who is a freshman and has not experienced a date function yet. Since she hasn’t met many people she thinks this idea is great because she doesn’t know who to ask. She does think it might be awkward if someone asks her that she doesn’t want to go with, but that happens anyways. 

Interview 3

I interviewed one of my good guy friends in the fraternity I hang out with the most. He said he might be interested in something like this but has never felt stressed when trying to find a date for a function so would simply try something like this out of curiosity. 

Interview 4

I asked another guy friend who has a girlfriend if he would use this if he were single. He said he probably would because he’s never had to find a date due to having a girlfriend, so think something like this would be helpful. 

Interview 5

I interviewed one of my study abroad roommates who is older and in a different chapter. She was very excited about the idea because even though she doesn’t get stressed about asking someone random, she has had an unfortunate series of bad dates that her friends have set her up with. 

I have found that there is a need for this opportunity, more with girls. Guys would probably try it more out of curiosity but try it none the less. Obviously, not everyone has the same problem I do with finding dates, but I think the opportunity is there. Before doing these interviews, I did not know that my guy friends did not feel the same stress that my girl friends do when trying to find a date. 

Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Economic Trends:

Baby boomers aren’t retiring:This forces the younger generation to either create new jobs or find multiple streams of income to make a meaningful salary. This leads a lot of millennials to free-lance jobs. The problem is that a lot of free-lance jobs are creativity based like makeup or writing, but not everyone has those skills.

Potential customer: Millennials with entry level jobs and salaries looking for another source of income

Exploitable: Yes, my idea is exploitable because there are many ways to make an income and creating a platform for non-creative millennials could take many different forms. 

Why: I saw this opportunity because I am a millennial that will join the work force in a couple years and am aware of the struggles that people slightly older than me face. I am also not creative enough for freelance work. 

https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666

Financial Markets control Food Prices: Commodities traders have the power to set gas, oil, and food prices. Food costs have been going up based on investors actions. A service could be created that keeps healthy food prices low and accessible. 

Potential Customer: Low income households or college students

Exploitable: I don’t this idea is exploitable if we got a solid hold on the market, but obviously I don’t have any experience in creating a large scale food service. 

Why: I am a college student who likes buying healthy food, but have realized they have gotten more expensive. Healthy options are also limited and not always easily accessible. 

https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666

Regulatory Trends: 

Move towards stricter guidelines on the content of food served at schools: Schools are having to serve healthier food at schools because of the obesity epidemic in America. Some schools have brought in outside companies to meet the health requirements, but still provide food that students want. 

Potential Customer: Students

Exploitable:I think it would be hard to exploit because I don’t have experience in the food industry or large scale food markets like schools. 

Why:I never bought lunch from school because it was either too unhealthy or looked unedible when it was healthy. At college I also never went to the dining hall because the food just didn’t look good and I think sourcing an outside company to make the food fresh and healthy, but also tasty would be beneficial. 

https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/Consumer-Business/dttl_cb_Regulation%20in%20CP_POV.pdf

Eco-labelling of food products: products promoted as less harmful to public health and the environment, such as ‘organic’ or ‘local,’ are carefully monitored to ensure accuracy of usage. Even though the food might be healthy and good for the environment, the packaging should too. 

Potential Customers: Food manufacturers

Exploitable:I think this could be exploitable because I am possibly pursuing a minor in sustainability which would be relevant to this opportunity. The research and knowledge I would do and possibly the connections I make while doing this minor would make the opportunity more feasible.

Why: I have been trying to reduce my use of plastic and other harmful materials, but it is difficult when that is what my food is already packaged in. 

https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/Consumer-Business/dttl_cb_Regulation%20in%20CP_POV.pdf

My Opportunity Belief

Some opportunities come from things that constantly occur and are always on your mind. Other opportunities present themselves when something goes wrong, which is what happened to me. My laptop recently stopped being able to be charged for no apparent reason. I took it to the UF Bookstore and turned it into the Apple service center. My computer was thankfully still covered under Apple Care so there was no out of pocket expense, but it was a major inconvenience to be without my computer. I asked the bookstore if they had loaner computers, which they do, but they were broken which is ironic coming from the only computer repair store on campus. I believe there is an opportunity to give students a credit towards the bookstore if they turn in their old, but working laptops when they get an upgrade, allowing students like myself to not be inconvenienced when things like this happen. Unfortunately, I have two other friends that have gone through a similar experience and would be prototypical customers for this opportunity and I asked my roommate how me not having a laptop affected her as well. 

Interview 1: Jakob H. 

When did this become a need and why? 

I needed to bring my laptop in to get fixed when a friend spilled water on it and damaged the motherboard. Obviously, that’s a lot of damage and took the bookstore a while to fix so I was without a computer for like two and a half weeks which was really annoying. 

How do you currently address this need? 

I had to go the library or ask a friend to use their computer which was very annoying, and I had to do all of my assignments later than I normally would have and I just wanted my own computer. 

Are you satisfied with this solution? 

I’m definitely not, it was the worst two weeks of my life. 

Interview 2: Jack T:

When did this become a need and why?

My computer just randomly stopped working like yours but I don’t have an apple so it took the bookstore even longer to fix and it was annoying to not have a computer for that long with school and stuff. 

How do you currently address this need?

I just had to spend a lot of time at the library and try to make sure to get there at a time where they all wouldn’t be taken. It was not convenient to do any of my work. 

Are you satisfied with this solution?

No, I like to do my work when I want to do it and not have to go somewhere else to do it. I got really frustrated with the bookstore for taking so long fixing mine. 

Interview 2: Kalee T:

When did this become a need and why?

Well, when your computer broke you obviously needed to use someone’s which I was happy to let you do but it was a little tricky coordinating our schedules so we could both get our stuff done. I also had less time to use my computer in my free time. 

How do you currently address this need? 

I didn’t really do anything to address this need I just used my computer less than I normally would have, but I’m glad you have your computer to use again. 

Are you satisfied with this solution?

I mean I’d do anything to help you out but it would’ve been nice if we didn’t have to share a computer and I also got to see you less when you were at the library for longer doing work on those computers so I guess I’m not satisfied. If I were to ever upgrade my laptop, I’d be happy to give it to the bookstore to make a loaner for other people. 

My opportunity belief is still there as much as I’d expected at first. There is a need for students whose computers break at unfortunate times and it even inconveniences their friends and roommates. I think students would turn in their old laptops especially if they got an incentive from the bookstore. 

I think entrepreneurs should be cognizant of customers’ needs because at the end of the day, if there isn’t a need, the business won’t succeed. I also believe that entrepreneurs should be passionate about their business so if they are passionate about an opportunity, they should go for it, just keep the need aspect in mind. 

Identifying Local Opportunities

1.     Expert advice: How to spot sketchy nutrition info

https://news.ufl.edu/2019/05/how-to-spot-sketchy-nutrition-advice/

This article discusses the danger of following nutrition advice from influencers on social media. Most do not have the credentials to be giving advice and make blanket statements that do not apply to everyone. The right diet for an individual is based on their body, their needs, and medical history. Over 20,000 emergency room cases are due to supplements, most notably for weight loss. Just because these influencers might have good intentions of showing the public how they got the body they have, it might be creating a lot of unhealthy habits for their followers. I know a lot of people my age who follower influencers for their fitness tips, myself being one of them. It is important to take their advice with a grain of salt. 

2.    Here’s why you should look beyond breed labels when adopting a dog

https://news.ufl.edu/2019/04/look-beyond-breed-labels-when-adopting-a-dog/

A UF Veterinary Medicine Professor found that 2/3 of labels in dog shelters are wrong. This is a problem because breeds don’t tell you much about a dog, but mislabeling could also mean a death sentence for some dogs that are not allowed in certain areas like pit bulls, even if the dog has no pit bull in them. Dog adopters might also pass up a dog that is very well suited to their lifestyle. 

3.    Juul: Why a trendy e-cig is causing a social – and public health – commotion

https://theconversation.com/juul-why-a-trendy-e-cig-is-causing-a-social-and-public-health-commotion-90985

E-Cigarettes are supposed to be a healthier alternative to traditional smoking but may pose threats the teens that use them. This article says that the nicotine in Juul’s can prohibit brain development. It also makes it more likely for teens who never used tradition tobacco before juuling to try it after. There have also been recent stories of users going to the hospital for lung problems caused by e-cigarettes.

4.     Health: Step it up? In the battle of fitness trackers, the most steps might not win

https://www.gainesville.com/lifestyle/20190905/health-step-it-up-in-battle-of-fitness-trackers-most-steps-might-not-win

Most 50 year-olds and up have bought into the $26 billion industry of fitness trackers and are enamored with reaching their steps for the day. Walking more can increase life span, decreased risk of stroke and other health concerns, but there is a blanketed number of 10,000 steps that may not be the best number for everyone. Exercise in moderation might be the best answer for older people. 

5.    A tasty warmup at Gainesville’s new Cheesecake Factory

https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190912/tasty-warmup-at-gainesvilles-new-cheesecake-factory

The Cheesecake Factory is opening to the public on Tuesday. There will be a menu          with 30 different cheesecake flavors as well as pasta, chicken, and burger entrees. This is a problem for college students like me who are already tempted with fast food, chipotle and other unhealthy dining options in Gainesville. Having a Cheesecake factory does not expand the list of healthy options in Gainesville and only pr

My Entrepreneurship Story

Unlike most first graders, I knew what the word entrepreneur was, I got to see what went into starting a business, and watch the business grow just as I did. My mom quit her corporate job when they asked her to take an international position which would require much more travel than she wanted, being a mom of two and wanting to be present in our lives. She and my dad decided that running her own business would give her the best work/life/mom balance so she started her own executive health care recruiting firm. I've gotten to watch the struggles and successes of starting something yourself and being your own boss. Having entrepreneurship be so present in my life growing up, I am naturally inclined to have an entrepreneurial mindset and hope to run something of my own one day. Just like I have learned from my mom's business, I hope to learn more about entrepreneurship and what it takes to be your own boss from this class. I am still focused on being a manager in a preexisting corporation in the near future, but want the knowledge and skills to potentially transfer to being my own boss. I'm grateful I have a strong, driven entrepreneur as my mom to gain access to this world much earlier than I would have.

Bug List

My Bug List

1. 1. How my eggs always stick to the pan
   ·       WHY: My pans are not nonstick and I do not want to use an excessive amount of oil to make it not stick.
   
   
   2.    The bliss coconut milk coffee creamer I like isn't sold at the W University Publix 
   ·      WHY: It is a smaller publix so there is less variety in the options of the products
   
   
   3.    Jeans that fit right are impossible to find 
   ·      WHY: The material of jeans is less flexible so it doesn't conform to your body like other materials. Since everyone has different measurements for their waist/hips/legs, it is very unlikely that a uniform size will fit everyone well. 
   
   
   4.    My buddy scooter needs to be kickstarted almost every time I turn it on and it's two days old
   ·      WHY: New scooters sometimes have this problem because the engine needs to be kept running.
   
   
   5.    My hair frizzes or curls every time I walk outside 
   ·      WHY: My hair is naturally curly so the 75% humidity in Gainesville makes moisture go into my hair follicle and makes it revert to its natural pattern.
   
   
   6.    Uber never gets to my location when it says it's going to 
   ·      WHY: In Gainesville, there are a lot of areas that cars cannot drive or park, forcing uber drivers to take alternative routes that are much longer. 
   
   
   7.    When I have my ringer on, that means I will hear the clicking on my phone keyboard when I type
   ·      WHY: When iphones are not on silent, they make all of their default noises, including the clicking on the keyboard and there is no setting for keyboard sound.
   
   
   8.    My foundation, moisturizer, face wash, chapstick, and eyeliner are all running out at the same time 
   ·      WHY: All of my products have relatively close lifespans and since I bought them all at the same time, they’re going to run out at the same time
   9. My fitted sheet never stays on the left side regardless of how much it’s tucked under
   ·       WHY: My mattress topper is too big for my sheets and my weight on the bed makes it pull up on the side I sleep on 
   
   
   10. The fact that traffic in Gainesville around 5 pm makes it take 15 minutes to get from Standard to Sorority Row
   ·      WHY: Traffic patterns and roads were not made for the population size that Gainesville has now, creating a lot of backup during rush hour.
   11. I get scam calls at least 5 times a day 
   ·      WHY: I’ve given my phone number to a lot of online stores that probably give my phone number to telemarketers and other organizations along those lines
   12. These scam calls leave voicemails so frequently that I have 94 voicemails to delete off my phone 
   ·      WHY: It is part of their job to leave voicemails and I was not diligent about deleting them and let them pile up
   
   
   13. My mirror fogs up when I take a shower and then I have to wait to get ready in my bathroom
   ·      WHY: The moisture and the heat from the shower causes water condensation on the mirror surface and only goes away once cool dry air enters the bathroom
   
   
   14. The doors to my bathroom, closet, and bedroom can't be open at the same time because they will hit each other 
   ·       WHY: Standard designed the A bedroom in the Chelsea layout so that all of the doors are close enough to hit
   
   
   15. If I don't blowdry my hair, it will take almost a full day to completely dry 
   ·       WHY: The texture and amount of hair I have mixed with the humid Gainesville air make it take hours for my hair to airdry completely
   
   
   16. I can't fit my right airpod in my ear because of my piercing so I only wear my left 
   ·       WHY: The back of my tragus piercing sticks out just enough to make it nearly impossible to fit my right airpod in my ear
   
   
   17. My apple laptop charger needs to be placed on a flat surface for it to charge my computer 
   ·       WHY: It is a couple years old and has been bent at the connect of the cord and the lightening piece, so it has to be straightened out to work
   
   
   18. The bento under standard took an hour and a half to get me my order on two separate occasions
   ·       WHY: It is a very convenient location for students, making it very busy at times. Management has either not hired enough staff or they don’t have enough equipment or work-space to be efficient. 
   
   
   19. When the only pumps at the gas station available are for the opposite side that my gas opening is on 
   ·       WHY: There is an even number of pumps at the Costco gas station in Wellington for right and left openings, but there might not be an even distribution of cars in Wellington with right openings versus left. This means that people will sometimes have to make the pump reach around their car. 
   
   
   20.When my imaps doesn’t calibrate fast enough and tells me to turn as I’m passing the turn.
   ·       WHY: My tmobile service is rarely reliable, making loading time slower on my phone and then the map does not match up with real time location.
   
   
   I thought this assignment was relatively easy because I am aware of my surroundings and what I like and don't like. The only reason it was slightly difficult is because I have become accustomed to my daily bugs and did not realize they still bother me.