30A - Final Reflection

1) I definitely had both some highs and lows. I was able to effectively talk about some of my real world experiences in this class and was even able to gain constructive feedback during the course of the conversations following discussion post dialogue and analysis from my fellow classmates and UF students.

2) The most formative experience would definitely be when we had our first reading assignment. I was able to chose a book that I was most interested in and gained a personalized experience and chance to gain business acumen from that opportunity. My most joyous moment was doing the extra credit assignment where i was able to talk about my business opportunity in class! I am also most proud of myself for sticking to the schedule I created which ultimately allowed for me to stay on top of the assignments in this class.

3) I definitely still feel that I need to grow as an entrepreneur. Still, I formed a newfound business mindset throughout my time in this class that I hope to take with me forward as I prepare to graduate soon. Thus, I do indeed feel as if I have moved closer to developing the entrepreneurial mindset.

4) I would recommend students write down a list of five things that they find most important in their lives. these things can keep you grounded and function as a group of goals for them to properly work towards. In this class, definitely be proactive and set aside the time to complete your homework properly. The only way to foster this mindset is to adhere to the list of goals you have laid out.

29A - Venture Concept No. 2

1) My initial venture concept reflected a plan to promote a business idea that was essentially based on a UF backed ride service system that would mirror the same general principles of the Uber and Lyft business plan. Differences from these principles would be that my business would operate on routes that would primarily ferry students, faculty, and campus workers to and from campus in a reliable way that fixed some of the common public transportation issues we face on campus such as tardiness and questionable services. That being said, in this case I would also open up my service to future and current alumni as well as students on campus in the summer months so as to maximize the experience and the outreach for the ever-growing potential customer base.

2) The essential feedback that I received was more or less to have a better target direction for my marketing efforts to undergo. That being said, although the overall business idea seemed to have a clear objective and audience to target, the critical components of the prospective customer profile did not seem to have a consistent approach.

3) I changed my venture concept to better reflect the direction of the consumer habits at hand. Thus, I was able to position myself better before the sale in order to include groups such as alumni and summer students so that I could guarantee that I will ultimately bring in the right customer base in the long run moving forward.

4)

28A - Your Exit Strategy

1) In terms of an exit strategy, I would intend to build my business up in order to sell it in 5 years for a profitable margin over what I invested at first. That being said, this would allow me to then have startup investment capital for my next entrepreneurial endeavor.

2) I have selected this particular exit strategy given the fact that I know I intend to move a lot for my career in the next coming years. Thus, it would make sense for me to sell the business in order for me to have mobility and flexibility going forward.

3) I think my exit strategy has influenced my decisions in this course given the fact that I have thought ahead for the most part when given the chance to exhibit an entrepreneurial spirit. Throughout this proactivity, I have indeed learned how to identify opportunities more quickly now. It has allowed for me to better understand how resources are crucial to a business operation.

27A - Reading Reflection No. 3

1) I went with the book Miracles Happen by Mary Kay Ash as the main focus I had within this post.  I was intrigued by this book given the fact that I heard of the Mary Kay story before and wanted to know more about it going forward!

2) The main entrepreneur in this book referenced core competencies in two key areas: luck and family. Through an interesting balance between the two, Mary Kay Ash managed to keep her core values in check while also finding time for the important stuff in life.

3) The most confusing part of the novel was trying to make sense of the personal examples referenced in the text and trying to relate to them personally. Different experiences means different perspectives and I did not fully understand the concept behind some of the details in the novel.

4) What challenges have they faced at the beginning of their career?
What is the most valuable business advice they have ever received?

5) I believe the entrepreneur at the center of this book deeply valued the concept of "luck" in a business environment. That being said, I also have come to understand how luck can impact the outcomes of most business decisions.

26A - Celebrating Failure

1) A time this past semester where I failed, was when I tried to find a sublease for my apartment this summer. I kind of left everything to the last minute unfortunately, which resulted in me losing out on potential opportunities. These serve as my opportunity costs. I had diligently tried to go on the UF Housing groups as of recent, but to no avail!

2) I learned that in order to succeed, you have to be proactive. Going forward I will indeed keep myself accountable to the process of being timely with my responsibilities.

3) Failure is hard. I like to balance my priorities with my workload. In this case I let myself down a little by not being on top of my stuff, this allowed for my wellbeing to slip through the cracks a little. This class has allowed me to view failure as an opportunity to instead grow from our mistakes. I am more likely to take business risks going forward in order to captivate the opportunities ahead.

24A - Venture Concept No. 1

Opportunity
The opportunity in my local community that I have identified has been a need for a more reliable method of transportation to and from campus. Now, growing up in New York City for a time period, I became accustomed to the convenience provided by the Taxi and Uber/Lyft services that are highly prevalent in the Big Apple. That being said, I realized that the suffering public transportation system here in Gainesville could do with some TLC itself and should be subjected to an improvement or at least an alternative service that could reliably and conveniently transport students, staff, and faculty to campus in a timely fashion. This led me to theorize about a business concept which would essentially rival the SNAP services here at the University of Florida. I figured I would bring a University of Florida backed ride sharing service to the school in an effort to bolster the timeliness of the transportation service options available to all students on campus. Thus, hopefully the disconnect in the public transportation already here in the city of Gainesville can be quelled. This opportunity is additionally, moderately big with a sizable market. Customers unfortunately are being let down by the various services related to this cause that are already in place here in Gainesville. Customer loyalty can always shift with the right marketing and advertising shifts in place.

Innovation
This innovation is somewhat centered on innovations currently already present in the general population. That being said I believe that this innovation allows for a centered approach to the whole concept of the transportation issue prevalent in our general community. A fair enough amount of college students here seemingly struggle with the topic of reliable transportation services and its availability in a timely manner. I aim to use the ride-sharing software and develop it in to a pattern that can subsidize University of Florida funds in a way to give back to the student population. In doing so, the money pumped into this idea by the college financial committee will allow for students to download an app that can be then used to call the service. Ride-sharing limits costs and in doing so also limits time between rides given the fact that most students live in community clusters centered on the various apartment communities surrounding the university.

Venture Concept
I believe that the customers, who in this case will most likely be the University of Florida students, faculty, and campus workers, will critically benefit from a service like this. In theory, it will add a sense of convenience to the transportation experience. Say your bus that takes you to class in the morning is either late or filled to the brim with other students. Now a service will be available that can attempt to ameliorate said concerns. I know given the fact that I have experienced both of these aforementioned unfortunate circumstances. Competitors are slim to none, outside of Lyft and Uber which are already planted in the community. Packaging is less of an important hot topic issue in this scenario. The ongoing production of the product will be supported through advertising outreach and social media marketing that is designed to provide attention to the product at hand.

25A - What's Next?

Existing Market
In terms of growing within the existing market, there has to be a shift in the direction for me at this given time. I primarily marketed my product to the youth population here, meaning the college students I am surrounded with. The actual market is not representative of just college students.

This means that I will try and shift the business around to incorporating more business customers outside the norm. For example, this means customers over 65 and single moms. These serve as examples to illustrate the untapped customer base available for me here in the existing market that I plan to utilize going forward.

New Market
By tapping into this new market with certain questioning and product assumptions I was able to open up my eyes as to the untapped potential available for business pursuits. Indeed, the target market I had before was underutilizing a select group of 65 and up that have savings and expendable money to give out.

College students are for the most part, struggling financially. This means that in terms of trying to be economically profitable, this customer group might not be the most feasible. In doing so, I limited myself to a limited perception of the existing market before. This new market approach will hopefully yield more positive outcomes moving forward.

23A - Your Venture's Unfair Advantage

1. Excel skills
V - Allows for technological prowess
R - Can be pretty common actually
I - Can be imitated easily
N - Yes, other resources can be in place of this

2. Communication skills
V - Allows for relationship building
R - Can be pretty prevalent
I - Can be imitated
N - Can be learned by anyone

3. A valid driver's license
4. Microsoft office skills
V - Allows for transportation
R - Is very common
I - Can be imitated is you pass a driving test
N - No other equivalency to a valid license that lets you drive

5. Data Analytics
V - Allows for technological abilities
R - Can be pretty common actually
I - Can be imitated easily due to schooling
N - Yes, other resources can be in place of this

6. Public Speaking
V - Allows for critical relationship building
R - Can be pretty prevalent in college
I - Can be imitated with practice
N - Can be learned by anyone thankfully

7. Investment money
V - Allows for a business to get off the ground
R - Can be hard to come by
I - Can't be legally imitated, only earned or gifted
N - Non-substitutable

8. Community reach
V - Allows for some levels of relationship building
R - Decently common due to community service
I - Can be imitated by most
N - Can be learned by all people

9. Organizational skills
V - Allows for effective relationship building
R - Can be pretty prevalent due to schooling
I - Can be imitated easily by most people
N - Can be learned by any one with the right effort

10. Social Media
V - Allows for relationship building
R - Can be pretty prevalent
I - Can be imitated by anyone with internet access
N - Can be learned by anyone

The top resource is Communication skills because it is the backbone for everything else to be able to be applied effectively in a business sense. Without proper communication skills, no critical business exploits can get off the ground or be executed. Hence, they are at the core of the entrepreneurial experience.

22A - Elevator Pitch No. 3

The feedback I received from the last post was to develop my script beforehand. This would allow me to keep my main points in check going forward to the filming stage. This meant that I would then have a more comprehensive and straightforward rhythm to my speech pattern.

I changed my speech style to reflect my personality more. This meant some more smiling and even a bit of joking around to truly feel comfortable when I went in to film the final stage of the video. That being said, I truly felt in my element in this recording thankfully. 

21A - Reading Reflection No. 2

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, Scott Adams

1) The general theme and/or argument of the book was to invite failure in to your life and to pick its pocket in order to embrace the challenges it presents.

2) The book allowed for me to adjust my business perceptions in accordance with the coursework at hand. This means, that the course balances out with the required reading to make for a streamlined narrative.

3) The exercise would involve writing down your top 10 failures and then comparing them to lessons you have learned in the present day. That would allow for the growth to be visualized.

4) The biggest "aha" moment was when I realized how the potential for failure meant that opportunity could be found in every corner of your life.

20A - Growing Your Social Capital

Erik Rodriguez (Deloitte - Technical Consultant)

1) Background in Industrial Engineering with a focus on technical design.

2) Market Expert due to knowledgeability about the market and focus at hand.

3) Networked with due to UF Alumni connection.

4) Networked and had occupational interview. Allowed me to gain information and him to give back to his school.

5) This person will serve as an alumni connection that can hopefully mentor me.

Jane Selegean (BAML - Software Engineer)

1) Background in app development and software engineering.

2) Domain Expert due to years of acquired skills that are directly applicable to product creation.

3) Met this summer at tennis club back home in New York.

4) Had an additional occupational interview that served as a friendly intro and a networking opportunity for both of us.

5) Hopefully aim to have Jane mentor me and offer career and business idea advice in the future.

Paul Quinones (Eyeview - Process Engineer/Marketing Consultant)

1) Varied background in merging engineering solutions with marketing applications

2) Marketing Expert due to expertise in said field. Has valuable skillset applicable to marketing outreach.

3) Met at same tennis club as the one above.

4) Had a conversation at the tennis club that was very amiable and informal. Received a lot of career-wise, and was able to give tennis advice at the same time.

5) Paul would be a great mentor to have and offer technical advice that would help grow the business in the long term.

This experience taught me that the best way to network was in an informal setting. Formal settings are great, but slightly rigid if you re really trying to get to know someone. That being said, I also learned the value of asking thoughtful probing questions in order to build up and foster a stronger networking bond. In the past, I went up with trivial questions that did not really allow for me to secure lasting connections. 

19A - Idea Napkin No. 2

1) You. I am an innovator and believer in creativity as a means of identifying business opportunities to leverage. This allows for me to use my talents for resource development and product design to pinpoint potential entrepreneurial pursuits. These skills work in tandem with my aspirations of becoming a principled business leader and I see my business playing the role of a driven, personal pursuit in my life.

2) What are you offering to customers? I am offering a service guaranteed to allow for students to get from off-campus to on-campus in a timely fashion. Think of it as a UF-backed ride-sharing app that functions similar to Uber or Lyft.

3) Who are you offering it to? I am primarily offering this service to UF students, UF faculty, and campus employees. These three potential customer groups seem to have the most promising results in terms of garnered interest going forward.

4) Why do they care? The solution/service I am poised to offer allows for a reliable form of transportation to and from campus for UF-affiliated persons. That being said, the need is present in the population of Gainesville. Therefore, plausible cause for the service to exist is present.

5) What are your core competencies? The major core competencies of my business are that we believe in two major factors: 1) timeliness and 2) reliability. Thus, the two major cornerstones of my business coincide with valued preconceptions with my selected customer pool.

I believe these elements fit together effectively in order to build up a skeleton of the service that is, at the end of the day, aimed towards productivity in one's life. Transportation and punctuality concerns are issues common to the setting of Gainesville. Thus, the fact that the core competencies coincide with the reasons why the customers care means that the service has a sense of profitability already inherent.

Feedback:
- Try to incorporate my core competencies into the "Why?" of my business plan
- Make an effort to present a needed value to the pool of customers

18A - Create a Customer Avatar

My customer avatar stands at 5 foot 9 inches, 170 pounds, and is your average joe. With black hair and a soft smile, he is a modest spender and prefers to save when he can. Some of his hobbies include jogging with friends, playing basketball at the YMCA, and volunteering at a local homeless shelter.

The car that he drives is a Honda Civic and he watches both the Bachelor and the Bachelorette since he likes to keep up with both versions of the show. He is a family man and has two bright children. A boy and a girl who keep him on his toes. Neither are adopted and both like to read the Harry Potter series! That being said, average joe supports the Miami Dolphins and purchases season tickets each year as that is his favorite team to watch play. 

I actually am also a big Miami Dolphins fan too! I think that when it comes to creating the customer avatar, we like to base certain qualities on ourselves and our own personal convictions. At the end of the day, we are our own first customer. I think having stuff in common with the avatar allows us to relate more to the customer and understand the needs that we are presented with as an entrepreneur.

17A - Elevator Pitch No. 2

1)

2) Most of the feedback I received from the last speech allowed for me to see myself for what I truly was when it came to an unbiased report on my speaking skills. I did not realize that I was sometimes monotone in the way I spoke, which can give a feeling of a lack of energy and passion. Also, I was able to better understand how tone of voice and voice inflection best affect the overall positioning of the speech.

3) The only thing I changed based off of the feedback was to exhibit more passion in my speech. This time around I felt like I was actually candid in my approach to the speech. This allowed me to find myself as a speaker.

16A - What's Your Secret Sauce?

1) Extensive go-kart driving experience has made me adaptable and able to adjust quickly.
2) Growing up with tennis has taught me to adjust under pressure and lead a team.
3) My multi-lingual background has afforded me with the chance to expand my horizons.
4) Very open to differing opinions!
5) Values family over everything, when it comes to core values.

Interviews: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12wKQ27J_x2hKBm93E1zlkLFqOLTcPqK_2htCBFDGgNo/edit?usp=sharing

Anthony: Believes in me as a representation of the capabilities of growth.
Donna: Sees me as a catalyst for openness to experience with leadership skills.
Alex: Views me as an adaptable person with an energetic presence.
Donovan: Understands me as an individual at heart.
Brandon: Similarly views my ability to adjust as a virtue.

Reflection:
Funnily enough, I see myself similar to how the others that I was fortunate enough to interview see me. These matched views mean that a certain level of consistency is present, which warrants a trend in the information presented. This essentially means that the comparisons here are relevant. Therefore, I wouldn't make any corrections to the list given the similarity between the outward and inward views.

15A - Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Segment: Students, Affiliates of the school, and Campus workers involved in school activities

Interview 1: Involved a neighbor of mine who is studying Biology currently at the University of Florida. During our initial conversation I brought up price point as a suggestion for an alternative evaluation. This brought out questions of how the information would be sought out in order to help figure out the behavior of the buyer. Still, quality and style seemed to both be equally important in the inherent value of a product. This means that this segment is more opposed to online services which allow them to gain a full overview of said product. In this case the 'rightness' of a purchase did not seem to impact the overall buyer behavior.

Interview 2: In this second case, the interviewee was my Public Speaking professor. Intangible services fall in line with the expectations of this customer segment as they are less materialistic, but still equally value quality and price over values such as 'rightness' or feasibility. However, even with all this being considered, the customer segment here believed in a commitment to excellence and a price point that worked within budgetary concerns in order to stand out from a list of alternatives.

Interview 3: Third choice of interview subject was Pat from Broward dining. In this scenario, Pat acted as a catalyst for the discussion regarding overall product resourcefulness. Indeed, price-point mattered somewhat. Still, quality and styles seemed to emerge as the true victors in the race for customer clarity.

Summary of report/conclusion: Overall, when weighed against the various customer segments talked about in this discussion post, quality and style seemed to be at the forefront of understanding buyer behavior. Each customer is different in the end, and various decisions govern the end goal of the purchase. Still, through analysis we can better seek to understand why some decisions occur over others.

14A - Halfway Reflection

1) The behaviors I have used to keep up with the requirements of the course have been to commit to the course schedule and find time to record the upcoming assignments in a planner. These skills have allowed me to keep on top of my assignments for the majority of the time.

2) I almost felt like giving up about a week ago when I had two exams back to back, with a full weekend ahead of me. I hadn't prioritized setting aside time to study and felt a bit trapped. However, thanks to this course I still feel as if I have developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months thanks to the structure of the assignment schedule in this class.

3) Three tips I would offer next semester's students in order to foster positive skills and develop a tenacious mindset are:

(1) Buy a planner and make a homework/study schedule
(2) Set aside some "me-time" to destress
(3) Don't be afraid to work ahead!

13A - Reading Reflection No. 1

1) I chose Shoe Dog by Phil Knight as my focus for this discussion question. I was definitely most surprised about the fact that Knight started the company, that would later become Nike, by selling Japanese running shoes out of the back of his car trunk. I most admire the commitment to learning from failure exhibited by Phil Knight. That being said, I least admired the fact that he did not think advertising had as powerful of an impact in getting your company off the ground. Knight definitely encountered adversity and failure when Nike was on the verge of bankruptcy for over a decade. he implemented novel approaches to product design and innovation that ultimately took Nike out of the red zone.

2) The entrepreneur in this book exhibited competencies in two areas: innovation and conflict resolution. Phil Knight learned from success and failure equally and always relished in a new challenge to invigorate his workforce through tough market times.

3) The only confusing part was the beginning area of the novel where Knight goes into less detail than expected on how his business plan for Nike got off the ground. I expected a more thorough analysis of his decision making process in order to gain some new business insight.

4) The two questions I would ask are:
What challenges is he looking forward to in the future?
What advice would he have for college students unsure of what they want to do career-wise?

5) I think the entrepreneur believed in the value of hard work as a means of value creation and goal attainment. I definitively share his enthusiasm for hard work.

12A - Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No.1

Segment: Students who intend to utilize transportation to get to campus as a means of getting to class on time in the mornings.

Summary of interviews: Based off of the interviews I undertook, I was able to ascertain that the majority of individuals were on board with the product idea. In fact, the convenience and opportunity created by the application were selling points already even though this business idea is still in a planning stage. This hunger to learn more about the idea I had resonated within me and allowed for my entrepreneurial juices to flow in a method which allowed for deep thought and reflection. Honestly, a UF funded ride sharing app that would afford students with the chance to make it to class on time even if they were running late would be a successful endeavor.

Conclusions: Picking a specific segment to start with allows for opportunity to blossom. In this specific one the segment of students who are using the UF-self ride app to get to class in the mornings sounds like an opportune time to employ a business plan. Indeed, most students sometimes wake up late or even avoid alarms and miss morning buses. This allows for them to serve as a target market for the potential product since a UF-backed ride sharing application serves to further the wellbeing of the student body.

11A - Idea Napkin No. 1

You. I am a business student interested in the concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship and how I can apply my unique passions to a significant application that allows for a societal change. My skills include analytical and technical skills that I have gained from relevant work experience. My aspirations are to become a leader in the financial services field within the next 5-10 years. I see my potential business concept 

What are you offering to customers? The service I am providing will indefinitely serve as a UF-backed self-service ride that can eliminate the negative consequences typically associated with normal campus transportation.

Who are you offering it to?  I am offering this unique service to the students, faculty, and on-campus workers who need to get to the facilitates at the University of Florida on a regular basis without time constraints. 

Who do they care for? Customers believe in the value of "time is money" which ultimately means that priority is given to convenience, especially in a college environment.

What are your core competencies? I definitely think that my commitment to a sense of innovation and a sense of community engagement allow me to set myself apart in this business landscape. This skills is especially useful due to the fact that a successful business needs a point of difference.

These elements work together to develop a bigger picture of the topic at hand. It is definitely important to understand what you are offering along with who you are offering to in order to understand your audience fundamentally. Again, the audience is more or less the most important aspect of a business if it intends to stay alive and profit in the long run. Thus, core competencies fit together with the aforementioned developments in order to impact the entrepreneurial roadmap of a business.

10A - Elevator Pitch No. 1

9A - Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

What: After conducting the total of 5, I was able to deduce that the opportunity I proposed previously of a university-backed ride-sharing service seemed to be a reasonable proposition. I interviewed 3 students and 2 faculty on campus this past week and gained additional insights in to the entrepreneurial pursuit I intend to follow. Given the similar transportation issues that students and faculty have,  there was a huge overlap in commonality considering the opportunity at hand.

What: The need I identified doesn't differ much from the underlying theme of transportation itself. All in all, you are just trying to get from point A to point B. The only big difference is the method by which the transportation occurs.


Why: Yes, those outside the boundary don't necessarily need a reliable ride-sharing platform to begin with so in actuality, the service is only applicable to a specific market. Still, the target market is viable for entry.


Inside the boundary:

Who is in: Off-campus students, Faculty
What the need is: Access to a reliable form of campus-bound transportation
Why the need exists: Old out out of touch current transportation system in Gainesville

Outside the boundary:

Who is in: Some faculty, on-campus students, campus workers
What the need is not: Access to transportation in general
Alternative explanations: Disdain for public transportation (prior bad experiences)

8A - Solving the Problem

Selected Opportunity: Due to personal issues with the campus-bound transportation system that exists here at the University of Florida, I have elected to investigate an opportunity surrounding the problem with reliable, safe transportation within the local campus area. I believe a business opportunity to do throughly exists within UF's outdated and often times unreliable transport services.

Product/Service: A UF-backed ride-share app that allows for students, faculty, and campus workers to have access to reliable call-a-ride services through the use of a subscription-based platform. Imagine an Uber or Lyft, except with the sole purpose of bringing off-campus individuals to campus in a dependable setting. Instead of investing money into the SNAP service that cater primarily to a small group of students only, open up a ride-share system within UF that allows for accessibility within the groups of faculty and campus workers who also suffer through unreliable bus and shuttle routes.

Product/Service: Another possible service would be to develop a local carpooling UF service, perhaps even with a Facebook group that would allow for students to save on gas and avoid long wait times for buses in the morning. This would also be a good use of all the new parking spaces that are going to open up soon following recent renovations from the UF Transportation board. All in all, the outdated bussing services are in dire need of an adjustment. A UF-based ride-sharing platform or even a local carpooling service would be valuable alternatives for the school to invest in.

7A - Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

1.  The opportunity I would like to pursue was the previously brought up idea in 4A for a definitive and well founded transportation system that can allow for a ride sharing loop that allows for timely arrivals on campus. The aim is to get rid of the obsolete, outdated current transportation system in place.

2.
The who: Student, faculty, and campus workers
The what: A systematic transportation system reminiscent of a UF-backed alternative to Uber or Lyft. Imagine a ride sharing app built by Gators, for Gators.
The why: A reliable, safe form of transportation is necessary for those that need to get to campus in a dependable fashion.

3.
Testing the who: Without a doubt there might be others who could benefit from this technology. This opportunity would best be explored in a localized setting first to iron out the details, and then best suited to be expanded after certain adjustments are made regarding the operating plan.
Testing the what: Not all forms of transportation currently pose a challenge! The main boundary associated with this opportunity is that the transportation method needs to run through campus. After all, the main focus is that the route make campus-bound transportation more reliable.
Testing the why: Obsolete systems in place need an update. Student Government has deliberated on it. Troves of complaints have filled the Transportation departments inbox. That being said, the "why" is essentially self-explanatory. Thus, the "why" identified mostly holds for everyone and also falls within a close range of consistency.

4. After being afforded with the opportunity to discuss the prospects of my opportunity with 5 other individuals in an interview setting, I was able to gain valuable insights. One of the most profound bits of information I gathered was that the support for this opportunity was present. The audience agreed. This highlights a possible market of customers who are already on board with the transportation reform concept as a whole. Before this interview process, I had not realizes the potential initial support. This is definitely reassuring from an entrepreneurial standpoint.

6A - Identifying Opportunities in Economic and Regulatory Trends

Economic Trend #1

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/23/opinion/cuba-embargo.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FEconomic%20Conditions%20and%20Trends&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=6&pgtype=collection

I stumbled upon this economic trend recently when I was reading the New York Times online. that being said, this article points to the economic feud between Cuba and the United States that lasted roughly 60 years and was the result of political tensions incurred during America's cold war with the Soviet Union. Lifting the imposed embargo might however, open up economic opportunities to both nations and allow for increased trade to come into effect. Increased trade aims to benefit communities in the long run. The prototypical customer for a lifted embargo would be economically struggling communities along Florida's coast that are affected by limited access to resources. Access to trade would allow for these communities to become increasingly self-sufficient. The opportunity might be difficult to exploit given the fact that it deals with international relations primarily and actually requires legal intervention. I saw the opportunity due to the fact that I mainly grew up overseas and can distinctly see the need for increased global cohesion. This globalization allows for better understanding and less ethnocentricity in the long run. 

Regulatory Trend #1

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/23/world/africa/south-africa-corruption.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FEconomic%20Conditions%20and%20Trends&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=7&pgtype=collection

Whilst reading the same New York Times as previously mentioned, I also stumbled upon this article that identifies a new regulatory shift towards ending corruption in South Africa. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged to lead a new policy change geared towards legal precautions that would protect against corruption. President Ramaphosa has stated that the African nation cannot carry on with the way politics and negotiations have typically been presented since most have lost confidence in South Africa as a nation. Efforts to change the African National Congress have already taken part with various anti-corruption bills that have been passed in recent months. The prototypical customer might be those in official positions in South Africa who seek to promote a better standard of politics. The opportunity might be difficult to exploit given the nature of its governmental and political regulation. I saw this opportunity given the fact that I similarly saw corruption in our own UF Student Government when I was involved and see this article as a call to action.

Economic Trend #2

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/20/business/china-economy-growth-davos.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FEconomic%20Conditions%20and%20Trends&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=16&pgtype=collection

I identified this economic trend by reading over the Economics section of the New York Times newspaper. This article talks about the slowdown of China's economy as strong growth and low unemployment rates fizzle out due to rising interest-rates and the resurgence of European economic markets. This information exists to show that China is a plausible environment for investment given the need for a boost and increasing foreign investment. The most likely customer would be foreign investors of even government agencies wanting to bolster the Chinese economy through investment and economic input. The opportunity is probably a medium difficulty to exploit given the fact that China has opened up opportunities for foreign interaction recently through decreased tariffs and economic quotas. I saw this opportunity through my diverse background. I feel comfortable with the notion that globalization benefits most through increased access to information and tighter bonds when it comes to an economic sense. 

Regulatory Trend #2

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/18/opinion/trump-government-shutdown.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FEconomic%20Conditions%20and%20Trends&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=18&pgtype=collection

I saw this article in the New York Times whilst I was looking at regulatory changes that were going to take effect in America. The recent government shutdown impacted hundreds of thousands across the States. That being said, the Department of Agriculture has imposed new regulations aimed at providing farmers with access to loans and grants that would keep them in business during trying times. This would mean that federal lunch programs at schools will also maintain standards of quality due to farmer access to necessary resources. An opportunity might exist to impose new regulations due to the fact that outdated governmental practices have hindered significant American agricultural growth in the past few decades. The prototypical customer is essentially the average American farmer looking to stay employed during tough times. This means that the opportunity should be easy enough to exploit since regulation related to agricultural exploits is readily available to take into effect. Thus, opportunities within farming communities exist. I saw the opportunity due to the fact that my best friend's family is involved in agriculture. This simply means that I can see the problem in person when I hear his firsthand accounts of the issue at hand.

5A - Identifying Local Opportunities

1. Police: No tie between suspect, victims - No indication gunman planned to rob Sebring bank
Link: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ASFLB%21Sun%2BSentinel%2B%2528Fort%2BLauderdale%252C%2BFL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0125%21January%2B25&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/1712BD38084CEC78

Over the past few days, authorities have investigate possible motives for the recent shooting at a bank near Orlando. Although a personal connection with the shooter and his victims was first deemed somewhat plausible, investigation has deemed otherwise given the circumstances. Thus, another senseless tragedy has unfortunately become commonplace within the norms of cultural structure in the United States. The problem is unregulated guns and an ever-increasing access to weapons of destruction. The main individuals impacted by the problem would be every citizen in the United States given the fact that most of these unstructured attacks are random and pose a greater threat than initially thought.

2. Shutdown hurts agriculture - another viewpoint
Link: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ASFLB%21Sun%2BSentinel%2B%2528Fort%2BLauderdale%252C%2BFL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0125%21January%2B25&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/1712BD36973135C8

As the continuing government shutdown passes its 40th day we have reached levels of non-productivity that have now threatened quality of agriculture and food production around farms nationwide. This is due to the fact that farmers can't access federal grants and insurance that allow for assurance from disaster relief or already-threatened crop production levels amongst midwestern states. Long-term risks will end up impacting school lunch and breakfast programs that feed up to 2.9 million Florida students. These are families that rely on these federal meal plans to stay fed. The main issue of the government shutdown impacts all levels of society. In fact, the individuals most affected by the problem are farmers and families who rely on nationwide agriculture programs to keep farms operating and also feed their families.

3. Delray Beach closed for swimming due to bacteria
Link: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ASFLB%21Sun%2BSentinel%2B%2528Fort%2BLauderdale%252C%2BFL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0125%21January%2B25&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/1712BD395D85DC80

Recently, Delray Beach has been undergoing turbulent environmental conditions thanks to an influx of runoff from heavy rains and pollution-based activities. Research teams have been sent to the coastline near Delray Beach due to health advisory concerns and have been tasked with identifying plans of action. The individuals with the problem are the residents who live near the beachfront or even rely on water-based forms of recreation.

4. Major intersection to close lanes
Link: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ASFLB%21Sun%2BSentinel%2B%2528Fort%2BLauderdale%252C%2BFL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0125%21January%2B25&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/1712BD394EAEB290

Lane closures will take part in the ongoing installation of a water management station enclosed by Fort Lauderdale. This essentially will limit traffic for an ongoing period of at least a few weeks while road maintenance takes effect. Unfortunately, this simply means that detours will have to become part of life for Broward residents as they try to navigate new work routes. The individuals with the problem are mostly those who seek to avoid congestion and live in the Fort Lauderdale area for the next few weeks.

5. Day of service to honor victims - One year later, community reflects on MSD shooting
Link: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ASFLB%21Sun%2BSentinel%2B%2528Fort%2BLauderdale%252C%2BFL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0125%21January%2B25&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/1712BD39F5574600

One year since the Feb. 14th shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas last year, Palm Beach County community officials are seeking to have community service projects take place in roder to breed newfound happy memories. These happy memories will supplant wistful remembrances of the past tragedy that took place on Valentine's Day. The problem at heart retains to mental health awareness and how to recognize warning signs. Thus, the individuals with the problem at hand are millions of teens going through tough times at home, at work, etc. who need our help.

4A - Forming An Opportunity Belief

1) I definitely have a strong conviction that an opportunity exists in the Gainesville area. The nature of Gainesville being a small college town allows for it to serve as the perfect micro-environment for testing products that should be ripe for the market. Think of it this way. Gainesville is packed to the brim with college students who can't wait to become a part of the next craze. The environment is essentially an incubator for fresh ideas coming from the innovative students that call the local Gainesville area home.

2) The most eye-opening unmet need is a need for a form of public transportation that allows for students, teaching faculty, and campus workers to get to and from the various apartment complexes in a timely fashion. Simply put, the public transportation around Gainesville suffers from lengthy wait times and a lack of space to accompany the bulk of people who intend to benefit from the services. The need has essentially always existed and has been an age-old problem for Gainesville as it struggles to sometimes keep up with the transportation policies and technologies already present in larger cities. New York City has an alternative version of Uber called Via that is a ride-sharing app that allows for high discounts in exchange for a monthly subscription plan. Given that students, faculty, and campus workers most likely have schedules, a subscription to a reliable ride service could eliminate wait times and aid in overall productivity. What people are doing to meet this need now essentially results in either using different modes of transportation altogether or taking part in carpooling between friends. In terms of percent, I am maybe close to 60% sure that this opportunity exists.

3) Prototypical Customer: Student

4) Iteration No. 1: Most students agreed with me on the fact that a persistent need was not being sufficiently met by the public transportation system already in place. That being said, they experienced the need only sometimes, but still stated their interest in learning more about the potential opportunity and were engaged enough to understand the exact nature of the need which is to get from point A to point B in a reliable fashion. Most were addressing the need already through independent solutions such as biking or skateboarding to class.

5) Reflect:  This discussion allowed for me to understand my fellow student population better and seek to understand how needs change amongst the various levels of the market. Your customer base is very important in terms of gaining support or even exposure of your product, so definitely have a good sense of customer outreach if you want to maintain a healthy business.


3) Prototypical Customer: Teaching Faculty

4) Iteration No. 2: From the information I gathered I was able to understand that even though I thought there was a significant need for this product amongst students, older teaching faculty mostly had their own methods of transportation and were able to find their own way of doing things. This proves that both populations that were interviewed had fundamental differences that resulted in different views on the exact nature of the need. This population for instance, rarely had a need for the potential business opportunity I was proposing and thus, would not consider my product as a viable one for them to actively pursue.

5) Reflect: I was correct in my previous observation where I stated that the faculty would have different needs when compared with the student population. This is essentially due to the fact that the two customer bases are in different stages of life and essentially have differing views on what constitutes a potential need.


3) Prototypical Customer: Campus Workers

4) Iteration No. 3: After conducting an interview to better understand the various prototypical customers, I realized that the third group of "Campus Workers" reacted similarly in terms of awareness and satisfaction for the need of a subscription-based ride-share system. The awareness for the need was non-existent from the get go since most already were set in their ways for their transportation expectations and did not believe the need was personally substantial enough to necessitate a second thought or general consideration. Ultimately, the exact nature of the need fell upon deaf ears so to speak.

5) Reflect: As with the "Teaching Faculty" group above, the exact nature of the need was not felt necessary to fill. Thus, they never really became aware of the need necessarily. This means no potential market exists even after probing questions were asked. They did not seem too satisfied with the solution given the fact that the need was not present in general


Summarize: In this activity, I was able to closely examine an opportunity belief I expected to be a valuable one to pursue. After deliberation and interviewing prototypical customers I realized that there was little original opportunity still there due to little awareness and little concern for an innovative alternative. This leads me to believe that the new opportunity is definitely less accurate of a possibility than when I first started. I thoroughly believe entrepreneurs should learn to "adapt" their opportunities based on customer feedback because this process allows for continuous innovation to take place and companies to outsource innovation as a means of maintaining customer interest and satisfaction.

3A - Your Entrepreneurship Story!

My most profound entrepreneurship story would definitely have to be last spring semester's attempt at leading a team in designing an autonomous solar panel array that would track the sun as it moved across the sky in order to optimize the output of a solar panel setup. This involved taking part in budgeting and cost analysis procedures regularly to measure team success on a monthly basis in order to make sure tasks/funds were allocated appropriately. In leading a team of engineers on the design and build portion of the autonomous solar panel project, I myself learned how to be more autonomous. Through enhancing my leadership skills, I learned a sense of accountability and integrity for the work as project milestones were completed. In fact, last years entrepreneurial outing served as a benchmark for future endeavors that I hope to pursue as I move forward in my professional career. Please find an image attached below of the tracking LiDAR scanner my team used to allow for the solar panel system tracking arm to orient itself.

I enrolled in ENT3003 in order to free myself up to explore the entrepreneurial fire that burns deep within me. I would like to learn more about how to conceive and incubate business ideas and equally keep up the passion to work through failures and learn valuable lessons from the various setbacks that are expected. So far, I have had a great time getting familiarized with the material in this class and am very much looking forward to reading more about how to grow my ever-growing affinity for entrepreneurial pursuits.

2A - Bug List

1. When my roommate Anthony leaves his extra-large hamper full of dirty clothes in the middle of the hallway of our apartment.
Why the bug exists: This bug exists due to the fact that Anthony is an only child and grew up with parents that doted on him in a display of undisciplined overprotectiveness. Thus, he is more or less used to people taking care of things for him.

2. When I am driving to the Publix on Archer Road and people leave their shopping carts in the middle of parking spaces for no reason.
Why the bug exists: This is due to the fact that obviously anyone can get away with simply leaving the carts be. There is no sense of accountability for the shopping carts since some employee will most likely go and grab them eventually.

3. My apartment complex has had their mail notification system "out-of-service" for about three weeks now leading to multiple lost packages and complaints.
Why the bug exists: The bug is mostly due to a company-wide policy change. This meant that the mail notification system has to unfortunately go through a lengthy upheaval process that will require it to be fixed and updated, which resulted in the system being “out-of-service”.

4. My upstairs neighbor who argues with his mom on the phone at least once a week.
Why the bug exists: Most likely because my neighbor doesn’t see eye to eye with his mother and loses his cool.

5. When my roommate Alex chews his sandwiches loudly and it sounds like an airplane engine going off in my ears.
Why the bug exists: Probably due to the fact that he eats mouth open and unfortunately this simple act contributes to the sound of his chewing resonating within my ears.

6. Drivers who consistently try to merge lanes on University Avenue without using their turn signal.
Why the bug exists: They’re oblivious to the safety to other people and feel like they’re in the film Fast and Furious.

7. When I am handing out flyers near Turlington Plaza and someone throws out the flyer I just handed to them while they are still within my field of vision.
Why the bug exists: They feel obligated to be nice and feel a sense of responsibility to give back to fellow Gators. That being said, throwing the paper out just signals that they were disinterested in the first place.

8. When Superior Towing either boots or tows your car whenever they feel like it just because they can.
Why the bug exists: They feel like gods among men and rush out to boot peoples cars in order to fill their quotas for the month. This act brings in additional revenue for the company and serves as an incentive.

9. When I run out of toilet paper even though I swear I went out and bought some.
Why the bug exists: Probably because my roommates have used up my toilet paper without me knowing since we go into each others bathrooms.

10. This one kid named Shaun in my Statistics lab class that always talks over the TA trying to explain the class concepts to us.
Why the bug exists: This is because he probably wants to prove to everyone that he knows the course material more than most. It is essentially a form of humble bragging.

11. When random people invade my personal space when there is already plenty of space on the subway in New York City.
Why the bug exists: Some people grow up in households without a high regard for personal space and thus, get used to just spreading out and doing their own thing. This translates to a mindset that does not primarily focus on adhering to personal space rules.

12. When my best friend Allyssa reads my texts while I type them and doesn't value my personal privacy.
Why the bug exists: She does it to get a reaction out of me, but I don’t play her game.

13. When friends ask for advice, but they choose to be a big head and go against your advice.
Why the bug exists: This exists because friends are subconsciously hoping for validation of their own view. They’ve already made up their mind and decided on their personal course of action regardless of outside influence.

14. When you absolutely need your phone to do something important like look for directions, but somehow it only has 2% battery.
Why the bug exists: This bug exists since one probably has used up their phone battery on  their apps while they were bored. It can also be because they probably forgot to charge their phone before leaving the house.

15. When I am working out at the gym and someone is just sitting down at the machine on their phone.
Why the bug exists: Sometimes people just get stuck in the moment, especially on their phones, and unintentionally waste their time browsing social media.

16. When I go outside knowing it’s going to rain later in the day and I caught in the rain in an open area and my socks get wet.
Why the bug exists: This is due to the simple fact that in my excitement to head to campus each day, I most often forget my umbrella and unfortunately suffer the consequences with wet socks for the afternoon.

17. When you’re at a broadway show and the person next to you takes on both armrests.
Why the bug exists: Because they want to feel more comfortable and made the first move to claim both armrests.

18. When I get up to sharpen my pencil real sharp and then the lead breaks just as I sit down to use it.
Why the bug exists: One knows when you sharpen your pencil really sharp and long there is a small risk it might break because of the tip being so tiny, but they do it anyway.

19.  When someone listens to their music so loud and you can hear it from their head phones
Why the bug exists: Most likely it is due to the fact that they want to show off their music and listen to it at a sound level that best appeals to their listening pleasure.

20. When I am walking down the narrow hallway in Matherly Hall and slow-walkers are blocking the path ahead.
Why the bug exists: They’re aware they don’t have to be anywhere anytime soon, so they take their time and disregard  that the people behind them have somewhere to be.

Reflection:

This assignment has been definitely interesting given the fact that although coming up with instances that bugged me was simple enough, finding the reason why it specifically bugged me was slightly challenging. It forced me to look at the specific reasons why each circumstance affected me and what the fine details of said circumstance were. This warrants the fact that self-awareness and emotional intelligence go hand in hand in the world we live in.

Introductory Post for Patrick Murray Blog!

Just testing out the Blog features and getting to know the site and its functions better! So far this is pretty innovative and a joy to use.