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.