Final Reflection

1) The high moments of this course, for me, happened in the beginning. I felt way more enthusiastic about the class in the first part of summer C than I do now. After reading my submissions for this class, I felt as if my work was more thorough and better expressed. The low points for me have been the past couple of weeks. Between work, traveling, and keeping with this course I have come to the realization that I really am ready for my vacation. The moments of drudgery happened instantaneously after I would read a set of directions for an assignment and realize we had to interview people. It seemed to me that the assignments that required interviews always took longer than expected. I will say that the interviews did push me out of my comfort zone which is good. Also, the interviews helped me exercise my data collection skills.

2) I'd say my first elevator pitch was the more formative and joyous experience of this class. I recorded elevator pitch one after a long day of studying. Thanks to a good coach of mine, I got through it. Everything the assignment required was formative but also fun to do. Put a tie on, write about a business idea I have, and deliver the speech. The process of practicing the speech was another great part of the experience. At the time, it felt like a drag but looking back at it the experience shaped me for the better. 

3) I'd say yes, my mind has definitely shifted in more of an entrepreneurial direction after taking this class. It is easier to approach people about sales thanks to all the interview exercises. I wouldn't say I'm a full-fledged entrepreneur yet but I am well on my way, thanks to this class and the valuable entrepreneurial influences I have in my life.

4) My recommendation to students who are going to take this course is to get the work done and out of the way. Every Friday and Monday assignments would creep up on me, due to the fact I would put it off until then. If the student has the time, definitely try and complete the course as fast as you can so you can coast the rest of the semester with nothing to do for this class but peer reviews.

Venture Concept No. 2

Venture Concept No. 2: Bids to Benefit

1)   As you all know by now, the name of my business venture is `Bids to Benefit’. This idea was conceived by my realization of the completion of everyday tasks demanded by the student body. Most students that come to college are experiencing what it is like to live on their own for the first time in their lives. Yes, parts of it are glamorous but beside the fact that you don’t have parents breathing down your neck anymore, more responsibilities are acquired from this freedom trade-off. All of a sudden you have to do the dishes, clean your bathroom, laundry, cook, remind yourself to do homework, etc. We all know the list could go on for days. This demand of tasks to be completed within the time constraint caused by the involvement of upper-level academics is where my business venture profits off of opportunity. The needs of the student body/my clientele are probably more along the lines of being sacrificed than met. For this business concept, I like to put myself in their shoes. If I have been studying all week with no time for anything else and there is a football game on Saturday, I am sacrificing chores for football, no doubt. This is where `Bids to Benefit’ comes in. This app creates the opportunity for students to bid out any type of household chore to another student who has time and is willing to do it at the right price. This app provides the opportunity for the student to study all week, catch the football game on Saturdays, and come home to a clean apartment. Also, as I have said in my previous elevator pitches, this app isn’t just for chores. `Bids to Benefit’ provides opportunities for people to work with tutors and personal trainers as well.

   The part of `Bids to Benefit’ that holds a high level of innovation is the delivery of the services. `Bids to Benefit’ is the Uber of services with a twist of eBay. First and foremost, the targeted market for the app is the student body of UF. In order to use the app, you must provide your student ID. This tactic works as a barrier to entry and allows students to feel more comfortable using the app knowing that they are doing business with a fellow student versus a random person. After the identity validation process, you have now gained access to place or take a bid. For example, I place a bid on my kitchen to be cleaned. The bidder will view what we call a “bid profile”, which is a written description, pictures of the job you would like completed, and desired price. Once someone has decided the job is worth it, a bid is placed. Students can bid up or down against you or their competitor for this opportunity to earn extra cash or have your kitchen cleaned. Once the bid is finalized `Bids to Benefit’ will charge a 10% service fee on every transaction to generate revenue.

   This venture concept catches the student eye for many reasons but one reason, in particular, lack of commitment. Students are already committed to their studies, adding a job may be too much for some. If you are a UF student looking for extra cash, get on `Bids to Benefit’. Say you have surpassed your monthly budget but you still need money to take your crush out on a date. Remember, as a student, there is not much time to commit to a job. So, you get on the ‘Bids to Benefit’ app, pick up a kitchen cleaning job for $50 and you are all set. This business conception also bypasses the nagging financial advice parents insist on providing when your monthly spending exceeds the limit. This app is here not only to bypass parental financial advice(haha) but to bypass the commitment of a job and the consequences of living in a pigsty. It's honestly a win-win situation. From an administrative standpoint, I will need to monitor transactions and make sure everything is running smoothly. Once the kinks are worked out the app should operate by itself. 

2) The constructive criticism I received on my first venture concept was positive. In the comments below I was told that the market I am approaching is good and my predicted way to initially run the business was approved by my peers. Also, I was complimented on how well I explained the 3 points.

3) I did not change my venture concept. Based on feedback, my peers said there was nothing to change. I also read over my venture concept again and didn't see anything I would change. 

4) 

Reading Reflection No. 3

1) What is the general theme and argument of the book? The theme of the book is said all in the title, "Innovation and Entrepreneurship".This book was written by the world-renowned business expert Peter Drucker. Peter Drucker was an innovative man himself, being one of the first people ever to actually analyze entrepreneurship.

2) How did the book, in my opinion, connect and enhance what I am learning in ENT 3003? This book has helped me realize where Dr. Pryor stands in the discipline of Entrepreneurship. Yes, for the exercises in class, we do some application for theoretical scenarios but we are not completely applying our entrepreneurial skills. Peter Drucker focuses a lot on the theory/behavior of innovation and entrepreneurship, just like our professor, instead of the actual application. In a sense, Peter Drucker used to sell his theories. At one point in time, he had a business consulting firm that consulted many big-time firms with his theories gained by his fascination with entrepreneurship.

3) If I had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book I read, what would the exercise involve? I would set up the assignment to be completed at the end of the course. The objective of the assignment would be to research firms that are not in good standing. Once a firm is chosen, theoretically, apply all that we have learned from ENT 3003 for consultation purposes.

4) What was my biggest surprise when reading the book? What differed from my expectations? This book hit me with 2 surprises. One was how innovative Peter Drucker truly is. The book he wrote can be considered a brick in the foundation of studying entrepreneurship. The second surprise was how long ago "Innovation and Entrepreneurship" was written. The book was written in 1985 and the information in it can still be applied to modern day. That is amazing!

My Exit Strategy

1) My Predetermined Exit Strategy: As I said in a previous post, once I work out the kinks, the app will be able to run itself with very little administrative overview. I would like this app to be one of my many sources of income. Of course, most things have a price. If someone was to offer a hefty amount for the app, I would sell. Unless that happens, I wouldn't say that I see exiting this industry anytime soon.

2) Why did I select this business strategy? I selected this exit strategy because as I said above, I would like this business venture to be one of my many sources of income. I was once told that if your money doesn't work for you the chances of becoming a millionaire are slim. This piece of advice has shaped a goal to make my money work for me so I can focus on other business endeavors.

3) Influence of the Exit Strategy: I wouldn't say my exit strategy has influenced any decisions in my venture conception. All my decisions for my venture conception were made before my exit strategy was developed. Maybe this isn't a good thing though. Now that I am writing this makes me think I should have incorporated a potential exit strategy in my business plan. Either way, the main factor that will influence my exit strategy will be my desired price of the app. If I do not receive an offer of what I think the app is worth, I will continue to use it as a source of income.

Celebrating Failure

1) My Recent Failure: Once upon a time, I made the mistake of scheduling a 7:30 am class. The class was statistics at Santa Fe College. Even though I did not fail the class, it was practically impossible for me to make it to class on time. The failure that I'm expressing in this post is the failure of time management.

2) What I learned: Well first things first, I realized that 7:30 am classes are not for me. Second, I learned that if I am going to take an early morning class to go to sleep earlier. I used to have the tendency to stay up late. This tendency drained my enthusiasm to arrive at my exciting stats class on time. Last but not least, I learned that if I commit to a class it doesn't matter what time it is, I need to be there. Since the commitment is made, I need to make all things in my life revolve around completing the assignments and getting to class on time, not vice versa.

3) What I Think About Failure: I watch a lot of motivational videos that encourage the embracement of failure. So, even before this class, I have looked at failure as a learning process. Not only do we learn from failure, but I feel as if it brings value to our accomplishments. If we were just given handouts all the time, our appreciation for the obtainment of whatever we desire would be drastically less/faint, generally speaking. This is one of the many reasons why I love working out. There is no better feeling than pushing your body to its limit. Every time you work out and bring your muscles to `failure' which means you cannot lift one more ounce, you are essentially growing. You may not be stronger immediately, but come back to the gym next week and work the same muscle and strength will be gained. I use this as a correlation to everyday life. My workouts have taught me to `trust the process' no matter what it is.

What's Next?

Existing Market: One factor of the `Bids to Benefit' business concept that I can see in the near future is market expansion. Once demand increases, our plan is open this app to the general public. 

  The three interviewees I chose to contact again were Analia Arias Cwirko, Sina Abbaszadeh, and Jovante Hayes. They all concluded on similar opinions. Each interviewee asked me why the app was only geared towards the student body of UF. Yes, it is a big market that market explains a big part of Gainesville's constant economic stimulation but they all said the app had more potential. They claimed that if this app was opened to the general public that the business conception would be a lot more profitable. 

  I appreciate their enthusiasm but I feel like the best thing to do is to take a conservative approach for this. I want the this venture concept to incubate within the University. When the time comes, the general public will be able to use it. In my opinion, the app needs trial and error development before we tackle another market. 

New Market: A market that is the complete opposite of the UF student body is senior citizens. This market is the opposite of my initial market due to age and financial assets, generally speaking. 

  `Bids to Benefit' could create value in the senior citizen market by making a service search fun because of the auction atmosphere. Lots of the senior citizens I have been around love making deals. 'Bids to Benefits' gives them the opportunity to feel good about their purchase of a household service. If they don't feel good about the price or review of the bidder, they can decline the bid. 

  Since I am in St. Petersburg Fl right now, I interviewed my grandparents. They claimed that they liked my idea but they also have a good relationship with their cleaning lady, handyman, and personal trainer. They wouldn't want to disrupt that for a random person. At the end of the interview, they did say they would try it just because it's my business conception but I would have to teach them how to use the app. Also, they mentioned that if they liked the bidder that provided the service on the app, that they would like to build a relationship for familiarity. 

  Outside of the existing market, I learned that the app can be useful to others besides college students. The interviews with my grandparents also make me want to make a senior citizen friendly page. One that resembles facebook for the profile aspect, while giving projections of the best deals and times like the stock market. My first market choice is definitely the most attractive but eventually, I would like the business to work for both. 

 

Venture Concept No. 1: Bids to Benefit

Venture Concept No. 1: Bids to Benefit

   As you all know by now, the name of my business venture is `Bids to Benefit’. This idea was conceived by my realization of the completion of everyday tasks demanded by the student body. Most students that come to college are experiencing what it is like to live on their own for the first time in their lives. Yes, parts of it are glamorous but beside the fact that you don’t have parents breathing down your neck anymore, more responsibilities are acquired from this freedom trade-off. All of a sudden you have to do the dishes, clean your bathroom, laundry, cook, remind yourself to do homework, etc. We all know the list could go on for days. This demand of tasks to be completed within the time constraint caused by the involvement of upper-level academics is where my business venture profits off of opportunity. The needs of the student body/my clientele are probably more along the lines of being sacrificed than met. For this business concept, I like to put myself in their shoes. If I have been studying all week with no time for anything else and there is a football game on Saturday, I am sacrificing chores for football, no doubt. This is where `Bids to Benefit’ comes in. This app creates the opportunity for students to bid out any type of household chore to another student who has time and is willing to do it at the right price. This app provides the opportunity for the student to study all week, catch the football game on Saturdays, and come home to a clean apartment. Also, as I have said in my previous elevator pitches, this app isn’t just for chores. `Bids to Benefit’ provides opportunities for people to work with tutors and personal trainers as well.

   The part of `Bids to Benefit’ that holds a high level of innovation is the delivery of the services. `Bids to Benefit’ is the Uber of services with a twist of eBay. First and foremost, the targeted market for the app is the student body of UF. In order to use the app, you must provide your student ID. This tactic works as a barrier to entry and allows students to feel more comfortable using the app knowing that they are doing business with a fellow student versus a random person. After the identity validation process, you have now gained access to place or take a bid. For example, I place a bid on my kitchen to be cleaned. The bidder will view what we call a “bid profile”, which is a written description, pictures of the job you would like completed, and desired price. Once someone has decided the job is worth it, a bid is placed. Students can bid up or down against you or their competitor for this opportunity to earn extra cash or have your kitchen cleaned. Once the bid is finalized `Bids to Benefit’ will charge a 10% service fee on every transaction to generate revenue.

   This venture concept catches the student eye for many reasons but one reason, in particular, lack of commitment. Students are already committed to their studies, adding a job may be too much for some. If you are a UF student looking for extra cash, get on `Bids to Benefit’. Say you have surpassed your monthly budget but you still need money to take your crush out on a date. Remember, as a student, there is not much time to commit to a job. So, you get on the ‘Bids to Benefit’ app, pick up a kitchen cleaning job for $50 and you are all set. This business conception also bypasses the nagging financial advice parents insist on providing when your monthly spending exceeds the limit. This app is here not only to bypass parental financial advice(haha) but to bypass the commitment of a job and the consequences of living in a pigsty. It's honestly a win-win situation. From an administrative standpoint, I will need to monitor transactions and make sure everything is running smoothly. Once the kinks are worked out the app should operate by itself. 

My Venture's Unfair Advantage

My List of Resources:
1. My ability to return calls. I am one of those people that always check my notifications and reply ASAP. I feel like this trait will be great for capturing a sale of my venture's service.

2. The social web that I interact in. I know people from all over the world and many within Gainesville since I am an ACR. These social connections are great for networking.

3. Work ethic is another valuable resource. Anything business venture I am involved in is going to thrive off of smart but hard work.

4. My ability to lift people up. Even though it is tough at times, I have a knack for the encouragement of others.

5. I plan to create a culture within the company for users to be rewarded based on their persistent hard work.

6. I have a firm belief of paying your employees before yourself. This confidence will belittle the company's chances of going under.

7. Communication within my company. This relates to bullet points 1 and 5. My ability to return to calls to not only customers but employees as well is a plus in business. I would also like communication to be factored in the foundation of the company's culture.

8. I have access to potential investors due to my social capital.

9. I already have the capital to begin the company. The 2 main essentials are a cell phone and laptop.

10. Belief in this business venture from my classmates and others I have interviewed. So, in a way, I guess this could be labeled as social approbation.

VRIN Analysis:
1. Value: The value of this is found in the capturing of sales. Rarity: Yes, not all but most people are not the best at rapid responses. Inimitability: This trait isn't as hard to maintain as some make it out to be. All you have to do make an effort to pick up the phone and provide responses to the people that contacted you. If you are too busy for this, hire a good secretary. Non-substitutability: You cannot substitute the contact between you and curious customers because that initial contact could be a sale.

2. Value: Very valuable. The famous entrepreneur Tony Robbins once said, "You can judge the quality of your life based on the quality of your relationships." Rarity: Yes, good healthy relationships are undervalued and hard to find. Inimitability: This one cannot be imitated. A genuine relationship cannot be imitated whatsoever. Non-substitutability: Sure you could substitute a fake relationship for a genuine one but it will not prosper.

3. Value: Very valuable, this is the driving force of the business. Rarity: Hard is easy to come by. The question to ask yourself during the analyzation process is "Is it quality work?" Inimitability: Yes this can be imitated but the fruits of one's labor will eventually reveal the truth. Non-substitutability: There is no substitute for hard work.

4. Value: Very valuable. This is another key factor in the venture's cultural foundation. Rarity: I'd say this is a tad bit on the rare side. I have heard tons of stories of people working for places that were more of a drag than uplifting. Inimitability: Yes and no, there has to be a genuine essence in the encouragement you provide. Non-substitutability: There is no substitute for the encouragement of your employees.

5. Value: Very valuable. This gives employees/participants a sense of belonging. Rarity: Yes it is rare to find an effective culture in a business but I feel like this method is starting to be implemented more and more we progress into the future. Inimitability: This cannot be imitated because a company's culture is what gives them differentiation. Non-substitutability: Sure this could be substituted but lack of culture will cause the fall of a company.

6. Value: Very valuable. This is a variable cost that must be taken care of always. Not only for the integrity of the business but for the integrity of one's self. Rarity: 50/50, I have heard of people not getting paid on time but if the business is healthy, it's paying its employees on time. Inimitability: Integrity cannot be imitated. Non-substitutability: This cannot be substituted because, at the end of the day, your guys need to get paid.

7. Value: Very valuable. Communication within is the determinant of the smoothness of a firm's deliverance of service or product. Rarity: Effective communication is hard to come by but can be obtained. Inimitability: Yes, if practiced, efficient communication can be obtained. Non-substitutability: Nope, communication cannot be substituted.

8. Value: Very valuable, especially for expansion. Rarity: This resource is rare. Many can go to banks but to have people you know personally and who believe in you sitting in your contact list is more valuable. Inimitability: No, as said above, genuine relationships cannot be imitated. Non-substitutability: There are many substitutes to obtain financial support for your business but knowing the investor can make the cash acquisition process a lot smoother.

9. Value: Very Valuable. A cell phone and laptop are easy to come by but essential for running any business nowadays. Rarity: Not rare at all but important. Inimitability: Anybody can obtain these items. Non-substitutability: No reason to substitute these.

10. Value: This is also valuable but not required. Rarity: This can be rare at times. It is hard to find people who genuinely believe in your vision. Inimitability: 50/50 Non-substitutability: This can be substituted for envy but at the end of the day you control the outcome of your business not 'innocent bystanders'.

The Most Important Resource:

I would say the most important resource would be bullet point 5. This is the foundation a company is built on. Just like a house, if there is not a solid foundation, the structure will fall. I like to correlate this example to business. If a control is not viable, as I said before, this could be the fall of the firm.

Elevator Pitch No. 3

A reflection on the feedback I received from my last pitch: On my last video I was told that my pitch needed more eye contact and also the angle I filmed from wasn't the best. For the rest of the feedback received on Elevator Pitch No. 2, my confidence level in front of the camera increased from Elevator Pitch No. 1. I am thankful for the kind words and constructive criticism.

What did I change based on the feedback? I corrected my camera angle immediately, I hope its better than before. I thought the angle that I chose for this video makes it seem like I am actually standing face to face with the viewer, as we would be in an elevator. Also, I worked on the eye contact. I definitely tried to look into the camera as much as I could. P.S. sorry my wardrobe keeps declining as we progress through the videos. I am currently doing assignments in between working and traveling.

Growing My Social Capital

For this assignment, I decided to research what I really want to do versus the business concept I used for this class. When I complete my undergraduate degree in Food and Resource Economics with an emphasis in Food and Agribusiness Marketing and Managment, besides going to graduate school for International Business, I want to coordinate imports and exports of agricultural commodities, preferably coffee. So, for this assignment, I contacted a domain expert, industry supplier, and a market expert in the coffee industry.

Domain Supplier

1) Who are they and what is their background? The name of my first interviewee is Katrina of Coffee Blenders in Visa, CA. Katrina said she just fell into the coffee industry. She has a background in sales and stumbled upon Coffee Blenders because she was curious about doing some marketing for the firm. She has also liked coffee and saw the potential the company has, so she applied for a job within. Now that she works for Coffee Blenders she admits that she has now morphed into a coffee snob.

2) The slot Katrina fills: Katrina fills the domain expert slot by being a technical expert.

3) Search Description: I googled coffee industry domain expert and Coffee Blenders had their information posted on http://www.ncausa.org. I gave them a call and Katrina picked up with great enthusiasm.

4) The nature of the informational exchange: I must say, it was quite pleasant to speak with Katrina. She was hands down my best interviewee. Not only was she charismatic in providing information, she also informed me that huge coffee festivals are held around the country. There is one in Los Angeles on the 19-21 of August that I may attend!

5) How will including this person in my network exploit opportunity? Well if I attend this coffee festival I will have an immediate icebreaker due to the personable conversation we had. Also, this could lead to an internship or even a job.

Market Expert

1) Who are they and what is their background? For my market expert, I chose the Mecca of all coffee companies, Starbucks. Obviously, Kevin Johnson (CEO) wasn't available, but I did speak to a customer representative name Matilda. Matilda is not much of a market expert but directed me to the social impact section of the website so I could retrieve information for this assignment.

2) The slot Starbucks fills: Many would Starbucks is the market but the slot I used them for in this assignment is the market expert.

3) Search Description: I googled Starbucks and found the phone number for the Headquarters in Seatle, WA.

4) The nature of the informational exchange: The informational exchange was good. Even though Matilda was not very knowledgeable on the topic I was asking her about, she was still nice and helpful in pointing me in the right direction for research.

5) How will including this person in my network exploit opportunity? I wouldn't say she is a good connection to exploit opportunity but she informed me on a valuable portion of their website that I was not aware of before. The information that I can extract from that section will increase my human capital as a competitor in the coffee industry.

Industry Supplier

1) Who are they and what is their background? For my last interview, I interviewed a coffee supplier out of Delray Beach, FL that imports Italian coffee called Baristino Coffee. I interviewed the manager of the operation. He is an Austrian immigrant that would not provide his name or much of a background. He told me that asking about his name and background was too personal and he could not answer that haha. I still got a little information out of him though. The Austrian immigrant said he fell into the coffee industry 40 years ago. He was just a young guy looking for a job and he just so happened to land in coffee. He also mentioned that when conducting international trade with Italy, they use English to communicate.

2) The slot the Austrian immigrant fills: Industry Supplier.

3) Search Description: Again, I used google to aid me in my pursuit of information on the coffee industry. I googled industry supplier and Baristino Coffee was one of the first search results to pop up.

4) The nature of the informational exchange: In a way, this interviewee had a bit of a hostile attitude but still provided enough information during the interview to be useful enough for this assignment.

5) How will including this person in my network exploit opportunity? I'm not really sure, maybe if I go Delray beach and introduce myself this connection may be worth more. There's no doubt at all that he will remember our suspicious conversation.

**Reflection**: The major thing I have taken away from this experiential assignment is my potential attendance at the coffee fest in Los Angeles. I'm seriously considering going. This has shaped my networking strategy by letting me know that not everyone is going to want to participate in a college students questionnaire and if they are, be organized and assertive with a hint of finesse. This experience differed from other assignments in the past because I was interviewing business employees versus random people/students. Also, I entered into a industry I am actually interested in for research instead of working on my made up business idea for this class.

Reading Reflection No. 2

For reading reflection 2, I chose the book Shoe Dog by Phil Knight (the creator of Nike). I have only completed the first hundred pages of the book and I must say, the more I read, the more I learn. Along with being a world-renowned entrepreneur, Phil Knight is also an amazing writer. Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Nobel Prize-winning economist Micheal Spence expressed this at the beginning of the book. The more I read, the more I understand why that prestigious group of individuals wrote such kind words about this memoir.

1) What was the general theme or argument of the book? Well so far, the general theme of this book, from my interpretation is vision. Phil Knight studied for his undergraduate degree in Business Administration at the University of  Oregon and then received an MBA from Stanford University. Oh and I forgot to mention he studied Accounting at Portland State University. Even though this man was highly educated and could get a job practically anywhere he wanted within the business realm, he still felt as if there was something more than abiding by the system. He had a passion for track and wanted to provide the best shoes possible for runners. Before starting his first company Blue Ribbon, Mr. Knight traveled the world to obtain inspiration for his upcoming business endeavor, but all with the finishing goal to conduct a business deal with a Japanese shoe company. This venturesome sabbatical indeed expanded his vision.

2) How did the book, in my opinion, connect with and enhance what I am learning in ENT3003? This book has taught me that if I am going to take an entrepreneurial approach to my career, to draw inspiration from everywhere, and to make good connections. Good connections are key in business. These connections also need to be nourished with intimacy. Whether it's a text message, a phone call, letter in the mail, weekly/monthly dinner, or throwing an annual party for your valued partners, make it happen. Also, the level of intimacy needed to nourish a relationship depends on the caliber of relationship as well.

3) If I had to design an exercise for this class, based on this book, what would that exercise be? My designed exercise would be similar to the Idea Napkin assignments Dr. Pryor has assigned us but with a traveling twist. So first, we would create a business idea. The second step would be to pick a place you have always wanted to travel to, preferably outside of the United States. This step would be to gather inspiration for your business idea while immersing yourself in a foreign culture. The third step would be to incorporate what inspirations you have received from your trip and to apply them to your incubating business conception!

4) What was my biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did I learn that differed from most of my expectations? My biggest surprise in the book so far is that Phil Knight completed all of his education. Most of the big shot entrepreneurs, such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerburg, and Steve Jobs all dropped out of college to put more focus on their businesses. This could also be due to the times that the businesses sprung in each entrepreneurs life. Phil Knight may have just had a later business start than the other big dogs. I still think it is a great achievement to obtain the credentials that he has plus starting, in my opinion, the best athletic company on the planet.

Create a Customer Avatar

What type of hobbies does my customer have? Well since my market segment is the general student population at UF, there is a plethora of hobbies to choose from for my prototypical customer. Just for theoretical purposes, I'll say the gym and studying is their hobby.

What type of car does my client base drive? Again, due to my market segment, there are endless possibilities of what my customers drive. Some could be rich kids from South Florida that drive an Audi or some customers may use the bus for their mode of transportation. I'll put the bar in the middle and say my prototypical customer drives a red 2015 Toyota Camry.

What TV shows do they watch? My customer avatar watches the Netflix series 'Supernatural' and also loves Star Wars.

Do they have children? No, my customer avatar does not have children. The prototypical customer of mine is a college student living on their own that has not started a family yet.

Are they adopted? No, my avatar is not adopted but that doesn't mean lots of college students are not.

What are their favorite books? Their favorite books are the Harry Potter collection. My customer avatar likes to read the books and then watch the movies to critique how precisely the directors followed the books.

Who are their favorite politicians? My customer avatar is a big fan of Bernie Sanders.

How old are they? They are 22.5 years old.

How old do they feel? My customer avatar feels older than 22.5 due to the strenuous study sessions put in at Library West.

What do I have in common with my customer avatar? I am a college student that drives a full-size sedan with the hobbies of going to the gym and studying. This is no coincidence in my opinion because I am in the same position as most students on campus. When I was creating my customer avatar I was thinking of my interviewees but also considering myself as well.

Elevator Pitch No. 2

A reflection I received on my last pitch: Again I say this in the most humble way, I received more compliments than constructive criticism on my first elevator pitch. I am very grateful for the encouraging comments and thought you all did great as well.

What did I change?  I did notice something off myself though. I felt as if I delivered my words in a choppy manner my first go around. So, this time I tried to smooth my word delivery out. Also, I did not have a cameraman or someone to hold my script for me this video. So, I don't think filming will be as good but hopefully, the content is better.

Idea Napkin No. 2

The Feedback Memo: I say this in the most humble way, I received more compliments than constructive criticism for my 'Idea Napkin No. 1' post. Due to this, I did not change anything. I reread my first post and the comments, and could not find anything else I would like to incorporate. So, I just reposted my 'Idea Napkin No. 1' post. I thank you all for the kind words!


1. ME: My name is Cayman Martinez-Saare. I am an Ecuadorian/American student at the University of Florida in pursuit of health, wealth, love and happiness. The skills and experiences I have acquired throughout my lifetime range from replacing valve cover gaskets on a BMW 6 series to multivariate optimization calculus. The acquisition process of these skills all have one thing in common, hard work. One thing I have taken away from my broad spectrum of experiences is, this may be cliche but, you have to work smarter not harder. My aspiration for my business concept is for it to expand to the point where we can accept business from the general population of Gainesville and not just students.

2. What am I offering to customers? The main benefit a customer will gain from the service my business will provide is time. Time is the most scarce resource that we have and those who realize this will be prone to using the app.

3. Who am I offering it to? My targeted demographic is the student body of UF. Students who are in a time crunch due to strict deadlines and the forthcoming of big exams will be encouraged to place a bid to benefit a bunch. The one thing that all of our clientele will have in common, is the scarcity and appreciation of their time.

4. Why do they care? My client base will care because my service allows them to break out of their time constriction that is inevitable in the life of a young professional. Again, my client demographic is primarily the student body of UF. We all know as students that one of the main things higher education teaches us is time management. The service that my business concept provides will aid in the time management honing process.

5. What are your core competencies? Bids to benefits is set apart from everyone else by being one click away to have your apartment cleaned, a tutor provided, or a personal trainer to meet you at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Not only does our app connect the consumer to the service provider but the app gives the customer the opportunity to negotiate. Hence the name "Bids to Benefit".

  In my opinion, these elements are in sync with one another. The atmosphere for this concept to spawn is perfect. As explained above, this app is targeted for young professionals that do not have the time or simply do not know how to take care of the everyday chores or tasks that are necessary to live an adequate lifestyle. The student population at UF is exactly that. The most desirable characteristic of this service is that it will open a time block in someone's schedule that may have not been there before, due to having to take care of the task or chore themselves.

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

1. My 3 segment fits: Melissa Gutierrez, Willmar Escalante, and Kimberly Ramirez.

2. My Alternative Evaluation: Melissa, a Health Science major on an occupational therapy track, said the price would matter. Melissa states price would matter the most because she is on a college student budget. Even though price matters, she is still an advocate for quality over quantity. The style would also matter to her, Melissa wants to be able to relate with the product/service provider she is doing business with for optimal satisfaction. Another characteristic that would influence her purchase decision is product/service longevity. Next, I interviewed Willmar Escalante. She is an international student from Venezuela. Willmar said that price is not really an issue, her most desired factor is quality. She stated that she wants to get the biggest bang for her buck. She also mentioned that if she was using the Bids to Benefit app, she wants everyone to have a background check. Which I told her in order, to use the app you must have a student ID, which provides a background check. My third interviewee was Kimberly. She is an international student as well, from Puerto Rico, studying graphic design. Kimberly is also an advocate for quality over quantity. Price does matter to her as well. Kimberly said that a rating system would influence her purchase behavior too.

3. How and where do they buy? Melissa and Kimberly are both in-store shoppers. When they shop, especially for clothes, they like to feel the clothes and try them on. Kimberly and Melissa also rather shop with a credit card than use cash. On the other hand, Willmar loves to shop online, using Amazon in particular. She says that it saves her countless amounts of time when she is too busy to shop in-store due to studying. Willmar stated that she would rather use cash than a credit card.

4. Post-purchase Evaluation: Melissa, Kimberly, and Willmar all had the same opinion when it came to this element. When they made a good purchase, they felt as if the product/service produced a good return on investment, the product/service had longevity, endurance, and good quality. When they made bad purchases, their feelings concurred with one another as well. They all claimed that the determinant for a bad purchase for a product/service is when it is not worth what they paid for it. Low quality, too expensive, and no ROI.

5. Summarized Results: I was quite impressed with the quality of information my interviewees provided. Each interviewee was charismatic and I enjoyed the process. The interviewees differ from another slightly but not much. I think they would be perfect candidates for the Bids to Benefit app.

6. Conclusion: I have learned that most people have the same idea of a good and a bad buy. Also, quality over quantity is normally always going to be advocated. I would say my chosen segment of the UF student body has minor differences in their opinions but for the most part are very similar.

What's My Secret Sauce?

1. 5 factors that differentiate my human capital from others.
Well for starters, I am told quite frequently that I always have a positive attitude. When people bring the trait to my attention, I begin to notice it myself. No matter what, I always try to look at the glass half full or to learn from a situation rather than to be discouraged. My second trait would be my work ethic. I have the ability to push myself past the majority of people's breaking points. Yes, most people will say they are hard workers but before you believe them, question what their opinion of hard work is. My third trait, which probably should have been stated first is my application of love. It is hard to show love all the time but it what I strive for. This characteristic is great for business as well. A customer wants to see that you are passionate and love everything about the product or service you are presenting to them. Love has the potential to close a business deal effortlessly. For quality number four, I guess you can say my uniqueness makes me unique. I am Ecuadorian/American, which isn't the most common mix. I feel as if my inherited heritage allows me to connect with people of South American descent easier than the average American. Last but least, I would say I'm more of a listener than a talker. I like to hear what people have to say than bombard someone with my own opinion.

2. My 5 interviewees: The first person I interviewed was one of my best friends, Sina. His comments made me realize that people are always paying attention even when you least expect it. I am happy I can influence my Persian brother in a positive way. Please start the recording at 30 seconds: https://www.tapeacall.com/avb8qd7tuc
My second interviewee was my grandfather. The main thing I took away from the interview is the happiness I get from making my grandpa proud. Please start the recording at 23 seconds: https://www.tapeacall.com/r4jfauqa4u
My next interviewee is my mom of course. I never thought she noticed how I handle high-pressure situations at my place of employment and I am happy I can make her proud! Please start the recording at 23 seconds: https://www.tapeacall.com/j7e7hrdt9u
The next recording is one of my best friends, Brandon. Please excuse the mickey mouse voice at the end lol. Please start the recording at 17 seconds: https://www.tapeacall.com/q7avr8kzv6
The final interviewee is another one of my best friends Jovante. I have known Jojo since I was 10 and I am glad he thinks so highly of me. Please start at 30 seconds: https://www.tapeacall.com/2ceb2v398b

3. My reflection on the differences: Honestly I just see myself as an equal to everyone, but I'm glad some people look at me as a beholder of great value. A lot of the characteristics that were brought to attention in the interviews I don't really notice about myself but as I said above, now the traits were mentioned I begin to notice a little bit. The differences I have are caused by my ambition. When I start a family I want to provide the best life I possibly can for them and also participate in philanthropic activities as well. I would not change anything from the first element provided and I'm thankful for the clarification my interviewees provided.

Halfway Reflection

1. Tenacious is a competency. Such an accurate statement. When you are an entrepreneur there is no base salary deposit in your bank account every week. You get paid purely off of results. Just like this class. We do not get points towards our grade if we do not do our assignments. We earn our grades purely off the points we yield from our work. If no work was done, we receive no points, plain and simple. The key behaviors that I used at the beginning of this course are focus, tenaciousness, and perseverance. I used the behavior of focus to stay on track, in other words, continue to keep my eye on the light at the end of the tunnel. The acquired characteristic of tenaciousness held me together, by the grace of God. And last but not least perseverance allowed me to truck through all of my work with a great vengeance.

2. Tenaciousness is also about attitude. This is also very true. One applies the characteristic of tenaciousness through their attitude. At the beginning of ENT 3003 is when my tenaciousness began to flourish. I was taking Agricultural Data Analysis for summer A while taking ENT 3003, working 2 jobs, and sticking to a strict workout regimen. The assignments would always creep up on me every week. Yes, it would be easy not to do them sometimes and pray for extra credit but my acquired tenaciousness would not let me. My recommendation would be to persevere through all of life's obstacles and complete your work no matter what!

3. Three tips. Three tips I would give to this fluorescent green gourd of a student are absolute. Each tip is to apply the behaviors learned in bullet point 1 (Focus, Tenaciousness, and Perseverance). If the tips provided are applied, they will nurture the development of a tenacious entrepreneurial mindset.

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

1. Pick a segment: The market segment I selected to provide my service to is highly involved students. For example, students in fraternities, sororities, athletes, and student government. This service can be used by anybody who needs to use some else's time to free theirs up.

2. My 3 interviewees: Dom Delbuco, David Jacobs, and Brandon Faulk

3. Need awareness: Dom is currently a student at Santa Fe College, an entrepreneur, and a father. The places where he found my business concept most useful is in his house. He runs his internet marketing business out of his house and helps his fiance watch their newborn baby boy. Between both of them working and studying, it is hard for them to find time to take care of dishes, laundry, etc. David is an international student from Mexico City and a young professional in the making. He takes classes full time and has a part-time job at a restaurant. David constantly finds himself in a time crunch and said my app would be beneficial for his house as well, especially after he throws parties. He said he finds himself in the situation where he needs to clean and go grocery shopping but has an assignment he needs to do or has to work. This is when the app would be most helpful to him. Everyone knows parties have the potential to trash a house, this app is a great way to take care of the aftermath. Brandon Faulk, a friend of mine who just graduated from UCF also found a use for this app. Even though the targeted demographic is for the UF student body, once the business expands to the point where we can do business off-campus, Brandon is a perfect candidate. He is a bachelor fresh out of college in the professional world. Ever since he got out of college he has wanted to back on his "workout grind". He said a personal trainer would be a big help. Most personal trainers want their clients to sign contracts and leave no room for negotiation. Once I presented my idea to Brandon, he said that the app bypasses the pushiness of PT's and gives him room for negotiation.

4. Information search: Dom and his fiance's first method of information search is to ask one another to take care of a task. If both of them are not available to do it, it does not get done. They do not google search a cleaning service because most of the time they just need a one time clean instead of a consistent contract that most cleaning services try to push. Dom said he would love to use the app because it sounds simple and there is minimal commitment. David said he would not necessarily search for someone to clean his place after a party. Normally he would just own up to his responsibility and clean his house. Now that the app has been presented he would be more than happy to have someone clean his place at a convenient price and help someone earn extra cash. Brandon said he would google search personal training but was scared by the commitment the PT businesses demanded. Bids to benefits allow him to select a PT at a reasonable price that he approves of.

5. The Findings of My Research: Throughout my research, I have realized that my business concept will be useful to everyone, not just students. The app is geared toward contemporary use but will be available to our elders as well. Professors at UF may also find a use for this app.

6. Drawn conclusion: I have come to the conclusion that most people want results that are more convenient than Google can provide, yea I know that sounds crazy. Sometimes there are simple things people want to be done with a lack of commitment and a great price. Bids to benefit is the place for UF students to obtain both of those characteristics in one place.

Reading Reflection No. 1

1. The book I chose is "TWENTY-SEVEN DOLLARS AND A DREAM, HOW MUHAMMAD YUNUS CHANGED THE WORLD AND WHAT IT COST HIM" by Katherine Esty.

What surprised me the most? All that Muhammad Yunus as accomplished in his 77 years here. He has been awarded a countless amount of awards, including a Nobel Peace Prize.

What about the entrepreneur did I admire the most? Yunus's ability to create a vision and make it come to life. He let nothing get in his way of helping rebuild the economy in Bangladesh. Even though he had a great life in the United States, he left his comfort zone to help revamp his homeland of Bangladesh. Also, the fact that he won a Nobel Peace Prize is amazing.

What about the entrepreneur did I least admire? He chose Bangladesh over his family. His daughter was born right after Bangladesh declared their independence from Pakistan. This was right after a war and due to the war, Bangladesh was in turmoil. His wife decided that it was not an appropriate environment to raise their child and she moved back but Yunus stayed. In a way, it is still honorable that he gave up a life with his family of 2 to help the lives of millions.

Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? Yes, one was the absence of his family. How did he deal with it? He bit the bullet and continued to make his vision come to life in Bangladesh. Yunus did not want a divorce but after being so far from his family for so long, his wife and he grew apart. Another adversity Yunus faced was trying to get banks to believe in his idea of microfinancing in Bangladesh. He was told no many times but never gave up. How did he deal with this? Yunus was relentless.

2. What competencies did I notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? Yunus genuinely saw the potential that the poverty class had in his country. He knew that if they were given financial stimulation, that they had the potential to prosper. Yunus could see past the toothless smiles and the unsanitary lifestyles and realized a little help would give the people of Bangladesh a fighting chance.

3. One part of the reading that was confusing to me. I guess it would be why Pakistan went to war with Bangladesh. I know Pakistan wanted to implement their culture and in a sense erase Bangladesh which makes no sense to me. Each country is unique, this, in essence, gives each country their beauty. It is hard for me to see why others do not see that sometimes.

4. If I were to ask Muhammad Yunus 2 questions, what would they be and why? My first question would be, "How did it feel when you received your Nobel Peace Prize?". That is such an extraordinary accomplishment. I highly admire this credential he earned because this is the highest award you can receive in this field of work. My next question would be, "how did you keep your vision even the odds were against you?". His family left, people were dying on streets, the economy was practically condemned, and yet Yunus still continued to move forward with his vision. He is the true definition of walking by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

5. What do I think Muhammad Yunus's opinion of hard work is? And do I share that opinion? I'd say his opinion of hard work is to never give up, and that persistence is key. Yes, I completely agree with this. The pyramids were not built in a day. They were built by the persistence of one brick being laid at a time. 

Idea Napkin No. 1

1. ME: My name is Cayman Martinez-Saare. I am an Ecuadorian/American student at the University of Florida in pursuit of health, wealth, love and happiness. The skills and experiences I have acquired throughout my lifetime range from replacing valve cover gaskets on a BMW 6 series to multivariate optimization calculus. The acquisition process of these skills all have one thing in common, hard work. One thing I have taken away from my broad spectrum of experiences is, this may be cliche but, you have to work smarter not harder. My aspiration for my business concept is for it to expand to the point where we can accept business from the general population of Gainesville and not just students.

2. What am I offering to customers? The main benefit a customer will gain from the service my business will provide is time. Time is the most scarce resource that we have and those who realize this will be prone to using the app.

3. Who am I offering it to? My targeted demographic is the student body of UF. Students who are in a time crunch due to strict deadlines and the forthcoming of big exams will be encouraged to place a bid to benefit a bunch. The one thing that all of our clientele will have in common, is the scarcity and appreciation of their time.

4. Why do they care? My client base will care because my service allows them to break out of their time constriction that is inevitable in the life of a young professional. Again, my client demographic is primarily the student body of UF. We all know as students that one of the main things higher education teaches us is time management. The service that my business concept provides will aid in the time management honing process.

5. What are your core competencies? Bids to benefits is set apart from everyone else by being one click away to have your apartment cleaned, a tutor provided, or a personal trainer to meet you at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Not only does our app connect the consumer to the service provider but the app gives the customer the opportunity to negotiate. Hence the name "Bids to Benefit".

  In my opinion, these elements are in sync with one another. The atmosphere for this concept to spawn is perfect. As explained above, this app is targeted for young professionals that do not have the time or simply do not know how to take care of the everyday chores or tasks that are necessary to live an adequate lifestyle. The student population at UF is exactly that. The most desirable characteristic of this service is that it will open a time block in someone's schedule that may have not been there before, due to having to take care of the task or chore themselves.

Elevator Pitch No. 1

My idea has switched a little from my original "Solving the Problem" post, but it was for the better. Enjoy and I look forward to doing business with you all! 😎

Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Summary: My business idea I am proposing to others is the same as I posted in my "Solving the Problem" post. A student temp service that is there to help students keep their employers satisfied while the students study. Students will take a competency test to place them in the right job sector. I conducted a 5-person survey inside of Library West. The foundation of my survey contained 4 questions: Do you have a job?, Would you like the opportunity to earn extra cash without any commitments?, I proposed my business idea and then asked would you sign up?, and What type of work would you be open to doing? I wanted to make the interview brief because the students in Library West at the University of Florida are hard at work studying but also take away valuable input from them.

WHO?: I interviewed 5 students in Library West: 1. Stephanie Spraker, 2. Alex Hong, 3. Carla Gonzalez, 4. Erin Pins, and 5. Le Kin. Alex is the only one with a job currently. He is an automotive technician at GMC of Gainesville while studying Mechanical Engineering at UF. Stephanie, Alex, Carla, and Erin were all open to my business proposition, Le was not. Le fell outside of boundary because she is completely committed to her Urban Planning curriculum here at UF.

WHAT?: The need of the desire of more time to study differs from the need for more hours to work greatly. This is because studying is an investment in ourselves to elevate us to the next level of our lives. Most students have miscellaneous jobs do not contribute as much as their studies do to their career.

WHY?: It seems as if Le's need does differ from everyone else's. She has completely devoted herself to her Urban Planning study regiment and has no interest in earning extra cash or workforce experience at this point in time. Stephanie, Alex, Carla, and Erin were all open to the idea and were enthusiastic about earning extra cash and workforce experience.

Solving the Problem

My Selected Opportunity (1): There is a vast majority of the student body here at the University of Florida, that go to school full time and have a job, such as myself. Don't get me wrong, I love generating revenue for myself but at this point in time in my life my studies come first. At times and quite often actually, my school schedule and work schedule will collide and do not merge. This occurrence always ends up with me making a sacrifice, either school or work will need to be neglected due to a time scarcity and maybe poor planning as well. Both of my jobs will always ask me to work extra hours when I need to study for an exam, it's like my employers have a sixth sense or something. What the bulk of this information I am providing boils down to is that I am always needing to study when my jobs want me to work.

My Proposed Product/Service (2): I am sure I am not the only student that deals with the employer/study contradiction. If you are one of those students, I have good news for you, I have found a solution. I would like to start a business kind of like a temp service but for students. The business will essentially be a pool of students who are ready to fill in for you at your job when you need to study and not work. Depending on the type of job you have, there will be a competency test for each type of job to make sure the student will be able to take someone's place efficiently. This will give students that do not have a job an opportunity to earn some extra cash and obtain experience in the workforce, while the students like myself can focus on studying while keeping our employers satisfied.

Identifying Opportunities in Economic and Regulatory Trends

Economic Trend Opportunity 1:
a) Eco-friendly is my first economic trend of choice. This trend was brought to my attention by an article in the Miami Herald that I read for the previous assignment.

b) Due to global warming, tons of firms are being encouraged to change the way they operate to reduce the effects on the environment, and individuals as well. I believe there is an opportunity here because almost any aspect of someone's life can be altered to reduce society's emissions output. Many new products are coming out each day that are "eco-friendly". For instance, you can go to Lowes and buy light bulbs that shine brighter and use less energy.

c)The type of customers who are most likely to indulge in the eco-friendly economic trend opportunity are the environmentalists.

d) The opportunity can be easily exploited by the environmentalists. It is the opposing party that would make exploitation a challenge. There are individuals who do not believe in global warming. This best thing to do is to try to educate everyone on the benefits of the trend and let it sell its self. Tesla is an example of helping make eco-friendly look cool.

Economic Trend Opportunity 2:
a) Cryptocurrency is my second economic trend opportunity of choice. Everything nowadays is geared towards digital activity. Cell phones, computers, and now money. This trend was brought to my attention by friends I have that have invested in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

b) There is an opportunity to begin to use cryptocurrency over the dollar due to exchange rates. Cryptocurrency is geared to be a universal currency. So, no matter where you are in the world, it will still hold the same value. When cryptocurrency is exchanged, we no longer have to worry about exchange rates or the lengthy amount of time for money to transfer overseas. Cryptocurrency can be transferred in about 15 minutes versus the up to 2-week transfer process, depending on where how much money you would like to transfer.

c) Cryptocurrency users will be used mostly by tech investors and people who travel a lot. This will take time but eventually, the world may begin to favor cryptocurrency and exclude other forms of hard currencies.

d) This opportunity is hard to exploit because cryptocurrency is not backed by the government, but governments are slowly trying to change this. This scares a lot of people. Myself for example, like hard currency over crypto because of the risk that comes with cryptocurrency. Until the crypto miners work out the kinks, there are many people who want nothing to do with it and there are also some people who love the idea.

Regulatory Trend Opportunity 1:
a) Hunting and trapping in Alaska are my fist regulatory trend of choice. I found out about this regulation at regulations.gov.

b) This opportunity may exist due to the overhunting of wild game in Alaska. Sport hunting can create a scarcity of certain animals indigenous to Alaska and a quota can help reduce this.

c) The customers for this opportunity are the environmentalists and the animal activists. I'm sure if the animal activists had their way completely there would be no hunting what so ever, but the sport contributes a lot to Alaska's economy. 

d) It is easy to exploit due to the endangerment of animals but there is also another party who could care less. Money influences most decisions in the world we live in so, sport hunting will continue while also stimulating the Alaskan economy.

Regulatory Trend Opportunity 2:
a) Trump's tariffs on China are my second regulatory trend of choice. I heard about this through NPR radio, NBC News, and Fox News.

b)The opportunity exists because the Trump administration has accused China of stealing intellectual property, which is illegal in our trade agreement with them. To retaliate Trump has imposed a $50 billion accumulative tariffs against China.

c) I don't think this opportunity creates customers as much as it deters them, which is the point of a tariff. The tariff could disperse the global economy more evenly instead of the bulk of Chinese goods going to the U.S., China will now try and find other buyers to meet their economic needs.

d) This is a tough proposal to exploit because China is such a fierce and beneficial economy. President Trump justifies his choice with the accusation of China stealing intellectual property, which if true, is a good reason not to do business with an entity.

Identifying Local Opportunities

Story 1:

• Title: Legalizing Marijuana Divides Candidates For Governor
• Link: http://www.gainesville.com/news/20180601/legalizing-cannabis-divides-candidates-for-governor
• What this article boils down to is that the Democratic party candidates that are running for governor in the state of Florida are for legalization and the decriminalization of marijuana. On the other hand, the Republican party is opposing the idea. 
• The problem presented in the article is to obtain a referendum in favor of recreational marijuana use. Even though marijuana has been approved for medicinal use, recreational use is the next step of decriminalization. 
• Who has this problem? Well, the opposition from the Republican party is a problem for the pro-marijuana Democratic party. Also, firms and investors who are ready to enter the market. Once legalized for recreational consumption by people 21 or older, marijuana will become a lucrative legal agricultural commodity. So, the time lapse upon marijuana's recreational legalization process is costing individuals and the state of Florida's economy tons of potential revenues.  

Story 2: 

• Title: Gainesville's Whole Foods opens to long lines
• Link: http://www.gainesville.com/news/20180509/gainesvilles-whole-foods-opens-to-long-lines
• The Gainesville Sun was present at the grand opening of the new Whole Foods grocery store in Gainesville off of Archer road. The article glorifies the new grocery store and how happy the people of Gainesville are to have a Whole Foods but the title grabbed my attention. "Gainesville's Whole Foods opens to long lines" sounds like a bug to me. Waiting in line a long line at a grocery store has always been a pet peeve of mine. 
• There is not necessarily a problem presented in the article but the title influenced me to create an opportunity belief. My opportunity belief is that most people do not like the long lines spawned by the favorability of a place shopping. 
• Who has this problem? For one, people who do not like waiting in lines. Also, this problem can occur to those who do not budget their time efficiently and still need to grocery shop. 

Story 3: 

• Title: Who's allowed to charge a fee for using credit cards in Florida?
• Link: http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/personalfinance/Who-s-allowed-to-charge-a-fee-for-using-credit-cards-in-Florida-_168738971
• This article explains how only municipal or government monetary transaction services can charge a convenience fee if an individual chooses to pay with a credit card. The governmental entities mentioned in the article justify the convenience fees charged as the "cost of doing business". 
• The problem presented in the article is the amount someone is charged for paying their bills with a credit card. The article states that the Hillsborough County Tax Collector's office charges a $2.95 fee for motor vehicle transactions and a 2.35% fee on in-person credit card transactions for motor vehicles. 
• Who has this problem? The residents of each county that these tax regulations apply to. The article mentioned a resident of Hillsborough County saying that they will only pay by cash or check just to avoid the convenience fee. 

Story 4: 

• Title: Most Florida nursing homes aren't ready with back up power
• Link: http://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/06/01/most-florida-nursing-homes-arent-ready-with-backup-power/
• The article talks about the state of Florida's push for better backup power sources for assisted living and retirement homes. The catastrophic hurricane Irma is what brought this issue to light. During Irma, many retirement facilities were without power for periods of time, which was strenuous on elders and the state of Florida wants to put a stop to this. The state is now implementing a law that requires all retirement homes and assisted living facilities to have access to at least 96 hours of back power once power is lost. 
• The problem presented in this article is that retirees are in crucial need of power to accommodate their living conditions to prosper. Without power in Florida, one's place of living can become almost uninhabitable, especially for elderly people. 
• Who has this problem? Retirees who are stuck in their homes that are uncomfortable due to a power outage. Also, the family members of the residents of the retirement communities. The weather may be too rough to go down and help their family member out. If there is no power, no calls can be made after a prolonged period of time. Therefore, the family members are under a huge amount of stress, wondering if their family member is ok or alive and vice versa. 

Story 5: 

• Title: Miami's condo king breaks silence on sea level rise comment: 'Maybe I had too many drinks'
• Link: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/real-estate-news/article210857319.html
• This article puts big-time developer Jorge Perez under a microscope for a comment he said. Jorge Perez does not recollect saying the comment that was exploited in this news article. Jeff Goodell claims to have approached Perez at a party at the Perez Art Museum to ask him if the sea level rise has hindered his developing along the coastline. Jorge Perez responded with a quote that startled everyone: "In 20 or 30 years, someone is going to find a solution for this. Besides by that time, I'll be dead, so what does it matter?" The article is simply an interview with him, clearing up his non-eco friendly comment.
• The problem presented in this article speech before thought. Nowadays everything is very sensitive to one's words. Due to this societal sensitivity, we all must be unbiasedly articulate with the words we portray, especially when you're a big time developer in Miami. 
• Who has this problem? Well, obviously Jorge Perez does but honestly, most of society does as well. From my experience, the majority of people speak before they think instead think before they speak. This a virtue that is learned with time and is hard for young minds to grasp.

Forming an Opportunity Belief: A Twist on Opportunity Identification

My Beginning Point: My belief is that students who live off campus would prefer to drive their cars to class at the University of Florida than to take the bus.

My Belief Description: The unmet need in my belief is the desire the students who live off-campus withhold to park on campus. Their desire is not met due to lack of available space to accommodate parking for 55,000 students. Let's say half of the student body lives off campus, that is still 27,500 parking spaces to provide. The origin of this need sprung from being able to park wherever I wanted at Santa Fe College. Now that I attend UF I must take the bus to class and if I want to park on campus, I must wait until parking is lifted after 3:30pm. The University of Florida does have a commuter lot for off-campus students but it is still congested and there is a fee due every semester to obtain a parking pass. I am very confident that this opportunity exists because of the feedback I've had from fellow classmates.

My Prototypical Customer 1 (Step 3): Analia Arias

Iteration 1 (Step 4): The nature of Analia's need is that it takes too long for the bus to arrive, not convenient to her schedule, and she has to wake up early to catch the bus. Sleep is an important factor for her to operate at an optimal cognitive level. The lack of time due to worrying about catching the bus also cuts into her opportunity to eat breakfast in the morning. Analia experiences this need every time she catches the bus to go to school. The need sprung whenever she moved here from Bolivia to attend college. Analia said she became aware of this need ever since her first week of school in the States. She has not begun not address her need but she is intrigued by my belief and supports it. Out of a 1-10 scale, she said my idea is a 12. So, I would say she's highly infatuated.

Reflection 1 (Step 5): I learned that others are just as willing as me or more to take action on this parking epidemic. The most surprising of it all is that Analia is pro-creation of more parking on campus due to exact reasons I am.

My Prototypical Customer 2 (Step 3): Sina Abbaszadeh

Iteration 2 (Step 4): Sina said that the nature of this need came from the inconvenience of the bus as well. He would rather park on campus instead of going out of his way to catch the bus. He also mentioned that buses are not sanitary and have a lack of space. Yes, buses are claimed to be cleaned regularly but with large amounts of traffic walking in and out the buses, it is hard to keep the buses clean. Sina is in love with working out, so having a gym bag with workout essentials is a necessity for him. Instead of just leaving the gym bag in his car, he has to carry it on the bus. Two bags can be hard to keep track of and also a disturbance to others if the bus is packed. He also said that other drivers are not very cautious of buses or their passengers. Sina would like to begin to cultivate an idea of how to begin to raise funds to propose parking expansion for off-campus students to UF. On a scale of 1-10, he said my opportunity belief is a 10.

Reflection 2 (Step 5): I learned that people are not just worried about the shortage of time the bus creates but also the health concerns due to unsanitary conditions the bus unintentionally provides. The most surprising thing about this observation is that Sina brought to light that other users of the public roads in Gainesville are not cautious of city buses or their passengers. I have never really noticed this but he has made a valid point.

My Prototypical Customer 3 (Step 3): Matthew Mix

Iteration 3 (Step 4): Again, the nature of this need also sprung from inconvenience for Matt as well. Matt said he would rather park on campus over taking the bus any day. This was said before he moved closer to campus. Once Matt started studying at UF he immediately became aware of the parking scarcity on campus and the need for parking expansion. Every time he rides the bus his opinion is not altered, he would rather park his vehicle on-campus. Matt also mentioned that the bus can be extremely packed at times and people will step all over him during his 20-minute ride. Matt has recently moved closer to campus to partially solve his need for parking. He does not live on campus but his bus ride is shorter than it was before. One a 1-10 scale Matt said my solution was a solid 8.

Reflection 3 (Step 5): Matt has similar problems as the rest of my prototypical customers. Even though he has taken more action to fulfill his need, his need has not been completely fulfilled. I was surprised to hear that he rated my opportunity belief an 8 compared to the other ratings I received, but everybody is entitled to their opinion.

Summarization: My opportunity belief is still there and I have also now brought it to others attention. The opportunity is just as accurate if not more than when I started. I now have people standing behind this need with me. A petition may be in the making as we speak.