Final Reflection

     I was excited to sign up for this class because I was looking forward to learning about entrepreneurs and what they do to be successful. I never dreamed that I would become an entrepreneur at the end. This semester, I acquired skills like organization techniques, personable manners, talking to strangers, and thinking like an entrepreneur. It was exciting, but sometimes I was scared. For some assignments, I really had to get out of my comfort zone and become a person I never thought I could be. Sometimes I was successful and other times I was humiliated, but I learned so much along the way. The experience I will remember for years to come will be the free money assignment where I had to hand out free money to strangers. I know I write about this is on my blog all the time, but I was really embarrassed about how badly I failed this exercise. It taught me about accepting failure and learning from it. I am most proud of finding an entrepreneur on my own and interviewing him. It was such an educational and inspirational experience that I will never forget. I do see myself as an entrepreneur. I remember over spring break, we were walking on the beach, and although I don't remember exactly what problem I identified, I remember identifying it, and thinking to myself that I was becoming an entrepreneur. To the students who will be taking this course in the future, I would say to not be afraid and don't fall behind. A lot of these exercises will make you do things you would have never done, but it gets easier. In order to foster the mindset, make sure to practice it every day. It's like going to the gym. You need to work the muscles every day to see results. Innovative thinking should be something you do every day, and if you practice it enough, you will have an entrepreneurial mindset. This class was fun, and I will always remember everything it taught me.

Week 15 Reading Reflection

1) The biggest surprise for me during the reading were the dangerous issues and hardships that the author's company went through while trying to expand his business with other countries. It's incredibly inspirational how dedicated the author is to his company and his customers.

2) One part of the reading that was confusing to me was how companies focusing on micro financing could help people get out of poverty. I have never heard about this before so it was a little confusing getting to know about it.

3) If I were able to ask two questions to the author I would first ask him why he had such an immense passion to work with foreign countries where small businesses could be unprofitable as opposed to other countries? I would then ask how he learned awesome people skills and if he could help me out.

4) I did not disagree with anything that the author stated during the article.

Elevator Pitch No.4

 This will be my third attempt at an elevator pitch and my last one for this semester. The feedback I got back from my peers from my last elevator pitch was overall really nice. Some people were worried about my competitors and how my product is different from others. My product is reliable, affordable, and better than my competitors. Hope you enjoy my last elevator pitch.

Venture Concept No.2

Venture Concept       

        Most of the objects and services we use in our daily lives are electronics, but all electronics have a small battery life compared to the amount of time we use them for. However, outlets are limited in most public places, and this causes people to be upset at the lack of services a building is providing. Therefore, a lot of people have this need, but I plan on targeting people in Universities and airports. University students constantly use their laptops and other electronics to complete assignments. Businessmen who travel all the time and need to do work on the go need to have a dependable outlet that works all the time. Overall, this product I have come up with will eliminate the problem(the absence of outlets) that these people face while doing work in public places. Our world is changing to an electronically dependent environment which creates this opportunity that I have chosen to work with. This opportunity is pretty large considering the demand to have a person’s electronics charged at all times, especially for college students. Having one’s computer die during an important quiz is not exactly the best thing to happen because most teachers blame it on the student and not the electronic. Another important aspect is Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is one of the most common services needed in the world right now. Every public and private business in America understands the importance of having free wifi for customers. Students and businessmen need a reliable connection to the internet in order to work. As a student, I know that an unreliable internet connection can lead to not being able to watch a class lecture or complete a quiz. This combined opportunity is important because of the great need of a power connection and internet connection. This window of opportunity is closing fast considering the amount of portable chargers for cellphones there are in the market and technological advancements are improving greatly. So it is only a matter of time before companies will be selling the portable chargers that I am offering to my customers. 

           The innovation I have created is a portable charger with outlets on it that will serve as a way to charge any electronic with a plug. It will be light, and easy to carry around in a case. This product will also be a Wi-Fi hotspot which is very important because crowded places like libraries can be hard to get an accurate Wi-Fi connection. It will provide a reliable connection for all students and businessmen. A second company would organize all the wifi providers so that the Pod would get a better connection. My product has a dome like shaped with up to four outlets on it and is called the Pod. The Pod will be sold privately to Universities and airplane companies in bulk for a cheaper price. I want to add a cool aspect to the pods by selling customized pods that are designed to match logos and colors of companies. For example, if I were selling pods to the University of Florida, I would make ones that are blue and orange. I would paint a gator on them too. It will make the pods more fun to use. As far as working them, the customer simply plugs in their charging chord to any electronic the device will charge or start working. The most important thing of the Pod is that it is a chargeable device. A power chord will be given to the customer and they can be charged at home or a dedicated location in the library. Customers can take the pods with them to any place in the library or airport. To the companies that buy them in bulk, a censor will be added to the Pod that will set a buzzer off once it leaves a building so they are not stolen. For the  individual customers who want to to buy the Pod for their own personal use they will be available on the website. They will be sold for seventy-five dollars individually. Additional designs and shipping will be added fees, but otherwise it is a pretty affordable device for those who want it. 

          Customers would switch to my product because it will be a reliable internet connection and a way to have their electronics constantly charged. People won’t have to worry about forgetting their charger at home or where the nearest outlet is. It is just very necessary for the technology dependent life we have adapted to. The competitors are the companies that sell portable chargers for I-Phones, but customers will come to find that the Pod works for all electronics(lamps, hair straighteners, blow driers,ext.) Customer experience and support is important for this business concept because if there are glitches, University libraries will not want to invest in the product. Price points have a role in my business concept because I will use it to find a way to charge the companies I will be selling a lot of Pods to. I would organize my business by making it a small office with ten salesmen, a team of accountants, and a team of engineers dealing with the advancement of my product. 

          Being a college student, I understand the importance of a reliable internet connection and outlet; therefore, other competitors cannot relate to college students like I will. I also have connections with a marketing expert who sells computer advancements to schools. The next step in my venture would be to create a Pod that is waterproof. It will be a new device that will be even better for the customers. In five years, I want to have a large building and be selling devices all over the world. In the next decade, I want to be coming up with new ideas and discovering new opportunities to tackle. This venture was really important in developing my skills as en entrepreneur. I will always look back at it and use the same techniques I learned to develop my ideas. 

Feedback:

     The feedback I received from my peers was helpful. One person said that the pod should eliminate the amount of devices a person has to keep with them. This being said, it will be easily portable in a case or any backpack. Another peer said that it would be challenging to have a wifi hotspot in the Pod. Now, I don't know much about wifi hotspots, but I can create the pod to be able to have the same wifi hotspot ability of an smart phone or computer. The final feedback I got was again about the wifi hotspot. They said that it would be difficult to work with every Wifi provider, unless there were a second company that was able to organize all the wifi hotspots and make sure they will provide better connection. I guess this company will get some profits for doing that job, but I am still selling a device that makes college life and airport life easier. 

What did I Change?

       I really didn't want to change my whole idea, but the Pod will come with a case that makes it easy to carry around in backpacks. I will work with a second company that will help my business work better with every Wifi provider and so that people using the Pod will get a better internet connection. I look forward to further comments from my fellow peers. 

Google Gold

      To obtain Search Engine Optimization, I used a group of key words in almost every single one of my blog posts. By giving the same small summary of the product I was selling to my customers, it kept a pattern in my blog posts; therefore, it would nail it down to my posts when people look up those keywords.
        The keywords I used in my blog posts were:
1) portable
2) rechargeable
3) outlets
4) wifi hotspot
5) University libraries
       I chose these keywords because because these are all words that people want to see in their electronics. When people look up these words on google, hopefully my blog will show up, and people will be interested in my idea. I added wifi hotspot to my list of keywords when a fellow peer suggested that I add this service for my product.
       I did not really use social media to advertise my blog, but when I would post my blog website on a fellow peer's blog post, that's when my blog would get a little bit of a spotlight. I am not so dedicated on social media to have it make a difference for the success of my product.
       The post that was the most viral for my blog was my first elevator pitch post. I think this was very viral because a lot of my family members heard of it and watched it on youtube. I got more views and that's very exciting.
        I didn't come up at all when I typed in some of my key words, but when I typed in Alex the Entrepreneur, I was the first on google.

Very Short Interview, Part 2

      The entrepreneur I chose to interview was Steve, the owner of Leonardo's pizza, who owns other styles of pizza restaurants in Gainesville. After revisiting the first conversation with Steve, I realized that my questions were really broad. I didn't know much about entrepreneurship or what questions would be okay to ask to someone. Now, I would probably ask more in depth questions that really matter like the growth of a business related to a new product. From where I stand now, my impression of the first interview was that I didn't really get any actual information of the experiences he faced while learning to be an entrepreneur and what he learned while trying to expand his business. He was motivational and kind which was really important for me going into this class because I probably wouldn't have had the courage to overstep my boundaries and think like an entrepreneur myself. 

         Interview:

Question 1: How do you reinvent your product so it is always better than that of your competitors? 

                     "I experiment with the product I give out. We have some of the craziest pizza selections, but it's what keeps people coming. We also create an experience for people. Bringing in a jazz band for jazz nights and opening different locations is what keeps us in business."

Question 2: How do you identify a customer's favorite product? 

                     "Usually what I sell the most of, I think of as the customer's favorite product."

Question 3: Were there times that you failed, and if so, what did you learn from it?

                      "Every entrepreneur fails, and I have had my fair share of moments that I have failed. Even when I was younger, I would apply for a job and not get it, study really hard for an exam and fail, but the kind of failure that I experience as an entrepreneur is different. It is what drives me forward. I learn that it is important to continue trying, and to keep on failing. There can be a hundred failures, but it only takes one success to make a difference." 

         I have come incredibly far in this class, and it shows in this interview. I was able to ask more in depth questions, and he was very surprised with my knowledge. I am comfortable with talking about entrepreneurial concepts almost as comfortable as I am with spelling entrepreneurship. I know much more about the process of developing a product and making it important to one's desired customers. I was very nervous talking to Steve the first time, but now that I have taken this class in its full form, I knew what I wanted to ask and felt very comfortable talking to such an experienced entrepreneur. 

Week 13 Reading Reflection

1) The biggest surprise for me while reading this chapter was the extra earnings figure because you can use that to estimate the value of items that we cannot physically grasp.
2) One part of the reading that was confusing to me was reading about the pricing formula because there are so many steps. It is interesting how you take the average annual net earnings and then subtract that number by earning power and salary.
3) If I were able to ask the author two questions they would be:

• What is the method the author would use to analyze a business?
• Are there more aspects to the due diligence questions that we aren't covering because we live in America?

4) I did not disagree with the author in this chapter because everything I read about was mathematical and not very analytical.  

Celebrating Failure

         In this entrepreneurship class, we had to give out free money to random people on the street. My friends in this class didn't want to do this assignment because they felt uncomfortable giving free money to people. I was super uncomfortable, but I decided to just do it. On a Sunday night, I stood outside of a Publix supermarket in Orlando, and offered a dollar to anyone who walked out of the store. Every single person said no to me, and walked away looking at me like I was a complete freak. It was probably one of the most degrading moments of my life. Every person who I offered money to and refused to accept it was a failure. I learned that people will say no and it will make you feel uncomfortable, but there is no way to know if they will say yes unless you put yourself out there. Failure is embarrassing and insulting, but I have learned to deal with it by accepting it. If I am failing it is because I can improve on something. I could have used different tactics to give people the money. One can always improve on one's self, and that is what failure is all about. Not about failing, but about what you can change to succeed. This class has changed my perspective on failure by making me realize it's okay. I didn't fail the assignment because I didn't give away the money like most classes would have done. Instead, I wrote about how I could have improved, and what I would have done differently. I am much more likely to take risks now. In fact, there was an officer position open in one of my clubs, and usually I would not be the one to run for that kind of thing, but I am running, and I don't care if I loose. It's the experience that counts, succeeding is just an added bonus. 

My Exit Strategy

        I plan on staying with my business until I retire because my product will be in high demand for years to come. In many University buildings, there are not enough outlets for their students, and it is cheaper to buy my product instead of building new buildings with more outlets in them. I think that my business has the potential to be very lucrative; therefore, I plan on running this business till I retire.My exit strategy has influenced other decisions for my product in the way that I have made sure I can continue to expand my business to be the most successful it can be without going bankrupt.  

What's Next

Existing Market

   Everyone I interviewed was really helpful towards my goal to expand my market. I interviewed students from a University Florida dance team, and I got great results. Everyone really liked my idea of a portable charger with outlets on it to charge all major electronics. My favorite suggestion from my last interview was to make a case for the portable charger. 

     This was really interesting. I told these girls my idea about creating a waterproof version of the portable charger. The girls were really appreciative of this. They also suggested that I make the Pod eco friendly. The girl who said to create the case to sell with the pod also said to make that case waterproof. Which makes sense. What benefit to college students have from buying a waterproof portable charger? A waterproof case for the Pod seems to be perfect for these girls. 

      The girls also suggested to make the Pod have a better battery life. This is true because this is the next best step in making my product more efficient for the students. It can last longer and be perfect for a student's long day of studies in the library. I was really appreciative of all the wonderful feedback and it made me want to use this advice to make my product even better. 

New Market

   

      The new market I decided to tackle was Starbucks coffee locations. I thought that it would be really great to take the pods to Starbucks all over the country because although it is a place for people to go and drink coffee, it could be a great place to bring the Pods.
      I sought out Starbucks addicts and asked them if they thought that the next best place to take the Pod to would be the most popular coffee shops in the world. They all thought that it was a great idea. They said a lot of students go to Starbucks coffee shops so I would still be making students happy.
       I thought it would be cool to power the coffee machines by the Pod to make it more eco friendly. Maybe the shop could add more coffee machines by adding the Pods into their stores and delivering coffee to customers more efficiently. I was really happy with all the great feedback I got from these people. I think it will be a really cool way to create a new market.

Week 12 Reading Reflection

1) The biggest surprise during the reading for me was finding out that the reason companies have problems with innovation are because they lack an innovation strategy. I thought this was very interesting because I didn't know you could have a strategy to innovate your company.
2) One part that was confusing to me during the reading was the paragraph about crowd sourcing and how it was a way to sift through a lot of ideas of innovation.
3) If I were able to ask two questions to the author, they would be the following. Is talking to customers and seeing what they want a method of crowd sourcing or is it just a way to develop a strategy for innovation? The next question I would ask is what kind of innovation produces the best results in any company, overall? I understand that every company is different, but there must be some kind of innovation strategy that is good for every company to start with.
4) I disagree with the author when they said that the leaders should be the ones innovating. I think it should be the people in the lab who are there every day, finding out different ways to make a product even better than the last product.

Venture Concept No.1

          Most of the objects and services we use in our daily lives are electronics, but all electronics have a small battery life compared to the amount of time we use them for. However, outlets are limited in most public places, and this causes people to be upset at the lack of services a building is providing. Therefore, a lot of people have this need, but I plan on targeting people in Universities and airports. University students constantly use their laptops and other electronics to complete assignments. Businessmen who travel all the time and need to do work on the go need to have a dependable outlet that works all the time. Overall, this product I have come up with will eliminate the problem(the absence of outlets) that these people face while doing work in public places. Our world is changing to an electronically dependent environment which creates this opportunity that I have chosen to work with. This opportunity is pretty large considering the demand to have a person’s electronics charged at all times, especially for college students. Having one’s computer die during an important quiz is not exactly the best thing to happen because most teachers blame it on the student and not the electronic. Another important aspect is Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is one of the most common services needed in the world right now. Every public and private business in America understands the importance of having free wifi for customers. Students and businessmen need a reliable connection to the internet in order to work. As a student, I know that an unreliable internet connection can lead to not being able to watch a class lecture or complete a quiz. This combined opportunity is important because of the great need of a power connection and internet connection. This window of opportunity is closing fast considering the amount of portable chargers for cellphones there are in the market and technological advancements are improving greatly. So it is only a matter of time before companies will be selling the portable chargers that I am offering to my customers. 

           The innovation I have created is a portable charger with outlets on it that will serve as a way to charge any electronic with a plug. This product will also be a Wi-Fi hotspot which is very important because crowded places like libraries can be hard to get an accurate Wi-Fi connection. It will provide a reliable connection for all students and businessmen. My product has a dome like shaped with up to four outlets on it and is called the Pod. The Pod will be sold privately to Universities and airplane companies in bulk for a cheaper price. I want to add a cool aspect to the pods by selling customized pods that are designed to match logos and colors of companies. For example, if I were selling pods to the University of Florida, I would make ones that are blue and orange. I would paint a gator on them too. It will make the pods more fun to use. As far as working them, the customer simply plugs in their charging chord to any electronic the device will charge or start working. The most important thing of the Pod is that it is a chargeable device. A power chord will be given to the customer and they can be charged at home or a dedicated location in the library. Customers can take the pods with them to any place in the library or airport. To the companies that buy them in bulk, a censor will be added to the Pod that will set a buzzer off once it leaves a building so they are not stolen. For the  individual customers who want to to buy the Pod for their own personal use they will be available on the website. They will be sold for seventy-five dollars individually. Additional designs and shipping will be added fees, but otherwise it is a pretty affordable device for those who want it. 

          Customers would switch to my product because it will be a reliable internet connection and a way to have their electronics constantly charged. People won’t have to worry about forgetting their charger at home or where the nearest outlet is. It is just very necessary for the technology dependent life we have adapted to. The competitors are the companies that sell portable chargers for I-Phones, but customers will come to find that the Pod works for all electronics(lamps, hair straighteners, blow driers,ext.) Customer experience and support is important for this business concept because if there are glitches, University libraries will not want to invest in the product. Price points have a role in my business concept because I will use it to find a way to charge the companies I will be selling a lot of Pods to. I would organize my business by making it a small office with ten salesmen, a team of accountants, and a team of engineers dealing with the advancement of my product. 

Being a college student, I understand the importance of a reliable internet connection and outlet; therefore, other competitors cannot relate to college students like I will. I also have connections with a marketing expert who sells computer advancements to schools. The next step in my venture would be to create a Pod that is waterproof. It will be a new device that will be even better for the customers. In five years, I want to have a large building and be selling devices all over the world. In the next decade, I want to be coming up with new ideas and discovering new opportunities to tackle. This venture was really important in developing my skills as en entrepreneur. I will always look back at it and use the same techniques I learned to develop my ideas. 

My Unfair Advantage

Human Capital

1. Creativity
V: It is valuable in the sense that it will help me come up with new ways to make my business the best it can be.
R: No, it is not rare. Everyone is creative in their own way.
I: It is not easy to copy one's creativity because everyone has different ideas and skills which enhances their creative process.
N: People who aren't creative can hire people who are creative or look up what people have done in the past and copy their methods.

2. Organization
V: This is valuable because it will keep everyone in check and focused on a goal. It will help my product continue to move forward.
R: No, it is not rare.
I: It is easy to learn to be organized. Anyone can bring that to the workplace.
N: There is no way to be organized in another way, you either have to be organized or not organized.

3. Outgoing Personality/Motivator
V: This is valuable because it will keep the energy going and get people excited about what they work for.
R: It is not that rare.
I: It is easy to be copied by others because people can copy the tactics you use to motivate people.
N: There are different ways to motivate people. Maybe by paying workers more?

4. Persistance
V: This is valuable because it it a good mentality to have. It will help my product go far and it is very entrepreneurial.
R: It is not that rare, but it potentially can be because people tend to give up fast.
I: Sometimes people do not have the drive to be persistent so being persistent can be hard to copy.
N: There is no other way to be persistent.

Social Capital

5. Connection to a Supplier:
V: This is valuable because it will be imperative to move my business forward and to get advice to achieve the most.
R: It is not rare to have a supplier, but it rare to know the same supplier I know, and I will be better off with my supplier.
I: It is hard to copy this because my supplier will be different from a supplier someone else finds.
N: Yes. People can know other suppliers, so they will get the same benefit that I do.

6. Connection to Market Expert:
V: This is valuable because I will be able to market my product extremely well with the market expert I have.
R: It all depends on the market experts you know and work with.
I: It could be, because people use the market tactics that they learned in school or the same market tactics that have been used for years.
N: Yes. People can know other market experts, so they will get the same benefit that I get.

7. Connection to Domain Expert:
V: This is valuable because it is important to know someone who is experiencing or has experienced what a person goes through when they create a product or expand a business.
R: Again, it depends on the people you know.
I: I don't think that one could copy the benefits I receive from the Domain Expert I know because every person's experiences are different.
N: Yes, people can know other domain experts, but everyone is different; therefore, people will get different results.

Miscellaneous :

8. Time:
V: This valuable because competitors may not have so much time on their hands like I do as a college student.
R: It is rare.
I: No one can copy how much time I have on my hands unless they go back to school.
N: It is hard to not have to deal with time since it is everywhere.

9. College Student:
V: This is valuable because I am selling a product to college students and Universities so I can relate to the hardships students go through.
R: It may be rare to be a college student.
I: There are a lot of college students so people could have this advantage.
N: You could hire college students to market your product if you weren't a college student yourself.

10. Taking this Entrepreneurship Class:
V: It is very valuable that I am taking this entrpreneurship class because I am learning a lot about my abilities and learning methods to tackle situations.
R: A class this well taught is very hard to come by.
I: Maybe if you knew people who have took this class before or hired people who took this class to work for you, then it would be easy to copy.
N: One could take other entrepreneurship classes to makeup for not having gone through this one.

Growing Your Social Capital

1. The Domain Expert:
- John Lynch is an electrical engineer at the University of Florida
- John is one of my older brother's roommates, and he is a fourth year in the engineering program.
-My brother gave me his number and I talked to him about my product and the way I wanted it to work.
-We talked about the importance of getting the engineering right since it is a tricky concept and how I would have to make sure to market my product so it is not just like every portable charger that exists right now.
-John is very valuable to my social capital because he is an engineer and can make my product something real and valuable. The engineer would create the product and make sure it works before I market and sell it.

2. The Marketing Expert:
- Zachary Smith is a marketing manager of a company that promotes the increase of technology in Public schools in the US.
- I contacted Zach on the phone since we are cousins, and I have a close relationship because he traveling to Florida with his company a lot. He and his employees come up with ways to market new software and devices for kids to use at school. We talked about my product, and how I could be marketing it in Universities all over the United States.
- Zach was a valuable addition to my Social Capital because he already successfully has marketed different kinds of products to schools and will be helpful when I need to market my product to different Universities.

3. The Supplier:
-Mario Uber, owner of an phone and computer company.
- Mario is one of my uncles from my mother's side.
- I contacted him over Facebook and told him about my product, and how he has been able to grow his company by adding new additions.
- Mario is a great addition to my social capital because he could take on my product or help me develop mine with a bigger company. He can teach me a lot about taking it further.

Reflection: Talking to these people wasn't as hard because I already knew them, but it was still a little nerve wracking when I had to tell them about my idea. They weren't rude, but one or two of them were a little skeptical at first, but they were quick to help me out and give me some pointers. Talking to these people will give me the courage to venture out and talk to people I don't even really know to expand my product.

Week 10 Reading Reflection

1) While I was reading this chapter, I was surprised to learn that a cash budget is the best way for an entrepreneur to start a business. I guess I should have known this because having to pay everything with other forms of payment is worse. If the entrepreneur would have to pay the interest as well as the amount he may have borrowed from the bank or credit card company, it would be more stressful.
2) One part that was confusing to me during this reading was the sales forecasting section that talked about a linear equation that can forecast sales. I am not the best with math so I immediately had to look over this part, but once I saw the graph I understood it more.
3) The two questions I would ask the author are if he would ever start a company without a cash budget even though it is risky, but aren't entrepreneurs are supposed to constantly take risks? My second question is if the horizontal analysis is a broader method and therefore more useful than the vertical analysis method?
4) What I believe the author was wrong about was how he said that taxes were a variable expense because they depend on sales. While this is true, I always believed one had to pay fixed taxes on the property and the taxes to run a business.

Elevator Pitch No.3

       The feedback I received from my last elevator pitch was really great. A lot of people liked my idea which really surprised me, but they suggested that I make it evident in my pitch why my product is different from other existing portable phone chargers. I made sure this point was clear in my pitch this time around. I also tried to make the lighting in my video better by better placing a lamp. I didn't think that this feedback was silly, but I didn't expect to get some critique over my video skills considering I do not have the latest technology to create a elevator pitch worthy of being in a movie. I hope you guys enjoy, and I can't wait to hear some great feedback.

Week 9 Reading Reflection

1) The biggest surprise for me during this reading were the different factors affecting the pricing decisions such as the customer services provided by the sellers and the production's life-cycle stage. I especially never thought that customer services would affect the pricing, but I suppose that it is important because the amount of customer service provided for the customer would make the good or action more valuable to the customer
2) One part of the reading that was confusing to me was sales forecasting and how the marketing team of a company can project future sales through historical sales figures and applying statistical methods.
3) If I were able to ask two questions to the author, they would be the following: How can anyone understand the size of the market when it constantly changes and how can the company possibly come up with an efficient way to entrap its customers if they do not know what they want?
4) I disagree with the author when they said that the customer will shy away from purchasing an item when there is no printed price schedule available. If anything they will be more curious, and will ask for it. Then the salesman has the opportunity to convince the customer of buying the item.

Idea Napkin No. 2

     I am a college student, and I have always been creative person and have liked to try new things. I like talking to people and and understanding their view points of life. Above all, I am a very organized person that likes to make lists, so when I work to make my product as successful as possible, I would be efficient and responsible. I like to think that I have an outgoing personality so I can use it to sell my product. My aspirations, when it comes to my business concept, are simple. I'd like to create something that is a necessity and original. I would like this charging pod to really change the way people will do their work. They could possibly take the pod outside and enjoy a day in the sun while taking care of their work. The pod will be a wifi hotspot so it will also provide wifi. If I were to start this business, it would play a huge role in my life, as it will be an effective way supply something that is in such high demand in Universities since they are constantly in need of more outlets and wifi hotspots in their libraries. It would take up a lot of my time as well because I will keep having to come up with something to expand my business.

      The product I am offering to costumers is a chargeable pod with outlets on it that will serve as a portable way to charge electronics. The pod will also be a wifi hotspot so one can get access to wifi literally anywhere they take the pod. Customers will no longer have to worry about where the closest power outlet is. They will be able to purchase one of the pods or they can use pods that a library at a University has purchased for their customers. The pod needs to be a device that can be able to function for long periods of time without it needing to be charged. The best would be if it could be able to last twelve hours until it would need to be recharged.They will be reliable and important to a student's success in college.

       My customers will be college students or University libraries. Something that all the University libraries will have in common is that they will have a lot of students trying to use the outlets at once, and not all of them will get to them. Therefore, there will be less people in the libraries. Keeping these pods in libraries will cause less student complaints and keep the libraries always full. College students all have the same thing in common as well, they are constantly depending on electronics and outlets so they can get their school work done. The pod could be sold in electronics store as well, and could be sold to anyone in need of an outlet. The pod could be sold to airplane companies so business people who travel a lot for long periods of time can get wifi and outlets during their trips. The pod could be sold to about anyone who needs a portable outlet with a wifi hotspot.

        This product is valuable to student customers because they will be able to charge their electronics anywhere even when there aren't any outlets around. They will be able to complete work for a whole day in the middle of a park where there are no outlets and not have to worry about anything. This product is valuable to libraries as well because they will get less complaints about the lack of outlets and more people in the libraries. Perhaps the school will get better overall grades because of the amount of students studying in libraries. It is valuable to people who travel long distances and need to work on their electronics. 

        What sets me apart from everyone else that is trying to sell this product is that I am a college student that is often in the library where there aren't many plugs and is forced to go back to the dorms to work. I can relate to these students and I can push the product into the market cause I have experienced it. I am organized and creative so I will continue to come up with new methods and ideas to make my product be successful. What also sets me apart is that I have decided to make the pod a wifi hotspot. There are portable chargers, but what makes my product unique is that the pods will provide wifi for people without it. 

        These elements fit relatively well together I believe because they will be able to make my product successful, different, and reliable. As the product creator and seller, I will be able to relate to the customers and sell it to them more efficiently because I am like the customers. My business idea may be a little weak because it will take very intelligent engineers to develop the pods that can harness the electricity to be able to charge a laptop and make it a wifi hotspot, but as technology changes and grows, so will the possibility of my product actually happening.  

        Five points that I took from the feedback from my peers are to make my pod a wifi hotspot, to differentiate my product, to make my company revolutionary, and to use my experience as a college student to maximize to marketing product. I incorporated the feedback into my idea napkin by making the pod a wifi hotspot and that has differentiated my product. There are a lot of portable chargers, but not all of them offer a wifi hotspot as well as a multi use outlet. 

Half-way Reflection

    In this class, I have had to develop many behaviors to keep up with the requirements for this course. There were many times I had to step out of my comfort zone and talk to complete strangers or had to look at a common choice or action I did in a completely different way. I have learned to be optimistic, assertive, and confident in this class. I had to find my inner creativity and inner business woman, what a journey that has been!
     There have been a couple times I felt like giving up, one of them being the "Free Money" assignment. I felt so uncomfortable and awkward walking right up to people and trying to offer them money. It wasn't the best experience, but I pushed myself to do it. No matter what the outcome would be, I would learn from it. That is the mindset I have been having for this class, to just push through no matter how different the assignment felt. I knew that I would learn from it later. I defiantly feel like I have developed a tenacious attitude over the past months. I would have to thank all the times I had to interview random people on the street to that. I have talked and interviewed so many people and learned so much from what they had to say. Sometimes I'm completely motivated and inspired by what people tell me.
    Three tips for students on developing tenacity:
1) Be confident and assertive while you interview people, and when people say your ideas are off, don't be upset, take the criticism and learn from it to create a great product!
2) Stay focused, keep organized, and don't miss out on anything just because you are afraid of it. That is where the best experiences come from and where you learn the most.
3) Be outgoing, take risks, and do everything to your best ability. Go all out, and maybe you'll be surprised in the end.

Reading Reflection

1) What I found most surprising from the reading was when the author said that the common demographic traits like sex, income levels, and age are no longer sufficient to develop a market strategy. Honestly, what else do you need to know that is important that will sell a product?
2) One part of the reading that was confusing to me was how segmentations are evaluated if every person is different and wants something that no other person wants. People are alike by definition, but they all think differently. At least I believe that.
3) If I were able to ask two questions to the author they would be what kind of technical details are there in ruling out segmentations and how switching segmentations could be beneficial in a company when a customer is uncertain of the product.
4)I think the author was wrong when he said that segmentations are a waste of time because it is everything when someone is trying to buy something and fit in. A company cannot spend enough time on this important part in marketing because it is the only way a person will buy something.

Free Money

For this assignment, I will go to a supermarket, and I will approach the people coming in to do their shopping because they won't expect it. . To start the conversation, I will say, "Hello, would you you like this free dollar?" If they say yes, I will give them a dollar, thanking them. My plan for the conversation is to keep it simple and say that I wanted to be nice by giving people a dollar. Out of five attempts, I feel like I will be able to give all the dollars away, after all, it is free money.

    
Giving a person a dollar was WAY harder than I imagined it would be. I was not able to give a single person the dollar. I tried different tactics and said different things, but towards the end I got desperate. I would say, "Please take this dollar," and people continued to say no. My predictions could not have been more incorrect because I thought it would be easy to approach strangers and give them money. Maybe I should have started out asking them how they were and how there day was going instead of trying to get the dollar out of my hands as soon as I made eye contact with a person. I tried to be nice, but maybe I needed to be nicer and more easygoing. I even tried to convince people that they were missing out on the dollar that would win them the lottery. They still said no. I learned a lot from this experience, and it is to talk to a customer and get to know them before asking something of them, even if it is asking them to take a free dollar.

"Elevator Pitch No.2"

Since I wasn't able to complete the first elevator pitch assignment, this is my first elevator pitch. I read other comments on other people's elevator pitches, and a lot of people suggested to be enthusiastic and to use excited body language. I tried to follow these people's advice and be more relatable during my pitch. I wanted to set a mood so people can really relate to the need of my product. I think there is a lot of room for improvement, but I can't wait to hear what people have to say about my elevator pitch. 

Customer Interviews No.3

For my final set of interviews, I decided to follow the advice of someone who commented on my last blog post, and interview students at the Science library on campus. I wrote the card describing my business idea and had people read them after I asked my questions so they could see the bigger picture. I intend on asking the same questions I have been using for my last interviews since they were straightforward and I felt like I have gotten great results. The following are the questions I will ask are:
1) How do you like the libraries at your college?
2) Do you find yourself doing most of your work on your laptop?
3) Are the power outlets easily accessible at the library you study at?
4) Do you wish there were more outlets or that they were easy to move around?
Customer Interviews:

These set of interviews were really great because I got a lot of great feedback and awesome responses from my questions. One of the girls I interviewed said it was important to make something big enough so that people wouldn't steal the pods from the libraries. Although this is a great point, I wanted to make something small so it will be easy to carry around. Maybe a sensor that will activate when it is leaving a certain area should be in the pod so that they will not be stollen. I was surprised by the wonderful comments and excitement about my business idea. If anything were to change as an outcome of these interviews, it would be that I would need to build something that is not so small and make it work all the time since some outlets won't work all the time in the libraries. This idea could really work and hopefully scientists and engineers discover a way to build the correct technology to create the pod. 

Idea Napkin No. 1

     First of all, I am a college student, and I have always been creative. I like talking with people and seeing what they have to say. Above all, however, I am a very organized person that likes to make lists and keep things as simple as possible, so when making my product expand in the world, I would be efficient and responsible. I can also use my outgoing personality to market my product. My aspirations, when it comes to my business concept, are simple. I'd like to create something that is as much a necessity as a phone charger. I would like this charging pod to really change the way people will do their work. They could possibly take the pod outside and enjoy a day in the sun while taking care of their work. If I were to start this business, it would play a huge role in my life, as it will be an effective way supply something that is in such high demand in Universities. It would take up a lot of my time as well because I will keep having to come up with something to expand my business.
      The product I am offering to costumers is a chargeable pod with outlets on it that will serve as a portable way to charge electronics. Customers will no longer have to worry about where the closest power outlet is. They will be able to purchase one of the pods or they can use pods that a library at a University has purchased for their customers. They will be reliable and important to a student's success in college.
       My customers will be college students or University libraries. Something that the University libraries will have in common is that they will have a lot of students trying to use the outlets at once, and not all of them will get to them. Therefore, there will be less people in the libraries. Keeping these pods in libraries will cause less student complaints and keep the libraries always full. College students all have the same thing in common as well, they are constantly depending on electronics and outlets so they can get their school work done.
        This product is valuable to student customers because they will be able to charge their electronics anywhere even when there aren't any outlets around. They will be able to complete work for a whole day in the middle of a park where there are no outlets and not have to worry about anything. This product is valuable to libraries as well because they will get less complaints about the lack of outlets and more people in the libraries. Perhaps the school will get better overall grades because of the amount of students studying in libraries.
        What sets me apart from everyone else that is trying to sell this product is that I am a college student that is often in the library where there aren't many plugs and is forced to go back to the dorms to work. I can relate to these students and I can push the product into the market cause I have experienced it. I am organized and creative so I will continue to come up with new methods and ideas to make my product be successful.

These elements fit relatively well together I believe because they will be able to make my product successful. As the product creator and seller, I will be able to relate to the customers and sell it to them more efficiently because I am like the customers. My business idea may be a little weak because it will take very intelligent engineers to develop the pods that can harness the electricity to be able to charge a laptop, but I have faith.
     

Interviewing Customers No. 2

Fine tune your Opportunity: Last week, I came up with the simple idea to add more power outlets and power chords to the library at the University of Florida. After careful consideration, I decided I wanted to create a portable power outlet for students. If they need one, they could simply pick it up from a charging station and carry anywhere in the library with them. All they would need to do is put back when they left the library. They could be orange and blue to look cool and better for the University of Florida. I think it would be really helpful because kids wouldn't have to move around and sit in a place where they wouldn't normally study just because there was a power outlet there. They could sit anywhere they wanted and could still get their work done.

Fine tune the who: I didn't change the people I talked to. I knew since I was asking questions about their time at the library and what they disliked about it, I needed to ask college students.

Tweaking your interview questions: I didn't change my questions all too much, I just added one more, "Do you wish there were more outlets or that they were easier to move around?"

What I learned about my opportunity was that it was very basic and I almost wanted to change it, but then when I asked my new question, I got a lot of positive feed back from. Portable chargers would be ideal in the libraries.

Three tips I would give to students taking this class in the future semesters are to not be afraid to talk to people because they are really easygoing and nice. I would say to be respectful of people's responses and to make sure your body language is positive. Finally, have a plan and make sure you execute it when you are interviewing the customers.

VIDEOS:

Customer Interview No.1

My Opportunity
As college students, we all use the library as much as we use the restroom. The libraries get crowded really fast, especially during exam weeks. Since most of a college student's work is on their laptop, to be able to work for long periods of time in the library, we all need to have our chargers handy. However, power outlets are dominated quickly by students throughout the day, and not everyone can charge their computers. My idea, is to have power outlets at every power outlet providing several places where students can charge their devices.

Who has the unmet need?
Students in colleges who use their laptops to do their work have this unmet need.

The Questions 
1. How is your experience in the library?
2. Do you find yourself doing most of your school work on your laptop?
3. Are the power outlets easily accessible in the library?

Videos of Five Customers

What did I learn about the opportunity

I learned that a lot of the people I interviewed found that their were very few outlets in the libraries. They really wished their were more, and I found that my opportunity can really thrive in this school. 

What did I learn about interviewing customers?

By talking to the customers, I learned a lot of what they wanted to change in the libraries, and how they felt about how crowded the libraries were. They gave good ideas and it was really cool talking to people and getting to experience their thoughts and feelings about the libraries. 

Top 5 World Problems

World's Biggest Problems                                  
1) Water Pollution                                               
2) Hunger
3) Lack of Security
4) Animal Extinction 
5) Technology Hacking

I chose water pollution as the top problem because water is such an important part of life and survival. As the population grows, the sources decrease, and human survival is getting risky. I chose hunger next because it is also something humans need to survive, and too many people go without food. Security is the next on the list because people need to feel safe in their cities and homes. Animal extinction is after security because they are a food source and they are cool, and we need cool things or else life is boring. Technology hacking is last on the list because while it is still very important, it is not a means of survival.

Solutions to World's Biggest Problems
1) Invent new water conservation technologies to be able to reuse water and types of water we never imagined drinking from. 
2) More security online where people cannot hack or infiltrate systems.
3) A non-profit business located in big cities where they would receive restaurant's left over food to give to the homeless.
4) New tools to fish with so that other animals are not harmed.
5) A police force that is not connected to the government, and is about keeping people safe.

The first solution is more implementable because it is realistic and can be done. It will create jobs and will be the most helpful for human survival. Creating more online security can also be done and is very important since almost everything now a days is online. A non-profit business may not be possible because of rules with health industries and codes, but also very helpful to human survival. New tools to fish is reasonable and can be done, but might be difficult to create since that people have been fishing for hundreds of years and other animals can still die from it. Lastly, a police force is unrealistic considering that other countries really don't have a say in the safety of other countries, in a more community sense.

Identifying Local Opportunities

1) Video-game realism is big business
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A83F20CBAE18D8?p=AWNB
This article is about how realistic video games are being made; however, it does not really convey the reality of human life or the world the designer is trying to create. It is not always fun playing against the computer programed players as much as it is playing a live person. The designer cannot enforce every human instinct or idea into the game. 
The problem is games are not as realistic as the designer says it will be.
The person who has the problem is the game company that is designing the game because people will not want to buy a video game that claims to be real but is not. 

2) Deputies: Boy drowns in Pine Hills pool
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A8936B1E164D10?p=AWNB
This article is about a three year old boy who drowned in a back yard pool in the afternoon. 
The problem is that Florida is a place where there are pools and lakes everywhere. Mandatory swimming lessons should be enforced so incidents like this never happen. 
The people who own pools or live by lakes and do not take their children to swim lessons are the ones with the problem. 

3) Central Florida 100 - Our panel of 100 influential leaders discusses the most important issues affection you.
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7EB547A2E8FD0?p=AWNB
Explained by the CEO of Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, the US supreme Court ruled that Florida's death penalty order was unconstitutional. Other state leaders think that the death penalty is painful for the family of victims and there should be an easier way to carry out the process of fairly punishing the guilty and keeping our communities safer.
The problem is that state leaders do not want Florida to be so accepting of the Death Penalty, and want to find a way to keep communities safer and find a way to punish the guilty. 

4) Central Florida 100 - Our panel of 100 influential leaders discusses the most important issues affection you. 
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7EB547A2E8FD0?p=AWNB
Explained by the rabbi Hillel Scolnick, Orange County residents were given new trash cans that are larger and are supposed to adapt to the new garbage trucks that are still to appear on the roads. 
The problem is that these trash cans are so large it takes up a lot of room in the garage, and citizens cannot leave them outside or they will get an email from the home owner's organization. 

5)Speck didn't have rabies, test shows
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7EB54DE3D9B90?p=AWNB
A dog was founded in a trash can next to a dead raccoon and was tasted for rabies. The dog was put in an animal shelter, and since no one came into the shelter to claim that he had been vaccinated, he was euthanized. 
The problem is that he was killed before his test results came in, and he did not have rabies. The opportunity is that a non-profit organization can be created to protect dogs that are waiting for their test results. 

Very Short Interview No. 1, Week 3

       The entrepreneur I chose to interview was Steve, the owner of Leonardo's pizza, that owns other styles of pizza restaurants in Gainesville. Some are more formal pizzerias that offer jazz nights and Sunday brunches while the others are selling single slices of pizza to college students. He is constantly looking for more ideas to make his pizza better and attract more customers. I asked him a few questions after I had a delicious lunch at Leonardo's.
        1) What does it mean to be an entrepreneur to you?
Steve: "It makes me my own person where I have my own goals and can accept my own standards. I have worked for people, and I felt confined in my own job. I have the opportunity for self-actualization."
           He continued to explain how he makes decisions by sitting down with his employees to see what ideas they have to contribute. He claims that there is more legitimacy and his business thrives under this practice. He enjoys what he does because he doesn't have to answer to a company, he can answer to himself, and experiment his ideas on a daily basis.

         2) What do you think I should learn in a Principles of Entrepreneurship class?
Steve: "Can it really be taught? My father was in the liquor industry, he was self educated, and he became an entrepreneur by necessity. No one would hire him because he did not have a resume. Entrepreneurship is about experience and not even the best program could prepare anyone for life. "
           He talked a lot about how important it was to be a people person and to understand them. He said it was very important to branch out and do as much as possible to gain new forms of experience.
        3) What do you wish you would had been taught in school before going off on your path as an entrepreneur?
Steve: I was a Literature major, so I didn't learn much about the important skills in entrepreneurship. However, I left home to go to college and learned many valuable life lessons. I always worked growing up, and I had experience with people. I think being an entrepreneur is a lot about being a people person as well. You have to be grounded and know how to motivate people. Anyway, half of what you are selling is yourself." 
            He continued to tell me how he learned everything he knew by experience as well is growing up away from home while working. He says he learned a lot about people while he was in college and was able to turn that into valuable knowledge to be an entrepreneur.

Interviewing Steve was one of the most enlightening experiences. I learned how important it was to put yourself out there because only then do you get the best results. I was surprised when he told me how he was a literature major in college. I was expecting that he studied business because he was running such a fine establishment and was so successful. I was also surprised when he said when it came to entrepreneurship, those who stuck their heads in books would be the ones to not be as successful as the people who were doing everything they could to experience it. I think it is true how the most successful entrepreneurs are the ones who can motivate people, find balance, and take risks to sell.

World's Biggest Problems, Week 3

1) Water is an important resource to maintain human life, but often, fresh and clean water are something that many people in the world go without. The underwater aquifers that are storing much of the water we intake are draining quickly, and as the population increases, it is going to be more difficult to make sure everybody has clean drinking water. On top of that, our other water sources are being polluted by garbage, and are toxic for humans to drink. The first step to solve this problem, is to refrain from polluting the water of lakes and rivers, so that we have more sources of water. Another is to invent new water conservation technologies and recycle waste water so we don't have to discard all of it which could allow us to have more water for the future.

2) Animals are an important part of our life because without them, we wouldn't be able to eat the foods we love most: chicken nuggets, sushi, and hamburgers. With the population sky rocketing and the need to feed people being more serious, we are over killing animals in oder to sustain ourselves. It is unfortunate as well because we end up throwing out a lot of the food we collect. If everyone became a vegetarian, we could really stop this, but since that isn't likely, if everyone refused to eat one meal with meat in it every day, then the people who provide it will need to produce less.

3) The depletion of the ozone layer because of all the pollution from the way we develop energy is one of the many reasons why there is such a rapid climate change in the world. This could lead to disease outbreaks, failure to grow crops, and water shortages in the world. A solution could be to develop cleaner power plants that use their energy from the sun to create electricity instead of from coals. An increase in solar panels and solar powered machines would also be a beneficial solution.

4) Poverty has always been a major problem in the world, but with increasing an population, more and more people are falling under this category. A large fraction of the poor are uneducated. A simple solution to cutback the amount of people who suffer from poverty would be to educate them. Mandatory schooling funded by the government until they are legal adults would be the best solution and now that we have online schooling, it would be even more ideal.

5) There are billions of people in the world and a large fraction of that number do not get enough to eat. Hunger is a large problem in the world, and it can come from lack of money to buy it or lack of food where they live. In the United States, Americans are throwing out $165 billion dollars worth of food each year. If restaurants started giving the food that their customers do not eat to homeless shelters, or if people started buying less food that they buy for themselves, there would be great progress.

6) Animals are a gift to the world, and many are becoming extinct because they are not being protected. They are hunted for fun and are suffering from the changes in the earth's environment. Species like the blue whale and sea lions are endangered. Sea lions are victims of by catch in fisheries and are also being killed by diseases set on them by new introduced species. If people would be more careful how they fish, these sea lions would not be endangered. If people would refrain from introducing new species to environments where they don't belong, these endangered species could be protected.

7) Many countries in the world lack the safety that the people in the United States are used to having. South American countries like Venezuela and Columbia have so much crime and death happening it is overlooked by the citizens. The government is so corrupt that people get away with it everyday. A police force separate from the government would be the most valuable to the people. More security from outside countries where they have good systems of security would also be helpful.

8) Underemployment and unemployment are very dangerous to the population. These problems have been introduced into society from the low economic growth in the nations. Education is another reason why there is so much unemployment in the world. If people would go to school and get their degrees, they would be more likely to have well paying jobs. Programs in which education is offered to those who cannot afford it would be prime. The world is in need of doctors and engineers and the lack of education in countries is what makes the world loose out on what it needs most.

9) While the increase in technology has improved our lives greatly, it is also a problem the world has to face in the future. With the extensive technology that can do jobs that once took ten workers to do, there is an unemployment issue on our hands. Also, with the growth of technology has come the growth of cyber attacks where terrorists can infiltrate systems and hurt a country greatly. Although technology has been such a blessing in everyone's life, it is also dangerous, and a solution would be more security. More online security where even the brightest of minds cannot infiltrate a system.

10) Finally, drug abuse by youths and adults alike are causing the world to loose many bright people who are in need of guidance. The easy access to drugs and the reason why people turn to them are the biggest problems. In order to stop this, there should be free support groups in public facilities where the people using the drugs have a place to come to. We should use the technology we have discovered over the years to clear out the black market so it can stop producing the drugs that can ruin people's lives.

 

Week 2 Reading Reflection, Week 2

1)        As I was reading, I was surprised to find out that a small business owner and en entrepreneur were two different people with different ideals and strategies. I always believed that any person who owned or created a business was an entrepreneur, but after reading, I realized that an entrepreneur takes risks and provides value to a service. A small business owner cannot take risks and cannot fail or else they will loose everything they have, which could certainly happen to an entrepreneur, but small business owners can't do that in order to stay in business. They rely on a steady sales and profits to stay in business while the entrepreneur seeks opportunities and pushes something to the limit to make it mean something to the world. Since this is the case, I regret to label my mother as an entrepreneur in my previous post when she is just a small business owner. I was also surprised when the author said that needing luck was a myth because the stories I hear about the famous entrepreneurs is that they were in the right place at the right time, but now I could see how they saw an opportunity and took advantage of it.
2)          One part of the reading that was confusing to me was the paragraph about the Dynamics State Approach that says the ventures are dependent on the environment wherever they are located for the survival of the company. This is confusing because the environment is likely to change and at times can not be very consistent. It is confusing to me how this model tends to be more optimistic for entrepreneurs if smaller firms have more flexibility. It doesn't make any sense because the smaller firms do not have the capability of being able to take on the risks that a larger firm can.
3)     If I were able to ask two questions to the author, I would ask how gazelles can be small businesses but then, out of nowhere become a part of the public eye and get funding? I would also ask why gazelles can be so profitable, like Starbucks, if it is under more pressure when it is funded by the public? I ask these questions because I wonder how a company could be under pressure when it has better chance of survival after failures because of the amount of funding they have.
4)       I think the author was wrong about how entrepreneurs are not always inventors because to me, it takes a lot of creativity and inventions in order to make a product sell and be successful. I also believe that all entrepreneurs do need is money because it is the only way that they can take risks and be safe when they fail. Yes it takes a steady mind and calculated risks, but one could make calculated risks and still fail. Then when they need money to try again, they don't have it, making it impossible to promote or sell their ideas.

Bug List, Week 2

1)  It bugs me when I'm not able to find a place to park on campus.
Why does this bug exist?  This bug exists because there are so many students on campus, and everyone is looking for spots. Therefore, the moment you leave your spot, someone else will surly take it.
          This bugs me because I have places to be, and driving around to find a parking spot takes up valuable time.

2) It bugs me when my roommate snores.
Why does this bug exist?  This bug exists because everyone needs to have a quiet room to be able to get a good night sleep, and some people cannot help but snore when they sleep.
           This bugs me because I need to be able to sleep. It's college, and I have have a good night's sleep to be fully functional in the morning for all of my classes.

3) It bugs me when my suite mates use my dishes and don't completely clean them after they use them.
Why does this bug exist?  This bug exists because I may be more of neat freak then they are and might see dirty spots on the dishes that they don't see. Maybe they have just never had to wash a dish in their lives and didn't know they had to use soap and a sponge.
           This bugs me because then I have to go and waste my time to do the dishes that they should have done in the first place.

4) It bugs me when the workers of Chipotle on University give me smaller portions of food then I pay for.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because the managers of busy Chipotles probably see that they could get more money by serving as many customers as possible with the food they are given; therefore, they teach the servers to give smaller portions to make more of a profit.
            This bugs me because I usually go to Chipotle when I'm starving, and I hate it when they are skimpy with with my meal.

5) On that note, it bugs me when the line for Chipotle on University is very long at 12:00 or 6:00.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because it is the time where most students want to eat lunch and dinner and so it gets crowded.
            This bugs me because I do not want to wait so long and be tortured by the incredible smells of Mexican food.

6) It bugs me when my clothes shrink in the drier.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because in college, I do not have the space or the capability to hang my delicate clothes to dry like I could at my own house.
             This bugs me because then I have to hang them to dry, but I don't have a lot of room in my tiny dorm to hang dry all of my clothes. They end up getting ruined so now I have to hand wash my delicates which is more work.

7) It bugs me when I have to constantly buy water bottles to stay hydrated in college.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because it's easier to buy water bottles at a drug store on campus then going out to Walmart on Archer to buy a water filter pitcher.
             This bugs me because almost all my money is spent on buying water bottles.

8) It bugs me when Netflix takes off the TV shows that I liked and replaces them with TV shows nobody watches anymore.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because Netflix needs to accommodate for a larger group of people and not just me.
            This bugs me because then I have to pay for other services on top of my Netflix account.

9) It bugs me when Norman Library closed at 5:00 pm during finals week.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because Norman is not such a big library and doesn't have the Starbucks that Library West has to attract students.
            This bugged me because I had to walk over to Library West which is already crowded and very far away from where I live which wastes my time. I ended up having to spend money on food because the walk home to eat would have taken too much time.

10) The amount of cleaning I have to do for my dorm that my other suite mates don't have the capability to do bugs me.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because I am a neat freak, and they probably know that I will end up cleaning everything anyway so they don't bother.
             This bugs me because I don't have time to be cleaning other people's messes.

11) The people who don't turn on their turning signals when they're switching lanes bug me, especially when there's traffic on Archer.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because people are probably rushing or their minds are occupied so they forget to turn on their signals.
               This bugs me because it is unsafe and just a matter of following road manners. Also, driving in Gainesville is scary enough as it is, and it's just another thing to worry about.

12) The amount of food that is wasted on a day to day basis, especially in pizza restaurants bugs me.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because people order too much pizza and do not want to have to hold it during the walk home.
              This bugs me because when customers leave large portions of perfectly good food, the servers are obligated to throw it away, and it is just such a huge waste when they could be feeding those who are sleeping with empty stomachs in the same town.

13) It bugs me when the people who live above my dorm room make so much noise and jump around.
Why does this bug exist? The bug exists because I live in an apartment with a lot of people in it, and they may not be fully aware of the amount of noise they are creating or that jumping is very annoying to the people below them.
                 This bugs me because then I can't focus and have to find other places to study which takes up time and energy.

14) It bugs me when my laptop shuts down when I'm at the library.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because I tend to forget my laptop charger in my dorm, and many people don't have the same laptop that I do.
                  This bugs me because I wasted time catching up on social media rather then working, and made a trip to the library for nothing.

15) It bugs me when I make plans with people and they end up not following up on them.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because things happen and people have other obligations.
                  This bugs me because I could have done something more efficient with my time then getting ready and then just waiting around for people. It also is annoying that I specifically plan my day around the plans I make with people, and then when they cancel, I feel like I wasted a day.

16) It bugs me that the O'Connel Center is being remodeled and under construction.
 Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because then my dance team, Extreme Dance Company, has to practice in the Martial Arts Room, which is hotter and the floor is carpet.
                   This bugs me because it is too hot to wear leggings, but if I don't wear leggings then I get rug burns.

17) It bugs me when people in class ask obvious questions during the class and then the professor does not have time to explain everything on the weekly quizzes.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because the students could easily email the professor or the TA and not waste time during class.
                   This bugs me because my quiz grade is in jeopardy when people could not waste time with so many pointless questions.

18) It bugs me when people in my dorm leave their laundry in the washers and driers for long periods of time.
 Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because I cannot do my laundry when people leave their clothes in the washer and driers.
                   This bugs me because then I have to take out the clothes that aren't even mine and find a place for them so I can do my own laundry.

19) It bugs me when the Starbucks in Library West can't use my gift cards to pay for coffee.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because the Starbucks in Library West does not have the capability to accept gift cards.
                    This bugs me because I am not able to use the gift cards that I get for holidays from my parents to pay for coffees when I'm studying. I then have to spend the money that I use for food.

20) It bugs me when I almost don't do any homework during the weekend.
Why does this bug exist? This bug exists because I tend to relax, hang out with friends, or even go home during the weekend.
                    This bugs me because then I have so much homework to complete during the week, become stressed, and begin to procrastinate even more.

At the beginning of this assignment, I had a lot of trouble finding the things that bugged me in my day to day life. Once I had done about ten of them; however, the things that bugged me seem to come into my mind faster. I was able to express them easier as I continued the assignment. I tend to not let my mind dwell on what bothers me in my life, I always try to have a positive attitude, but I had to think about the things that I try to not think about which was interesting. I had trouble answering the question "why the bug exists" at first because I would respond by saying why I was bugged. I later realized I had to put myself in the other person's shoes to answer that question, and then later address why the other person's causes bugged me.