30A Final Reflection

1) There were a lot of things that I had to think about after reading through all of my posts from this semester. The first thing that came to mind was the true reflection work that I had to put in. I felt like this class helped me truly think about and recognize my best and worst strengths and weaknesses, and helped me mold those characteristics into an idea that could help me become a successful entrepreneur. Another interesting thing I noticed was the staple of failure that was present throughout this course, and these assignments. The consistent notion, that everyone fails, but it is what people do as a result of that failure that truly makes them a more or less successful human being.

2) The experience that I am most proud of, and the exercise that I am most proud of, would have to be my business plan, and my venture concept. The fact that I was able to stick to a concrete idea, and continue to build on it, and gain confidence with it, was truly amazing to me. I researched day and night on my topic, why it should work, why there is opportunity and need there, and when it came time to put all those ideas together into one cohesive venture concept, I found that I succeeded and put together a solid piece of work. I feel that at the beginning of the semester, if we were to do the same assignment at the start, that mine would have been mediocre at best, that I would not have been happy with the product I produced, but as I worked through assignments that prepared me for the venture concept, I feel that I delivered a great idea.

3) I do see myself as more of an entrepreneur, after taking this class. The reason is that I now find myself reading up on more scholarly and academic articles and papers, and looking for different trends and opportunities that are starting to pop up throughout our society. I am continually amazed and obsessed with some of the new ideas and inventions that are consistently coming to market, and I am more ready and willing to chase after the different needs and opportunities that are presenting themselves.

4) What I recommend to students taking this course in the future, is to take it seriously, and do all the exercises to the best of the ability. The reason being is because each exercise comes with a lesson, and can help you build skills to become a better entrepreneur, a better business person, and a better human being. The class builds real life skills, and can help you build a vision and a path for your future, but only if you are willing to work and take the class seriously.

29A Venture Concept No. 2

Opportunity 
Those who have the need for my opportunity include people, families, companies, and government agencies that reside in cities in the southern portion of the United States. More specifically these people and corporations reside in areas that are at risk of devastation, that comes as a result of hurricanes and flooding. The reason an opportunity exists here is because of the fact that hurricanes and flooding are continuing to become increasingly powerful, and are occurring more and more frequently. There is also the fact that there are no increased protections provided to cities and devastated areas, that will help offer further protection from future hurricanes and floods. The market is defined in the southern area of the U.S. where hurricanes and flooding occur most frequently, and the opportunity will be sought out by by businessmen and women, government agencies, and families that are looking to purchase further protection for their homes and businesses. Right now, people affected by such natural disasters are simply rebuilding their homes, businesses, and cities in the same exact way they were constructed before any major storms or disasters affected their way of life. It is this exact reason why I feel like there is an opportunity out there, and when people were presented that opportunity, they should be very willing to take advantage of it. That is why I don't think that people in this area will remain loyal to those companies that assist in the relief effort for a profit. I feel like this opportunity is fairly large, considering the fact that floods and hurricanes are occurring more frequently and have the power to affect a vast majority of the southern region of the United States. That is a lot of need for business. Finally, I really only think that this opportunity will remain open for a year or two, because I feel that as these natural disasters continue to occur, people will continue to try and find new way to protect their homes and livelihoods from said storms.

Innovation 
I believe that my innovation is a moderate one, but very necessary nonetheless. I am creating a company that will build parklands in cities that have been affected, or could be affected by hurricanes and flooding. The reason I have targeted this opportunity, is because parklands can soak up excess water and moisture that comes with hurricanes and flooding, and there is little to no parkland area in cities, which is why cities can be at risk of a lot of destruction when it comes to these natural disasters. I would install parkland areas throughout the city, both large and small, because the more parkland and greenland area present, the more protected the city would be. As a result of size differences, there would also be price differences. For example, I would charge $3.75 per square foot of parkland built, so the bigger the park, the more expensive the price. That being said, tearing up and removing gravel, when necessary, would add more cost to the project. To remove concrete would come at an extra cost of $3.50 per square foot.

Venture Concept
Customers will buy my product and service, because it will add extra protections for their families, homes, businesses, cities, and all around way of life, in case of a natural disaster. The added parkland area that I plan to build in cities will soak up some of the excess water and moisture that comes with flooding and hurricanes. All the excess water is simply too much for simple storm drains, and without the presence of parklands, that excess water just continues to build up in city streets and destroy blocks, homes, and businesses. Because my product and service offers added protection, I feel like customers in areas that could be affected would be very interested in my product, and would not have much of a problem leaving other businesses for mine. As of right now, my competitors are basic construction companies, who do help with the rebuilding effort, but who's weakness is the fact that they do not offer the added protections that come with doing business with my firm. I also feel like I offer very genuine prices, and am looking to offer a strong customer service sector to my business, so that clients see just how important they are, and show just how much their business means to me. That is why customer service will be one of the bigger aspects of my firm, right alongside the hiring of construction crews and workers. I also feel the need to add a partner to my organization, as well as a various number of accountants, to make sure that my business is running smoothly and soundly.

3 Minor Elements 
What will make it difficult for competitors to company what my business offers, will be my business plan. My firm will take any form of business, and develop any size of parkland area, ranging from as small as a simple square foot, to as big as thousand upon thousands of square feet. My duty to my clients will outlast that of any competing company, as there will be no relief effort to small.

I would like to expand my venture either to the non-profit areas of the relief effort, in order to help build more goodwill, which will help generate more profit in the future for my country, or help those affected by natural disasters around the world. Natural disasters are becoming more and more prevalent all over the world, so I don't see a reason why my firm couldn't go global.

Finally, I simply see this business as being what is next for me. If I could make this business work, and help this business grow, I do not see myself leaving it. The reasons behind that are the fact that I would be doing a lot of good and helping a lot of people, as well as the fact that this business could provide a lot of income for my future, whether it is starting a family and having something to pass down to my kids, or simply living a comfortable, happy life. I see this business as my future.

28A Exit Strategy

I would prefer to turn my business into a family run business. I think that it would be great to run a successful business, and be able to retire and turn that business over to my children, and their children. I would obviously have to have confidence that my successors could run the business successfully, and use similar business practices, but I would like to keep the business in the family.

The reason I have selected this strategy is because I myself have always wanted to work in a family business. I am incredibly close with my family, and I would have loved to work with my dad or mom, but never got the chance, because they each chose different career paths. I just feel that it would be great for my children to have the chance to work with a loved one, while at the same time following in my footsteps. I also feel that having my children step in and lead a hopefully successful business can help my kids succeed, and help them pave the way for a great life for them and their future families.

I think this strategy has had a big influence on the opportunities I have looked to pursue. For example, I am looking to pursue an opportunity that helps protect people and families from hurricanes and flooding. I was also interested in branching out and doing a lot of non-profit work. I feel like the fact that I am in a business that is interested in helping families, both for profit and non-profit, and that is what really motivated me to try and make this business and family style business.

Reading Reflection No. 3

The book I chose to read for the final reading reflection was Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight, the creator of Nike. What surprised me most about Knight really just how creative he was. While many people automatically assume that the founder of a huge shoe company is creative, I don't think that they have ever heard about some of his ideas, especially some of the ones that were mentioned in the book. For example, Knight went out of his way to build shoes out of crazy material other than leather, the craziest of which was made out of fish scales. The ability to market and create a product like that is truly unbelievable to me. What I admire most about Knight, was his ability to take risks, even at such a young age. Knight came out of college and was ready to follow his dream, and create an incredibly successful company. What I least admired about Knight, were the business practices his company has used, not all of which were presented in the reading. Knight and Nike have been accused of questionable business practices such as the use of sweatshops for quite sometime, and it was tough to read about the successes and trials that Knight encountered, while also knowing that some, or most resulted from the unethical labor of the less fortunate. Knight did encounter adversity and failure, but was able to battle through it and continue to succeed. For example, in the early days of Nike, Knight imported shoes from a Japanese shoe companies, who later tried to breach their contract with Knight and become a lone distributor in the United States. Knight entered a sort of war with the Japanese company, until he was able to finally fight off the company, called Onitsuka, and keep Nike afloat.

The biggest competencies that Knight exhibited was confidence, and the ability to take risks. Although he started off on his own, with practically no capital, he saw an open market in the form of running and athletic footwear. He left a promising career behind to chase this need and this opportunity, and thanks the confidence that he had in himself, and in others, as well as his willingness to take calculated risks, helped him to succeed and achieve his goals.

One part of the story that was confusing to me was the fact that Nike didn't start out as Nike. In fact, the term and name Nike was even mentioned until around 200 pages into the book. I found it odd that he wrote this book about his rise, and the rise of Nike, while at the same time repeatedly referring to his company as Blue Ribbon Sports.

Knight's opinion on hard work was to work until the job he had to do was finished. For example, as a kid he tabulated sports scores for a local newspaper during the nightshift, and didn't leave until the job was done. After that, he proceeded to run home, roughly seven miles. There was also the fact that it took a significant time to get the business off the ground. For example, the first 300 pairs of shoes took over a year to be delivered. That being said, the time crunch didn't prevent Knight from continuing to work.

26A Celebrating Failure

One area that I have consistently failed in this semester has been trying to acquire an internship. I have continued to apply to position after position, in area after area, and time and time again I have gotten the same ending. I have continued to be left empty handed, and told that the company has chosen to move in a direction other than my own. My failure in this process has occurred in different stages at different companies. Some companies have chosen to break the news almost immediately, while other companies didn't reply until days, sometimes even weeks, after I have even done an in person interview.

While failure is very difficult to face and handle, it can be very reflective. I have found that reflecting on your failures can help you better yourself in the future. You can take advantage of the shortcomings you experienced, by working hard and reflecting, so that you make less mistakes, and become a better person. I normally just shrug failure off and try to focus on something else, and then go back and reflect later. I've found that for me, it is easier to handle failure when I don't think about it, until I am truly ready to accept it and work on it. This class has changed my perspective on failure because I have found that even some of the richest, most successful, most well respected people in the world failed all the time, and continue to fail all the time. It makes it easier to handle failure when you realized that everyone fails, including the world's best and brightest. Finally, I would say that I am much more likely to take risks than I was a few months ago. While I may do a significant amount of research beforehand, I am still a lot more willing to take risks than I was.

25A What's Next?

Existing Market 
For the existing market that I am looking to target, I am simply looking to provide the service of building parklands in cities and towns in the southern region of the United States, with the possibility of potentially expanding into more standard construction services. I found three new potential customers for my service and explained to them my venture concept. I then asked each of them what I should be doing that I haven't already begun to plan. The first interviewee stated that he thought that if I thought I would be interested in potentially expanding into more standard construction services, then I have to start planning that right now. He thought that it would be wise for me to plan as much into the future as possible, so that I could be ready for any situation for when and if that time finally came. The second interviewee stated the same thing. He said that it was all about organization and planning, and that the more organized I am about the possible paths of my business, the more likely it was for my business to succeed, expand, and then continue to succeed. Finally, the last interviewee said that she thought it would be wise for me to think about ways for my business and service to further differentiate itself from that of other businesses. She also said that she thought it was wise to look for someone to hire to help run the business, who had more of a background in construction, otherwise I could be behind the curve when it came to the hands on parts of the business. Next, when I asked each potential customer about what they thought about my ideas of what different customers would want. Each of them answered in a very similar way. They all thought that there was definitely room for opportunity in my existing market, and that there were people that would definitely be interested in my service, but that if I were looking to expand, that it would take a lot of work, and they aren't sure that people would be willing to hire me for standard construction work as opposed to companies that they have previously worked with before.

One big path for my business has to be going about hiring the right people. As I stated in my venture concept, I thought it would be wise to hire accountants, engineers, architects, and construction crews. That being said, I think it would also be wise to take into account the feedback that I got, and have an associate that has more of a construction background help run the business. They could really help with more of the hands on construction aspects of the business.

Then, there is also the possible path of expansion. I am not quite set on that path yet, and I think that no matter where my business and service takes me, I should research what the steps are to expanding into more standard construction services are and research how costly that expansion could be. That being said, I also think that it would be wise to focus on the current service that I am looking to provide, that way I can look to ensure that the parkland service can be as successful as possible.

New Market
One market that I would like to look to reach out to is more of a charitable market, whether that be providing relief and rebuilding efforts, and parklands services to poorer areas here in the home country, or in a poorer country around the world. I think that it would be wise to offer these services at a reduced price, but it is also important to make sure that these price changes would not cost the business to lose money. I think that I could create value in this market by providing a service to those that truly need it, especially after a natural disaster like a hurricane or flood, to help the less fortunate rebuild their homes, and provide a parkland service to help prevent further destruction that could occur in future storms. After interviewing two people from this new market, they provided me with some very valuable information. The first person said that he thought that there was definitely always a need for some charitable service, especially after a natural disaster. That being said, he also said that a lot of relief funds come with the territory, and that some people can't afford to pay for the service at all, so it may be wise for me to research some pricing information. The next person said that she thought that there could never be too many charitable contributions especially when it comes to hurricane and flood relief, and that she thought that doing that kind of work could lead to a lot of goodwill creation, and more business in my profit generating services.

What I learned about this market is that there can never be too much charitable relief. One of the big takeaways that I got from research and interviews was information about pricing when it came to this type of business. I didn't think about the fact that after a disaster, some people simply would not be able to afford a costly service, no matter just how costly or cheap that service could be. If I were interested in targeting this service, then I would have to know exactly what price I were to charge, if I were to charge anything at all.

One big confirmation that I had after this process, was the idea of goodwill. There is no denying that goodwill and charitable contributions can present a business in a better light, and that those contributions can lead to more business. I feel like that is a big reason to expand into the non-profit sector of the construction business. By creating goodwill, I create an image that my company cares about society, the less fortunate, and the client in general. This market, however, does not appear to be as attractive as my current market focus, because I am looking to create and build a profitable business. I do not think that I would pivot the main focus of my business to the non-profit sector.

24A Venture Concept No. 1

Opportunity
I feel that there is a lot of opportunity for my parkland service business. My potential target customers would be state and city governments, most likely located in the southern region of the United States, as well as business and home owners located either in cities, or in areas relatively close to a city. As for the need that my potential clients and customers are looking for, I would say that the biggest one would have to be is the safety of things such as their homes, businesses, families, and friends. An unmet need would also be the protection of people's livelihoods. When flooding and hurricanes hit, they have the power to completely change people's lives, for the worst. My service would help meet those needs by offering additional protection in the event of future hurricanes and flooding. There is increasing opportunity in this business, because as science and economic trends have shown, there is an increasing frequency of natural disasters, and more specifically, an increasing frequency of hurricanes and flooding. The market for my business is aimed at cities and towns located in the southern region of the United States, and would be targeted at those who live in those same cities and towns. I feel that customers are not loyal to the services that they use now, because those services, ones that rebuild areas after they have been devastated by natural disasters, because the rebuilding and relief effort takes no further action to help provide any additional protections against future hurricanes and flooding. That is why I feel that customer needs in this market are currently not being satisfied. I do believe that this is a fairly large opportunity because of the power that these natural disasters have over our society and way of life, especially considering the fact that these natural disasters are occurring more and more frequently. Finally, I believe that this opportunity will be open for longer than a year, but that the longer businesses wait to take advantage of this opportunity, the more likely it will be that there are already firms present in the market, and looking to take advantage of this opportunity.
Innovation
I feel that my service is fairly innovative. The reason being is that to a certain extent, I am providing a construction service, which clearly already exists, but I would be building parklands in cites and areas that are mostly without any greenland. The way I would charge a price would come with how many square feet or how many acres the parklands were built at. Obviously, the larger the park, the more expensive the project would be. After doing research on the pricing based on the creation of other parks, I determined that it would be wisest to charge a price of $3.75 for each square foot of parkland area. That being said, if it was necessary to rip up any gravel or concrete, there would be an additional fee. Our cost to remove concrete would come at a price of $3.50 for every square foot taken out.
Venture Concept
My concept, of implementing more parkland areas in cities and towns that lack greenland would do a great job of solving the need and opportunity of protecting cities, homes, and people from the dangers of hurricanes and flooding. The reason my service solves this problem is because cities where this implementation is necessary would be mostly made of concrete, while lacking parklands. Because of the amount of concrete, excess water that comes with hurricanes and flooding overflows streets and buildings, thus causing a lot of destruction. With the implementation of more parklands in these areas, the parks are able to soak up the extra moisture that comes with the hurricanes and flooding, and thus provide additional protection against said natural disasters. Customers will want to switch to my service because it provides the additional protection against future hurricanes and flooding that a standard construction company and relief effort has been unable to provide. I feel like that additional protection will encourage clients, such as businesses and governments, to target my service opposed to the services provided by other businesses. My competitors as of right now are basic construction companies, however my advantage over them is that my business targets the implementation of parks for additional protection, whereas competing companies simply rebuild in the exact same way as before, without offering any additional assurances. I also feel that the fact that my business will be located in the south helps my business vastly, considering the fact that the vast majority of hurricanes and flooding occur in the southern region of the U.S. Finally, my business will be organized in the following way. I would run operations, as well as hire around five accountants in order to verify price as well as maintain financial and accounting records. I would also hire chief architects to head up each project, and provide them with a team of ten to twelve construction workers to work on each project, as well as engineers to clear the removal of any concrete necessary for park implementation.
Three Minor Elements
My unfair advantage in this business would have to be my business plan. My company would be willing to build parks that range from as big as feasibly possible, to as small as a single square foot. The company would also handle any steps from concrete removal to park implementation. The fact that my company covers all bases of this process and will work on projects that range from as small as possible to as large as possible will help my company and service distance itself from other companies and other services.

I think the next step for my venture would be for me to expand the business to regular construction services. I feel like if I can gain control of the specific market that I am targeting, and build great connections and relations with clients and suppliers, then my company and service can succeed when it comes to expanding into more typical forms of construction.

In five years, if my company succeeds, my service succeeds, and my expansion succeeds, then I would like to try my hat in other business ventures. I feel like it would be a great challenge after what could possibly be a lot of success, to work on other entrepreneurial ventures.

23A Venture Unfair Advantage

Resources
1. Location- My location is currently an important resource because I am currently living in the southern region of the United States, and am looking to start my business here. The southern region of the United States is also the area that is most often affected by natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes, so I feel that the fact that I am already located in the southern region of the United States is a huge resource.
2. Background- I feel that my background, and where I grew up can also help me when it comes to giving my venture an advantage. I live fairly close to both the cities of New York City and Philadelphia, so I understand that there are limited, and practically no areas of parklands in either city, similar to cities all around the country. I feel that my background and knowledge of these cities is a resource that can only help my business venture.
3. Knowledge of Finance and Accounting- I have succeeded in various finance and accounting courses in college, and when I was at home, I would help work on the accounting records and financial statements at one of my own families companies. I feel that my knowledge of both can help me make both smart business decisions, as well as the tough business decisions, both of which can help my venture succeed, and differentiate my business from other businesses.
4. Connections- My connections to various people in the construction and land development world have given me the knowledge necessary to understand what this type of business entails, and those connections can help me jumpstart my business, and separate my venture from other ventures.
5. Work Ethic- I feel that my work ethic is a very valuable resource, as I have been known to work on tasks until I feel that they are the best and most complete that they could possibly be. I work ethic, and my desire to be the best can help my venture separate itself from that of other ventures.
6. Honesty- I feel like my honesty, both with myself and others, can be very valuable. I feel that it is important to be honest in business, because it can help people recognize when it may be time to quit, but also when it is smart to take risks, and even make smart business decisions. I feel like my honesty can help me make smart business decisions, and help my business flourish.
7. Determination- I am an incredibly determined person. I have a get after it attitude, and I hate to quit out on things. My determination can help me beat out inferior competition, as well as help me cruise through obstacles and barriers to the success of my business.
8. Opportunity- I feel that the opportunity in this business is an incredibly valuable resource. Hurricanes and flooding are occurring more and more frequently and are becoming increasingly destructive, and our society has taken very few additional measures to further protect cities and citizens from these natural disasters. The fact that there are no extra precautions being taken means that there is a very nice opportunity for my business to both flourish, and outperform businesses similar to mine.
9. Personality- I feel like my personality is a huge part of my business. I am an incredibly friendly person and I feel like my personality can help me both increase the amount of connections I have in this business, but also build strong relationships with clients and suppliers, which is incredibly important in any business. I feel like my personality can separate my venture from other ventures.
10. Environment- I would say that an important resource is the environment, for two reasons. One with increasing frequencies for hurricanes and flooding, there will only be an increasing need for my business. The other factor is the fact that city environments are not designed to protect very well against extreme flooding, hurricanes, and moisture. The current environment is a very important resource for my business.

My Top Resource 
I believe that my top resource is my honesty. I feel like the fact that I can be honest with myself, coworkers, and clients and suppliers. My honesty can help me make smart business decisions, as well as help me decide when to take risks, and when to avoid risks. I feel like all of the above is important when trying to create a thriving business. That is why I think that my honesty is my top and most valuable resource.

22A Elevator Pitch No. 3

https://youtu.be/ZXdyTisqiuo

I feel like I was able to gather a lot of important feedback from my last elevator pitch. I received mostly positive feedback from the last pitch, about remaining confident and not stumbling through words or using fillers. I feel like I was able to keep that same energy in this elevator pitch, and felt like I remained confident and passionate about the service I was looking to offer. That being said, one things that I changed about my newest pitch was that I looked to be a lot more engaging, through the use of hand gestures. I feel like that addition will further add to my pitch, and engage the customer, or viewer a lot more. 

21A Reading Reflection No. 2

The book that I chose to read from the second selection of readings was How To Fail At Almost Everything and Still Win Big, by Scott Adams. The main thing of the book was pretty much exactly what the title said. It explained that in a career, one can still win big and find success, despite numerous failures that one might encounter along that said path to success. There were also many points made in the reading that connected and enhanced my experience in this course. The biggest takeaway, however, was that one should take risks and work in areas that we are comfortable in and that we are obsessed with. There are always areas in one's life that they love, there are things people do, whether it be jobs or hobbies, that they wish to do for the rest of their lives. A person should try to find opportunities in areas of life they love and enjoy, as that will make it easier to both take risks, and succeed. The book also helped me come up with different ideas for assignments and exercises for this course. One thing that the reading discusses is the use of systems instead of goals. Adams states that goals were not ideal to set, because they are typically far in the future and are often too specific to ever truly achieve. Instead, Adams suggested the use of systems, which are essentially plans and tasks that should be done each day, and if you complete those tasks, and position yourself to complete future tasks, then that day can be considered a success. The exercise for this class could simply be to create a system for the week, and discuss different tasks you completed throughout the week to achieve tasks that you would like to compete in the future. The biggest surprise that came from this reading would have to be that even the smartest and most successful people in the world fail all the time, and yet are still incredibly successful. For example, Adams discusses how he met a man on a flight who discussed how the use of systems helped him go from an average employee to a CEO, but that there were plenty of failures along the way. I found it incredible that as long as you are organized and stick to timelines that you create for yourself, you can still grind and push through failure after failure until you finally reach what may possibly be the peak of your business career.

20A Growing Your Social Capital

1) The first person that I chose to interview on this topic was a man named Pat Dolan, who maintains a golf course up in New Jersey, and has to protect and maintain the course from different insects and animals, environmental dangers, and any potential damage that could be caused from members or outside affects. The second person I chose to interview is a man named Todd Pope who owns a construction company in the Ft. Myers area. The third person I chose to interview was a Mr. Fratesi who provides construction equipment and supplies to construction companies.
2) My domain expert is Mr. Dolan because he routinely takes care of a golf course, which as similar principles as a parkland, and even went about personally hiring and training his own staff to maintain the course by his side, and when he couldn't constantly be around. Mr. Pope would be my expert on the market because he does construction, and even though it isn't the same type of construction that I would be doing, he can provide ins and outs of how to earn contracts and deal with customers, suppliers, employees, and competitors. My supplier would be Mr. Fratesi because he supplies construction equipment relative to the equipment that I will require to use, and he will have information regarding pricing and connections to some of the best suppliers in the business.
3) I found Mr. Dolan because I worked at that same golf course for 5 years while I was in high school and in college. I had his phone number from my time working there. I found Mr. Pope because he is the father of one of my close friends. I simply asked my friend for his phone number. Finally, I played baseball growing up with Mr. Fratesi's son, and my dad was able to supply his phone number.
4) Each of these people were happy to provide information and insight, as well as any possible future help, because they recognize the personal information that I had with each and every one of them. They all respected the type of person that I am and were happy to help, though they did say that if I were looking to make a serious go of this venture, that they would look for potential business opportunities and projects in return for their services and information.
5) Each person will provide insight, information, and even potential supplies, suppliers, and connections in the future. My connection to each one of these people can only help make this service into a legitimate business venture.
Reflect: This assignment was different than every networking situation I have been in in the past because I already had a previous connection with each and every one of these people. It made contacting and interviewing them and explaining my ideas a lot easier than if I were to network with a stranger. That being said, it made me realize that when I network and pitch to people I don't know, that I will have to be a lot more thorough and prepared for that possible future meeting and connection.

19A Idea Napkin No. 2

You: I am Michael Bogart. My talents are simply that I am a knowledgeable kid who is incredibly hard working, and determined to succeed, especially when it comes to fulfilling my passions. I am incredibly honest and truthful, and I thinking the best things in life come when you are working and hanging around the people that you love most. When it comes to my business, I see that being my life, especially when I am working on something that I genuinely care about and passionate about.
What are you offering to customers?: I am offering a service where I would repair cities and towns that have been damaged by flooding and hurricanes, by installing parklands throughout the area. The grass and parklands would provide extra protection in the future by soaking up excess water that may come with hurricanes and flooding.
Who are you offering it to?: I am offering this service to the town and city governments that can be potentially affected by these types of natural disasters, as well as the people who live in these cities and towns that have or could later be affected by the dangers that arise from flooding and natural disasters.
Why do they care?: Customers should care about what I would offer, because they should care and be interested in a service that can help protect homes, cities, lives, and livelihoods. After natural disasters, cities and towns are consistently rebuilt in the exact same way as before, which offers no further protections for these cities and towns in the event of a future natural disaster, which, as data has shown, are only getting consistently more prevalent. I feel that people should care about my service because it can offer their towns and cities and homes further protection from future natural disasters.
What are your core competencies?: What separates me from others is that I will work tirelessly, day and night, hours on end to not only accomplish personal and company goals, but also fulfill the needs of society and the people that are looking to me to provide a service. My honesty will allow me to make smart business decisions, while my love for those around me will help me trust coworkers and employees. My determination helps ensure that I'll never quit, while my hard working nature will help me get tasks done on time and done correctly. I feel that these competencies will fit in perfectly with trying to get my business idea off the ground as they all help me achieve and fulfill goals and responsibilities in different ways.

The most interesting piece of feedback I received came about more in regards to staffing and pricing than why I thought people would be interested in my business. The questions posed including how to go about staffing and protecting employees, as well as setting a fair price, both of which I will need to think about in the future. I think that I would have to poll actually unbiased customers who I know will be interested in my product, whether that be asking about the budget for a town parks department, and then creating some type of matrix to help determine different prices for different sized parkland areas. I think that the feedback I received from the first idea napkin certainly helped to spur thought creation for future details of the business and service.

18A Create a Customer Avatar

My prototypical customer can be a male or female, and is most likely an adult that has already graduated from college. My customers will most likely live in the southern region of the United States and either live in or near a city, or commute to work in or near a city. That means that a majority of these people's time would be spent in the area where I would look to provide my service. My customers most likely do not have a car, since they are living in cities where other forms of transportation are present, but if they did have a car it would most likely be a smaller type of sedan.

My prototypical customers are also most likely environmentalists, who are looking to add more beauty to the world. They are also most likely parents, considering the fact that protecting the city they live in would also protect their families and children. 

I would say my customers are most likely more on the liberal side of the spectrum when it comes to politics, and that they are relatively young, and well informed. They understand some of the dangers that come with the increased frequency of hurricanes and flooding. 

I would say that I have a decent amount of things in common with my customer avatar. For example, I am relatively well informed about the increasing frequency of hurricanes and floods, I grew up in the suburbs of a city, my father commutes to a city to work, I currently live in the southern region of the United States, and I drive a sedan, as opposed to an SUV. I don't think that this is a coincidence, mostly because I care about this service, so it is not a surprise to me that I feel that my target customers would be very similar to me. 

17A Elevator Pitch No. 2

https://youtu.be/f3sFUg94K5s

I received mostly very positive feedback from my first elevator pitch. The people that commented on my assignment thought that I was very passionate about the mission and service that I was looking to provide to people, and they were impressed by the fact I was able to deliver a full elevator pitch without fumbling over words or anything like that. I would say that one thing that changed was that that feedback gave me the confidence to deliver what I thought was another successful elevator pitch. That being said, I think that I also did get a little ahead of myself in this pitch therefore was a little short when it came to the timing of the pitch. 

16A What's Your Secret Sauce?

5 ways I am unique: The five characteristics that I would say make up my human capital is that I am incredibly hard working and determined. I refuse to quit on different project, and am always looking for ways to better myself and succeed. I would also say that I am incredibly outgoing and intuitive, which helps me to work well with teams, and my intuition allows me to come up with different and creative solutions to unique problems. My final characteristic would have to be my honesty, which is important because it will help me make accurate choices in which way to possibly pivot the business, product or services, as well as how to assign different workers and employees to tasks that I think they'll succeed in, and work to help the business succeed.
The key takeaway that I got from this interview was that she thought that I was a hard working and determined person, who is always looking to succeed in different facets of life.

The key takeaway that I got from this interview was that I am an honest human being regardless of the situation. That could very well come in handy when making difficult business decisions.  

This interview shows that when I am interested in an area of life, or an assigned task, that I will work at it until I am satisfied with the job I did.

This interview shows that I am great at working with teams, and will always be around to look after those that look after me.

This video shows that I am willing to find creative avenues to solve difficult problems.
I feel that my friends and peers view me in a similar light that I view myself in. I will add that I am more laid back than they might have admitted, and do find some time each day to relax and unwind. I do feel that I was characterized fairly honestly and I think that if I were to go back and take a look at how people characterized me, and how I would describe myself, there is not much that I would add.

15A Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

When conducting the newest set of interviews, I chose to go with another 3 people that live in areas that could be easily affected by natural disasters. Out of the 3 new people I chose to interview, 1 was from Panama City Beach, another was from Destin, and the last interviewee was from Santa Rosa Beach. These areas were all either affected, or nearly affected by the most recent hurricane, so I figured that as long as the event was not too dramatic to talk about, that I could receive some very accurate data.
Alternate Evaluation: When talking to each of the interviewees, I first asked where each person gets their information on products they intend to purchase, especially products that are designed to support important needs, such as keeping your city and home safe. Each interviewee said that they got a majority, if not all, of their information from the internet. They simply google products that they think could help serve their needs. I then asked them that when it comes to protecting their homes and towns from natural disaster, what would be the most important quality they would look for in a product or service. They all said, without any doubt, that they measured their choice products and services by quality. When I asked why, they all responded in a similar way, with the gist being that if they were looking for a product or service that would be used to protect their way of life, then they would choose a product or service that would be relied upon.
Where do they buy: When I asked about how each interviewees would pay for this product, each had a relatively different idea of how to make the purchase. Two of the interviewees each agreed that the purchase would likely be expensive or extensive. Because of that, it would likely be easier to finance the purchase. The other interviewee stated that the size of the purchase could affect how he pays for the product or service. Depending on the amount of damage, as well as where the damage took place, whether a small town, or just a house, or a whole city could affect whether it is wiser to pay with cash, or to finance the purchase. Each interviewee also said that they were more likely to purchase a product or service in this capacity online. The reason being is that they would do most of their research online, as well as the fact that there is more products and services to research and choose from online, as opposed to simply being stuck to choose from those in your specific area.
Post Purchase Evaluation: Out of everything the interviewees had to say, I thought the wisest thing was said during the post purchase evaluation questioning. One interviewee stated that the only true way to know whether or not it was a good purchase was to actually test the purchase. If the purchase works to help a home or city against future storms and natural disaster, then it was a good purchase. If the product or service limited the damage of future natural disasters, then it was a good purchase. That being said, if there was the same or more damage after the purchase, then it was not a strong purchase, and the customer would likely do more research and buy a new product.
Conclusion: It is clear that people looking for a product or service that could protect against natural disasters would do an extensive amount of research online before choosing each respective product. It is also clear that the purchase would most likely be financed, as opposed to paid for with cash. They are looking for a quality product or service, and would judge the quality based on how well said product or service held up and protected homes and cities in future natural disasters.

14A Halfway Reflection

1. Behaviors that I have used and developed during this course include an increased work ethic and sense of determination. The reason being is that this course pushes you to find a need in society, and if it weren't for that work ethic and determination, I would have given up on that need or opportunity, and simply thought that one either didn't exist, or that someone else would exploit it before I ever could. Entrepreneurship, however, teaches you that it is impossible succeed without a determined mindset, and a will to work hard and persevere.
2. A moment that I wanted to give up took place when trying to create a product or service, after finding new regulatory and economic trends. The reason being is that some of the trends were very comprehensive, and exhausting, and that made me want to just quit. That being said, I have never quit on anything in my entire life, and I certainly wasn't going to start now, so I sat down, worked, and found my product and service. I would absolutely say that this class has increased my tenaciousness, my work ethic, and even my stubbornness.
3. I would tell students next semester to first, never quit. Whether you think so or not, there are ideas and opportunities present for everyone in the world. It is up to you to decide whether or not you want to exploit those opportunities. The other thing I would suggest, is to broaden your horizons. Try to learn information about different environments, ways of life, and ways of doing things, because it can all help you succeed in the future. Finally, I would suggest that students actually try and do the assignments, rather than just completing them for points. Students should look to come up with ideas that they actually care about, and would pursue if it weren't for this class. They will take much more away from the class if they are researching and working on something that they actually care about. For me, that was protecting our cities and citizens, for others it may be much different. That being said, it is up to you to decide.

13A Reading Reflection No. 1

The reading that I chose to do, out of the first half of the list, was Elon Musk, and the story of SpaceX, Tesla and the push for a fantastic future. What surprised me the most, had to have been Musk's dark past. In my lifetime, all I have ever heard about Musk has been opinions, whether it be from people talking about him, or people writing about him. What I did know is that there was little doubt about how smart the man was, and how well he encompassed the entrepreneurial spirit, whether that come in the form of Tesla, SpaceX, or even the Boring Company. His creativity and ingenuity are clearly ahead of a vast majority of people who will live in our lifetime. That's why it came as such a surprise to me, when I read about how he came home from a brutal school day, just to work through a brutal a brutal home life. It was hard to read about his emotionally abusive father, and the fact that his father would consistently do rough things, such as force Musk and his brother to sit, so that he could lecture the two of them for hours. What I admired most about Musk, after reading about him, was the fact that money was never his main driver, like it seems to be for so many other people. I have always found it odd, when you hear about a billionaire whose main focus was never the money, but the work. He was driven to prove that he could build better technology, and better products, and he wanted to prove that to the world. I also admire his will to continue to work. After selling Paypal, and clearing hundreds of millions of dollars, Musk got right back to work, with 100 hour workweeks, just to get Tesla Company, and SpaceX off of the ground. What I don't admire about Musk however, is his inability to judge the competency of his own employees. In the reading, readers were informed that Musk consistently asked for the impossible and in some cases, "the impossible on top of the impossible." It was interesting, yet difficult, to learn that a man that intellectual and inspiring could also be tough or impossible to work with or for. There is also the fact that he routinely hogs credit for work, and seems overly willing to fire employees and colleagues. Despite all that however, Musk encountered failure quite consistently, whether it was as a young boy, or a working man. It was clear though, that Musk battled that failure with a next to none work ethic. He refused to quit or back down from any job or task that stood in his way, which is a big part of why he is so successful today.

I noticed several competencies that Musk exhibited. Some of the most obvious included creativity and ingenuity, and his ability to make something out of nothing. His hard working nature, and determination were also clearly identified in the reading. Finally, the book made it clear how intelligent Musk was, especially when talking about his first start-ups and how they were created in part due to his internet prowess.

The one part of the reading that was confusing to me, would have to be the section on his first start-up, which was the web software, Zip2. The reason being, is that I do not have much of a mind for software or programming, which is why the section about it was tough to understand, especially if I had only read it once and then just simply moved on.

If I were able to ask him 2 questions, the first would be what he was thinking of creating next, since I am sure he has thought about it, and my other question would be about whether or not he thought each and every venture would be possible. I'd ask the first question, because Musk has had some crazy and brilliant ideas, and I would find it very intriguing to be able to listen in on a possible future business venture. I would ask the second question, because Musk has invested large sums of money in risky ventures, for example, his effort to make space travel less costly, and the fact that he could create a rocket that could bring men to Mars.

I think Musk's idea of hard work would have to be an everlasting fight to succeed. The reason being is that he would work 100 hour weeks, after already making hundreds of millions of dollars. As long as he had a dream, and idea, he would work until he made that idea a reality and a business. I do agree with his mindset though, because I have always thought that if you want something in life, and if you want to succeed at it, then you have to work, and if it takes you an entire lifetime of work, then so be it.

12A Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

Pick A Segment: The segment that I chose to do more research on, and find people to conduct interviews with is simply those people who live, or have lived in areas that have been affect by natural disasters like hurricanes and flooding, and people that live in areas that could possibly be affected in the future. I made sure to find 3 people to interview that live in cities, or larger towns and suburbs that are close to the coast, and have a higher chance of being affected by a hurricane or flooding, than someone who lives inland.
Need Awareness: For each of my interviews,  I began by simply asking where each person lived, and how far they lived from the closest coast, or large water source, such as bigger rivers and lakes. I found that that was the case with each of the people I had targeted, as they lived in Miami, Cocoa Beach, and Fort Myers. From there I began to slowly build to targeting their need, and asked if they, or anyone they knew, had ever had to evacuate their home due to threats of safety from natural disasters. Not surprisingly, each of them said yes, and after I asked them why they think that is, the best guess was simply because they lived in an area that could suffer from drastically from flooding or hurricanes. In fact, the interviewees from Fort Myers and Miami each actually had to deal with flooding damage in their homes, and in the areas that they lived in. From there I thought it was best to introduce the need, since the interviewees were practically able to recognize that need without any assistance. It was there that I told them that there could be a possible service that could help these people, their families, and other citizens living in a similar area protect valuables and assets from future damage from hurricanes and flooding. My interviewees became aware of the fact that they could use a service that further protects them from hurricanes.
Information Search: After the interviewees recognized their need, I asked them to do a quick google search on possible solutions to the need that they have. The first interviewee simply looked up hurricane relief funds, and found non-profit organizations like the Salvation Army and American Red Cross. The second interviewee chose to look up companies that have assisted in the rebuilding process, or have donated to the rebuilding process, and the third interviewee simply googled how people and cities rebuild after suffering from natural disasters. They all looked for information on what different companies and organizations were helping with the relief effort, and the ways that affected areas, towns, and cities were rebuilding.
Conclusions: The first conclusion I came to was the fact that no one found the fact that parklands could help soak up some of the excess water that comes from hurricanes and flooding. This led me to believe that there very well could be an untapped opportunity to implement increased parklands in cities that could potentially be affected by natural disasters. The interviews also made it clear that there certainly is a need for increased help, because areas are being continually affected by national disasters, hurricane, and flooding.

11A Idea Napkin No. 1

You: I would consider myself to be more of a people person, with a business identity. What I mean when I say that is that I pride myself on interpersonal communication and networking, while also making staying on top of everyday activities and roles that would come with my business. I would say that if this idea were to manifest into an actual service, that I would be very involved, and that my company and service would play a huge role in my everyday life.
What Are You Offering To Customers?: My service would be to help rebuild cities that were struck by natural disaster, specifically due to hurricanes or flooding. More specifically I will develop unused, or needless areas of cities into parks and parklands, in order to add more parkland to the city. This will help to soak up excess water that comes from hurricanes and flooding. That service will help to provide additional protection against future hurricanes and floods, limit any possible future damage, and provide an area to hold different festivals and events, when the city is not being threatened by natural disaster. Also, the dimensions of the park could be as big or small as the space that is available, because as I am sure many people can agree with, cities need more and more protection from natural disaster.
Who Are You Offering It To?: I would offer this service to citizens living in, or around, cities that could potentially be affected by hurricane or flooding. The service would also be provided to local and state governments in the same area. I also feel like the main people that would support my service, would be environmentalists, and those people that tend to keep in touch with the increasing rates of natural disasters in our world today. The reason being is that those people would be the most in touch with why the service is being offered, and how the service can help different people and different areas of this country.
Why Do They Care?: Customers will pay money for my service because the service can help protect cities from damage that comes from natural disasters, whether that damage occur now or in the future. Cities, homes, and livelihoods are consistently being destroyed as a result of natural disaster, so if there is a service out there that could help provide increased protection, why wouldn't people use that service?
What Are Your Core Competencies?: What sets me apart from others is simply my idea and the service I offer. Science has shown that increased parklands can help limit the damage that comes with hurricanes and flooding, and that there simply is little to no parkland areas in cities that are at risk of suffering from natural disaster, or cities that have previously suffered and been affected. There is also the fact that people are rebuilding their homes, towns, and cities, without taking any additional precautions that could further protect areas from future storms and natural disasters.

Finally, I feel that the service that I plan on providing can succeed when placed in the correct, stated, demographics and areas. I feel that the construction service, especially one that adds parklands to cities, instead of tearing them away to make room for buildings and businesses. I feel that there is a need out there for this service, and that there easily could be people, businesses, and government agencies that would be willing to pay for the service, and would benefit from the service.

10A Elevator Pitch

https://youtu.be/0Eh_IFJ7B6w

Above is the video for my elevator pitch.

9A Testing the Hypothesis Part 2

Who: There are companies and organizations that are providing assistance in the hurricane relief effort, whether it is for profit companies or non profit companies. That being said, the assistance and services that these organizations should pail in comparison to the service that I can offer. For example, non profit companies and funding agencies include the National Organization of Free & Charitable Clinics as well as U.S. Programs for Direct Relief, the Salvation Army, and the American Red Cross. There are also corporations that donate money to the hurricane relief effort, such as Bank of America and AT&T. Finally there are contracting and construction companies, such as the Korte Company, that assist in the relief effort, through rebuilding homes, businesses, and buildings. With that being said, the service that I plan to offer, I feel is vastly different. The service provided would predominately be in cities, and we would look at unused space, or wasted space around the city, and turn them into parks and parklands of different sizes. I personally feel that this is a service that could help cities, such as Houston and New Orleans for example, with increased protection from future hurricanes and natural disasters, as well as a possible location for recreational activities, events, and festivals. I feel like that aspect of my service is what would set my vision apart from that of other companies.
What: I feel that my service differs than the service that other companies and organizations because it not only helps to rebuild some of the damage that occurred as a result of the flood or hurricane, but it also serves as an idea that the area will be better protected from future disasters as a result of the use of my services. I also think that that area can serve as a location for events because it's open space that can be put to good use.
Why: The underlying cause of other companies' assistance in the relief effort is different than mine because first, most of the services being provided are physical rebuilding of different properties and areas of the city, or donating resources and fund that are needed for the rebuilding and relief effort. While I find it true that these companies and organizations are providing an important and necessary service, they still find that service to be outside of mine, because my service goes one step further. My service, implementing more parkland areas in cities, would work to rebuild different parts of the city and use parks as a way of adding more land that could soak up water that comes from future floods and hurricanes. There are limited amount of areas in cities that are covered by parklands, so there is a need out there, and that need can be fulfilled with a park that can help limit the damage to cities in future natural disasters, as well as serve as an area for different events and gatherings. I think my proposal is vastly different than the current services being provided by other companies.
Inside the Boundary                                                       Outside the Boundary
A)My parkland service                         A)Companies either providing no relief assistance, or simply      B)Parkland areas in suffering cities.                           donating money and rebuilding
C)                                                                                      B)Basic rebuilding services
C)Little to no parklands in cities                        C)Rebuilding homes and businesses

Solving the Problem 8A

The opportunity that I chose comes as a result of natural disasters, specifically hurricanes and flooding that have continued to affect the entirety of the east coast, and much of the southwest. I chose this opportunity because I took notice of the economic trend involving natural disasters and their effects on the environment, cities and towns, and the economy. After taking notice of that trend I decided to do a little more research, and found that natural disasters continue to strike at more rapid rates, and continually have the power to destroy cities, towns, and homes. I also took notice that cities that suffer damage tend to rebuild in a way that really doesn't help further protect the city from future damage. For example, one of the latest cities to have been affect by natural disasters was Houston, where hurricanes and flooding tore up the city. What I am proposing, to take advantage of this opportunity, is a construction service, either for profit or non-profit, that could help implement new plans to help further protect damaged cities from future natural disasters. The services and would be to create, protect, maintain, and update parklands, especially in cities such as Houston. The reason being is that parklands act as a sponge and help to soak up more of the water that comes with hurricanes and flooding. This would help cities like Houston, because the parkland areas would soak up more water naturally, instead of water heavily pooling up in areas all over the place. Not only that, but depending on the size of the parks and parklands, cities could choose to also generate revenue in those areas at the same time. I feel like this service would provide cities and citizens with increased protection from natural disasters, so when those disasters do come, less of these cities and towns are dangerously affected, or affected at all.

Testing the Hypothesis 7A

1. The opportunity that I am pursuing revolves around the destruction of U.S. cities as a result of natural disasters.
2. Cities, in the United States, that have recently been destroyed as the result of natural disasters are repeatedly being rebuilt in a fashion that does not further protect cities and citizens from future disasters. This inability to change protocols on rebuilding recently destroyed cities comes from a societal inability to recognize that cities in danger of destruction need more advanced ways of protecting the land and the citizens that reside there.
3. Testing the who: People all over the country, whether it's the east, west, southwest, or midwest are consistently threatened by the possibility of a natural disaster occurring. That being said, the opportunity that I am targeting mainly revolves around the east coast, and parts of the southwest, and the effects that hurricanes and flooding have on different areas of our country.
Testing the what: How has the U.S. typically handled situations of natural disaster, such as after Hurricane Harvey, or Hurricane Katrina? What are some new ways to rebuild cities suffering from natural disaster, in a way that could better protect said cities in the future? What are the advantages and disadvantages of changing the way the United States rebuilds cities and provides future protections? Is it at all possible to really protect cities from natural disasters, and if not, what precautions can society take to limit the amount of times these disasters occur.
Testing the why: There will be some people that simply see natural disasters as an inescapable part of life, and those people will question the fact that precautions can be taken to assist those in need. There are also people that will be skeptical that a better way of helping rebuilding towns, and the people rebuilding their lives. Some will believe that the plans and guidelines already in place are in place because they are still the best way of helping. Finally, there will be people that question how possible it is to create new ways to better rebuild recently destroyed areas of our nation.
4. For the interview portion of this assignment, I chose to interview people that have homes in areas that could be threaten by natural disasters, whether that be somewhere along the coast, or elsewhere.
While some of the people I interviewed did have to live through some flooding, none of them had to rebuild their homes or completely rebuild their towns. That being said, the interview process was still incredibly helpful because after the process was completed, it became clear that there is an opportunity for growth in this area of our society. I would say that one of the biggest takeaways that I received from the interview portion of the assignment has to deal with the fact that flooding can occur in many areas of the U.S. without any major or dangerous storms present, and that the said flooding can still have a troubling impact on societies around the nation. It became clear that unless there is a huge storm or natural disaster approaching, that there won't be countrywide recognition of the problem. I also feel that ensuring the protection of towns and homes against flooding on a normal day can provide our country with a step in the right direction when it comes to protecting families and cities from larger looming problems, such as natural disasters.

6A Economic and Regulatory Trends

One economic trend that I think would be wise to target as a possible opportunity is the rebuilding after natural disasters, and was presented by JP Morgan Chase. As the company cited, natural disasters occurring in Florida and Texas alone were able to decrease the national GDP by almost a full point last year. While that may not seem like a huge amount, national disasters are a part of life, and are not going away any time soon, and are going to continue to affect people across the nation. While it is terrible to think about the destruction of homes and livelihoods around the country, one must also realize that there are opportunities in each of those areas of natural disaster. Whether it come from a financial standpoint in rebuilding towns, companies, and generating profits for companies or businesses, whether it comes from the creation of more non-profit organizations looking to rebuild areas suffering from disaster, or whether it creates a need to help those that are less fortunate and have been affected by natural disasters. Opportunities exist in the aftermath of natural disasters. It is clear that the most likely customer to any of the opportunities named above will be those directly affected by the natural disasters themselves. Those affected by the disasters are going to need help and assistance in some way shape or form. With that being said, I do think the opportunity can be difficult to exploit, because by doing so, you are also exploiting those affected by the disasters to a certain point. For that reason alone, it could be tough to chase after this potential opportunity. Finally, the main reason I was able to see this opportunity is because it has affected myself, and my family several times. I have family that lives in Fort Myers, that has had to evacuate and rebuild their home time and time again after hurricanes, and there is also the fact that my home suffered a ton of damage in New Jersey after Super Storm Sandy. My driveway was blocked off, there was no power and fallen trees damaged a lot of my home. After all that, no one came to assist us for over two weeks. After all my experiences, as well as hearing about everyone else's experiences, it has become clear that there are opportunities that result from natural disasters. https://commercial.jpmorganchase.com/pages/commercial-banking/executive-connect/six-key-economic-trends

Another potential opportunity comes from Kimberly Amadeo, who wrote about how economic trends can affect citizens all over the country on the website The Balance. One trend that really stood out to me was the fact that our economy is in the expansion faze of the business cycle. As we are exiting years of recession and economic downturn, people have in turn begun to trust the economy, and trust business once again. This phase has led to an opportunity to push new, or simply more, products to market and take advantage of a positive economy, before the economy starts to peak, and possible bubbles are created. There is also a possible upcoming opportunity to take advantage of bubbles after our economy once again begins to reach its peak. I think the most likely customers of this opportunity are specific niche areas of our economy, such as in 2007 and 2008 when millions were affected by the housing bubble, but at the same time a select few were able to make a fortune by predicting the crash.  This opportunity will be very difficult to exploit, whether it is taking advantage of a budding economy, or taking advantage of a disastrous downturn. The reason being is because it is incredibly difficult to take advantage of markets, whether they are successful, or on the verge of collapse. Finally the reason I was able to recognize this opportunity comes from research. Our nation, and many other nations have continually seen periods of peak economic times turn to disasters times of debt and a destructive economy, and then see that economy rebuild. This cycle has even been highlighted in movies like The Big Short. 
https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666
One important regulatory trend comes from the banking industry, and was presented by Deloitte. The trend is a pivot from building to sustaining. As firms have begun to rebuild after recent financial crisis' in the last 10 years, they have recognized the need to sustain what they have built, created, and profited on. There is an opportunity present here, considering that these banks and companies are beginning to view regulations as a way to create safer business practices and rely on less risky ventures. Banks are beginning to create a sense of trust among people, which is why there are opportunities to rely on some of the banks. I think that the ideal customer in a possible opportunity to do business with banks would be those who own or work at smaller businesses. They could grow their business and could continue to profit even in times of economic downturn as a result of doing business with banks making safer decisions revolved around sustaining their profits and the economy. Finally, I feel that this opportunity will be relatively easy to exploit, as long as businesses and people are willing to work together. Finally, I actually recognized this opportunity as a result of the assignment. As I was researching trends and reading into the volatility of markets and our economy, and how banks have began to work on building their portfolios and sustaining them even in times of economic downturn has led me to believe that there is an opportunity present here. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/regulatory/articles/banking-regulatory-outlook.html

Another regulatory trend that came from Deloitte has to do with America's life sciences organizations and companies. The regulatory trend is that these companies must continue to recognize new laws and legislations regarding their business, while at the same time continue to help those in need. The most notable part of this trend was in the form of medical devices, and how they should be connected to the internet, hospital networks, and mobile devices. The reason I see an opportunity here is that if there is a way to connect some of these devices to the internet, then there is a chance that more people can benefit from medical professionals, at a quicker rate, and at a fraction of the cost. I think the biggest customer of this opportunity would be parents with younger, active kids. The reason being is that parents constantly could use a quick way to decide what to provide a sick kid, or the quickest way to hospitals in different areas, in case of an emergency. I feel that it will be difficult to find a way to provide devices and information and pair it with the internet and mobile devices, but at the same time, if it did become possible, it would be relatively easy to exploited, because everyone uses and has access to the internet and mobile devices nowadays. Finally, I saw the opportunity because as a kid I was constantly injured and breaking bones and getting sick, and my parents always waited days to check me into a hospital for assistance. If mobile devices and information were readily available on the internet or a mobile phone, it would have been much easier for them to determine that I may have needed some medical attention.
https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/regulatory/articles/life-sciences-regulatory-outlook.html

5A Identifying Local Opportunities

America is a country filled with opportunities to create change and improve society. While there is room for change all over the country, I stuck to five simple places around the United States, where opportunities for improvement exist. The first opportunity for change, that I found, comes from the Miami Dade Parks and Recreation services, and was presented in the Miami Herald article David Beckham, Donald Trump, and the Push to Make Miami Dade Parks more Profitable. This governmental service is struggled to generate profits in their area. Almost every park in the area is continuously subsidized by the government and the community, in order to keep them open. While many people have thought about hosting different events and festivals at the parks, these types of events are often incredibly expensive, and do nothing to continue to entice people to come back to the park and enjoy the outdoors on any typical day. The overall goal of the community, government, and key figures and celebrities, is to decrease public subsidies of parks, while also making tickets to parks cheaper for the public.

https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0913%21September%2B13&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E699C567E397F8

The second opportunity that I chose to identify comes from the Gainesville Sun, in an article titled Understanding Our High GRU Bills. The reason I chose this opportunity, to decrease the amount utilities are costing the people of Gainesville, is because I am also affected by these incredibly high bills, as I recently moved into a home in town. The reason bills have become so high has to deal mostly with Gainesville Regional Utilities' constantly changing electric rate structure, along with bundling, produces high bills for most people, especially those who can't afford the higher rates. Much of the confusion regarding these increasing prices and rates results from GRU's confusing rate classifications as well as the fact that some utilities are bundled in with other utilities that, to a certain extent, simply are not necessary, such as curbside trash pickup and handling of stormwater. There is also the fact that the amount of utilities you use, such as electricity, gas and water, really has little effect on the price citizens are actually paying, due to bundling and GRU's structuring of rates. No matter which way you look at it, there is an opportunity for reform to lower the prices of utilities in Gainesville, and assist the town's less fortunate citizens.
https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AGSGB%21Gainesville%2BSun%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0912%21September%2B12&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E6896466155BF0

The third opportunity I chose to target comes from the Washington Post, in Washington D.C., mostly because I have a lot of family that lives in the area. More specifically I chose to target a budding opportunity that exists in the area, as well as all across the country. The article, titled FDA Chief Calls Youth Use of Juul, Other E-Cigarrettes an Epidemic, discusses the concerns that have begun to spread regarding the most recent development of an incredibly popular electronic cigarette, called a juul. More specifically, the article discusses how the FDA and other organizations are looking to curb the use of these devices, specifically among the teenage population, where the juul is debatably the most popular. While the device was intended for adults looking to ween their way off smoking cigarettes, it has become a hit in the adolescent community and has presented some dangers for families and children. The goal is to ultimately limit the use of electronic cigarettes by teenagers, through legislation, fines, and the generation of awareness. The government has recognized a need to assist teens and families from using these types of devices, even when their use is not necessary, since most teenagers are not using the device to quit smoking. There is an opportunity to create awareness and a system to limit the e-cigarette use in the teenage community. http://go.galegroup.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T004&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&currentPosition=25&docId=GALE%7CA553962133&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=AONE&contentSet=GALE%7CA553962133&searchId=R2&userGroupName=gain40375&inPS=true

The fourth opportunity I chose to target comes from New Jersey, and I chose to target this opportunity because it is the state that I am from. The article, titled The State Feels Crowded. So How Many Square Feet Does Each of Us Really Have? In the Most Densely Populated State in the Nation, Here are New Jersey's Most Densely Populated Communities, the issue of space in the state is discussed. Moreover, the article discusses that the cramped area in New Jersey has led to severe traffic patterns, and has created increased threats of accidents. There is also the issue that the incredibly dense population has led to more threats from pollution for more people in more areas. This mainly effects people living in northern New Jersey, which is more packed considering the proximity to cities like New York. There are opportunities to space out the state, such as creating more housing in less populated areas, and reduce the health and risk concerns associated with cramped living conditions. 

https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ASTL2%21Star-Ledger%252C%2BThe%2B%2528Newark%252C%2BNJ%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0909%21September%2B09&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E542D8DC7AB1F8

The last opportunity I chose to target comes from Pittsburgh. The article, titled Funding Cuts Means Less ACA Assistance, discusses the issue of funding cuts to medicare programs and services. The cuts will most likely lead to six less staff members, and in turn lead to many people not receiving full coverage. The budget for this program has dropped by a little over 50 million dollars in the last two years, and has left many without jobs, and even more with reduced coverage, or no coverage at all. There are several opportunities for change in this area, whether it is in the form of nonprofit programs offering assistance to those whose coverage was stripped away, or a restructuring of budgets to ensure that the medicare programs receive the appropriate amount of funding, so that those that need coverage can be guaranteed coverage. There is also the issue that some people view the cuts as an attempt to undermine the Affordable Care Act, which could create even more issues in the area, and the nation. 

https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3APPGB%21Pittsburgh%2BPost-Gazette%2B%2528PA%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0913%21September%2B13&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E68FEA0D071158

Opportunity Beliefs Assignment 4A

First, I do have a feeling that there is an opportunity that exists out there, in the form of an app. The app would use your location to pinpoint some of the quicker restaurants in the area, such as Chick Fil A and McDonalds, and let you know how long the line is at that current moment. My belief and this app stems from the fact that I often find myself arriving at some of my favorite restaurants, but the line is practically an hour long and almost out the door. I have always hoped for a way to know what the lines at restaurants were like before I left my house, and I have always preferred to go and get food quicker as opposed to waiting in a super long line. The people who have the need are those interested in eating at fast food type establishments and are interested in getting their food as quickly as possible. This need, for me, stemmed from my impatience, since I absolutely hate waiting in lines, as I'm sure many others do. As far as I know, the only thing that people are doing to meet this need is call the restaurant, but there are times that restaurants are too busy to even answer the phone. I would also assume that there is around a 50% chance that this type of app has yet to be created, since I have never seen or heard someone talk about an app like that, but at the same time it is tough to believe that that type of app has yet to have been created.

My prototypical customers would first have to be a young kid, around the high school and college age. The reason this would be my prototypical customer is because these kids can arrive at these restaurants on their own through the use of a car, and people that age are normally eating at restaurants like Chick Fil A and Chipotle as opposed to nicer restaurants, such as sit down places or steakhouses. My next prototypical customer would have to be parents with young kids. Those parents often take kids and their kids' friends out to fast food restaurants. Those parents are often just looking to get their kids a quick easy meal when they aren't cooking or going out as a family. My final prototypical customer would have to be someone in their mid twenties, preferably someone that still lives alone and is adjusting to everyday life as an adult. I target this class because I hope that instead of going grocery shopping routinely, they would just buy cheap, quick meals instead.

Prototypical Customer 1: Caitlyn, 20
Caitlyn is a friend of mine who enjoys fast food restaurants such as Moes, Culver's, and Chick Fil A. I approached her about my app because I felt that she would be perfect to question about by possible opportunity because she fit my first customer profile and I knew she enjoyed quick meals. I first asked her about her willingness to wait in a long line at a restaurant like Chick Fil A and she responded that she didn't see the point in waiting for a line at all, instead of simply going to another restaurant. I then asked her how often she experienced herself waiting in long lines at restaurants that have advertised themselves as being able to provide food fast, and she responded that she experiences those lines about one in every five times she goes out to eat. I then asked how she addresses the problem of long lines at fast food restaurants and she said that she simply just chooses to go to another restaurant. I found that in her case, she could find my app helpful since she is concerned about lines and is just looking to get a decent meal as quickly as possible.
Prototypical Customer 2: Nicky, 50
Nicky is one of my friends parents, and I gave her a call, because growing up her house was always the one that all the kids hung out at, and I remember that she would consistently bring us to McDonalds for lunch and dinner as young kids. I first asked her how often she found herself bringing her son, or his friends, to a quick restaurant like McDonalds, and she said that she would bring her son there about once or twice a week. I then asked her how often she would experience a long wait in line there and she said that she normally went during the lunch or dinner rush, since the kids were always hungry then, and she said she waited in an extra long time for about half of her trips. When I asked her how she felt about those lines, however, she was indifferent. I then asked her what she would think of a way to see which restaurants had the shortest lines so she could just get a meal for her kids as quick as possible. To my surprise, she said that she most likely wouldn't use an app like that one because for the most part, her kids were always dead set on a certain restaurant and were not interested in going anywhere else besides the restaurant they wanted. From our conversation I figured that she probably wouldn't be the best customer.
Prototypical Customer 3: Jeff, 28
Jeff is one of my friends older brothers and he has been out of college for six years now. I figured that Jeff would be a good person to interview because he was a young bachelor that recently got out of college, and assumed that he would more often go out to eat at quick restaurants as opposed to consistently grocery shopping. I first asked him how often he ate at a restaurant like Chick Fil A and he said about once a week. I then asked him how often he experienced long lines at the said restaurant and he said about a third of the time he sees that the line is unnecessarily long and just goes home and makes himself a quick, easy dinner. I then asked him about how he felt about being able to check the line for his restaurant of choice, even if it was just once in a while that he went out. He said that he felt something like that would be very beneficial and could even save him some time, money, and gas.

I felt that I learned a lot from my possible opportunity, the first of which, was how different classes of people had extremely different needs. It was clear after talking with three different people from three different age groups, how different separate groups of people really can be. Caitlyn's response came as no surprise since a lot of college students are simply looking to get a quick meal out. I was, however, interested in Jeff's response because it came as a shock that someone like himself only ate out at most once a week. I would have figured he ate out most nights, and that his demographic would be the group that identified with the opportunity the most. Finally, Nicky's interview gave me the most information. I would've figured that a parent would have loved the app just so they could get their kid a quick meal. That being said, I didn't take into account how set in their ways a kid could become. That being said, that information would become incredibly important had I or someone else actually looked to develop an opportunity like this.

After performing this research, I feel like my opportunity could definitely still exist. After conducting my interviews I found that just by scratching the surface, that there could possibly be a niche market out there. That being said, I should make it clear that a lot more research should be conducted before moving forward. I do believe that my opportunity is more accurate than when I first thought of it, because now I've got some more information about the opportunity itself. I have more of an idea of who the app and opportunity should be targeted at, and could possibly find ways to pivot my idea if it ever came to that. Finally, I feel that entrepreneurs are always willing to adapt their plans and ideas based off of customer feedback. It would be ridiculous for possible customers to state that they disliked a product or idea, and an entrepreneur would not take that feedback and information into account.

Bogart's Bug List Assignment 2A

1. When you've finished your meal at a restaurant and are just waiting to pay the bill, but your waiter or waitress is nowhere to be found. 
1. Why does this bug exist?
2. This bug stems from impatience. There is little doubt in my mind that the waiter or waitress is simply off doing other work, but it still bugs me that my needs at the time are not being met. 
2. When you go to get gas but have to wait in line for a pump. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because it is a new convenience that I have to deal with. I'm from New Jersey where it is illegal to pump your own gas. Because of that, there were always open pumps and I never had to wait, which is why waiting for pumps has become such a bug for me. 
3. When people are waiting in line to order food, but still don't know what to order once they get to the front of the line. 
1. Why does this bug exists? 
2. For me this bug exists because I always make sure to be prepared. That is why when people aren't ready for things, or are simply just indecisive, I get easily annoyed. 
4. I hate being on hold with people over the telephone. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because of my own impatience. While I sit on hold waiting for someone to pick up, I am just stuck thinking about all the more interesting and productive things that I could be doing in that exact moment. 
5. It bugs me when people consistently borrow things that don't belong to them, all without asking? 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because borrowing another person's belongings is a privilege and not a right of passage. The fact that some people ignore that notion comes off as disrespectful. 
6. I dislike driving at night and passing a car on the other side of the road who still has their brights on. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because, for me, it showcases the lack of care that some people show others. The fact that you could leave your lights on and possibly blind someone or cause an accident instead of simply flipping a quick switch off and on. 
7. I once worked as a caddie at a golf course called Copper Hill Country Club, and was bugged because I would consistently do a ton of work, all while making the same amount of money and working the same amount of hours as the people who consistently slacked off and did no work. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because I found this experience to be exhausting and unfair, especially because the experience came with the same hours and the same pay. 
8. I recently went to visit the 9/11 memorial and found that people would consistently take photos where there are signs that say "no flash photography", or that people would walk through the entire memorial while having a phone call the entire time.
1. Why does the bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because it shows that it is a huge sign of disrespect. It should not be that hard to respect the wishes and guidelines at a memorial. 
9. I get bugged when I am in the passing lane on the highway and am stuck behind drivers that are either just barely driving the speed limit, or are even driving slower than that. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bugs me because it is a dangerous lack of awareness. The passing lane is meant for drivers that are passing other drivers on the highway, and people who use it as another lane are putting the rest of the drivers in danger. 
10. One of my bugs is the fact that some people don't cover their mouths when they sneeze or cough. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bugs me because it is a simple common courtesy that just goes overlooked. It is simply the right thing to do considering the fact that you could easily get another person sick by not covering your mouth. 
11. A huge pet peeve of mine is when people continue to talk and argue over politics especially with people who have a differing opinion. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because politics are already a super sensitive topic to bring up, and arguing with people about it, especially those with differing opinions, really does no good, since it is incredibly unlikely that someone would be swayed simply by an on the spot argument. 
12. I get bugged when I have a conversation about someone and all they want to talk about is themselves. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because it can show how selfish and unaware society can be. Something like that makes the conversation seem so one sided and somewhat pointless. 
13. I find it awkward when I feel someone's eyes on me, like when you catch someone staring at you from across a room. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because it creates an uncomfortable situation and I feel incredibly uneasy. 
14. I get bugged when I say something to someone or ask someone a question, and that person just does not respond. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because I was raised to be respectful, and to me, there is nothing more disrespectful that someone simply not answering a question or statement that was clearly directed right at them. 
15. I cannot stand when people don't pick up after themselves, like when my sister would throw trash into our trash can at home, even when the can was filled. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because that inaction showcases the pure laziness and an unwillingness to finish a simple and necessary part of everyday tasks. 
16. A huge bug for me is that I hate leaving the house when I forgot to brush my teeth. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because I understand the importance of looking presentable and taking care of yourself. How you present yourself has the power to make or break relationships. 
17. A big bug for me is when I get to the airport with just a backpack and a small carry on, and am forced to check my small carry on simply because of my boarding group. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists simply due to frustration. It is upsetting to have to pay for luggage all because of my boarding group, especially because I know that there is room for more luggage in the overhead bins. 
18. I hate having to send thank you notes when I receive a gift, as opposed to just calling the person that sent the gift. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because a note is so much less heartfelt that hearing a thank you straight from the mouth of the person you got the gift for. 
19. I dislike the fact that some cars will stop a full car length behind another car at a stoplight. It jams up traffic further back and causes some people to miss lights and sit in more traffic. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists largely due to my impatience and aggressive driving. I like to get things done and get to destinations quickly, which is why the bug is such a big deal. 
20. A big pet peeve of mine is when people have personal arguments in public. 
1. Why does this bug exist? 
2. This bug exists because people should not be airing their dirty laundry out in the world for everyone to see and hear. It is just completely inappropriate and truly unnecessary. 

Reflection: I found this assignment to be fairly challenging. The reason being is that it is hard enough to acknowledge some of the things that bug and upset you, let alone find twenty different things that have the ability to trigger a person. This assignment also helped me realize that it is much easier to notice things that bug you when you are experiencing them. It was much harder to think back on times and situations that bugged me and got under my skin. Overall, however, I felt that this assignment was beneficial and helped me acknowledge some of the things that make me tick in this world.