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.