30- Final Reflection

1) Read through your posts from this semester. Recall all of the experiences you've had a long the way -- the highs, the lows -- the fun moments, and the moments of drudgery, and even the moments of dread.
Done

2) What sticks out to you as the most formative experience? The experience that you'll remember years later? What was your most joyous experience? What experience are you most proud of yourself for accomplishing?
My most formative experience was all off the times I had to make a video of me giving an elevator pitch. I think having to re-do it so many times really made me better at presenting from memory and more naturally rather than reading off something, which is very helpful for my future with whatever I do. This is a memory I know I will remember for years. My most joyous experience is honestly writing this post because it is the final one, I got through this class and finished everything on time and learned from it all. It is a big accomplishment finishing something and receiving good feedback on it all throughout the process. I’m most proud of my improvement from my first elevator pitch to my last.

3) At the beginning of the semester, I mentioned that I wanted each of you to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Now, at the end, do you see yourself as an entrepreneur? Do you think you have moved closer to developing an entrepreneurial mindset?
I don’t see myself as an entrepreneur right now at least, because I know that I want to work in already established advertising agencies in the near future, but this class has definitely made me think about opening up my own business in the future maybe. I never thought I would want to have my own business, but this class has made me consider it. I have definitely moved closer to developing that entrepreneurial mindset.

4) What is the one recommendation you would make to the students who are going to journey down this path in the future? What would you recommend they do to perform best in this course? What would you recommend they do to foster that mindset?
One recommendation I have is to make sure that the business concept you choose in the beginning is really going to be one that you will want to expand upon and spend a lot of time on for the rest of the semester. I am thankful that I really do believe in my straw business concept and think it really could work! I would have been upset working on something that I didn’t really like or believe in for a whole semester. I think you must look at the assignments early in the week to estimate how much time you need for them in order to do well in this class. It isn’t one that you can always leave everything to the last minute. I think to foster the entrepreneurial mindset they should really believe in their product and treat it like it is something they will really create and start up in the future.

29A- Venture Concept No. 2

1. Venture Concept Edits
Opportunity: 1.) Who has the need?

Every restaurant business and individual who uses disposable straws and cares about their impact on the environment has a need for my product concept. Many coastal cities are banning plastic straws, so a lot of these restaurants will need an alternative like mine. As well as any restaurant or individual who wants to stop using plastic straws for their own moral reasons, not just because they are banned.

2.) The nature of the need:

Plastic straws are one of the top ten trash items found on beaches, sea life can injure themselves from ingesting them and they are harmful to the ecosystem because of this. Making a simple switch in the material used to make disposable straws can make a huge impact on the reduction of waste in our environment. There is a huge movement going on now where people want to ban the use of plastic straws in restaurants and anywhere that they are used, this relates to and supports the creation of my product in order to be the solution to this need.

Changes in the environment that created this opportunity are all the publicity of how bad climate change is and how much of an impact humans have on the negative environmental problems we are seeing in the world. Adding trash and plastic to our oceans only worsens these issues, so people have started to really care and create a movement to stop using disposable plastic straws. The market is all the U.S. and internationally, though it is mainly focused along the coast where people pay more attention to the effect on beaches and ocean life. I want to stick within the U.S. in the beginning to build awareness in the states before I try and spread my product worldwide though. People currently use plastic straws to satisfy their need for a disposable straw, a lot of restaurants and individuals are very set in their ways of using plastic straws because they have for so long. People are going to have to start caring more about our impact on the environment, and this is a great start. I think this window of opportunity will be open indefinitely. This will still be needed for years to come because changes need to be made for our world’s well-being. The wave of the movement to ban plastic straws may be a shorter trend, but the need will always be there.

Innovation: My innovation is a product that will replace plastic straws, it will be biodegradable and recyclable. Plastic straws are neither of these and can end up in our oceans forever. My product will be made of corn and hemp materials. These materials are so much better than plastic because they work in the same way and are plastic-like but can be recycled or will simply biodegrade if they are thrown out into the environment. My straws can still be made into fun shapes, colors, etc. which will make them even more of a likable product for individuals at home, for parties, events, etc. Paper straws are the current alternative to plastic straws, but they are not as durable and begin to fall apart when in liquid too long. My straws sold to individuals through grocery stores and other retail locations will sell in packs of 100 for $4.99, 200 for $6.99, or 500 for $11.99. For restaurants, bars, etc. who are buying in bulk, my straws will cost $22 per case of 1000 straws and the price will lower per case the more a business buys in bulk at once.

Venture Concept: My product solves the problem I stated and addresses the opportunity I found because it is an environmentally-friendly alternative to the plastic straw. It will reduce the amount of trash dumped into our oceans daily. Customers will buy and switch to my product because of its benefits to the environment, and because it is priced competitively to normal plastic straws. Why would an individual or company buy straws that harm our environment over ones that don’t for almost the exact same price and work the same way? It shouldn’t be hard to convince people to buy my straws over normal plastic straws or paper ones because of how well they work and how inexpensive they are. The hardest part will be building awareness of my new product, letting people know that it exists. My competitors are plastic straw companies, paper straw companies, reusable straw companies and anyone else making disposable straws that are less harmful to the environment than plastic straws. Their weaknesses are that they are harmful to ocean life, fall apart once left in a drink too long, are a hassle to clean or aren’t recyclable or biodegradable.

Packaging will be important for the retail sales to individual consumers, I will need to make sure it pops out on the shelf and clearly explains the benefits of my straws to the environment over my competitors. Packaging doesn’t matter as much for bulk sales to restaurants, as long as the product arrives safe and unharmed. Price needs to stay in the same range as most plastic straw options. I will also make sure I have great customer support and distribution. I would start out small until I got into those big retail stores and build relationships with big companies in the food and beverage industry, then grow when necessary and hire only the number of employees I need in order to keep up with demands and still keep costs low. I want to keep my facilities and work inside the U.S in order to create more jobs for U.S. citizens and help the job market here rather than exporting it out to cheap labor in Asia.

Three Minor Elements 1.) My most important resource is how there is a movement happening now where people want to stop the use of plastic straws, this proves that there is a market for my product. All I need to do is be the first brand out there with this straw product made from hemp and corn.

2.) The next venture would be to expand the product line and begin making disposable cups, plates, silverware, etc. out of this material too because of its benefits from being biodegradable.

3.) In five years if I pursued this venture, I would want to see restaurants all along the east coast using my product instead of plastic straws. In ten years, I would want them to be in every restaurant in America. Also, I would want to see that expanded product line created and selling as well.

2. Summary of Feedback
All together I only received positive feedback on my last Venture Concept and on What’s Next posts. Commenters agreed that people are beginning to care more about their impact on the environment than everyone used to years ago, so my product is a great step towards helping people become greener. Someone also said how I had a great business plan for looking into the future. Someone else mentioned how it was a great idea to get my product into schools. Having teachers teach their young students about the importance of reducing waste in our environment, he thinks this is a great way to shape our youth into caring more about our planet and their effect on it. Others also agreed that hospitals and schools were a great place to sell too other than just restaurants and bars, etc. Also, someone liked how I thought about expanding my business into disposable plates, cups, etc. because it would be great for individual’s parties, barbeques, etc.

3. How I Changed my Venture Concept
I didn’t really receive any negative feedback or constructive criticism on my posts, so I critiqued myself and made changes that I thought were necessary. Overall, I changed the wording in a lot of places to make my ideas and concepts come across more clearly. I made sure to change who has the opportunity to only people who have a need for disposable straws, because this is not everyone. I added more detail to what my innovation is section. I added how I want to make my straw product in many different, shapes, colors and sizes so I can reach a broad audience. I added how reusable straws are also a competitor of mine, and clarified some of the details of my prices and sizes that I want to sell. Finally, I added how I want to keep my business within the U.S. so I can do my part to help create more jobs in our country rather than outsourcing cheap labor.

4. Illustration

28A- Your Exit Strategy

1) Identify the exit strategy you plan to make. Do you intend to sell your business in the next 5 years for a large return? Do you intend to stay with the business for several decades and retire? Do you intend to protect the venture as a family business, and pass it down to your children?
I think it is very hard to decide an exit strategy without knowing how the business turns out and how America and beyond responds to my business. Assuming it is a big success and does great things for reducing the amount of yearly plastic thrown into our oceans, I would love to keep my business in the family and grow it until everyone in the world is using straws made of hemp and corn and plastic straws are obsolete. I would love for my children to continue the venture I grew and started from the ground up.

2) Why have you selected this particular exit strategy?
I selected this exit strategy because I think my product could do great things for the environment. We really need to start caring more about the harm we are doing to our planet and reduce the negative effects we have on earth if we want to keep it a safe and healthy place to live. I think my product is just one great step towards that happening and I’d hope that if it is successful, my children would want to continue that and maybe use this business to find other ways to help reduce waste on our planet.

3) How do you think your exit strategy has influenced the other decisions you've made in your concept? For instance, has it influenced how you have identified an opportunity? Has it influenced your growth intentions or how you plan to acquire and use resources?
I think my exit strategy has influenced my other decisions because it has always been my end goal to have my product completely replace plastic straws and help reduce plastic in our environment. This end goal is the number one thing that gave me the idea for this product in the first place and made me realize our need for such a product. It has also influenced my intentions for growth because I started with the idea for just America, and now I could see the whole world using my product and needing it.

27A- Reading Reflection No. 3

Book: How to fail at almost everything and still win big — Scott Adams
1) What was the general theme or argument of the book?
The general theme of this book is how to become successful by going about life in a different way. Adams talks about tips on how to stay motivated, keep your energy up and go about building your life around systems instead of goals. He thinks goals are just a series of failures until the day you reach the goal, but systems focus you on a plan of what you’re going to try to do every day, so that every day is a win instead of a fail. He thinks you need to have a reason to get out of bed every morning, if its not your job you have to find side gigs that you’re excited about. The whole book focuses on ways to simply better yourself and change your perspective in order to stay happy and motivated.

2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?
The book connects to ENT3003 because if you follow the tips and tricks Adams talks about in his book, it will make an entrepreneurial adventure that much better. Instead of focusing on an end goal for the business idea, just using a system like a game plan will make the process that much more fulfilling.

3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
I would create an exercise for students to come up with a system of their own. I would have them change a goal they have for their entrepreneurial idea into a system. Like if they want to have sold $100,000 in sales in the first year, just come up with a system of day to day what to do to better their business instead of focusing all their energy on that one end goal.

4) What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?
I think the biggest surprise from this book was when he talked about the order of priorities he believes in for your life. He says it is important to put your health, exercise, and overall self first, then your economics, then your friends and family, etc. I was surprised because a lot of people may say this sounds like a selfish idea, but I totally understand where Adams is coming from and agree with it. You must be happy with yourself and your economics first, or else you will become a burden on your friends and family. If you are happy with yourself you will be a better friend/family member/ member of society to others.

26A- Celebrating Failure

1.) I failed at getting into the Agency at UF. I applied hoping to get more advertising experience during my senior year before I entered the workforce post-graduation. I did my best on my application, made my resume the best it could be, got pointers from people I knew in the Agency and still didn’t even get an interview. After receiving my rejection email I asked why they did not take me so I could get some constructive criticism, and they never gave any real advice or information that I could learn from. This was a hard hit because I really thought I was going to get in. I also was mad that they didn’t give me any constructive criticism on my application or resume.

2.) Even though I didn’t get in or receive any constructive criticism from the Agency, I still learned from this experience. Them choosing to not give me a chance or help me learn from why I wasn’t chosen, I learned that you aren’t always going to be given other’s time to learn from. That’s a learning experience all in its own. I learned that doing free work isn’t always the best for your future either, I ended up being happy that I wasn’t in the Agency for my senior year because of this. I also learned that you won’t get the positions you always want, learning to accept rejection from this was very important for me.

3.) I was very angry after learning I wasn’t given a chance for the position I applied for in the Agency, but I learned from my failure and it has made me better at accepting rejection. I wasn't angry anymore after I accepted that rejections will happen. My perspective on failure is that it is hard, but its inevitable. I think it is even more important to apply for everything I want, because even if I fail at getting in, at least I tried and I can learn from it and make myself better for the next one.

25A- What's Next?

Existing Market
1.) Whats next in terms of product: I want to expand my product line and also make disposable cups, plates, and silverware out of the same hemp and corn material that I will make my straws out of.

2.) Interviews:

Female, age 21

She said how I should be making other disposable products out of this same material like party cups and plates. She loved the idea of using this material because it is not only recyclable, but also biodegradable. A lot of plastic cups and plates aren’t. I told her how I was planning on doing this and silverware as well and she loved the idea.

Male, age 22

He suggested making to-go boxes out of the material as well as disposable cups and plates. I told him how I was thinking about the same things plus silverware and thought the to-go boxes were a great idea. He loved all of my ideas and my whole business concept.

Female, age 20

She suggested to also think outside of the food and beverage industry, she is a pre-med student and thought that disposable gloves could also be made of this material maybe. I thought this was a great idea and told her that I had only thought of disposable cups, plates and silverware. She also thought these were good options too.

3.) After my interviews, I think I definitely want to stick with the food and beverage industry supplies first in order to get my business going. After straws, I will broaden my product line into to-go boxes, cups, plates, and silverware as well. Then maybe in the future look into other industries, such as medical, for gloves and other potential items.

New Market
1.) A different market that I could target my product to would be schools and hospitals. I was only thinking about individuals in the retail space and business in the food and beverage industry like restaurants, fast food, bars and coffee shops. Hospitals have to give beverages to all of their patients, plus at their cafeteria. Schools and colleges do the same at their dining halls.

2.) Interviews

Female, age 51

I interviewed my friend’s mom who is a nurse and works in a hospital. She loved my product and business idea and thought that it would be a great product for all hospitals because they go through so many straws every day. She thinks it would be an easy switch from plastic straws to my product and the patients wouldn’t even notice. She doesn’t think I need to change the product at all.

Female, age 25

I spoke to my boyfriend’s sister who is a kindergarten teacher. She loved the idea of using straws in her school, and every other school and college in America, that don’t put more waste into the environment. She thinks her students would love the idea and love knowing that they’re helping keep plastic out of ocean life. She also didn’t think I needed to change the product at all.

3.) I think these are two great markets for my product that I could reach outside of the food and beverage industry, but still stay B2B mainly. I am surprised that I didn’t think of these industries sooner. I think this assignment forced myself to think about options that I haven’t considered before, and it paid off.

Nothing really surprised me about my interviews, I can’t see anyone being against the idea of a product that reduces plastic waste in our oceans. My expectations were correct, both people I interviewed loved the idea. These markets seem just as attractive as the ones I have already considered. I think they could be a great additional target audience.

24A- Venture Concept No. 1

Opportunity:
1.) Who has the need?

Every restaurant business and individual who cares about their impact on the environment has a need for my product concept. Anyone who uses disposable straws needs my product. Many coastal cities are banning plastic straws, so a lot of these restaurants will need an alternative like mine. As well as any restaurant or individual who wants to stop using plastic straws for their own moral reasons, not just because they are banned.

2.) The nature of the need:

Plastic straws are one of the top ten trash items found on beaches, sea life can injure themselves because of them and they are harmful to the ecosystem. Making a simple switch in the material used to make disposable straws can make a huge impact on the reduction of waste in our environment. There is a huge movement going on now where people want to ban the use of plastic straws in restaurants, this relates to and supports the creation of my product in order to be the solution to this need.

Changes in the environment that created this opportunity are all the publicity of how bad climate change is and how much of an impact humans have on the negative environmental problems we are seeing in the world. Adding trash and plastic to our oceans only worsens these issues, so people have started to really care and create a movement to stop using disposable straws because of how bad they are. The market is all the U.S., internationally they may need this product as well, and it is mainly focused along the coast where people pay more attention to the effect on beaches and ocean life. People currently use plastic straws to satisfy their need for a disposable straw, a lot of restaurants and individuals are very set in their ways of using plastic straws because they have for so long probably. This is a huge opportunity because it is needed all across America, and beyond. People are going to have to start caring more about our impact on the environment, and this is a great start. I think this window of opportunity will be open indefinitely. This will still be needed for years to come because changes need to be made for our world’s well-being. The wave of the movement to ban plastic straws may be a shorter trend, but the need will always be there.

Innovation:
My innovation is a product that will replace plastic straws, it will be biodegradable and recyclable. Plastic straws do neither of these things and end up in our oceans forever. My product will be made of corn and hemp materials. These materials are so much better than plastic because they work in the same way and are plastic-like but can be recycled or will biodegrade if they are thrown out into the environment. Paper straws are the current alternative to plastic straws, but they are not as durable and begin to fall apart when in liquid too long. My straws sold to individuals through grocery stores and other retail locations will sell in packs of 100 for $4.99, 200 for $6.99, or 500 for $11.99. For restaurants, bars, etc. who are buying in bulk, my straws will cost $22 a case and the price will lower per case the more cases bought at once.

Venture Concept:
My product solves the opportunity I found because it is a environmentally-friendly alternative to the plastic straw. It will reduce the amount of trash dumped into our oceans daily. Customers will buy and switch to my product because of its benefits to the environment, and because it is priced competitively to normal plastic straws. Why would an individual or company buy straws that harm our environment over ones that don’t for almost the exact same price and work the same way? It shouldn’t be hard to convince people to buy my straws over normal plastic straws or paper ones because of how well they work and how inexpensive they are. The hardest part will be building awareness of my new product, letting people know that it exists. My competitors are plastic straw companies, paper straw companies, and anyone else making straws that are less harmful to the environment than plastic straws. Their weaknesses are that they are harmful to ocean life, fall apart once left in a drink too long, or aren’t recyclable or biodegradable.

Packaging will be important for the retail sales to individual consumers, I will need to make sure it pops out on the shelf and clearly explains how much better my straws are to the environment than my competitors. Packaging doesn’t matter as much for bulk sales to restaurants, as long as the product arrives safe. Price needs to stay in the same range as most plastic straw options. I will also make sure I have great customer support and distribution. I would start out small until I got into those big retail stores and got big customers in the restaurant industry, then grow when necessary and hire only the amount of employees I need in order to keep up with demands.

Three Minor Elements
1.) My most important resource is how there is a movement happening now where people want to stop the use of plastic straws, this proves that there is a market for my product. All I need to do is be the first brand out there with this straw idea made out of hemp and corn.

2.) The next venture would be to expand the product line and begin making disposable cups, plates, silverware, etc. out of this material too because of its benefits from being biodegradable.

3.) In five years if I pursued this venture, I would want to see restaurants all along the east coast using my product instead of plastic straws. In ten years, I would want them to be in every restaurant in America. Also, I would want to see that expanded product line created and selling as well.

23A- Your Venture's Unfair Advantage

Resources:

1. There is already a huge movement to stop using plastic straws nationwide, so I already have support and need from the public for a product like mine.
VRIN: This resource is extremely valuable, it ensures that there is a market for my product. It is also rare because it is hard to come up with products that have such a huge movement behind them, they don’t come by often. Others could possibly use this same movement and come out with my product first, but you can’t just copy a movement and make people believe in any product you come up with like mine. Other resources are similar but cannot substitute.

2. Many cities are banning plastic straws so there are already businesses who need a product like mine.
VRIN: This is very valuable, it forces many businesses to find an alternative to plastic straws and the only options really are paper or my product. It is rare for a ban to benefit a product as well as this one. You can’t copy or substitute this resource.

3. I already know of grocery bags being made out of the hemp and corn materials I want to use for my straws, so I know that the material works in the same way plastic does, I can create this similar product going off of theirs.
VRIN: This resource is semi-valuable, it is great knowing that this material works for creating plastic-like products, but it will be hard learning how these companies make their products. This resource is rare because not many products are made of this material. I hopefully will be able to copy this resource by learning how it is made and apply the same materials but in the shape of a straw instead of a bag. I can substitute this resource if I just find someone who can come up with a way to make the straws out of hemp and corn without the grocery bag company’s help.

4. I have a past restaurant owner in my network, which is very helpful in order to know what restaurants (my primary target audience) think about when buying a new product.
VRIN: This is semi-valuable, this is only one person’s opinion and can’t speak for the whole restaurant industry. This is not a very rare resource, there are a lot of restaurant owners. I can copy this resource by just finding a different restaurant owner to learn from, making it a resource that is easy to substitute too.

5. I have a person in my network who works at a company that also sells supplies to restaurant owners, meaning I can learn tips and tricks on how to sell to my target audience.
VRIN: This is a valuable resource, it is hard to come by people who work in this industry who I personally know and will share information with me. This is a rare resource because I don’t know anyone else that works in the industry that supplies to restaurants. Others could copy this resource by finding someone else in this same industry through their own network. I can’t substitute this resource because I don’t know anyone else that would be a substitute.

6. I have a lot of personal skills that will set me apart from others and will make me successful in this startup. I am tenacious, passionate about the environment and business, and driven.
VRIN: I know myself and know that I will succeed at whatever I set my mind to, so I see myself as a very valuable resource. I think this is a rare resource because no one else is like me and has the same exact skills as I do. Others could copy this resource to an extent, there are many other people who are tenacious, passionate and dedicated as well. I could not substitute this resource because it is me.

7. I have a lot of people backing me and supporting me, they will be a huge part of pushing to make this product successful.
VRIN: This is a very valuable resource because without my support group I wouldn’t be able to be successful. It is not rare to have a great support group, a lot of others do as well. No one can copy my exact resource because they are unique and specific to me. I could not substitute this resource and find others who have known me for years and believe in me like my current friends and family do.

8. I have great resources in order to get into contact those who would be interested in financially backing this business idea.
VRIN: This is a valuable resource, I will need business loans to start my product design and business. It is not rare to find people who care about the environment and would want to possibly invest in my product idea. Others could copy this resource by finding their own financial support system. I could substitute this resource by getting bank loan instead or finding others to invest instead.

9. I will be frugal with my loans in starting up this product and focus on growing awareness of my product and the need of it without running through my finances quickly.
VRIN: This is a valuable resource, but only if I can stick to it and no unknown large expenses come up. It is semi-rare to be able to be financially smart with loans, many people spend money carelessly without thinking about the consequences. Others could copy this by also being financially smart. I could not substitute this resource.

10. I believe it will be easy to get free advertising and PR for this product because of its ability to create less plastic waste in our oceans, I believe many people will post on social media about it and spread the word without me spending a dime.
VRIN: This is an extremely valuable resource because advertising can be costly, so getting a lot of free PR is very helpful to a startup business. This is a rare resource because not every product has a good cause behind it that will get people talking about it for free word of mouth. Others can’t copy this resource unless they also have a product with a good environmental or social cause behind it. I can’t substitute this resource.


My top resource is my first one—how there is already a huge movement in America for people to stop using plastic straws in an effort to stop putting so much plastic into our environment. This is the most important resource over the others because it proves that there is a need for my product and people will be interested in buying it. There isn’t a great alternative on the market, so mine will shine through and hopefully will completely replace plastic straws in the future. This resource is my biggest asset because it is a sort of proof of concept and ensure that I have an audience for my product.

21A- Reading Reflection No. 2

1) What was the general theme or argument of the book? 

I read The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More by Chris Anderson. The general theme was about how its completely different nowadays with how you need to sell to the public due to technology advances in the past couple decades. It now makes more sense to sell a lot of products to reach many specific, niche markets instead of trying to come up with one big hit that everyone will want. The author, Chris Anderson, also talks about how easy it is now for anyone to produce and sell products because of how easy it is to access the internet and technology. For example, music software and websites to share it on are easily accessible to the public today, you don’t need a big recording studio to show off your musical talent. The long tail is related to supply and demand. It is all of the niche products that are out there that aren’t bought by a huge market, but because there are so many of them, they make up a long tail of thousands of items.

2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?
The book connects with our class because it gives a lot of tips and insights into people starting a business. It tells about the best ways to make more sales, which is by having a variety of products that will reach many markets, not just one. It makes you think about how much business and selling has changed in the past few decades. There used to be such limited options in products and ways to buy, but with all the technology we have now there are infinite ways. It is important to know this information if you are wanting to become an entrepreneur, or at least learn about it, which is what this class is all about.

3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
I would ask students to look up how things were sold in the 60s and 70s and compare it to today. Compare the business models and see what a difference technology has made on how businesses need to approach selling and who they should sell to.

4) What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?
I think the overall concept of how beneficial it is to have a lot of products and options for customers, because the more niche products you have, the more audiences you will reach. Having only one or a few products is like putting all your eggs in one basket and hoping that you reach the one target audience you want to reach before your competitor does.

22A- Elevator Pitch No. 3

1.) The Pitch

2.) Reflection: 

The only constructive criticism I received from the last pitch was simply to emphasize my final slogan and really sell it. The other comments about my last pitch were very positive. People thought it was good that I switched to record with my computer instead of my phone because they could hear me better, they thought I had more energy and emotion, and that they believed in my product and how I sold it. 

3.) What I changed based off my feedback: 

I made sure to make my final selling point, my sort of slogan, really stand out. I made sure to smile and put emphasis on my final words because that is what the viewer is left with remembering the most. I also think I performed better because I did have it almost completely memorized and was used to selling it on camera, so it felt more natural to me. I made sure to keep my energy up and stay engaged in order to keep my viewers interested in what I was saying. I definitely think this was my best pitch of the three.

20A- Growing Your Social Capital

1) One person must be a domain expert in your industry.
Rob Pollack who works at BDI which is a B2B business that supplies parts to other businesses who need them. I chose Rob as my domain expert because even though his company sells different kinds of products, it is the same type of business. They stock supplies to other companies for them to use them to better their business. I found this person through my boyfriend, it is his uncle and I reached him through the phone. I asked Rob what he thought of my product idea and he thought it was great and that all restaurants on the beaches would want to use them. There was nothing I did in return except just have a conversation catching up. This person will be very helpful to have in my network because he will be able to teach me great selling skills and ways to reach out to other businesses in a B2B market. I have never worked in a company like this and he has years of experience to share and help me.

2) One person must be an expert on your market.
Rosella Rossi used to own a restaurant in my hometown, Corned Beef Corner. Rosella fills the market expert slot because she used to be an owner of a company that is a target audience for my product. She knows all about being on the buying end of purchasing restaurant supplies and lives in a coastal town. I found this person through my father, she was a friend of his and I used to work at her restaurant when I was younger. I called and asked her about my product, what she thought, and if she would have used it in her business. She said she definitely would have, and thought it was the best alternative to plastic straws that restaurants could use. She would be great to have in my network because I could use her to learn about what my target market looks for in a supplier and learn from that.

3) One person must be an important supplier to your industry.
Ron Pollack works at CBI, Cheney Brothers, which is a business that sells food and restaurant supplies to food service companies. Ron fills the supplier slot because his company sells very similar products to the same target market that I have for my product. They sell disposable plastic supplies (along with many other products), such as cups, cutlery, straws, etc. These are very similar to my disposable straw product idea. I found Ron through my boyfriend as well, he is his father and I contacted him through the phone. I asked Ron what he thought of my product and he loved it. He thinks this is what all restaurants should be using instead of straws, especially in Florida because of our beautiful beaches where plastic highly effects. This person is great to have in my network because he is in a very similar business, he has been working there for years and could give me a lot of tips and tricks on how to deal with businesses in my target audience.

Reflect: This was a great experience that taught me to push to find people that can help me in specific ways, instead of waiting until I fall upon them. My networking experiences in the past have always been in person at events, like student organization meetings, company tours, etc. This was very different because I went into it seeking out specific people instead of meeting people from a large group.

19A- Idea Napkin No. 2

1) You. I am a senior advertising major at UF who is interested in account management in an advertising agency in the future. My talents include being very organized, great people skills, and able to handle a lot on my plate while still being able to meet deadlines. My friends and family describe me as very organized and dedicated as well which further makes me believe I am. I have experience managing a team from my internship this past summer when I lead a team of interns on a nonprofit campaign for a client. I think my skills and experiences would allow me to do very well with making my business concept successful. It would be a great addition to my life and I would be able to handle balancing my work and life well because its something I’ve had to do in the past as well.

2) What are you offering to customers?
My product is a plastic-like straw that is made from corn and hemp materials making it recyclable and biodegradable, unlike regular one-time use plastic straws. My product will make a huge difference in the environment if it is adopted by all restaurants, coffee-shops, bars, individuals, etc. I believe this will solve customer’s needs for a straw that doesn’t fall apart in their drinks (like paper straws) or hurts the environment and ocean life.

3) Who are you offering it to?
My primary target audience for this product is business owners who sell beverage products at their locations. This includes restaurants, fast food chains, coffee shops, bars, etc. These customers will buy my product in bulk and use them very often, this is good for my business and the environment because one restaurant location can use thousands of plastic straws a year. My product will stop this plastic from going into the environment. My second target audience is individuals who use one-time use straws at home. My customer is most likely a college student, age 21, who likes using straws to make mixed drinks with at home before going out. They are most likely female and buy their straws from wherever they grocery shop.

4) Why do they care?
My customers will pay for my product because many businesses are caring more about their footprint on the environment because their own customers care about it more. It would look very good to their customers if they used a biodegradable option instead of one that hurts our ocean life, especially restaurants along the coast.

5) What are your core competencies?
My core competencies are that I am very creative, passionate, and dedicated. If I set my mind to something, I will get it done. If I set out to make this business opportunity happen I know that I would be successful. I believe it is a good product that the world genuinely needs.

I believe these five elements fit very well together. I don’t see any aspect of my business plan that doesn’t fit in or is weak. I think this is an idea that could really take off, and I think it is something that my target audience would really get behind. People are realizing that we need to do something about our negative effects on this planet, and this is a big step towards making that happen.

Feedback Memo: One piece of feedback that I thought about when doing this idea napkin is the feedback I got from my friends and family about me. It was great hearing a lot of the things I thought about myself proven by the people who know me best. They also said some things that I never thought of, like how my dad mentioned I’m a good leader because of my experience in JROTC in high school. Another piece of feedback that has been very helpful is different audiences that I hadn’t considered to target. I realized there were a lot of places I hadn’t thought of until someone I interviewed pointed them out, such as coffee shops and fast food restaurants.

18A- Create a Custom Avatar

My customer avatar is a 21-year-old girl who is a junior in college. She is in a sorority so some of her hobbies include Greek life events, other hobbies of hers include going to her college’s sporting events, going out with friends, throwing parties at her apartment with friends, shopping and volunteering. She likes buying one-time use straws for when she has parties at her apartment with her friends, so they can all use them to mix drinks. She drives a silver 2016 Ford Focus and enjoys watching Riverdale, Stranger Things, and any other current popular TV show that streams on Netflix or Hulu. She is a Democrat (who will be voting on November 6th like everyone else should) and enjoys staying up to date on current events and important news.

I have a lot in common with my customer avatar, I am also a 21-year-old in college and have a lot of other similarities to the avatar’s personality that I listed. I don’t buy one-time use straws much, but I can see myself in the segment I would want to target for my product. I think it makes sense that I based my avatar off of myself some because of this.

17A- Elevator Pitch No. 2

1.) Pitch
Elevator Pitch No. 2

2.) The feedback I received last time was mainly people telling me how I needed to better my sound quality because it was hard to hear, and that I didn't seem excited enough about my product. Nothing about the feedback surprised me too much, I realized this is all points that I needed to work on for my next pitch. The most useful feedback was the person who said I didn't sound very excited about my product, it made me realize to focus more on how I'm saying things not only what I'm saying.

3.) I recorded my video with my computer instead of my phone, I think this made it a lot easier to hear me in the video. I also tried to seem more enthusiastic about my product and talk with more passion and less robotic.

16A- What's Your Secret Sauce?

My list: 

1.) I am very creative and like to think outside of the box when I am presented with a problem.
2.) I am a natural leader and love delegating work in a group to make sure that we all achieve our final goal.
3.) I am a friendly person and try to get along with anyone.
4.) I am very organized and make sure to never miss a deadline.
5.) I am an emotionally strong person and it takes a lot for me to not be able to handle a situation.

Interview Recordings Link: 
Interviews 

Interview #1 (Friend- Caroline, age 21) Caroline said how I’m a great people person, am a to-the-point person, and am good at staying composed in any high-stress situation. She also commented on my skills in advertising since that is the industry I want to go into.

Interview #2 (Friend- Aly, age 21) Aly said how I’m good at giving feedback and constructive criticism to others. She also mentioned how I am a friendly, people person and when it comes to work, I don’t let my emotions get to me. She commented on my real-world knowledge, most likely in reference to my past internships.

Interview #3 (Boyfriend- Alex, age 22) Alex commented a lot on how organized I am as a person, which helps with how I interact with others especially in a team setting. He also said how I am a great problem solver and am very committed to figuring out a solution to any problem I’m given. He mentioned my extensive experience as well.

Interview #4 (Father- Stuart, age 53) My dad mentioned how I am ethical and a hard worker. He also said how I have great leadership and communication skills, especially from me doing JROTC all throughout high school. He mentioned how I am an emotionally strong person and am very knowledgeable from doing well through school my whole life.

Interview #5 (Friend- Niki, age 21) Niki said how I am very creative and think out of the box. Skills she mentioned are how I’m outgoing and have great communication skills. She talked about how I’m good at working under pressure and have great knowledge in social media advertising, etc.

Reflection: I think how I see myself and how others see me is very similar, all the things I listed were mentioned by the people I interviewed. I don’t see a big difference in how I assessed myself and how others assessed me, there were a few things others mentioned that I hadn’t thought of though. I think they are correct about me because it is very similar to what I said. It was really nice hearing others agree on a lot of the things I thought about myself like my people, leadership and organizational skills, etc. I wouldn’t change my list from part one at all.

15A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Interview #1 (Female, age 20) She said when buying straws for her apartment price matters the most, she doesn’t really see a difference in one-time use straws quality. As for style, she likes to choose ones with fun bright colors. She only buys in store with cash or her debit card, usually at Publix she said. She said she doesn’t really ever think back to the purchase because it is such a low-cost item. She knows it’s a good idea when she pours a beverage at home and wants a straw to drink it with.

Interview #2 (Male, age 19) He said that the price is the only factor he cares about when buying one-time use straws. The style or quality doesn’t make a difference to him. He only buys with debit card at where he grocery shops in-store, either Publix or Walmart. What matters most to him is that it’s a big enough pack that lasts him a long time, so he doesn’t have to repurchase often. He knows it’s a good purchase because he uses them often and are very useful to him.

Interview #3 (Female, age 21) She says the price and style matter to her, not really quality. She likes pretty colored straws that are cheap. She only buys this product in store (Publix) and buys with debit or credit card only. What matters most to her is that they come in big packs because she uses them often when mixing drinks at home. She is starting to think it is a bad purchase and says after she finishes the big pack she currently has she’ll probably switch to reusable straws after learning how bad the one-time use ones are for the environment.

Conclusions
I would describe this segment (college students who buy reusable straws) in terms of alternative evaluation as price being the biggest deciding factor. I think as long as the price is low, college students would buy my reusable straw alternative. As for purchase decision, I think college students would only buy my product if it was in grocery stores where they already do their food shopping. Finally, as for post-purchase evaluation, as long as I make my product in large quantity packs and they work the same as regular plastic straws, there will be no complaints.

13A- Reading Reflection No. 1

I read Coco Chanel’s biography by Lisa Chaney. The thing that surprised me the most about her was her childhood and upbringing. She had such a hard life, and I had no idea. Her father was never there for her and her mother died when she was only 12 years old, so she had to live the rest of her childhood growing up in catholic convent. After the convent, life was still hard for Gabrielle (Coco) because she was born poor and in a low social class, meaning it was hard for her to make money without finding a man to help take care of her. I never knew how hard of a life Coco Chanel led before her fame and success. I admire how she overcame a life where people viewed her as poor and low-class, and instead of living off of men, she wanted to make something of herself and gain influence over others. I least admire how she lied and kind of bent the truth about a lot of her background and early childhood throughout her life because she was embarrassed. I hate liars and I think if she didn’t want people to know about something she should have just not discussed it instead of lying. Gabrielle experienced adversity throughout the beginning of her first hat business for sure because she had to convince her lover at the time to invest in her, and people of her status didn’t usually work so it was very unusual.

Gabrielle’s main competencies were that she was determined, and once she set her mind to something she wouldn’t give up until she was great at it. One thing that was confusing to me was all of the French words throughout the book, I know nothing about France so all of the French places, sayings and words used often throughout the book were pretty confusing to me. If I were to ask any two questions to Gabrielle, I would ask—what her one regret in life was? And what advice would she give someone at the beginning of their career? I think Gabrielle’s opinion of hard work is that it is necessary if you want to succeed in life. Everything she did she worked so hard for, she never settled for anything other than first place.

14A- Halfway Reflection

Some behaviors that I have that have helped me keep up with the course and not miss any assignments is my strive to do the best that I possibly can. I never want to feel like I am not putting my all in, especially in school. I am also a very grateful person, I received a full-ride scholarship to go to this school, so I always make sure to do the best possible work I can in order to make the most out of my time here. From this course, I have developed more of a desire for routine which helps me ensure that I never miss a deadline for this course or any others. I like that this class is very structured, and the assignments are due the same time each week, it pushes people to get into a routine of getting things done on time.

One moment I felt like giving up was actually for the other assignment due this week which requires us to read a biography. I immediately thought, “I don’t want to read an entire book for this one assignment I’m not going to do this.” Then, I read the list of book options and realized there are many people on the list that I would enjoy learning about their lives and how they became so hugely successful. This really perked me up and got me excited for the assignment instead of dreading it.

I think I’ve developed a tenacious attitude this year because it is my senior year. This class has helped with it but I mainly think it is because I am getting closer to the real world and am getting very excited for it. I know in my career I won’t be able to slack off like I did sometimes in past years as a student, and I don’t think I will want to because I will be working in what I want to—Advertising. My internship over the last summer and the reality that this is my last year at UF is what really contributed to this new feeling of tenacity in me.

Some tips I would give to students for next semester is to remember why you are doing all of this. Taking this course, going to this school—its all for a huge payback in the end that will help you in the next step in your life journey, so why not enjoy it and do the best at it while you can? Developing the tenacious mindset really just takes you believing in you and what you can accomplish. Don’t stop at acing this class, ace all of your others, and ace everything you set your mind to. That’s my advice!

12A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

Interview #1: Male, 22-years old
He becomes aware of his need for a one-time use straw when he orders a drink out somewhere, in a restaurant, coffee shop, etc. He also becomes aware when he shops and is out of them at home because his girlfriend likes having them in the house. He usually just uses whatever straw the establishment he’s at has, or just buys the cheapest ones when shopping at the grocery store. As for sources of information, since its such a small item he doesn’t seek out information about the products. Although, he said if he saw my product on the shelves he would probably look up the benefits of it on his phone while in the store and probably buy my straws because of their benefit to the environment.

Interview #2: Female, 20-years old
She becomes aware of her need for a straw every time she drinks anything, at home or out. She knows she needs more for her home when she sees she is running low. Although she loves using straws, ever since she learned about how bad that plastic is for our oceans she has stopped using them (in and out of her home). She sometimes uses the washable straws at home, but says they are a hassle to clean. For sources of information, she just has googled and has found expensive biodegradable options, but nothing that is recyclable or comes in pack options for individuals’ homes. She loved the product I came up with because it wouldn’t only be targeting businesses, but also would be available for individuals in stores. If she saw my product in stores she would research it and most likely buy them to keep in her purse to use at restaurants and keep at home for drinks there.

Interview #3: Female, 22-years old
She becomes aware of her need for a plastic straw every time she gets a beverage out and when she drinks her smoothies she makes every morning. She knows she needs to buy more when she is low or realizes she has run out. She always has one-time use thick smoothie straws at home because smoothie is hard to wash out of reusable ones and she hates drinking smoothies without straws. She doesn’t research or seek information for the straws she buys at the grocery store, she just makes sure that they are thick enough to use for her thick smoothies. She says that if the alternative straw I came up with had a smoothie-straw size option she would definitely look into it and try it if it wasn’t too much more expensive than the ones she usually buys.

Conclusion: After interviewing the three people I found in the segment I chose (college students who buy straws for their homes), I learned that once they realize they are low or out they will buy more from the grocery store for the most part. They all said they since straws are not a big-purchase item, they don’t do any research into what they are buying they usually just go off price. Although, if they heard about my product or saw it in the store they would all look it up and most likely go with my option because of its advantages for the environment because it is recyclable.

11A - Idea Napkin No. 1

1.) You. – My talents include delegating in a team setting and making sure that everyone is on task and of our goals are met by their deadline, I am a very organized and dedicated person. My skills are creativity, hard worker, team player, and that I am highly motivated. I have experience in leading a team and working with clients. I am interested in account management in advertising, which means I am an organized person who works hard to make sure to meet others needs. If I were to attempt my business idea my aspirations for it would be to get every business that sells beverages to use my biodegradable, recyclable straws instead of regular plastic.

2.) What are you offering to customers? – My product would solve customers needs by providing an alternative, one-time use straw that replaces plastic straws that are bad for our environment. This isn’t a straw that consumers would have to reuse, so it wouldn’t cause any extra effort on their part. Businesses could feel good using this straw knowing that they can recycle it or it will simply biodegrade hundreds of years faster than normal straws.

3.) Who are you offering it to? – My customers would be two types: individual consumers who buy straws at the store and business owners who sell beverages. Individual consumers demographics are most likely parents with children, college students who use straws for parties, or other individuals who enjoy using straws in their home. Any business that currently uses plastic straws to give their customers would be someone who I would offer this product to.

4.) Why do they care? – My customers would care to buy my product over regular plastic straws because they are also one-time use, so they are just as convenient, but they don’t have the same negative effects on the environment once they are thrown away. Businesses would especially care because they could advertise in their restaurant, bar, etc. that they use straws that are recyclable and biodegradable. This would be a big plus to customers who care about the environment which would make them want to go back to their establishment over others who maybe don’t use my product. Individuals would buy my product for the same reason—so they don’t add plastic to the environment from their home.

5.) What are your core competencies? – I am different from my competition because no one else produces straws out of the material I have suggested for my product. It would be the first of its kind that is one-time use and doesn’t negatively affect the environment like plastic straws.

I think all these elements fit together very well, I honestly think my product could really work and people would want to buy and use it. Some weaker aspects of my product idea though are that it might be hard to find a manufacturer for my straws that would allow me to price them competitively against regular plastic straws. I think that unless they are around the same price as regular straws, many people and businesses wouldn’t spend the extra money for my alternative.

10A- Elevator Pitch No. 1

9A- Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Interview #1: Female, 20 years old

She thinks one business that might not use the product is mom-and-pop restaurants. She thinks they are just so small and won’t have the expenses to seek out an alternative product for the plastic straws they already use, especially if they are more expensive. She thinks the need for a different type of straw is unique, but similar to the need for us to stop using so much plastic in general. She thinks these small restaurants still have the need, but just probably won’t act on using the solution I came up with because it will probably be too expensive.

Interview #2: Female, 22 years old

She thinks a lot of dive bars will fall out of the boundary because they are so small and may not be worrying about this social movement to find an alternative to the straws they already use. She says how she goes to a lot of bars like this and they haven’t tried to minimize their use of straws since the movement started and doesn’t think they’ll do much about it in the future. She also mentioned how there needs to be better alternatives to the plastic cups bars use, or they need to start recycling. The dive bars have the need, but she just thinks they won’t do anything about it.

Interview #3: Male, 21 years old

He thinks people have been over-worrying about this movement and that there are much bigger things to worry about and effort to put into that will have a higher impact than changing materials for straws. He thinks many people who buy straws in the store to have at home won’t purchase an alternative option at the grocery store if they are more expensive, which he is expecting my idea to be. He thinks this need is very similar to others that also effect our oceans negatively. He thinks people need to recycle more and protect our beaches in other ways too. He thinks the people he mentioned have the need technically for the alternative straw, he just won’t think they will buy them if they are significantly more expensive.

Interview #4: Male, 22 years old

He wasn’t really sure who wouldn’t want to use an alternative to plastic straws because it helps the environment, but just said he guesses anyone who doesn’t care enough to look into an alternative. He thinks this is very similar to the need for people who use Styrofoam to find an alternative because it is also very back for our environment if its not disposed of properly. He doesn’t think anyone is without this need, it’s just about whether they are willing to look for an alternative or not.

Interview #5: Female, 21 years old

She thinks everyone needs an alternative to plastic straws but the people who won’t use the alternative I came up with are those who are just ignorant to how much of an effect it has on our environment and therefore won’t look for or use an alternative. She thinks this could be restaurant owners, bar owners, or just individuals. This need is relative, but different to people needing to stop using plastic cups/silverware, etc. but its different because those items can be recycled while a lot of straws cannot. She wishes everyone would use an alternative to plastic straws but doesn’t think it’s feasible.

Summary:

Overall, I still think I have a great idea that could work and help our environment greatly even if every restaurant and individual doesn’t use my alternative straws. It will still cut down on so much plastic found in our oceans that never biodegrades and can’t be recycled. Learning from my interviews, it sounds like everyone could use my alternative straws its just a matter of who will actually put in the money and effort into making the switch from plastic straws to my alternative.

8A- Solving the Problem

1.) Selected Opportunity: Plastic straws can’t be recycled like a lot of other plastics and millions of them are thrown away daily which negatively effects our environment—especially our oceans and coasts. Plastic straws are used in restaurants, fast food establishments, coffee shops, and many others. They are also used by people at home and in juice drinks that can be purchased in the grocery store. There is a need for an alternative that can be recycled, reused, or biodegradable in order to stop the negative affects plastic straws have on our environment. 

2.) My Solution: The product I believe will help solve this problem is to create a straw out of hemp and corn because it is biodegradable and therefore won't have negative environmental effects on our oceans and coasts. The plastic-like material is made from natural ingredients that can biodegrade, leaving no negative trace on our environment, and can also be recycled (unlike normal plastic straws) for a quicker positive effect. I think this is the best solution to this problem because it will be an easy way for establishments that sell beverages to switch from normal plastic straws to these all natural straws. That way, we won't have to rely on individuals to find an alternative because it will already be done for them wherever they purchase from. I think over time it should be a law to only use hemp materials instead of regular plastic for many products in the food and beverage industry. This will cut back on fossil-fuel emissions created from producing plastic products, and on normal plastic waste in our environment. 

7A- Testing the Hypothesis Part 1

Opportunity: Plastic straws can’t be recycled like a lot of other plastics and millions of them are thrown away daily which negatively effects our environment—especially our oceans and coasts.

The who: Plastic straw users, and restaurants/bars.

The what: There needs to be another type of straw to cut back on plastic straw usage.

The why: Plastic straws have been the regular choice in many restaurants and bars, so it is hard to make this change to a more environmentally-friendly straw.

Testing the who: Others who may be affected by this problem are hospitals, food trucks, food courts, and anywhere else that serves drinks with straws.

Testing the what: Other straw options, such as paper, may not hold up as well for an alternative. Other plastic items used in these places are bad for our environment too and other options for them may also need to be considered.

Testing the why: Many restaurants/bars and straw users may not want to give up their use of plastic straws. Many people may not look at this problem as that big of a negative effect on our environment.

Interview #1: 22-year-old male

He believes plastic straws are bad for our environment and is open to just stop using them altogether. He wouldn’t look for an alternative to plastic straws, rather he would just not use straws at all. He thinks companies that use straws a lot like fast food and coffee shops are most affected by the need for an alternative to plastic straws. He thinks people should just stop asking for straws at restaurants and that coffee shops and fast food places should start using those recyclable sippy-cup lids instead. He also thinks that plastic cups are just as bad for the environment when not recycled.

Interview #2: Male in his 50s
He thinks that they are bad for our oceans and he doesn’t really use straws often, so he’ll just stop using plastic straws. Other people/companies effected by the need for an alternative is children’s juice boxes/pouches that come with straws and fast food companies as well. He thinks an alternative should be made of hemp. He’s heard of places making alternatives to plastic bags out of hemp, which is biodegradable, and thinks this could work for straws too. Other products that have the same negative effect to our oceans are any other small plastic items people don’t think to/can’t recycle.

Interview #3: 21-year-old female
She also thinks straws have a negative affect and wants to buy one of the reusable, collapsible straws that have been invented. She thinks all restaurants and bars, and fast food places that automatically give out plastic straws are most affected by the need for an alternative. Alternatives she has considered as a solution are the reusable, collapsible straws, to just stop using plastic straws, to use paper straws, or use the recyclable sippy-cup lids. Also, she thinks people should be charged extra if they want to use a plastic straw like some places do for plastic bags. Another relatable product that has a similar negative affect that should be considered too is the plastic six-pack things that hold cans together, and plastic grocery bags.

Interview #4: 21-year-old female
She does think that there is a negative effect on the environment from plastic straws, but thinks people are over-reacting on how big of an affect it has on our oceans. She thinks efforts need to be focused on bigger problems, such as overfishing, etc. She would be open to an alternative method but only if the place of business provides it. She simply just won’t use plastic straws often otherwise. She thinks people who are affected by this problem is those with physical disabilities who need straws to drink from. That’s why she doesn’t want places of business to ban plastic straws altogether unless they have an alternative. Some alternatives she considers suitable are reusable straws and for places of business—paper straws. Other problems related to this one to be considered are plastic bags at grocery stores. She likes how some places charge for them and thinks that’s a good idea for plastic straws too.

Interview #5: 21-year old male
He thinks they have a negative affect on the environment and coming from a coastal hometown, the problem hits home. He says he never uses plastic straws at restaurants and hopes other businesses come up with an alternative to plastic straws. Some alternatives he’s thought of are paper straws, or people not asking for plastic straws and instead using a reusable straw they bring with them instead, or no straw at all. He thinks fast food places, restaurants, and people who enjoy drinking from straws are affected by the need for an alternative. Other problems he thinks are related to the issue plastic straws bring up are the use of Styrofoam in cups/plates, which is also very bad for the environment.

Summary: After all my interviews I see that there are a lot more people/companies that are affected by the problem I found a potential opportunity from. I did not consider coffee shops, fast food places, or people who need straws to drink because of physical disabilities. I heard a lot of great alternatives to plastic straws that I may not have considered either.

6A- Identifying Opportunities in Economic and Regulatory Trends

1. (Regulatory Changes) Predicting the next states to legalize marijuana

a. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/11/14/pot-initiatives-predicting-next-15-states-legalize-marijuana/860502001/

b. Though these states have not legalized recreational marijuana yet, it will most likely happen in the next few years. There is a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs in these states who want to get into the marijuana industry at its very start in these states after legalization passes.

c. The prototypical customer for this opportunity would be most likely anyone over the age of 21 who enjoys smoking marijuana recreationally.

d. I believe once recreational marijuana becomes legal, it will be relatively easy to start a business growing and selling in that state’s marijuana industry. I think so because there are already nine states plus Washington D.C. who have legalized recreational marijuana, so entrepreneurs learn from how others have done it in those states. Also, if a business enters the industry right after the law change, there will be huge room for growth because it will be such a new industry.

e. Why I saw this opportunity: I saw that this as an opportunity because I foresaw other states legalizing recreational marijuana when maybe others might not see that happening for a long time. The only thing from my experience that helped lead me to this decision is my desire for recreational marijuana to be legal statewide. I think it is wrong to imprison people for years for something that is legal in other places in our country, I think it could boost our economy, and I think it is a non-addictive, not dangerous drug that people should have the choice to use or not.

2. (Regulatory Changes) Climate change leading to more natural disasters

a. https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666 (this article for the research on how climate change leads to natural disasters) and https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/01/climate/trump-paris-climate-agreement.html (explaining how Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate accord in June, 2017)

b. I believe there is an opportunity for entrepreneurs looking into preventing damage from natural disasters. Since Trump has withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate accord, this act will only worsen climate change leading to more natural disasters that destroy homes, businesses and cities. Natural disasters including forest fires, flooding from rising sea levels, and hurricanes. Because of this, people will need to look more into flood-proofing and hurricane-proofing their homes along the coasts. Also, entrepreneurs can investigate ways to help prevent forest fires better as well. This is beneficial for entrepreneurs, but bad for our environment, cities, and properties.

c. The prototypical customer would be home owners along the coast who want to keep their home safe from natural disasters by preparing and disaster-proofing it. Another prototypical customer would be those who live near forests where fires are prevalent and want to find ways and products to help prevent wildfires.

d. I think the hurricane and flood proofing the homes for natural disasters along the coast is a fairly simple opportunity to exploit because those products already exist. I think finding ways to help prevent wildfires is a harder case to crack, but I think the opportunity is there.

e. I saw an opportunity because even though many people can see how Trump is against striving to protect our environment and prevent climate change, I think many people may not think to find opportunities from it. People will need entrepreneurs who are finding new ways to protect themselves and their properties from natural disaster. I am emotional about this subject because I want our earth to be protected and us not have to go to these measures to protect our forests and coasts, but because we are in this place I think it is necessary for entrepreneurs to find ways to protect people’s stuff.

3. (Economic Trend) Millennials have entrepreneurial opportunities because many Baby Boomers are staying longer in the workforce

a. https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666

b. I believe there is an opportunity here because this article explains how Baby Boomers are staying in the workforce longer instead of retiring because of the recession. This makes it harder for Millennials to move up in their careers when a lot of the positions are still being filled by the Baby Boomers. This leaves a great opportunity for Millennials to start their own businesses and become their own bosses instead of hunting for jobs in an overflowing workforce.

c. The prototypical customer will be whatever customer Millennials look to target with their entrepreneurial journey. I think a lot of Millennials will look to target other Millennials though because they know them best.

d. I think this opportunity is relatively easy depending on how Millennials choose to approach it.

e. I saw an opportunity from this because I know how a Millennial thinks, because I am one. I think a lot of Millennials won’t want to be told how to do their job by Baby Boomers who have been in the workforce longer than they maybe should be. Millennials are full of new ideas and will want to be able to express those without someone telling them how to do so.

4. (Economic Trend) Interest rates are rising so Millennials will most likely be renting more for longer

a. https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666

b. According to the article above, the Federal Reserve is getting close to its goal of raising the fed funds rate to two percent. If the economy isn’t entering a recession, they will continue to rise the interest rates. This means it will be more expensive to buy rather than rent, especially when it comes to mortgages. Millennials are still trying to get their foot in the door in their careers, meaning it will be very hard for them to afford an expensive mortgage with a high interest rate. I see an opportunity here for entrepreneurs to build lower rent apartments for Millennials. I think this is a great opportunity because there will be so many young adults looking to rent instead of buy at least until the interest rate lowers again.

c. The prototypical customer for this opportunity would be Millennials with an annual income of about $80,000 and below.

d. I think this is a relatively easy opportunity to exploit once buildings and locations are found for the apartments, because I believe the customer base is there and finding residents for the apartments wouldn’t be too difficult.

e. I think I saw an opportunity here that others might not have because I took something negative and looked at it in a more positive way. A lot of people would look at a high interest rate as a negative thing, but I found an opportunity from it. I have always tried to turn something negative into something beneficial instead of dreading the negative the whole time. I think this is what helped me come to this opportunity.

5A- Identifying Local Opportunities

1.) Wellington Seeks to Pass Smell Test on Manure Issue
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3APBPB%21Palm%2BBeach%2BPost%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0910%21September%2B10&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E5926507B1B230

Description: Wellington, Florida is a huge spot for the equestrian industry and this poses an issue (especially during peak equestrian season when the number of horses doubles in Palm Beach County) for the city in regard to dumping of manure.

Problem: Palm Beach County has to deal with about 193,000 tons of waste per year, this is a huge problem that the city has to deal with and ensure that all farmers are horse owners are bringing their manure to legal dump sites. They have been looking into solutions, but nothing has fixed it yet. There needs to be more facilities to process the manure but finding space is hard for that when citizens don’t want it near them because of the smell it will create. There also isn’t a lot of places to bring manure that people know about. I think there needs to be a manure pickup system, like our garbage system, that goes to farms to take the waste to proper dump sites.

Who has the Problem: The county of Palm Beach Florida’s citizens who don’t want to smell the manure near their homes, and horse owners who need an easier place to dump their horse manure legally and easily.

2.) Students deal with heat after A/C fails
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3APBPB%21Palm%2BBeach%2BPost%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0908%21September%2B08&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E4E9F4D182B250

Description: Students and teachers at Westward Elementary endured extreme heat in classrooms several times over a span of two weeks because of A/C malfunctions and shut offs. Parents were never notified of the A/C shut down and one student was treated for heat rash.

Problem: The A/C system in this elementary school is clearly not up to date or efficient to handle the heat and size of this school in order to keep hundreds of students and teachers cool. Having to teach and learn in an environment where students and teachers are overheating must make it nearly impossible to focus. Students should not have to stay in school during an A/C shut down because it could be bad for their health and isn’t helping them learn.

Who has the problem: Students, teachers and other staff at Westward Elementary in West Palm Beach, FL.

3.) Fire Destroys Lake Park Pantry that Fed 400 Families
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3APBPB%21Palm%2BBeach%2BPost%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0908%21September%2B08&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E4E9F4CF617448

Description: The Community Food and Clothing Pantry at the Bethlehem Baptist Church was completely gutted from a fire that was caused by an electrical short. It may take between three to six months to build another location on the church’s site for the service organization. They have $3,000 worth of Publix gift cards that were donated to help the families for the next few weeks in the meantime.

Problem: The location was destroyed along with all the service organization’s equipment, clothing and food. 400 families will be without their weekly food supply from the organization.

Who has the problem: The people who run the service organization, the Bethlehem Baptist Church, and the 400 families who go there weekly for food.

4.) Monitoring the lizard situation in Florida is a big job
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3APBPB%21Palm%2BBeach%2BPost%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0902%21September%2B02&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E2EE426FAF5DF0

Description: A man finds a 6-foot-long Nile monitor lizard in his backyard, it is one of many invasive species in south Florida. The large lizards are becoming more prevalent and eat small animals, meaning small cats and dogs can be at risk. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is trying to help with the epidemic and wants people to report when they see an invasive species.

Problem: The giant lizards begin breeding after age two and lay around 60 eggs at a time, meaning their numbers are rising quickly since they were first spotted in the 1990’s.

Who has the problem: Citizens living in south Florida having giant lizards pop up around them and their homes, and owners of small cats and dogs who can potentially be eaten by the Nile monitor lizards.

5.) Last straw? Not yet as town declines ban
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3APBPB%21Palm%2BBeach%2BPost%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0813%21August%2B13&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16DC56751E3F8BA8

Description: The town on Jupiter has landed on a town wide education campaign to encourage businesses, residents and visitors to stop using plastic straws to help stop their negative effects on our waters and beaches. Some are upset that the town came to an education campaign instead of an outright ban.

Problem: Single-use plastic straws are very bad for the environment and businesses and citizens need an alternative for when they order drinks out.

Who has the problem: Businesses and customers who have drinks in and outside of their homes who like to use straws.

4A- Forming an Opportunity Belief

1.) I believe that there is an opportunity that exists from the problem that there are never enough spots available for the number of students that want to study at the library.

2.) It can take a long time walking up and down stairs looking for a spot to sit at which wastes precious study time. There needs to be either more libraries on campus that are open for longer hours, or more tables in the unused areas in the current libraries, or more coffee shops with large study spaces need to open close to campus. College students have this need. The need has always existed that I know of from my experience. People may be choosing to study at home or go to far away coffee shops instead of wasting time trying to find a spot at the library. I am about 90% sure this opportunity exists.

3.) Three Prototypical Customers Interviewed

4.) Iterations

a. Prototypical Customer 1-
Has experienced the need for more study space on/near campus. Been aware since freshman year and it is a problem most of the time he has tried to go to the library to study. 5 years (as long as he has been a college student). Addresses the need by studying at home instead. Not satisfied with this solution because he focuses better at the library but its not worth the hassle.
b. Prototypical Customer 2-
Has also experienced the need for more places to study on campus because it sometimes has taken her up to 20 minutes to find a place in the library to study. She became aware of the need since she went to the library for the first time her freshman year of college and says she feels the need for more study space most of the time, but it depends on what time of the day you go. It has been a need for four years, since her start of college. Her solution has been to study at home or in off-campus coffee shops instead, she is pretty satisfied with this because she doesn’t care to study on campus anymore.
c. Prototypical Customer 3-
She has also experienced the need for more study space in her college’s libraries. She became aware her freshman year as well when she started studying in the libraries on campus. She is a senior, so she has been dealing with this issue for 4 years, the need arises when she tries to find a spot in the library at peak hours—the worst being around 5-6 she thinks. She addresses the need by trying to go at different times and just pushes through until she finds a spot to study. She is decently satisfied with this solution but wishes there were more tables and places to study on campus.

5.) Reflection: After speaking with my three college friends who I believe would be prototypical customers of the opportunity I found from the problem of there not being enough spots to study at in the libraries on college campuses, I really believe there is an opportunity here. The business opportunity would be for more coffee shops/restaurants to open near campus with large study spaces for students. Another opportunity is for colleges to open more libraries or utilize the space they have in their current libraries by putting more tables for students to study at. This would be a big positive for new students touring their campuses. The most surprising thing I found after speaking to the prototypical customer was seeing just how big of an opportunity this is because the need reached all of them and I think many more.

6.) Summary: I believe all of my original opportunity is still here even after speaking to all three prototypical customers. I think the opportunity is still just as accurate as when it started. I think entrepreneurs should adapt and take full advantage of this opportunity, but it may be a problem finding enough space to fully fulfill this opportunity. There will most likely be a trade off between entrepreneurs and students need for more study space on/near campus.

3A- Your Entrepreneurship Story

One encounter I’ve had with entrepreneurship is meeting my old boss Joe Del Cueto, who was an entrepreneur himself. He wrote a book about his life and I met him through the CJC and ended up working for him doing his social media for the book. This led to me interning at his company, DMG Solutions, last summer. DMG Solutions is his company he started in the early 2000’s after working for other people in the marketing industry for many years. He built the business into one making multi-millions of dollars through direct marketing in the US-Hispanic market. Joe had a hard upbringing filled with abuse, neglect, and death and he came out on the other side a successful entrepreneur with a booming business. Working with Joe taught me that anyone can be successful in owning their own business no matter what background they came from. He’s become my mentor and I have learned so much from him since our meeting. The picture above is of me and Joe on my last day of my internship this past summer.

I enrolled in ENT3003 to finish my business concentration for my advertising major. I chose this class because it sounded very interesting to learn what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur in case I decide to start my own business one day. I hope to learn tips and tricks for new business owners.

2A- Bug List

1.) I have to take my trash from my apartment to a big trash bin that's very far from my apartment each time to dump it.
- This problem exists because my apartment complex doesn't offer trash pick-up from the door, probably because it is too expensive to hire people to do that.
2.) I get too cold in my room but then my legs and feet get too hot when I go under the blanket.
- This is a problem because my blanket may be too heavy or the room may be muggy.
3.) Only car parking is lifted on campus after a certain time, not scooter parking so I could never ride my scooter to campus at any time while I wait for my decal to come in the mail.
- This may be because there are too many scooters in Gainesville and scooter parking would get too crowded later in the day.
4.) My boyfriend just started at NYU this year and tickets out of the Gainesville airport are a lot more expensive than other Florida airports so I have to drive far in order to fly out.
- This is probably true because Gainesville is a much smaller airport and so the prices have to be higher for it to make enough money to run.
5.) People in Gainesville don't know how to use roundabouts when driving.
- This bug exists because there are a lot of people from a lot of different places where roundabouts may not have been common so people don't know the proper way to use them.
6.) Ubers are very expensive on game days.
- This is a problem because there is such a high demand for ubers that the prices must be jacked up.
7.) There is a lot of traffic and no parking on game days.
- Because there are so many people visiting for UF football games that it gets extremely crowded.
8.) There is never tables in the library to study at.
- So many students use the library that it gets over crowded making it very hard to find a spot.
9.) There is no student parking near UF main campus.
- This is because they don't build enough parking garages that can fit the demand for student parking so students have to use scooters or buses to get to campus.
10.) Buses to UF campus don't always time up well with classes meaning you end up being super early or super late for your class.
- There may not be enough buses for each route that students use often to align with the times they are needed.
11.) When I binge watch Netflix and it asks if I'm still watching.
- Netflix doesn't want people to fall asleep and miss too much of their shows.
12.) Traffic in Tampa during rush hour.
- There are so many people on the road and not everyone drives the same speed so it slows everything down.
13.) When I straighten my hair and go outside and it becomes wavy after 10 minutes.
- Florida is very humid.
14.) When professors take attendance and don't allow any miss days.
- They want to make you go there for each class so you don't miss anything.
15.) When nail polish chips off after one day.
- Not all nail polish brands are the same quality and don't stick on the nail as well.
16.) Being interrupted by people.
- People speak over me and others when they feel what they have to say is more important.
17.) When there is litter all over the streets.
- People don't take the time to find a trash can or recycling to get rid of their trash and instead just throw it on the ground which is bad for the environment.
18.) When people don't use their turn signals when driving.
- People don't care or think to use them as a courtesy to others and to obey the law.
19.) Airplanes don't have enough leg room in regular economy seating.
- Airlines have started to care less about providing basic amenities without an extra charge in recent years.
20.) Forgetting my password to all my accounts all the time.
- Passwords all require certain characters and over time if I don't use an account often enough I will forget it.

This assignment was a bit difficult because it forced me to remember to write down when something bugged me, but it wasn't that hard to find things that did. After looking around at all of the small (and big) problems that I run into on a daily basis, I see how many business opportunities there really are in the world.