Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1 - Assignment 7A

The opportunity: Students at the University of Florida are unable to connect with fellow classmates for help via social media because there is no app available for students to figure out who is in the same class and who is struggling with the coursework.

The Who: Students at the University of Florida
The What: They are unable to connect with fellow classmates for help via social media
The Why: There is no app available for students to figure out who is in the same class and who is struggling with the coursework

Testing the who: All students at the University of Florida have this need. At some point in every college student's career, he/she is left wondering who else is taking this class that could lend a helping hand.
Testing the what: What is really going on here is UF students will encounter a class at some point in their 4 years where they question how they can do better on assignments or maximize their study time. Not all classes are equally challenging, but each class requires unique studying habits that other UF students may have already mastered. The goal is to match these students that are willing to help with those who may be struggling.
Testing the why: Students desire to succeed in college for various reasons. Some people want to please their parents and others want to set themselves up for future success. In either case, a large majority of students desire to perform well at UF where academics are a priority.

Interview 1 - Business Administration Faculty Member:

• After interviewing with this person, it is clear that even faculty members believe this is a need for students on the UF campus. The conversation began with us talking about all the resources UF offers for people to succeed, but we agreed that even this is not enough. Students need to be able to link up together and help one another out. Students reach other students in a way that teachers and tutors can't. Students can relate to one another.

Interview 2 - Tutor at Study Edge Tutoring Services:

• The tutor and I spoke about ways he tries to connect students that use his services, but he conveyed how difficult it is to get students to do more work outside the classroom like networking with other students. An app that connects students based on which classes they are taking and who needs help would be an invaluable resource. We agreed that this should not be the only resource students refer to, but that it would help students who need that extra outlet for help.

Interview 3 - Finance Major at UF:

• The student was able to connect with me in that we both took Business Finance last spring. The class challenged us in ways we never thought possible. We were pushed to our limits and sometimes the stressful and high pressure exams took a toll on our mental health. Now that we have both passed the class and know how much effort it takes to pass, we agreed that such an app would allow students to vent to one another about the rigor of the class. On top of serving as an outlet for people to provide others with knowledge about a subject matter, the app would enable students to talk to other students about their struggles which could provide emotional relief to students.

Interview 4 - Fellow Business Club Member:

• Speaking with my fell club member reinforced my understanding that tutors and teachers can't relate to students on the same level that students can. Most teachers and tutors haven't taken the same classes as us and don't have similar schedules as us. My friend in the club and I spoke about how we are able to relate because we both have internships right now and we are also involved in the same club (which takes up a lot of our time). As we have taken many of the same classes over the past couple years, it has been much easier to reach out to him for extra help on a subject I may be confused on after watching the class lecture and also attending tutoring hours. We realized that not all students are lucky enough to have such a friend that they can go to for help; therefore, the app is a necessity.

Interview 5 - UF Graduate Student:

• Considering this grad student has recently finished all four years of undergrad, her input on my proposed idea was refreshing. When I asked her if she would've used such an app, she told me that this would have made her college experience much more enjoyable. Being able to connect with others who are going through similar experiences is underrated. Students at UF need an app that will connect them to fellow classmates so that they can vent to one other and/or ask for help.

Given your interviews, what do you know about the opportunity that you didn't know before?

• I realized that students at the University of Florida are in desperate need for such an app for two reasons. On top of the fact that they need academic help in order to keep their grades up for future success and the happiness of their parents, they also need an outlet to speak with other students that are going through the same things they are. Maintaining one's mental health and coping with stress are important skills in college, and hearing about how others balance their schedule and form study habits can only be beneficial to students struggling in certain classes. 
• After speaking with each of the 5 interviewees and probing their minds by asking various questions, it is clear that there is a great opportunity for such an app to succeed. The undergrad students conveyed their personal need for the app, the grad student shared his past desires for such an app, and the tutoring service/faculty member pointed out why they thought the app is necessary after dealing with students on a daily basis. It is clear that such an app is highly sought after on the UF campus.

Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends - Assignment 6A

Economic Trend: Depressed Housing Market

• Source: https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/recession-watch-will-another-downturn-rock-housing/
• In a depressed housing market where slowing home sales are a current theme, homeowners who are trying to sell their homes will list houses for lower prices.
• The prototypical customer would most likely be someone who has flourished during the recent economic boom and is now considering investing in property. An investment at this stage is a good investment because of the lower home prices.
• The opportunity is easy to exploit in that there are so many undervalued homes on the market right now, but it's hard in that people have to find the right home for them which could make it a more difficult search.
• My dad is listing the house that I grew up in on the market this Saturday. I've been speaking with him about the housing market a lot and he is concerned that the depressed housing market may result in him getting less for the house than he originally planned.

Economic Trend: Snowbirds Boosting NY's Economy and Threatening FL's Economy

• Source: https://www.politifact.com/florida/article/2019/mar/29/are-new-yorkers-really-fleeing-florida-over-taxes/
• Considering so many newyorkers migrate to FL for the warm weather during the winter and stay there until summer comes around, there is a big opportunity for the housing market in NY. "Snowbirds" are the people that do this every year and many of them will be looking for places to live as they return. Whether they plan on renting or buying a place in NY, the housing market should see a boost, while FL's housing market will take a hit as snowbirds flock to the north.
• The prototypical customer in this situation would be the snowbirds looking to buy or rent a new place in New York for the summer.
• The opportunity is easy to exploit since this is a common theme year in and year out. The housing market in NY expects a boost just like the housing market in FL expects to take a hit since this happens at the same time every year.
• Like I said before, my dad is selling his house and he told me about the snowbirds' affect on the FL housing market. There aren't as many people looking for homes to buy at this time of the year since so many newyorkers are flocking back home for the summer.

Regulatory Changes: Cannabis Becoming Legal in More Places

• Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2019/02/27/marijuana-legalization-bills-are-advancing-in-several-states/#76c1e67c7a35
• An opportunity to open up dispensaries definitely exists because more and more states are legalizing medical marijuana. Even if states are far from legalizing it now, these states' officials will feel the pressure soon. There is a huge push toward marijuana's legalization for medicinal purposes nationwide.
• The prototypical customer is most likely to be a cancer patient or one with severe anxiety. From what I know about the affects of marijuana and the struggles of cancer and anxiety, patients that fall into these categories will reap the benefits of marijuana the most.
• The opportunity is difficult to exploit because there are so many legal hoops that need to be jumped through in order for this to become a reality. Also, the legalization of medical marijuana is going to come down to a vote and the more traditional voters still have a tough time seeing how the benefits would outweigh the negatives.
• My mom died of pancreatic cancer about 6 months ago, and she had a medical card so that she would be eligible for cannabis. Marijuana gave my mom her appetite back since the chemo she was on took it away from her. Also, she suffered with anxiety because she didn't know what the future held for her so the medical marijuana also calmed that down. My mom's situation definitely helped me see the need for this more so than the average person.

Regulatory Changes: Tighter Restrictions on E-Cigarettes to Curb Teen Vaping

• Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/13/fda-tightens-restrictions-on-flavored-e-cigarettes-to-curb-teen-vaping.html
• As people are becoming more aware of this epidemic, there is a greater opportunity for non-profit organizations to chip away at the problem. Non-profits have the ability to spread awareness against teen vaping by highlighting the negative affects smoking can have on the body.
• The prototypical customer to such a marketing campaign of an anti-teen vaping non-profit would be teens who vape. Consuming such anti-vaping material may help kids realize its not worth it to start smoking.
• The opportunity is easy to exploit in that the movement has already been started by the government taking action against teen vaping. Many people are aware that it's an issue; therefore, any non-profit can jump on the bandwagon at this point to spread awareness even further.
• I formed the belief than this opportunity exists because it is a prevalent issue in high schools around the United States and I have close family members in high school right now. I have seen this epidemic first hand and how it can affect people's lives down the road. I don't want it reaching my family members.

Identifying Local Opportunities - Assignment 5A

"Expect more heat, possible thunderstorms" by Sarah Nelson, Gainesville Sun

• https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190526/expect-more-heat-possible-thunderstorms
• Earlier this week, Gainesville expected record-breaking weather conditions for heat. This prediction came true in that the week has been characterized by hot, dry weather. Starting today, the weather should let up a little bit, but locals should still expect relatively high temperatures for the time of year. This upcoming weekend will likely be marked by a plethora of thunderstorms; therefore, people should plan accordingly.
• The problem is that people in the Gainesville community aren't used to the blistering heat we have experienced this past week. Around this time of year, people are expecting temperatures around 80-90 degrees. The shockingly hot summer days are going to cause people to spend more money on air conditioning which poses an opportunity for A/C companies.
• The people with the problem are those who live in the Alachua county community. Anyone in this area that pays for A/C to cool their houses will have to pay a bigger bill for the next billing cycle.

"Hot in Gainesville: Record-setting heat sparks wildfire worries" by Joe Callahan, Gainesville Sun

• https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190530/hot-in-gainesville-record-setting-heat-sparks-wildfire-worries
• The temperature over the past five days have sparked wildfire concerns in Alachua County. Record-breaking heat indexes have rightfully given locals a reason to fear. At the same time, there has been little to no rain in the past 25 days. Considering there has been unusually hot temperatures and no rain in the area, the odds that wildfires occur have spiked. On top of that, high winds are expected this weekend which could potentially ignite brush fires.
• The problem is that people are concerned their houses/property will catch on fire which could be a huge expense. Also, people are worried about their safety. This poses an opportunity for lawn maintenance companies to come in and provide more landscaping services. People are going to want their trees and bushes to be trimmed more so this weekend than usual so that they are less prone to a wildfire. These same people may also want their sprinklers running in tip top shape so that their yards aren't so dry.
• The people who have this problem are Alachua County residents. Any homeowner that is exposed to a lot of forestry has reason to worry even more so. If people live on a big property where it is hard to get sprinklers to all of their land, they may be worried even more so about the extremely high wind gusts, high temperatures, and little rainfall.

"Chief outlines efforts to curb gun violence" by Daniel Smithson, Gainesville Sun

• https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190529/chief-outlines-efforts-to-curb-gun-violence
• The Gainesville Police Chief has called for an end to gun violence. He has publicly stated that the city will not tolerate such behavior and stricter guidelines for gun use and operation will soon be enforced. Police Chief Tony Jones has pointed out that there has been an increase in gun violence that has been reported compared to last year's numbers.
• The problem here is that people believe that carrying a gun without a license isn't as big of a deal as it really is. Carrying a gun without a license is a criminal charge and should not be taken lightly. Therefore, there is an opportunity here to impose sanctions on first-time gun offenders so that they can be guaranteed certainty of punishment if they are to break gun laws.
• The people with the problem here would be all residents of Gainesville since their lives are increasingly put in danger because of a lack of sanctions. Also, law enforcement are in danger of gun violence when they make routine traffic stops, drug busts, etc.

"Truck driver burned in crash remains hospitalized" by Austin L. Miller, Gainesville Sun

• https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190528/truck-driver-burned-in-crash-remains-hospitalized
• A local truck driver was commuting with a trailer attached to the semi truck he was driving. A car was broken down on the side of the road, and the truck driver clipped the car. After the initial crash, the truck continued on to hit a guard rail and then a few tress which flipped the semi on its side. The semi then became engulfed in flames which led to severe burns on the body of the truck driver who is currently fighting for his life in the hospital.
• The problem here is that a trucker struck a car that was pulled over on the side of the road. According to the news story, the car wasn't sticking out onto the trucker's lane. However, it must've been close enough to the road for the semi to be able to strike it. This case highlights the need for faster assistance when cars have to pull over. Maybe if the car was tended to in a shorter period of time this would've never happened.
• The people with the problem here are people that own their own cars and drive on the interstate. People are in need of an affordable roadside service that is able to meet people's needs in a short amount of time.

"First measles, now mumps -- Alachua County high on list" by Dylan Rudolph, Gainesville Sun

• https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190529/first-measles-now-mumps---alachua-county-high-on-list
• Mumps is a contagious virus that is characterized by high fevers, muscle aches, and headaches. It only takes shared glasses and saliva to transmit mumps. With the comeback of mumps in Florida, officials have paid close attention to its spread and Alachua County ranks high on the list of areas to have a large amount of infected people. 
• The problem is that mumps is a hard virus to contain, considering heavily vaccinated areas are prone to its spread as well. The Florida Department of Health needs to do a better job at notifying people of this terrible virus and what can spread it. If people become aware that such an awful thing can result from sharing glasses and saliva with other people, they may avoid swapping germs more intently which could cause a decrease in the cases in the area.
• The people with the problem are those who share glasses and saliva with other people. If one does neither of those things, it would be extremely unlikely that they would acquire the virus. People need to be more careful about swapping germs with others.

Forming An Opportunity Belief - Assignment 4A

I have a belief that people in the Gainesville community have a need for a cheeseboard delivery service. More specifically, party hosts love good cheeseboards at their parties. It caters to people of all ages and it can be made for all kinds of events and occasions. The options in the area are limited. Restaurants will make cheeseboards for pickup, but not delivery. Also, no restaurant in the area offers customized cheeseboards. Starting a company that offers a wide range of cheese and meat pairings would satisfy customers in a way they have never experienced before. Cheeseboards have always been popular, but they are consumed more now than ever. It is a new and growing trend. People are sick of having limited options for cheeseboards at restaurants and the large majority of these people would rather not take the time to make a cheeseboard on their own because it takes a significant amount of time to do it right. A cheeseboard delivery service is an opportunity that needs to be capitalized on as the market for cheeseboards continues to grow.

Customer #1... Household with a stay-at-home parent

• How often do you throw a party in which you cater food for guests? Twice a month.
• How often do you make cheeseboards? Once a month... about every other party I host.
• How often do you order cheeseboards from restaurants? Maybe once a year when I have something going on and I'm too busy to take the time to make a quality cheeseboard.
• Would you be open to the idea of ordering customized cheeseboards? Definitely.
• Would you order a cheeseboard for a casual dinner at home with your family? I would, but only so often as a treat.
• How much would you be willing to pay for a customized cheeseboard that feeds about 10 people? $100 for a really nice one.
• How long have you wanted such a service? It's been on my mind for probably about a year now. Making cheeseboards is a pain when I have people over because there is so much else to do.
• When did you first become aware of your need for a cheeseboard delivery service? Why? I wanted to order a cheeseboard for a Game of Thrones party that I had about a year ago and the restaurant I was ordering from wouldn't customize their cheeseboard to work with the theme.
• How satisfied are you with this solution? Very satisfied! It'd be very convenient considering I'm always trying to host parties and please my guests.

Reflection: Prototypical customers are looking for a way to make their lives easier when hosting parties for a lot of people. They may enjoy the process of making a cheeseboard all nice and pretty, but sometimes they just don't have the time for it.

Customer #2... Household with two working parents

• How often do you throw a party in which you cater food for guests? Around 4 times a year
• How often do you make cheeseboards? Never. 
• How often do you order cheeseboards from restaurants? Maybe twice a year.
• Would you be open to the idea of ordering customized cheeseboards? Yes!
• Would you order a cheeseboard for a casual dinner at home with your family? No.
• How much would you be willing to pay for a customized cheeseboard that feeds about 10 people? Anywhere from $50-$200.
• How long have you wanted such a service?  Ever since the guests at the last party I hosted complained about me not having a cheeseboard at the house. They also talked about how nice it would be to pick and choose different meats and cheeses for the different occasions.
• When did you first become aware of your need for a cheeseboard delivery service? Why? After the last party I hosted, I realized I needed this type of service because it is hard to find the time with my busy work schedule. 
• How satisfied are you with this solution? It would be awesome and a huge convenience, especially considering I like to host parties, but don't have a lot of time to spend on making a cheeseboard.

Reflection: Prototypical customers have always thought a cheeseboard is a nice touch to a party, but not until recently did they view cheeseboards as an essential party snack. People expect there to be cheeseboards at most parties now, and prototypical customers are beginning to realize that. Prototypical customers are also willing to pay a lot of money for customized cheeseboards.

Customer #3... Household with a retired couple

• How often do you throw a party in which you cater food for guests? Probably close to a dozen a year.
• How often do you make cheeseboards? We make cheeseboards for every party we host.
• How often do you order cheeseboards from restaurants? Never.
• Would you be open to the idea of ordering customized cheeseboards? Of course.
• Would you order a cheeseboard for a casual dinner at home with your family? Probably not.
• How much would you be willing to pay for a customized cheeseboard that feeds about 10 people? Maybe $50 or so.
• How long have you wanted such a service? Since retirement and since we started hosting so many parties. Everyone loves a good cheeseboard... especially if it's customized.
• When did you first become aware of your need for a cheeseboard delivery service? Why? The last couple parties I hosted made me aware that I couldn't keep taking so much time to make a cheeseboard for so many people.
• How satisfied are you with this solution? This would satisfy me in that I wouldn't have to worry about doing such a task when there are a million other things to do to get the house ready for our monthly gatherings.

Reflection: Prototypical customers will order from such a service consistently because they tend to follow a schedule for when they host parties. For example, a retired couple may tell their friends that they can expect a monthly party at their house. Cheeseboards are a convenience for people because it takes pressure off of them as they are preparing the house for a party or special event.

Summary: People tend to do as much as possible to make their lives easier. In this case, that means ordering from a customized cheeseboard delivery service to save time and also satisfy their guests with a cheeseboard made for the particular occasion. The original opportunity to start this cheeseboard business seems even better after interviewing prototypical customers. The opportunity is even more accurate than I had originally hoped which is exciting. It is now clear that people of all ages desire to have such a service available to them. Entrepreneurs should stick to pursuing the same end goal, but they should potentially adjust the means to the end. For example, entrepreneurs should listen to customer feedback in this particular business idea by offering different variations of platters and providing people with deals depending on how many people they are serving.

Your Entrepreneurship Story - Assignment 3A

The thing that comes to mind when I'm asked to speak about a time I have been exposed to entrepreneurship is the fact that my dad invented a product and turned it into a business. My father, Kenneth, realized the need for a quarterback training product on the market. The "bug" was people's frustration with learning how to throw a football properly and my dad capitalized on this opportunity. He wanted to teach people how to throw the perfect spiral; therefore, he developed and patented a product that did just that. The product is called the Perfect Spiral QB Trainer. It is a wrist guard that quarterbacks in training wear as they practice throwing the football. The wrist guard teaches people to keep their wrists straight and to keep a small cushion between their hand and the ball while throwing a football. After finding success with selling this product, my dad jumped on the opportunity to start Perfect Spiral Inc. Running the company has been a hobby of his for years, considering he is a full-time dentist. Kenneth found a "bug" in the market and provided a solution.

I enrolled in ENT 3003 because it will satisfy the upper division finance elective credits I need. Also, my friend recommended the class to me. I hope to learn about entrepreneurship from a professional's perspective and gain a better understanding of what entrepreneurship entails (since I only have a basic understanding of what it means right now).

Bug List - Assignment 2A

1) My girlfriend leaves her laundry on the ground in her house.
Why? Laundry is a pain for people to put away. She grew up in a household where cleanliness wasn't a priority.
2) My girlfriend doesn't tighten the lids on her water bottles all the way.
Why? It takes an effort to close bottles. She got into a bad habit of not closing the lids as a child and never broke the habit.
3) My girlfriend doesn't like to do a load of laundry consistently.
Why? It takes patience to wait for laundry to be done so that one can put it away. She never had to do her own laundry in high school and she hasn't adjusted to the change yet.
4) My girlfriend cusses a lot and it's embarrassing when she cusses in front of other people.
Why? People form bad habits growing up. Her parents didn't mind that she cussed so they never told her to stop.
5) My girlfriend doesn't let her dog out often enough and the dog goes to the bathroom in the house a lot.
Why? She hasn't gotten used to being responsible for an animal quite yet. She thinks letting the dog out multiple times a day is a burden.
6) My girlfriend doesn't take school seriously even though I always tell her that school should be a priority.
Why? Trying hard in school is difficult for people who don't have the proper motivation. She never tried hard in school growing up, but her parents would tell her that she was doing great anyways.
7) My girlfriend hasn't gotten involved in any clubs on campus since enrolling at UF.
Why? She always did the bare minimum in high school. She thought that getting her schoolwork done was enough to be successful in life.
8) My girlfriend complains about not knowing what she wants to do with her life, but she hasn't taken initiative to figure out what she wants to do by doing the research.
Why? Some people are spoiled growing up. She hasn't thought about how she is going to pay her own bills in the future once she graduates from college.
9) My girlfriend takes too long when making dinner because she is always worried about how pretty the presentation is.
Why? It is common for people to care more about presentation of the food than the actual taste of it. She wants to post the food she made on social media so that the world can see it and be jealous.
10) My girlfriend doesn't like to workout, but she complains about how she looks all the time.
Why? She doesn't like the way she looks in the mirror; she doesn't have the motivation to workout consistently.
11) My girlfriend doesn't communicate over text very well which makes it hard to not get frustrated when we are away from one another.
Why? She doesn't take the time to think before she speaks; she doesn't pay attention to what I'm saying half the time.
12) My girlfriend always wants to watch the shows she likes on TV even if I don't like them, and there's only one TV in her house.
Why? She grew up in a household as an only child. She has no regard for the desires of other people.
13) My girlfriend tempts me to eat unhealthy food even though I convey to her that I'm trying to eat healthy.
Why? She wants me to be her eating partner. She doesn't care that I want to eat healthy to stay in shape.
14) My girlfriend always wants to go out to Midtown and party, but I'd normally rather stay home and chill with her instead.
Why? She has always been the person to be the life of the party. She likes the thrill that going out brings her.
15) My girlfriend interrupts me when I'm doing my school work if she is bored and wants to hangout.
Why? Her priorities are different than mine. She thinks it's more important for her to be entertained than for me to get my work done.
16) My girlfriend doesn't vacuum her house even when it gets very dirty.
Why? Some people are more cleanly than others. She never had to care of a place that was her own. She's not used to the responsibility of doing so.
17) My girlfriend tells her mom everything and it seems like there is no privacy between us.
Why? Certain people want more privacy than others. Her mom is more of a friend than a parent to her.
18) My girlfriend tries to cover up her physical insecurities with makeup, despite my efforts to tell her she doesn't need to wear makeup because she's beautiful as she is.
Why? She grew up being bullied for her appearance. She has never gotten over these insecurities.
19) My girlfriend has no regard for the value of money; she spends her parents money very fast by making unwise financial decisions.
Why? Her family has always been very wealthy which makes it easy for her to think she can spend all the money she wants; her parents have no idea how much money she spends because they don't keep up with it.
20) My girlfriend leaves the dirty dishes in the sink until the sink is overflowing.
Why? Her mom allowed the sink in her house to fill up before taking care of the dishes. My girlfriend thinks the piling up of dishes is normal.

Reflection:
The challenges I had in coming up with the list were minimized because of the strategy I used. Over a three day span, I simply jotted down a few things that my girlfriend does that bother me. Considering I live with her, it wasn't too hard to document 20 of her little korks that bug me. Even though this blog may seem dark because of its focus on the negative things, I was also more aware of the positive things she does for me. The positive far outweighs the negative with her, but it was an interesting experience to document the "bugs" that came to mind.

Test Blog Post

Just checking to see if this works.