Wednesday, May 25, 2016
My Solution
My solution has to do with a regulatory opportunity I identified in my "Looking for Opportunity" blog post. The opportunity was better organic livestock and poultry practices for the better treatment and health conditions of these animals. My solution involves both product and service solutions. First, the animals need better living conditions. They need space and the ability to go outside and roam. This includes a larger housing environment. Another solution for better treatment is more careful animal handling. Lastly, the USDA should regularly audit facilities to make sure they are complying with standards. I think these are all effective solutions to this opportunity.
Looking for Opportunity
Economic trend opportunities:
"International trade will be critical for U.S. production and world growth"
a) I found this economic trend opportunity on forbes.com. Unfortunately, I am not as updated on these kind of things as I should be so I had to do a little pre-research.
b) I believe an opportunity exists here because it is very logical and numbers have proven this to be true in the past.
c) There are so many prototypical customers involved. It involves anyone that manufactures, distributes, or sells to those overseas, and vice versa. It affects America because we import as well as export. This includes the government and public and private companies.
d) I would say that this opportunity is relatively easy to exploit because it would be very beneficial to everyone involved.
I saw this opportunity because it just makes sense. International trade is good for our economy. It can help us save money and make money, and have access to items that may not have been accessible otherwise.
"Economists remained puzzled by a yearlong productivity slump and are looking at how new technologies might help spur innovation and productivity growth." This information specifically concentrated on robotics and how they are replacing human beings in factories, etc.
a) The Wall Street Journal
b) This opportunity exists because it is cheaper and more efficient for employers. It has expensive start up but pays off quickly over time. I'm not saying this is a good opportunity for workers because it's not, but it is a good opportunity as far as increasing productivity and decreasing costs.
c) The prototypical customer is the employers/companies that would be replacing human beings with robots.
d) This opportunity would probably be a more difficult one to exploit because it would cause a lot of upheaval among human workers, high upfront costs, and a technological learning curve.
I saw this opportunity because people are always looking for ways to save time and money (including myself), and this is a big one.
Regulatory changes opportunities:
Both of the regulatory changes opportunities I will be concentrating on have to do with the safety and health of our food market.
Organic livestock and poultry practices. There needs to be higher standards for the treatment and living conditions of these animals.
a) Regulations.gov
b) This opportunity exists because livestock and poultry are treated very cruel and it's really sad and wrong. Plus, it creates a dirty environment causing health problems within the animals and later on, unsanitary food.
c) The prototypical customer is the consumer of the food.
d) I think that this opportunity would be relatively easy to exploit because it has already been in the eyes of the public and can be addressed legally by the USDA.
I saw this opportunity because it touched me when I first learned about the problem and mistreatment of these animals. I have seen pictures and videos about it. They were shocking and terrible and hard to forget.
Proposed regulatory to register dicamba, a herbicide, to control weeds in cotton and soybean genetically engineered to tolerate dicamba.
a) EPA.gov
b) This opportunity exists because crops are being taken over by unwanted vegetation, aka weeds.
c) The prototypical customer is everyone. It affects farmers and anyone that is affected by the economy and eats food or wears cotton t-shirts.
d) This opportunity would be of medium difficulty to exploit. It's a fantastic idea and would be extremely helpful but there are so many people that are against herbicides and GE products.
I learned about this opportunity back in middle school. Herbicides and the GE controversy have been around for a while now. When I learned about both sides of the argument, I saw the opportunity. It has its pros and cons.
"International trade will be critical for U.S. production and world growth"
a) I found this economic trend opportunity on forbes.com. Unfortunately, I am not as updated on these kind of things as I should be so I had to do a little pre-research.
b) I believe an opportunity exists here because it is very logical and numbers have proven this to be true in the past.
c) There are so many prototypical customers involved. It involves anyone that manufactures, distributes, or sells to those overseas, and vice versa. It affects America because we import as well as export. This includes the government and public and private companies.
d) I would say that this opportunity is relatively easy to exploit because it would be very beneficial to everyone involved.
I saw this opportunity because it just makes sense. International trade is good for our economy. It can help us save money and make money, and have access to items that may not have been accessible otherwise.
"Economists remained puzzled by a yearlong productivity slump and are looking at how new technologies might help spur innovation and productivity growth." This information specifically concentrated on robotics and how they are replacing human beings in factories, etc.
a) The Wall Street Journal
b) This opportunity exists because it is cheaper and more efficient for employers. It has expensive start up but pays off quickly over time. I'm not saying this is a good opportunity for workers because it's not, but it is a good opportunity as far as increasing productivity and decreasing costs.
c) The prototypical customer is the employers/companies that would be replacing human beings with robots.
d) This opportunity would probably be a more difficult one to exploit because it would cause a lot of upheaval among human workers, high upfront costs, and a technological learning curve.
I saw this opportunity because people are always looking for ways to save time and money (including myself), and this is a big one.
Regulatory changes opportunities:
Both of the regulatory changes opportunities I will be concentrating on have to do with the safety and health of our food market.
Organic livestock and poultry practices. There needs to be higher standards for the treatment and living conditions of these animals.
a) Regulations.gov
b) This opportunity exists because livestock and poultry are treated very cruel and it's really sad and wrong. Plus, it creates a dirty environment causing health problems within the animals and later on, unsanitary food.
c) The prototypical customer is the consumer of the food.
d) I think that this opportunity would be relatively easy to exploit because it has already been in the eyes of the public and can be addressed legally by the USDA.
I saw this opportunity because it touched me when I first learned about the problem and mistreatment of these animals. I have seen pictures and videos about it. They were shocking and terrible and hard to forget.
Proposed regulatory to register dicamba, a herbicide, to control weeds in cotton and soybean genetically engineered to tolerate dicamba.
a) EPA.gov
b) This opportunity exists because crops are being taken over by unwanted vegetation, aka weeds.
c) The prototypical customer is everyone. It affects farmers and anyone that is affected by the economy and eats food or wears cotton t-shirts.
d) This opportunity would be of medium difficulty to exploit. It's a fantastic idea and would be extremely helpful but there are so many people that are against herbicides and GE products.
I learned about this opportunity back in middle school. Herbicides and the GE controversy have been around for a while now. When I learned about both sides of the argument, I saw the opportunity. It has its pros and cons.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Forming An Opportunity Belief
Forming An Opportunity Belief
1) My beginning point: The Carillon Lakes gym and workout community has the potential to be so much more.
2) My belief:
4) Link to audio interview with Doug: https://soundcloud.com/user-752844123/doug
Doug uses the Carillon Lakes gym almost everyday. Doug stated that he did not have the problem of the gym being too small or offering insufficient equipment. However, he did say that he did not like the location of the gym because it is next to the pool and sometimes little kids sneak into the gym and goof around and get hurt on the equipment. He said he doesn't feel like it's his job to tell the kids what to do or to discipline them so he feels like there's not much he can do. This can be traced back to my belief that the people that designed the gym could have made a better use of space/location within the clubhouse. They could have put it on the other side of the clubhouse, away from the pool area.
5) What I learned from speaking with Doug is that perhaps the middle-aged to older community members find the gym itself sufficient for their needs, they just don't like the location by the kids.
3) Prototypical customer #2 - Holly, late twenties female, community member.
4) Link to audio interview with Holly: https://soundcloud.com/user-752844123/holly
Holly uses the Carillon Lakes gym several times a week. Holly stated that she also believed that it would be nice if the gym was a little bigger and it would definitely be great if there was a wider array of workout equipment available. She said she has experienced the problem of limited ellipticals. There are only two and they get taken often. She is indifferent with the location of the gym being next to the pool/kids.
5) What I learned from speaking with Holly is that there is a need for more cardio equipment, especially ellipticals, the "hot commodity" as she said ha.
3) Prototypical customer #3 - Travis, mid-twenties male, community member.
4) Link to audio interview with Travis: https://soundcloud.com/user-752844123/travis
Travis uses the Carillon Lakes gym infrequently, only on occasions where he is bound for time. The gym is mainly just used as a convenience factor for him. The main gym he goes to is Gold's Gym. He said it is worth the extra five miles of distance. It is a much, much larger gym and offers a huge variety of workout equipment, including weight lifting and body building equipment which is his main focus. He said the Carillon Lakes gym would have to offer these features in order for him to switch over. He did say that he actually likes the location of the Carillon Lakes gym next to the pool though because he likes to take a refreshing swim or relax in the hot tub after a hard workout.
5) What I learned from speaking with Travis is that the Carillon Lakes gym it is not sufficient for a younger man because they are typically more into weight lifting, which the community gym does not support that well (only dumbbells and very limited machines).
6) Repeated 3-5 3x above.
7) In summary, after discussion with my three interviewees, I think my original opportunity belief has diminished from 70% to 40%, so almost by half. I concluded this after speaking with Doug. He said that as a middle-aged man, he doesn't need a huge variety of workout equipment. He needs just enough to "maintain." Therefore, the small Carillon Lakes gym is perfect for him. Considering that this 700 home community mostly consists of middle-aged to older people, I would say that the gym is good enough for the majority of the community members.
I think customer feedback is vital and entrepreneurs should definitely adapt their opportunities based on customer feedback. Two brains are better than one, brainstorming is a must. It would help prevent wasted time, ideas, effort, and creating something that is unneeded. After all, the customer is always right ;)
1) My beginning point: The Carillon Lakes gym and workout community has the potential to be so much more.
2) My belief:
- What is the unmet need? I believe the people that designed the layout of the Carillon Lakes gym could have made a better use of space/location and could have furnished it with a greater variety of workout equipment. I also think a sense of a workout community is lacking and it would be nice if there were group exercise classes available. I would love to see classes in and outside of the gym, including "yoga on the lawn", walking and running on the paths, as well as more use of the tennis and basketball courts.
- Who has the need? This effects all of the Carillon Lakes community members.
- Where did the need come from? I think the need has probably existed since the gym first opened.
- What are people doing to meet this need now? They are using/tolerating the gym for convenience purposes. It's also possible that they have other workout outlets.
- How sure am I that this opportunity exists? 70%
4) Link to audio interview with Doug: https://soundcloud.com/user-752844123/doug
Doug uses the Carillon Lakes gym almost everyday. Doug stated that he did not have the problem of the gym being too small or offering insufficient equipment. However, he did say that he did not like the location of the gym because it is next to the pool and sometimes little kids sneak into the gym and goof around and get hurt on the equipment. He said he doesn't feel like it's his job to tell the kids what to do or to discipline them so he feels like there's not much he can do. This can be traced back to my belief that the people that designed the gym could have made a better use of space/location within the clubhouse. They could have put it on the other side of the clubhouse, away from the pool area.
5) What I learned from speaking with Doug is that perhaps the middle-aged to older community members find the gym itself sufficient for their needs, they just don't like the location by the kids.
3) Prototypical customer #2 - Holly, late twenties female, community member.
4) Link to audio interview with Holly: https://soundcloud.com/user-752844123/holly
Holly uses the Carillon Lakes gym several times a week. Holly stated that she also believed that it would be nice if the gym was a little bigger and it would definitely be great if there was a wider array of workout equipment available. She said she has experienced the problem of limited ellipticals. There are only two and they get taken often. She is indifferent with the location of the gym being next to the pool/kids.
5) What I learned from speaking with Holly is that there is a need for more cardio equipment, especially ellipticals, the "hot commodity" as she said ha.
3) Prototypical customer #3 - Travis, mid-twenties male, community member.
4) Link to audio interview with Travis: https://soundcloud.com/user-752844123/travis
Travis uses the Carillon Lakes gym infrequently, only on occasions where he is bound for time. The gym is mainly just used as a convenience factor for him. The main gym he goes to is Gold's Gym. He said it is worth the extra five miles of distance. It is a much, much larger gym and offers a huge variety of workout equipment, including weight lifting and body building equipment which is his main focus. He said the Carillon Lakes gym would have to offer these features in order for him to switch over. He did say that he actually likes the location of the Carillon Lakes gym next to the pool though because he likes to take a refreshing swim or relax in the hot tub after a hard workout.
5) What I learned from speaking with Travis is that the Carillon Lakes gym it is not sufficient for a younger man because they are typically more into weight lifting, which the community gym does not support that well (only dumbbells and very limited machines).
6) Repeated 3-5 3x above.
7) In summary, after discussion with my three interviewees, I think my original opportunity belief has diminished from 70% to 40%, so almost by half. I concluded this after speaking with Doug. He said that as a middle-aged man, he doesn't need a huge variety of workout equipment. He needs just enough to "maintain." Therefore, the small Carillon Lakes gym is perfect for him. Considering that this 700 home community mostly consists of middle-aged to older people, I would say that the gym is good enough for the majority of the community members.
I think customer feedback is vital and entrepreneurs should definitely adapt their opportunities based on customer feedback. Two brains are better than one, brainstorming is a must. It would help prevent wasted time, ideas, effort, and creating something that is unneeded. After all, the customer is always right ;)
Friday, May 20, 2016
Identifying Local Opportunities
Happy Friday!
I chose The Ledger as my local newspaper of choice for this blog, Identifying Local Opportunities.
Opportunity #1:
Opportunity #4:
I chose The Ledger as my local newspaper of choice for this blog, Identifying Local Opportunities.
Opportunity #1:
- Lakeland man charged with kidnapping after Ohio highway chase
- http://www.theledger.com/article/20160520/NEWS/160529998?tc=cr
- In this article, a man kidnapped a woman and ran from the police when they tried to pull him over for reckless driving. It turned into a car pursuit and ended when the kidnapper lost control of his vehicle and wrecked. After a struggle, he was finally detained. The woman was reunited with her family.
- The problem presented here is that the police didn't even know the woman was kidnapped until she signaled for help and the man took off again with her still in the car. I think there is an opportunity here for a better way to get help if you are in danger or kidnapped. In banks, there is something called a panic button that employees can press if they are being robbed and it sends a silent signal to the police. It would be helpful if women or children had something similar to this, whether it be an app or actual button as well. It would transmit real time GPS location to the police once it is pressed. It would help prevent kidnappings, domestic violence, rape, etc.
- Mostly women and children are victims of these crimes, but it can really happen to anybody.
- Killer Nile crocodiles in Florida? Experts say it's possible
- http://www.theledger.com/article/20160519/NEWS/160519325?tc=cr
- Huge and dangerous crocodiles from the Nile in Africa have mysteriously ended up in Miami and the Everglades. How did they get there? What was the intent?
- The problem is that people are bringing them here illegally. The second problem is that we don't know why. Was the release into the wild an accident or malicious intent? The opportunity here is to put GPS tracking chips into the crocs to study their migrating patterns and origin. Maybe if we work backwards, we can track the source.
- This can negatively affect anyone that comes into contact with these crocs as they are carnivores and can kill and eat humans.
- Fallen Heroes 5K will cause blocked traffic in Lakeland Saturday morning
- http://www.theledger.com/article/20160520/NEWS/160529996/0/search
- Some streets will be blocked for this awesome 5K Saturday morning and drivers are asked to take alternate routes.
- There are two opportunities I can think of to approach this problem. One way would be to reroute this 5K off of the streets and around one of Lakeland's many beautiful lakes. Prettier views for the runners anyway! The second way to approach this problem is to somehow take advantage of the fact that it is blocking traffic and create some way for the traffic to get involved such as donations to the Fallen Heroes families, etc.
- Drivers on Saturday morning are going to have this problem.
Opportunity #4:
- Ex-Polk State professor faces 2nd trial after hung jury in fraud case
- http://www.theledger.com/article/20160519/NEWS/160519318/1338/news00?Title=Ex-Polk-State-professor-faces-2nd-trial-after-hung-jury-in-fraud-case
- A Polk State College professor, David Broxterman, faked a PhD and taught without proper credentials for five years. He said he "thought he had a PhD."
- An opportunity for a solution to this problem is to check into applicant's backgrounds, view their official transcripts and degree. Have a more thorough system that credits their claims.
- Broxterman's students and the other faculty as well as Polk State College's name are negatively affected by his false claims.
- Florida now facing problems obtaining drugs used in lethal injections
- http://www.theledger.com/article/20160519/NEWS/160519330/1003/news00?Title=Florida-now-facing-problems-obtaining-drugs-used-in-lethal-injections
- Florida's death penalty is under scrutiny. Pfizer, the drug manufacturer, has banned their drugs from being used for lethal injection and execution purposes.
- The opportunity here is to have Florida reconsider their standpoint on this and vote on it. If majority vote is to continue with legal injections, then find a new source to get the drugs from.
- This affects the State of Florida and its 390 death row inmates.
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Bug List
ENT 3003 “Bug List:”
1. The number one “bug” in my life right now is that Adobe Flash Player does not work on my iPad. In my previous three accounting courses, it was impossible to do the online homework on Aplia, the software. I had to use my PC. I have also noticed that I am unable to view Dr. Lutz’s online marketing textbook chapters. It is very frustrating, especially since my PC has a virus right now.
I am not exactly sure why this bug exists. I do not know why Apple would choose to make an iPad like that or design it that way. I know Puffin and other similar apps are an alternative but it is just not the same. The experience is not as smooth.
2. A bug that currently applies to me since I am out of state right now visiting family is that airplanes usually never depart on time, at least in my experience with Allegiant airlines. They have to de-ice the planes, etc., etc.
I think this bug exists due to the cold weather conditions up North, making traveling more difficult. It could also be due to a late departure on the other end. Perhaps they were waiting on a traveler to check in for departure, who knows. Also, the airplane may need maintenance such as refueling or a check over.
3. Another bug with traveling is TripFlex that Allegiant offers. It allows you to reschedule or adjust your flight without paying a fee. However, if you book within a week of departure, TripFlex will not apply to your flight. Usually the last minute booked flights are the ones that are most likely to change. That is when you need TripFlex the most.
I think this bug exists because they figure that if you book within a week, chances are not much will change in that short amount of time. However, I am usually an early booker and if I am booking within a week it is usually some sort of weird scenario or emergency that could potentially change. I need TripFlex just as much then as any other time.
4. A bug that drives Northern drivers nuts is the roads. The roads in Indiana have so many potholes you might as well be off-roading.
This bug exists due to the cold weather. The roads expand and contract so much from season to season from extreme temperatures that they crack and potholes are created. It is possible that Indiana does not have a good road budget to fix them either, but I do not know that for sure.
5. Another bug is that you cannot open a Keurig to fully dry it out. Reports have suggested that mold can grow in Keurigs causing health issues.
I simply think this is a bug due to an overlooked design issue.
6. A bug I used to have with older PC’s is that they would overheat.
This is probably due to the fan not cooling them down properly and perhaps the hardware being more heavy duty in the older versions. Laptops are so much lighter nowadays. Maybe it is possible that they do not have to work as hard to run and stay cooler.
7. A bug on my old cell phone is that the GPS would sometimes glitch out and reroute me in circles.
This could be due to satellite maps that were not as developed in that area or maybe the OS was malfunctioning.
8. Something that really drives me nuts at work, is when the food takes forever to come out or when you are eating at a restaurant and that happens to yourself.
This is usually due to an understaffed or undertrained kitchen.
9. Another thing that bugs me at work is having to work doubles, 13 hours shifts without a break or a proper meal.
This, again, is due to being understaffed or either poor scheduling or sometimes even because other employees have requested off or called in.
10. Now I am on a roll ha… The worst thing about work is the amount of side work servers have to do. We have to roll two giant buckets worth of silverware after every shift at server wages (nothing).
This is because management is to cheap to actually hire people to do that at minimum wage. They get the most out of their employees for the cheapest amount.
11. A bug is chipping nail polish. I am yet to find an at home nail polish that is chip resistant like salon quality polishes.
Maybe it is too expensive for companies to provide nail polish with such high quality ingredients that it would not chip. It could also be unrealistic to have all the special tools and applications at home.
12. Bug spray not really keeping mosquitos away.
I still get bit while wearing bug spray. Maybe there are some breeds of the insect that are resistant to it.
13. Getting sunburn stripes from spray on sunscreen.
Have you ever had a zig zag tan line? I have from not rubbing in spray on sunscreen properly or it blowing away in the wind. It would be nice if there was a little better system, maybe a heavier duty spray that covered more ground.
14. Having to wear a retainer every night.
It would be great if the after effects of braces were more permanent and needed less maintenance. Shifting teeth is the root of this.
15. Glasses with scratches and dirty lenses.
Scratch and dirt resistant glasses would be wonderful, but it is difficult because they are made of glass. An alternative material would be better if possible.
16. Grown out hair roots.
I wish there was something quicker, easier, and less expensive than going to the salon to get hair color touched up. The processing time is why this takes so long. I wish there was a more permanent at home solution.
17. Payments that take days to process.
Have you ever transferred money to your credit card to make a payment on it and it takes 3-4 business days for it to process and show up on your statement? I have and it would be nice if it showed up immediately. I do not know why this takes so long, maybe the funds have to be released. This process needs to be streamlined.
18. Cash, needing it for certain transactions and not always having it on hand.
There needs to be an easier way to access cash, or even better, a different system altogether. I do not see our currency, cash, changing because its roots are too deep and that would be far too difficult of an adjustment.
19. Vehicles still requiring gasoline.
This is an obvious one. There needs to be a cleaner, easier to access, renewable alternative. I believe we still use gasoline due to big companies buying out new ideas to keep them quiet. Also, it is expensive to research and begin something new.
20. Last one! I am surprised phones do not charge more quickly yet.
We are still at the point where they have to sit on a charger for hours to get a full charge again. I would think by now there would be an immediate solution to a low or dead phone battery. These rechargeable batteries, although slow, are convenient because they do not have to be replaced. They are reusable. Maybe there is not a quicker solution yet because we have not found something more resourceful/less wasteful.
I did find twenty “bugs” difficult to come up with. I think that is because we are all so accustomed to things not always going right and just adapting to it and writing them off. During this exercise, I got the chance to actually think about what those things are, why they are like that, and what could be done to make them better or fix them altogether. The first five I was able to rattle off easily, but then slowed down on the sixth bug. I got stumbled multiple times throughout coming up with my bug list. It took several days to complete it
1. The number one “bug” in my life right now is that Adobe Flash Player does not work on my iPad. In my previous three accounting courses, it was impossible to do the online homework on Aplia, the software. I had to use my PC. I have also noticed that I am unable to view Dr. Lutz’s online marketing textbook chapters. It is very frustrating, especially since my PC has a virus right now.
I am not exactly sure why this bug exists. I do not know why Apple would choose to make an iPad like that or design it that way. I know Puffin and other similar apps are an alternative but it is just not the same. The experience is not as smooth.
2. A bug that currently applies to me since I am out of state right now visiting family is that airplanes usually never depart on time, at least in my experience with Allegiant airlines. They have to de-ice the planes, etc., etc.
I think this bug exists due to the cold weather conditions up North, making traveling more difficult. It could also be due to a late departure on the other end. Perhaps they were waiting on a traveler to check in for departure, who knows. Also, the airplane may need maintenance such as refueling or a check over.
3. Another bug with traveling is TripFlex that Allegiant offers. It allows you to reschedule or adjust your flight without paying a fee. However, if you book within a week of departure, TripFlex will not apply to your flight. Usually the last minute booked flights are the ones that are most likely to change. That is when you need TripFlex the most.
I think this bug exists because they figure that if you book within a week, chances are not much will change in that short amount of time. However, I am usually an early booker and if I am booking within a week it is usually some sort of weird scenario or emergency that could potentially change. I need TripFlex just as much then as any other time.
4. A bug that drives Northern drivers nuts is the roads. The roads in Indiana have so many potholes you might as well be off-roading.
This bug exists due to the cold weather. The roads expand and contract so much from season to season from extreme temperatures that they crack and potholes are created. It is possible that Indiana does not have a good road budget to fix them either, but I do not know that for sure.
5. Another bug is that you cannot open a Keurig to fully dry it out. Reports have suggested that mold can grow in Keurigs causing health issues.
I simply think this is a bug due to an overlooked design issue.
6. A bug I used to have with older PC’s is that they would overheat.
This is probably due to the fan not cooling them down properly and perhaps the hardware being more heavy duty in the older versions. Laptops are so much lighter nowadays. Maybe it is possible that they do not have to work as hard to run and stay cooler.
7. A bug on my old cell phone is that the GPS would sometimes glitch out and reroute me in circles.
This could be due to satellite maps that were not as developed in that area or maybe the OS was malfunctioning.
8. Something that really drives me nuts at work, is when the food takes forever to come out or when you are eating at a restaurant and that happens to yourself.
This is usually due to an understaffed or undertrained kitchen.
9. Another thing that bugs me at work is having to work doubles, 13 hours shifts without a break or a proper meal.
This, again, is due to being understaffed or either poor scheduling or sometimes even because other employees have requested off or called in.
10. Now I am on a roll ha… The worst thing about work is the amount of side work servers have to do. We have to roll two giant buckets worth of silverware after every shift at server wages (nothing).
This is because management is to cheap to actually hire people to do that at minimum wage. They get the most out of their employees for the cheapest amount.
11. A bug is chipping nail polish. I am yet to find an at home nail polish that is chip resistant like salon quality polishes.
Maybe it is too expensive for companies to provide nail polish with such high quality ingredients that it would not chip. It could also be unrealistic to have all the special tools and applications at home.
12. Bug spray not really keeping mosquitos away.
I still get bit while wearing bug spray. Maybe there are some breeds of the insect that are resistant to it.
13. Getting sunburn stripes from spray on sunscreen.
Have you ever had a zig zag tan line? I have from not rubbing in spray on sunscreen properly or it blowing away in the wind. It would be nice if there was a little better system, maybe a heavier duty spray that covered more ground.
14. Having to wear a retainer every night.
It would be great if the after effects of braces were more permanent and needed less maintenance. Shifting teeth is the root of this.
15. Glasses with scratches and dirty lenses.
Scratch and dirt resistant glasses would be wonderful, but it is difficult because they are made of glass. An alternative material would be better if possible.
16. Grown out hair roots.
I wish there was something quicker, easier, and less expensive than going to the salon to get hair color touched up. The processing time is why this takes so long. I wish there was a more permanent at home solution.
17. Payments that take days to process.
Have you ever transferred money to your credit card to make a payment on it and it takes 3-4 business days for it to process and show up on your statement? I have and it would be nice if it showed up immediately. I do not know why this takes so long, maybe the funds have to be released. This process needs to be streamlined.
18. Cash, needing it for certain transactions and not always having it on hand.
There needs to be an easier way to access cash, or even better, a different system altogether. I do not see our currency, cash, changing because its roots are too deep and that would be far too difficult of an adjustment.
19. Vehicles still requiring gasoline.
This is an obvious one. There needs to be a cleaner, easier to access, renewable alternative. I believe we still use gasoline due to big companies buying out new ideas to keep them quiet. Also, it is expensive to research and begin something new.
20. Last one! I am surprised phones do not charge more quickly yet.
We are still at the point where they have to sit on a charger for hours to get a full charge again. I would think by now there would be an immediate solution to a low or dead phone battery. These rechargeable batteries, although slow, are convenient because they do not have to be replaced. They are reusable. Maybe there is not a quicker solution yet because we have not found something more resourceful/less wasteful.
I did find twenty “bugs” difficult to come up with. I think that is because we are all so accustomed to things not always going right and just adapting to it and writing them off. During this exercise, I got the chance to actually think about what those things are, why they are like that, and what could be done to make them better or fix them altogether. The first five I was able to rattle off easily, but then slowed down on the sixth bug. I got stumbled multiple times throughout coming up with my bug list. It took several days to complete it
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
My Entrepreneurship Story
So far, the time in my life when I personally got the closest to experiencing true entrepreneurship was during my time as a Realtor at Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty when I lived in Jacksonville, FL. Being a Realtor is a profession that has been around, I did not invent that, but what made me feel like an entrepreneur is that I had to build my own business from nothing as a Realtor. All I had to help me in the beginning was the association with a big company name like Coldwell Banker. The rest was up to me. I had to consider my own network/"niche" and think of creative ways to reach them and hopefully get their business and keep their business. I tried many things such as making a business Facebook page, ringing doorbells and hanging door hangers. I also decided that I wanted to try sending out mailers so I went around to the local businesses in the area that I wanted to reach and pitched the idea of them purchasing advertisement space on my mailers. That way, it would lower my costs, increase the chances that people would hold onto the mailers for not only my info but the coupon, and it would also benefit the business that advertised with me. After months of working hard without much return, I decided it would be helpful if I had a mentor so I asked one of the consistent top producers in the office to meet me for lunch at Panera. We did, the conversation went well, and later on that evening she called me and offered me the opportunity to join her real estate team which comprised of her and one other at that time. Things began to take off better from then on. They mentored me and gave me some great ideas, handed me some leads, and got me involved in the community. I got to ride along with them and do tasks for them, both helping me learn the business. Unfortunately, after a year of giving the real estate business a chance, circumstances moved me to Lakeland, FL. I got away from real estate and decided to not pick it back up again. I decided to pursue school again as I have always wanted my Bachelor's degree. Plus, I just recently (last July) finally figured out what I wanted to do with my life.. marketing.
I enrolled in ENT 3003 because it is part of the pathway to pursue marketing. It is required, but luckily it truly sounds very interesting and I think it is a necessity to have entrepreneurial skills in today's business world. I cannot be positive yet but I feel as if entrepreneurship is somewhat of a melting pot of everything business. Entrepreneurs need to know about marketing, management, finance, etc. During this class, I hope to learn about innovation and what it takes to start a business and grow it into a successful one.
Below is a panorama I took of Jacksonville Beach with the pier in the background. It was one of the many photos I posted on my business Facebook page to promote Jacksonville and its beauty.
I enrolled in ENT 3003 because it is part of the pathway to pursue marketing. It is required, but luckily it truly sounds very interesting and I think it is a necessity to have entrepreneurial skills in today's business world. I cannot be positive yet but I feel as if entrepreneurship is somewhat of a melting pot of everything business. Entrepreneurs need to know about marketing, management, finance, etc. During this class, I hope to learn about innovation and what it takes to start a business and grow it into a successful one.
Below is a panorama I took of Jacksonville Beach with the pier in the background. It was one of the many photos I posted on my business Facebook page to promote Jacksonville and its beauty.
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