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30A- Final Reflection

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1. Read through old posts 2. Experiences I would say that the most formative assignment was the Secret Sauce (16A). Being able to really self reflect on what it is that makes me so unique and the little things that diversify me from everyone else was really inspiring. I also enjoyed being able to ask my friends what it was that they believed made me stand out. An experience I will remember years later will be the Growing Your Social Capital (20A). Being able to connect with and actually talk to people who are the best at what they do was very cool. I was able to add people to me network that I probably would not have otherwise. My most joyous experience was Create a Customer Avatar (18A). I loved this assignment because we were able to get really creative with who our perfect, ideal customer was. We had to use our imagination to create a life for them and that was pretty fun. I am most proud of myself for accomplishing the Venture Concept (24A). This assignment required a lot of har...
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29A- Venture Concept No. 2

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My Venture Concept: 1.      Opportunity: I first saw an opportunity to exploit my product and create something meaningful when I realized how much people of my same demographics who went to UF valued the environment and practices that supported the planet. The people who have the need are majority college females who tend to be more politically liberal and partake in daily practices that help reduce their carbon footprint on the Earth. The nature of the need is not urgent, but if it were available it would definitely be exploited. Creating the need for a retractable, reusable straw is the absence of straws that keep people happy without using plastic, taking up a lot of space, and provide satisfaction. This market is spread out as far as every college is spread out throughout the United States, so I would say a few separate segments every state. Currently, customers are using paper straws which 99% of people absolutely hate, or they are using reusable metal or ru...
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28A- Your Exit Strategy

1. My exit strategy Within a few years from now, it is my hope that my business will have grown into a large company known for its environmentally friendly practices. I have 2 full years left at the University of Florida, and after that I hope to go to graduate school somewhere. With that being said, I hope to be done with my studies in four years, at which point I will sell off my business to any of our partners. By that time, we will be in alliances with multiple retail stores and food shops, and I will sell off the business to one of those partners who will probably change the name and make it their own. 2. Why I have selected this because to me, this has always been a hobby of mine and not so much a life goal. I never intended to extend this business and dedicate my whole life to it. In fact, I only started it because I needed some extra money as a college student. When the four years are up, I will have enough money and education to find a steady job elsewhere that does not gi...
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27A- Reading Reflection No 3.

I chose to read  How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, Scott Adams 1. What was the general theme or argument of the book? Overall, the book is pretty much a series of lessons that Scott Adams has been able to come up with and apply to his own life. Through experience, failures, and successes, he has bottled up everything that has helped him stay on track to create his life. A lot of the lessons were quite the opposite of what you would expect, but the more you think about it, the more they make sense. A few of my favorite lessons were the importance of acquiring skills and affirmations. Adams described how crucial it is to be able to constantly acquire new skills. Being able to do so roughly doubles your chance for success with whatever that may be. Furthermore, all skills, no matter in what context they are learned, can typically be applied to any sort of setting. The more we learn, the easier it will be to learn. Second, the affirmation lesson really interested m...
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26A- Celebrating Failure

1. The time I failed As a freshman, I was eager to apply to a bunch of clubs and business organizations so that I could really get my foot in the door as I started my college career. There is a business organization called Florida Leadership Academy which is a great organization to be in and is pretty competitive. I applied to FLA at the end of my freshman year and ended up getting an interview. I went to see CAP mentors for a mock interview and even asked current members for any advice and tips that they could give me. After my interview, I was sure that I had done very well and that I would be selected. A few days went by when I finally received an email with an update. I did not get into FLA and I was very upset. At the time, it was pretty much the only organization I wanted to be in and the only one that, at the time, seemed to be of any interest to me. 2. What I learned It wasn't until a few weeks later that I learned that this was one of the best things that could have ha...
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25A- What's Next?

Existing Market 1. What's next Within my current market, I believe that what comes next is more products that aim at reducing the use of harmful materials and replacing them with more sustainable, environmentally friendly material. I hope to start moving from straws to cups or reusable grocery bags, and stray away from plastic and aim at producing these with recycled or organic material. 2. Interviews (Called people) The first interview was my roommate Carson who is a college sophomore female and moderately participated in environmentally friendly practices. When I asked Carson, she said that she believed a really good step for my venture would be to improve the designs of the reusable, retractable rubber straw that I currently have on the market. In other words, Carson says that she would love to see the same straw in a different design, and maybe made of a different material that is more similar to plastic. She also recommends creating straws with flashy designs such as sp...
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24A- Venture Concept No.1

My Venture Concept: 1.      Opportunity: I first saw an opportunity to exploit my product and create something meaningful when I realized how much people of my same demographics who went to UF valued the environment and practices that supported the planet. The people who have the need are majority college females who tend to be more politically liberal and partake in daily practices that help reduce their carbon footprint on the Earth. The nature of the need is not urgent, but if it were available it would definitely be exploited. Creating the need for a retractable, reusable straw is the absence of straws that keep people happy without using plastic, taking up a lot of space, and provide satisfaction. This market is spread out as far as every college is spread out throughout the United States, so I would say a few separate segments every state. Currently, customers are using paper straws which 99% of people absolutely hate, or they are using reusable metal or ru...
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