Customer Interviews No. 1

After much analyzing, I have found an opportunity- and it lies within the speed limit that signs we see everyday. Although there are some electronic speed limit signs, they are often only used in construction zones and are not solar powered. I see a world of opportunity, because new solar-powered electronic speed limit signs that could alter with changes in weather could make the streets safer and could be a more effective way to implement the law- helping lower the number of accidents every year.

They are a lot of people who could benefit from this- anyone who operates a motor vehicle! I am positive that people will buy into my solution. I am going to interview people who currently drive, and see how they feel about my idea.

First, I will ask the person I am interviewing a little about their life. Then, here are some of the questions I will ask:

1) What have your experiences driving been like?
2) How would you feel about the implementation of my idea?
3) Throughout the interview, nod and talk to them to let the interview take a course of it's own-and hopefully get some more personal feedback.

Here are the videos of my interviews: (Links to youtube included underneath)

                                                                              https://youtu.be/SbU6BpNGcdc

https://youtu.be/yIHpAkEUy0Y

                                                                       https://youtu.be/nd8P8k-Xsk8

https://youtu.be/HL6udCPJmPU

                                                                               https://youtu.be/TVKuDyDtrSA 

I learned a lot about my opportunity. A lot of people liked my idea because the they thought it would enhance the safety on the roads. Now that I did ask five people, I am more confident in my idea, and it's a good feeling! Almost everyone opened up to me about a personal experience, which I didn't expect. I didn't think that people would be so apt to go through an interview, especially when they would have to be recorded- and this also made me feel better as I conducted the interview.

I learned a lot whilst doing my interviews. It's one thing to come up with an idea that you think is effective- but the only way to truly know is when you get other's opinions. From this exercise, I was able to become a much more open person when it comes to listening to other's input. Before this, I thought I was pretty open, but I just didn't realize how many different viewpoints actually exist.  I was a little hesitant at first to go and interview people, but everyone was so nice! Three of the girls I interviewed even let me do it inside of their dorms. I guess I was just a little scared to receive negative feedback, but then I realized that it would only be beneficial. Additionally, from this I was able to become more comfortable with talking to others about my personal ideas.

Week 4 Reading Reflection

1) The biggest surprise for me in the reading was the part about developing your creativity. Although I indulge in creativity through dance, I feel like coming up with innovative ideas is not my strong suit, so I was pleased to read that there are a copious amount of things that you can do to enhance your creative talents.

2) The part of the reading that I initially found confusing was the "creative exercise" on page 134. The activity tells you to look at a list of items and to write down every use for the item you could think of. When I first took a look at the list, I was incredibly confused because the items appeared to be really random and useless. Then, I decided to sit down and do some of the list, and I was really pleased with how many functions I could come up with. It finally made sense, it was an activity to see how creative I could get with seemingly normal items.

3) I would first ask the author who came up with the term "cocooning", because I have never heard it used in this context- but it does match the definition perfectly. On another note, I would also ask the author if he felt as though he already embodied the principles of innovation, or if he had to learn them.

4) I would disagree with the author on his title for the sub-article "Terrorism Ignites Innovation." Although the article did take a nice twist on how we can make the best out of unfortunate situations, yet I feel like the title could be less blunt. I feel as though it may offend people who were affected by acts of terrorism, specifically 9/11.

Top 5 World Problems

Top 5 List:
#1: Armed Conflict
#2: Global Population
#3: Water Supply
#4: Poverty
#5: Environmental Issues

I listed the problems in this specific order because I feel like although all of these problems are relevant, devastating, and equally important, I based it off of prevalence. Armed conflict is number one because it has been going on since the beginning of time, and its effects stay relevant even far passed when they occur. Furthermore, I put environmental issues last, even though this is as vitally important as everything else. Ultimately, I did decide to put it last because it would need a much longer recovery time.

Most Implementable Solutions:

#1 The water supply: Put more portable water filter in countries that need it, so that non-drinkable water becomes clean and usable on demand.
#2 Environmental Issues: Enforce and increase laws regarding the use of the things that are toxic to our planet. Furthermore, create ads to raise awareness about our environment, to persuade people to be more cautionary.
#3 Poverty: It is very difficult to try to think of a single solution for this intense problem, but one suggestion would be to have wealthier countries make donations to build up other countries who may not have the resources to get out of serious poverty.

#4 Global Population:  Find a way to allocate our resources more effectively and efficiently; so that what we do have can be used to the best of its ability.
#5 Armed Conflict: It's really hard to pin down a solution for this huge problem, but one possibility could be increased strictness on who can govern a whole country, to eliminate extremist points of view from power (hopefully calming down any feelings of hatred that would lead to terrorism/war).

Although all the solutions were hard to think of because the problems are so huge and complex, I ranked them in order based off of the ones that seemed most feasible. I put my water supply solution as number one because I know that there have been some versions of a portable water filters already used in some countries. I know that most of them have been very effective, so I figured putting more of these in countries that truly need it would be the most implementable solution. Armed conflict was the most difficult to deem implementable, just because of the large nature of the problem. There is not one single solution to such a problem, so it came in fifth.

Week 3 Reading Reflection

Chapter 2:

#1- The aspect of this reading that was different from my expectations was when the author talked about the "dark side" of entrepreneurship. I associated entrepreneurship with only the best of qualities, so when I began reading this I was really thrown off guard. I didn't think of all the stress or things that pervade an entrepreneurial ego that can cause it to have a dark side.

#2- The most confusing part of the reading for me was the part about the level of personal financial risk, specifically the graphic on page 38 (figure 2.1). I found this figure confusing because at first glance I couldn't grasp the correlation between the risk, activity and profit seeking/avoiding. Once I further analyzed the typology of entrepreneurial styles, the graphic seemed less intimidating. 

#3- I would ask the author for some examples of real people who have faced one or/and all of the four basic risks: either a financial, career, family/social, or psychic risk. I would like to get some real life examples of this so that I could see how the text translates into real life occurrences. The ability to indulge in an example makes the concepts that are read a lot easier to grasp. I would then also ask if this has ever occurred to the author himself.

#4- I disagree with what the author said on page 39, where he states, "some of the most common entrepreneurial goals are independence, wealth, and work satisfaction." Although I do think these are goals for some people, stating it this way in the text is an overgeneralization. Everyone's goals are subjective and different, and I believe that making this statement in this manner was almost disrespectful. 

Identifying Local Opportunities

List of Five Opportunities:

Missing Student Tracking- Jacksonville Daily Progress (TX): 

• "Valdosta Lawmaker Wants Schools to Track Missing Students"
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A8ED6CC9E6B2D0?p=AWNB
• This article revolves around the story of a 17 year old High School Student who was found dead one day in his school. Because of this occurrence, a South Georgia lawmaker wishes to implement a system that tracks down students who arrive at school but then begin having absences later in the day.
• The problem presented in the story is the fact that school officials cannot keep good enough track of their students, which has the potential to lead to dangerous situations. Therefore, they wish to implement some sort of tracking system.
• The school systems are the ones who have the problem.

Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush- The Miami Herald:

• "First GOP Primaries Could Make or Break Campaigns for Rubio and Bush"
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A8E3CD281D35F8?p=AWNB
• This article was mainly about how GOP Presidential candidates Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush have secured spots on the ballot for Florida's primaries, but that their actual chances of staying in the race aren't solidified. 
• The problem presented in this article is the fact that Rubio and Jeb need to begin pushing the other front-runners out of the race (including each other) to help enhance their chances of staying in the race past the primaries- by winning over the states of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. 
• The candidates themselves and their respective representatives are the ones facing the problem. 

The Dirty Politics of Water- The Orlando Examiner:

• "SJRWMD Pilot Water Farming - The Politics of Dirty Water"
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A8D13012D37928?p=AWNB
• This articles talks about how the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) sent out mis-leading information to the public regarding payment information for a water farming project on a failed citrus grove near Fellsmere, Florida. 
• The problem is that the SJRWMD emailed out false information to the public, which is illegal and unethical in a lot of ways. 
• The people at fault for the problem here is the St. Johns River Water Management District.

Need for Blood Donors During Winter- Jacksonville Daily Progress:

• "Need for Blood Donors Increases in Winter"
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7EF59E9D8B520?p=AWNB
• This article is about how much the winter weather interferes the number of blood donations, and how without these donations serious shortages exist.
• This is a problem because it is especially vital for small local hospitals to receive these donations, because it is their sole way of providing blood. With the dwindling blood donations during the winter months, there is not nearly enough blood in supply.
• The "person" who has this problem are all hospitals, especially the local ones. 

Cuts on Local Police Funding- The Tampa Bay Examiner:

• "Obama Administration Cuts Local Police Funding"
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A77F32AB6498C8?p=AWNB
• The article is about how Obama's Administration is bringing refugees to the US while also cutting funds to local police- which is causing anti-police actions from law enforcement agencies in Florida. 
• The problem is that the taxpayers are not getting the protection they need and deserve from this cut of funds. It is also not allowing law enforcement to buy the equipment they need to help the citizens in our communities. 
• The people who have to do with this problem are the law enforcement officers and agencies in Florida, and also the citizens who feel the effects from the legislation.  

Very Short Interview No. 1

I had the lovely opportunity to "very short" interview Tim Wahl, the creator of unBALANCED. He began pursuing the world of business as an entrepreneur at the young age of 24, and he truly exemplifies the spirit of what it is to be an entrepreneur. Here were my questions and his answers:

#1- Is there anything that you wish you had learned/known before beginning to start your path as an entrepreneur?

Tim: When I had my first business at the age of 24, I was not fully prepared for, or aware of, the true cost of operating a business.  Employees pay, payroll taxes, commercial rental space, corporate taxes, marketing, and inventory all are significant expense to any small business, and should be carefully analyzed prior to launching a venture.  I would have started off with a smaller staff, smaller building, and less inventory to start the business if I had to do again, which would have provided more positive cash-flow in the early years.

#2- What are some of the things that you think should be taught in an Entrepreneur class?

Tim: I would stress the importance of salesmanship.  Regardless of the business, one needs to be able to sell their product/service to, not only their customers, but to their employees, partners, vendors, bankers, etc.  It is important that you can convey to all involved, the benefit(s) to doing business with you.  Many entrepreneurs consider themselves to be the "idea guy", but shy away from the Sales-end of things.  A great idea/business concept needs to be sold to the marketplace.

#3- How have your experiences this far shaped you as a person? What should I expect if I ever want to come up with an idea and turn that idea into a reality?

Tim: My entrepreneurial experiences have given me a great hands-on education in a number of areas that have shaped me. Learning the importance of teamwork.  Basic-to-advanced bookkeeping and accounting, that can be applied to ones personal finances.  Leadership skills that were developed. Most of all I would say learning how to deal with challenges and overcome obstacles, that will surely come one's way in life.

What to expect...

Expect that not everyone will share your excitement, or understanding of your venture.  Expect many opinions to come your way on how you should handle your business, market your product, etc. It's important to "consider the source". Many people mean well, but are not always knowledgeable of a particular area. Expect rejection! Expect obstacles! Expect challenges!  Being an entrepreneur is not much different than being an athlete, musician, or dancer(!). A different body of work that goes into it, but same blood, sweat, and tears that it takes to be successful.  Lastly, expect to feel a great sense of accomplishment and pride once you have achieved your goal!

Tim said so many great things during this interview, and I bet it is clear to see the passion and excitement that he has for the world of entrepreneurship. The thing that I loved the most was his answer to my third question, when he talks about how not everyone is going to love or approve of your ideas- but to still power through any obstacles you face to make your dream a reality. The part that surprised me the most was when he talked about how entrepreneurs are not only the "idea guy" (question 2). I never really analyzed the fact that entrepreneurs also must be involved and relevant with every other aspect of the idea once it turns into a business. Overall, this interview really opened my eyes and made me look at entrepreneurship in a new light.

A World of Problems: The World's Biggest Problems

#1 Armed Conflict: Including terrorism, wars are something that leave implants on our world and society long after they have passed. Wars cause hatred, destruction, and cost a lot of money that could be used on things that better our society-rather than puncturing it.
Solution: It's really hard to pin down a solution for this huge problem, but one possibility could be increased strictness on who can govern a whole country, to eliminate extremist points of view from power (hopefully calming down any feelings of hatred that would lead to terrorism/war).

#2 Environmental Issues: Global warming, pollution, climate change, natural resource depletion-the list goes on and on. Things that go into creating these problems include the burning of fossil fuels, the careless use of materials like plastic and styrofoam, and the emission of green house gases. Environmental problems are amongst the worst yet most important- because without the world we live on, nothing is possible.
Solution: Enforce and increase laws regarding the use of these things that are toxic to our planet. Furthermore, create ads to raise awareness about our environment, to persuade people to be more cautionary.

#3 Global Population: Our population is growing faster than it ever has before, which leads to huge problems throughout the world regarding resources. Scarcity exists in our world, and when we run out of resources due to overpopulation we risk ruining our planet. With the limited amount of resources and the growing amount of people, something bad would have to happen in order to get the system back into balance again.
Solution: Find a way to allocate our resources more effectively and efficiently; so that what we do have can be used to the best of its ability.

#4 Intense Poverty: A lot of countries face serious poverty, which can lead to immense problems. These problems do not only hurt the country in which it occurs, but it ripples down and hurts the whole world. People living in poverty do not have the simplest things necessary for survival, and when one country hurts, we all hurt.
Solution: It is very difficult to try to think of a single solution for this intense problem, but one suggestion would be to have wealthier countries make donations to build up other countries who may not have the resources to get out of serious poverty.

#5 Water Supply: Water is becoming more and more scarce, and it's becoming a serious problem. Not only are droughts an issue, but the accessibility of water in some places is causing serious deaths. Some places that lack water for their respective population include Antigua and Jamaica, for example. Around 1.4 million children die each year due to lack of water.
Solution: Put more portable water filters in countries that need it so that non-drinkable water becomes clean and usable on demand.

#6  Education: Possibly the most important thing for the continuation of a society, yet very over-looked. Although in some places education is very accessible, it is not this way everywhere. There are a lot of problems, especially in the United States, where kids in elementary school are being passed through grades despite their failure. Education everywhere needs to be taken more seriously starting from the bottom up.
Solution: Implement more serious passing standards in our schools so that kids don't just "slip through the cracks".

#7 Income Inequality: The disparities between income is still a problem. Of course, the differences of salaries between a highly trained professional and that of a McDonald's worker are understandable, but when and if huge gaps continue to occur, we could be in more of an economical world of trouble.
Solution: Although well deserved, maybe tone CEO pay just a little bit, so that they still make well above the rest of their company but the disparity isn't as huge.

#8 Political Equality: Well, equality in general as well. If you're not looked at as equal in the eyes of the law, your basic rights get taken away. It's been happening since the beginning of our history, and although things have improved, people are still being treated unfairly.
Solution: Many laws have been implemented and not actually enforced until recently (for example, the civil rights act, gay marriage). Making men and women pay the same could be one law installed to heighten equality here in America.

#9 Unemployment: Unemployment has been ranking its highest since the Great Depression, and it is obviously not a good thing. A lot of Veterans can not find work when they return home, people simply lack the skill and knowledge to have a job, and others choose not to work. All of these things and more create problems for our economy and the people themselves.
Solution: Although a little unemployment must always exist to keep the economy going, the number could be lowered greatly by having special places where people can go to have their skill set analyzed and then directed towards jobs; because a large part of unemployment is people having great skills and education, but just not being able to find/get the jobs they could, and instead take on a lower skill-set job.

#10 Loss of Species: Relating to the environmental issues, the loss of species can cause serious damage to our world. Losing the tiniest part of our ecosystem creates an imbalance that leaves disastrous effects, like the loss of even more species and thus ultimate termination of everything we have on this planet that us humans survive off of.
Solution: Stricter and enforced laws on hunting, and also spreading awareness about our planet and ecosystems.

Week 2 Reading Reflection

1) The biggest surprise for me in this very first reading was seeing that a small-business owner and an entrepreneur do not mean the same thing. Like the reading said, people often use the two interchangeably, and I am definitely one of those people. It says that small business owners can be regarded to as the managers, which makes sense now that I reflect upon it. I am actually also in Principles of Management this semester, and seeing this relation in the text helped me to differentiate the two.
2) One part of the reading that was confusing for me was when it talked about entrepreneurs being academic and social misfits. Every time the word entrepreneur comes to mind I think of successful, intelligent people; so naturally, this myth caught me off guard. As I read further into the paragraph, it explained how the entrepreneur is now viewed as "a hero- socially, economically, and academically". This explanation aligned a lot better with my thoughts of an entrepreneur.
3)I would first ask the author why he included copious amounts of visual aids throughout the text- if it was a more effective way to get the information across or if it was just for visual effect. I would also ask what exactly causes the eventual downfall of "gazelles" and why one can never survive forever.
4) I loved every part of the reading, but if I had to pick one part to disagree with it would be when the author talks about Robert C. Ronstadt's summary description of entrepreneurship, because I didn't really fancy it. He says entrepreneurship is the "dynamic process of creating incremental wealth", and I think it is much more than just the material aspect of wealth. I believe that entrepreneurship is what betters our communities, reinvents the world, and what makes life better and more fulfilling.

My "Bug List"

Here is a list of things that bug me:

1.     How UF Housing unfairly increased my rate when my roommate decided she was moving out of our Late Application Triple- and they didn't even remove the excess furniture.

·      This bug exists because I still believe that I was charged unfairly, and after multiple emails with the housing staff, they seemed to not care at all. I think it is unethical to charge others for someone else's decisions. They are now charging us the rate for a double, but refuse to take the furniture out to truly make it a double. I don't think anything about this is right!

2.    When people chew very loudly as they eat. Basically, any munching, slurping, or sipping noises during eating bug me A LOT.

·      This bug exists because probably because I focus too much on this tiny detail in everyday life. Yet, for me, it’s incredibly hard to not focus in on the loud sounds someone makes during a meal.

3.    When I open the door for someone and they do not say thank you.

·      This bugs me because I am performing a nice gesture for a stranger, and when that said stranger does not thank me, it makes me feel unnoticed, when I was obviously noticed.

4.    When my dog barks as I am trying to watch Parks and Recreation.

·      This bugs me because while I am attempting to relax and watch my show, my dog, who doesn’t need anything, just enjoys barking very loud.

5.    People who have no sense of time bug me. Being punctual is vitally important, and people who can’t seem to be on time rub me the wrong way.

·      This bug exists because my mother is one of these untimely people (I love her to bits, though)! Yet because of her, I always try to be punctual, and when people aren’t, I am unsatisfied.

6.    The line at the Starbucks in the Hub every morning.

·      One Friday, before my 10:40 class, I left early to get a coffee and the line was insane. Ever since this day the Starbucks at the Hub has bugged me because I can never get coffee in a timely manner.

7.    People who let their dorm door slam (it’s very loud and unnecessary).

·      My old roommate did this and it's very annoying.

8.    People who don’t contribute towards the group effort during a group project.

·      This has probably happened to all of us, and it’s the worst. My Chem lab group in high school was not comprised of equally contributing students, making things very difficult.

9.    Peanut butter and Jelly.

·      This bugs me because I do not like jelly. Just peanut butter sandwiches on their own are delicious.

10.   People who spend way too much time and thought on social media, especially in a social setting with others.

·      This bug exists because everyday I see people constantly on their phones, when they could be engaging in human interaction. It’s quite sad, and I try not to do it.

11.   People who don’t think dance is a sport.

·      This definitely bugs me because I’ve been dealing with it my whole life. Yes, dance is an art, but it is also a sport.

12.  When I’m trying to sleep but my room is too hot.

·      It’s possible to cover up to get warmer, but when it’s already hot, it’s almost impossible to cool down. Not the best sleeping conditions.

13.  Undercooked zucchini.

·      Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables, but when it is raw/undercooked it ruins the whole experience.

14.  When people play movies at an extremely loud volume.

·      I enjoy being able to experience the movie to its fullest, but when it’s blasting loud, I get quite annoyed. Maybe I have sensitive ears?

15.  How packed the library gets during finals week.

·      This bugs me because every time I go to pay the library a visit I can’t even find a spot! I guess we all have to study, but you would think the building would be able to fit a lot more people.

16.  UF football games that begin at noon.

·      This bugs me because I do not want to begin tailgating at 9 in the morning, and also, by the time noon rolls around it is unbearably hot outside.

17.  Standardized tests (such as the SAT) that determine a lot more than they should.

·      I understand we must have some sort of way to measure intelligence, but when an acceptance to a school is based solely on a test score, it really bugs me. I believe that my experiences are much more important than a multiple-choice test.

18.  The fact that a failing student can be withheld from being held back by the snap of their parents fingers.

·      Since I know people who work in the school system, I have more of an insight to what happens in these kinds of situations. Kids who clearly can’t understand material or even read at their grade level are simply passed along instead of being withheld.

19.  People who think that they are all that and a bag of chips.

·      There is a thin line between confidence and cockiness. This bugs me because I think people should not be so self-centered and instead open themselves up to the people around them, and maybe there would be more kindness in the world.

20.  People who cut you off in the middle of a conversation.

·      Interpersonal communication is a two way road, and this specific mannerism bugs me because the person doing it never even realizes how truly rude they are being.

Wow, that was way harder than I thought it would be! At first, I could think of a few simple things I see everyday that bug me, but after that this task got incredibly difficult. I realized that with every bug I tried to come up with, my mind automatically thought of all the things I found pleasant. I found it exceptionally difficult to come up with the "why" for some of my bugs, because I couldn't really identify why I feel the way I feel (for example, the "chewing loudly" bug). In conclusion, this exercise was arduous, but it did feel good to let some of my 'bugs' out.

unBALANCED: My Entrepreneurship Story

Shirts. Everyone wears them.

A couple years back, a close family friend came up with an idea to reinvent the common shirt we all know and love. Eventually, my dad teamed up with him, and the shirt brand unBALANCED was ready to take flight. The inventive design of this shirt has one sleeve that is slightly shorter than the other, creating an unbalanced look (get it). This was the first time in my life that I saw passion and persistency take form in an idea. Seeing their entrepreneurial spirit first hand is something that I will never forget; it was engaging and inspiring. This brings me to my second point, which is why I decided to take ENT3003 this semester. I wanted to learn how to foster my diligence and passion into ideas, and to learn to truly think of myself as an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is something that reinvents, keeps us on our toes, and continues to better our communities and world. For all of these reasons and more I took interest in this class, and I can't wait for what's to come.

My Introduction

Hi there!

        My name is Cassidy McKenna, and I'm a freshman at the University of Florida. I am from a small town called New Port Richey, it's about 40 minutes North of Tampa, Florida. I am a General Business Major with a specialization in Mass Media Communications, and later on I hope to be accepted into UF's Masters in International Business program. I picked "general" Business because I am not entirely sure what it is I want to do with my life... but I am hoping that along with diligence and passion to find a path to happiness and success! I haven't traveled very much (only on cruises) but in the near future I hope to study abroad in Dublin, Ireland. One of my favorite hobbies is dance; I have been dancing for 15 years- and I have continued into college by being accepted into UF's very own Danza Dance Company. Along with dancing here at UF, I also work in the Reitz Union. Working on the heart of campus is endlessly fun and exciting.

Me, dancing

The Entrepreneur's Mantra

Testing, Testing

Just trying to figure out how this whole blogging thing works.