30A - Final Reflection

1) Some highs and lows throughout the semester I experienced are the lows of coming up with stable and usable ideas. For the posts we’ve done I have experienced both highs and lows in coming up with ideas. The amount of ideas I’ve thrown away on my entrepreneurial journey is a lot. Although, finally coming up with a true venture concept for my idea was an all time high.

2) What sticks out to me as the most formative experience that I’ll remember years later, is the skill I obtained in regards to networking and reaching out to the experts. This also is the most joyous experience as it helped push me toward my overall goal and main product ideas, and my venture. I am most proud of how far I came with my elevator pitches. I am very uncomfortable speaking for a certain amount of time, especially on camera, and with practice I was able to do well on it and be more confident.

3) I have moved much closer to be becoming a true entrepreneur. Utilizing the entrepreneur mindset is a good tool in a variety of ways. It helps in the fails, as well as the successes, and gives you a push you wouldn’t have otherwise had to get things done and keep trying.

4) One recommendation I would make to those who are doing this on the future is to plan ahead for deadlines, and do extra work to ensure your success. It’s really important, too, when considering the entrepreneurial route to be as prepared for everything that might get thrown at you as you begin and work on your soul venture in the future.

28 - My Exit Strategy

1) My Exit Strategy:
With my business, as it will hopefully thrive for the next five years, I choose to 'exit' by keeping it on the side. I wish to invest and create more ventures as well. I would also like to make it a family business if it would last that long, why not teach the kids about entrepreneurship young?

2) Why I Selected This Strategy:
I chose this strategy because this would have been the venture to start it all for me, and while I continue in my career, it's important to me to keep it around. It would have been my first step into the entrepreneurial world, and it can set an example for future projects. What could i have done better? What were some great ideas? What should I change for next time?

3) How My Strategy Influenced Other Decisions:
With this strategy, I had influenced the value I place on opportunities and resources. This project was like a baby, and I became very close to it itself, and the closeness helped me value the resources because they can be hard to come by in this day in age. I also think that it'll hep influence future business ventures. Much more now falls under the umbrella of opportunity.

27A - Reading Reflection No. 3

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, Scott Adams

1) What was the general theme or argument of the book?
The general theme/argument of the book is that through Adams' memoir, we are able to learn how to take care of ourselves in a way that we are able to move from loss and fail to another, to eventually 'win big' in the end. If you're able to carry yourself along, there shouldn't be a problem with eventually reaching a goal in the end. Just keep swimming.

2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?
The book connected with what we're learning in ENT3003 because we are taught the entire semester about how failures aren't necessarily failures, but can be learning tools. It enhances the work in this class because it is a real life example of someone who was able to fail so many times, and eventually come out on top. It's an inspiration to our entire learning objective.

3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
My exercise would involve students picking something they have failed at, no matter what it it (painting, music, puzzles games, etc.) and trying it again and again. I would want them to document their thoughts as they did this, and all throughout the semester until they eventually get it right and be able to reflect on the experience.

4) What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?

The biggest 'aha'moment I had was learning the concept is true, that if you try hard enough at something, and even if your fail many times, there is still hope that you'll reach your goal. I didn't really realize that there were real life 'failure to success' stories, especially like this. I enjoyed this read because it taught valuable lessons. 

26A - Celebrating Failure

1) Something I Failed At This Semester:

Painting. I tried only 3 times, but over the course of the semester I had tried to draw and then pain the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland without making any mistakes, but it seems that every time I would add paint to my piece, I would somehow make a mistake that was hard to fix. I couldn't figure out if it was just me, and the fact I am not an artist, or if it was the tools I was using that were hindering the process.

2) What I Learned From It:

I learned that painting, like many things, take lots of time and practice to get right. I had painted other things, so I knew I didn't have to be an artist to paint or draw a pretty picture. The big takeaway from this was that I shouldn't give up right away at something like this, and I was able to develop a sort of patience with myself.

3) What I Think About Failure:

I think failure is a great tool, in probably all aspects of life. It tells you that you're doing something wrong, and if you can admit that kind of thing to yourself you're more able to benefit by improving yourself or your work. We are all our biggest critics, so it's also important that we aren't too hard on ourselves when we fail, because in order to benefit from the failure, no matter how epic it may be, we need to use it as a learning opportunity. I tend to be a little hard on myself or get frustrated when I fail, and it's hard for me to try again because I feel embarrassed. But, over the course of this semester I learned that there really are no mistakes, just happy accidents and learning opportunities. This class helped me ensure that I value all tries/attempts, and to use them in future work.

23A - Your Venture's Unfair Advantage

What makes ME so special?

1. Uniqueness of Venture
a) Valuable: very valuable, important for the lack of competition
b) Rare: very rare, typically most ventures have tons of competition
c) Inimitable: fairly simple of you happen to have the same idea
d) Non-substitutable: no, the uniqueness of this venture is the reason for the benefits

2. Public Speaking
a) Valuable: very valuable, important to be able to communicate ideas
b) Rare: not rare, many can have this ability
c) Inimitable: very, many entrepreneurs tend to have this trait
d) Non-substitutable: yes, other resources can express these outcomes

3. Personal Experience
a) Valuable: very valuable when working with the product that you are familiar with, as well as the consumer base
b) Rare: not rare, there are many people part of the same experience I am
c) Inimitable: very, many people are experienced in this field
d) Non-substitutable: yes other resources can express these outcomes

4. Unmet Market
a) Valuable: Valuable because it is not a need that is met yet.
b) Rare: Rare because other sports equipment is unlike mine
c) Inimitable: Yes, if one has a similar idea then they could recreate my products
d) Non-Substitutable: Yes because it is specific to the focused market

5. Determination
a) Valuable: Yes because if you are not determined in your goals you will never accomplish them
b) Rare: No, anyone can become determined on their own personal goal, it is also something someone can work on.
c) Inimitable: Yes, almost anyone can be determined if they put their mind to it
d) Non-substitutable: Yes, no other character trait can provide you the same benefits in life and business

6. Sustainable Business Venture
a) Valuable: Yes, if a business is not sustainable then it can never be successful.
b) Rare: No, every successful business must also be sustainable
c) Inimitable: The fact of having a sustainable business venture is not inimitable, you either are sustainable or you are not
d) Non-substitutable: Yes, no other resource can provide one with the same benefits.

7. Meaningful Business Venture
a) Valuable: Yes, a wide variety of people care about the safety of sports players
b) Rare: Yes, other sports companies are not as focused on reducing concussions among sports players
c) Inimitable: Yes, other sports equipment companies can also begin to focus on reducing concussions among players
d) Non- Substitutable: Yes, because having a meaningful business venture is what sets my company apart from others.

8. Products
a) Valuable: Yes, because the sports equipment are what drives the business
b) Rare: Yes, because our products are unique in that they are concussion preventive
c) Inimitable: No, because one goal of the business is to acquire patents for the concussion preventative technology so no other companies can intimidate our product.
d) Non-substitutable: Yes, no other resource can drive the business like the products

9. Funding
a) Valuable: Yes, without funding a business cannot operate
b) Rare: Variable, depending on your background or credit score it can vary how much funding one can get.
c) Inimitable: Yes, almost anyone is able to acquire some sort of funding.
d) Non-Substitutable: Yes, funding is the only resource that can kick start any business

10. Communication Skills
a) Valuable: Yes, extremely valuable when talking with customers, employees, or other business partners.
b) Rare: No, many people possess communication skills and anyone can work to improve their own
c) Inimitable: Yes, many people can use their communication skills
d) Non-Substitutable: Yes, no other resource provides the same benefits as good communication

Top Resource & Why: The top resource is uniqueness of business venture because it creates a lack in competition which will help grow my business. The uniqueness of my business also meets unmet needs which is extremely beneficial.

22A - Elevator Pitch No.3

Elevator Pitch No. 3, my wisdom teeth are coming in currently so please forgive stutters/pauses.

Reflection from last Elevator Pitch:
I received relatively positive feedback on my last elevator pitch. Those who reviewed my pitch noticed that I included statistics in my pitch, and enjoyed that because it really helped back my point in my pitch and the importance of my product. The only feedback I didn't realize I would get was based off my constructive criticism. I don't realize that I move around a lot in my videos, and I wasn't aware that it was distracting either. I tried better this time, but I think that the reason I do it is because I am not super comfortable making these videos and having to talk for 90 seconds straight. But, I do appreciate the critique because it will improve future pitch videos. I also noticed the sounds in the background, these are my cat Elvis' bells on his collar. It was difficult for me to record this without hearing them despite him being in the next room.

21A - Reading Reflection No. 2

The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users, Guy Kawasaki

1) What was the general theme or argument of the book?
The general theme of this book is that there are over 100 tips and tricks to use social media as a business strategy and get attention for your brand or product. The author provides actionable lessons for entrepreneurs to improve their social media presence, and use it as a tool in business.

2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?
In my opinion, this book enhanced what we're learning in ENT3003 because it boosts the fact that there are several outlets that exist to express entrepreneurship. Its important to utilize all the resources that we can in this world, especially as times like these where social media is very important, and many businesses rely on it when they can't advertise in person. It also helped me realize how important and helpful it can be to know how to properly use technology and social media to aid in your success.

3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
My exercise would involve stuff like we're doing now. Blogs, social media accounts, internet websites, etc. I believe it would be very beneficial to practice utilizing social media to promote your products and help in your future success as an entrepreneur.

4) What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?
I never found social media to be a reliable form of product promotion and advertising. The author of this book helped me understand that with the changing times, social media is more important than ever. As long as you're using social media as a resource for your business, it is possible to have great outcomes that lead to success of business. I learned you can tie business and the media to your benefit.

20A - Growing Your Social Capital

1) Domain Expert

• The domain expert I contacted was the owner of a small sports equipment company for the recreational softball league where I live. He has experience in business, but mostly owned this small business the majority of his time as an entrepreneur.
• This individual fills this spot of domain expert because he is doing exactly the thing I wish to be doing with my product. 
• I found this person because I was involved in softball over the years at this particular league and contacted them by e-mail. 
• I showed him my elevator pitch and shared some ideas, and he gave helpful feedback in return.
• Including this new person and perspective in my career will help ensure success in my product and ideas.

2) Market Expert

• The market expert I contacted was the owner of a small sports drink / water bottle company my high school used for the football team. She has experience in business, and is a young entrepreneur taking over. 
• This individual fills this spot of market expert because she is targeting the same exact market I am targeting, and is experienced in this field. 
• I found this person through contacting my high school and sending emails. 
• I sent her my elevator pitch and she reviewed and critiqued it. 
• Including this new person and perspective in my career and product will help in the success of my product, and also contributes new ideas. 

3) Important Supplier

• The important supplier I contacted was  the owner of a small sports equipment company for the recreational softball league where I live. He has experience in business, but mostly owned this small business the majority of his time as an entrepreneur.
• This individual fills this spot of domain expert because he is doing exactly the thing I wish to be doing with my product. 
• I found this person because I was involved in softball over the years at this particular league and contacted them by e-mail. 
• I showed him my elevator pitch and shared some ideas, and he gave helpful feedback in return.
• Including this new person and perspective in my career will help ensure success in my product and ideas.

4) Reflection:
This experience was great in he development of my product and was a great exercise for future projects. In the future, I will continue to use the contact via email, because it seems to be the easiest format during this time.

19A - Idea Napkin No. 2

Me:
I am Julia Herrmann, a 20-year-old college student at the University of Florida. I have had a variety of jobs in the food industry, and have acquired experience and skills from dealing with people on a daily basis. I have gained skills on the main concepts of customer service, teamwork, organization, and punctuality. My aspirations include being successful and financially comfortable, as well as doing something I enjoy as a career. If I were to start my business in which I was able to invent a football safety helmet to prevent concussions, I would contribute a lot of time and effort in my life to it. This is because I feel that it's an important innovation to introduce to the world of sports.

What I am offering to customers?:
I am offering to customers the idea of safety and comfortability within a somewhat unsafe, yet popular sport realm. I am offering ease to mind of parents with children involved in the sport, as well as the players themselves. I am offering a way for players to keep engaging in the sport they enjoy without having to worry about getting a concussion from it. The product is silicon padding to be placed on the outside of helmets to help with shock resistance when they bump helmets.

Who am I offering it to?:
I am offering this product to anybody involved in sports, it doesn't just have to be football. But, any sport in which an individual is at risk for bumping helmets or slamming helmets an help with a shock resistant technology. Mostly, this targets players, coaches, sports organizations and parents.

Why do they care?:
Customers will care about my product because the issue of concussions is a very wide-spread and well known problem. Not to mention, the effects of concussions can be deadly, and many people care about their health. Also, many people who are responsible for others (coaches, parents, etc.) will care because they're responsible for the health of these individuals as well.

What are my core competencies?
What I have that others don't have is the shock resistance technology. Many helmet brands and providers have 'safety' helmets that don't prevent the issues caused by concussions. My product is different because it takes an even bigger step in preventing this problem.

These elements definitely fit together, and aim towards helping my business in the long run if I can exercise the importance of each of these different aspects. The only aspect of my business concept that would be weak is the fact that its not exactly 100% shock proof or 100% concussion proof because there are other ways in which people can acquire concussions in sports, other than banging their heads together. But, the reason my product is better than the others is because it takes a bigger step towards that 100% proof.

18A - Create a Customer Avatar

This is Drake. He is a football player for the North High Knights. He drives a blue Honda Civic. (because it matches his teams colors)

Drake is about 20 years old. He plays football for his college. He has had 3 concussions in his lifetime.

What do I have in common with my customer avatar?

I am also 20 years old, in college, and I care about the well-being of those affected by a concussion at some time in their life. Drake is my ideal consumer to an extent, because he is just the person who needs my product. What we have in common is a coincidence to an extent, but not entirely.

17A - Elevator Pitch No. 2

This is my elevator pitch, same as last time. 

Reflection from last Elevator Pitch:

I received relatively positive feedback on my last elevator pitch. Those who reviewed my pitch noticed that I included statistics in my pitch, and enjoyed that because it really helped back my point in my pitch and the importance of my product. The only feedback I didn't realize I would get was based off my constructive criticism. I don't realize that I move around a lot in my videos, and I wasn't aware that it was distracting either. I tried better this time, but I think that the reason I do it is because I am not super comfortable making these videos and having to talk for 90 seconds straight. But, I do appreciate the critique because it will improve future pitch videos. 

16A - What's Your Secret Sauce?

Ways I Think I Have Human Capital That is Truly Unique

• I have great interpersonal skills, and I am great at holding conversation. This is a valuable skill, especially when making sales and attempting to bring in clients into purchasing a new product. 
• I am good with dealing with people, it is important to have compassion for others and the ability to communicate to the highest ability. 
• I have exceptional organization skills. This is a very important quality, especially when being an entrepreneur. 
• I have great work ethic, whether in the workplace or even in school work when I begin something I make sure to see it through. I especially see this being a great quality when coming to business. 
• I am very good with time management. I like to plan out my days and leave time room for any activity in particular that I need to complete. 
• Within the creative realm, I would say I have a strong suit. I am constantly coming up with new ideas and try to make it feasible in everyday life. 

Interviews Reflection

• Through my interviews, I talked to a past teacher, an old friend, my aunt, my boyfriend, and my dad. What I learned through the interviews are that they actually agree with me! I was told that although I can get overwhelmed at times, I always see everything through until the end. I was also told that even though I can get anxious or panicky when facing big struggles, I manage to pull through in the end and produce great work. I am apparently the most organized among my friends, they call me the 'mom friend.' I take pride in that because that means they think that I am always there for everyone and I take care of m friends and family. I also talked to my sister, and she mentioned how great I am with kids (her kids) and the challenges that come along with that as well. I am able to keep them on task when doing there homework and I exhibit the qualities of a leader in that way. 

15A - Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Segment: Football players, coaches, parents/families

Interview #1
Joseph said that the main part of his purchasing helmets/safety guards is the price, and effectiveness of them. He wants to make sure that he is getting his money's worth, and he cares about his general safety when using the product. Joseph wishes there was a way to attach safety guards to existing helmets, this way he can save money on an entire new helmet. The most likely place that he will purchase this sort of safety guard is through his football organization, or a sporting goods store. The main post-purchase aspect for him is the overall effectiveness.

Interview #2
Mary says that the main part of her purchasing helmets/safety guards is the quality, and accessibility of the products. She has two boys who play football and is most interested and focused on the safety aspect, and how long these will last for her kids football careers. Mary is a busy lady, so she is very much likely to purchase the safety equipment online. She mostly is concerned with the longevity of the lifespan of the equipment, and that she would love if it were possible to stick to their already existing helmets that they love.

Interview #3
Martin really wants what is best for his football team that he coaches. When he purchases safety equipment he always cares about the price, as he is only allotted a certain amount of money to spend on it. He is only allowed to purchase new equipment every few years so he is also focused on how long the equipment will last. He is most likely to purchase from a sporting goods store partnered with his football association, because that is where he will get the best deal. He feels like his post-purchase evaluation will be the lifespan of the safety equipment.

Conclusion:
Based on the interviews I conducted, these consumers value both price and lasting ability of the products they purchase. They want the best price, for the best quality and longest lasting equipment. People care a lot about the safety aspect, as well as overall convenience.

14A - Halfway Reflection

1) What are the behaviors that you have used (or developed) to keep up with the requirements of this course?
I have developed the behavior of creating a schedule and sticking to it, as the assignments in this course are very strict on due dates and times, and they vary very much from the rest of my courses that I'm currently taking right now. I am always checking canvas to make sure of this as well.

2) Talk about a moment or two when you felt like "giving up." What pulled you through? Do you feel like you've developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months? What experience or experiences most contributed to this?
I thought about once or twice to just not complete assignments if I felt like I couldn't finish them in time. What pulled me through is knowing the information and understanding I will get from completing the assignments. It is also easier to complete further assignments when you've completed past ones. I have definitely developed tenacity over the past couple months, but this isn't only in this course but others as well.

3) Three tips. What are three tips you would offer next semester's student about (1) fostering the skills that support tenacity and (2) developing the 'tenacious mindset' ?

1. Always checking Canvas and reminding yourself why you're enrolled in class in the first place, very much helps you foster the skills you need to stay on track. 
2. Try to make the assignments fun for yourself by placing importance on the information you're learning. 
3. Maybe you wish to be an entrepreneur, maybe you don't, but you will never be in the class again and never to complete these same activities again, so make the most of the opportunities you acquire just from being enrolled in the course. 

13A - Reading Reflection No. 1

1) Entrepreneur: Andrew Carnegie - David Nasaw

• What surprised me the most?

The most surprising thing I've learned about Andrew Carnegie is that he was such a poor boy when he was younger, and he was able to become the big sensation that he is known as today. 

• What about the entrepreneur did I most admire?

I mostly admired Andrew Carnegie for obtaining his wealth from the industry, but was still even after acquiring all this fame a philanthropist. This is admiring because he was able to achieve great riches and still have compassion for others, which is hard to come by.

• What about the entrepreneur did I least admire?

I least admired how it was questionable how he was able to obtain all of this power and become a villain in some circumstances in regards to business. But, it is important to remember where he came from and that he had to climb to get to where he got.

• Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? What did he do about it?

Coming from a poor childhood, Carnegie faced adversity all his life because he was simply born into it. He watched his father struggle as a weaver and chose to rise from this and became a wealthy business man because of this adversity he faced. 

2) What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? 

Andrew Carnegie had to have competencies to get to where he was in his more professional and successful career. I noticed that he was particularly gifted with leadership skills, and management in "all walks of life."

3) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

One part of the reading that was confusing to me was his complete change in attitude and work altogether once he acquired his riches and became a philanthropist. This whole process seemed to be a little confusing as he changed from day to night. 

4) If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why?

I would ask him what made him make such a drastic change? What was his dream all along?

5) For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion?

I feel like Andrew Carnegie thought that hard work was essential in any work of entrepreneurship specifically. I share this opinion, and its obvious that he does too because he had to put in hard work to become as wealthy and successful as he became. 

12A - Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

1) Segment:

The people who participate in sports like football and are somewhat dangerous, those prone to concussions in daily life because of football. The product should be a silicon piece that can attach to existing safety helmets for shock resistance. 

2) Interviews:

• Male, 20-years-old, college student: This interviewee falls into the unmet-need category because he currently plays football for a recreational league and has had concussions in the past. It is dangerous for him to have another concussion, and if he has 3 concussions in a year, he isn't allowed to play football anymore. He plays often and has games both on season and off season for football, so this is a big need for him.
• Female, 40-years-old, parent: This interviewee falls into the unmet-need category because she is a parent to a child who is just starting to play football in a recreational league, and is extremely worried about him getting any head injuries. Her and her son have this unmet need most specifically due to the fact that he has a condition that makes him especially sensitive to head  injuries. 
• Male, 52-years-old, high school football coach: This interviewee falls into the unmet-need category because he is a high school football coach, responsible for a team of players and would like to ensure their safety. Not only is he concerned for the safety of his team, but if players continuously get concussions they will be taken out of playing and he can't afford to lose players either. This is true is many NFL teams as well. 

3) Information Search:

The very first thing that people in the unmet-need category do when they realize they have this need, is buy safety helmets that are said to be the best and most safe. They also will either get pulled out of sports or even just make an effort to play less. They will also make an effort to play more safely when they do happen to participate in the sport. They don't find these solutions to be 100% effective whatsoever. 

4) Findings of Search:

From the interviews, I learned that people of all different demographics suffer from or struggle with the idea of staying safe from concussions. Not only concussions, but many injuries from engaging in sport like football.  

5) Conclusions:

The issue of concussions and the whole idea of trying to be safe from them in more extreme sports, AND the fact that there is a wide variety of people who have this unmet-need, shows that there is an opportunity for a solutions for this need. The range of interviewees that I spoke to showed to me that this is a realistic opportunity. 

11A - Idea Napkin No. 1

Me:
I am Julia Herrmann, a 20-year-old college student at the University of Florida. I have had a variety of jobs in the food industry, and have acquired experience and skills from dealing with people on a daily basis. I have gained skills on the main concepts of customer service, teamwork, organization, and punctuality. My aspirations include being successful and financially comfortable, as well as doing something I enjoy as a career. If I were to start my business in which I was able to invent a football safety helmet to prevent concussions, I would contribute a lot of time and effort in my life to it. This is because I feel that it's an important innovation to introduce to the world of sports.

What I am offering to customers?:
I am offering to customers the idea of safety and comfortability within a somewhat unsafe, yet popular sport realm. I am offering ease to mind of parents with children involved in the sport, as well as the players themselves. I am offering a way for players to keep engaging in the sport they enjoy without having to worry about getting a concussion from it. The product is silicon padding to be placed on the outside of helmets to help with shock resistance when they bump helmets.

Who am I offering it to?:
I am offering this product to anybody involved in sports, it doesn't just have to be football. But, any sport in which an individual is at risk for bumping helmets or slamming helmets an help with a shock resistant technology. Mostly, this targets players, coaches, sports organizations and parents.

Why do they care?:
Customers will care about my product because the issue of concussions is a very wide-spread and well known problem. Not to mention, the effects of concussions can be deadly, and many people care about their health. Also, many people who are responsible for others (coaches, parents, etc.) will care because they're responsible for the health of these individuals as well.

What are my core competencies?
What I have that others don't have is the shock resistance technology. Many helmet brands and providers have 'safety' helmets that don't prevent the issues caused by concussions. My product is different because it takes an even bigger step in preventing this problem.

These elements definitely fit together, and aim towards helping my business in the long run if I can exercise the importance of each of these different aspects. The only aspect of my business concept that would be weak is the fact that its not exactly 100% shock proof or 100% concussion proof because there are other ways in which people can acquire concussions in sports, other than banging their heads together. But, the reason my product is better than the others is because it takes a bigger step towards that 100% proof.

10A - Elevator Pitch No. 1

9A - Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Who:
 Through my interviews, I was able to identify that there are individuals who believe that concussions in football are just part of the sport. These individuals strictly believed that if a person chooses to get involved in a particular sport, that they should face the consequences of playing that sport. There were also individuals that maybe were higher up (coaching staff) that weren't experiencing these conditions and consequences of concussion, so they really had no frame of reference, nor did they require the unmet need for themselves. I interviewed players as well and those who agreed with this mindset haven't actually had concussions themselves from the sport but may have suffered other injuries, they still believe that the protective gear they have is good enough. They especially referenced the sport of rugby, while similar they don't have any protective equipment. Some of these football players, who would benefit from this unmet need seem to truly not mind.

What:
There is a difference between the worry of just simply getting hurt in football and getting a concussion. When people think about getting hurt, they'll say they can get hurt all the time but its just the nature of the sport. When just 'getting hurt' or pulling a muscle the players are resilient and come back soon enough, but concussions can cause brain damage and that's where we would need to push the significance of the unmet need.

Why:
The unmet need isn't different for everyone outside the boundary than inside, but some. For those who are parents or players who've experienced concussion from the sport, they have a higher place on the need than coaches and players who haven't experienced concussion before. Also, people who know of the detrimental effects of the concussion become placed inside the boundary because they know the importance of this particular need.

Inside the Boundary	Outside the Boundary
Who: Players who've experienced are are close to those who've experienced concussion, parents of those of those who've experienced concussion, coaches who understand the significance for their players, etc.	Who: Players who maybe haven't experienced concussion in any sense, coaches who haven't experienced concussion, football fans who haven't experienced concussion.
What: Safer headgear in the sport of football to prevent concussions.	What: The need is not just getting hurt in the sport of football, the need is not in football but other sports.
Why: Concussions are very common, but while they're common they could be very detrimental or even deadly.	Why: Other sports like rugby are in more of a need for protective gear, they already have 'effective' enough gear for the players.  Getting hurt is normal in sports.

8A - Solving the Problem

Opportunity: 
 There is a very high amount of concussions that occur in the NFL, as well as everywhere where there is football: rec leagues, high schools, etc., and this is due to the issues of roughness in the sport, being paired with the inefficiency in safety helmets/gear.

Product/Service:
As it is difficult to completely change a decades old sport in terms of rules and roughness, it's not impossible to change the style or composition of safety gear and helmets for these players. A lot that has to do with getting a concussion in football has to do with the helmet-on-helmet contact and the backlash from it. If there were to be special padding on the outside of the helmets in the particular areas that this happens, this could work towards the prevention of concussions in the sport of football.

7A - Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

Preventing Concussions in Football Athletes (Helmets)

1) Identifying the...

who: the NFL as well as any football players.

what: there are very many cases of concussions while playing football, despite wearing helmets.

why: the composition and design of the helmets used today are not enough to prevent concussions.

2) Testing the...

who: everyone in my current 'who' shares the common need. this need branches out to anyone involved in the sport. 

what: considering all helmets are relatively the same, there aren't any boundaries to this need. it's actually true that the most 'protective' helmet wear even don't protect against concussion.

why: as this is a general need, the why is typically the same and doesn't contain many boundaries. it could be possible that people might need a helmet to prevent concussion because they've already had one, they could blame the helmets themselves, the manufacturers, or even the sport for being too rough. 

3) Interviews...

#1

My first interview was with my dad, who had played football his entire young life, has suffered some concussions in his life due to the sport and is an avid football fan. My dad believes that concussions are quite a problem in the football realm, especially the NFL where they play so many games in a year. My dad seems to believe that there should be a way to prevent this, but he's unsure if extra padding will prevent these problems from occurring. 

#2

My second interview was with a friend of mine, who currently plays club football and has not suffered any concussions himself, but has witnessed it before. He does not believe concussions in football are as reported as they should be, due to the fact that there are probably so many that actually happen. Since this is such a widespread issue, he believes that there should be some sort of change to the roughness of the sport, or an invention of some kind of shock resistant stuff for helmets to help.

#3

My third interview was with a team mom of a recreational football league. As she has seen time and time again concussions happen, even in younger children, she believes the sport is just too rough on the human body. There are many instances where she observed children's lives being taken because they got hit too hard during the sport. She is a true advocate for the change of the sport to make it less rough in order to stop this from happening, and doesn't believe there are any helmets that can help this from happening unless they were to come out with a new one. 

#4

My fourth interview was with another friend of mine who plays football in college. He himself has had a few concussions in his lifetime both from rugby and football. He believes that there is definitely a way to come out with technology that can help the force of blows to the head in the game. He doesn't think that we need to change the sport to make it less rough, we need better protective gear. He also doesn't seem to think that concussions are a big issue in sports, as they're so common. But, what he doesn't seem to realize is the lives this takes and dramatic effects it might have on your life. 

#5

My last interview was with my uncle, who played football in his younger years and is an avid coach and football fan. He has witnessed many concussions occur over the course of his life and coaching career in high schools. He believes that both should happen: they need to make the sport less rough and there should be a new helmet design. My uncle is still going through the effects of his concussion that he had and he thinks that football is very hard on the body in more ways than just the one. It's important to even think about the outside of helmets instead of just the insides. 

Summary:

Based off of my interviews, I now know that there are many lasting effects of a concussion on a person, and that they are even more common than I had though originally. There is definitely an opportunity to create a helmet device with shock resistant technology in order to help people prevent themselves form getting a concussion so that they don't have to worry about this during the game. I also learned that in order to make something shock-proof, we'd have to pay attention to the outsides of the helmets as well to relieve the impact as well as the damage to the brains of many football players. Although, I don't see anything changing about the sport and its roughness, as many don't wish to stray away from the original game. 

6A - Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Economic Trend ~ America is Losing Global Influence
-where I found it:
 https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/08/americas-global-influence-is-declining/568708/

-what leads me to believe that this info suggests an opportunity might exist:
we can learn from the mistakes made in the past, as well as being made in other countries that'll help the U.S. in preventing a decline in power.

-who I think is most likely to be the customer with the opportunity: 
politicians and policy makers

-is the opportunity relatively easy or difficult to exploit? why?
this opportunity would be difficult to exploit because it calls for cooperation on a national level.

-why did I form the belief that an opportunity exists? is there something in experience that helped me find this opportunity?
I believe this opportunity exists because I have learned in history the fluctuation of money and power. With the right policies, there are ways to prevent downfall from the get-go, and move in the right direction.

Economic Trend ~ Baby Boomer Retirement Crisis
-where I found it: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/032216/are-we-baby-boomer-retirement-crisis.asp

-what leads me to believe that this info suggests an opportunity might exist:
there are many who are already in retirement, so there is a chance that there will be enough resources for others with the right changes.

-who I think is most likely to be the customer with the opportunity:
retirees from the baby boomer era and people today who are younger and saving for retirement

-is the opportunity relatively easy or difficult to exploit? why?
relatively easy due to the growing population and people who need jobs can take the older generations jobs

-why did I form the belief that an opportunity exists? is there something in experience that helped me find this opportunity?
this is something going on in 2020, and as a young person I think it's important to touch on these issues to save us from this same problem later on.

Regulatory Change ~ Data and Emerging Technologies are Evolving
-where I found it:
https://www.ey.com/en_us/banking-capital-markets/four-major-themes-dominating-the-regulatory-landscape-in-2020

-what leads me to believe that this info suggests an opportunity might exist:
There is existing risk management and governing practices that could be enhanced to make it all more efficient.

-who I think is most likely to be the customer with the opportunity:
people who use technology, tech providers

-is the opportunity relatively easy or difficult to exploit? why?
relatively difficult, technology is always changing and privacy is becoming more and more of an issue as it does

-why did I form the belief that an opportunity exists? is there something in experience that helped me find this opportunity?
I did a research project on the idea of advancing in technologies and whether it was good or bad and thought about the idea of fixing the issue.

Regulatory Change ~ Post-crisis issues remain; no time to relax
-where I found it: https://www.ey.com/en_us/banking-capital-markets/four-major-themes-dominating-the-regulatory-landscape-in-2020

-what leads me to believe that this info suggests an opportunity might exist:
there have been changes on many fronts but it hasn't still been possible to move on from crises due to reforms and policies that may still need to be implemented because of the crisis long after.

-who I think is most likely to be the customer with the opportunity:
everyone going through/went through crisis, gov officials

-is the opportunity relatively easy or difficult to exploit? why?
this is relatively difficult due to the fact that there have been efforts to solve this problem and its still not a possibility.

-why did I form the belief that an opportunity exists? is there something in experience that helped me find this opportunity?
I have witnessed tragedy and crisis in the past in our country and there are many reasons why we're still stuck on these crisis: we're not advancing in the department of relaxing before the next crisis comes

5A - Identifying Local Opportunities

Local Newspaper(s) :
The Gainesville Sun - https://gainesville.com/
The Independent Florida Gator - https://www.alligator.org/

1) Crash Report: Pilot flew in turbulence to get to daughters birthday- https://www.gainesville.com/news/20200130/crash-report-pilot-flew-in-turbulence-to-get-to-daughterrsquos-birthday

Description: Herman Steele, 73 year-old pilot, was in an accident while in flight due to poor weather conditions, he "lost control during flight." He was told not to fly due to these conditions, but said he wanted to be home for his daughters birthday as well as the Thanksgiving holiday.
Problem: The issue of flying a plane during poor weather conditions, despite being advised not to at that time.
Who has the problem: The pilots family, and any other passengers of that plane would have this problem.

2) Pedestrian, 16, dies after being hit by car- https://www.gainesville.com/news/20200130/pedestrian-16-dies-after-being-hit-by-car

Description: The Gainesville police department reports that a 16-year-old pedestrian died this past week from injuries he sustained after a car had hit him. While his name wasn't released, the 16-year-old man was walking the same direction the car was traveling, when he got hit by this car. He was taken to UF Health Shands Hospital in critical condition, where he died later that day. 
Problem: This young teen was killed by a car, this effects his friends and family.
Who has the problem: Many people, old and young, who cross the street or walk places have this issue. This is not the first time something like this has happened.

3) 4 injured two-vehicle crash Friday morning- https://www.gainesville.com/news/20200126/4-injured-in-two-vehicle-crash-friday-morning

Description: Two vehicles got into a crash and left 4 people inured in the process of the crash.
This occurred on Friday morning, there isn't much information on how this happened.
Problem: People need to pay closer attention when they are driving, accidents are caused by lack of attention as well as various other reasons.
Who has the problem: people who are driving on the road at any time of day have this problem and must be aware of others at all times.

4) Campus blue lights are not used for emergency situations often, data shows- https://www.alligator.org/news/campus-blue-lights-not-used-for-emergency-situations-often-data/article_18d5adfa-4407-11ea-8944-73d007b022df.html

Description: Emergency phones have been added to the entire campus, as requested by UF students. 508 blue light activation's were recorded on campus from January 2017-2019, but only 14 blue-light activation's resulted in a police report.
Problem: There is high demand for these resources, but not enough people are using them.  These each cost UF $15,000-$20,000 to install.
Who has the problem: UF students and faculty that help pay for these installations

5) UF Health monitors rumors of corona-virus spreading to Gainesville-https://www.alligator.org/news/uf-health-monitors-rumors-of-coronavirus-spreading-to-gainesville/article_69a9b1a0-426c-11ea-86b2-87354e5a2a4e.html

Description: Wuhan, China has been quarantined due to the virus, but UF Student Health Center received word that a UF students parent traveled from China to Gainesville before this quarantine took effect. The UF Health is carefully monitoring those who had contact with this parent. So far, no one is displaying signs of the virus yet.
Problem:  There could be a possibility of the virus, killing many, has traveled to Gainesville.
Who has the problem: everyone living/working in the city of Gainesville, mostly those who came into contact with the individual from China.

4A - Forming An Opportunity Belief

1)  My beginning point:
I believe there is a problem with people not knowing how to handle/save money when they are introduced into the "real-world," whether this introduction is when they graduate high school, get into college, or when they're parents stop paying their bills. I am a victim of this issue, and I believe there is an opportunity to save people money when going into the "real-world," or even save them from debt if they're taught how to handle/save money or with personal financial situations: paying taxes, filing for taxes, taking out loans etc.

2) Describing my belief: 
-The unmet need: 
To better prepare people early on for their finances in the future. Save them from debt, know how to do everyday finance things.
-Who has the need: 
People typically between the ages of 18-30 years-old, anyone with financial problems due to lack of awareness/knowledge.
-Where the need comes from: 
This need has existed for a long time, if not always existing. People are going through financial problems everyday, whether this is because of college or just being out of their own.
-What is being done to meet this need now:
In some schools, often high schools, they are introducing a class on personal and family finance. There is also a required economics course in most high schools in order to graduate. While these are helpful tools, I believe that there is more that can be done to ensure these classes are effective.
-I am 85% sure this opportunity exists. 

3) Identifying the prototypical customer:
The prototypical customer, the type of people this is most prevalent to, is a college freshman who was just introduced to the "real-world," and those just graduating from high school. Like myself, had I known the extent to which money is so important and if I knew better what to do with it when I have it, there would be much eliminated stress in my life.

4a) Iteration No. 1: Female, 20 years-old, UF Student
-What is the exact nature of the need for them?
She feels it's a crucial need because no one ever taught her how to use her money. Also, she wasn't required to take any economic based/personal family finance based classes so she really doesn't have a clue about how any of that stuff works.
-When do they become aware of the need?
She feels that she experiences this need whenever she needs to purchase things, like paying tuition for example. So, this is most of the time in her life.
- How long have they had the need?
Since being on her "own," and since being in college. She has been away from her parents who have mostly been dealing with her financial support.
-When did they first become aware of the need?
She feels that she experiences this need whenever she needs to purchase things, like paying tuition for example. So, when she graduated and came to college.
-How are they currently addressing the need?
She's taking an economics class here at UF because it's required for her major. This is the only outlet for how she is addressing this need.
-How satisfied are they with this solution?
Not very satisfied. She feels that there should have been a personal finance class offered that she can take.

4b) Iteration No. 2: Male, 19 years-old, college student (lives at home)
-What is the exact nature of the need for them?
He feels like the nature of this need is very important to him, for he wishes to be an entrepreneur in the future, but doesn't know the first thing about handling money.
-When do they become aware of the need?
He became aware of the need when his dad asked him what he wanted to do for a job. He wants to open his own business but isn't sure how to handle his money. When he has to pay for things he notices this need.
-How long have they had the need?
He has had this need since he got his first car. He has had to pay for his own gas and repairs.
-When did they first become aware of the need?
He became aware of the need when his dad asked him what he wanted to do for a job. He wants to open his own business but isn't sure how to handle his money. When he has to pay for things he notices this need.
-How are they currently addressing this need?
He's practicing saving money in various ways. He also started reading books on investing and more serious ways he's dealing with his money.
-How satisfied are they with this solution?
He is satisfied with this solution as he's working toward bettering this knowledge. He wishes he learned this stuff earlier on though, so that he could better prepare for life.

4c) Iteration No. 3: Female, 24
-What is the exact nature of the need for them?
As she is moving into a more serious life style, (starting up her career as a teacher soon), she has this need like no other. She's going to start making big financial decisions for her life.
-When do they become aware of the need?
She became aware of this need shortly after her parents stopped paying her tuition and bills. She's aware of this need whenever she spends money.
-How long have they had the need?
She has had the need since she was 18 years old and began living on her own. She always made enough money for rent but she was living pay check to pay check.
-When did they first become aware of the need?
She became aware of this need shortly after her parents stopped paying her tuition and bills. She's aware of this need whenever she spends money.
-How are they currently addressing this need?
She is addressing his need by watching a lot of Ted Talks on investing and what to do with her money, also she's doing research on the topic.
-How satisfied are they with this solution?
As this solution is helpful, she wishes she knew early on how to deal with this need.

5) Reflect:
-What I learned about the opportunity:
I learned that I am not the only person dealing with this issue. I also learned that this issue can follow you throughout your life if you don't find solutions to remedy it.
-The most surprising thing I learned through this opportunity:
The most surprising thing I learned through this opportunity is the various different outlets people use to learn more about money. These include: Ted Talks, books, YouTube videos, classes etc. It will be interesting to learn what will be the most effective in solving this problem as a whole in the future.

6) Summarize:
-How much of your original opportunity is still there?
My original opportunity belief is the exact same, if not more importance is placed on it.
-Do you believe that your new opportunity is more accurate than when you started?
I believe that my opportunity is more accurate because it is obvious to me I am not the only person with this problem. It has shown to me that people would benefit if my opportunity belief was followed through, and changes were made.
-How much do you think entrepreneurs should 'adapt' their opportunities based on customer feedback?
I think that entrepreneurs should adapt their opportunities based on customer feedback because I believe that is what is most important. With something like this, it is important that entrepreneurs hear from these prototypical costumers for feedback and to see if their belief is accurate.

3A - My Entrepreneurship Story

Hello fellow bloggers!
Here's my Entrepreneurship Story:
I have been exposed to the idea of entrepreneurship in a variety of ways throughout my life. Whether it's on T.V., or my dad telling stories about opening up his own Bed & Breakfast. But, I didn't really start getting into the concept until I got enrolled into the Innovation Academy.

In this program, here at UF, we are required to take certain classes to qualify for the Innovation Minor. A class I took last summer was called Creativity in Action. In a short explanation, this class was meant for us to create our own product based on a specific prompt/problem, spend all semester producing it ourselves, and then present our product Shark-Tank style in front of judges. This project really opened my eyes to the world of entrepreneurship.

I enrolled in ENT3003 because it is one of the requirements for my Minor, but I also find the concept very interesting. I hope to get out of this course better ways to think of creative ideas and how to execute them, for I don't have tons of experience in the subject.

2A - Bug List

Here are 20 things that bug me in life:

1) Looking forward to eating the last brownie, then my roommate eats it.
This bug exists because my roommate doesn't consider if I ever want the last brownie.

2) Bad drivers, especially during rush hour.
This bug exists because people are either (a), bad at driving or (b), nervous due to rush hour.

3) My phone screen is very glitch-y and is constantly flashing.
This bug exists because the people who fixed my phone screen didn't hook it up correctly.

4) Spam calls from random numbers.
This bug exists for who knows what reason. Money?

5) My floors in my apartment are always cold.
This bug exists because there is a terrible draft in here, and some old windows.

6) My friends making a mess of food in my car.
This bug exists because I allow my friends to eat in my car, I'm too nice.

7) Cockroaches!!!! (only 2, but still grossed me out)
This bug exists because the person who lived in my apartment before me, was a slob.

8) Popcorn kernels in my teeth.
This bug exists because that's just how eating popcorn goes. Not fixable I don't think.

9) Slow internet connection, both on and off of campus.
This bug exists because many students are on the same internet at the same time.

10) People who don't walk on the right side of the road.
This bug exists because people don't pay attention at times.

11) Shopping carts in the parking lot, specifically in a place I'm trying to park my car.
This bug exists because people are lazy and rely on the store to collect their shopping carts.

12) Public transportation delays, more specifically my bus to class being later than expected.
This bug exists due to poor mapping or traffic congestion.

13) Littering in general, more specifically the guy I saw throw a plastic cup out the window.
This bug exists because of ignorance of environmental safety.

14) The fact I can hear my neighbors having a full-on conversation with each other.
This bug exists because the walls in my apartment complex are pretty thin.

15) Being put on hold when calling a university, specifically the Advising Center.
This bug is inevitable because there are so many callers, but still.

16) Advertisements on YouTube.
This bug exists because there has to be funding/sponsors for each video for money.

17) The drive-thru at every Steak and Shake ever is always slow.
This bug exists because the employees at Steak and Shake probably don't care.

18) It takes very long to be seen when waiting in the emergency room.
This bug exists because there might be a lot of people trying to be seen at once.

19) Hair in the sink/drain.
This bug exists because of being forgetful.

20) Seeing an ad for something I was JUST talking about/looking at.
This bug exists because of tracking on electronics, and Siri can hear everything your saying even when you don't want her to. Scary.

Reflection:
This is was relatively difficult to come up with, because as people I feel like to be happy we choose to look at the brighter side of most situations. I also don't always notice everything that bugs me in life, because if I did I think I would lose my marbles. In the grand scheme of things, these bugs can be deemed as pointless. But, wouldn't it be nice if people used their turning signals?

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