30A

The most formative experience I had in this class was definitely having to give so much detail about my idea and what I want to do with it in the future. I will remember this because now I know that just because I have a good idea, doesn’t mean it will be successful. I have to put in the work to see the results. I enjoyed the reading reflections most because not only did I learn from the books I read, but I learned little summaries about the other ones from responding to other people’s posts. I am most proud of myself for developing this idea. I didn’t think that the majority of the class would focus on a business idea, so I am glad I came up with one that was feasible in the beginning of the semester. 

I see myself as an entrepreneur, and am very confident in my everyday life because of it. I now look at a lot of decisions from an entrepreneurial perspective, and I think that will prove very beneficial in the near future. 

I recommend students pick an idea they are truly passionate about, so the class doesn’t seem like work. To perform best in this course, I would recommend perfecting time management skills, as the little assignments add up at the end of the semester. To foster that mindset, I recommend being mindful in their everyday life, and actually applying the skills you learn every week to the following assignments.

29A

29A 

Venture Concept 2

Opportunity. 

The potential customers of my product are mainly college student that attend universities in warm weather, and athletes. The forces or changes in the environment creating this opportunity are the humidity and heat at schools like the University of Florida, and the lack of a portable deodorant. Demographically, the market consists of college students, and geographically, a warm climate. Currently, customers are bringing toiletry bags, and makeup pouches in their bags. They are not loyal to this, they want something easier to carry. This opportunity is very big, as there is no competition yet. The window of opportunity is seemingly long as no one has come up with this idea yet, however, I wouldn’t wait too long as you never know what could arise. 

Innovation. My product is the portable, dissolvable deodorant strips. They are very similar to the Listerine mouthwash strips, as shown below, and will come in a similar container. That way, students can store it on the wallet on the back of a cell phone. This is a product in retail so I will make money by selling it in stores and online through college campuses. In other words, I would partner with certain colleges and large corporations to sell one pack of deodorant strips for about $10. 

Venture Concept. 

Customers will want to switch to this product because it is more convenient. They will no longer have to carry gym bags, only phones. In this era, people bring their phones everywhere so having deodorant accessible on the back of one will make the product that much more desirable. For this reason, it shouldn’t be hard to get them to make the switch. There are currently no competitors in this market. Packaging is the main strength in the business. Thus, it is extremely important that I partner with the right corporation or manufacturing company. Distribution and customer support are always important, but it is especially important that the first college I bring the strips to is an easy target and well within the boundary of my customers. I would organize a business by partnering with an existing deodorant corporation. This would save a lot of time and effort and the company would already have the necessary connections. Therefore, the employees and roles would be under the digression of the company. 

The three minor elements

I think the most important resource will be the fact there is no other product in the market like mine. Additionally, once the product is out there, it will be hard to create spinoffs on the product. My next step will be to partner with a corporation that has existing networks, and would still provide me with profit. Finally, in 5 years I want to be on a different career path, not in retail, while still managing profit of this idea. This venture allows me to get a taste of the retail world. I want to be in Information Systems, but that requires me to be able to effectively communicate to all fields. Having a background in any field will prove beneficial to my future. 

1. Unfortunately, I had a problem submitting my venture concept on time, and therefore did not receive feedback. However, throughout the entirety of the course, I have received many positive comments, but also suggestions, such as partnering with a giant corporation like Dove. 
2. Given the feedback from other students, I acknowledged the fact that my connections weren’t established enough, and that partnering with another corporation would benefit the company best. 
3. Include a picture (for illustration!).

28A

1) Identify the exit strategy you plan to make.  I intend to sell my business in the next 5 years. I don’t see myself in the world of retail, so I would like to sell the company so I can take a different career path. 

2) Why have you selected this particular exit strategy? I have selected this particular strategy because I don’t want to be in the retail business. I want to take a different career path while also pursuing my idea for the product. 

3) How do you think your exit strategy has influenced the other decisions you've made in your concept? For instance, has it influenced how you have identified an opportunity? Has it influenced your growth intentions or how you plan to acquire and use resources? This has influenced some of my other concepts because I know my intentions aren’t long term. For example, in a past assignment, I said I wanted to partner with a larger corporation because they had existing connections in retail and manufacturing. That way, it would be easier to take over. 

27A

Inbound Marketing, Brian Halligan

1) What was the general theme or argument of the book?

The general theme/argument of the book is how important social media and marketing are for a business to thrive. In today’s age especially, it is very important to master social media and take full advantage of all that it has to offer and how it can enhance the business. 

2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?

The book enhanced what I’m learning in ENT3003 because it discusses marketing and knowing who to target audience wise. Additionally, ENT3003 taught me to use my resources wisely, and knowing how to market with social media would greatly benefit a business. 

3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?

I would design an exercise where students would create a social media page on any platform and discuss why they chose that particular platform, and how it connects to their targeted audience. For example, I would target Facebook for older people, and Instagram and Twitter for younger generations. 

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 expectation

My biggest surprise moment was how marketing can be applied to anything. I thought it was mainly used for sales in business, but it can also be used for politics. 

26A

1) Tell us about a time this past semester that you failed -- whether in this class, or outside of this class. Don't spare any details! It'd be even better if there was something you tried several times this semester, and failed each time. I experienced failure a few weeks ago. I spent all of my time studying for my Business Finance exam and once that exam was over, took a Management exam. I was so overwhelmed from it that I went into a relaxed mode the entire next week, because my next exam wasn’t for another 6 weeks. However, I forgot to submit an assignment for my management class. This caused me to receive a 0 on a very easy assignment that would’ve made a big difference in my grade. I was so stressed from it that I couldn’t stop thinking about what that one assignment would do to my GPA. 

2) I learned that I need to use my planner more, and that GPA isn’t everything. Although I am a perfectionist, an A- isn’t that much different than an A, and in the real world, the minor difference in my GPA won’t impact much. 

3) I think Failure is one of the most important things to experience that one needs to succeed. I believe that you learn more from your failures than your successes, and I carry that with me everywhere I go. I try not to let failures get to me and try to learn from them instead. I think this class has taught me that successful ideas take effort and often you need to fail before you succeed. 

25A

Existing Market. 

Step 1: In terms of products and services for my next venture, I think my next step is to set up a meeting with Dove to create a joint partnership. 

Step 2:  I interviewed three customers in my existing market. I told them about my idea to partner with Dove and they thought it was a great idea, except the profit share may not be fair, since Dove is already such a well established company. One of them suggested contacting Listerine to ask about their manufacturing, since that is the most similar product to mine. 

Step 3: What makes the most sense is to call big companies and ask them to get in touch with their manufacturers. Doing the business myself with my team rather than a big corporation would generate the most profit and would benefit the business best. Once I get in touch with the right people, I can use my network to get advice from the people I know that have started a business from scratch. I think that using my network and choosing members of a team whose skills complement each other would help the company more than partnering with someone who can do all of those things for me. 

New Market.

Step 1: I’ve been targeting college students and student athletes in warm weather. I could also target all college students or market it in retail in general, since everyone wears deodorant even if temperatures are low. 

Step 2:  Though those in colder weather may not be in dire need of this, they will still need deodorant, and the portability of my product will prove successful, even if the purpose is unintended. 

Step 3:  I interviewed my friend who goes to school in Baltimore, and my aunt who lives in Chicago. They think the business would succeed near them but only in the Spring and the Summer. I think to succeed in this market, I have to emphasize the portability of this product to convince the audience they need the product. 

Step 4: I learned that this new market doesn’t seem to have a dire need for this product because they have seasons in the north and don’t sweat every time they walk outside. My assumptions were correct at the fact that the portability of my product is what I should capitalize on and use it in my marketing strategy. I underestimated how much people would actually want it, because everyone wears deodorant no matter the weather. I don’t think this market is as attractive as the first one because the main purpose of the strips were to prevent sweat and smell. If this audience lives in snow and cold weather then sweat won’t be as great of an issue. Overall, I still think it’s possible to succeed in this market but think the existing market is most profitable for my product. 

23A

1. Human Capital- My employees will be trained extensively in retail that will greatly benefit the company. VRIN- this isn’t rare in the world of retail but it is valuable
2. Capabilities- There is an opportunity in the market. VRIN- this is rare and very valuable. 
3. Social Capital- I am a college student at the University of Florida so the HQ would be very central to an optimal location. VRIN- this is not imitable, and very valuable. 
4. Social Capital- I used to play tennis so have a huge network of athletes, one of the products targeted audiences. VRIN- this is not imitable, very rare, and very valuable. 
5. Capabilities- My team will be very creative and specialized in marketing. VRIN- this is super beneficial for a business. 
6. Social Capital- I can utilize the many organizations at the University of Florida to enhance and advertise my product. VRIN- this is valuable, rare, and non imitable. Other resources can provide this, but not as cost effective as this. 
7. Capabilities- There is a lot of vacant space in the area that I can use to run a store. VRIN- this is relatively rare but it’s something that should be capitalized on. 
8. Human Capital- I have great time management. VRIN- this is rare and very valuable, as I would be running a company as a college student. 
9. Financial Capital- my product is inexpensive to create, as a joint partnership would solve the manufacturing issue. VRIN- this is non-substitutable, as there is no other product in the market like mine. 
10. Human Capital- I am very self motivated and innovative. VRIN- this is valuable because it takes a lot of determination to run a company. 

My top resource is my network. I am a college student who has a wide range of connections with students and student athletes, and think this is my biggest asset. 

22A

I was given very positive feedback on my last elevator pitch, so the only criticisms I received were by myself when watching it. I found that the pitch is almost memorized, I made more eye contact with the camera because I am more comfortable in front of it, and I speak more clearly, which makes the pitch better overall. This further proves that practice makes perfect! 

21A

I read Carol Dweck’s The New Psychology of Success. 

1. What was the general theme or argument of the book? The general theme of the book is that success is not based on talent or luck. Every person is capable of success and no mindset is fixed. 
2. How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT3003? In ENT3003, we are constantly talking about the many ways one can achieve success. For example, we are told to take advantage of our social capital, but recognize that everyone’s social capital is different. This connects with the book because it talks about all the different ways success can be achieved. 
3. If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve? If I had to design an exercise for this class based on the book it would be to have each student describe what their mindset is on success, how it compares to the growth mindset, and how they can implement the growth mindset into their everyday life and their business. 
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 expectation? I think the impact on Parents, Teachers, and Coaches was unexpected to impact a mindset. Students learn from teachers starting from a very young age, so every teaching style they use shapes the mindsets of kids. 

20A

 Domain Expert 

1) I spoke with Evan Specht, the head of Diadem Sports, a retail business company in Boynton Beach, Florida. 

2) He is a domain expert because he owns a retail business, just like my potential business. 

3) I found him because he used to be my tennis coach, and I worked with him on the company for years.

4) Since I have known him for years, he did not expect nothing in return for providing me with guidance and advice on how to run a business. 

5) Having Evan in my network will be beneficial because he started a business from the ground up, so his advice is extremely valuable and he is a good asset to have. 

Finally: Reflect. This will help shape my networking in the future because he would connect me to the people he knows that helped him get started with the company. This was different than past networking experiences because I had never started a retail business before, so a manufacturing connection was never experienced before. 

Market Expert 

1) I talked to Shayna Cohen, a co-owner of a small retail business that creates tailgating gear for college students. 

2) Shayna is a market expert because she is targeting a similar audience, college students, with a small retail business. 

3) I knew Shayna ran this particular business so I got her contact information to talk to her about it. 

4) Shayna gave me a lot of valuable input on my company, and how she currently manages her business and how it started. She didn’t expect anything in return.  

5) Including Shayna in my network will be valuable because it will make my network stronger. Shayna has the the knowledge of started a business from scratch, and her input is important to me. 

Finally: Reflect.  This would shape my networking future because I added an additional person the network. I had known Shayna for a long time before I knew she owned a retail business. I learned to take the time to get to know my networks. 

Supplier

1) I interviewed AJ, a co owner of another retail business; AJ is in charge of business manufacturing. 

2) AJ is a supplier because he is in charge of manufacturing in his company, and thus, can connect me to the right suppliers. 

3) The first person I interviewed works with AJ and gave me his contact information so I could call him. 

4) AJ gave me advice and offered to connect me with the outsourced supplier he has. He did not expect anything in return because of my relationship with his coworker. 

5) My company needs a supply/manufacturing middleman so AJ would definitely help my network. 

Finally: Reflect. This experience didn’t differ from previous ones, I used my current network to get to AJ and expand. AJ would be a great asset to my network and I hope to be able to help him in the future. 

19A

1) You. My name is Taylor Kogan. I'm a freshman Information Systems major at the University of Florida. I have been interested in Business since middle school, when I started a startup sports equipment company with my tennis coach. I became interested in the technology industry after interning for an app development company my senior year of high school. That being said, Information Systems is a perfect match for me. One day, I want to own my own tech startup company. But for now, this business of deodorant strips just exemplifies, and confirms, my passion for entrepreneurship.

2) What are you offering to customers? I am meeting the unmet customers through the idea of portable, dissolvable, deodorant strips. The packaging is going to be similar to the Listerine mouthwash strips, so the concept of putting them on is the same. This way, people will not show up smelling bad to events, especially in South Florida. I am offering the deodorant strips so people can take it on the go, and not have to carry gym bags or toiletry bags everywhere they go. 

3) Who are you offering it to? I am offering this product to athletes, college students in warm climates, anyone who engages in physical activity, or anyone who lives in warm climates. All of these customers are prone to sweating due to the physical movement or the weather they live in.

4) Why do they care? People care because they don't like being sweaty or smelling poorly. Many of the people I interviewed were self conscious of their body odor and the deodorant strips would solve that problem. Additionally, some are lazy and don't like carrying a toiletry bag everywhere they go; the strips could fit on the back of a phone wallet and are much more portable. 

5) What are your core competencies? What sets me apart from the competition is that there are no competitors. Although travel sized products exist, none exist with the same portability and ease as mine. I would even consider partnering with one of the existing deodorant companies like Dove to ease the transition into the retail industry and increase marketing profits. 

I believe that all of these elements work together. Many of the customers I am offering this product to are students, and having something so cheap and easy will definitely be successful. Going to school in Gainesville, the outreach and advertising of the product will not be difficult in a climate as such. Overall, the product has high potential for success.

I got two main takeaways from my feedback:
1. There is a high potential for success, and a lot of people can see themselves purchasing and using my product
2. Creating a partnership with an existing deodorant company would give me a lot of opportunities in the market as well as increase profit and make the industry transition easier than doing it on my own.

18A

My prototypical customer is a college student at the University of Florida who is very active. She loves to workout before and after class, but doesn’t have a car. She played tennis her whole life but doesn’t play in college because she got injured. She sweats very easily but doesn’t like carrying a bag with her when she goes to work out. 

I have a lot in common with my customer avatar. I share all of these traits actually because I based the prototypical customer on myself. I did so because that’s how I came up with the product idea. 

17A

My feedback was very positive. The commends made on my pitch were very uplifting and someone even told me that it was the best pitch they had ever seen due to the clear outline. I am very analytical and saw some things that I can improve on, so I hope this one is better than the prior. 

16A

1) Describe five ways in which you think you have human capital that is truly unique.

Intelligent: I’m very quick on my feet and can grasp concepts unfamiliar to me very quickly.

Creative: I always try to come up with solutions outside of the box to problems. I like doing things different than the norm and always try to stay unique with my solutions.

Confident: I’m very secure and independent and let other people’s actions or words affect my decisions. 

Humble: I never brag about myself and don’t often share accomplishments with people.

Determined: When I set my mind on something, I don’t stop until I achieve it. For example, I study for exams nonstop until I understand the material perfectly and can ace the test. 

2) Interview the five people who know you the best. 

My mom thinks 5 traits that set me apart are my time management skills, my intelligence, loyalty, kindness, and empathy. This is especially special to me because I try to carry these traits with me wherever I go, and my mom, who knows me best, sees it too.

My best friend Brooke described me as Intelligent, determined, creative, innovative, and resilient. I became friends with Brooke only a year ago, yet she is still one of the people that know me best, so her opinion matters a lot to me.

My best friend Julie described me as charismatic, humble, funny, clever, and helpful. I was satisfied by this because those are all traits I aspire to maintain, and Julie was my roommate last year so she knows me especially well. 

My best friend Josh’s opinion is important to me because we also became friends only a year ago and have gotten very close in that short period of time. He described me as strong, resilient, caring, humble, and ambitious. 

Finally, Hannah called me determined, technological saavy, caring, creative, and logical. Hannah and I’s friendship is relatively new so I was very intrigued on her opinion. 

3) Reflect on the differences. The traits I thought best described myself aligned greatly with how others saw me. Although there were a few differences, I think they can be attributed to the fact that the people I interviewed have only known my college self. I think my interviewees were correct about me, as in they all know me in slightly different ways and settings. I would not make any corrections to the list in part 1, as the opinions of my friends do not affect my own. 

15A

1) Find three people who would fit that segment and arrange to interview them. I interviewed three people that fit my segment: Jillian Melinek, Arielle Fritz, and Hayley Landman. They are all students that attend the University of Florida, and none of them are in the business school so they all have in person classes. 

3) Begin with alternative evaluation. We began discussing alternative evaluation and how they make their buying decisions. They all agreed that price wasn’t their main priority, but if a product were exceedingly expensive, then they would keep that in mind. Quality matters the most to Jillian and Hayley; they would spend more money on a higher quality product, rather than Arielle, who would rather have a lesser quality product if she could spend less money. Style matters to Hayley, but Jillian and Arielle said comfort is more important. I’m sure all of these factors affect buying decisions so I don’t think one in particular stands out. This affects my product in certain ways because I know that the quality and price are the most important things to emphasize. If I could make my deodorant strips as cheap as possible, they would be most successful. 

4) How/where do they buy? All three of the girls I interviewed like online purchases more. However, when I described my product, they all agreed that they would like to test the strips before purchasing because they don’t know if they work or not. They are more likely to finance this purchase because now a days cash is just inconvenient to carry around. 

5) Post-purchase evaluation. What matters most to your customers when they think back on the 'rightness' of the purchase? What helps them determine the purchase was a good idea? What sorts of things make them think a purchase was a bad idea? They base the rightness on the purchase on whether or not they use the product and how often they do. If they buy a product and find themselves rarely using it they would consider it a bad purchase. 

6) Report the findings. Overall, all three interviewees were basically on the same page. They all prefer price and quantity to style, and my product only has to do with convenience so it works out perfectly. 

7) Draw conclusions. This segment would respond well to my business idea because they don’t put much thought, time, and effort into their buying decision making. Their main goal is price, quality, and convenience, and I think my product hits all 3. 

14A

1) Tenaciousness is a competency.  I have used my time management skills to stay successful in this course. There are a lot of assignments to keep up with to remain on top of the class. Although it is possible to get ahead early in the semester with the actual assignments, the Cupcake quizzes and discussion posts can only be done during the week it is due, so you really have to stay organized and on top of things. I have developed the desire to learn and grow in the business world having taken this course. Although a lot of the assignments are tedious, you get out of this class what you put into it. This class encourages useful skills that should be learned, and its up to you what you do with that information or skills. 

2) Tenaciousness is also about attitude.There have been times in this class when I felt like giving up. For example, in the first week of class I missed the deadline for a quiz. As someone who always stays on top of things, this was very hard for me to deal with, and I thought that if I missed one quiz (1% of the grade), why deal with the pressure of only missing 4 more points to not keep an A? However, I realized that this negative attitude would lead to regret. I bought a planner to stay on top of deadlines, and became extremely motivated in not only this class but determined in my others too. I feel like I’ve developed a tenacious attitude in the past two months, and think my experiences in high School and this summer contribute to this. I started a business with my tennis coach in high school, and interned for an app development company. I traveled this summer and after coming home, I realized that I am more motivated now than ever to not only make money but figure out a career path. 

3) Three tips.  I would first encourage everyone to work on their time management skills. This not only applies to school but in all aspects in life. Next, I would encourage everyone to dip their toes in as many things as possible. Every experience brings you one step closer to the one you wish to pursue for the rest of your life. Though some may be negative, that only helps you rule out options. I believe you learn more from your failures than your successes. Lastly, I would try to find one motivator for the semester. Motivation is integral to success. Challenges and obstacles come up all the time, and someone can easily fall victim to those without motivation. 

13A

1)  What surprised me the most about Coco Chanel is her background. Her presence both as a person and a luxury brand bring false expectations about her past. That being said, I most admire her ability to turn that around, and not let anything hold her back. Her determination speaks for itself, as she created an empire that represents the opposite of what she came from. I least admire her state of remaining self conscious. She clearly broke expectations and proved herself, yet continues to stay self conscious of her background, even though I believe it was her past that motivated her to push limits with her brand. Overall, though Coco Chanel definitely encountered adversity and failure, she did not let her past define her future, and broke boundaries. 

2) Her determination and motivation are unmatched.  She recognized the many hardships in her life and let them make her into the independent woman she became. She never gave up nor let adversity stand in her way. 

3) The passages on the backgrounds of her lovers were confusing because I felt they were unnecessary, and didn’t see how their pasts effect Chanel’s. 

4) I would ask: 

Did anything in particular keep you motivated in your times of adversity? 

If you could give one piece of advice on facing adversity, what would it be? 

Though the adversity in my life doesn’t compare to that of her’s, I would still like to know how to overcome obstacles of such, and apply that to lesser/different challenges. 

5)  I think Chanel places a great emphasis on hard work. She came from nothing and still made a name for herself, which wouldn’t have happened without hard work. I think talent helps, but it doesn’t compare to hard work, so I would have to share this opinion with Chanel. 

12A

1) Pick a segment. The segment I chose is college students at the University of Florida.  

2) Find three people who would fit that segment and arrange to interview them. I chose to interview three students at the University of Florida, that all live on different spots on campus. All three of these students have expressed a need for a product like the deodorant strips because they dislike sweating when they arrive to class, or they are uncomfortable walking across campus for events and showing up smelling poorly. 

3) Begin with need awareness. All three of the people I interviewed said that their need occurred once they arrive at their destination. The first person I interviewed was walking to an interview, and showed up with huge sweat stains on his shirt. Not only does this look bad, but it also lowered his confidence right before the interview. The next person I interviewed walked to class from Jennings Hall and became very insecure and uncomfortable once she realized how sweaty she was. Lastly, the final person I interviewed was on her way to an exam when she realized her need. She showed up smelling poorly and sweating profusely, and it made it hard for her to concentrate on her exam. Once I asked why they don’t bring deodorant with them, they tell me that they don’t want to carry a bag with them all the time, and it’s not realistic to bring deodorant everywhere you go. 

4) Move to information search. Overall, the first thing they did once becoming aware of the need was to find a travel sized perfume or deodorant. They look for bags or easy ways to carry them but they aren’t reliable. They talk to friends and family about the problem, because going to a school like UF, a lot of people have the same issue.  

5) Report the findings of your research. I knew that the boundaries of this product included students at college campuses in warm climates, and Gainesville is a perfect example of this. That being said, I was not surprised to find that all 3 interviewees expressed the need for  portable, dissolvable, deodorant strips.

6) Draw conclusions. Based on this assignment and the data I’ve gathered from interviews, I found that the need is greater on campuses like UF and other colleges in warm weather. This need would be easily spread through marketing because of the portability of the product. Additionally, even adults living in warm weather, or active people in cold weather, would also enjoy the product, although it may not be a bigger need. Overall, the potential for success for this product is expected to be very high. 

11A

1) You. My name is Taylor Kogan. I'm a freshman Information Systems major at the University of Florida. I have been interested in Business since middle school, when I started a startup sports equipment company with my tennis coach. I became interested in the technology industry after interning for an app development company my senior year of high school. That being said, Information Systems is a perfect match for me. One day, I want to own my own tech startup company. But for now, this business of deodorant strips just exemplifies, and confirms, my passion for entrepreneurship.

2) What are you offering to customers? I am meeting the unmet customers through the idea of portable, dissolvable, deodorant strips. The packaging is going to be similar to the Listerine mouthwash strips, so the concept of putting them on is the same. This way, people will not show up smelling bad to events, especially in South Florida. I am offering the deodorant strips so people can take it on the go, and not have to carry gym bags or toiletry bags everywhere they go. 

3) Who are you offering it to? I am offering this product to athletes, college students in warm climates, anyone who engages in physical activity, or anyone who lives in warm climates. All of these customers are prone to sweating due to the physical movement or the weather they live in.

4) Why do they care? People care because they don't like being sweaty or smelling poorly. Many of the people I interviewed were self conscious of their body odor and the deodorant strips would solve that problem. Additionally, some are lazy and don't like carrying a toiletry bag everywhere they go; the strips could fit on the back of a phone wallet and are much more portable. 

5) What are your core competencies? What sets me apart from the competition is that there are no competitors. Although travel sized products exist, none exist with the same portability and ease as mine. 

I believe that all of these elements work together. Many of the customers I am offering this product to are students, and having something so cheap and easy will definitely be successful. Going to school in Gainesville, the outreach and advertising of the product will not be difficult in a climate as such. Overall, the product has high potential for success. 

10A

9A

My opportunity is a portable, dissolvable pack of deodorant strips to prevent body odor and sweating. After many complaints to/from my peers, I found a niche in the market for an invention as such. 

Interview 1: I interviewed a peer in my sorority from South Florida. She loves the idea of portable deodorant strips, but doesn’t find a dire need for them. She falls directly in the boundary for this opportunity because she has lived in warm climates for her whole life. However, she is a UF business major so all of her classes are online. That being said, she doesn’t travel far from our house, and thus, doesn’t sweat much, and doesn’t need them. 

Interview 2: I interviewed another peer from my sorority from South Florida. She had this need of deodorant strips in the past, but recently got botox for her underarms to prevent sweating and body odor. She no longer needs the dissolvable deodorant strips, but thinks that would have been an amazing thing to have before she had the botox done. 

Interview 3: I then spoke with a friend from New York City. She definitely doesn’t have the same need, as the climate in New York is drastically different than the one in Florida. Thus, it would be nice to have the strips, but she said that they would be a waste to live in a climate that cold. She loved the idea for her summers in Florida, but she doesn’t have the same need. 

Interview 4: I later talked to my friend in the School of Musical Theater at UF. She sings and is always in the studio recording songs. That being said, she is never outside and her classes are always early in the morning and end late at night. Since she is never outside and is always inside singing, she doesn’t need the deodorant strips, but would still like to have them.  

Interview 5: Finally, I interviewed a boy in my Finance class. He has class far from where he lives and usually gets sweaty upon his arrival to class. He doesn’t get that insecure or uncomfortable, but still would like to have them. His need isn’t the same as everyone else’s, but this opportunity is something he would still like. 

Conclusion: Although everyone wears deodorant, there are certain people that fall outside the boundary of the need: those that spend a lot of time indoors, live in cold climates, or don’t participate in a lot of physical activity. There are different needs for this opportunity. For example, some people are insecure with sweating, some sweat too much, some are insecure with their body odor, and more. However, as a whole, a lot of people have this need. The underlying cause of the outsiders needs is the same as the insiders, but due to the climate and activity situation, not everyone holds the same need for the strips. 

Inside the Boundary	Outside the boundary
Those who live in warm climates and spend time outdoors or participate in a lot of physical activity	Those who don’t participate in physical activity and those who live in colder climates
The need is for a way to combat sweating and body odor; for example, when students walk to class and arrive sweaty	The need is not for people that don’t sweat easily or don’t walk much, or go outside often
The need exists because people feel uncomfortable when they get sweaty and smelly	Some people don’t sweat much and don’t have to worry about this issue

8A

As mentioned in previous assignments, my product is about using dissolvable, portable deodorant strips to prevent sweating and smelling bad in public. 

Although they make travel sized deodorant, the strips are more realistic. If you are walking to the gym but don’t want to bring a bag the strips would fit on the back of your room. This product is based on Listerine strips: they make travel sized mouthwash but no one brings those on the go. 

That being said, the strips would come in a case as the mouthwash strips are packaged. There would be different scents, different strengths, and more. The card holders that most have on the back of their phones can easily hold the strips, making them easy to hold, but more importantly, unnoticeable. With this product, people can walk freely around campus without having to carry a bag of toiletries, but more importantly, without having to worry about sweating or smelling poorly! 

7A

1) My opportunity is dissolvable, portable deodorant strips! After always arriving to places sweaty, I thought these would greatly ease my stress. 

2) 

• The who: anyone who lives in warm climates
• The what: Deodorant not being easily applicable/portable
• The why: Heat and humidity combined make people sweaty and insecure upon their arrival. 

3) 

• Testing the who: After having complained about the sweat issue with multiple people, I have come to the conclusion that many people have this need, not just the prototypical “who” (college students in Gainesville).
• Testing the what: The boundaries of this need aren’t limited per say, but not everyone wants to carry travel sized toiletries with them everywhere they go. 
• Testing the why: Mostly everyone perceives this need in the same way. However, some have slight differences in what happens when they get sweaty: some feel uncomfortable, nauseous, insecure, etc. 

4) Interview 1: I interviewed 3 college girls and 2 college boys to get a mixed opinion on the dissolvable, portable deodorant strips. The first girl I interviewed was a freshman. She loved the idea of the strips and thought it would be perfect for her, since she is very active and works out a lot. She often doesn’t have time to completely change and ends up sweating in class as a result of her workout. That being said, she was very excited to hear that a solution was proposed. 

Interview 2: The second girl I interviewed is a sophomore Accounting major. At UF, many of the business classes are online, so that being said, she doesn’t have to walk far for class. However, she still maintains a relatively active lifestyle, and feels uncomfortable showing up to events sweaty. She also very much is looking forward to this product. 

Interview 3: The final girl I interviewed is another sophomore, who is on the Pre-Med track. That being said, she walks to SHANDS often, and always walks in to the cold hospital sweating. The extreme change in temperature can’t be good for her, so her face lit up when I mentioned the strips. 

Interview 4: Next, I interviewed a sophomore boy, who runs stadiums every day. He is always on the go and told me that he wishes Gainesville weren’t so hot all the time, because he feels like he smells after he works out and doesn’t want to carry a big bag across campus just for deodorant. Overall, he also cannot wait for the dissolvable strips. 

Interview 5: Finally, I interviewed another sophomore boy. His reasons matched the other interviewees, and cannot believe no one thought of this idea before. In fact, he said he would start looking out for “bugs” to compose a solution as such. 

5) Given the interviews, I didn’t find any new information. I found even more confirmation that a lot of people are in need of a product like this. If it were to get sold, I don’t think finding the market would be difficult. Although the intent of the product was for students in Gainesville, the limits are far beyond that. 

6A

https://ig.ft.com/sites/numbers/economies/us/

Opportunity #1 Economic

1. I found this graph on the Financial Times’s website, a digital database for economic news.
   
2. This information suggests that an opportunity exists because it paves the way for a new lifestyle. The unemployment rate going down allows people to live a new life of employment, thus a new standard of living, therefore an opportunity for new items to spend money on that wouldn’t have been bought previously.
   
3. The prototypical customer for this opportunity is anyone who was previously unemployed, and is now employed, and contributing to the trend.
   
4. This opportunity is relatively easy to exploit, because the drop in unemployment is proven to stimulate the economy. More people are working and therefore more stimulation.
   

I saw this opportunity because my dad and brother have always motivated to pay attention to market trends, and I was also enrolled in macroeconomics last year, so the subject intrigues me. 

https://ig.ft.com/sites/numbers/economies/us/

Opportunity #2 Economic 

1. I found this graph of the trade weighted value of the dollar on the Financial Times database for economic trends.
   
2. This information suggests that an opportunity might exist because it shows that the U.S. should trade more with other countries since it’s dollar value is getting stronger.
   
3. The prototypical customer is any company considering going international, or any companies that are currently international.
   
4. This opportunity is easy to exploit because the U.S. already trades a great amount. Trading is such an easy way to exploit this advantage.
   

I saw this opportunity because I loved taking Macroeconomics and am very interested in International Business. Additionally, in my Management class, I am learning a lot about free trade and globalization, so this subject is very interesting to me. 

https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/11678-meat-industry-seeks-ways-to-keep-up-with-customers

Opportunity #3 

1. I found this article on the Food Business News Website about how the meat industry is changing.
   
2. The information suggests that an opportunity exists because it’s saying how more and more people in the new generations are more inclined to order “hormone-free, grass-fed meat”. Thus, this leaves plenty of room for opportunity in the livestock industry.
   
3. The prototypical customer for this opportunity is any livestock farmers or FDA regulators.
   
4. This opportunity isn’t the easiest to exploit, because it would require a change of a huge industry in America, but it is doable eventually and would encourage healthier eating in the country.
   

I saw this opportunity because as much as I love eating steak, I love being healthy and I love animals, so I always prefer grass-fed to normal meat. 

https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/14337-study-links-plant-heavy-diets-to-lower-heart-disease-risk

Opportunity #4

1. I found this article again through the Food Business News website. It talks about the benefits of plant heavy diets, and the shift of modern food trends to mimic it.
   
2. The article provides room for opportunity because it’s saying how plant heavy diets are linked to cardiovascular health and lower heart disease risk. Thus, more restaurants can start serving plant based foods, and take advantage of their knowledge of the trend.
   
3. The prototypical customer is any healthy eater, anyone concerned with cardiovascular health, or any future plant heavy restaurant owner.
   
4. It is very easy to exploit. All it would require would be a simple change in menus or dietary habits.
   

This opportunity was clear to me because I love eating healthy, and my family and I are very into food trends relating to health.  

5A

Opportunity #1

I found an opportunity through the Miami Herald article, “Where do the Happiest Americans live? Definitely not in Florida, new survey says”. 

https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529&sort=YMD_date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=&fld-base-0=alltext&bln-base-1=and&val-base-1=september%202019&fld-base-1=YMD_date&docref=news/175D9E0D77928448

This article talks about a survey conducted on the happiest states in the U.S., and although Florida’s warm weather may convince otherwise, it was one of the ones at the bottom of the list. Florida’s unemployment, community, and environment were all factors in Florida’s low rank. The article talked about how the volunteer rate among Floridians is incredibly low, and that it is no shock that it was ranked so low. 

The problem presented in the story is that Florida’s sense of community is very low. The low employment and low job satisfaction greatly contribute to the rank of Florida. 

The residents of Florida don’t consider this a major issue, mainly because they don’t consider it, but it does affect them. This problem provides opportunity for a solution, to make the residents of Florida happier, and rank Florida higher. This would include encouraging more volunteering, and a better workplace atmosphere to increase job satisfaction. 

Opportunity #2

I found another opportunity through the Miami Herald article, “Residents evacuated after crane collapses onto apartment complex in North Miami Beach”. 

https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529&sort=YMD_date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=&fld-base-0=alltext&bln-base-1=and&val-base-1=september%202019&fld-base-1=YMD_date&docref=news/175D95254D3856A0

In this article, a crane collapsed onto an apartment complex on 169th street in North Miami Beach. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the building is currently partially evacuated. 

The problem presented in the story is that the crane fell on the building. This shows an opportunity for a better construction method.  

The people of Miami Beach are affected by this problem because these are their living conditions. In the future, construction should be taken more seriously, and the people living in buildings should all be aware of evacuation plans. 

Opportunity #3 

Another article is “A Pollo Tropical and 2 Aventura Mall Restaurants Fail Inspection”. 

https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529&sort=YMD_date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=&fld-base-0=alltext&bln-base-1=and&val-base-1=september%202019&fld-base-1=YMD_date&docref=news/175D9E0D64BC4C00

In this story, the author lists the restaurants that got shut down after regulation. They include popular ones like Pollo Tropical and Bol. 

The problem presented in this story is that a lot of restaurants have been shut down due to health regulations such as flies in the kitchen, roaches in the kitchen, and employees not washing their hands. 

The restaurants and their employees are affected by this problem. The employees are now out of work and the owners are losing money. This just proves that restaurants need to have a better system in place to keep their place clean and up to standards and regulations. 

Opportunity #4

The other article is, “Key West raises parking fees at two popular tourist spots”. 

https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529&sort=YMD_date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=&fld-base-0=alltext&bln-base-1=and&val-base-1=september%202019&fld-base-1=YMD_date&docref=news/175DA9D41C6D7B28

The gist of the story is that Mallory Square has raised their parking fees. Mallory Square is a very popular tourist spot, and both the residents and the tourists were very upset to hear this. 

The problem presented in this article is that the parking fees are high now, and the tourists are upset. This would lead to less tourism in the area, and less profit for Key West. 

The people affected by this problem include the residents of Key West, the tourists to Mallory Square, and the government of Key West who actually profit from the increase in price. 

Opportunity #5 

Finally, the last article “Cops say Lee County man punched a dog three times. He now faces animal cruelty charges” 

https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529&sort=YMD_date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=&fld-base-0=alltext&bln-base-1=and&val-base-1=september%202019&fld-base-1=YMD_date&docref=news/175DA9D46B4E5D60

After a video was posted of a man abusing his dog, the abuser was arrested and charged with a third degree felony. The Sheriff in town said he would not stand for acts as such, and hopes others get the message with this arrest. 

The problem presented in this article is that animal abuse is still a pressing issue. It’s heartbreaking that this is still a problem, but hopefully, the more abusers getting charged, the more change will happen. 

The abuser himself is directly affected, but this affects all animals and abusers. It sends a message to all abusers to stop the cruelty, and it would hopefully help future animals. Hopefully, this shows opportunity for more laws in place to punish animal abusers.