Healthy Treatz for Pets - Venture Concept No. 2

The people with the need for my product are those that are new pet owners that do not know the foods that are good and bad for their pets. The forces that are changing to make this opportunity possible are that regulations on pet food in foreign countries are constantly changing and not at the same par as pet food produced in the United States. A lot of this food is still available in the United States though. This is a problem because harmful products are being sold to people and they do not even know it. Graphically, this product is for people in the United States. Demographically, this service is for people around the 20-30 year old range and for senior citizens. Customers are currently satisfying the need for my service by just going to the store and purchasing whatever product catches their eye or is the cheapest. Some of these potential consumers would be too lazy to change their actions, since buying whatever is the easiest for them to do. If they found out about the dangers in some food available on the market, they might think twice about purchasing it. The older generation has trouble figuring out what products are best as well. They might not know how to find this information out with the ever changing technology, so if they can learn about my service, it can benefit them greatly. This opportunity has potential to be big, but only if consumers really like it. With a product like this, it is hard for people to spend extra money to change their ways if they are content with what they are doing then. The window of opportunity may be long. It would really depend on how long it will take for foreign countries to up their standards or how long it would take for a competitor to join the market. The biggest concern for this service would be if people found the need to purchase it. There is a good chance many people will think it’s just a waste of money and they can decide on what pet food to purchase themselves.

My innovation is to have a website that shows consumers the foods that are safe and good to give their pets. Consumers can only see the pet foods that are completely safe to give to their pets, so they will not have to worry about their pet's health. There will be an option for consumers to break down their searches based on pet type, dry vs. wet food, and so on with many different filters. By doing this, the pet owners can find the perfect food for their pet. I will charge a subscription for users to use the website, maybe around $5. If the website is unable to generate money like this, I might just hope I could get money from advertisement revenue.

By creating this product, people can save money from not having to bring their pets to the doctors for problems with their health. Consumers would only know the best of the best products for their pets so they should only have problems with natural causes. Consumers will buy my service to protect themselves financially in the long run and their pet's health. I think it will be hard to get people to start using my service. People are already used to solving their issues themselves and will not spend money if they do not see a reason. To make them sign up for it, I will really need to show the potential harms of some products. There are no real competitors. The workers in pet stores probably do a lot of recommending which would really take customers away from me. They have no rely on their own knowledge though and there may be different answers from person to person. There will be a customer service number to call if the consumers have any problems so that they do not feel like they are ever ripped off. There would not be too many employees running the service since it would really run itself. There would not be a lot of work to be done on a daily basis.

I believe my most important resource would be my own resiliency. I want to be successful more than anything and I would do anything in my power to get there. No matter what obstacle is placed in my way, I will try to get past it the best that I can. Other competitors will find it hard to copy my drive no matter what business I go into later in life.

The next venture for my service to is find some customers. I need to find people that are really willing to spend on my service to get people talking about it so that I can find more customers. I would need to market myself better and advertise my business so more people become aware of the upcoming service I am starting.

I hope the venture is resulting in a decent cash inflow in another ten years. While I would not want to do this venture forever, I will hopefully be starting something that I am very passionate about. Hopefully this first venture will give me all the toys I will need to be successful in the future. Preferably, I would sell the business after five years. Since this is not a business I would really enjoy running, it might be hard for me to find success or to give it my all every day.

I received mostly positive feedback from my peers. They thought my ideas were unique and that I should follow through with my venture. They liked the idea of having my product being subscription based. I was encouraged to increasing my marketing to the older generations because they may be valuable customers, but may be harder to reach since they do not use social media or other technology as others. Somebody said that I should increase the information about my next step for my venture. I was also recommended to increase the long-term future plans of my venture.

Based on my feedback, I included a little more information on the older generation. I became aware of the value of the older generation later on, so I included that in my plan. I also added a little more information to the next step for my venture. People need to be aware of a service in order for them to purchase it. I need to increase my advertising in order to do this. Finally, I changed the long run plan for my venture a little bit based on later assignments. I would want to sell my business quickly because it is something I do not see myself enjoying. Liking your job is a very important aspect of working. If you are doing something you do not enjoy, you should stop as soon as you can and find something you enjoy.

Your Exit Strategy

If I pursued this business, I would plan on selling it within the next five years. Might keep it a little bit longer after that if it is profitable and does not require much work from me. If somebody in my family was interested in taking over or saw high potential in it, I might keep it for longer. I have selected this particular exit strategy just because it is not a business I would enjoy running for a long period of time. I like pets, but I just do not have the same passion for animal food as I have for things such as football and music. I would want to get out of this business so I could go into something I would really enjoy doing. I do not believe my exit strategy influenced many of my other decisions. The opportunity I decided on what the opportunity that I saw the most easy to fix. My strategy has encouraged me to try to expand the company as much as possible quickly. I would not be as focused on maintaining customers as I would be attracting new ones, simply because they will not be a long-term customer for me.

Celebrating Failure

One time I failed this semester was when I first got here. I transferred to the University of Florida this semester from a community college in Illinois. I assumed all of my previous credits would transfer over, since the university did not tell me otherwise. When I was told this may not be the case, I had to talk to countless people to get my answers. Since it was the beginning of the semester, the lines for all the offices were out the door. I had to bounce back between Heavener Hall and Criser Hall mainly, but I had to go to other schools as well even though I wasn’t in them. I failed to get anywhere with my problem again and again.

I learned that sometimes you have to work hard to get the information you want. Sometimes even something you think is obvious may not be. It is always best to get a solid confirmation before assuming anything, especially when there is a big decision on the line.

Overall, I and probably almost everyone, dislike failure. It is really a confidence destroyer when you are unable to do something. Emotionally, I feel like I take failure pretty well, unless it is a big failure. If I fail something important, I am usually very hard on myself and becoming angry at myself. I try to always do my best so it is very hard for me when it does not pay off. Behaviorally, when I fail, I am less likely to try the same activity again. I think I am unable to do it again since I was not able to the first time. This class did change my perspective on failure though. I learned that even when you fail, sometimes it is best to just keep trying. Often people gave me poor responses or did not fit the qualifications I was looking for. It is time consuming trying to find these people, but it pays off in the end. I believe I am more likely to take a risk now. Often risky activities are the ones with the best rewards.

What's Next?

Existing Market: I believe the next step for my venture is really finding the customers that would be interested in purchasing my product. I need to find a group of people that would support my product to slowly build the gathering of my product.
After interviewing, my first interviewee believed that my service would be unsuccessful and should not be worth pursuing, even though they fit the qualifications for my market. They do not see people changing their ways to get this product since they could get something very similar for free.
My second interviewee said that I should try to figure out what products I will be offering on my website. It is one thing to say I will have all the products shown on my website that are healthy, but it will take work looking about each product and figuring out which ones are qualified to be on there.
My last interviewee said that I should start advertising my potential service to get the word of mouth out there. If people are talking about it and seem interested, it will most likely be more successful if I decide to follow through with it.
The path that makes the most sense to me is to listen to my second interviewee first. By doing this, my product will be more ready to be released. I could then listen to my last interviewee and try to announce the product to the public to try and get them talking. Afterwards, I can look for direct customers, but that should not really be my main focus at this time.

New Market: My new market is for the older generation of pet owners that live on their own. They are probably used to giving their pets the same food over and over again for years and are probably unaware of the many foods that are healthier for their pets that developed over the years. By targeting this market, they can stay more up to date with new, healthy treats for their pets.
My first interviewee said that I should try to make the filter function on my website easier to use. Older people are often not as good as the younger generation with technology, so too many filters may make them lost and unable to find what they are looking for.
My second interviewee said that I should just make the website for a specific type of pet. They said the older generation would be more likely to use a website specifically for dogs than for everything. I am not sure if this is true.
In the beginning, I did not really see a market in the older generation. I felt like they probably would not want to use technology to change their old ways, since they have been doing what they have been doing for so long. I was surprised that many people thought there could be a market there. This may overall be a more attractive market than my original. A lot of younger people are just lazy and think the are always right. They are not willing to spend money on a product they do not think they need. If the older generation is not like this, they may become my new target market.

Healthy Treatz for Pets - Venture Concept No. 1

The people with the need for my product are those that are new pet owners that do not know the foods that are good and bad for their pets. The forces that are changing to make this opportunity possible are that regulations on pet food in foreign countries are constantly changing and not at the same par as pet food produced in the United States. A lot of this food is still available in the United States though. This is a problem because harmful products are being sold to people and they do not even know it. Graphically, this product is for people in the United States. Demographically, this service is for people around the 20-30 year old range. Customers are currently satisfying the need for my service by just going to the store and purchasing whatever product catches their eye or is the cheapest. Some of these potential consumers would be too lazy to change their actions, since buying whatever is the easiest for them to do. If they found out about the dangers in some food available on the market, they might think twice about purchasing it. This opportunity has potential to be big, but only if consumers really like it. With a product like this, it is hard for people to spend extra money to change their ways if they are content with what they are doing then. The window of opportunity may be long. It would really depend on how long it will take for foreign countries to up their standards or how long it would take for a competitor to join the market. The biggest concern for this service would be if people found the need to purchase it. There is a good chance many people will thing its just a waste of money and they can decide on what pet food to purchase themselves.
My innovation is to have a website that shows consumers the foods that are safe and good to give their pets. Consumers can only see the pet foods that are completely safe to give to their pets, so they will not have to worry about their pet's health. There will be an option for consumers to break down their searches based on pet type, dry vs. wet food, and so on with many different filters. By doing this, the pet owners can find the perfect food for their pet. I will charge a subscription for users to use the website, maybe around $5. If the website is unable to generate money like this, I might just hope I could get money from advertisement revenue.
By creating this product, people can save money from not having to bring their pets to the doctors for problems with their health. Consumers would only know the best of the best products for their pets so they should only have problems with natural causes. Consumers will buy my service to protect themselves financially in the long run and their pet's health. I think it will be hard to get people to start using my service. People are already used to solving their issues themselves and will not spend money if they do not see a reason. To make them sign up for it, I will really need to show the potential harms of some products. There are no real competitors. The workers in pet stores probably do a lot of recommending which would really take customers away from me. They have no rely on their own knowledge though and there may be different answers from person to person. There will be a customer service number to call if the consumers have any problems so that they do not feel like they are ever ripped off. There would not be too many employees running the service since it would really run itself. There would not be a lot of work to be done on a daily basis.
I believe my most important resource would be my own resiliency. I want to be successful more than anything and I would do anything in my power to get there. No matter what obstacle is placed in my way, I will try to get past it the best that I can. Other competitors will find it hard to copy my drive no matter what business I go into later in life.
The next venture for my service to is find some customers. I need to find people that are really willing to spend on my service to get people talking about it so that I can find more customers.
I hope the venture is resulting in a decent cash inflow in another ten years. While I would not want to do this venture forever, I will hopefully be starting something that I am very passionate about. Hopefully this first venture will give me all the toys I will need to be successful in the future.

Your Venture's Unfair Advantage

1. Financial Capital: From all the jobs I have worked in the past, I have saved up a lot of money that can help me jumpstart my business.
Valuable - Having this money will allow me to not take out any loans, making my business a whole lot more safe.
Rare - Even though I am still a young age, most people do not have as much money as I have in the bank. Those with lots of money generally have them put into funds that they cannot use, but will increase their payout in the future.
Inimitable - If people are able to live extremely cheaply and are willing to work a lot and save their money, they can get to my position.
Non-substitutable - There are no substitutes for money, unless somebody is willing to barter.

2. Ability to make a website: A website designer recently showed me how to do the basics of creating a website.
Valuable - The service would either be coming from a website or an app, so this would be very valuable to set it up.
Rare - While the average person does not know how to create a website, with money people can find someone who does.
Inimitable - I do not think it would be very hard for some other entrepreneur to start a very similar service.
Non-substitutable - If I do end up making a website, people can make an app very similar to my website. They can also make books and other forms of transferring information, but they would not be as interactive.

3. The heart to make sure only healthy foods are listed: While I could probably make more money by promoting whoever is willing to pay me the most, I would feel like I am letting the helpless animals down by allowing their owners to serve them bad food.
Valuable - Customers would be more encouraged to use my service if they feel comfortable with the seller.
Rare - Most people just do their work to get the most money possible. It is rare somebody's main motivation is to do good.
Inimitable - While people can try to do the right thing, money usually can help change that, making it difficult to imitate.
Non-substitutable - While it can be substituted for other motives, people would feel most happy buying from a trustworthy source.

4. Past experience of owning a pet: In the past, I have owned two dogs, fish, a cat, and a crayfish. While I was not the primary caretaker of these animals, I have taken care of all of them in some way.
Valuable - It is important to buy from a reputable source. If somebody has absolutely no experience in a field, they are probably not a good person to buy from.
Rare - It is actually extremely common. The majority of at least United States citizens have had a pet at some point.
Inimitable - It is very easy to copy. Especially since I was never the primary caretaker of a pet, my experience is not the most experienced.
Non-substitutable - The only substitute would be if somebody did not own a pet, but worked at a shelter for them and were forced to care for them.

5. My domain expert: This is a very techy person and can help me learn how to set up features later on for my website.
Valuable - This person can teach me new things that can make my service more efficient and effective for customers.
Rare - People with this about of tech knowledge are not impossible to find, but they are not too common.
Inimitable - It takes a while to gain as much knowledge as this person has, but it is very possible.
Non-substitutable - People can use the internet to try to find specific information, but it may be hard to find specifics and less common information.

6. My market expert: This person works at a pet store and can provide me with important information.
Valuable - This person can let me know the new products being served in the store and items that are soon going to be dropped.
Rare - A person with the same qualifications can be found at a local pet store. All somebody would have to do is talk to somebody at a store.
Inimitable - This is very inimitable.
Non-substitutable - People can look up sales on past products and figure out which products are most likely on their way out and information on new products.

7. My supplier: This person can help advertise my service if we support their product.
Valuable - With a supplier I can trust and they trust me back, we can help market each other.
Rare - It is not too difficult to contact a supplier, but it would be hard to find somebody with this type of relationship.
Inimitable - Other businesses can find different suppliers for help.
Non-substitutable - People can make products themselves instead of finding a supplier.

8. Strong passion for starting a business: I very badly want to start my own business from scratch and see it grow.
Valuable - I will invest a lot of my time and money into the business to make sure its successful.
Rare - A lot of people want to be entrepreneurs so this is not too rare.
Inimitable - Either somebody wants to start their own company or they do not, so they cannot just get this trait.
Non-substitutable - People can just buy into a company and take over, skipping over the beginning phases.

9. Resilience: I do not give up easy even when I am faced with a lot of adversity.
Valuable - I will do whatever it takes to make sure my business is successful.
Rare - A lot of people throw in the towel when the times get tough. If their business is not doing hot, they might try to get rid of it.
Inimitable - It is hard to get this trait. Sometimes a strong passion for something can make them this way.
Non-substitutable - If somebody never faces adversity, they will never really need this. If they also have a lot of money, they can just buy something better.

10. Good at problem solving: When I am hit with a difficult problem, I am usually good at finding a solution to it.
Valuable - This can help me find the best solution to my problems and can help raise profit, lower costs, or even increase consumers.
Rare - Sometimes people are good at problem solving, but a great amount of people are not.
Inimitable - More education usually helps this.
Non-substitutable - People can just try different things and go through trial and error. It would not be as effective, but it can work.

The most important resource I believe is my resiliency. All good entrepreneurs have resiliency. Things do not always go as planned. It is important to take the blows life gives you, but keep fighting forward with everything you have.

Elevator Pitch No. 3

https://youtu.be/ZET29KVNwLo

From the feedback I received from my last elevator pitch, I was told to try to be more comfortable while giving the pitch. They said I seemed stiff and did not really feel comfortable. While I was not nervous like the first time, it seemed like I was just trying to get it over with and did not want to do it. I also had a few lapses in my thoughts. This made me look unprepared and I was told to try to fix that. I believe all of this feedback was helpful. I did not think I seemed stiff when I made the second pitch, but after watching it, I realized it was accurate.

Based on the video, I tried to get more into my elevator pitch. I did not want it to seem like I was just forced to be there and wanted to make it seem like I am passionate about what I am doing. I tried to make sure I only included the absolutely important details so I do not lose my train of thought. After making an elevator pitch for the third time, I did realize that I had the pitch basically memorized, I was more comfortable in front of the camera, and the pitches got better as I went.

Reading Reflection No. 2

1. Scott Adam’s biggest argument of the book How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big was that systems are more important than goals. He believes that if you are able to create amazing systems, and do them over and over again, you are going to end up getting lucky and being very successful. In order to be successful, you should study those that have found success in the past. While not everything they do will translate to exactly the business you are trying to start, bits and pieces of it can be. He claims goals are for losers.

2. Scott Adams emphasizes that he failed at many of the ventures he tried to start. For our assignments, we had to find an opportunity in the world that can use a solution. We had to come up with a product or service to be this solution. Through our many assignments, I found out that my service would most likely not be successful. If I actually started it, it would probably never amount to anything. When Adams failed, he did not give up though. We looked for different opportunities in the world that he could capitalize on and did not give up until he was able to reach success. This tells me I should continue looking for opportunities and to do the same.

3. While one can argue that all the assignments we do in this class together can be a system, for an assignment, I would have students try to develop their own system in the beginning of the course. After they decide what opportunity they want to exploit, I would have the students make their own system for getting there. If they do it too late, they may not have the opportunity of trying to come up with one on their own. If they make their own and they go through the one for this class, they will realize what they missed and how they could better their own.

4. The biggest surprise I had when reading this book was that it is bad to be goal-oriented. All my life I was told to make goals. People always tell you how much more likely you are to do something if you make goals and write them down. The author does not support this. While he most likely does not think goals are stupid, he does not find it to be an important piece to achieve success.

Growing Your Social Capital

Domain expert – For this position, I was able to contact with an IT person who developed a website with a similar layout to the one I would make for this service. They work for a clothing store with an online selling service. One of my cousins works for the store and helped me make contact with this person. This person was able to show me how to build a website like the one I would make for this service. There is a lot of work to it, but they made it like really easy since they have a lot of experience. My cousin vowed to work harder to make it up to them. Now I will be able to set up the design for this service or do something similar if my plans change.

Market expert – For this position, I was able to contact somebody working at a pet store. They have been there over three years and have a lot of experience helping customers finding the right pet products for their needs. I was able to make contact with this person by simply going to the local pet store. I asked them if they had time to listen to my pitch and they did. They did not expect anything in return, but found my product interesting. They know there are people that go to the store and are too shy to ask for help. They think this type of people may be interested in my product, since those more outgoing simply ask people at the store for help. This may make me change my target market.

Supplier – For this position, I was able to contact somebody that works at a manufacturer of pet food. They have worked there for a total of 12 years, but would like to find something new since they have grown tired of their career. I contacted this person through the “contact us” link on the pet food supplier’s website. I sent them a description of my idea and asked if they think it would be a good idea and if it needed any changes. They did not expect anything in return, except to buy their products in the future, since I do not even own a pet. Through this interaction, I found it may be beneficial to contact different suppliers. They may promote my service in exchange for promoting theirs on my website.

This assignment has really taught me a lot about networking. Being generally are willing to help. If you go out there and do work to initiate contact, they are usually more than happy to help you with whatever you are trying to do. In future networking events, I will make sure to try to put myself out there. I will try to initiate contact and try to make myself memorable in a positive manner. If they did not have a positive experience with you, they would probably not want to help you when you come looking for help. In previous networking events, I usually tried letting people come to me, but I learned you can be a lot more successful if you take action yourself.

Idea Napkin No. 2

My name is Joseph Malinowski. I just transferred to the University of Florida. I have lived in Illinois my whole life. I went to a community college there to get my associates degree. I am a really hard worker and always do whatever I need to in order to get the outcome I want. I am also a very easy person to get along with, so people feel comfortable around me quickly. I am a very smart person and can find solutions to difficult problems. If I do not know something, it does not take much effort for me to learn it and have it down. I have had many jobs even though I am only 20-years-old. I had as many as 4 at a given time. Because of all these jobs, I have experience in a variety of fields. In the future, I want to start my business, but I am unsure as to what that will entail. If I were to start this specific business, I would see it as a big role in my life. I would do whatever I could to make it successful. This specifically would not be a business I would want to go into. I want to do something I am passionate about, such as football or music.

I am offering a service that allows pet owners to see what is good for their animals to consume. A lot of food on the market is available, even though there are harmful chemicals and other things in it. This product will help those that are not informed on what is good and bad for their pets find things they can feel confident about giving to their pets. A lot of products made in other countries do not have as high standards as products made in the United States. Because of this, often times pet owners give their pets food that is bad for them. Users will be able to go onto my website and see which products would be good to give their pets. Money may be generated through advertisement revenue since users may not be willing to spend on this product.

I would be offering this product to anybody that is old enough to be in charge of caring for their pets. Children would not have the knowledge or the money to buy pet food. Those that are very old would hopefully already know what is good and bad for their pets, so they would not be targeted as heavily. I would be offering this product mainly to people who do not know too much about pet food. Those that have already done vast amounts of research would find no need for my product. I will also be looking for those that are not trying to just spend the least amount of money possible because the cheapest is usually of low quality.

I believe that generally people care for their pets. They are essentially members of the family and owners would never want to harm their pets. If they knew that some foods out there were harmful to their pets, I imagine they would not keep buying them the same food. With this product, they would be able to make sure they are doing no harm.

I am not aware of any competitors in this field. However, my service would make it easy for customers to see what products are good for their pets. It would be simple to use, having many filters shoppers can use to find a product they specifically need. You would be able to divide the products by animal and then can find a specific product you are looking for.

I believe that all of these elements work together. I believe that personally, I would be the thing most out of place in this business. I do not have too much experience with pets. I have had some when I was younger, but it was never really my responsibility to take care of them. I am unsure as to what foods are good and bad for what pets and so on. Also, there may already be a similar service like this that I have not heard of before.

From my feedback, I was told to talk more about my unique skills. I talked a lot about myself, but did not talk about the talents I possess. To fix this, I added the fact that I am good at problem solving. I have experience in many fields since I had so many jobs, even though I am still at a young age. I also was told to talk a little bit more about my product. I was a little brief and added to my description. It is important to talk about everything when giving your idea because it my convince somebody to purchase your product over another.

Create a Customer Avatar

My customer avatar enjoys the simple things in life. They like waking up early in the morning for a long walk and enjoy watching the sunset in the evenings. They like having a nice homemade meal over going out to a restaurant. They may have just recently had children, but they also have a few pets which are some of the things they love the most. They are in their early thirties and have recently just got a home of their own. They may have a partner. They feel young at heart and are always excited to try new things and take on new adventures.

One of the important things I have in common with the avatar are that we are both extremely caring people. We would never wish harm on anyone and would help anybody in any way we can. We will always put in extra effort if it helps the greater cause. I do not think this is a coincidence. With my product, I am clearly trying to good in the world. I want animals to be safe and pet owners to not have to worry about what they are giving their pets.

Elevator Pitch No. 2

https://youtu.be/QoQQGWWKTws

I was not given too much feedback, but I was encouraged to be more comfortable when giving my pitch. In the first one, I was apparently a bit nervous and tried to just get through the pitch. That is not a good method for success. The most comfortable people seem the most certain of their products or services and will be the people more likely to make the sale. Another person suggested I look around more. While I do agree that making eye contact with multiple people is good, I feel like it is a little strange in a recording to be looking around since it does not look like I am actually making eye contact. It will look more like eye contact if I look directly at the camera.

Based on my feedback, just tried to calm myself down more before doing my presentation. Even though I am not scared to give speeches, my body still shows some signs of nervousness. I really just tried to manage what I could and not feel rushed when making my video. It is okay if you do not get it perfect on the first try. You can always make another video if you do not like your original.

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Alternative Evaluation: Through my interviews, I learned that a lot of people would prefer to just find products for their pets themselves. A lot of people would not be willing to pay for a service in order to find healthier food for their pets. Only a small amount of people would. However, people would be willing to use this service for free. I think the only real way this business would be successful would be if enough people use the service and it could generate revenue from advertisements. Money seems to be the biggest factor here. As long as their pets are healthy, they do not see anything they are doing that needs to be changed. 

How/Where They Buy: The people I interviewed generally buy their pet food at the pet store or grocery store. They normally get the same few foods every time, unless their pet gets sick from eating it. Pet food is a cheap product, so they always pay for the transaction immediately. 

Post Purchase Evaluation: The thing that matters the most to the purchasers are that their pets are fed and that they save money. They would feel bad if their pet had health problems, but they are not willing to act beforehand. As long as everything goes the way they thought it would, they would consider the purchase a success. The only way they would consider the purchase to be bad is if their pet gets sick. 

Conclusion: From my interviews, I got a different outcome than from my previous interviews. Earlier, interviewees seemed more interested in my service and there was hope. The three people I interviewed for this assignment told me the opposite. Buying pet food is generally an easy process and consumers usually do not put much thought into the food they purchase. They can get recommendations from workers at pet stores if they are unsure, and they are alright with that. I am felling a lot more pessimistic about my service after this assignment. 

Halfway Reflection

The behaviors I have used to keep up with the requirements in this course include being organized and being persistent. You need to make sure you know what is expected of you in order to be successful in this class. You also need to keep trying because you might not succeed in what you are trying to do right away. 

One time I felt like giving up in this class was one time I was looking for people to interview. Often, the people willing to talk to you are people that would not be in your target market. That is exactly what happened to me. I had to spend a lot of time looking for somebody that would give me relevant information. Many people feel bothered if you try to take time out of their day for an interview if they do not get anything out of it. I was able to push myself and ended up getting the information I needed. I believe this was because I have a drive to succeed. I badly want an A in this class and will do whatever I need to do in order to achieve that. I believe I already had a tenacious attitude before this class. I believe my journey to the school strengthened it. My car’s transmission went out when I was coming down from Chicago to register for classes. Somehow I still made it down here without my car.

Three Tips:

1. Always keep track of the deadlines. Every week, things are due at the same time. If you have everything planned out before hand, you will have no problem finishing everything that you need to get done.
2. Make sure you always declare the assignments. Many people have often did the assignments and did not declare that the did it, therefore not getting any credit for their work. It’s really easy to declare assignments and essential for this class.
3. Don’t wait until the last minute to do assignments. Some assignments you can complete in a little bit of time, but others require a lot of work. Some assignments require you to interview people and if you wait until the last second to do the assignment, you will not be able to find the people you need to ask questions to. 

Reading Reflection No. 1

1. The thing that surprised me the most about Elon Musk was the amount of ventures he started. I really only knew about Tesla. He also helped start SpaceX, a space transportation service and manufacturer of aerospace equipment. He helps run SolarCity, a company intended on producing solar energy. Paypal might not even be around without him. 
2. The thing about Elon Musk that I most admire is his willingness to take risks. After making so much money off of Zip2 and PayPal, he put an incredibly high amount of money into developing new products. Even though they are not returning much money, he still continues funding these new technologies in order to try to help future generations. 
3. The thing about Elon Musk that I least admire is the fact that he left South Africa for Canada in order to avoid military service. While I understand somebody not wanting to go to war, his country was depending on them and he let them down.
4. Elon Musk did encounter adversity along the way. He ended up going broke before after renting an office with his brother. He ended up living there and had to shower at a gym. He didn’t have a bed of his own and slept on a bean bag. After that business had success, he lost control of it. He kept his drive to succeed and never gave up. He lived the way he had to in order to pursue his dreams. 


2. Elon Musk was really resilient in his journey. Even though he faced many points in his life that made it seem like he wouldn’t succeed, he never gave up. Many products he funded seemed like they had no chance to be a success, but he went with his heart and overall it has worked for him. 
3. The thing I found to be the most confusing in the text was how he was able to get out of going to the South African military. Normally it is extremely difficult in order to avoid service, but he was able to flee the country and get to Canada. Normally it is a long process becoming a legal citizen of another country.
4. If I could ask Elon Musk two questions, I would ask him what inspired him to go through with the particular companies he funded and what gave him the drive to keep going after he was broke living in his office. There are so many different ideas he could have started but he picked the ones he did for some reason. They are also all over the place and not in a particular field. Also, not having a home of your own must be very difficult. It would have been very easy for him to just throw in the towel, but he kept pushing and was successful because of it.
5. I believe Elon Musk’s view of hard work is giving everything your all no matter what. He gives everything he can for his business and wants to succeed and help mankind. He always is doing something in our to succeed, similar to me. I always do anything I can in order to be successful. Before coming to the University of Florida, I was at a community college full time and worked as many as four part time jobs at once. 

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

Segment: Those that are young adults with pets that do not have much knowledge on pet food

Interviews: I interviewed three University of Florida students who own pets

Interview #1: This person did not realize there were many dog products in our stores that are actually harmful to our pets. They said that they wished there was actually an efficient way for people to find out what is good and bad for their animals so that the pet owners do not unintentionally do harm to their pets. They said that they just buy something different every time they go to the store and if their dog likes it, they will buy that product more often.

Interview #2: This person is simply trying to buy cheap products for their pet in order to save money. They know there are probably more nutritious products out there for their pet, but they do not have the money to get them it. He did say that if there was a way to find which of the cheaper products is the best for his pet, they would not hesitate to get it for them. They have not done any research to find this out.

Interview #3: This person again did not know about some of the harmful dog products on the market. They did not know rawhide was bad for dogs and admitted to giving their dog some in the past. This person said that they have searched online before in order to find which products are good and bad, but they have not been too successful. Different websites claim different things. They said they would be interested in a product like this in the future because they care about their dog deeply.

From the interviews I conducted, I realized that people are still really unsure as to what is good and bad for their pets. Even with some research online, people are still confused. A good amount of people are completely unaware that there are products out there that are bad for our animals. When people do realize the problem, they usually just search online since it is one of the easiest methods to get information.

Idea Napkin No. 1

My name is Joseph Malinowski. I just transferred to the University of Florida. I have lived in Illinois my whole life. I went to a community college there to get my associates degree. I am a really hard worker and always do whatever I need to in order to get the outcome I want. I am also a very easy person to get along with, so people feel comfortable around me quickly. I have had many jobs even though I am only 20-years-old. I had as many as 4 at a given time. In the future, I want to start my business, but I am unsure as to what that will entail. If I were to start this specific business, I would see it as a big role in my life. I would do whatever I could to make it successful.

I am offering a service that allows pet owners to see what is good for their animals to consume. A lot of food on the market is available, even though there are harmful chemicals and other things in it. This product will help those that are not informed on what is good and bad for their pets find things they can feel confident about giving to their pets.

I would be offering this product to anybody that is old enough to be in charge of caring for their pets. Children would not have the knowledge or the money to buy pet food. Those that are very old would hopefully already know what is good and bad for their pets, so they would not be targeted as heavily. I would be offering this product mainly to people who do not know too much about pet food. Those that have already done vast amounts of research would find no need for my product. I will also be looking for those that are not trying to just spend the least amount of money possible because the cheapest is usually of low quality.

I believe that generally people care for their pets. They are essentially members of the family and owners would never want to harm their pets. If they knew that some foods out there were harmful to their pets, I imagine they would not keep buying them the same food. With this product, they would be able to make sure they are doing no harm.

I am not aware of any competitors in this field. However, my service would make it easy for customers to see what products are good for their pets. It would be simple to use, having many filters shoppers can use to find a product they specifically need.

I believe that all of these elements work together. I believe that personally, I would be the thing most out of place in this business. I do not have too much experience with pets. I have had some when I was younger, but it was never really my responsibility to take care of them. I am unsure as to what foods are good and bad for what pets and so on. Also, there may already be a similar service like this that I have not heard of before.

Elevator Pitch No.1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ-lIbPe_7o

Testing the Hypothesis, Part II

Who: After conducting my interviews, I determined the outside the boundary group to be those that already know what is good and bad for their pets to consume. They would not be willing to use my product if they can find the best product for their pets themselves. Also in this group could be those that are stubborn and believe everything on the market is alright for their pets to consume. If they do not see a problem, they would not be willing to spend anything on my service.

What: My product is designed to help find healthy food for pets. It would not be a service people go on trying to find the best deals on pet food. The products would be high quality so pet owners can feel good about their purchases.

Why: The people they already know pet foods just would find no need for my services. Others would try to just find the cheapest option in order to save money, their biggest concern.

Inside the boundary                                                   Outside the boundary

Who: Uninformed people who want to provide the healthiest food for their pets	People who already know what is good and bad for their pets and those who do not care
What: To help customers find safe treats for their pets to enjoy	People will not be able to find just the cheapest food around since it probably would not be the healthiest
Why: Their pets can avoid future health problems and they can feel good about their choices	They have no use for the product because they know already or simply want to save money and do not care

Solving The Problem

My product has to do with pet owners. Often pet owners give their pet products that they should not be consuming or playing with. The idea originated from the need to protect dogs, but through my interviews, people expressed concern for other types of pets as well. Often, people will give their dogs treats that are actually harmful to their dogs. Products go through different tests depending on where they are made. I am thinking maybe a website could be a solution to this problem. There can be lists of foods and treats that are good for our pets to consume. There can be ways to filter the results so that you can see dogs food, fish food, and so on, depending on the breed of the animal. For those concerned with spending too much money, there can be an option to see the products from low to high, but only showing options that are truly healthy for our pets to consume.

Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

Opportunity: Dog owners allow their dogs to consume and play with toxic materials because they are unaware of what is actually good and bad for their pets.

The who: Dog owners

The what: They allows their dogs to consume and play with toxic materials

The why: They are unaware of what is actually good and bad for their pets

Testing the who: While dog owners have this need, owners of other types of pets probably occasionally have similar problems. Dogs are probably the most vulnerable however, since it is hard to keep things away from them and they love putting everything in their mouths. People that have done lots of research would hopefully not have a problem.

Testing the what: Because other countries have different regulations on what is allowed and not allowed in pet treats, the biggest problem arises from imported products. What is deemed safe in one country may actually in fact be harmful to our precious dogs.

Testing the why: Products may say they were tested safe for dogs, but they may have gone through different testing than other products. Pet owners will often just see dog treats and toys and buy either whatever is cheapest or things labeled as safe. Dog owners need to take more initiative to research what is in these products and make sure they are not doing any harm to their pet.

Interview #1: In this interview, the dog owner showed concern for their pet. Being a college student, they do not have as much money to work with as they would like. This results in them buying cheaper products and not truly knowing what the best cheap option to give their dog is.

Interview #2: In this interview, the dog owner was not concerned about their dog. They were a middle aged adult and believed their pet was living a healthy lifestyle. They did not think any of the products they give their dog is a problem.

Interview #3: In this interview, the interviewee did not own a dog, but instead owned a cat. While he did not fear for his own cat, he expressed some concern pet owners other than dog owners could have. His cat tends to nibble on small things and then spit them out, but he is cautious to keep his cat away from harm.

Interview #4: In this interview, the dog owner was originally not concerned for their dog. After letting them know some of the harmful products out there, they thought something needed to be changed. They were guilty of giving their dog rawhide products at times and did not know the harm it could cause.

Interview #5: In this interview, the dog owner was not concerned for their dog. They are really close to their pet and tries to find the healthiest options for their dog. They did bring up a past experience in which their crayfish died shortly after switching the food they provided for them. They believe there are other concerns besides dogs.

From these interviews, I discovered that there might be more of a market than just dog owners. Multiple interviewees showed concern for pets other than their dogs. I also discovered that some people are just going to be oblivious to potentially harmful products because they do not see anything wrong in their situation. Price is also a concern for some. Generally lesser tested products are cheaper than ones tested vigorously. Some people are indeed unaware of the harms of certain products and think it should be more well-known.

Identifying Opportunities in Economic and Regulatory Trends

Economic Trend: The economy is in the expansion stage of the business cycle.

• Source: https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666
• I believe there is an opportunity here because the cycle will be in this phrase for several more years. The economy generally follows the business cycle. 
• The prototypical customer would be people trying to start their own business.
• I think it would be relatively easy to exploit. People always want to get in on the money and they would be more willing to do business if they feel confident they will be successful. 
• I saw this opportunity because in my work experience, there are usually always times when business is slow and times when business is booming. This opportunity will not be around after a few years because the business cycle stage will change.

Economic Trend: Rebounding from natural disasters

• Source: https://commercial.jpmorganchase.com/pages/commercial-banking/executive-connect/six-key-economic-trends
• I believe there is an opportunity here because economies are still rebuilding from the disasters that hit them. They still have room to grow and mold into the new form they will take. 
• The prototypical customer would be the residents that lived in the locations hit by natural disaster.
• I think it would be moderately easy to exploit because the citizens are in shambles after the disaster, but they might not have the funds to afford it.
• I saw this opportunity because after being in a situation in which I thought my world was ending (it wasn't), I realized I was more willing to do anything to satisfy my needs. People act in ways they normally do not in these situations. 

Regulatory Trend: Medical marijuana becoming legalized

• Source: https://www.workcompwire.com/2018/11/partner-post-4-current-regulatory-trends-and-what-they-mean-for-pharmacy-management/
• I believe there is an opportunity here because sooner or later, medical marijuana will be legal nationwide. There is also a good chance it becomes legal for recreational use also.
• The prototypical customer would be those in pain, looking for an euphoric high to make them feel better. 
• I think it would be an average difficulty to exploit. While there are states on board with medical marijuana use, there are still some against it that will not help our case. 
• I saw this opportunity because of a visit I had to California. In California, marijuana recreational use is completely legal. While I am only 20 and could not make a purchase there even if I wanted to, I saw many people with the substance. 

Regulatory Trend: Accidental discharges of hazardous substances spill prevention

• Source: https://www.greatamericaninsurancegroup.com/for-businesses/property-casualty-divisions/division-contacts/environmental/2018/environmental-insider-april/april-insider-features/future-environmental-regulatory-trends
• I believe there is an opportunity here because the majority of people would say they care about the environment. They want factories to be "green" with their business and may push factories into making these changes.
• The prototypical customer would be companies that have factories controlling toxic substances.
• I think it would be difficult to exploit. Factories will not want to make the changes if they are still making money. People would need to pressure them into making these changes. 
• I saw this opportunity because I am a very environmental conscious person. I care that we take care of our earth and that my future descendants will have a clean place to live. 

Identifying Local Opportunities

“Keeping Pets Safe from Toxic Dog Chews and Toys” by Jenniffer Weigel

• https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ACSTB%21Chicago%2BSun-Times%2B%2528IL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0122%21January%2B22&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/1712125216F5E248

• The author tells of her discoveries after posting a photo of her dog on social media with a rawhide treat. There are many harmful items out in stores intended for us to give to our dogs. The author names off products and things pet owners can make themselves in our to have safe treats for their dogs
• Rawhide is one of the leading materials that are dangerous for our dogs. It has high amounts of chemicals in it and is highly processed. Dogs are unable to digest the material, and if they consume it, it can clog their intestines. Products from other countries have different regulations, so people need to learn what products actually are before giving them to their pets.
• Anyone providing food to dogs can have this problem. Those that have already done research would hopefully already be aware.

“Cause of Explosion, Fire at Northbrook Home Remains Undetermined” by Sun-Times Wire

• https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ACSTB%21Chicago%2BSun-Times%2B%2528IL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0122%21January%2B22&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/1712125185661480

• There was a fire in a home in Northbrook last week. Authorities have not yet determined the cause and do not know if it was intentional. The fire was under control after an hour and a half.
• Authorities do not know if somebody purposely set the fires to either claim in on their insurance or if somebody was trying to hurt those with the homes. Damage had been done to a total of three houses.
• The three families that lived in the homes have the problem of their homes being affected, while the authorities have the problem of finding out how the fire was started.

“Manhunt Underway for Suspect in Orland Park Mall Shooting” by Stefano Esposito

• https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ACSTB%21Chicago%2BSun-Times%2B%2528IL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0122%21January%2B22&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/17121251E3DB8508

• There was a shooting at Orland Square Mall resulting in one death and another injury. The shooter is a 19-year-old who is still on the loose. The shooter got into a fight with the target near the food court and eventually shot him in the chest.
• There is an armed and dangerous person who police are searching for who just killed somebody.
• People in the community need to be on the lookout for the suspect to make sure they are safe.

“Man Reported Missing from Jefferson Park Considered ‘High Risk’” by Sun-Times Wire

• https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ACSTB%21Chicago%2BSun-Times%2B%2528IL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0122%21January%2B22&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/1712125230155B50

• A man who is considered a ‘high risk’ has been reported missing from the Jefferson Park neighborhood Monday afternoon. The man, who suffers from both a brain injury and seizures, left his house and never came back. Nobody knows where he could have gone.
• The man deemed a ‘high risk’ left his home and did not tell anybody where he was going. He left without a coat, even though there is freezing weather in the Chicagoland area.
• Keith Benincasa, the man they is missing, has the problem because he is not suitable for looking after himself, yet nobody knows where he is.

“Preckwinkle Vows to Revamp Overly Punitive Ticketing Policy Targeting Minorities” by Fran Spielman

• https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ACSTB%21Chicago%2BSun-Times%2B%2528IL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0122%21January%2B22&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/17121251D66BCEA0

• Toni Preckwinkle plans to bring equality to an unfair ticketing policy aimed at minority motorists. Preckwinkle, a candidate for mayor, blames her number one opponent, Susana Mendoza, for this problem. Preckwinkle wants to bring the city stickers prices back down, as well as making a schedule of payment plans for them so more people can afford to drive.
• Current ticketing policies unfairly target minority motorists. Many of them have gone into bankruptcy because of these policies. According to studies, communities of color have been targeted 40% more than others.
• The problem affects low and moderate income people of color.

Forming An Opportunity Belief

I believe there is an issue when new transfer students begin their studies at the University of Florida. Nobody explains the bus system, but countless people tell you to just download the Rider app. When we attend our transfer orientation, nobody explains where you should get on the bus to get to where you want to go. I believe all transfer students will have this problem, especially those that are unfamiliar to the Gainesville area. They may have helped more in the past, but now students are confused on how to get where they need to go. I believe there is a 90% chance that this need exists, since both my transfer peers and I are confused.

#1: 50-year-old new student female

·       Have you ever had any issues figuring out where to ride the bus to?

o   Yes I have. I have to use my map in order to find anything anywhere, but it takes me some time finding out what goes where and when.

·       Have you ever gone to the wrong place before?

o   No I have not.

·       Have you ever been late to some place?

o   No I have not. I do prepare to find my buses way ahead of time though.

·       Do you think they should teach new students how to use the bus system?

o   Yes I do. I hear all the time how students struggle to get to where they want to go.

#2: 20-year-old transfer female student

·       Have you ever had any issues figuring out where to ride the bus to?

o   Yes I have. The Rider app is constantly changing what it tells me to do and I am confused.

·       Have you ever gone to the wrong place before?

o   Yes I have. I once went to the opposite side of campus when I was trying to go to class.

·       Have you ever been late to some place?

o   Yes when I was trying to go to class.

·       Do you think they should teach new students how to use the bus system?

o   Yes I found it weird that they didn’t teach us more at the orientation. If somebody could explain how to use the app better, we could probably get around more easily.

#3: 19-year old transfer male student

·       Have you ever had any issues figuring out where to ride the bus to?

o   Yes I have. There’s so many different routes I cannot keep up with where they all go.

·       Have you ever gone to the wrong place before?

o   Thankfully I have not.

·       Have you ever been late to some place?

o   Yes but I think that is because the bus was not on time like it said it was.

·       Do you think they should teach new students how to use the bus system?

o   Yes that would be helpful. Lots of my buddies have had issues getting to where they need to go and I think it is all a mess.

Reflection: I believe that there is still an opportunity out there, but not as much as I anticipated. Some people are able to figure out where they need to go all on their own. Often, students are fine figuring it out by themselves, but they could still use extra help. Entrepreneurs should definitely adapted to what they hear customers say. By listening to potential customers, we can create the best product possible, which would help us sell. By being able to solve their needs, people would be more willing to spend their hard earned money.

Your Entrepreneurship Story

One time I was exposed to entrepreneurship that I found interesting was when I got picked up from an Uber last Sunday. After having a little small talk with the driver, he asked me what my future goals were from getting my degree. After stating that I want to start my own company, he began telling me about his own past in business. After moving here from Arkansas to help run his father-in-law’s business, they split ways. He ended up going back to school before somebody took him to mentor him. He then started his own business. After my ride was over, he wanted to exchange numbers and meet up again to try to mentor me. While I think he is a liar (because why would he be driving an Uber), the conversation seemed really insightful and motivated me to stick to my goals.

I enrolled in ENT 3003 because I am planning on minoring in entrepreneurship. In the future, I want to start my own business. I am not sure what that business will be doing, but I know it will be successful because of how hard I am willing to work. From this class, I want to learn, shockingly, the principles of entrepreneurship. I want to learn how to come up with a winning product or service and how to be successful promoting and selling it. I want to learn what it truly takes to start up a business.

Bug List

Bug #1: No paper towels in bathroom in Turlington Hall

Why: The janitors have a large amount of space they need to look over and do not have time to check everything.

Bug #2: No printing paper in the computer lab for my apartment complex

Why: Somebody printed an entire book previously and the apartment does not want to leave so much extra paper available because people will take it.

Bug #3: Not knowing where the buses go

Why: When students begin attending the University of Florida, nobody explains the bus system.

Bug #4: No open seats in my marketing class

Why: The university does not expect as many students to go to class as the amount that want to.

Bug #5: Keyboard and mouse on my surface computer not working occasionally

Why: The computer is both a laptop and tablet and the sensor is a little busted so I have to disconnect the keyboard like 10 times to get it to work.

Bug #6: Bus rider trying to fight me

Why: I did not get the memo that everybody was not off the bus yet and bumped into him.

Bug #7: Not seats on the bus

Why: Too many people are relying on public transportation and there is not enough room on the bus.

Bug #8: Phone dying

Why: Cellphones can only have so much juice in them, resulting in users having to charge them throughout the day.

Bug #9: Ants in my bedroom

Why: The person that lived in my apartment before me lived a dirty lifestyle and the apartment staff failed to clean it before I moved in.

Bug #10: Dirty kitchen

Why: My roommate fail to clean up after themselves right away, leaving the cleaning until later.

Bug #11: Being woken up from noises

Why: My apartment’s walls are thin, so I am able to hear people starting their days in the mornings.

Bug #12: TV in living room not working

Why: None of my roommates brought an extra HDMI cord to start the TV and the apartment does not supply one.

Bug #13: Chase bank declining my use of my debit card

Why: The bank believes I am still in Chicago and is not accepting my transactions in Florida.

Bug #14: Shoes getting dirty after walking through dirt

Why: The shoes were white, which easily displays anything that is put on them.

Bug #15: Gainesville security guarding a hole in a fence to keep people from going through

Why: Somebody believes it is a problem, even though the apartment complex were the ones who made the hole.

Bug #16: Not having a car in Gainesville

Why: My car’s transmission went out for the 2nd time in half a year when I was coming down, so I had to abandon it to get to my orientation on time.

Bug #17: Not having many utensils or food

Why: I planned on bringing some from back home in Chicago, but I was only able to bring my necessities after my car died.

Bug #18: People that smell on the bus

Why: They are not good at keeping up with their hygiene, especially when it is warm out.

Bug #19: Emergency vehicles blasting their sirens near my apartment what feels like 24/7

Why: People have issues that they need an emergency vehicle for and the drivers want other people to be aware of their presence.

Bug #20: Headphones falling out of my ears

Why: They have the cords attached to them which always gets pulled by something, which ends up pulling them out.

Reflection: Throughout the day I noticed countless things that bugged me. If I did not write them down initially, it was hard for me to remember them. When I sat down the first time to do this assignment, it would take me a good amount of time just to think of one thing that bugged me. Afterwards, the second something bothered me, I would be quick to mark down what it was so I would not forget. If I could instantly mark down everything that bugged me throughout my life, I am sure the list would be increasing dramatically.