Friday, August 3, 2018

Final reflection/Assignment 30A

1.  The most formative experience was definitely having to go out and talk to people in the community.  That's also the experience I'm most proud of accomplishing.  Most of the time I have an issue going and talking to people and it makes me incredibly uncomfortable.  So the fact that I did that and spoke to strangers is something I am very proud to have done.  As far as things that I will remember forever is all the elevator pitches.  We had to do three of them so I definitely don't think I will forget them anytime soon.  My most joyous experience honestly was all the peer reviews.  It was fun to read everyone's posts and see how everyone else interacted with the assignment.

2.  I do somewhat see myself as an entrepreneur but also I don't.  I do not really want to be an entrepreneur as a career so while this class changed my thinking it did not enough to make me want to be an entrepreneur.

3.  The best advice I can give to future class takers is to stay on top of the work.  Don't fall behind because if you do your grade will suffer for sure.  Also, do all of the assignments for sure.

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Assignment 29A/ my venture concept 2.0!

Opportunity
What is/who has the need/nature of the need
My opportunity is a product that stops glasses from falling down the nose, even when it is hot and sweat is pouring down your face. My top potential customers are truly anyone that wears any sort of glasses.  This includes people who wear glasses permanently and also those who just wear sunglasses.  Specifically, though, I am aiming at soccer mom types running from pillar to post for all their children's needs.

Other Questions
The opportunity for this is huge as anyone who wears any type of glasses would need this, and the window for the opportunity I think will last forever.  Right now, customers aren't satisfying the need they are just living with the problems which should not have to be the case.  The market is for all ages, men, and women truly anyone who wears glasses.

Innovation
As far as innovation the product I am creating is a type of substance that comes in a tube much like that of liquid concealers with the same type of applicator wand.  But the consistency of eyeshadow primer.  It goes on the bridge of the nose where glasses land and it creates enough friction to stop glasses from slipping.  I will sell it at any drugstore or where makeup is sold and will sell a tube for 6 dollars.  It should last around 3 months.  Hopefully, could charge around 7 dollars for a tube which is fairly equivalent to how much drugstore concealer costs.

Venture concept
My product will solve their problems by it just being science.  When friction is added the glasses won't fall.  Simple as that.  Customers won't have to switch to the product because there is no product on the market so far that would be comparable to mine.  The packaging really does not come into play I'm just doing what I think would be best and what I would want to buy.  

Minor elements
Secret Sauce
My company's secret sauce is truly my passion for it.  I get so annoyed when my glasses fall so having something be created by me to stop that is what would be the best.  I also have experience.  I am a full-time glasses wearer who has to wear them.

Next Venture
My next venture I plan on creating a service that caters more toward a specific demographic of age.  I, as a college student, want to help other college students in life so that is what I am going to do next.  Not quite sure what it is yet but I'll think of something.  I have decided that I am going to make an app that creates schedules automatically for students.  We put in the times we want and the classes we need and boom it's done.

Next for me
As an entrepreneur in five years, I would truly like to be no longer an entrepreneur.  I want to be somewhere making money but I don't think entrepreneurship is the place for me.



FEEDBACK SUMMARY
A lot of my feedback was very positive.  My peers liked that I went through all the steps and that I did a good job describing everything.  The main critiques were for me to be more detailed throughout, and also someone wanted to know exactly what I wanted my next venture to be with the college students.

WHAT I CHANGED
I changed by being more descriptive.  I added more details to multiple of the sections and made it clearer what my venture with the college students would be.  

 

Friday, July 27, 2018

Assignment 28A/Exit strategy

As far as my Exit Strategy for this particular venture I want it to be an in-n-out experience.  I would like to sell my product and then potentially make a large profit from what is left.  I also don't think I want to continue with entrepreneurship in the future.  One business venture is enough for me.  I selected this because this isn't my passion.  I want to do something I love in life and this is not it, unfortunately.  But I have confidence that I can find something I am passionate about and potentially become an entrepreneur in that way.  My strategy has been the same from the beginning so yes I guess it has influenced my decisions along the way.  I chose a product that was individually based and not service based so I didn't have to hand it down to anyone. If I was a true business with employees then It could be problematic to leave so abruptly but that's not the case in my situation.

Reading reflection 3/ Assignment 27a

For this last reflection, I chose to read the book Miracles Happen, by Mary Kay Ash.

1.
  • What surprised you the most?
    • The thing that surprised me the most about the book was how Mary Kay wasn't a specialist with makeup.  She was a marketer and a salesperson but had a passion for beauty and for women to have a career.  So she took her skills and her passion and combined it into one.
  • What about the entrepreneur did you most admire?
    • The most admirable thing about Mary Kay Ash is her persistence and courage.  She was a trailblazer for women in business and she created a path for women everywhere to follow in her footsteps.
  • What about the entrepreneur did you least admire?
    • I didn't particularly like how she acted as if her brand and the makeup and products would change families.  I think everyone should feel comfortable in their own skin, but I do agree makeup is a self-confidence boost if women choose for it to be.
  • Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it?
    • Mary Kay did encounter adversity.  In the beginning, she only had 5000 dollars in savings which is not nearly enough to start a brand new business and live off of it.  But nonetheless, she went for it and made a hugely successful brand.
2.  What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited?
    • The main competency I noticed from Mary Kay was that she is a massive massive businesswoman.  She created a brand from quite literally nothing.  And she did it all without selling her soul or losing her dignity in the process.  She also wanted women to feel good about themselves which makes her a great woman as well.
3.  Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
    • There wasn't anything too confusing for me.  I understand the brand as I actually use Mary Kay products today, and I get how makeup can change a person's view of themselves.  So nothing was particularly confusing.
4.  If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why?
    • I would ask what her family thought of the business, and if they thought it was a good idea to put her savings on the line for a risky prospect.
      • I would ask this because it is nice to have a women's perspective and see if she felt judged or anything from her closest supporters.
5.  For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion?
    • Mary Kay's opinion of hard work is wild.  She clearly knows what needs to be done and is willing to do it.  And I do share that opinion to some extent.





Assignment 26A/ Celebrating Failure

A time I definitely failed was when I was taking my critical-tracking courses.  I had FOMO all Spring semester and chose to go to McDonald's with my friends at 2AM instead of studying and it bit me in the butt when my grades came out.  It was one hit after another of detrimental grades and by the time I buckled down, it was too late for the semester.  This killed me because I am a good student and I want good grades but I just had a lack of good judgment and failed at what I wanted, which was to do well. 
I most definitely learned not to get behind in school and ALWAYS always go to class.  If you think the material is easy still go to class because one day it won't be and then you'll be out of luck.  I also learned to prioritize and time manage better.  It also taught me a lot about myself and my study habits and was a wake-up call to essentially get my act together.
As far as actually failing it is embarrassing and sometimes has real long-term consequences.  But I'm more willing to take a risk in life and reach for the moon because if I fall I'll land among the stars.  That was taken from someone famous but I'm not sure who. 

Friday, July 20, 2018

assignment 25A/What's next

Existing Market
Whats Next?
I'm not entirely sure what is next with this specific venture.  I can't think of much more to do to help solve this problem so I guess it would be working with the actual glasses makers to not even need my product at all.  Or for somehow the product to come already on the glasses.

Interviews
I interviewed three people all of which wear glasses 24/7.  They said the only thing they thought I needed to do was make sure that everyone in the market will buy it.  They are concerned it's marketed more for women which I do believe so I need to work on that aspect.  As far as what's next they thought it was good for the product to somehow already come on the glasses.

Future
After all the interviews I found myself rethinking the continuation of my product.  I don't feel it can go many places after the initial concept which is slightly concerning.  So that is something for me to think about as I continue in this class.

New Market
A new market I could go to is one dealing solely with kids in poor neighborhoods.  I would love for it to be more service oriented like a special workout program or afterschool activity as opposed to a merchandising work which is what I'm doing now.

Value
The value my service could add is tremendous.  A lot of times poorer neighborhoods really struggle because their parents have to work and when they get out of school no one can pick them up.  This leads to continuous struggles for afterschool care.  I am wanting a service that is essentially a daycare at school but led by people other than teachers.  It is specifically afterschool workers and it is an all-encompassing program, of athletics, homework, and teambuilding to better behavior.

Interviews
I interviewed 2 people at westside park and they thought this service would be great.  It helps them with their kids and they said they would love it if they didn't have to feel the pressure running from pillar to post while also trying to make money.

Reflect
I don't have much that is spicy to say about this new concept.  The interviewees seemed to like it and didn't have anything negative to say.  I'm hoping this could be a more lucrative and expandable product than my current idea.

Talking to them really opened my eyes to how privileged I am and how I grew up so I would like to partner with someone who comes from a different background than me.  I think that would help the business be the best it can be.

Assignment 24A/Rebeca's glasses surprise

Opportunity
What is/who has the need/nature of the need
My opportunity is a product that stops glasses from falling down the nose, even when it is hot and sweat is pouring down your face. My top potential customers are truly anyone that wears any sort of glasses.  This includes people who wear glasses permanently and also those who just wear sunglasses.

Other Questions
The opportunity for this is huge as anyone who wears any type of glasses would need this, and the window for the opportunity I think will last forever.  Right now, customers aren't satisfying the need they are just living with the problems which should not have to be the case.  The market is for all ages, men, and women truly anyone who wears glasses.

Innovation
As far as innovation the product I am creating is a type of substance that comes in a tube much like that of liquid concealers with the same type of applicator wand.  But the consistency of eyeshadow primer.  It goes on the bridge of the nose where glasses land and it creates enough friction to stop glasses from slipping.  I will sell it at any drugstore or where makeup is sold and will sell a tube for 6 dollars.  It should last around 3 months.

Venture concept
My product will solve their problems by it just being science.  When friction is added the glasses won't fall.  Simple as that.  Customers won't have to switch to the product because there is no product on the market so far that would be comparable to mine.  The packaging really does not come into play I'm just doing what I think would be best and what I would want to buy. 

Minor elements
Secret Sauce
My company's secret sauce is truly my passion for it.  I get so annoyed when my glasses fall so having something be created by me to stop that is what would be the best.

Next Venture
My next venture I plan on creating a service that caters more toward a specific demographic of age.  I, as a college student, want to help other college students in life so that is what I am going to do next.  Not quite sure what it is yet but I'll think of something.

Next for me
As an entrepreneur in five years, I would truly like to be no longer an entrepreneur.  I want to be somewhere making money but I don't think entrepreneurship is the place for me.

Assignment 23/my unfair advantage

My Resources
1.  My firsthand experience of the actual problem
2.  People to create the product
3.  Experts in the market 
4.  Support from my parents
5.  Monetary capital to get the show started
6.  My persistence
7.  A roof over a place to make the product
8.  Knowledge of what other customers want
9.  Knowing the glasses industry
10.  Figuring out how to DIY the product

VRIN
1.  My firsthand experience of the actual problem
V:  This is valuable because it makes me the best person to make it since I know how it feels
R:  It isn't that rare since lots of people wear glasses
I:  People could copy since it is just an experience things
N:  Nothing can provide the same value as having experience

2. People to create the product
V:  This is important because without builders nothing would physically get done
R:  Not rare every company has workers
I:  It can be imitated by the mere fact that it already is
N: The only thing that can be substituted is perhaps robots

3.  Experts in the market 
V:  Very valuable because they can help me in creating the product
R:  It is rare to find market experts 
I:  These experts can't be imitated for any other market/product
N:  Expert opinions can't be substituted for anyone else's

4.  Support from my parents
V:  Valuable to me because of how the support feels
R:  I would consider it rare I don't think most people have such unwavering support
I:  It can be imitated though 
N:  But support from parents can't be found anywhere else.

5.  Monetary capital to get the show started
V:  Valuable without money to do things not much can be done
R:  Not rare everyone can have it
I:  Money can't be imitated
N:  Also can't be substituted except with loans I guess

6.   My persistence
V:  Without persistence, I probably would not still be in this class let alone talking about this product
R:  People with persistence are rare, but itself is not rare everyone has the capability to have it 
I:  Definitely can be imitated
N:  But nothing can really substitute for it

7.  A roof over a place to make the product
V:  It is sort of valuable but you really don't need a whole building, just the tools  
R:  Not rare, lots of places to occupy
I:  Also not inimitable, almost every business has a roof
N:  But it isn't substitutable 

8.  Knowledge of what other customers want
V:  This knowledge is valuable so I can continuously improve upon the product
R:  This is not entirely rare, as long as you talk to the potential customers
I:  anyone can copy this 
N:  this knowledge can't be substituted for anything as customers are important

9.   Knowing the glasses industry
V:  This is important because all of my customers are part of the eyewear industry
R:  It is not rare as a lot of people know the industry
I:  This can be copied by knowing the right people
N:  it can sort of be copied by simply googling things which in turn ends up resulting in knowing the industry

10:  Figuring out how to DIY the product
V:  this is valuable to know since I think people will try to DIY it so I can combat this if I know how to do it myself and make my product better
R:  It is fairly rare I don't think most people think about this 
I:  It is not hard to copy this but most people don't
N:  nothing can substitute for it

My top resource is my firsthand experience of knowing the actual problem of glasses slipping.  Without it, I wouldn't fully be able to relate to the customers.





Friday, July 13, 2018

Reading reflection 2/assignment 21A

For this post, I decided to read The Art of Social Media by Guy Kawasaki. 

1.  The general theme of the book was essentially how important social media is in this day and age for keeping a business alive and promoting it to the outside world.  Social media is essentially "free" advertising for a business.  By a picture on Instagram or a like or post on Facebook, they are able to get their name out to the public without paying for TV ads, or radio airtime.

2.   The book connected with this class very smoothly.  simply put every assignment we do we are marketing ourselves to someone.  With the elevator pitches, I market myself to the public and my classmates, when we have to go and interview people we are networking and showing our best foot to them so everything we do we are making sure it is appropriate and a good representation of who we are as a brand and a person. 

3.  The exercise I would choose to do for the class would be to create something that has all your social media accounts on one screen.  Therefore, it is easy to see and visualize what is happening in one place, at one time.

4.  The thing that surprised me the most about the book was how informed the author truly was about all social media platform.  He was talking about this I hadn't heard of, for example, Google+.  I had no idea that was even a thing let alone a tool to be used.

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Growing my social capital/20A

Person 1
Joan works at Costco in the glasses department.  She has worked there for over 10 years and actually helped me pick out my last 3 pairs of glasses.
She is filling the supplier for my market, just by the mere fact that my product goes to people who wear glasses and she sells glasses to people.
I found this person simply by needing new glasses.  I usually go to Costco and thought this would be the perfect opportunity for me to fulfill this requirement.
As far as the nature of exchange there wasn't much other than me buying the glasses.  Essentially I bought the glasses, and in return, she was willing to speak to me about my idea.
This networking opportunity will help me exploit something in my field just by the mere fact that she knows everything about the glasses market and what people are looking for.

Person 2
I spoke to someone who works at Ulta and has a strong interest in makeup.  I equate my product to makeup because I would be selling it at any drugstore or makeup store.  She is filling the market expert because she knows people coming in and she sells makeup to them.  I found this person again by simply shopping at Ulta.  As far as the exchange she really didn't want anything from me she was willing to talk to me for nothing in return.  Including this person in my network will help my opportunity because they can give me numbers of what types of products sell the best and sort of things like that.

Person 3
The last person I interviewed was somewhat hard to find because I don't really want to own a company it's more I supposed just producing the product in a factory.  So I interviewed a man who owns a packaging place in my hometown that runs a factory.  He is fulfilling my domain expert.  I found him because I grew up with his daughter he also bought yearbook ads from me in high school.  The favor I did for him was walk around the factory and just see how it all works which is also sort of the favor he did for me by letting me explore it.  It was a 2-way street.  Networking with him will be great because he is a resource I can use with day to day operations in the future.

REFLECTION
This made me walk up to people and ask them exactly what I needed to know.  It also helped me figure out how to pinpoint who I need to talk too.  So overall it was good.

elevator pitch 3/assignment 22a

Hi here is the link to my 3rd elevator pitch.

https://youtu.be/8NDHPcoNK6Y
 
One bit of feedback that I thought was interesting was how someone said I should project more.  I really tried to do that more this time but I'm not sure if it worked.  I am comfortable in front of the camera so I'm not sure why my voice just tends to not carry that well on camera.  I didn't think any of the feedback I got was weird or unwarranted so I appreciated that.  As far as what I changed was really just trying to project my voice more and I hope I did that.  I also do feel that my pitch is better but I keep tweaking it so I think it still needs some work.  I tend to be more off the cuff but it doesn't seem as rehearsed and put together which I do believe is a problem that hopefully can just be resolved with practice.

Friday, July 6, 2018

Elevator pitch 2/ assignment 17

Hi here is my 2nd elevator pitch for this class

https://youtu.be/ImeouX4CES4

The main thing that stood out to me was that everyone said I needed to not read off of a script so this time I made sure it was way more off the cuff and I truly did not read anything.  I got also how I shouldn't change my audiences so I tried to keep it the same throughout the whole speech.  Nothing that anyone said was funny or absurd and I did take all of it to the heart to change and make my pitch better.  So, therefore, like I said above I did not read anything off a script or a phone and I tried to keep my audience the same throughout.  Please let me know if y'all think there is anything I should change or do differently any and all feedback is welcome.  Thanks!

Idea Napkin 2/ Assignment 19A

You:  I am 3rd-year business administration, major with a minor in educational studies.  I one day hope to pursue a career in student affairs at a school much like the University of Florida.  I also though hope to have children and a family I can call my own.  I want this business concept to be something that is flexible and not all consuming so I can live out my dream of being a fully engaged mom while my kids are growing up.

What am I offering:  I am offering a product that will stop the slippage of glasses from moving down the face.  I don't know about y'all but when I have to keep pushing them back into a comfortable position I get increasingly frustrated as time goes on.  I also feel like a nerd who gets picked on in the movies.

Who am I offering it too:  I am offering this product to ANYONE who wears any type of glasses.  Readers, corrective vision, sunglasses the list goes on.  If they have something on their face and the bridge of their nose this product is for them. 

Why do they care:  I believe customers will pay money for this because it is such a nuisance to have to continually move the glasses back.  It takes time and hand that I don't have.  No mom is going to want to stop bringing groceries in or tying her kid's shoes to stop her glasses from falling it is just an annoyance that needs to be taken care of. 

Core competencies:  One main thing that sets me apart from the pack is that I wear glasses.  So I understand the constant struggle of them moving. I also am willing to work for this because it is a product I would buy for myself. 

Conclusion
I do think these things could all be a cohesive unit as I get older.  The only issue is me wanting to have a family and not having to choose between being a mom and working with this business.  Also, I would rather work in student affairs than run my own company.  But I figure I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. 

Feedback
One main point of feedback I received was not to sell this idea short, and that is why I am more confident in it this time and willing to put the work in.  Another feedback point was that I need to market it potentially more.  This is why I would go around and campaign for this product as I feel it is a great one.



Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Custom Avatar/18 A

So my customer avatar is obviously someone who wears glasses.  Ideally, they would be middle-aged adults with families.  Female, so they care about the aesthetic of their product and I imagine a soccer mom running around in a silver minivan to every after-school activity known to man.  They would get frustrated by anything they have to do for themselves or anything that slows them down because they have to do everything for everyone.  Their own personal hobbies separate from their families, are tennis, yoga and joining a book club, (cliche, I know but it's true).  Most days they feel like their children couldn't grow up fast enough but then they get sad and never want this stage of their life to end.  They cry a lot but never in front of anyone.  But lots of times they are happy tears about some accomplishment their children just did because they love them with their whole heart.  I have created a visual representation of my avatar below.

As far as what I have in common with the avatar there is not much aside from being female and wearing glasses.  I also do tend to not cry in front of people because I just don't like too.  And I also don't want to grow up out of the stage of life I am currently in.  I don't think it is a coincidence we have things in common considering I made this product out of a need for myself.






  

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Buyer Behavior 2-assignment 15A

1) Find three people who would fit that segment.
The segment I chose again are adults who play or coach a sport recreationally on a regular basis.  The people I interviewed play, golf, tennis, and coach a little league soccer team respectively.  They are Ira, Stephen, and John.

2.  Begin with an alternative evaluation
All three of my interviewees are men that have families.  Therefore money is always on their mind.  They all three said they would rather pay less for an item that is less aesthetically pleasing.  Therefore this led me to think of some way for men and women to have different products with the men being more visible at a lower price.  This doesn't totally make sense to me and I'm not sure it would be the best option but it certainly is a thought.

3. How/where do they buy?
They would definitely buy in store at first.  They could pay with card or cash at any local drugstore.  I would think about putting it online either on Amazon, or even Ulta/Sephora's websites but for now solely in store.  This is certainly not a big enough purchase to need to finance it over a period of time.

4. Post-purchase evaluation
For my product, the obvious evaluation was if the glasses stayed in place or not.  However, another thing may look for is if they think it lasted as long as it should or if it had to be replaced after too short of an amount of time.  

5. Report the findings
Essentially all of these interviews were pretty similar.  That probably has something to do with the fact that my clientele for this week were all incredibly similar as they were all 3 men, and as mentioned earlier all have families.   While there were a few differences.  Ira as a golf player needs the product to hold up under less sweat than Stephen who plays tennis which is higher intensity.

6. Draw conclusions.
It seems to me most people are concerned about money which rightly so.  Also, customers are worried about how long the product will hold up over time, and how long it will last in one sitting.

Friday, June 15, 2018

Halfway Reflection/ Assignment 14

1.  The main thing to keep up with the work truly is to keep up with it.  Don't fall behind and most definitely do every assignment.  Don't forget to declare them.  I most of the time do work on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.  This keeps me on track, and also gives me a brief period if anything goes wrong when uploading or anything.  Also, declare declare declare, if you don't declare the assignment is virtually useless.

2.  Honestly, I felt like giving up on the reading reflection.  I hate reading and to get through a book is a struggle for me so therefore this was not my forte.  But I did pull through and finish the assignment.  I do feel like I have developed a tenacious attitude.  This class really has not been that bad and the assignment while they are frequent they are not horribly difficult to complete especially since they are given so far ahead of time.

3.  As far as tips for the class my top 3 would be to just stay on top of it don't get behind, also set a reminder to declare your points so you don't forget, and last but not least have fun and work hard!  This class can be so helpful in creating business ideas and getting feedback on the creative process of entrepreneurship.

Reading Reflection 1/Assignment 13A

Grinding it out by Ray Kroc

What surprised you the most? 

  • The thing that surprised me the most about Ray and his journey was how late in life he actually did the thing that made him famous.  It was not until he was even 52 that he booked his ticket to meet the Mcdonald brothers to even check out their store.
What about the entrepreneur do I most admire?
  • I most admire the way Ray Kroc was good with his customers when he was selling the paper cups.  He was willing to work with them and give them the best deal.  They trusted him and he trusted them and I really thought that was great for someone who is a salesperson.  I really liked how he just took care of them.
What about the entrepreneur do I admire the least?
  • Honestly, I don't like how he was worried more about himself than his family.  It is no wonder he ended up divorced because he was constantly working and thinking about how to further his career instead of thinking about his family.  Granted he thought this would be the best move for everyone but he did not think of the effects it would have on his wife and family.
Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it?
  • Yes, Kroc did encounter lots of adversity and failure.  He continued to persevere however and did not let any of those things stop him from taking control and finding the next big thing.
What competencies did the entrepreneur exhibit?

  • I would say the best competency thatn Ray Kroc had going for him was his charisma and salesmanship.  Not only could he sell products such as paper cups and hamburgers, but he sold himself to companies so they would hire and work with him!!
 Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
  • The thing that confused me the most about the book was how Ray would talk about how he and Ethel were estranged and distanced but never really did anything about it.  He didn't try to make it right or help in any way and to me that's wrong.

If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why?
  • I would ask how did it feel to completely beat out the competition? and Do you regret anything about your journey?  Because businessmen have to make hard decisions that don't always seem moral to me and looking back I want to know if he would change anything he said or did.
 For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion?
  • Ray Kroc definitely had a high view of hard work.  He worked hard his whole life and never let anyone tell him no or get in his way.  If they discouraged him he would just steamroll right through them and wish they hadn't.  While I share his sentient I would go about it differently because to me you don't want to burn any bridges because you never know when you'll need to cross back and get some help.

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Buyer behavior 1/assignment 12A

Segment:  Adults who play/coach sports recreationally and wear eyewear

Interviews
1.  Atticus, 27, wears sunglasses when needed
  • When I spoke to Atticus I asked him at what age he began to feel the need to even start wearing sunglasses to which he responded that he's been wearing them for as long as he can remember.  He really noticed the slippage in high school however when he started playing baseball.  One time he found it so frustrating that the first thing he decided to do was not wear them at all which hurt his play but was less of an annoyance.  He also said that he never put much thought into a solution for this issue because he then grew out of playing competitively so it was not that big of an issue.  However, now he is a youth sports coach and is constantly in the heat so the issue has come back to haunt him.  He seemed very interested in my product to stop the glasses from slipping as long as it seemed cost effective and efficient.
2.  Joan, 50, wears corrective lenses all the time
  • Joan, unlike Atticus, wears glasses all the time not just sunglasses.  She as a middle-aged woman does not spend nearly as much time playing sports as she did in her youth.  BUT she does these exercise classes at the indoor trampoline places.  So even though the sun is not a factor sweat is and that is what ultimately causes falling of the glasses.  She has tried to think of a solution and has even put double stick tape on her glasses which worked temporarily but it wasn't waterproof so therefore ultimately failed.  She found that temporary fix on the internet to which I asked her search terms and they were "How to stop glasses from falling down the bridge of my nose?"  When I explained my product idea and mockup she seemed very into it, especially at the thought of being able to keep the tube in her purse or pocket and apply it on the go whenever needed.  
3.  Rusty, 30, father of 3
  • Not only do I count being a father of 3 a sport, but rusty also plays on the local kickball team through one of the churches.  He also wears glasses full time but has the non-slip kind as regular glasses, but plastic ones as sunglasses.  He, therefore, experiences the slippage when playing on the kickball team.  He first noticed it as a child but he did not mind then, but now as an adult, it really bothers him.  He hasn't tried to look for many solutions because it is only an issue with his sunglasses and said he can deal with it.  When I explained my idea though he seemed somewhat interested again if it were cost effective.
Summary
Ultimately, I found that these adults truly do want a solution but it MUST cost effective.  Nothing super expensive.  They could not give me a ballpark number they would just have to see if it felt right at the time.  The need did arise on its own for all of them because it is an annoyance, but they really didn't go that far out of their way to fix it themselves.


Friday, June 8, 2018

Elevator pitch 1/10A

Hi!   Here is my elevator pitch!

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Idea Napkin/11A

1.  I am a 20-year-old business administration major.  I have worked at the YMCA for the past 3 years in all aspects of the job.  I have done the front desk, concierge, scanning and child watch.  I believe some of my main skills are being trustworthy, and loyal.  I would also like to think I am approachable and a good leader, who leads by example, and stands behinds my people.  My aspirations are to become someone who my parents are proud of not only in my career but also in my personal life.  I don't mind if I'm not the CEO of a massive company I want a family and that is what matters to me.  However, if I were to build a business I could see it fitting into my life in a role that I want.  I would hope I could work from home and have some flexibility in my life.

2.   The product I am hoping to sell is something that stops glasses from slipping off people's noses.  I envision it being much like an eyeshadow primer which is clear when blended and is smooth yet rough at the same time to add some friction to the face.  The product also has to be waterproof or else it defeats the whole purpose.

3.  The people I am offering it too is anyone who wears glasses, that cares about their glasses falling, and who is not into DIYing a solution that isn't aesthetically pleasing.  Also, they must want the problem to be changed and not just be okay with it.

4.  This sort of goes along with number 3 above but people would pay money because it is an issue that almost all glasses wearers deal with.  Whether they care or mind it is another thing.  But they would pay for it because it is an easy solution and would be simple.  A swipe on the nose or the bridge of the glasses and the issue would be gone.

5.  What sets me apart is my fierce loyalty and my amazing memory.  When I am into something I remember everything about it.  The exact dates and numbers and any information I could possibly need I remember.  It has my full attention and as long as I am passionate about it, I will always be heavily invested.

SUMMARY
In conclusion, I do think all of these things can meld together seamlessly.  My weakest link I believe is people not thinking it is worth it to put money into something they theoretically can DIY themselves.  Also, me wanting flexibility in my adult life could also be an issue.   But overall I think I can do it!

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Testing the Hypothesis/9A


  • Who:  During my interviews, I found that while I thought everyone that wears glasses is a prime audience for my product I was missing a massive chunk of glasses participants: Children.  Ultimately, I interviewed 2 children, a boy and a girl, a mom of one, a dad of one, and then an elementary school teacher.
    • To my surprise, I found out that both of the children are not interested nor worried about their glasses slipping.  They did not find it to be a nuisance to continuously push their glasses up, in fact, both of their glasses were the kind that hooked all the way around their head so my problem truly was virtually no problem at all for them.
    • The mom of one of the kids though thought it would be a good idea to buy and invest in a product that stops the slipping for the future.  She can see how annoying it would become and doesn't want her child to have to deal with it at all.  She also thought it would be good for herself and her sunglasses when outside.  
    • The dad also thought it would be a good idea but as almost every other male was not so concerned it how it looked just the mere functionality of the product itself and the price it would be. 
    • Lastly, the teacher,  she said she thinks it is a fabulous idea not just for her but also her students.  As she is talking to kids and having to crouch to get to their level her glasses constantly slip.  Also, she finds her students to have to push them up which at such a young age causes distractions in the classroom.
  • What:  Something unique about my idea is that it is not a bad thing or a person behind a motive.  It is simply physics that needs to be stopped.  Therefore, the need for this is simple it is just science combating science.
  • Why:  The need is only different with kids who have the wrap around glasses.  If they have regular ones but just don't care if they slip then the need is the same as adults but they don't want the issue to be stopped. 

Inside the boundary
Outside the boundary
Who
·      Adults who wear glasses or sunglasses
·      Kids who don’t have the wraparound glasses
·      People who care about the look of the object

·      People who wear no glasses
·      Kids who don’t care/have wraparound glasses
·      Adults who are willing to sacrifice look for not paying money
What
·      To stop glasses from slipping
·      To make people wear contacts or eliminate the need altogether
Why
·      To reduce the annoyance of pushing glasses up constantly
·      Exists because of sweating
·      I can’t think of any alternative explanations for this needs