Venture Concept No. 2

1. My Venture Concept

OPPORTUNITY

The opportunity is here. The customer base includes hundreds, if not thousands of UF students and surrounding campus residents who are in need of more parking spaces. The customer base is however not limited to these residents and students, but extend as far as to include traveling guests and UF faculty and staff in the surrounding area. Due to the drastic increase in apartment complexes, the amount of people in one area is too large and is surpassing the available parking spaces. Geographically the market is condensed to the Northeast portion of the UF campus. Currently customers are having never ending parking issues, such as getting towed and receiving tickets for trying to park in areas that are not allowed. They are loyal to their current parking spots if they are lucky enough to have one. Parking is something that cannot be avoided if you have a car, and even if you don't have a car, knowing that more parking will become available could motivate even more students and customers to bring their cars and essentially motivate even more business. This window will be open until another investor claims the land for the designated parking garage. 

INNOVATION

The idea of a parking garage itself is not an innovation; however, in this area where parking seems to be almost obsolete it can be considered innovative. There can be potential room for innovation if the investor and builders decide to make the parking garage a smart garage and allow for different features to technologically advance the garage. Innovations such as a screen at the bottom showing the number of current available spots can help customers when they are deciding to park or not. The profit in this parking garage will come from the sale of parking permits either for a semester or even hourly depending on how the investor decides to sell. Hourly rates can go anywhere from 50 cents to 5 dollars an hour and to remain competitive, semester prices should be anywhere from $120-160 a month. 

VENTURE CONCEPT

This parking garage would substantially help the parking issue in Gainesville. Building this garage, would not have customers switching from one brand to another but rather parking in a more convenient location. Customers will choose this product because of its convenience and price point. The competition is not physical but geographic. The only weakness and possible competitor is the Standard parking garage which is in close proximity to the potential new lot; however, these parking spots are only offered to residents of the standard. Customer support and experience is essentially not an issue because as long as a parking garage offers parking at all times, it is serving its full purpose. The best part about this parking garage is that once it is built the true work is done, it will be sitting income as people pay for their spots. After the initial sign up and payment step, the business portion is done. 

UNFAIR ADVANTAGE

Given both the location and customer base of this potential project, the advantages that will come from building this parking garage is truly unfair.  The location of the potential parking garage is by far the most useful resource. This lot has the perfect location and surrounding businesses to ensure a full parking garage and plenty of potential income. In addition to this tangible advantage, this product also has community support and already an eager client base. Before even beginning this project, it is safe to say that the community and clients are ready to begin this project. This support is extremely important when convincing investors to invest in this project. 

NEXT VENTURE

Beyond the parking garage, this project can be extended even further to open the first ever scooting parking garage. In addition to this, the roof of the parking garage can be converted to potentially have solar panels and used for energy across campus. In addition to the eco friendly solar panels, the parking garage could also include green walls which promote cleaner air. These parking garages can also begin to expand across empty lots in Gainesville, as every time a new garage is built a more efficient route to building can be found. 

NEXT 5 YEARS 

Assuming I go ahead and launch this project, I don’t think the life goal I had in mind would change. Since a young age I have wanted to be a plastic surgeon and having the money readily available will make it even easier to attend medical school. That being said having this hands on business and entrepreneurial experience will definitely be to my benefit in 10 years and beyond as I hope to open my own practice. I think if I were to launch this project I may even continue to dabble in investments that are essentially sitting income. 

2. Feedback

So while working on this I think I discovered that my commenting settings were limited to only those subscribed to my blog not to the whole public. Although I did not have peer reviews I had my roommate read it. Based on her feedback I needed to clarify a few points that did not make sense. Overall she said that she can see the potential this project could have and said that if anything the innovation ideas may have been a little too far reach given the probable budget and fast and shoddy construction in Gainesville. 

3. Changes 

I definitely agreed with the clarification issue. I had a lot of run on sentences and statements that made no sense. I chose not to alter the innovation section even after hearing her feedback because I think these slight additions could be what sets this garage apart from all the other construction in Gainesville. I also think that given its possible longevity that features like solar panels will be worth it in the long run. I did however choose to add a possible eco friendly feature pictured below after seeing what Standard did to their walls. 

4. Photo

Final Reflection

1. So after going through all the assignments I think in the weirdest way my favorite and least favorite was creating the bug list. I thought this assignment was actually really fun to create but at the same time once I got to the last few I was digging into my brain for the final ones. Aside from the few introductory ones, I really enjoyed essentially seeing a whole entrepreneurial experience through. From the start up of the business to 5-10 years after, it really simplified the whole business world to me. I'm pre-med and don't really understand many entrepreneurial aspects so it was cool to think of things in a business perspective through this class. 

2. Through this class it really tested my procrastination and ability to stick to a schedule. Most of my classes I have been in haven't had weekly assignments but more of only a few tests throughout the semester. So to have assignments every Friday and Monday was challenging for me and I even forgot a few, however this taught me to always check canvas and to set reminders. At the same time I also really liked virtually meeting the other students in my groups and seeing how differently everyone interprets things and how they think. 

3. I can confidently say that I have gained an entrepreneurial mindset throughout this class. Different assignments taught me how important every aspect of a business is. Most above all this class taught me the importance of knowing your customer base, which I truly didn't think to be that big of a focus for entrepreneurs. 

4. Since the hardest part for me was to remain on schedule I would suggest that students do as many assignments as possible in the beginning of the semester. Aside from this I would suggest for students to maybe even create a log of their business that includes all of the aspects of their business, this would be both for reference when writing other assignments but also so everything is in one place. It's easier to see what needs to be fixed or added if everything is in front of you. 

My Exit Strategy

1) After 5 years with my business I intend to remain in the business and keep my portion of the parking garage. I would stay in this business until the parking garage were to be taken down. I would definitely pass it down to my children as well. Even after the parking garage were to be taken down, the value of land would still be there and would most likely have increased even more as Gainesville is currently in a growth period for its real estate. 

2) I have selected to remain as a partner in my parking garage because at the end of the day any form of real estate is a long term investment. Something like a parking garage will never really go out of style like some apartment building may experience with new competitors joining the market. Even if the parking garage were to be knocked down there is still value in the land itself. Additionally, a parking garage has little upkeep but is continuous income, so remaining in this market would be beneficial with extremely little work in return. 

3) I think my exit strategy has had some pull in my other aspects of the business plan. My mom is a realtor and taught me the importance of land and its long term investment value, so when thinking of my possible product land was first in mind. It also drew more importance because something like this can be reused time and time again as long as the land is still owned. 

Reading Reflection No. 3

1. What was the general theme or argument of the book?
The book I chose to read was "The Art of Social Media" by Guy Kawasaki. The general theme of the book is explaining how one can best manage their social media under today's pressures and expectations. Kawasaki gave multiple tips and strategies for both personal and business accounts, emphasizing how social media can be used as your platform to express yourself to the world. Kawasaki emphasizes how social media can be extremely beneficial and game changing in a company and individual's professional success.


2. How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT3003?
The book enhanced what I've learned in this class in multiple ways. The biggest connection between the book and this class is understanding who you truly are as both an entrepreneur and a product. In order to create your social media platform you must understand your best angle. Similarly in order to properly go about designing and marketing your product you must best understand your strengths and weaknesses and move forward from there. Just as an entrepreneur who best understands themselves and their products social media can be life changing.


3. If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
If I were to create an exercise for this class based on this book, I would have students create a fake social media account of their choice. In this social media platform the student would be responsible to best represent themselves with 5 posts. Since most pages people will only look at the top most recent posts, this shows the importance of every single post. Using Kawasaki's tips and tricks the students would have to most effectively create their social media platform.


4. What was your biggest surprise or "aha" moment when reading the book? In other words, what did learn that differed most from your expectations?
The biggest aha moment when reading this book was Kawasaki describing exactly how beneficial social media is. I didn't think social media had such a presence in the older generations considering customers like my moms age don't fully understand social media enough to base all their decisions on it. This however made more sense when understanding your customer base before making your social media.

Celebrating Failure

1) Procrastination tends to be my silent killer. This semester my procrastination definitely led me to fail. I was planning on running for president of my Panhellenic chapter. I knew the date of the election and I knew that I had to be in Gainesville on this specific date. The weekend before elections I went to buy my bus ticket back to Gainesville and every single bus was sold out. This was coming back to Gainesville the weekend after Thanksgiving break, I knew the buses would be packed and my procrastination made me miss the elections. This was a definite failure on my part. 

2) I learned that my procrastination, although may work in some cases and allow me to thrive will at the same time be my downfall. I learned that its better to get things done earlier if I am certain about them then to wait. I also learned that its important to prioritize tasks and that pushing important things off until the end may result in a major failure. 

3) Failure is definitely the least fun feeling to go through. It makes you question your personal abilities as well as your future. Although failure is extremely unpleasant it also builds character. If it weren't for failures the successes wouldn't be so enjoyable and exciting. Failure also definitely shows you what character flaws you need to work on. At the end of the day without failure I feel that you cannot truly grow as a person and develop into your best self. I think after this class specifically I would take the same risks and make the same decisions that I would previously. If anything I feel like this class has taught me how to better prepare for big decisions and the complete thought process I should be having when making big decisions. 

What's Next?

EXISTING MARKET

1. After the completion of this parking garage, and once customers are using this garage we can begin to technologically advance the parking garage. Features such as: spots available screen, solar panels, and self cleaning features can all raise the value of the parking spots and increase profits. This project can also include scooter parking which will generate a lot of profit for only a small piece of land of the garage.

2. The first person I interviewed said that the next venture would be to find a new piece of land to build another garage on since parking is such an issue. The second interviewee said that a market like this is not really something that can be expanded upon but rather perfected in itself, she suggested that the garage be made as big as possible so as to promote the most profit. The last interviewee said also said that this market is not necessarily something that can have a next venture. Regardless of what they said they all agreed with my technological ideas and said this is the perfect way to revolutionize the parking market. 

3. The next step after this parking garage is not very clear. The most obvious next step would be to introduce technology into this parking garage and allow for new innovations that will draw a wider customer base to use this garage. Features such as solar panels and parking spot availability screens can both draw customers who are environmentally concerned, students who do not like to waste time in search of a parking spot, and for those who do not want to have to be stuck parking on the top floor without a roof.

The second most obvious path to take after this venture would be to open another parking garage in the surrounding Gainesville area. This does pose its challenges as this would require finding a new lot to build on that will also have a sufficient amount of possible clients. However this market is constantly expanding as more students are accepted and have vehicles to park. 

NEW MARKET

1. This same parking garage can also be brought to a different city in total. This same company who builds this garage can go to Miami, a extremely technological and advanced city with a melting pot of clients.

2. This same parking garage could be built in Miami and still be perfectly welcome. In this market having more technology and client friendly features, such as paying with apple pay or venmo.  

3. The first person I interviewed loved the idea of having a parking garage built in Miami, she said there is never any parking and most of the street spots that do exist require payment in coins which for most people is not easy. The second person I interviewed also loved the idea of having a garage being built in Miami but stated that given the tightness of the city might not be the most attainable. Both interviewees, loved the idea of convenient payment methods and stated that this along with the need for parking will definitely generate the necessary income after project completion. 

4. When thinking about parking problems, the second place that comes to mind behind Gainesville is Miami. The city is extremely overcrowded and constantly in need of more parking. My worry that the tightness might play a challenge into finding a lot was confirmed with my second interviewee and drew my attention to the need to find a lot before any more building is done. In addition I felt extremely reassured with the love for technology in Miami after interviewing both participants, I know that the need some people have to try the most new technology will draw customers in alone. 

I believe this market if approached in the right manner would be a perfect Segway from the market in Gainesville. This new market would prove the need for parking anywhere regardless of city size. I believe if a proper lot, which is the most important resource is found, that the rest of the necessary resources would fall into place and allow a steady income to flow in after project completion. 

Venture Concept No. 1

OPPORTUNITY

 The opportunity is here. The customer base is hundreds if not thousands of UF students and surrounding campus residents who are in need of more parking spaces. The customer base is however not limited to these residents and students, but can go as far as to include traveling guests and UF faculty and staff who do not live in the surrounding area. Due to the drastic increase in apartment complexes, the amount of people in one area is too large and is surpassing the available parking spaces. Geographically the market is condensed to the Northeast portion of the UF campus. Currently customers are having never ending issues, such as getting towed and receiving tickets for trying to park in areas that are not allowed. They are loyal to their current parking spots if they are lucky enough to have one. Parking is something that cannot be avoided if you have a car and even if you don't have a car, knowing that more parking will become available could motivate even more students and customers to bring their cars and essentially motivate even more business. This window will be open until another investor claims the land for the designated parking garage. 

INNOVATION

The idea of a parking garage itself is not an innovation. However in this area where parking seems to be almost obsolete it can be considered innovative. There can be potential room for innovation if the investor and builders decide to make the parking garage a smart garage and allow for different features to technologically advance the garage. Innovations such as a screen at the bottom showing the number of current available spots can help customers when they are deciding to park or not. The profit in this parking garage will come from the sale of parking permits either for a semester or even hourly depending on how the investor decides to sell. Hourly rates can go anywhere from 50 cents to 5 dollars an hour and to remain competitive, semester prices should be anywhere from $120-160 a month. 

VENTURE CONCEPT

This parking garage would substantially help the parking issue in Gainesville. Building this garage, would not have customers switching from one brand to another but rather parking in a more convenient location. Customers will choose this product because of its convenience and price point. The competition is not direct but geographical. The only weakness and possible obstacle is the Standard parking garage which is in close proximity, however these parking spots are only offered to residents of the standard. Customer support and experience is essentially not an issue because as long as a parking garage offers parking at all times it is serving its full purpose. The best part about this parking garage is that once it is built the true work is done, it will be sitting income as people pay for their spots and after this step the business portion is done. 

UNFAIR ADVANTAGE

Given both the location and customer base of this potential project, the amount of advantages building this parking garage have is truly unfair.  The location of the potential parking garage is by far the most useful resource. This lot has the perfect location and surrounding businesses to ensure a full parking garage and plenty of potential income. In addition to this tangible advantage, this product also has community support and a ready client base. Before even beginning this project, it is safe to say that the community and clients are ready to begin this project. This is extremely important when convincing investors to invest in this project. 

NEXT VENTURE

Beyond the parking garage, this project can be extended even further to open the first ever scooting parking garage. In addition to this, the roof of the parking garage can be converted to potentially have solar panels and used for energy across campus. In addition to the solar panels, these parking garages can begin to expand across empty lots in Gainesville, as every time a new garage is built a more efficient route to building can be found. 

NEXT 5 YEARS 

Assuming I go ahead and launch this project, I don’t think the life goal I had in mind would change. Since a young age I have wanted to be a plastic surgeon and having the money readily available will make it even easier to attend medical school. That being said having this hands on business and entrepreneurial experience will definitely be to my benefit in 10 years and beyond as I hope to open my own practice. I think if I were to launch this project I may even continue to dabble in investments that are essentially sitting income. 

Your Venture's Unfair Advantage

Resources:

1. Location 

• V: extremely valuable, this piece of land would be able accommodate a wide range of students covering a wide area
• R: this is one of the few undeveloped pieces of land left in this area of Gainesville 
•  I: considering only this land is up for grabs, it is not going to be very easy to imitate
• N: there are no other options to this land for this parking garage 

2. UF Construction School 

• V: this is an extremely important possible asset. the construction school can be the working force behind building this garage and would be benefitting the current students who get to work on this project
• R: being that not many places have a construction school near by this feature is extremely rare 
•  I: there are other surrounding construction companies capable of building this garage but no others will also be benefitting UF students
• N: nothing can substitute the dedication and desire to learn than college students 

3. Customer Knowledge

• V: this is very valuable because without understanding the true need of the customer base then the urgency is gone
• R: this is not rare among college students but among common investors and construction company having a solid customer knowledge for college students is rare
•  I: not easy to imitate unless paying attention to the most minute details for a prolonged period of time 
• N: this is not able to be substituted, knowledge of the customers is extremely beneficial 

4. Possible Investors

• V: very valuable without investors and the funds to make this happen it won't 
• R: given that the Gainesville area is in a surge for building and growing investors will be more likely to invest
•  I: cannot be imitated an investor is irreplaceable 
• N: cannot be substituted for anything because without the funds to build the project will not begin

5. Time

• V: especially in today's time where everyone seems to always be on a time crunch, time is extremely valuable 
• R: rare among college students but when there is time to complete a task its rare 
•  I: cannot be imitated because full attention is not replaceable 
• N: time is necessary to complete this so there is nothing that can stand in place of it 

6. Dedication

• V: remaining dedicated and focused will allow this project to be completed as soon and safely as possible, these attributes are extremely valuable 
• R: it can be hard to find a team that is extremely dedicated and set on one common goal 
•  I: this quality cannot be imitated but rather perfected over the years 
• N: having a dedicated team cannot be substituted and if not present will result in shoddy procrastinated work 

7. Community Support

• V: this is extremely important in a new and big project, through the community supporting the project all obstacles will seem easier
• R: rare but given the product the community should be accepting with open arms 
•  I: cannot be imitated, community support leads to a happy project 
• N: cannot be replaced for any other quality or ideology because when a community stands together it is unstoppable 

8. Customers in Line

• V: this is very valuable to be able to persuade investors more easily and have the teams shoot for a goal as there are customers desperately in need of this service and ready to pay
• R: in a college town where students tend to not want to spend money, having these customers ready to pay is very rare
•  I: cannot be imitated by another service because there is only one solution to not having parking
• N: irreplaceable because until there is more parking spots allocated the problem will still be there

9. Technology

• V: very valuable because how much easier it makes the project and marketing for the future product 
• R: although its not necessarily rare having technology to support a project is extremely helpful 
•  I: cannot be imitated by any other feature because technology is specific to every scenario
• N: irreplaceable because technology has made almost every daily task tremendously easier

10. Employee Base

• V: having an employee base that is eager to work and in need of money is extremely valuable 
• R: it is rare to find enough people to be able to complete a project in a reasonable amount of time
•  I: cannot be imitated by any other capital
• N: although technology can cross over the lines of employment nothing can replace the human workforce

The top resource would be the land and its location. Given that Gainesville, especially around the UF campus area has been expanding and growing exponentially over the past few months, locking in and saving this land for a parking garage is the most valuable, rare, least easily imitated, and nonreplacable of all the resources. Without the land and location none of the other resources truly matter. 

Elevator Pitch No. 3

2) A reflection on the feedback you received from your last pitch. 

Most importantly from my last pitch was the attire, my outfit for the last video was the most clear criticism. I was really surprised with how much I moved in comparison to others, I don't realize how much I move my hands when I get nervous. Also the speed of my last pitch was way too fast, some parts were slightly hard to understand.

3) What did you change, based on the feedback?

This time around I made sure to wear a jacket which was a huge improvement. I also made sure to keep my hands planted in front of me while speaking. This change allowed for the pitch to be less distracting. Lastly I didn't read as quickly which allowed for the more important points to be emphasized.

Reading Reflection No. 2

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

I selected the book "How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big," written by Scott Adams. I chose this book because of how relatable and growth inspiring it sounded. The general theme was that no matter how many times your ideas or products may fail, this failure is never supposed to become your identity. Elaborating on this theme is the ideology that even in what may seem like the worst moment, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. 

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

The book definitely had a strong correlation to ENT3003. Throughout every assignment we are to think about the obstacles and downfalls that every project could have and potentially become a failure. In addition to taking note of these possible failures, we also peer review and give constructive criticism to our classmates. Both of these tactics are a way to help prevent each others' failures and to allow growth, just as this book suggests. The ideologies cross paths when we take the constructive criticism and make ourselves greater with it. 

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

If I had to design an exercise for this class I would focus on another broad topic in the book which is passion. Scott Adams spoke very intensely on the importance on differentiating our passions versus what were good at. I think to best understand this differentiation would  be for everyone to fill out a venn diagram containing talents, passions, and their similarities.

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

The biggest takeaway I had from this book was when Scott Adams made the differentiation between having goals and having a system. Prior to reading this book I overlapped these two concepts, as in order to fulfill my goals I must have a system in place to reach it. However when Adams said that a goal is something that is reached while a system is continuous I was able to understand now how my ideology can actually hurt you in the long run. 

Growing Your Social Capital

1) One person must be a domain expert in your industry. For this interview I spoke with my mentor Dr. Rainer Sasche who is a prominent plastic surgeon in the South Florida area. Prior to opening his own practice, he was the head of Holy Cross hospital and has served on multiple boards for the American Plastic Surgeon Association. I found this doctor through one of my aunts who has had medical procedures done with him in the past. After she went to him I contacted him to possibly shadow. I have shadowed him multiple times in the past. By shadowing him I have learned not only many things about the medical field, but also about the proper way to conduct patient interactions. 

2) One person must be an expert on your market. For this interview I spoke to a retired plastic surgeon who is no longer practicing. Her name is Dr. Aida Raez and she is both my mentor and go to for life and doctoring questions. I came in contact with Dr. Raez during one of the medical mission trips. I shadowed her in the general surgery department and became best friends within moments. I consider her my second mom and gain a better understanding what it's like to be both a mom and surgeon at the same time. I contact Dr. Raez whenever I am in need of help academically or medically. By having Dr. Raez in my life I feel like I am more confident in entering this profession. 

3) One person must be an important supplier to your industry. For this I interviewed someone in the medical devices industry. His name is Ramiro Morales and is a medical sales rep, as well as husband to a Obstetrician and Gynecologist. I came in contact with Ramiro through a medical mission trip that I have attended for two summers. After this medical mission trip I remained in contact in order to learn more about the up and coming medical surgical techniques. I contact him frequently as he updates me on the newest and latest in medical technology procedures. He does not necessarily expect anything in return other than my respect and attention. By remaining in contact with him I believe I am gaining a lot of insight and knowledge on the market and what doctors are being presented every day. 

Finally: Reflect. After realizing how connected I already am in the medical field, I also realized how lucky I truly am. Within each of these interactions I have gained more insight in the field and grown as a person professionally. I do not think I would still be on this path and have the amount of comfort that I have if I had not met my mentors. 

Idea Napkin No. 2

1) You. I am Kat Garcia. A junior at UF earning my degree in General Business Administration with a Specialization in Pre-Health. I am extremely personable and I am very good at problem solving and being innovative in times of need. I hope to attend the University of Florida College of Medicine and one day become a plastic surgeon. After enough years in the field, I hope to open my own practice. I believe my background in business will be extremely beneficial to running my practice. As I have learned from various surgeons, they all regret not having more knowledge in the field of medicine. 

2) What are you offering to customers? As a plastic surgeon I will be offering the cosmetic and self conscious needs of my patients. 

3) Who are you offering it to? My clientele would be a large range. I can offer to older patients who are trying to turn the clock back or even for younger patients who are self conscious about a particular aspect of themselves.  

4) Why do they care? Customers will pay an insane amount of money for cosmetic reasons. Everyone wants to look and feel like their best self, this need to constantly be at your best is what will bring the patients to my practice. 

5) What are your core competencies? What would set me apart is my workmanship and patient bedside manner.

Overall I believe all my previous experiences and lessons will allow me to be both professional and respectful with all my patients. In addition, I believe wherever my medical school education takes me that I will learn the proper workmanship and techniques to successfully completing surgeries. On top of the medical aspects, I believe that my business background will allow me to properly conduct my practice. 

Since I was unable to finish the first napkin assignment I did not receive feedback, however I feel that I covered all necessary aspects of my idea napkin. 

Create a Customer Avatar

Hobbies: roller blading, Netflix, working out, online shopping, napping, drawing, etc. 

Car: The type of car ranges anywhere from a pickup truck to a smart car. College students tend to have smaller cars, however the possibilities are endless. The color scheme is also all across the spectrum. 

Children: my typical customer does not have children and do not see children as one of their top concerns any time soon. Since they don't have kids none of them are adopted. 

Books/Politicians: These customers are at one of the largest and most diverse campuses, so both of these interests vary across the whole spectrum. All my friends and I are STEM majors, so we tend to not read books as much. However there are students who will always be reading a new book. At the same time all the students at UF come from different home towns and upbringings so their political views are also extremely different. 

Age: Range anywhere from 17-29. This includes incoming freshmen all the way to graduate students. This age range can be further extended however to include professors, faculty and staff who also may need parking. 

How old do they feel: Most students come in feeling extremely young however as the years go by seniors who are only 22 feel like they are approaching 50. 

In Common: Since I myself am a student at UF I have a lot in common with my typical customer. I have the same interests, goals, and values as many of the students and if not I can rationalize most of the other customers viewpoints. I essentially am a typical customer and this is why I can see such a need for this additional parking. 

these are pictures of typical customers that would love to have more parking around UF campus. 

What's Your Secret Sauce?

1) I am very personable. 

    I am understanding. 

    I am loud. 

    I am very optimistic. 

    I am very honest.

2)

Nikki said that I am very ambitious which can somehow correlate to being optimistic. 

Alyssa, my little, pointed out that I am very fun and outgoing which I described as being loud. 

Alysse said I was optimistic, which I completely agreed with. 

Julia, my glittle, described me as being genuine and honest.

Victor, one of my best friends, said that I am very easy to talk to and very trustworthy. 

3) There were really no differences in what my friends said versus what I said about myself. They did however say I was genuine instead of honest. I think I agree more with my term honest, however I agree with both. They also said that I was very trustworthy, I did not think to include that in my top 5. I feel like this could replace honest very easily in my top 5 best qualities. 

Figuring Buyer Behavior, No 2

1) I interviewed three UF students living off campus on the East with cars in different apartment complexes lacking parking.

2. After speaking with the possible customers, I found that the most relevant differences when choosing their parking location was price, distance, and damage exposure. Alysse said that she felt very unsafe parking towards downtown so location was most important to her. Katie has to pay for her own parking and rent so price is most important to her. Lastly Alyssa recently purchased a new car and is very careful with parking in covered areas to prevent weathering damage.

3) All three people I interviewed stated that they would not mind purchasing for parking any specific way. They stated that the most important things were not the method of payment and purchase for their parking spot. However, when I specifically asked about method of payment they all agreed that an online payment method would be most convenient.

4) When I asked the interviewees what they consider a good purchase they all agreed that they consider a consistent and reliable parking spot at all hours of the day a good purchase. Alysse and Katie both agreed that they determine a purchase as good only after they have made their money’s worth. However, in Alyssa’s case she said she did not notice whether a purchase was good or not until after the membership expired and she was forced into another one. They all agreed that their worst purchases were ones that they regretted and felt as if they were losing money.

5) Overall all three of the people I interviewed agreed that parking is one of the biggest decisions they make in Gainesville. Whether they had to give up one of their top priorities they all determined their most important feature over years of bad decision making. They all agreed that  parking can make or break a semester and cause so many stresses.

6) I would describe this segment as one of the most important decisions when deciding living accommodations for the year. Students are willing to make exceptions however most importantly placed price, location, and covered parking. An entrepreneur should take these features into consideration when and if they enter this market.

Halfway Reflection

1) Tenaciousness is a competency. What are the behaviors that you have used (or developed) to keep up with the requirements of this course? I definitely have had to set myself on a schedule. I considered completing the course within the first week as suggested, however found myself procrastinating and completing each assignment weekly.  Since I chose this method I find myself in a constant battle with my procrastination and completing my homework by the due date. I think I have grown slightly, and been able to work on my task oriented side throughout this course. 

2) Tenaciousness is also about attitude. Talk about a moment or two when you felt like "giving up." What pulled you through? Do you feel like you've developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months? What experience or experiences most contributed to this? The most trying time in my life was last spring semester. I was enrolled in Financial Accounting and Orgo 2 among other not as hard classes. At the same time, my family was going through a trying time as well. I felt as if I was constantly in a state of turmoil and at one point I felt like I could not continue the semester and the stress it brought. Although I technically quit by dropping financial accounting, I was able to build a more tenacious attitude and follow through with orgo 2. Orgo 2 was both a humbling, and trying time. I have never been so genuinely confused in a class even after giving so many hours of my time studying. This class taught me that everything comes to an end good and bad and that sometimes giving your best may just not be good enough. However, even with these two lessons learned, I also learned to appreciate everything a little more and to remain tenacious for everything I am passionate about. 

3) Three tips. What are three tips you would offer next semester's student about (1) fostering the skills that support tenacity and (2) developing the 'tenacious mindset'?My three tips would be to 1. Never let your dream fall to 2nd, always keep your goals in mind, this will make even the most tedious or boring tasks seem worth it.   2. Don't settle for the bare minimum, whether for an assignment, a meeting, or even friends always give it your all, over time your best will just keep getting better.   3. Ask questions, it's better to ask 400 questions and get the job done correctly than asking none and having to redo it over and over. 

Reading Reflection, No. 1

• What surprised you the most? The most surprising part to me was that such a household name like Nike was originally called Blue Ribbon. 

• What about the entrepreneur did you most admire? I most admired that Phil Knight never gave up. He had planned a trip with his best friend to Hawaii and then to Japan to launch and work through their new product. Even after losing his friend in Hawaii, as he got caught up in the lifestyle, Knight still had his goal in hindsight and left to Japan alone. 

• What about the entrepreneur did you least admire? The fact that he thought he was so above all his workers, that he eventually stopped reading his employees' ideas for improvement. 

• Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it? Yes, Knight encountered a lot of financial issues on his way to becoming who he is now. He constantly found himself taking out loans and faced insane amounts of debt before becoming the entrepreneur he is today. 

2) What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? Knight exhibited extreme passion and drive towards a goal. He showed that the path to reaching your dream can be extremely hard and although he is living lavishly now, his path was one of hardship and lack of financial means.

3) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you. Honestly his writing was extremely clear and thorough. I feel as if I gained a complete understanding of his work and all his successes and failures. 

4) If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why? If you didn't have to go public would you have? I would ask this question because at the end of the book Knight had to go public with Nike in order to keep the company alive; however, I am curious as to if Knight would still go public if he had the means to fund his company otherwise. Do you think the company would have been more or less successful without Bowerman? I would ask this because I know he was his coach, so I would want to know how helpful or not helpful having a mentor truly is at such a large scale. 

5) For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion? I think Knight's opinion would have been extremely similar to mine. We both find a strong correlation between hard work and seeing results. I think Knight would definitely also agree that hard work is nothing without dedication. 

Elevator Pitch No. 1

Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Interview 1: A student living in 2nd Ave Apartments, uses her bike and the bus. She would be the perfect candidate benefiting from increased parking however, she does not have a car nor plans on bringing one up. Her need for a car is there, but since she does not have one she is not faced with the parking dilemma. Her need is different just because she does not have a car. She says at times she is conflicted living so far and not having a faster means of getting places. 

Interview 2: A student living in Savion Park, she uses the zipcar system. She lives in the direct range of congested parking, however she has gone to a different source to solve the parking issue. She was able to find a parking garage for cheap very far from campus where she keeps her car for trips home, and uses the zipcar for daily errands. Although she stated that this has been an easy fix to her parking issues, it seemed to have some holes as she has to walk to campus everyday and to the zipcar whenever she needs it. This could be an easy transition from a need to another need. She personally is not bothered with the parking situation and has found her "solution". She is technically in the boundary but has found her own solution that works for her but would not work for everyone. 

Interview 3: A student living in a house downtown, she has parking in front of her house. This student at times uses her roommates car so parking is only an issue the few times she uses it. However, she said that if parking were more available throughout Gainesville she would bring her car up from home. Although she does not directly face the need, the overall issue is holding her back from bringing her car. Therefore, the need is different just because she has not brought her car up. 

Interview 4: A student living in The Ridge, he has a car and has no problem parking in his apartment complex, however finds himself having to uber to campus most times. He does not fall directly in the boundary just because the lot would not directly help him since he is not parking near the apartments, however increased parking would open more street parking spots which could help his problem. Since this is unclear, the line as to whether the parking garage will help his need is not certain. Overall, his need is different because it is to have more parking on campus not in the surrounding apartment areas. 

Interview 5: A student living in the Delta Phi Epsilon house, she has a spot in the lot attached to the house, however will only be living here for the next year. At the moment she does not have the issue, but as she is looking for places to live next year she is also stressing about where she can park. For the time being she does not have the need but the date she will benefit from the parking garage is soon approaching. At the moment her underlying cause is different, but as she moves into her next apartment complex she will face the same need as everyone else. 

In addition to the descriptions of what you find in the interviews, I'd like you to include a table with two columns and three rows:

Inside the boundary	Outside the boundary - anyone who does not have a car, and does not have the need to drive to campus, or park closer to campus
- anyone who is living around campus (predominately on the north and east sides) who owns a car and uses it frequently
- the need is increased parking around the apartments and sorority row	- the need is not more parking for specific apartments
- the need exists because so many students are left walking absurd distances to their apartments or having to uber in order to get to their destination	- not everyone does need more parking since they may not even have a car, but at the same time many people hold back from bringing their car due to no parking

Solving the Problem

The easiest solution to a lack of parking spots, is to build more parking garages. This is obviously easier said than done. With all the up and coming developers around UF, the easiest solution would be to influence a developer to purchase a piece of vacant land and build a parking garage. Another solution would be for a developer to buy out one of the half way homes near sorority row and build a garage there. The second option would actually be taking care of two issues, parking and feeling unsafe walking from parking spots to apartments. The hardest part of completing this is to convince a developer that their money is better spent building a parking garage instead of an apartment building. I think the best way to go about this would be to have students in the affected areas sign a petition to turn into the city of Gainesville for the halfway house to be moved and the land be converted to a parking garage. In addition to the obvious change in parking, it would also reduce some of the street parking which has practically left most streets as one-ways. Although this would require tedious work on the side of the students, it would result in a massive change for parking. 

Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

1) Pick an opportunity you would like to pursue.  Parking in Gainesville, specifically near the University of Florida campus, is extremely limited due to the sudden increase in new apartments.

2)

• The who: any student, guest, or resident in the University of Florida campus vicinity. 
• The what: they are unable to find parking near their apartments or on campus at almost any time. 
• The why: developers in the campus vicinity have over built and not built the parking to satisfy all the new apartments. 

3)

• Testing the who: the who can be extended out to even one time guests and visiting families. The only exception within the who are the residents who pay obscenely expensive monthly rates to have their own reserved parking spot. This number is extremely small in comparison to the other residents who need to find street parking.
• Testing the what: Although all areas surrounding campus are in need or more parking the biggest focus and most populated area are the areas north and east of campus. However the areas west and south of campus are also running into even more parking problems as developers are also expanding in these areas. 
• Testing the why: After interviewing several people I have found various why's across the board. Some said that it is in fact due to the over building in these surrounding areas. Others turned the blame more on themselves and said they chose an apartment complex that just didn't have enough parking near by or by choosing a too heavily populated area. However, both of these why's also go back to the main why that developers are over building.

4) Throughout the course of interviews I was able to grasp a more broad concept of the parking issue and asked students with cars, scooters, and neither. I was surprised to find that many students actually don't bring their cars up to begin with because of the parking issue. They found it to be annoying and tiresome to constantly have to find parking and opted to leaving their car at home and using the bus on campus. Other students with the same dilemma opted for scooters, which is my personal choice, and still had complaints that scooter parking is also extremely limited. Although not as annoying to find parking, these students stated they are constantly getting tickets for illegal parking. Lastly, I was not surprised to find the most unrest within the students who do have their cars in Gainesville. Girls stated they felt extremely unsafe at times parking their cars at nights and said they sometimes have to park blocks away from their apartment. Essentially these students said most times they need a car just to get to their parking spot. Overall the interviews further solidified my belief that something needs to be done about the parking across the board. 

Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

1. Economic: Increasing minimum wage. I first came across this need over this past summer. My little brother got a job at home depot and was paid minimum wage, while being expected to do very rigorous hands on tasks. The many possible injuries that can occur at his job is what led me to believe that an opportunity for changes exists in the minimum wage field. The prototypical customer would directly be the employees, however the company who is employing would be the most affected. The opportunity is differing from company to company depending on the overall funds they can allocate to its employees. Overall I believe this opportunity is seen and felt by many across the country. However, this past summer I witnessed the problem first hand and was able to dig deeper into how many people are directly affected by minimum wage. It led me to further think about the struggling families who are fully dependent on the little pay that comes from their jobs. I also believe that higher minimum wage would allow people to then spend more money and in turn stimulate the economy more, so event though one company would have to pay more to employ their staff, they would be enabling more economic activities. 

2. Economic: Decreasing shipping costs. I found this issue over this past summer as I was ordering from various online stores more frequently than normal. I definitely believe this information suggests an opportunity exists, so many people pay shipping and sometimes the shipping turns out to be even more expensive than the actual item. I do understand the need for shipping costs, however in some cases I feel like the customer is over charged on items. The prototypical customer would be any person who shops online or even orders in person at a store that does not cover shopping costs. The opportunity could be difficult to exploit because it involves two industries, both the retail and postal service industries. Overall I have always seen this issue and found myself at times choosing not to order an item due to the shipping bringing the price above my budget. It became even more apparent when amazon began their amazon prime and student discount program. I believe Amazon has been able to cover such a wide market due to the fact that they are tailoring their shipping procedures. Amazon essentially solidified the idea in my head that shipping costs can be a driving factor to losing a customer base. 

3. Regulatory: Speeding tickets. I found this source through my roommate and her past month's driving experience. I believe there is an opportunity with this issue because there are so many bigger issues in today's society that should have a greater focus from police force. The prototypical driver is anyone of the driving age across the country. This issue would be relatively easy to exploit and would be accepted with open arms by most customers, as they find themselves with speeding tickets for extremely minor circumstances. I saw this issue as my roommate was telling me about a parking ticket she received by driving 8 miles over the speed limit. Since receiving the ticket she's had to deal with an online driving safety course, as well as countless hours on the phone dealing with the police department as well as the DMV. Granted driving safety is extremely important I don't feel that a first time violation to something as small as 8 miles over the speed limit should be dragged on this long when there are brutal crimes happening across the country. My roommates struggles made it clear to me that there is a definite need for change in this field. 

4. Regulatory: Drinking age. I found this issue while in college. I believe this issue has opportunity for change as it can put many students under the legal drinking age in very serious legal issues affecting the rest of their life. The prototypical customer is really anyone in the prime age before the age of 21. The issue is relatively controversial which I feel will make the overall opportunity harder to exploit. Overall over my past two years in college I have seen so many students receiving MIP's while out and illegally drinking, as well as felonies for the use of fake ids. While I understand the severity of drinking under the age, I do not understand how someone can be an "adult" at 18, yet still have a restriction until 21. I believe either the legal age should be raised to 21 or the drinking age should be lowered to 18. The main reason I thought of this opportunity is because of the hypocritical term adult being used to describe those above the age of 18.