Final Reflection

ENT3003 offered me many new experiences over the summer term. Some of the highs I experienced were the completion of interviews. I dreaded doing the interviews, but the ones I did I enjoyed doing, even if I did not get credit for them. Just the practice of approaching new people is enough to make it worthwhile. I had fun interviewing my family and friends, because there was minimal pressure and a level of comfortability too. I really liked reading the books too. In fact, I plan on reading some more of the books from the list in the near future.

I feel the experience that stick out to me as the most formative was the idea napkin exercises and the bug list exercise. The bug list really got me thinking of new opportunities through personal and societal “bugs”. The most joyous experience for me were making the elevator pitches. They took longer than I expected, but I had fun making them. The experience I am most proud of accomplishing is the making it real exercise. Putting my venture concept on a resume really makes me think I can really do it.

Honestly, I have felt like I had an entrepreneurial mindset from when I was younger. I was always thinking of new ideas and being creative. Some of the things I thought of before now exist. But I never followed through on any of my ideas, because that part of the mindset was not developed yet. Thanks to ENT3003 I now feel my entrepreneurial mindset has developed substantially.

One recommendation I have for future ENT3003 students is to not get hung up on your first or even second concept. I came into this course with a concept that I never even brought up and ended with having tested three different opportunities.

To perform their best, I recommend future students start their assignments early. Get a couple of assignments done early so they are not trying to cram everything into one weekend. And also to watch the lectures and take advantage of as much of the extra credit being offered.

To foster the entrepreneurial mindset, I recommend students take initiative to read more about entrepreneurs. And to pick one who is creating now and follow their ventures. Also keep thinking about ways to make life better, easier, safer, etc. As one lives life they can discover opportunities.

 

Venture Concept No. 2

Opportunity:



I found newly graduated or soon to graduate students to either have or presume they will have the need for my application. But my application is for everyone and will work for current college students and adults too. The transfer student, the foreign exchange students, the established working man or women can benefit from the use of my application. We are all social humans by nature and we seek adventure and friendship.



Environmental Change



When people find themselves in new areas due to:

·         Work Related Move

·         Family Decisions

·         Cost of Living

My Market/Demographic

·         Metropolitan Areas

·         Twent-one - Thirty-five years old

·         Male or Female

·         All Ethnicities

·         All Religions

Current Customers



Customers satisfy their need to connect with a myriad of outlets provided by the university. Some potential customers do use application to try and make connections, but I feel some of those applications have earned a bad rapport. An application to connect others easily becomes an application to find a date. Current students are able to find others to connect to by joining clubs and organizations, but outside of school friend finding becomes harder.

I download applications I have never heard of for fun. If I can create a good design and limit any glitches and confusion my application downloads will grow.



Window of Opportunity



Millennials and the next generation are my focus. Some Millennials are leaving my demographic in a few years, but many will be entering too. And the idea is to catch them early. The good news is this segment will always be around, looking for ways to use their energy and youth.



Innovation:



My venture concept is of incremental innovation, but still serves a great purpose. My innovations to a phone and tablet application is to have a video profile. I feel the video makes one feel more invited to connect and will encourage a higher rate of compatibility and friendship. Right now the application is a free service. However, I will look to make money through advertising and sponsorships. I will have a banner of ads running along the bottom or top of the screen and on the messaging chat box. I do not intend the ads to become a nuisance, but maybe a small fee of $3.00 a month can provide the user with an ad free environment.



Venture Concept:



I have come up with an idea for a phone and tablet application. The name of my application is ALike, because the purpose is to bring people together based on interests and an even more specific level.  A user will be able to log in to my application and set up a profile for other members to see. One difference is the user profile will be a video profile. Now the user has the opportunity to truly express themselves and show or explain their interests and goals. Once the user has set up their profile they are free to explore the application for other users with similar interests. To make the search easier my application will be broken up into different categories. One category will be for people interested in painting and ceramics. While another category will be for those interested in skydiving or kayaking. Once one finds someone to make a connection with they can request their friendship. Once the friendship is accepted they can begin to use the integrated messaging system to communicate and then become best friends.



My competitors would be

·         Facebook groups

·         Sites like craigslist

My competitor’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities are that they can be overlooked by the majority. Craigslist has a bad image on itself, because of reliability issues and unsecure content. Also with Facebook groups, people can become distracted and not utilize the group to its full potential.



The customer experience is the main objective. I want to provide a safe and fun environment for people to connect through. Then after the connection I want the user to be able to provide feedback to help with providing a better experience. I feel providing both single and group connections will benefit most personalities and wants.



ALike will provide exceptional customer service to the users. All feedback will be taken seriously and we will contact users if there is any potential risk. We will take the initiative and reach out to our users first to create a channel of communication.



Instead of being a website and relying on users to use a search engine to find us ALike will be a mobile application. Since everybody carries their phone around with them ALike can be readily available with one push of a finger.



For ALike to be organized as a business to support ongoing production I will have to open two different departments.

·         Customer Support/Service

·         Tech Support

A user can communicate by phone, chat, or email. I imagine thirty employees scattered throughout the US to start and then go from there.



Behind the scenes in different locations there will be a team to make sure ALike is glitch free and responsive for all users. I imagine ten employees to start will be sufficient depending on growth. I will also have a team of advisers who will work with me and brainstorm creative ways to provide users the best experience possible. My advisory board will be made up of five people.



Three Minor Elements

1)      I believe my most important element is the team. ALike will have a team who wants to help people live fun and exciting lives.

2)      The next new service will be to promote group outings at specific destinations. For example, ALike sponsored skiing in Aspen, white water rafting in Wyoming, and sunset painting in Key West.

3)      In five years I imagine I will give up majority ownership and control over ALike. As an entrepreneur I see myself investing in other people concepts. I also want to think up new concepts. This first concept has helped me create a vision and get a real sense of the entrepreneurship process.

Feedback:

I only received one comment on my venture concept no.1 post and he was supportive of my venture concept. He thought my video profile was new and could become a trend in the near future. My roommate also mentioned social media platforms are leaning more towards the use of video. Look at SnapChat, they are eighty percent video based, at least. I did enter the Thunderdome and I received plenty of comments on my venture there. Many people mentioned they were outside my target audience so my app would not help them. A change I made was to incorporate group hangouts. I see Tinder is getting into that market, but one can only join a group if they are in a group of their own. My idea would let individuals and groups come together. Maybe the change will encourage older parts of the market to join ALike. People’s main concern was ALike might become another dating site. I have no control over how people intent to use ALike and maybe relationships form. I would hope so if not romantic relationships causal friendly relationships with one another. As far as my venture concept no.1 post, I left the content the same.

Making it Real

My Resume

My Exit Strategy

I do plan to hand over majority of power over to someone else in about five years. But this person must share the passion I do and want only the best for ALike.

I chose to give up a majority hold on ALike, because I want to go on and come up with other concepts. I want to keep working and providing for the world. This is why I still want to have a say when it comes to ALike’s future, but still available to find other opportunities I can exploit.

My exit strategy has only become a recent thought of mine. My search for opportunity, desire to grow, and my allocation of resources were not influenced by my exit strategy. I came into this concept with the focus and attitude to give a strong effort for my concept to succeed.

Venture Concept No.1

ALike

Opportunity:

I found newly graduated or soon to graduate students to either have or presume they will have the need for my application. But my application is for everyone and will work for current college students and adults too. The transfer student, the foreign exchange students, the established working man or women can benefit from the use of my application. We are all social humans by nature and we seek adventure and friendship.

Environmental Change

When people find themselves in new areas due to:

·         Work Related Move

·         Family Decisions

·         Cost of Living

My Market/Demographic

·         Metropolitan Areas

·         Twenty-one - Thirty-five years’ old

·         Male or Female

·         All Ethnicities

·         All Religions

Current Customers

Customers satisfy their need to connect with a myriad of outlets provided by the university. Some potential customers do use application to try and make connections, but I feel some of those applications have earned a bad rapport. An application to connect others easily becomes an application to find a date. Current students are able to find others to connect to by joining clubs and organizations, but outside of school friend finding becomes harder.

I download applications I have never heard of for fun. If I can create a good design and limit any glitches and confusion my application downloads will grow.

Window of Opportunity

Millennials and the next generation are my focus. Some Millennials are leaving my demographic in a few years, but many will be entering too. And the idea is to catch them early. The good news is this segment will always be around, looking for ways to use their energy and youth.

Innovation:

My venture concept is of incremental innovation, but still serves a great purpose. My innovations to a phone and tablet application is to have a video profile. I feel the video makes one feel more invited to connect and will encourage a higher rate of compatibility and friendship. Right now the application is a free service. However, I will look to make money through advertising and sponsorships. I will have a banner of ads running along the bottom or top of the screen and on the messaging chat box. I do not intend the ads to become a nuisance, but maybe a small fee of $3.00 a month can provide the user with an ad free environment.

Venture Concept:

I have come up with an idea for a phone and tablet application. The name of my application is ALike, because the purpose is to bring people together based on interests and an even more specific level.  A user will be able to log in to my application and set up a profile for other members to see. One difference is the user profile will be a video profile. Now the user has the opportunity to truly express themselves and show or explain their interests and goals. Once the user has set up their profile they are free to explore the application for other users with similar interests. To make the search easier my application will be broken up into different categories. One category will be for people interested in painting and ceramics. While another category will be for those interested in skydiving or kayaking. Once one finds someone to make a connection with they can request their friendship. Once the friendship is accepted they can begin to use the integrated messaging system to communicate and then become best friends.

My competitors would be

·         Facebook groups

·         Sites like craigslist

My competitor’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities are that they can be overlooked by the majority. Craigslist has a bad image on itself, because of reliability issues and unsecure content. Also with Facebook groups, people can become distracted and not utilize the group to its full potential.

The customer experience is the main objective. I want to provide a safe and fun environment for people to connect through. Then after the connection I want the user to be able to provide feedback to help with providing a better experience. I feel providing both single and group connections will benefit most personalities and wants.

ALike will provide exceptional customer service to the users. All feedback will be taken seriously and we will contact users if there is any potential risk. We will take the initiative and reach out to our users first to create a channel of communication.

Instead of being a website and relying on users to use a search engine to find us ALike will be a mobile application. Since everybody carries their phone around with them ALike can be readily available with one push of a finger.

For ALike to be organized as a business to support ongoing production I will have to open two different departments.

·         Customer Support/Service

·         Tech Support

A user can communicate by phone, chat, or email. I imagine thirty employees scattered throughout the US to start and then go from there.

Behind the scenes in different locations there will be a team to make sure ALike is glitch free and responsive for all users. I imagine ten employees to start will be sufficient depending on growth. I will also have a team of advisers who will work with me and brainstorm creative ways to provide users the best experience possible. My advisory board will be made up of five people.

Three Minor Elements

1)      I believe my most important element is the team. ALike will have a team who wants to help people live fun and exciting lives.

2)      The next new service will be to promote group outings at specific destinations. For example, ALike sponsored skiing in Aspen, white water rafting in Wyoming, and sunset painting in Key West.

3)      In five years I imagine I will give up majority ownership and control over ALike. As an entrepreneur I see myself investing in other people concepts. I also want to think up new concepts. This first concept has helped me create a vision and get a real sense of the entrepreneurship process.

Celebrating Failure

I have failed a few times this semester. Not only in this class, but in other classes and outside activities. I dropped my first course while here at The University of Florida. I studied and put in much effort, but come the exam I fell apart. I lost confidence and the knowledge to execute the problems. I really was unable to grasp the material no matter how many problems I worked out. The class grade was to be based on two exams and on the first exam I completely bombed. I knew I had failed so the grade did not surprise me. Because I was not surprised I was not hurt and distraught over the situation. I do have to admit I failed to prepare and keep up with the work, because I know I still have to work on my time management skills. Next semester I will take this course again and dedicate the appropriate amount of time in order to be successful. Now, I will know what to expect from the course. Also I can continue to work on the material from this semester to better prepare myself. I am no stranger to failure and I tend to be a risk taker in many aspects of my life. You should see me play NFL Madden. I am always trying to convert on fourth down. But academically I do not intend to risk having to drop another course.

Amazon Whisperer

My current revenue drivers for my mobile application are individual sponsors and advertising agreements. I plan to have the advertising to be hobby specific. A hiker will see advertisements for hiking shoes while an artist will see advertisements for brushes and paints. As well as any offline sponsored events.

The next thing my customers may want is a big meet and greet with one another. A networking event, but will have platform to break the ice with. I believe a monthly networking party will improve the users experience. Customers will be asked to pay for this event out of pocket.

I found an application, Events, on Amazon that displays events within a determined radius. This application will notify a user of any festivities are going on in your area.

There were no customer reviews on this application on Amazon.

Instead of having a separate application for events I would incorporate that feature within ALike. The events page can display ALike events as well as other local festivities.

I feel users will enjoy ALike more with this added feature. With an events tab users will likely keep ALike on their phones for the long-term.

My Unfair Advantage

My Ten Resources

1) My High Energy Level

2) My Level of Commitment

3) My Growth Mindset

4) The Support from My Family

5) My Friend Scott’s Marketing Knowledge

6) My Friend Aldo’s Application Development Experience

7) My Emotional Intelligence

8) My Open-Mindedness

9) The Video Profile

10) My Professionalism

My High Energy Level

   Valuable

My high energy level is valuable, because I am able to work continuously on an assignment for long periods of time. I can get more work done in a day, because of the energy I possess.  

   Rare

I would not say my high energy level is rare, because people regardless of age can possess the same amount of energy as I do.

    Inimitable

Anyone can have high energy so the energy is imitable, but the focus and use of that energy varies. People can spend large amounts of energy not being productive too. I feel the use of my energy is spent purposefully and good luck to anyone who wants to match me.

   Non-Substitutable

I would say that being determined can substitute having a high level of energy. Being determined or committed may get the job done, but at a slower rate.

My Level of Commitment

    Valuable

Being committed is extremely valuable when completing a task or goal. When the energy level is wearing down the commitment to complete the task kicks in.

    Rare

I am a very committed individual and I will stick to a goal as best I can. Again I would not say being committed is a rare trait to have, but these days it may soon become rare. I find it hard to not be committed, because then I feel like I am wasting my time.

    Inimitable

I do not believe anyone can imitate my commitment to a goal. I will go down with the ship if I have to. It does not even have to a goal I set, because I am just as committed to team lead goals too.

    Non-Substitutable

Being committed to a goal is similar to loyalty. Even though I did not put being loyal on my list of resources I feel there are similarities. If I am committed to an employer I will stick it out through thick and thin.

My Growth-Mindset

    Valuable

Having a growth-mindset is valuable, because I am able to look at failures as a stepping stone. Just because I lack a “natural” skill does not mean I will never obtain them. I am constantly learning and developing as a human being.

    Rare

I believe ones who have a growth mindset do not have a rare characteristic, but instead are a minority. The workplace may be more fixed mindset, depending on the industry.

    Inimitable

I want the growth mindset to be imitable, because the world will be better off. People will accomplish more and build a tolerance for failure. The workplace will run smoother and people will become inspired and eager to try new things.

    Non-Substitutable

The growth-mindset can not necessarily be substituted out with another resource. If I could pick I would say a close second will be to have high emotional intelligence. Being in control of your emotions can sway your thinking towards the growth-mindset.

Family Support

    Value

 I feel having support of any kind is crucial to anyone’s development as a person. Families support can come in many ways. Families can provide financial backing or motivate you to reach for your dreams. A strong family unit is always successful.

    Rare

Some families cannot afford to provide financial support, but that does not make them any less successful. In my case my family can help me get out of tough situations if need be. Everyone’s family is unique and some bonds are stronger than others.

    Inimitable

Every family is unique so my family backing is not imitable. My mom and dad run their own business so they can help me out financially, emotionally, and educationally.

    Non-Substitutable

Family support is not substitutable with any other resource. One can find support from others, but family support is much different.

My Friend Scott’s Marketing Knowledge

    Value

My friend Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Scranton University and has openly provided me valuable information on application marketing. I have known Scott for many years and I can trust him and the advice he gives me. Trust is very important when seeking advice from someone.

    Rare

I am not the only person who knows Scott, but I may be only one who knows him in this class. So my friendship and ability to seek advice from him is rare to this environment.

    Inimitable

Having a friend with a marketing degree is very imitable. Everyone knows at least one person who holds a marketing degree. Also anyone can connect on LinkedIn and build a relationship online.

    Non-Substitutable

I cannot substitute Scott's marketing knowledge and his eagerness to advise me with any other of my ten resources. I have other connections, but they hold different skill sets.

My Friend Aldo’s Application Development Experience

    Value

Also provides me the channel necessary to bring my application to life. Aldo offers over ten years of experience with application technologies.

    Rare

Like my friend Scott, Aldo is not known by everyone and is likely the case with my classmates. Many lack a connection with an application developer too.

    Inimitable

Others can find Aldo and connect with him if they wanted to. One could find a connection with a developer like I did.

    Non-Substitutable

I cannot substitute Aldo’s knowledge with any of my other resources.

My Emotional Intelligence

    Value

Being able to understand and deal with your emotions is important for the organizations culture. I feel people would enjoy working with me, because I will not use members of my team as an outlet for my emotions.

    Rare

Managers of business seem to have a hard time dealing with their emotions and take it out on their employees.

    Inimitable

I do not think it is imitable, unless you in fact have a moderate to high EQ. One will not be able to fake it, but one can develop their emotional intelligence over time.

    Non-Substitutable

My emotional intelligence is not directly substitutable, but can be seen with my open-mindedness.

My Open-mindedness

    Value

I want to hear and see all the angles available to me when I make decisions. Allowing others to provide input leads to growth.

    Rare

I do not believe being open-minded is rare and that is a great thing.

    Inimitable

Being open minded can be imitated, but will not come off as genuine.

    Non-Substitutable

Being open-minded can be linked to the growth-mindset.

The Video Profile

    Value

My users will be able to see one’s personality and have a better understanding of the person they plan to connect with.

    Rare

I know Facebook has a video picture, but a video profile is something I have not exactly seen.

    Inimitable

Anyone with the technological knowledge can implement a video profile capability to their sites or applications.

    Non-Substitutable

I would not be able to substitute a video profile with any other resource.

My Professionalism

    Value

I will act in a professional manner when dealing with men and women of business. And one can trust I will behave respectfully and meet the needs of the team.

    Rare

Many people are professional so I would not say my professionalism is rare. But an important resource to have.

    Inimitable

People can pretend to be professional when in a business setting.

    Non-Substitutable

I would say my professionalism can be substituted with my emotional intelligence, my commitment to a task, and my growth-mindset.

Top Resource

Out of the ten resources I have to say the most important is my friend Aldo’s application development experience. I had a hard time finding an experienced app developer to begin with. I was impressed when talking with Aldo. I feel his knowledge and experience will be the one resource that will take my concept off the ground.

Elevator Pitch No. 3

Elevator Pitch No. 3

I appreciated all of the feedback I received from the elevator pitch No. 2 post. I was made aware of my tone and how I could sound more excited. I was surprised to see that my ending was unnecessary and that I should have ended my video sooner. I feel all of the feedback I received was true and meant to help me with this final elevator pitch.

I tried to be more enthusiastic with my delivery. I changed my ending statement to be more fitting. I also incorporated some dialogue about some features within my mobile application, ALike.

Reading Reflection No.2

1)      What is the general theme of the book?

I pick to read Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by: Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. The general theme of her book was to show how important one’s mindset truly is and how big an impact it has on one’s success and outlook on life.  Carol discusses the differences of a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. A fixed mindset believes a person is who they are and there is no way to change themselves. Someone with a fixed mindset is praised on their achievements and “natural” talents rather than their effort. One example is a kid who is deemed brilliant and praised for his ability to effortlessly ace tests. If this kid develops a fixed mindset he will think he is naturally smart and that he has to live up to it or else, he will be considered a failure. And so this kid stays away from challenges that might disprove his intelligence. Someone with a fixed mindset does not want to be wrong so they will play it safe and live life with unnecessary pressure.

Now, a person with a growth mindset is up for a challenge. They feel they have the ability to learn and more importantly learn from failures. They may be labeled as a less than average student by people with a fixed mindset, but they will not let others define them. Mindset can be taught and learned. Someone with a fixed mindset can develop a growth mindset and vice versa. Much of our thinking comes from our parents, teachers, and coaches and how the differences of mindset cast different outcomes.

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

Mindset is a must read regardless of your profession and whether you want to be an entrepreneur or not. I will admit to having a fixed mindset from early stages in life, because I did not think I was smart enough or I could not play a sport or instrument, because I was not able to pick it up right away. But over time I developed a growth mindset and I feel is the reason why I play hockey, play drums, and am at the University of Florida now. I am developing the growth mindset for my social life and is why I was able to conduct interviews with strangers. I have to believe I can become a social butterfly and that any limiting belief serves no purpose in my life.

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

If I could design an exercise for this class based on Mindset by Carol S. Dweck I would write out a list of responses and to situations and have the class pick out which ones were inspired from the fixed mindset or the growth mindset. But if you read the book at the end of every chapter Carol provides the reader with exercises too.

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

I feel the biggest surprise or ‘aha’ moment came during the section on shyness. Carol points out that the shy person with the fixed mindset will have awkward mannerisms, not talk much, and continue to feel uncomfortable throughout the entire encounter. While a shy person with a growth mindset will start off as quiet and uncomfortable, but will begin to feel more social and act as if they were never really shy to begin with. This resonated with me, because I am a relatively shy person, but once I am out in the environment and communicating with others I begin to feel more relaxed and social. I especially saw this when I was conducting my interviews as well.

Coach John Wooden of the dynasty that was UCLA basketball in the sixties would say “Did I make my best effort?” If so then “You may be outscored, but you will never lose” (Carol S. Dweck, 2006)

Chicago educator Marva Collins said “If you don’t give anything, don’t expect anything. Success is not coming to you, you must come to it” (Carol S. Dweck, 2006)

Works Cited

Carol S. Dweck, P. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Ballantine Books.

Growing My Social Capital

Social Capital

I contacted a man named Scott Green. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from The University of Scranton. Scott has worked in the marketing department of companies such as Hulu and Microsoft. I feel Scott will be my market expert, because he can provide me with information to help connect me with the demographic of my target market. Scott can also help me gain recognition through acquiring sponsors and advertising. I went to school and played hockey with Scott in New Jersey. I reached out to him through the application, LinkedIn. I sent a message and asked Scott for any insight and knowledge he may have from a marketing stand point. We have not talked in a while, but he was eager and willing to help me in any way. He provided me with companies to help build my base whom charge on a cost per click or cost per action basis. Scott is an old friend and all he wants to do is share any knowledge he can. From Scotts response I have great confidence to believe he can help get my application in the face of my target market.

I contacted James L. and he has experience with computer science and technologies. He is Java certified. He has a knack for new technology and dealing with technical issues. He can work his way around a computer in ways I have not previously seen. James can help my application run with consistency. James will play the role of supply expert. I worked with James for a couple of years a while back. During that time, he has shared with me his passion for computer science. I have complete trust in his technical abilities. I contacted James through Facebook and brought him in on my concept. He was intrigued and willing to help in any way necessary. He will be willing to troubleshoot for me and ensure my application does not succumb to technical difficulties. He will do this for me for a fee of course. But for now James understands I am in the process of putting my team together. Having James on my team will provide me and the users with a smooth experience. Through word of mouth my application will pick up steam.

I contacted a guy named Aldo. Aldo computer science at Miami-Dade College. Aldo started his own technology consulting firm and now works for PopCode as a software developer. Aldo will fill my domain expert position of my social capital. Aldo has experience in web application development and has worked in the industry for over seven years. I meet Aldo through my communication with James. They are both computer experts and understand web design. I contacted Aldo through Facebook and I provided him with parts of my idea napkin. The only favor he did for me was responding and accepting my request to communicate. I feel confident I can rely on Aldo to help develop and bring my idea napkin to life in the future. As of right now there is no expectation, but if I do go through my idea Aldo will expect to be paid for his expertise and time. Aldo has many years of experience and having him with James would make for a great work environment. Also he is still young and will understand my target audience. So he will develop an application to fit their needs and expectations.

Reflection:

I have been to a few networking events and job fairs before and I at first they are awkward. Taking part in this exercise and practicing “targeted networking” I feel more confident communicating with someone I already know what I want to talk with them about. Now I feel I should do research and find how peoples skill set can match with mine and my ideas. I may even go to specific networking events and connect with people there for a specific position.  When I have been to networking events before I try and make it a point to hand out as many business cards as possible. I try and get a basic idea of someone, but I do not get into the details much, because of the idea I want to meet as many people as possible, which might not be the right approach.

Idea Napkin No. 2

Part 1:

1)      You:

I am a college student who is looking to break into the sports management field. I was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. I lived in New Jersey for many years and moved to Miami for high school. Then I moved to Pembroke Pines soon after graduating. I transferred to the University of Florida from Broward College last fall with my Associate in Arts degree. I love sports, music, and learning. I have a few talents, one being that I play hockey. I am a forward on the club ice hockey here at the University of Florida. Another talent of mine is my ability to play drums. I have been in a few bands over the years. I have a high tolerance for ambiguity. I learned how to adapt and make sense of new surroundings and situations from moving around and playing sports.

My aspirations are to create the ALike phone and tablet application for people to use to make a change, just a little easier. In school finding likeminded individuals and others who share your passions is easier than those outside of school like environments. I have many interests and skills so I want to find people to jam with one weekend and then others to go kayaking with the next weekend. After I start my business concept and it takes off that I would sell. Even though I sell-out so to speak I would still have an emotional connection with the app, because of what it stands for. Which is connection and bringing people together. Even though I lack any application development skills and knowledge I can enlist the help of others to educate me and collaborate with.

2)      What are you offering to customers?

I am offering users a service to find people with similar interests based on their location. Users will be able to login and create a personal profile. After that process the user will be able to view other profiles in the category they chose, depending on the user’s membership. Overall my application is an easier way for people to find one another. And to make a connection even before they meet. The connection will be easier, because they will be with people who share the same hobby, lifestyle, or skill. One’s profile will become viewable when they are in a certain geographical area. The app will use the user’s location sensor on their phones or tablets to provide peoples profiles in that general area. But one can always search for a user if they are out of the search area.  

3)      Who are you offering it to?

My user base will consist of a few demographic and psychographic characteristics. I imagine my customers to be mainly young, recently graduated college students or people who move for job opportunities. My application will be for all ages, but I would find the (21-35) to be the majority of my users. I also imagine the majority of the users to come from neighborhoods outside of main cities. The majority of the users will likely span the entire middle-class population.

The psychographics of my users would be different, based on the category one is searching. Musicians may act and feel differently than hang gliders or bowlers. Most users will be new to their area or new to an experience, but they are all open-minded and looking for adventure. Ultimately my success with ALike will be through word of mouth promotion from satisfied users. Once an application starts creating a buzz society will pick it up and at the very least try it out. I will appeal my application more towards college students, because they will likely provide the biggest growth for my application at the start.

4)      Why do they care?

The application is generally free to download, but to get the most out of the app one will purchase a membership. People are finding themselves in different places every day and with no outside connection they can feel alone and even lost. People want to feel connected with others, to share ideas and engage in life with others. That is why people will care, use, and sign up with my application. Now with a video profile the users can openly express themselves as they truly are and make “first” encounter experiences more genuine and fluid. My application will provide users with categories and sub-categories to provide specific activities and lesser known sports.

5)      What are your core competencies?

My core competencies will be that a drummer will be able to find a band or single guitar player who shares the same style, skill level, and desire easier than before. My users will be able to upload YouTube videos or personal videos from their phones to attach to their profiles. I want to update the standard picture and written description profile with a more authentic and genuine video of the user. This way the viewer will get a better idea of who they are making a connection with.

My personal competencies are important too. I will see my application through and stay dedicated to ALike’s success. I understand my flaws and lack of skills so I must address them with a strong team. Since I can take criticism I will encourage others to openly play devil’s advocate and share their opinions.

I believe all five elements work together on paper and should be successful. One element I find maybe the weakest is number element number four. This may be the most important element overall, but I am not sure if implementing a membership is necessary. Maybe the application will be free all around and I only have revenue streams from advertising and sponsorships. I do believe people will find my application useful, because I know what it is like to bounce around and it is not easy. If this application can make the transition easier on people, then I would consider the ALike application as a success.

Part 2:

Much of the feedback I received was similar to each other so I may be reaching a little to come up with five. One main point I took away from the feedback of my peers was the uniqueness of my video profile. I was a little unsure of the idea, but people are responding well so I left it in my idea napkin. I also added the benefit of the video profile in part 4 (Why do they care). A second point I took away from the feedback received was the fact I lack application development knowledge and experience. I added this second point to part 1 (You) which gives the reader more detail about me. A third point I took away was the emphasis on specialized activities. Yeah, one can find a drummer to play music with, but one can also find someone to play Frisbee golf with too. I added a short segment to Part 4(Why do they care) to emphasize the range of options available to the user. I would not want to leave any hobby or past time out, because those specialized activities may be what helps catapult this app into popularity. Which brings me to my fourth take away from the feedback I received and that my application needs to be popular. That is how applications succeed in today’s world. I want people to download my app, have great experiences, and promote my app through word of mouth. The fifth take away I have is my target audience and how I should focus more towards college students. At least to start, because like I added to part 3 (Who are you offering it to) I feel college students will help spread awareness of my application and by curiosity alone many will download my application.

My Secret Sauce

Part 1: Self-Analysis

Five ways in which I think my human capital makes me unique are:

1)      I am of a positive mindset.

I find a silver lining in just about any situation. I feel negativity is pointless and serves no true purpose.

2)      I follow through on my goals to make sure I complete them.

This goes for school, work, and during fun activities. When I go for a run I will set a mark and I will continue to run until I get there.

3)      I am open-minded.

 I will listen to anyone’s point of view even if I do not agree with it

4)      I am passionate when it comes to goals I have set for myself or activities I engage in.

 One can see my passion for hockey and my countries when they watch games with me.

5)      I have a high EQ.

I have a way to feel how others are feeling and how to address them. I can also control my own emotions and deal with them appropriately.

Part 2: Interviews

Interview with my Dad

1)      I interviewed my dad Bill and I cannot say I am surprised by his response. Every time I am in a tough situation he tells me to look back on my accomplishment’s and use them as motivation to get through my current issue. He mentioned I care for others and maybe a little too much, but it is better to care than to not. He brought up a story of when I first displayed my determination when I refused to dance. I personally do not recall this incident, but if he said it then it must be true.

Interview with my Sister

2)      I also interviewed my sister Andrea and she was a little harder to get to open up. Maybe, because she likes to make fun of me more than praise my qualities. She talked about my fortitude and desire to learn. She talks about my college career and how to treat people.

 Interview with my Mom

3)      I interviewed my mom Lucy and she brought up qualities similar to what my other interviewees said. Two characteristic she brought up that were different from what other have said are I am positive and energetic. I like how she talked about energy in a different way than only physical energy.

Interview with my Friend Felix

4)      I interviewed my friend Felix who I have known for about ten years or so. We were in a band together and we worked together for a little while. One characteristic he said was the way I play drums is unique. My uniqueness does not mean I am better than other drummers, just my passion and effort was different. It is not about trying to be the best, but to be your best self.

Interview with my Friend Jorge  

5)      I interviewed my friend Jorge who I have known for about three years and we worked together at Chick-Fil-A for those years. He was an older guy, but we bonded over football and sports in general. He reinforces some I ideas I had about myself and also brought to light that I have an outgoing personality. Oh and he is a University of Miami fan and you will know why I say that towards the end of the interview.

Part 3: Reflection

When I look back on how I think of myself I see my friends and family share much of the same perceptions of me. I was not expecting my energy to be used to categorize me, but I feel my energy is what helps people become successful. Aside from my upbringing I feel the amount of moving I did help me adjust to changes. I did not hear I was open-minded, but I feel that makes up a big part of who I am. I do not discriminate and shun people away for physical appearances. After listening to the interviews I feel everyone is spot on about me. Now I have to build on those qualities and use them to my full potential.