Interviewing Customers No. 1

This week I interviewed 5 different people about a topic generally related to an opportunity that I believe exists. I believe there is a problem concerning charging cords for technological devices, whether it be a cell phone, computer, or iPod. Charging cords have proven to not withstand the test of time; they fray and break; they lose their integrity and they have to be held at all sorts of crazy angles just so I can charge my phone. Something must be done regarding the durability of chargers, and their tangling tendencies. Everyone faces this problem, especially college kids. A broken charging cord can really kill your chances of studying.

Here are the questions I asked:

1. Are you an Apple product user? 

2. Do you have a hard time keeping all your cords from getting tangled?

3. What has been your experience in terms of the charging cord's durability? Does it last over time or does it break?

4. Is there anything you wish you could change about your charging cord? 

By interviewing, I realized new aspects that I could incorporate into new charging cords. Customers suggested ideas like a universal cord for all of a company's products, or even giving cords slinky like qualities so they are easier to maintain. I had never thought that interviewing customers could expand your opportunities and potential ideas. My opportunity idea has room for change, but with customers' feedback, I know that I can alter my product to suit consumer needs. 

Interviewing people also made me realize that some people can be more uncomfortable but some people are very comfortable. For example, in the 5th interview posted, the girl I interviewed was very comfortable laughing in front of the camera and she was even joking with me and saying ''Cut! Cut! This is embarrassing." It was overall an interesting experience. 

Here I have attached the 5 videos of people I interviewed: 

 

Week 4 Reading Reflection

Week 4 Reading Reflection

1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 

I thought it was surprising that the author was able to use the left and right hemisphere of the brain individually to come up with business solutions and then combine them. I think it's a really creative way to come up with solutions and use the brain to its full potential. 

2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

I understood the phases of the critical thinking process that they explained in the books, but I was slightly confused by the diagram given in the novel. 

3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?

1. What is the best way to practice transitioning from the appositional relationship perspective to the functional perspective analysis?
2. What is the best way for people to realize which arena of creativity they think in, and the best way to build their creative thinking process to its full potential? 

4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

I really liked this section and how it talked about the creative process. I don't disagree with any of the author's arguments. 

Top 5 World Problems

Here is the list of what I consider to be the Top 5 Most Serious World Problems:

1. The shortage of water
2. Air pollution/Depletion of the Ozone layer
3. Water pollution
4. Overpopulation
5. Proliferation of nuclear weapons

I consider the shortage of water to be the biggest problem the world is facing. With an ever growing human population, water is extremely important--as humans can only survive a maximum of 4 days without water. To ensure that human and animal life can continue on Earth, we need to reallocate our resources and use newer, more coefficient resources to preserve our clean water on Earth. Problems #2 and #3 will just worsen the quality of life on Earth if we do not do something to assuage them. Overpopulation simply puts a larger strain on the first 3 problems listed, and the proliferation of nuclear weapons puts stress on the future of human life, as well. 

Here is the list of what I consider to be the Top 5 Most Implementable Solutions:

1. Recycle

2. Make the transition to using more eco-efficient resources

3. Use technology and resources to spread education to areas of poverty

4. Use technology and resources to make clean water more accessible 

5. Reduce human impact

I listed recycling as the most easily implemented solution because recycling has already become a big part of our daily routine, and over time, recycling will become more and more beneficial. We have already begun the transition to more eco-efficient resources and just like recycling, it will become easier and more beneficial over time. We have ample technology and if we are able to use our technological resources to their full potential (and distribute them to where they are most needed) I believe that these resources can be used for solutions #3 and #4. Solution #5 sounds very vague and difficult to attain, but if we work towards the other solutions, reducing the human imprint will come with time. 

Identifying Local Opportunities

Local Opportunities:
1. "How to Avoid Boredom, Monotony in Retirement"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A8E7D61148BE60?p=AWNB

This article explains that many people, as they reach the end of their careers, fear the impending boredom. They are worried that after their career ends, they will be living monotonous lives. The article discusses a service called "My Next Season" that pairs aging senior executives with nonprofit work to keep them busy during retirement. However, "My Next Season" is paid for its services and can be quite expensive. Here lies an opportunity. The initial problem of senior executives getting bored during retirement is solved via the suggestion of "My Next Season." However, there is no solution offered to lower level employees that also wish to stay busy, but cannot afford the hefty service fees required by "My Next Season." There must be opportunities for these people to find work during retirement as well.

2. "The Future of Our Jobs"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A938320E4D9730?p=AWNB

This article explains that in the very near future, technology will be replacing millions of jobs. This creates a new problem of unemployment for millions of people. It also says that children in grade school now, will be working jobs that do not even exist yet. It is important that young kids are given the proper foundation of knowledge for technology, and its future advancements so that they can keep up in the job market of the future.

3. "Central Florida 100 - Our panel of 100 influential leaders discusses the most important issues affection you."http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7EB547A2E8FD0?p=AWNB

This articles details a wide variety of problems faced in the Central Florida area. One problem, explained by Mayanne Downs, is trash management. Central Florida needs help regulating and managing the trash disposal system. New, bigger trashcans have been widespread for official use as of January 1st, 2016. However, many homeowners associations are requiring that garbage cans be kept inside garages, which takes away even more storage space. The garbage trucks equipped to lift the new cans have also yet to arrive.

4. "Central Florida 100 - Our panel of 100 influential leaders discusses the most important issues affection you."
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7EB547A2E8FD0?p=AWNB

This articles also highlights traffic problems in the new area of "Corinne Drive," as explained by Tom Dyer. There is a safety problem due to traffic, and there is a need for more bike and pedestrian lanes to slow down traffic. This problem affects all the locals living in the area.

5. "Have bike, will travel- will suffer"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7ABC1C21B6DC0?p=AWNB

This article explains the problem that are 109 miles of toll road along six expressways but no bike lanes. Bikers need more accessible routes. It will encourage health and fitness for more citizens in Central Florida, as well as making biking more possible, logistically.

Week 3 Reading Reflection

Week 3 Reading Reflection 

1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations?  

I was surprised that the author uses the definition: a function of discrepancies between a person's expectations and ability to meet demands, to define stress. I find that I am stressed a lot, but not necessarily caused by my inability to meet demands, more likely from the quantity of things that must be done. I thought that was an interesting perspective on stress. 

2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

I understood the textbook's explanation of the ethical considerations of corporate entrepreneurs, yet I was slightly confused by the diagram given by the textbook to represent this concept.

3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?

1. What is the best way for entrepreneurs to manage the negative aspects of their ego, in terms of personal and professional relationships?

2. While many people may be more inclined to solely take the "loss orientation" approach or the "restoration orientation" approach, how is it best for entrepreneurs to oscillate between the two?

4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

There was nothing in this chapter that the author discusses that I was in disagreement with. 

Very Short Interview No. 1

Today I sat down with Steve, the owner of Leonardo's Pizza. I felt bad at first because I was interrupting his lunch with his brother-in-law, Ira, but they both welcomed me to the table!

We sat down, and both he and Ira spoke to me about their experience with entrepreneurship. Steve was eager to tell me about anything and everything related to Leonardo's Pizza, and entrepreneurship in general. 

Here is our conversation during the interview:

Lillie: What does it mean to you to be an entrepreneur?

Steve: It makes me my own person. I can accept my own standard and goals.. absolute freedom. 

He then went on to tell me that he had worked for the government and larger companies before, but he had the most freedom to make his ideas into a reality, when he was self-employed as an entrepreneur. 

Lillie: What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship class?

Steve: Can entrepreneurship skills really be taught? I don't know. I am not quite sure if someone can be taught how to be an entrepreneur. I think it comes with experience, and that can be hard to teach. The best school program is nothing until you experience it. There is a disconnect between reality and the textbook. I always worked in college; education is important; watching ownership is important. 

He explained how his early start working with small businesses had given him experience that he was able to use later on. He was curious about this question, and he requested that throughout the semester, I come tell him what I have been learning about the entrepreneurial process. 

Lillie: What do you wish you had been taught in school before going off on your own as an entrepreneur?

Steve: I think I learned a lot of lessons in college. I had to figure out how to navigate my own life, and how to learn everything. Living away from home was an important part of learning. 

He explained that one of the most important things he gained from college was experience. He stressed the importance of experience over and over again. 

I had such a great time meeting with Steve and his brother-in-law, Ira. They were both so excited to talk about their experience and answer any questions that we had. It was great meeting with an entrepreneur at the beginning of the semester, so now I can take his advice with me throughout the course of the class, and apply it! I am looking forward to the semester ahead as I learn more about the entrepreneurial process. 

P.S. I had pepperoni pizza for lunch at Leonardo's Pizza before the interview. 

10/10 would recommend!

World's Biggest Problems

The World's Biggest Problems

I am going to split what I consider to be some of the world's biggest problems into two categories: humanity related concerns and environmental concerns. 

Environmental Concerns: 

A lot of the Earth's biggest problems are related to the health of the planet in general. We must remember that we only have one Earth.

1. Air Pollution/Depleting of the Ozone

Many of our daily activities like driving, warming our houses, and running power stations create air pollution. Burning fossil fuels and exhaust from factories also contributes heavily to air pollution. Air pollution is so bad in some cities (like Mexico City and Seoul) that people wear face masks to filter the air they breathe. Also, CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) used to be used to cool homes.. until it was discovered that their usage was depleting the ozone layer, which protects us from the sun's ultraviolet rays. 

Solution? 

If we follow the Montreal Protocol (passed in the 1980s to stop production of CFCs) the ozone will begin to repair itself over the next 100 years. In order to decrease air pollution, we can use public transportation, conserve energy, recycle, and use energy efficient devices in our daily lives. 

2. Depletion of Fossil Fuels

Many countries around the world rely on fossil fuels for electricity, transportation, and the heating and cooling of buildings and homes. Humans are using fossil fuels at a much faster rate than they can be renewed. This overuse of fossil fuels is the source of more than 90% of greenhouse gas emissions, which is affecting global warming and air pollution. 

Solution?

There are two potential solutions to reducing the use of fossil fuels. We can either 1) rely on an alternate energy source, or 2) cut down/regulate amount of fossil fuels used. Other sources of energy, like wind energy, biomass energy, solar energy, etc. are renewable sources of energy that are more reliable and less destructive in the long term. 

3. Water Pollution 

Water pollution affects drinking water, and all bodies of water around the world. The world is 70% water and it is a very important resource. Water pollution stems from industries polluting water, sewage and waste water, septic tanks, ocean and marine dumping, etc. Water pollution causes death of aquatic animals (and disruption of food chains), diseases and destruction of ecosystems. 

Solution? 

Use water wisely. Recycle products properly. Don't throw chemicals or waste products down the drain. Large scale industries should try to regulate their byproduct of waste and the way they dispose of it. 

4. Shortage of Water

Not only is water pollution a concern, but we also are dealing with a shortage of clean drinking water on Earth. The California drought may be foreshadowing problems to come in the future caused by the lack of water. Florida is predicted to be out of water in the next 50 years. 

Solution?

We must develop technologies that allow us to make the most of the clean water we have, and use technology to also rely on other resources. We could use water purifiers to expand our opportunities for finding drinkable water. We can shower and use water ultra efficiently in our daily lives. We can also substitute other resources in place of water to cut down on our overuse use of water. 

5. Deforestation 

Deforestation is caused by a variety of things, including: agricultural activities, logging, urbanization, destruction of land, desertification of land, mining, and forest fires. Deforestation creates a climate imbalance, an increase in global warming, and it can also lead to floods, soil erosion, and wildlife extinction. It can have a devastating effect on the Earth and its ecosystems. 

Solution?

To reduce deforestation, we must cut back and regulate the aforementioned activities that contribute to it. Although it is hard to regulate such large-scale, world wide activities, action must be taken to conserve our trees and their benefits. 

6. Endangerment and Extinction of Wildlife

All the previously mentioned problems, such as pollution and deforestation, are contributing to the endangerment and extinction of wildlife. Endangered species can be found in almost every ecosystem  and if they are not properly protected, these animals can go extinct. The extinction of a species can disrupt a food chain, permanently altering an ecosystem and how it functions. A variety of animals are endangered, such as tigers, lemurs, leopards, gorillas, and turtles. 

Solution?

We must regulate our use of resources that have detrimental effects on animals and their ecosystems. We can monitor our use of water and our destruction of land, so that we can minimize our effect on the Earth and its other inhabitants. 

Now I will switch to the other category of what I consider to be some of the world's biggest problems. 

Humanity Related Concerns 

7.  Overpopulation

Over time the world has been experiencing a declining death rate, an improvement in medical facilities, and the overall development of technology. While these are all good indicators of a better quality of life, they are creating a new problem: overpopulation. Over time, overpopulation will put an increased strain on depleting resources and varying ecosystems. 

Solution?

Improving education and making people aware of family planning are potential solutions to overpopulation. 

8. Illiteracy 

Illiteracy, caused by a lack of education, is effecting people all over the world. Illiteracy inhibits the individual and their participation in society. On a more national scale, illiteracy limits the degree to which a country can progress. Illiteracy is a major problem in the world. 

Solution?

Illiteracy can be eradicated by universalizing primary and secondary education. Technology can aid the spread of education. Governments and private institutions can team up to provide the proper finances and resources to cure illiteracy around the world. 

9. Poverty

Poverty is the by-product of illiteracy. 1.2 billion people live on less than $1.50 a day (22% of the world's population), and a little under half of these people have electricity. 2.7 billion people live off less than $2.50 a day (almost 50% of the world's population). 

Solution?

There are many solutions that could contribute to eradicating poverty. Some include: creating more jobs, educating women, access to health care and clean water, and nutrition. 

10. Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

Proliferation of nuclear weapons is a very relevant issue, especially in the present, with all the concerns of terrorism. Countries stock up on nuclear weapons because they believe it will ensure security and power. However, it very often results in instability. 

Solution?

The best plan to solve nuclear weapon proliferation is probably to encourage nuclear disarmament, but that may be difficult to achieve.

My Bug List

My BUG List

1.

It bugs me when all my apple product cords are all tangled and I can’t discern which is which because all the cords are the same color. 

WHY: Sometimes when I put all my charging cords and headphones in my purse, they get very tangled. This probably happens because they weren't put away properly to avoid future tangling. 

This bugs me because when I need to have my individual cords ready, I have a hard time untangling them and I can't figure out which cord is which because they are all the same color. 

Isn't this so annoying??

2. 

It bugs me when people don’t use their turn indicators in their car before turning off of the road. 

WHY: This probably happens because people lose focus while driving and forget to turn on their turn indicators. 

This bugs me because when people don't use their turn indicators, I have no way of knowing if they're going to turn, and it could cause an accident. 

3. 

It bugs me getting onto my bed because it’s so high.

WHY: I lofted my bed at the beginning of the year so I could store the most things underneath it, however, I don't have a ladder and running and jumping onto my bed isn't always easy. 

This bothers me because climbing up my bed and trying not to fall while climbing, can be stressful. However, it is probably funny for my roommate to watch me struggle.

4. 

It bugs me when the Beaty Towers elevator(s) break(s).

WHY: The Beaty elevators are old and they are bound to break. However, they aren't always fixed very quickly and it is scary to think that both elevators could be out of commission at the same (because I live on the 10th floor). 

5.

It bugs me when one light going out makes all of the christmas lights go out.

WHY: This happens because many strings of lights are engineered this way.

It bothers me because all the lights go out at once and I have no way of figuring out which light went out. It would be easier if just one light went out. 

6. 

It bugs me when people use your/you're incorrectly.

WHY: This happens because people probably never learned and/or practiced using the correct words in the right situations. 

It bugs me because people should use grammar correctly, especially in the midst of an argument. 

7. 

It bugs me when people use then/than incorrectly.

WHY: This happens because people probably never learned and/or practiced using the correct words in the right situations. 

It bugs me because people should use grammar correctly, especially in the midst of an argument. 

8.

It bugs me when the TV show volume is low, so you turn up the volume, then the commercials come blasting on and deafen you.

WHY: This probably happens because TV shows and movies are created at different volume levels than commercials. 

This bugs me because I can never get the perfect volume. TV shows and commercials should coordinate their volumes. 

9.

It bugs me when you make plans with someone, but they run late. 

WHY: This probably happens because people's schedules change unexpectedly and they can't help it. 

This bothers me because if you set a plan, you should follow through with it.

10.

It bugs me when my professor shows up to class 10 minutes late and dismisses us 10 minutes early.

WHY: This probably happens because my professor is running late and she wants to leave time for questions at the end of class, as well.

This bugs me because I pay for my classes and I think that when my teacher runs late, then dismisses us early, she is not making the most of the time we are given in a day to learn. She should save time for questions during her office hours. 

11. 

It bugs me when my computer only connects to the server sometimes, and not all the time.

WHY: I am not sure why this happens, and I would like to try to fix it. I am probably configuring the network incorrectly. 

This bugs me because I can't use my computer when I need to (for homework, emails, etc.)

12. 

It bugs me when someone spoils the ending of a show/book/movie for me.

WHY: This probably happens because people get really excited about the ending and want to talk about it, but they spill the beans unintentionally. 

13.

It bugs me when my computer buffers in the middle of a song or TV show.

WHY: This probably happens because my computer is struggling to maintain a connection to the internet. 

This bugs me because I am trying to relax and listen to music or watch TV and my computer stops every 5 minutes to buffer.

14. 

It bugs me when I take my dog out and then she comes in and pees on the floor.

WHY: No clue. When I take my dog out, she pees and I assume (incorrectly, I guess) that she is done and take her inside when her business is not done.

This bugs me because I now must clean up the pee off the floor after I took out the dog. 

15.

It bugs me when I put on a clean shirt and then I spill something on it when I am rushing in the morning.

WHY: This probably happens because I am rushing and not focusing and then I spill on my shirt.

This bugs me because I didn't even really get to wear my shirt and I spilled all over it, and now I have to wash it too.

16. 

It bugs me when my roommate’s hair gets all over the floor.

WHY: My roommate will play with her hair and then loose hairs tend to fall to the floor and she doesn't realize how much hair does, in fact, land on the floor and stay there. (We should vacuum more).

This bugs me because I step in her hair clumps when I am trying to walk. 

17. 

It bugs me when my phone dies when I really need it.

WHY: This happens because I have been overusing it, or because I did not fully charge it.

This bugs me because my phone is dead when I really need to use it. 

18.

It bugs me when the pavement is uneven and I fall down when I’m walking.

WHY: This probably happens because over time concrete and pavement will crack and become uneven. I am also clumsy so I tend to fall down if I'm not paying attention.

This bugs me because I fall down, and it's embarrassing (still funny though).

19.

It bugs me when restaurants mess up my order.

WHY: This probably happens because the restaurant is busy and potentially under staffed.

This bugs me because I am hungry which makes me a little more irritable than usual (#hangry). 

20.

It bugs me when the smoke alarms run out of batteries and they beep incessantly when I’m trying to sleep.

WHY: This happens because smoke detectors want to alert the client when they are running out of batteries so we can change the batteries. 

This bugs me because I am trying to sleep and I can never figure out which smoke detector is running out of batteries. 

This project was difficult at first because I was struggling to find things that bug me, but over time I got on a roll once I started thinking about categories of things like: people, technology, food industry, etc. It was interesting to think about why these things happen, and it makes you more understanding of the issue going on and it makes you more ready to help fix it. 

Week 2 Reading Reflection

Week 2 Reading Reflection

1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations?  

In the beginning of the chapter, I was surprised to find out that “small business owners” and “entrepreneurs” are not always the same thing. I had always thought of the two terms as being almost the same, and I used them interchangeably. Now having read this chapter, I understand the distinction between the two terms and their respective situations. 

2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you. 

During the reading, I was confused by the dynamic states approach. 

3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?

1. Many different definitions were supplied in the reading about what “entrepreneurship” really is. So my first question would be, what is your personal definition of entrepreneurship? 
2. What effect do you think gazelles will have on the economy in the next 10 years?

4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

The author stated that the idea “entrepreneurs are born, not made,” is a myth. However, I believe that entrepreneurs are born, and it just takes the right environment and skills learned for an entrepreneur to fully develop their abilities. I believe that true entrepreneurship qualities that someone can possess are innate. 

My Entrepreneurship Story

My first experience with entrepreneurship was back in middle school. A few classmates and I started a service club for our school. We offered a variety of services for the school and our community, but our most beneficial project was a food drive we ran in the months leading up to Thanksgiving. At the beginning of the school year, our club's sponsor had told us about the growing number of families in our area that were struggling to put food on the table. We knew that many of these families had kids at our school, and we wanted to help them as much as we could. Our club started a school wide canned food drive that ran for about 2 months. We received huge support from our school and students brought in tons of cans! It felt great donating all these cans to a local food bank in our area, and knowing that we had helped them to be able to feed and support more families. 

 

I enrolled in ENT3003 to learn more about the process of entrepreneurship. After this course, I want to not only understand the process better, but hopefully be able to apply it, and use it in my life as well! 

 

Introduction

Hello everyone!

My name is Lillie, short for Lillian, Gilmore. I am currently enrolled in ENT3003, and I am looking forward to the semester ahead! 

I am from Orlando, FL so the drive to Gainesville isn't too bad.. However, before I moved to Orlando,  I lived in a rural area in New Jersey. I have lived all over the country, but I am very happy to now call Florida my home. For those of you who are curious, here has been my family's "migration pattern." 

Born in MN, then I moved to FL (Tampa), CT, TX, NJ, then back to FL (Orlando, this time) :) 

Back to school stuff: I am a first year Finance major, and I hope to eventually become an accountant, or be involved in the financial world after college. 

I most recently visited Lake Tahoe this summer, and it was the most beautiful lake and mountain scenery I have ever seen. It was also enjoyable to swim in the lake without fear of being attacked by an alligator. I hope to go back soon!! 

That's all for now. Thank you! 

Entrepreneur's Mantra

Here is a video of me repeating the Entrepreneur's Mantra! Hoping that recording myself will become less awkward over time..

Test Post

This is my first blog post, yay!