Friday, January 25, 2019

6A- Identifying Opportunities in Economic and Regulatory Trends


6A- Identifying Opportunities in Economic and Regulatory Trends
Economic Trend: ‘Hamlet’ in Virtual Reality Casts the Viewer in the Play
·         There is an opportunity here with virtual reality being brought into bigger things than just gaming but making our world more technologically advanced by bringing a virtual reality into new spaces now and just thinking about what they could be used for in the future.
·         A customer looking into the new inventions and placement in a different atmosphere than they are usually are. An entrepreneur in the sense that they are trying to place same devices into different realms of which they are originally used.
·         I think it would be difficult to exploit mainly due to the major price of the technology. The optimistic part is that people know that technology is going to be a huge part of our lives as we progress through this life so I believe people would see this as a plus.
·         I think someone has seen this opportunity and that is why they are using it in different areas than before but where the opportunity comes is when there is a totally different realm.
Economic Trend: Extending the Stage With Technology
·         There is an opportunity similar to that of the one prior but with a different aspect to it. This is using apps on your phone to engulf the viewer of a show into a new reality that shows experiences not yet tapped or that could be thought of in different ways.
·         A customer would be someone working in the show business that would want to bring something out of the box. Someone working with a play company or broad street.
·         Again I think it would be difficult because it is not something that people are used to but with technology in every aspect of our lives coming into play I think they would see that as an opportunity.
·         I think I see this as an opportunity and someone else already has as well seeing this came into play which is seen as a plus because it can be brought into bigger and better things.
Regulatory Trend: Western Australia claims BHP owes up to $215 million in underpaid iron ore royalties
·         An opportunity with this is that if it is true that they are owed all of this money then Australia as a whole could become a huge contender in iron ore areas which could set them apart in different areas.
·         A customer would be someone in the oil or geography area looking to expand internationally and see opportunities across from the US having to do with oil and tapping into naturally resources there.
·         This is because when I looked at this oil industry then I could see that with all this money it could pose a different issue for people within the BHP in other areas of the world.
·         This opportunity would have to be kind of large and harder to do because it is already such a big company and just going into that is a difficult process.
Regulatory Trend: China finance ministry announces more tax cuts for small firms
·         The opportunity here is that small firms and business owners in China now have different opportunities than they had just a little while ago. With this tax cut then they are able to excel in a way that they have not been able to which changed the dynamic of China.
·         The people who are affected by this and the customer would be the small business owners in China because now they have the ability to gain power within the Chinese markets and do what they will to make their mark.
·         I think I saw this because small businesses are what this country was built on and seeing this opportunity in China goes to show that there are being drastic measures taken to see this go into action.
·         This opportunity would be the easiest to attain because to be a small business owner all you need is an idea and some money to make it happen.

5A- Identifying Local Opportunities


5A- Identifying Local Opportunities
1.       Florida jobless rate for December holds steady at 3.3 percent
b.       Description of story- In this article, published on January 22, it goes over the that Florida is maintaining an unemployment rate that is below the national average, even though some of the counties within Florida are bringing the rate up because of the damage done by Hurricane Michael.
c.       Description of problem- The problem is that even though the state of Florida is below the national average as a whole, there are some counties within the state that have extremely high unemployment rates due to the impact of Hurricane Michael and how that put many people out of jobs.
d.       Who has problem- The people of Gulf and Bay County are the counties with the highest rates of unemployment but this does not impact solely those counties but the entire state as a whole.
2.       West Orange football coach Bob Head arrested on domestic violence charge
b.       Description of story- The article, posted on January 23, talks about how the West Orange High School football coach was arrested for domestic violence of his wife. It wrote how they were arguing after a birthday dinner and then she proceeded to throw a plate and he struck her as she was turned away.
c.       Description of problem- The problem in this case is that a man who was in charge of many young men was arrested for domestic violence. This is a problem because he is influential to many people.
d.       Who has the problem- Not only is the problem with the wife of Head but it is also with the young men he coaches and anyone who could come in contact with him.
3.       Orlando No. 1 for pedestrian deaths
b.       Description of story- This article posted on the 24th is about how the city of Orlando is known for the amount of pedestrian deaths it has. It has now become the number one place for pedestrian deaths. The city is trying to combat this with stricter regulations and larger crosswalks with sidewalks farther away from streets.
c.       Description of problem- The problem in this case is that the streets in Orlando are becoming widely known as dangerous. Part of this is due to the city being a tourist hub and tourists from other countries who rent cars are one of the main people who are involved in these accidents.
d.       Who has the problem- The city-goers and the city share this problem. The city-goers are now at risk of injury or death because of this growing rate of carelessness when driving or walking by streets. The city also has a problem because Orlando is a tourism capital and if people stop going because of this they could lose a lot of money their economy is based on.
4.       Parents disagree on being called by first names
b.       Description of story- This article, published on the 24th, is a “Dear Amy” article that poses the question of whether or not we are in a time where it is okay for children to address their parents by their first name. The article came to the conclusion that it is still respectful and suggested that you should call your parents by their titles and not first names.
c.       Description of problem- The problem in this case is that in today’s age people are getting more and more relaxed with respect and other terms of hierarchy. People are too worried about equality and not trying to offend anyone that we are losing some of the main structures that keep our societies in order.
d.       Who has the problem- The new generation of people coming into this world that think that no one is above them and that they rule their own destiny and don’t need anyone else. The generations after them will pay the price of their rebellion.
5.       Lynx struggles with budget, leadership questions
b.       Description of story- This story, published on January 25, talks about how the Lynx bus system is struggling with the budget and is spreading itself too thin and taking on too many routes with not enough income to balance that out.
c.       Description of the problem- The problem is that the company itself is seeing a decline in income and an increase in expenses trying to counteract that to no avail. This is causing concern not only for the company but for the city of Orlando.
d.       Who has the problem- The company has the problem because without a good leadership base they are struggling and if the company goes under that is putting a lot of people out without jobs. The city would also struggle because many people rely solely on this bus system to get to their jobs, homes, and around the city.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

4A- Forming an Opportunity Belief


4A- Forming an Opportunity Belief

I think that one thing that people hate most when they go out to clubs/bars at Midtown or Downtown is that when those bars get crowded or even just when other people are maybe too drunk or clumsy they end up spilling drinks onto the floor or setting drinks down on the floor and this can end up sometimes on your clothes and even more frequently all over your shoes/feet. The unmet need is a way to lessen the spillage of a liquid in a cup while at a bar, restaurant, or club. This is a need for people who frequent these different locations, not just in Gainesville, but all over the world. This need came mainly from a culture that promotes getting belligerently intoxicated, where you cannot control your body and actions as well as when you are sober. I do not know of any places trying to combat this utterly urgent situation. Seeing as those companies are not trying to come up with a solution makes me feel like there is less of an opportunity but by the amount of times, I have heard people complain, at these places, about being spilled on counteracts that; I would say I am 75% sure there is an opportunity.

#1 College girl of legal age that frequents bars/clubs regularly
·         Have you ever spilt a drink on someone or the floor accidentally?
o   Yes, I have many times whether it be because people have bumped into me or I am moving around people- I feel very bad about it when I do.
·         Have you ever had a drink spilt on you at a club, bar, etc. before?
o   All the time! I could not count how many times I’ve come home with my feet sticky from some kind of drink.
·         How do you prepare/prevent potentially getting a drink spilt on you?
o   I usually try to stay clear of anyone that looks like they could be too drunk or are holding too many drinks in their hands.
·         Does knowing that there is the potential of having a drink spilt on you come into consideration when choosing to go to these places?
o   If I know a place will be crowded, I do think about how gross it will be inside and the increased likelihood of a drink being spilled on me, but I usually go anyways.
·         Does knowing that there is the potential of having a drink spilt on you come into consideration when you are choosing what you will wear to these places?
o   Oh yes! I have a totally separate wardrobe for going out that I can not wear in public during the day because of the mess its been through. I have designated “going out” shoes.
·         Have you ever had/seen any damage or injury occur because a drink was spilt on you or on the floor?
o   I have worn so many white shirts/pants/skirts that have been ruined because of a vodka-cran being spilt on them.
·         Would anything change for you if the cups used to serve the drinks had a lid/covering that limited the amount of spillage?
o   I would not have to worry as much about what clothes I choose to get dirty and my feet not being so sticky every time I leave.

#2 College freshman girl who has been to a couple clubs
·         Have you ever spilt a drink on someone or the floor accidentally?
o   No, I don’t drink so I am usually the one that gets spilt on.
·         Have you ever had a drink spilt on you at a club, bar, etc. before?
o   Yes! The first night I went out in Gainesville I had a drink spilt all over me. Ever since I have not been a huge fan of the club scene.
·         How do you prepare/prevent potentially getting a drink spilt on you?
o   When I do go out, which is rare, I now make sure I am wearing clothes I do not necessarily care about and I stay away from any kind of mosh pit or jumping around.
·         Does knowing that there is the potential of having a drink spilt on you come into consideration when choosing to go to these places?
o   Ever since I was spilt on that first night it put a damper and bad feel on going to clubs and such because it ruined the night for me, so I tend to not go out too often because of it.
·         Does knowing that there is the potential of having a drink spilt on you come into consideration when you are choosing what you will wear to these places?
o   Yes, I have one pair of shoes that I wear when I do decide to go out and I often try to wear long pants to not get a drink all on my skin.
·         Have you ever had/seen any damage or injury occur because a drink was spilt on you or on the floor?
o   One of my good friends one time slipped on the floor as she was trying to come towards me because there was ice from someone’s drink all on the ground.
·         Would anything change for you if the cups used to serve the drinks had a lid/covering that limited the amount of spillage?
o   I would definitely like to go out more if the potential of drinks being poured on me decreased. It is one of the main deterrents of me doing so.

#3 College male of legal age that frequents bars/clubs regularly
·         Have you ever spilt a drink on someone or the floor accidentally?
o   Oh, all the time dude. People just push you around and its something you got to deal with when you go out.
·         Have you ever had a drink spilt on you at a club, bar, etc. before?
o   Yes, it is just something you know is going to happen so you have to keep it in mind.
·         How do you prepare/prevent potentially getting a drink spilt on you?
o   I try to make sure to push drunk people away from me when they are walking towards with two too many drinks in their hands.
·         Does knowing that there is the potential of having a drink spilt on you come into consideration when choosing to go to these places?
o   No, not really. It is going to happen no matter where you end up going so when I go out knowing that, it doesn’t really make a difference.
·         Does knowing that there is the potential of having a drink spilt on you come into consideration when you are choosing what you will wear to these places?
o   There are definitely clothes that I would not where when I go out and I have specific shoes that I will wear over others, but as long as you play it smart you should be able to steer clear from too much drink being poured on you.
·         Have you ever had/seen any damage or injury occur because a drink was spilt on you or on the floor?
o   I’ve slipped a couple times because of the ground being a little wet and I’ve seen one to many girls dancing on the bar slip because of that as well.
·         Would anything change for you if the cups used to serve the drinks had a lid/covering that limited the amount of spillage?
o   It wouldn’t change too much for me because it is not something that keeps me from going out, but I guess it would make the entire time a little bit better because going around in a wet shirt is not the best way to impress the ladies.

Reflect
I think that the spillage and potential of being spilt on affects mainly what people wear when they go out. People that frequent those places though have learned to simply deal with it and take it as part of the experience, whether seen as good or bad; on the other hand, people who do not go out as often are more shocked by it and can cause them to stay away from certain places because this con outweighs the pros.

Summarize
I think that while the opportunity is still there and still present and people do care about it, they do not care about it enough to act upon it. I think that when I first thought of this opportunity I was looking at it as the bar goers being the audience but I think if I took a different perspective and saw the bar owners as the audience you could advertise it as less of a liability of slipping and less clean up at the end of the night with maybe a correlation of increased bar goers potentially due to it being a cleaner place. Your customer base is everything so you should definitely take them in mind; I do believe though that you need to make sure you are marketing to the right customers before you change anything too drastic.

Monday, January 14, 2019

2A- Bug List

2A- Bug List


  1. The line at the Chipotle off University is always to the door.
    1. Why? The production line is the same at every single location and it is a very popular restaurant that is right next to campus, so it gets a lot of foot traffic. 
  2. The Courtyards Apartment Complex does not have a waste management can in the actual complex so you must go across to another complex to throw away the trash.
    1. Why? There is not much property that the complex is built on and since it is in a close location with other apartments, so it makes logically sense to share one. 
  3. The cord on earbuds is sometimes too short.
    1. Why? To make production easier Apple probably only makes one kind of length.
  4. Blinds leave a bad reflection and glare on the TV during certain parts of the day.
    1. Why? Blinds are a cheap way to put up some shade and since they are not completely solid light shines through
  5. The blinds in the Courtyards Apartment complexes are flimsy and break off very easily.
    1. Why? When you are mass producing something and you just want the utility and not the durability it is a cheaper and quicker process.
  6. Midtown has been too packed in this last week.
    1. Why? It is syllabus week and so many people are going out and JJ’s is also closed all week so fewer places to go.
  7. JJ’s was closed all of syllabus week.
    1. Why? They were not up to code and needed to add a support beam and it took longer than expected to put in, so it was closed all this week.
  8. Taco shells when they become too soggy tear apart and everything falls out.
    1. Why? Taco shells are just a baked tortilla so when they get wet, they will tear because they are not strong enough to support the weight of the other part of the taco.
  9. The weather in Florida right now is very bipolar; you are cold in the morning and hot during the day.
    1. Why? It is winter time and even though it doesn’t get too cold in Florida, at night the temperature can drop and then the sun heats it up.
  10. My scooter has not started since I got back from break.
    1. Why? It is a very old scooter and when it gets cold it gets harder to start so when it is left not turned on in the cold for awhile it can become a problem.
  11. The bus system, specifically the Frat Row to Hub, only has one driver and takes forever.
    1. Why? It is a shorter route than others and since there are so many routes they need to accommodate it would be illogical to add another driver to that route.
  12. Netflix has been deleting some good shows and has not been adding many new good ones.
    1. Why? TV series rights and in order to have it on their site they must make a big royalties purchase.
  13. The Killers have not been on tour in the SE US in over five years.
    1. Why? The only album they have released in this time is their newest that recently came out and they had a very small tour that did not go many places.
  14. Gamedays are over for the year.
    1. Why? The sport football is a fall sport and they do not play in the spring.
  15. Instagram sometimes shows the second picture in a multiple picture post the first time viewing instead of the first one.
    1. Why? They updated the app and made it this way, I can’t think of why they would do it.
  16. Instagram doesn’t stream the posts in order of time when posted they change it up.
    1. Why? The update that they did made it, so it showed you the most popular first.
  17. The sushi at Bento Café on Archer takes forever to be made.
    1. Why? People go to Bento for sushi mostly and sushi is a time-consuming process so when you have multiple orders of different recipes it takes up time.
  18. The Southwest Gym has been packed this past week.
    1. Why? Everyone usually has New Year’s resolutions going back after break and it is the first week back.
  19. Battery percentage life on an iPhone falls as you use it and makes battery decrease quicker.
    1. Why? When you use a battery often and for awhile the life of the battery and the battery power decreases.
  20. Apple has the option of putting read receipts on texts.
    1. Why? I assume it’s because they want us to suffer and know someone is ignoring us and giving us the power to call them out.
It was a lot harder coming up with this bug list than I thought it would be. I think we as kids were always taught to “look at the bright side” of things because this causes us not to be constantly thinking about things that we don’t have. I had to take a break sometimes while I was working on this because it would almost put me in a bad mood thinking of all these things that annoy/bug me.

Sunday, January 13, 2019

3A- Your Entrepreneurship Story


3A- Your Entrepreneurship Story



My uncle is an entrepreneur and started his own company a couple years back. He made this portal that would help benefit the healthcare segment of our economy. It is an online portal that is similar to Pinterest in which businesses, companies, and wholesalers “post” their products on this site and then the hospitals can “scroll through” this page and it can match up need with the solution. It also has the idea of Tinder where you can make a connection with these people if you are looking/providing similar things and can make purchases and sales.

When my uncle told me about this process and what all he went through he made it sound extremely interesting to me. He also comes and talks to students at UF who have had entrepreneurial ideas and have gone forward with them and hear my uncle’s thoughts and tips. He got me into the idea of entrepreneurship because of how fascinating his life was and what he did. That made me interested in the thought behind entrepreneurship; interest and further exploration is the reason for why I am taking this class and looking forward to what I find.

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