30A - Final Reflection

30A - Final Reflection

1. I can recall back to when I first decided upon Paradiso. A simple idea meant to help people in need. However I soon learned I'd have to get very in depth with this business, and I'm glad I was pushed to do so. I can remember the first time I did the elevator pitch, I worked very very hard on it. As I turned it in, I realized I was not standing up in the video, making it worthless, so I had to re-shoot! 
2. My most formative moment is probably when I spoke with people about my project for various assignments. When I was forced to go out and show people my project, it made me feel nice being told it was a good idea and one that had meaning. I was proud of myself in this moment for putting the work in and making something.
3. I honestly do see myself as an Entrepreneur. I take closer attention to businesses out in the real world, and I pay close attention as to why they do certain things. Whether it's to reap a benefit, or to counter a problem. I have definitely changed my mindset and I understand how to see problems in a firm and how to handle them.
4. My biggest recommendation would be to make sure you care about entrepreneurship. This is not a field to get into for the money, and one that you need to truly care about. Also, it's a very hard work (never give up) romanticized field. One where you can't stop to breathe, you need to be innovating all the time. For this course, I recommend they get into a groove of doing their assignments on time and making the most of the course. 

29A - Venture Concept No. 2

29A - Venture Concept No. 2

1)

Paradiso

Opportunity:  

• Key West is known for its amazing beaches and beautiful sunsets. It is a thriving tourist hot spot, and an expensive place to live. To comfortably live in Key West, you'd have to make around 70,000 a year to afford a one bedroom studio apartment. As such, around 5% of the population is homeless.
• Homelessness is described as: Sleeping in a place not meant for human inhabitants, or staying in a homeless shelter. According to endhomelessness.org, around 553,742 people in the United States are considered homeless. Most states actually decreased in number of homeless people since 2016, however California is up almost 14% in homeless population. 
• The forces behind this opportunity are high rent costs, low paying jobs, unemployment, mental health, and many other problems. 
• This market is defined all over the world. People are homeless and/or have insufficient living spaces all over the world. This market is more defined in high cost living places in the United States like big cities or Key West. 
• The need is for people to no longer be homeless, and to be helped back on their feet so they can contribute to society. 
• The need is being taken care of by many organizations that get funding from the state or by donations from individuals to fight homeless by providing amenities to those in need. 
• The opportunity is massive! Considered one of the world's most prevalent problems, homelessness is in need of being taken care of.
• The "window of opportunity" will be open for a very long time. I'm not quite sure if homelessness will ever ultimately be solved, but it's nice to imagine.

Innovation: 

• My innovation is a neighborhood of small houses for homeless people to live in, as a means of turning their lives around. What makes this different than a homeless shelter is that there are individual one person houses, rather than a large building. This will give a sense of ownership and responsibility to the people staying in the neighborhood. 
• Essentially what I am selling is an opportunity. This project will be funded by the state, or by donations. As such, the homeless people in the neighborhood will have an incentive to work whilst having amenities. This project sells the chance of turning one's life around for the better, while not having to worry about finding a place to stay. 
• The project will cost around $1.5 Million to fund, considering the costs for Real Estate, Materials, Construction, Plumbing, etc, in Key West. 

Venture Concept:

• People will help fund this project if they want to help contribute to getting rid of homelessness. It might be hard to convince people to donate, but it will be as hard for any charity fund. 
• My competitors would be other charities in the area, as well as other topics on the political agenda that will receive funding by the state before my project would. 
• The style of the neighborhood will be a selling point. The dainty, individual houses will give the homeless people a sense of ownership and responsibility that a normal homeless shelter does not provide. When developing and running, we will try to be as cost efficient as possible, since this business is purely run from state funding or donations. 
• A "business" would be organized in such a way that multiple of these neighborhoods exist across the nation, and one firm acts to make sure funding goes where it needs to. Also, a service where homeless people are helped to be ready to work, and to find work, could exist. As well as staff that would help maintain the neighborhoods. For employees you'd have: Accountants, Neighborhood Managers, Social Workers, and other low skill labor employees. 

The Three Minor Elements:

• My unfair advantage would be my intellectual property of Key West, UF, and the field this firm will be in. The connections I have and most of my business model showed few weaknesses when tested with the VRIN analysis. 
• What's next for my firm is to show the world how important equality of opportunity is rather than equality of outcome through my homeless neighborhoods. Giving these citizens another chance is a priceless service and a sometimes life-changing one.
• What's next for me in 5 years is I would have multiple neighborhoods throughout Florida, as this has become a widespread solution to slowly trickling down the homeless % of the state. In the long run, I would branch out to other types of businesses to build my wealth and probably eventually step down from the homeless shelter firm. 

2)

Unfortunately, I did not receive any student comments on my Venture Concept No. 1 post. As such, I will use the what's next post to determine my next move. The posts mainly discussed how it's crazy to see new ideas with the business this late into the semester. This further proves just how adaptable and expansive business really is. When you look at entrepreneurs like Elon Musk or Bill Gates, they constantly expand and grow their companies and networks. The new idea for my firm, Paradiso, was to include training service animals with what the homeless people there would do. The students who commented thought that this idea would add to the business and should be acted upon.

3)

What I would change to my venture concept would be to include training service dogs as part of the responsibility for the residents. Adding this program would give the resident a sense of responsibility and companionship with having a pet. This would be very expensive to add to the cost of the project. But it would be a great touch to the firm.

4)

28A - Your Exit Strategy

28A - Your Exit Strategy

Identify the exit strategy you plan to make. Do you intend to sell your business in the next 5 years for a large return? Do you intend to stay with the business for several decades and retire? Do you intend to protect the venture as a family business, and pass it down to your children?

My exit strategy would probably consist of me leaving the business behind to tackle more venturous fields. If I was able to start a business with a large return, or even make this business sell for a large return, I'd do it. My intentions with this business were entirely to solve a problem in the world. As nice as it is to help people and make a difference, my passion is elsewhere.

Why have you selected this particular exit strategy?

I selected this strategy because I my passions don't coincide with the business. My biggest dream would be to be financially stable and be able to write/record music full time. Whether that's with a large amount of wealth from a business, or just by being able to make a salary from it.

How do you think your exit strategy has influenced the other decisions you've made in your concept? For instance, has it influenced how you have identified an opportunity? Has it influenced your growth intentions or how you plan to acquire and use resources?

I would say that my exit strategy definitely shows that this was a temporary feat. I saw this opportunity as a moment to fix society and fix a problem in my hometown. This would only be the beginning for me. I'm a firm believer of being in flow and having a passion for something you love. That idea of self fulfillment is very intriguing, and I'd love to explore it past this firm.

27A - Reading Reflection No. 3

27A - Reading Reflection No. 3

1. In "How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big" by Scott Adams, the key to success is your viewpoint. Through Adams' own experiences, he also teaches valuable life tips, from creativity to appearance to mindset. 
2. One of my favorite topics from the book was the section about goals and systems. Essentially, systems are things you do everyday and work at. Goals are something you want to reach over time. As such, this class is very systematic. Every week: two assignments, videos for a cupcake, and peer reviews. You begin to get into a groove. You'll often be more successful if you slowly work at something in a systematic way rather than looking at it as a goal. 
3. If I designed an exercise for this class based on the book. I'd make the students come up with many examples of systems. So they can see how they could incorporate it into their ENT3003 Venture, as well as their own lives. 
4. My biggest "aha" moment was when Adams stated to begin your day with your creative work, as well as to do tasks that match your mental state. This means to do engaging, motivating work in the mornings. Get your mind flowing so you're in a good state of mind for the mindless tasks later in the day. I thought this was great to hear because I'm often bogged down with work and rarely find time to practice guitar. I really love playing the instrument and it makes me feel guilty when I can't find practice time. As such, following Adams' logic, I should begin the day with my music. 

26A - Celebrating Failure

26A - Celebrating Failure

1. A time I failed was when I took my 2nd calculus 2 exam. It was the Thursday night before Spring Break. I didn't have class on Friday so you can imagine I was eager to get the exam over with.  I studied quite a bit for the exam, but I'll admit I wasn't as good at these topics compared to the first exam. The first exam was a combination of advanced integral topics, problems I actually find very satisfying to complete so that was a breeze for me. However Exam 2 was a multitude of series problems with tests for convergence and divergence. I never truly understood why it never clicked for me on this exam. Being such a vastly different topic from integration I was pretty lost at times. Needless to say I didn't receive a score I was happy with. Granted, out of everyone in my group, another student and I had the highest scores, but I just wasn't happy with that. Exam 3 is coming up this Thursday, it's going to be a combination of Power/Taylor/Maclaurin series' (essentially complex Exam 2 problems), Parametrics, and Polarity. 
2. I think what I learned is that I need to start much earlier when practicing the problems for the exams. I would usually start a few days before. Whereas at this point I've already done a lot of work, and I feel more confident for this exam. 
3. Failure is an amazing tool, but it sucks when it happens to you. Failure can be very helpful as it can behave like a wake up call, it tells you whatever you're doing isn't working, and you need to innovate. I often analyze my failures in this way, what did I do that made this unsuccessful? I try my absolute best to view failure through optimistic eyes. As many entrepreneurs have to, this mindset is vital and applicable to anything. Obviously, UF losing a football game is incredibly frustrating, but I try to be a good sport where I can. This class further enforced to view my failures as something being wrong with my methods. Look as it like a flaw in a business' methods, or like a chink in one's armor.

25A - What's Next?

25A - What's Next?

What I think is next:

When discussing growth, what my firm will look into is expansion of the Paradiso, neighborhood design to other cities looking to fight homelessness in Florida. We'd try our best to grow our image through social media and advertising. Spreading the word of equality of opportunity that this country needs to stay true to. I would try to grow the popularity of the brand as much as I could, through merchandise and social media. 

Existing Market Interviews:

1. Interview 1- Ben stated to me that in the future, I should go to cities where it would be most cost efficient for the company in proportion to the percentage of homeless in the city. Also, he said that the customers only really expect for my firm to succeed, and for them to see their money being used effectively. 
2. Interview 2- My mom actually brought up a great idea which was to somehow incorporate service dogs in with the neighborhoods. Furthermore, actually have the homeless at Paradiso care for and learn to train the dogs, as this will give them a sense of responsibility over the pet. Also, this can expand the range of contributors as people who donate to animal-based charities can look into our firm. She said the customers will want for my company to use their money accordingly. 
3. Interview 3- My friend Sam stated that Paradiso should look to expand to other cities with a homelessness problem. She also suggested expanding into the realm of animal shelters. 

Reflection: 

After listening to the interviews, I received thoughts I expected, and thoughts I didn't. Everyone basically said that the customers (people donating) just want me to do well, and for their money to be spent well and accordingly. I'm considering a service to where the more you spend the more amenities and the more involved you are with the project. 

Also, it was strange how 2/3 of the people I interviewed thought about animals as well. Ideas of service dogs and caring for stray animals was most of my interview time. This is definitely a new market I could consider.

New Market:

A market I didn't consider before was incorporating volunteer service dogs into the firm's function. Incorporating a program where the Paradiso residents learn to train service dogs can, obviously train service dogs, as well as give the residents a companion who can help give them a responsibility and a sense of connection. Having a pet will hopefully push the guests to care for their pet, as well as themselves. 

New Market Interviews:

1. Interview 1- I spoke again to my mom because she actually brought up this idea. We discussed how this will increase the amount of people willing to donate to me, while also hiking up costs because of the dogs, and training program now.
2. Interview 2- I spoke with my friend Sam again about the possibility of incorporating the volunteer service dogs, she believed it was a great idea, and one that would catch traction in the public eye. 

Reflection:

I was surprised by how well this new idea for Paradiso did. I never thought of including volunteer service dogs into the firm. As such, this was a great opportunity to have another set of eyes take a look at my idea. I believe if Paradiso was able to sustainable and successful throughout the state, then I would attempt to implement the volunteer service dog program. 

24A - Venture Concept No. 1

24A - Venture Concept No. 1:Paradiso

Paradiso

Opportunity:  

• Key West is known for its amazing beaches and beautiful sunsets. It is a thriving tourist hot spot, and an expensive place to live. To comfortably live in Key West, you'd have to make around 70,000 a year to afford a one bedroom studio apartment. As such, around 5% of the population is homeless.
• Homelessness is described as: Sleeping in a place not meant for human inhabitants, or staying in a homeless shelter. According to endhomelessness.org, around 553,742 people in the United States are considered homeless. Most states actually decreased in number of homeless people since 2016, however California is up almost 14% in homeless population. 
• The forces behind this opportunity are high rent costs, low paying jobs, unemployment, mental health, and many other problems. 
• This market is defined all over the world. People are homeless and/or have insufficient living spaces all over the world. This market is more defined in high cost living places in the United States like big cities or Key West. 
• The need is for people to no longer be homeless, and to be helped back on their feet so they can contribute to society. 
• The need is being taken care of by many organizations that get funding from the state or by donations from individuals to fight homeless by providing amenities to those in need. 
• The opportunity is massive! Considered one of the world's most prevalent problems, homelessness is in need of being taken care of.
• The "window of opportunity" will be open for a very long time. I'm not quite sure if homelessness will ever ultimately be solved, but it's nice to imagine.

Innovation: 

• My innovation is a neighborhood of small houses for homeless people to live in, as a means of turning their lives around. What makes this different than a homeless shelter is that there are individual one person houses, rather than a large building. This will give a sense of ownership and responsibility to the people staying in the neighborhood. 
• Essentially what I am selling is an opportunity. This project will be funded by the state, or by donations. As such, the homeless people in the neighborhood will have an incentive to work whilst having amenities. This project sells the chance of turning one's life around for the better, while not having to worry about finding a place to stay. 
• The project will cost around $1.5 Million to fund, considering the costs for Real Estate, Materials, Construction, Plumbing, etc, in Key West. 

Venture Concept:

• People will help fund this project if they want to help contribute to getting rid of homelessness. It might be hard to convince people to donate, but it will be as hard for any charity fund. 
• My competitors would be other charities in the area, as well as other topics on the political agenda that will receive funding by the state before my project would. 
• The style of the neighborhood will be a selling point. The dainty, individual houses will give the homeless people a sense of ownership and responsibility that a normal homeless shelter does not provide. When developing and running, we will try to be as cost efficient as possible, since this business is purely run from state funding or donations. 
• A "business" would be organized in such a way that multiple of these neighborhoods exist across the nation, and one firm acts to make sure funding goes where it needs to. Also, a service where homeless people are helped to be ready to work, and to find work, could exist. As well as staff that would help maintain the neighborhoods. For employees you'd have: Accountants, Neighborhood Managers, Social Workers, and other low skill labor employees. 

The Three Minor Elements:

• My unfair advantage would be my intellectual property of Key West, UF, and the field this firm will be in. The connections I have and most of my business model showed few weaknesses when tested with the VRIN analysis. 
• What's next for my firm is to show the world how important equality of opportunity is rather than equality of outcome through my homeless neighborhoods. Giving these citizens another chance is a priceless service and a sometimes life-changing one.
• What's next for me in 5 years is I would have multiple neighborhoods throughout Florida, as this has become a widespread solution to slowly trickling down the homeless % of the state. In the long run, I would branch out to other types of businesses to build my wealth and probably eventually step down from the homeless shelter firm. 

23A - Your Venture's Unfair Advantage

23A - Your Venture's Unfair Advantage

1. Social Capital: Connections in Key West- Valuable: Living in Key West my whole life has allowed me to personally know many important business/government people in the town. Rare: The resource is rare in comparison to UF. Inimitable: This is repeatable by other people fro Key West but that's about it. Non-substitutable: It is substitutable depending on the city. 
2. Charity/Philanthropic Venture-Valuable: Being placed under this type of business gives me an advantage when gathering investments, and seeking public acceptance. Rare: This type of philanthropic venture is rare in Key West and needed. Inimitable: This can be replicated but it's unique to Key West. Rare: Again, this hasn't happened in Key West. Non-substitutable: It would be substitutable if someone was willing to put the time in.
3. Lobbying- Valuable: An extremely valuable political tool, and very exploitable. This idea could catch some popularity in Key West. Rare: A very common way to have legislative action be done. Inimitable: Not necessarily? Non-substitutable: This form of political action is just one of many possible scenarios.
4. Fundraising/Volunteering Experience- Valuable: Having been a part of many volunteering clubs in high school and college, I have spent a great deal of time in this sector and know more than most. Rare: This isn't rare among driven college students by any means. Inimitable: This comes with hours of volunteering and you can't really just box it up and sell it. Non-substitutable: This would be substitutable if someone else had the experience. 
5. Intellectual Property of Key West- Valuable: My parents have been Real Estate Appraisers for 20+ years in Key West, so I'm very lucky to have access to intellectual property about the commercial/residential Real Estate market. Rare: This is a rare tool to have as many people do not know about Real Estate in Key West, Florida. Inimitable: This is a skill/amount of memory that takes years to develop and grow. Non-substitutable: This is not very easy to replicate as few know a lot about Key West.
6. Leadership Experience- Valuable: Having been the president for a high school club, I have some experience being the leader of a volunteer club. Rare: Again, many driven students at UF were the leaders of clubs at their own high schools. Inimitable: Another aspect that comes from experience and is hard to build. Non-substitutable: Also hard to replicate as it comes with experience.
7. Social Capital: Architecture and Engineering friends- Valuable: Having friends who are studying architecture and engineering can help me with R&D with this project. Rare: Many students choose to major in these difficult fields. Inimitable: These degrees are very hard to receive and take hours of hard work studying to obtain. Non-Substitutable: They're are many talented people who know these topics that can help.
8. Finance Major- Valuable: A degree in Finance means I am taking classes that can help me develop intellectual property that would be relevant to this opportunity, including taking ENT3003. Rare: There are many finance majors at UF. Inimitable: Finance is a tough major as it requires very good grades in many of the core courses. Non-substitutable: Again, many students choose to enter the field of Finance every year. 
9. University of Florida Education- Valuable: A renowned university around the country with many alumni connections, a UF degree is incredibly valuable for the price. Rare: The university is competitive to get into, and a degree from UF is considered an academic feat by most. Inimitable: The University is rigorous and few get degrees from it. Non-substitutable: An education is available in most places, however the academic prestige and connections UF brings is priceless. 
10. Single House Design- Valuable: This is a unique design and makes the property feel more at-home for the residents, this is a key selling point for the opportunity. Rare: Again, a unique design. Inimitable: Easy to replicate. Non-substitutable: Again, something better can replace it.

After doing the VRIN analysis of my opportunity, I realized there are a handful of flaws and weaknesses in the firm. However, I'd say the fact that the firm being a philanthropic venture, and my access to intellectual property/ social capital of Key West gives me a huge advantage in the grand scheme of things. Being a philanthropic venture allows for legislative action to be taken, or for investments from many to be accepted. Furthermore, access to a network of important people, as well as knowledge of the area, will help me succeed in Key West.

22A - Elevator Pitch 3

Elevator Pitch 3

1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O3O2oD2BK4

2) The feedback I received this time was mainly positive. As such, I simply just practiced what I had done and executed the pitch.

3) I honestly rerecorded what I had originally and changed the wording a little bit. Nothing major.

21A - Reading Reflection No. 2

21A - Reading Reflection No. 2

1) The general theme of Cognitive Surplus by Clay Shirky was that there's a certain way people utilize new technology when it comes their way. Also, Shirky covers how the population was treated by the media before and after the social media revolution. Finally, he covers how when money is an incentive it often doesn't lead to a good place.

2) The book was very helpful at analyzing behaviors. This book uses a lot of motivation theory from the field of Psychology, where people's thoughts and actions play a role in figuring out the behavior or people. As such, the book sort of quantified people down to organisms when trying to understand them. This can help with trying to understand the customer and buyer behaviors, a key topic in ENT3003. 

3) The exercise from this book would be mimicking Edward Deci's motivation experiment. Where he had two groups solving a puzzle, one paid and one unpaid, and studied their motivation to complete the puzzle during a "break session." You could attempt this experiment, but when hiring employees to see who would have a good work ethic or be motivated. 

4)My biggest surprise moment was when reading about the Deci experiment, and how money played a role, it truly didn't help out much. Furthermore, Shirky brought up data where the Norwegian government was looking to see public approval for a plant near a town, when offering money, the approval rating dropped. These scenarios show that sometimes, money isn't the endgame. In a society where materials and surplus seem desirable, it often won't lead anywhere truly incredible. 

20A - Growing Your Social Capital

20A - Growing Your Social Capital

Domain Expert:

1. Who are they and what is their background: Deena, a worker of New Life Workforce Housing, of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, Inc.
2. How is this person a "Domain Expert": This person is a domain expert because her company is currently working on a project identical to my idea in Key West. Where they are currently making housing for homeless people.
3. How I found and contacted this person: I found this person through their website and contacted them via email.
4. Nature of Exchange: What they did for me, what is the return expectation: I spoke about my intentions through this entrepreneurship course, and discussed how they get funding, and how they decide upon people in need. 
5. How will including them enhance my ability and exploit my opportunity: Including them in my project will help me receive insight from someone who already knows the ropes of this domain. That way I am getting into this with some reference.

Market Expert:

1. Who are they and what is their background: Ricky, my mom's friend, has been a commercial and residential real estate appraiser for over 20 years. 
2. How is this person a "Market Expert": She knows the market of Key West properties better than most, so I spoke with her about the feasibility of this project from a financial standpoint.
3. How I found and contacted this person: I called her. 
4. Nature of Exchange: What they did for me, what is the return expectation: I asked her about the costs of something like my project. As well as how I could obtain funding for such a project.
5. How will including them enhance my ability and exploit my opportunity: Having her involved can help me determine what I should be paying for when investing into this project. Knowing the cost of the land, plumbing, construction, materials, and much more is a necessary key for building the firm.

Industry Supplier:

1. Who are they and what is their background: Corey, works for a construction firm in Key West, Florida.
2. How is this person a "Industry Supplier": He's worked with this form for a few years and knows about what it costs/ takes for buildings to be built in Key West through regulations, costs, and other factors. 
3. How I found and contacted this person: I contacted him on the phone.
4. Nature of Exchange: What they did for me, what is the return expectation: I spoke with him about why it's so expensive and time consuming to get things done in Key West, especially when funded by the state. 
5. How will including them enhance my ability and exploit my opportunity: Including Corey will allow me to see what I am dealing with fund-wise. So I can overcome my first hurdle when starting this firm.

Reflection: This assignment was pretty tough because it is very hard to find people who fit these specific needs. But after networking it can be done. It's very impressive to see how useful and beneficial your social capital can really be. Knowing the "right guy" can really get you quite far. I will definitely pay a little more attention to people when talking about themselves in case I were to dive into their field in an entrepreneurial manner. 

19A - Idea Napkin No. 2

19A - Idea Napkin No. 2

Who you are. What your talents are. What your skills and experiences are. Also: what are your aspirations? Specifically regarding your business concept, how do you see this business (if you were to start it) playing a role in your life?

• My name is Zach Wilson. I am a freshman at UF and I'm a Finance major who's not quite sure what they want to pursue. I play 4 instruments, love music, and love working on my car. I know how to use many programs and can work well in groups. My business is my opportunity to be a leader and a role model. Being the oldest sibling, my entire life I have managed to be a good role model to my younger brother. In this same way, I hope to be a role model to the homeless people that I assist.

What are you offering to customers? Describe the product or service (in other words, how you'll solve customers' unmet needs). 

• I am offering to customers a chance to restart. A chance at the game of life to begin and get back on one's feet. For those in need, they will be granted housing, sanitation, and food in return for labor and volunteer work. These people will get a chance to restart their lives no matter how down and out. As entrepreneurs, we know that one opportunity is a priceless thing, so why not sell that?

Who are you offering it to? Describe, in as much detail as possible, the demographic and psychographic characteristics of your customers. Think especially of this question: what do your customers all have in common?

• I am offering this product to people who cannot afford to live in Key West. Some may have lost to unemployment cycles, or they may have mental health issues that stop them from working. A multitude of reasons can turn a person homeless. However, all/most of them are unemployed, making no income, with no substantial net worth. These people will be given another chance.

•  Also, this product can be sold to local governments of cities who also would like to help the homeless in their respective locations. The product can be uniquely designed for any city. This project can be funded by legislation, or by donations via a charity.  

Why do they care? Your solution is only valuable insofar as customers believe its valuable to them. Here, explain why customers will actually pay you money to use your product or service. 

• I'd like to think that homeless people in desperate need would want to be helped and would feel obliged to do the volunteer work as an incentive for living in the housing. However, if they would not like to comply then someone else can take that opportunity to be helped. Considering that the homeless people do not pay for this product, someone else is. Hopefully, the taxpayer's dollar will be used to fund this program, or someone feeling rather philanthropic will assist in the matter. Again, this project will by no means be a cheap one, it's simply an act of grace rather than a profit driven firm.

What are your core competencies? What sets you apart from everyone else? Also: what do you have that nobody else has? 

• My core competencies consist of giving the homeless people housing, whilst giving them a more unique/personal experience when they live in an individual home rather than a giant facility. Furthermore, the homeless can personalize and decorate their houses to individuate themselves even more. This small change will help readjust them to society knowing they have some kind of home. Rather than this being a bland government program, it will be a passion-driven experience in pursuit of bringing people a better life.

In addition to these five elements, please spend a paragraph evaluating whether you believe these elements fit together or whether there are aspects of your business concept that are weaker / out-of-joint with the others. 

• I believe that in concept my business is a good, wholehearted idea. However, when looking at the expenses, it is a costly feat. My parents have run an appraisal company in Key West for the last 20+ years, when I told them my plan they said it was "ultimately unfeasible in Key West." Due to the high costs of land, materials, service, etc, this project would need a philanthropic Venture Capitalist to take off with no real hope for getting one's money back.

Feedback Memo: 

1. In this section, I talked about what makes me unique, through my passions and strengths. Having many interests and talents, I always feel confident when tackling something new.
2. I am still offering it the same people, homeless people in need. The idea of selling an opportunity is the motive, and they need it. Also, I added that the public could donate as a form of charity, simply because the return on investment will be low and the firm will need as much subsidized funding, and donations as necessary.
3. Same why, we'd like to hope that the helpless homeless people would want a second chance at life. If they work for the firm, they will have the amenities of living at the firm.
4. Ultimately it's the same product. The product isn't the problem, it's finding the funding.
5. My core competencies are the same. The feedback I received was primarily positive with no room for adjustment.

18A - Create a Customer Avatar

18A - Create a Customer Avatar

My business is all about helping homeless people get back on their feet. However, it isn't possible without investors attributing to it's completion. In this case, I will focus on investors. The investors could look like just about anyone. They could be you or me, donating a small amount, they could be angel investors giving away thousands, or they could be the government giving funding. 

I will focus on the small donation side, as it's the largest and most feasible of the options. Someone giving small donations could be a college student looking to help their society. Being full of knowledge from multiple subjects, these people know how much it would mean for homeless people to have a second chance to contribute to society. These people could be wealthy or poor, and still know the value of opportunity. They're probably thankful for what they have, leading to them wanting to help others. These people could be of any age, they just have to have empathy for those in need, and a desire to help.

What do you have in common with the avatar?

The avatar and I both understand how hard life must be whilst homeless. We know that these people deserve a second chance to turn their lives around, and in the right scenario, can bounce back. The avatar and I understand how much an opportunity can do for someone. I see this as no coincidence. I believe that seeing the opportunity is just what a true entrepreneur feels.

17A - Elevator Pitch No. 2

17A - Elevator Pitch No. 2

1)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDnyqMTNazk

2)What stood out to me is that everyone agreed that my pitch was good. They thought the presentation, use of data, and idea was quality. However, there was one comment to mention that this entrepreneurial opportunity is more of a philanthropic jab rather than a profit churning corporation. So I made sure to mention this. I also added some graphics on a board to add to the presentation.

3) I added in that this opportunity is solely to help those in need, rather than to make mass amounts of profit. Also, I added graphics on a dry erase board to show a rough blueprint of what the houses will look like, as well as the data being presented forth.

16A - What's Your Secret Sauce

What's Your Secret Sauce?

1. Determination- I always have ambitious goals for myself and I always have a motive to work towards it. I always put my work first and rarely procrastinate.
2. Honesty- I am incredibly honest with people, sometimes too much. Also, I am very honest with myself and my ability. If I don't know something or can't do something I will admit to it. That way I can learn and innovate.
3. Competence- If there's a subject at hand, I will do what it takes to be fluent in it. I've self taught myself three instruments, read books on a myriad of subjects for fun, and love to learn. I keep a lookout for competent people when looking for group-mates or future business partners.
4. Self-Dependence- I do fairly well at doing my own thing. Often if a professor cannot teach something to me I'll figure it out one way or another. 
5. Leadership- When the time comes, I'm not afraid to take lead during a presentation, group project, or any scenario. 

Interviews

Reflection

Listening to the closest people in my life, they all said similar things about me. They said I had a great drive and am organized, determined, and ready for success. I am humbled to hear these things be said and thought about me, and I hope to continue to do well. I agree with what they said and wouldn't change anything.

15A - Figuring out Buyer Behavior Part 2

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior Part 2

Findings and Conclusions:

In the interviews, I learned that there are a few ways I could have the segment I chose, people who'd like to help homeless people but do not have a lot of money or resources, contribute to their need through my business. My friend Taylor suggested using a means of crowdfunding to help get my business going. I could use crowdfunding to evaluate my business idea, get feedback from customers, and see how plausible the business truly is. Doing this, people can provide money for my business as a small means of indirectly helping the homeless. Essentially a charity of sorts. From the module in class, I could pick from a donation based , a lending based, and equity based crowdfunding vehicle. All of which are for different businesses in different stages. 

Also, the interviewees all stated that the need at heart is to help the homeless. What matters to the customers is the self efficacy felt with helping homeless people, and that the firm actually does help the homeless. Essentially, the business just has to work accordingly. 

My friend Viren also suggested lobbying to politicians to see if my business idea could be implemented using state and local funding. In Key West, I could get the attention of locals to see if they agree and would want to contribute to the business. Whether in a form of investment, employment, or lobbying, my business can take off in Key West through word of mouth and being politically in favor. 

Again, what matters most to this group is seeing their dollar be used accordingly. If my business does a good job at finding those in need, providing for them, and improving society as a whole, then the customer will evaluate their contribution with a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment. 

14A - Halfway Reflection

1) Tenaciousness is a competency.

Throughout academia, I've always been lucky to stop myself from being a procrastinator. Procrastinating is a task that seems so inviting and pleasureful, but it's one you must avoid. In ENT3003, or any college class for that matter, procrastinating on assignments has a high correlation with you being screwed. Personally, I made myself a schedule of when to do each segment of ENT3003. For example, I take notes on the modules for the cupcakes on Monday and Tuesdays, and then the other assignments the rest of the week. Then, the cupcakes and peer reviews on Friday. So I personally use a schedule and force myself to not sin by procrastinating.

2) Tenaciousness is also about attitude.

Earlier in the semester, I spent tons of time perfecting my elevator pitch. After completing the assignment, I soon realized I didn't stand in the video, which was a requirement. I was very frustrated because I had to redo the entire assignment, and I personally do not like recording myself doing an elevator pitch very much. But, I want a good grade in the class so I pursued and fixed it nonetheless. If you ever feel like "giving up" in a college class then do it, don't suffer through the class whilst not retaining any material. It's a waste of precious young adult time and money. Get your work done and look over the directions to ensure your assignments can be valid.

There are many times during the semester where I'm haunted by ENT3003 assignments during busy testing weeks in Calculus 2. But if you work diligently and ahead, it will not be a problem. Having this class on my schedule helps me maintain an organized, procrastination-lacking way of life.

3) Three Tips:

1. Do not procrastinate, always work on a determined schedule using a planner.
2. Have some sort of passion behind Entrepreneurship, if you don't care, don't take it!!!
3. Make the most of this class, it has a lot of potential for eager students to get their hands on the ropes of being an Entrepreneur. 

13A - Reading Reflection

I recently finished the biography on Elon Musk called "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future" by Ashlee Vance.

1)
What surprised you most ?

Most of my teenage life I have been inspired and in awe of what Elon Musk has accomplished. Having built an Aerospace titan and electric car company, he is working diligently to make the impossible, possible. All of this of course, is common knowledge nowadays. What truly shocked me was how outright ambitious Elon was. In his undergraduate summers, he would take road trips with his brother, Kimbal, in their beat up 1970s BMW 320i, driving from UPenn to San Francisco and would go to random start ups seeing if they needed interns. I personally would not think of trying something that radical for summer plans. When Elon wanted something he got off his rear end and got it, no questions asked. Whether it was whilst a 3rd grader reading encyclopedias, or pursuing the 2nd Generation Tesla Roadster, Elon would succeed no matter who told him otherwise. It's cliche, but Elon's bulletproof drive is unmatched.

What about the entrepreneur did you most admire?

Similar to the last question, what I admire most about Elon Musk is his drive. If he wanted to learn about x, y, and z tomorrow he'd have textbooks on the subject today and be an expert by tomorrow. If he wanted to learn he would dissect every viewpoint of it and seek its flaws and strengths. Breaking everything possible down to fundamental physics, Elon is a physicist at heart and an engineer with his hands. That said, Elon's drive is, as expected, immense. Elon Musk will succeed and will execute no matter how many times he must try.

What about the entrepreneur did you least admire?

I can't honestly say that I dislike Elon Musk's management style which pursues efficiency, conscientiousness, and biology as a means of having his companies succeed. The curse words, insults, and curt firings are required when your goals are as ambitious as Musk's. Requesting the minds greatest and brightest engineers, coders, analysts, and many others, means that working less than 16 hours a day and not succeeding doesn't cut it. This technique obviously has meant Musk has a lot of bad blood and has burned some bridges here and there. This cut-throat style may be my least admirable trait of Musk, but I see it as being as necessary as anything about him.

Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it?

Man did he, all of Elon's life has been a serious struggle and he's managed to handle it. From a rough childhood, to constant bullying, to failing companies, to lawsuit after lawsuit. Again and again, Elon got back up stronger than before, learning from his mistakes and ensuring that failure is never an option. On multiple accounts Tesla was nearing bankruptcy (they were also nearly claimed by Google but were saved by a matter of days), as well as SpaceX not launching a rocket successfully for nearly a decade. Zip2 and Paypal weren't necessarily fairy tale stories either, but he ended up with payouts in those businesses.

2) What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited?

Ever since he was a child Elon Musk was gifted at recalling information. He also adored reading. Moving onto encyclopedias after finishing his local library at the age of 9, his braniac, fact-ridden self was not the best recipe for deep friendships in youth. Also, Elon's passion as well as his immense intelligence means he can pick up anything instantly. His academic history and competency in his companies are proof of this. He is also never afraid to point out criticisms when needed. Elon is never concerned with personal feelings when his company is at hand.

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

It was reading about Zip2 and Paypal because when these companies were garage start-ups they went through employees like nothing. A new name and description of their next coding whiz was on every page so it can be hard to keep track of names. However, Elon also has many loyal employees who are mentioned throughout the book.

4) If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? why?

I am not sure if I could actually come down to just two questions for Elon Musk. Being the ambitious Tony-Stark like business mogul he is, I could talk to him for hours. He inspires me as someone interested in business, and as a human in general who has loved space since I can remember. First I'd ask him, will you ever feel truly fulfilled and happy in life? Elon being optimistic in gaols, but slow to appreciate his own success, would have an interesting answer. Another would be, since he's such an avid video game fan, would he ever consider getting into the field of creating video games?

5) What do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion?

In an interview with Elon Musk, I once heard him say, "You have to work twice as hard as your competitors." Which in literal terms sounds silly or hopeful. But it's true. This biography is littered in moments of Elon never shutting down. Since the beginning he slept at his desk and would work past his employees. Nowadays, he works half of the week at SpaceX, and the other at Tesla, flying between Los Angeles and San Francisco hundreds of times. All in all, I assume Musk would say that hard work is getting out of bed with a sense of purpose, and working your all to help grow your company towards new horizons. I myself, comfortably agree with this position on the meaning of hard work.

12A - Figuring Out Buyer Behavior

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior

Choosing A Segment: 

For this assignment, I went with a segment of people looking to help the homeless who did not have the money/resources to do so. The first one (Ben) is a finance major like myself, who has ambitious goals and an entrepreneurial mindset. The second one (AJ) is my younger brother who is 14, and finally (Indrajit) is another finance major student who is hoping to get into International Business. All three believe that helping out the homeless will be beneficial to society. 

Interview Info:

When I interviewed Ben we talked awhile about how this need can be solved. The need for homeless people to be helped is everywhere yet rarely anything happens to help them. Ben brought up how he liked my idea for helping the homeless. However he was concerned on funding for the project much like I was. It all sounded very hypothetical, as if this wasn't an attainable goal. 

Speaking with my brother was much more optimistic. He recognized that these people deserved better and he wanted to know ways to help. Having worked with a local soup kitchen, he knew the need was there. Furthermore, AJ liked my idea for the need, he thought it was cool to see how they would have to work jobs as compensation for living in the neighborhood. However, he was also concerned on how it would be paid for. He asked if it would be the government or someone rich and I said anything was a possibility. 

My interview with Indrajit went a similar route. He agreed that the people needed to be helped but only if they made up for the expenses with work in return. He also told me about how his parents' work was heavily concerned with real estate costs in tourist heavy regions. So as the conversation carried on we reached the similar checkpoint as the last two interviews. How will this be funded? Again, I stated we could lobby to politicians or seek funding from a philanthropic wealthy person.

What I learned:

I realized rather quickly that everyone ultimately feels a need to help homeless people. However, the demand for this is very low. Similarly to world peace or curing hunger, everyone ideally believes in it, but its massive presence as a problem makes it very hard to achieve. As such, my interviewees agreed that it should be done, but the  amount of conversation concerning funding points to the fact that it's not everyone's priority. Any ambitious attempt being made on this subject is looked at in a bad eye because of the multitude of problems in society at the moment.

How I would describe this segment:

It's safe to say that I am not the first college student who has devised a plan to help the homeless people. Many ambitious thinkers hope to find a solution to his problem, yet many fall short. It's definitely a need everyone is aware of, but its intense expenses and mass presence makes it very hard to tackle. Everyone wants to help the homeless, but many do not have the means to actually do so. 

11A - Idea Napkin

Idea Napkin

• Who you are. What your talents are. What your skills and experiences are. Also: what are your aspirations? Specifically regarding your business concept, how do you see this business (if you were to start it) playing a role in your life?

• My name is Zach Wilson. I am a freshman at UF and I'm a Finance major who's not quite sure what they want to pursue. I play 4 instruments, love music, and love working on my car. I know how to use many programs and can work well in groups. My business is my opportunity to be a leader and a role model. Being the oldest sibling, my entire life I have managed to be a good role model to my younger brother. In this same way, I hope to be a role model to the homeless people that I assist.

• What are you offering to customers? Describe the product or service (in other words, how you'll solve customers' unmet needs). 

• I am offering to customers a chance to restart. A chance at the game of life to begin and get back on one's feet. For those in need, they will be granted housing, sanitation, and food in return for labor and volunteer work. These people will get a chance to restart their lives no matter how down and out.

• Who are you offering it to? Describe, in as much detail as possible, the demographic and psychographic characteristics of your customers. Think especially of this question: what do your customers all have in common? 

• I am offering this product to people who cannot afford to live in Key West. Some may have lost to unemployment cycles, or they may have mental health issues that stop them from working. A multitude of reasons can turn a person homeless. However, all/most of them are unemployed, making no income, with no substantial net worth. These people will be given another chance.

•  Also, this product can be sold to local governments of cities who also would like to help the homeless in their respective locations. The product can be uniquely designed for any city.

• Why do they care? Your solution is only valuable insofar as customers believe its valuable to them. Here, explain why customers will actually pay you money to use your product or service. 

• I'd like to think that homeless people in desperate need would want to be helped and would feel obliged to do the volunteer work as an incentive for living in the housing. However, if they would not like to comply then someone else can take that opportunity to be helped. Considering that the homeless people do not pay for this product, someone else is. Hopefully, the taxpayer's dollar will be used to fund this program, or someone feeling rather philanthropic will assist in the matter.

• What are your core competencies? What sets you apart from everyone else? Also: what do you have that nobody else has?  

• My core competencies consist of giving the homeless people housing, whilst giving them a more unique/personal experience when they live in an individual home rather than a giant facility. Furthermore, the homeless can personalize and decorate their houses to individuate themselves even more. Rather than this being a bland government program, it will be a passion-driven experience in pursuit of bringing people a better life.

• In addition to these five elements, please spend a paragraph evaluating whether you believe these elements fit together or whether there are aspects of your business concept that are weaker / out-of-joint with the others. 

• I believe that in concept my business is a good, wholehearted idea. However, when looking at the expenses, it is a costly feat. My parents have run an appraisal company in Key West for the last 20+ years, when I told them my plan they said it was "ultimately unfeasible in Key West." Due to the high costs of land, materials, service, etc, this project would need a philanthropic Venture Capitalist to take off with no real hope for getting one's money back.

10A - Elevator Pitch

Here is my elevator pitch.

https://youtu.be/8FSsXmH51FE

9A - Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Who: During my interviews, it was clear that many people struggle to afford housing in Key West, however not all of them end up homeless. My market is meant for people who are purely homeless in Key West and cannot support themselves. However some people outside of this market include people who have multiple jobs, people who live in affordable housing, and people who move away because they can't afford it. I interviewed people from Key West who worked multiple jobs, and lived in affordable housing. They discussed how hard it is to scrape by with many hours in multiple jobs, as well as having to live in the limited affordable housing that is available. If they didn't work as hard as they do, this interviewee wouldn't be able to afford the rent.

What: This need is for people who have nothing at all. People who are down and out and need to be picked up back on their feet. This is not necessarily for people who are having trouble with bills, but more for substantially homeless. This is not an extension of affordable housing, but an attempt to help the lives of many in the Keys.

Why: People inside the boundary of the need and outside the boundary of the need both cannot afford housing in Key West. However, there is a multitude of reasons for substantially homeless people, whether it is mental health, lack of skills required in the labor force, or other reasons, the lack of money to afford rent is why these people have the need.

Inside the Boundary               Outside the Boundary

Who:                            Homeless People                       People living in affordable housing, people                                                                                             who move away because they cannot afford                                                                                             Key West 

What:                           To shelter Homeless people      Affordable housing for employed people 

Why:                            These people need help getting  To find new low-skill workers

                                     back on their feet 

8A - Solving The Problem

Assignment 8A - Solving the Problem

The opportunity I am pursuing is homelessness in Key West. The tourist-ridden island is very expensive to live in. Because of this, there is a large presence of homeless people in the city.

• My first product would similar to what is being done in Seattle. A program called Tiny Houses (https://lihi.org/tiny-houses/) is going on in Seattle that provides very small (150 sq. ft.) houses for homeless people to live in. They obviously would be better for homeless people than tents, and amenities (laundry rooms, showers, restroom facilities) would be provided in the neighborhoods for these houses. I would create small neighborhoods like this, but in Key West.
• An obvious solution would be to increase affordable housing opportunities for people on the island. However, the lack of space on the 2x1 island makes Tiny Houses a more viable option. 
• Also, when I lived in Key West there was a big push for paper straws, to ridden of the pollution and harm plastic straws cause to the local wildlife. Key West deals with many people and pollution occurs. Perhaps people living in these Tiny Houses can assist in cleaning up the island through work programs. 

I feel that this product is a viable option for helping the homeless people in Key West. The chances of it being approved by the local government are slim to none without the public taking action. However, Key West is a world renowned vacation spot where many upper class people reside and/or visit. Snowbirds are people who own property in Key West that migrate down to the island during the winter to bask in the tropical sun. Whilst I attended high school in Key West, there were many examples of wealthy individuals providing funding for programs for clubs at the school that did have funding from the state. Perhaps if word is spread, someone would be philanthropic enough to help fund this product for the bettering of Key West.

7A - Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

Testing the Hypothesis Part 1

Homeless in Key West, Florida

Opportunity:

• There is a large amount of homeless people in Key West who are unable to afford housing because of the high cost of real estate in Key West.

• The who: People who are unable to afford housing in Key West.
• The what: These people become homeless and cannot bounce back.
• The why: The island has a very limited amount of real estate, causing real estate to be very expensive. 

•  Testing the who: Key West is a tourist driven tropical town and is known around the world. Around 25,000 people live on the 2 x 1 mile island. As such, it's very expensive to live in the Southernmost Point. For one person to rent a studio in Key West, they should be making at least $65k per year. (http://www.fla-keysappraisals.com) Considering this is more than the average salary in the US, it's very hard to live in Key West.

• Testing the what: People across the globe suffer from being homeless. It's a serious problem in poverty-ridden countries as well as wealthy countries. There is a myriad of organizations that plan to rid of homelessness across the world. However similar to world hunger, it's a large task to accomplish.

• Testing the why: Most people do not make enough money to afford housing in Key West. Also, the amount of affordable housing in Key West is very limited due to the overpopulation of the island. Thus, many have no choice but to live on the streets. 

Interview 1):

• Firstly, I interviewed my mom. Her and my dad are state certified real estate appraisers and have worked in Key West for more than 20 years. She also agreed in that it is very expensive to live in Key West. My mom told me that the homeless haven't been taken care of because of differing opinions of how "resources are to be spent." Nonetheless, the homeless exist and it needs to be fixed.

Interview 2):

• Next, I interviewed a girl from my high school. She also said it's very expensive to live in Key West. "People usually have to work two jobs to make ends meet." She also agreed that homeless were a problem. "Driving to school every morning I see large groups of homeless citizens." Furthermore, she also believes that the local government should do something about the amount of homeless in the city.

Interview 3):

• I interviewed another student from my old high school. She also agreed that Key West is expensive, and there is a substantial amount of homeless in the city. This student said, "there are efforts to help the homeless like soup kitchens, we could step it up." She said that there could be improvements made in the affordable housing neighborhoods, as well as public washrooms so they could care for their hygiene. She also brought up that only so much can be done because of the limited amount of space on the island. 

Interview 4):

• Next, I interviewed a college friend who lived in Key West with me, he said that the cost of living is indeed expensive and increases every year. Also, that there is a large amount of homeless on the island and not a lot is done to help them. He said opportunities should be given to help the homeless get back on their feet, such as unskilled jobs. 

Interview 5):

• Finally, I interviewed one of my best friends from Key West who attends Santa Fe College. He also agreed in that it is very expensive to live in Key West because of its location and atmosphere. Furthermore, he stated, " Rent for store-fronts is consistently rising, pushing out family-owned businesses. The island is being bought out by big companies, there are currently 4 CVS's on the island." Also, he said that there are programs to help the homeless, yet they cannot escape the poverty.

Given your interviews, what do you know about the opportunity that you didn't before?

• Whilst interviewing everyone, it was interesting to see how everyone believed that it is incredibly expensive to live in Key West. Many of them thought having two jobs was the norm!
• For the most part, the interviewees agreed with me, in that Key West has a homeless problem that needs addressing. It was interesting to see how my mom, an adult who has lived there for 20+ years, as well as normal students noticed this problem and recognize that it is very hard to live in Key West.
• The interviewees all agreed that something should be done for the homeless. Whether it's programs to help homeless people get jobs, or affordable housing. 

6A - Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

6A - Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Economic Trend: Fading Energy Drags

• Source: https://commercial.jpmorganchase.com/pages/commercial-banking/executive-connect/six-key-economic-trends
• Considering oil prices have stabilized, and drilling in the states becomes more profitable, this increase in exporting of fuel will lead to an increase in capital spending for companies in our country. This is an opportunity for American companies to expand and build their oil firms because of the resurgence of oil exporting.
• The prototypical customer of this event are the owners of industrial/oil firms in the United States that are currently drilling in the United States.
• The opportunity is not easy to exploit. The opportunity simply is a moment in the oil market where prices are stable and demand of foreign countries is high, so companies should be keeping the supply of U.S. oil to other countries flowing. 
• I believed there was an opportunity because the market is very good for oil in the United States and using basic macroeconomics principle I figured the owners should make usage of the moment to grow their company in the long run. 

Economic Trend: Climate Change Is Causing More Natural Disasters

• Source: https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666
• The increase in natural disasters has led to a higher demand for carpentry and construction work. After the widespread wildfires of California, and the multiple hurricanes of the east coast, many buildings need to be repaired or rebuilt. This is an opportunity for roofing companies, carpenters, plumbers, and other blue collar workers.
• The prototypical customer would be someone who works in carpentry, construction, roofing, etc. who can repair/rebuild a building after natural disaster. 
• One could exploit the opportunity but it would be rather hard. First you'd have to wait for the opportunity to arise (natural disaster occurs). Second, you'd have to be ready to help people as soon as possible, and beat out the competing carpenters. 
• I believed there was an opportunity because the recent amount of damage being caused by natural disasters gives these markets a chance to thrive and expand.
• Whenever I've dealt with a hurricane, one of the first civilians to show up after a storm is a carpenter/ construction worker ready to help people rebuild what they lost.

Regulatory Changes: Sales Tax

• Source: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7671-regulatory-issues-changes.html
• The Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair ended the zero sales tax of E-commerce businesses. This provides an opportunity for traditional brick-and-mortar businesses to thrive again like before the introduction of the Internet.
• The prototypical customer of this regulatory change are owners of traditional businesses and customers who prefer in-person experiences when shopping.
• The opportunity is not easy to exploit. The opportunity simply levels the playing field between E-commerce businesses and brick-and-mortar businesses, making them both deal with a sales tax.
• I felt that this was an opportunity because it gives online businesses another barrier to entry, one that normal brick-and-mortar businesses have dealt with for eternity.
• I found that this opportunity existed because adding another cost to E-commerce businesses will decrease their revenue, taking away from the competition to brick-and-mortar stores. 

Regulatory Changes: Federal Tax Overhaul

• Source: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7671-regulatory-issues-changes.html
• After the Federal tax policy reform, changes to the U.S. tax code are underway. With this, companies should look into how to save as much money as possible without wrongly covering their taxes. This is an opportunity for businesses of all sizes to save money from the tax cuts.
• The prototypical customer is anyone who owns, runs, or works in a business. The tax cuts means more money in the pockets of Americans. 
• The opportunity is not easy to exploit, it was set across the whole country and is being put into effect. Any chance of exploiting against a Federal tax is most likely illegal. 
• I believed this was a business opportunity because more money in the pockets of businesses means that capital can be used for investing, expanding, and much more. I found this opportunity to exist because of basic economic principle, more disposable income going to people means there is more opportunity to work with.

5A - Identifying Local Opportunities

Assignment 5A- Identifying Local Opportunities

1. "FPL parents closes on purchase of Gulf Power" by Jim Turner of the Miami Herald

• https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0102%21January%2B02&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/170B3BD13208D298
• This article from January 2nd, 2019 is about NextEra Energy Inc. acquiring Florida Power & Light. Florida Power & Light is an energy company that has been struggling recently after Hurricane Michael. Having a parent company acquire Florida Power & Light will help get the company to their peak performance.
• The problem in this story is that Florida Power & Light has been struggling as workers work overtime to sustain the districts they are responsible for after Hurricane Michael.
• Florida Power & Light and its workers have the problem because the company is failing. Also, the customers of Florida Power & Light are involved because if Florida Power & Light cannot perform then many citizens would be without power.

     2. "Planning to buy a home soon? Here's how the government shutdown could affect you." by Rene Rodriguez of the Miami Herald

• https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0103%21January%2B03&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/170BB808A6B2FF68
• This article from January 3rd, 2019 is about how the government shutdown may affect services pertaining to purchasing a home. However, many believe that the shutdown itself will have no effect as the housing market is about "wants and needs purely." The most it could do is slow down certain processes they stated.
• The problem here is that people are concerned that certain services that deal with purchasing real estate could be slowed or unavailable because of the recent government shutdown from December of last year.
• People who have this problem is anyone in the process of purchasing a new home or their first home. Which is a big deal because all adults deal with this task at some point in their lives. 

     3. "Air Travel might be less safe during the government shutdown, federal inspectors warn." by Taylor Dolven of the Miami Herald

• https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0104%21January%2B04&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/170C0DE70914B8E8
• Because of the recent government shutdown, Federal aviation safety inspectors haven't been working. This has caused a heightened risk of danger for pilots and passengers. This has also put FAA workers out of work until the shutdown is over.
• The problem here is that people flying are at risk of danger because the planes aren't maintained properly. Also, FAA workers are jobless now.
• The people who have this problem are people flying, pilots, FAA workers, and TSA agents.

     4. "The team behind Kyu restaurant is launching a new eatery in Wynwood called - Laid Fresh" by Rene Rodriguez of the Miami Herald

• https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0105%21January%2B05&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/170C619474D859D0
• The owners of a successful restaurant called "Kyu" are opening another restaurant in Wynwood. Wynwood is a growing district with many "new restaurants and retail businesses." Kyu made OptenTable's Top 100 best restaurants in the U.S. so it will be interesting to see how the new one does. The new restaurant will be called "Laid Fresh" so perhaps it will be a healthy option.
• The problem is there was a need for a high end restaurant in the district of Wynwood. Also, since the new restaurant will be called "Laid Fresh," it will probably be a healthy option in the neighborhood.
• The problem is associated to people who live and work in Wynwood who might want a healthy option for food. 

     5. "Ugly year for stocks proved even worse for South Florida-based companies" by Rob Wile of the Miami Herald

• https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0107%21January%2B07&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/170CD8CA61F4A850
• This article published on January 7th, 2019 by Rob Wile is about the rather red year we had for the stock market. In the article, they compare the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average to the top 50 companies of South Florida to see how they stacked against each other. According to the University of Miami Business School's Florida 50 Index, top public companies from Florida were down five percent. Whereas, the Dow and S&P fell six percent.
• The problem at stake is the companies of Florida are currently undervalued since their stock prices have fallen. However, they didn't do as poor as the two most popular indices of market.
• The people involved with this problem are shareholders of the companies and the owners of the companies.