16A –What’s Your Secret Sauce?

Five ways in which I have different human capital:

1. I am incredibly hardworking. When I have a goal or idea in mind, I won't stop until that idea is finalized or my goal is reached. There are times when all I do is work on my goals and nothing else.

2. I adapt well to new situations. Growing up, I moved around a lot, so I had to adjust to new conditions. Being able to adapt quickly has helped me deal with projects that don't go as planned.

3. I work well in teams. I have worked in a lot of teams in high school and even now. I have learned how to interact with individuals with different perspectives and goals in addition to dealing with conflict when it does arise.

4. I believe that I am incredibly dependable. If I promise I am going to do it, I will always do it and do it well. I want people to know that I will always do what is asked of me on time and exceptionally well. There is nothing worse than having to redo a section because someone didn't place any effort into it.

5. I try to be a good listener. I realize that to be a communicator, you must be a good listener first. It is the foundation of an excellent communicator. So I try to listen to understand what an individual is saying instead of looking to talk.   

Five interviews and key takeaways:

Katelyn:  

https://soundcloud.com/taylor-carlson-680117206/katelyn

Katelyn and I had several classes fall semester and have remained close friends since. The critical thing she mentioned was that I can make people feel comfortable and that I try to get along with everyone. She stated that I am organized and hardworking, explicitly stating that I go out of my way to work ahead.

Daphne:

https://soundcloud.com/taylor-carlson-680117206/daphne

Daphne was my Freshman year roommate and has become one of my closest friends at UF. Daphne mentioned in the interview that I am always working towards and for what I am passionate about. She stated that I am extremely hardworking, and on top of things that I try to come up with creative solutions for problems. 

 

Hannah:

https://soundcloud.com/taylor-carlson-680117206/hannah

Hannah was another one of Freshman roommates and one of my best friends. Hannah's critical things mentioned in the interview were extremely detail-oriented in my work tasks and day-to-day tasks. She stated that I remember small details that people say to me, which makes me a good friend. Lastly, she mentioned I have a strong sense of what is right and wrong.

Dad:

https://soundcloud.com/taylor-carlson-680117206/dad

The key takeaway from this interview was that my growing up and being educated in another country has allowed me to have a diverse view of cultures. This experience has allowed me to have an open mind when it comes to situations and people.

Aéja:

https://soundcloud.com/taylor-carlson-680117206/aeja

Aéja is a member of the same sorority as I am. My main takeaway from this interview was that I am passionate about the things I love, like my significant and animal welfare. I am extremely focused on the things I love, as well.

Reflection:

One common theme from how I perceive myself and what the people closest to me said was that I am hardworking. Almost all of them mentioned that I am always working to ensure that my tasks get done on time and doing them well. Some of the comments like still working ahead and being on top of my workload ties back into me being dependable. My dad's comment on me growing up in Europe goes back to the idea that I am adaptable. Hannah mentioned the fact that I remember small details of what people say, which ties into me actively working to be a good listener. One thing that surprised me was the comments about me going out of my way to make people comfortable. I never realized that was something that stuck out about me. If I were to go back to my initial list, I would add that I am friendly and easy-going. I think overall, my friends' and families' opinions of me aligned with how I perceive myself. 

15A – Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Opportunity: app for finding parking on campus

Alternative Evaluation:

The three individuals I interviewed were college students at the University of Florida. From the previous behavior assignment, there were three alternatives to solve their problem: buy a parking decal, ride the bus, or the app. All three of the people interviewed valued ease of travel, which was the most natural thing they could do. Two out of the three also valued something trustworthy and dependable. One individual mentioned the bus app as an example; the Rider app sometimes is inaccurate when detailing the arrival time, and sometimes the app even indicates that there are no buses available even when there are. When looking for a parking solution, they didn't want to pay much money if they didn't have too. Two out of the three interviewed mentioned that they always go with the cheapest or free alternative first. All three expressly indicated that an app has to be is easy to use and navigate.  If they find it too complicated, they will delete it and look for another option.

How/where do they buy:

For both the apps and the decal, if they were willing to spend money, they would go online for the transaction. The sticker would go to the UF Transportation and Parking Services and use their or their parents' credit/debit card. As for the app, if they had to pay to use the app, they would also use a credit/debit card. All three mentioned, they would not focus on in-person transactions. 

Post-purchase behavior:

All three mentioned that they evaluate all alternatives based on the amount of stress caused and ease of traveling. If they were using one of the other options, and they were late, or they were pressed on time, they would likely look at another solution. They would ask the question: did this particular app solve the problems? As for the decal, they would see if they found parking more frequently and compare it with the price paid for the sticker.

Conclusion:

 I knew to go into these interviews that these individuals would be extremely priced sensitive. They would be unlikely to pay a lot of money to fix this solution. They care more about time management and being relatively stress-free. If a product gives that to them, they are likely to utilize it. The segment is looking for a quick, easy, and cheap alternative pretty much. 

14A – Halfway Reflection

Photo by Ivan Bertolazzi

Tenaciousness is a competency. One of the behaviors I have used for this course is time management. We have three assignments that are due at the end of the week and videos to watch. I had to ensure that I gave myself enough time to finish these tasks well. Another behavior that I used during this class was communication skills; having to interview and post peer reviews requires me to connect with individuals genuinely. The behavior that I developed was out of the box thinking. When I made the bugs lists, initially, it was hard because I never looked at the world in search of opportunities. However, after many assignments, I’ve begun to look at my surroundings differently.

Tenaciousness is also about attitude. A moment that I felt like giving up was when we had to film our elevator pitch. It’s something that I initially was uncomfortable doing, to the point I debated even doing the assignment. One of my reasons for taking this class was to push myself and learn a new set of skills, that ideology is what pulled me through. It would be a waste of an opportunity if I didn’t even attempt it. I believe that I developed a tenacious attitude. The feedback that I received from my peers was a contributing factor; they always encouraged my ideas and helped me flesh out my thoughts. Their feedback helped be determined about my design.

Three tips.

1. When interviewing individuals, don’t be afraid to ask people that you think may not be interested in your product or service. The individuals can give you great insight into better your idea, or they might surprise you and be responsive. Either way, interviewing these hard to reach people might give you great information.

2. Don’t take criticism as an insult. Just because someone might not see or share your vision does not mean you should dismiss their advice. There is a chance that their ideas can also elevate your initial thought. That said, you should have confidence in your plan and stand by it.

3. Have fun with it. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box and be innovative. Sometimes a simple opportunity requires a creative solution. So if your first idea doesn’t fit the occasion, don’t be afraid to continue brainstorming an innovative solution.     

13A – Reading Reflection No. 1

"Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald's" by Ray Kroc with Robert Anderson

What surprised me the most:

What surprised me the most about how McDonald's came to be was how Ray Kroc came up in the world. I was surprised to read that he never received his high school diploma, Kroc dropped out his Sophomore year. (Kroc & Anderson, p. 13) You always hear the phrase that school isn't for everyone, and getting a proper education isn't always an indicator of success. Ray Kroc is the perfect example of that. School was boring to him, and he felt like he wasn't advancing while being there. (Kroc & Anderson, p. 13) He was more interested in being on the frontline where he could be part of the action. "Books bored" him. (Kroc & Anderson, p. 11) It surprised me to read that the person behind McDonald's widespread success wasn't someone with a business degree but someone with years of sales under their belt with a deep understanding of customers. 

What I admired the most:

Ray Kroc always made sure to think about his customers. It was a recurring theme throughout the biography from his time as a successful salesman to the founder of McDonald's. As a salesman, he would focus on the customer's needs and alter his pitch based on them. As Kroc stated, "No self-respecting pitcher throws the same way to every batter, and no self-respecting salesman makes the same pitch to every client." (Kroc & Anderson, p. 15) Kroc never forced sales on individuals when he knew that they were in financial trouble or they didn't require his products. Kroc held an appealing ideology. If Kroc couldn't sell a customer on his product by ensuring an increase in sales, he felt that he wasn't doing his job well. (Kroc & Anderson, p. 25) I admired this because salespeople get the reputation that they are willing to say anything to make a deal. It is refreshing to hear that Kroc didn't deceive or force his products on unwilling customers, even at his expense. 

What I admired least:

There were times when I was reading that I thought Kroc's ego got in the way. Kroc knew that he was skilled in many areas and successful, sometimes that knowledge led him to be extremely boastful. For example, during the Great Depression, Kroc worked for a paper cup company known as Lily-Tulip Cup Company. Kroc was the best salesman, he brought in many large accounts for the company, but due to depression, everyone in the company was taking a salary cut. He refused to make the cut and quit. He didn't tell his wife and continued to lie to her about having a job. He felt insulted at the fact that his company treats their best salesmen in such an "arbitrary fashion." (Kroc & Anderson, p. 39) While I understand that he brought in much money for the company and was a precious asset, we cannot ignore the problematic economic position many people were in. Kroc had a job with an income, and the pay cut was temporary. Lying to his wife and his child about his career also rubbed me the wrong way.

Adversity and failure:

When he was just married and starting up in the world, Kroc took several jobs to provide for his family. He worked at the paper cup company and a radio station. Kroc would get up at seven in the morning and would typically work until two in the morning with small breaks in between. (Kroc & Anderson, p. 21) He had to sacrifice time with his family to be successful and for them to live comfortably. The way he dealt with this was by always keeping a lookout for more promising opportunities.

Competencies:

Kroc was an excellent salesman. He had a way of knowing exactly what to say and do to make a sale. Even with people that were tough to crack, Kroc was persistent if he knew that he could help them with his products. He had a unique ability to sense opportunities and successes like that of McDonald's. Lastly, Kroc had a sixth sense when it came to hiring the right people for the job. He always seemed to know what people were right for what positions. Some examples include June Martino and Harry Sonneborn. These two worked tirelessly besides Kroc to ensure McDonald's success. (Kroc & Anderson, p. 77) 

The confusing section:

Kroc was extremely critical of the McDonald's brothers. He seemed to judge them quite harshly when they did not seem to share the same vision as he did. The McDonald's brothers were extremely comfortable with their restaurant's success and were not interested in scaling it as Kroc did. They were extremely reluctant to go along with Kroc's vision. (Kroc & Anderson, p. 7-8) Since they were on different pages from the very beginning, they caused problems for Kroc later on. They refused to help Kroc on several occasions. This caused Kroc to become bitter. I was confused at Kroc's reaction; he knew from the very beginning that they were not interested in the same vision as him. What did he expect from them? He knew that they were not on the same "wavelength." (Kroc & Anderson, p. 108)   

Questions:

1. If you could do the deal with the McDonald's brothers again, would you do it differently? 
• As mentioned previously, Kroc struggled with the brothers throughout his career. It would be interesting to hear if he would change anything knowing the struggle it brought later.
2. How were you so motivated to continue, even when others didn't believe in your vision? 
• There were times were even Kroc's first wife didn't believe in his ideas and methods, yet he persevered through the criticism. I wonder how he continued through it all without wavering.

Hard work:    

Kroc believed that hard work was the foundation behind the success of McDonald's. Kroc never seemed to slow down, he worked and sacrificed a lot. Even after he decided to step down from a leadership position, he continued to help McDonald's. I don't think there was a day where he wasn't working in some way.  

Citation:

Kroc, Ray, and Robert Anderson. Grinding It out: the Making of McDonald's. St. Martins Griffin, 2016.

12A – Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

Opportunity: an app the helps find parking on campus.

Segment: The market segment that I’ll be selecting is the University of Florida college students with a car between the ages of 18 to 24.

Interviews:

Interview 1: The first person I interviewed is a rising Sophomore with a car on campus. The first time she had trouble finding parking, her solution was to continue driving around campus until a parking spot became available. By the end of the first semester, this student had a good idea when and where the places were usually open and hit those first. If those were filled, she would go back to driving around until one was available. She did not think to google anything, but she did ask her upperclassmen friends for advice. She asked them whether if parking was always this hectic and if they had any strategies for finding parking quickly.

Interview 2: The second person I interviewed is a rising Junior. This student lives off-campus, so the first time she noticed an issue with parking, the first thing she did was ask her friends what they did. Her friends told her that they don’t drive to campus anymore, but instead, they take the bus. They don’t have to pay, and it’ll get them where they need to go without parking. She then googled the bus routes and stops near her apartment and her classes.

Interview 3: The last person I interviewed is a rising Junior. He has lived both on and off-campus. When he lived on campus, he had a decal for his car while this allowed him to park in designated areas. So when he decided to live off-campus, he knew the parking situation would intensify since he can no longer park on campus during specific times. To find a solution, he looked up the university’s Transportation and Parking Services to see if he could get a decal for off-campus students. He then looked up all the areas where he would be allowed to park with the sticker. He ended up not purchasing the decal. The Park and Ride decal did not seem worth the cost.

Conclusion:

After I interviewed my segment, I can say that they are all very aware of their need and are actively trying to find a way to solve it. The solutions they have been attempting to use or are currently using are just not satisfactory.

11A- Idea Napkin No. 1

1. There are two ways to describe who I am: academics and personal life. If we focus on academics, I am a general business major at The University of Florida with a specialization in international studies and planning on minoring in geography. On the personal side, I have an extreme passion for animal welfare. A lot of my skills and experiences stem from my volunteering and fostering. Volunteering and fostering have taught me to work with teams in high-pressure situations, responsibility, customer service, and marketing skills. I aspire to use my business degree somehow and connect it to my passion for animal welfare. As for my business concept, if I were to start it, it would be something I focused most, if not all, of my time on.

2. So the business I would focus on is the app for finding parking. My assumption that the need for timesaving is not being met. As mentioned in previous posts, students lose much time searching for parking on campus and can become quite frustrated. The main goal of the app is to indicate where there are open spots near the intended location. Knowing where potential places are will cut down the amount of time the students search and give them a game plan, thereby enabling them to save time while traveling.

3. The parking app would be mostly targeting college students with cars. The students can fall into two categories: those who live on campus and those that live off-campus.

a.      On-campus: I would argue that these students are between 18-22, unmarried, and have no children. Their “annual income” likely comes from four sources: parents, jobs, student loans, or scholarships. These students are moderate to highly involved on campus or in the community. They are living on campus, so it is likely that they only use their car for two reasons: shopping or to go home. Living on-campus allows them to walk to their classes, events, or meetings.

b.      Off-campus: the average students that live off-campus are between the ages of 20-24 (both graduates and undergraduates). Their “annual income” will likely come from jobs, and student loans, possibly scholarships. These students are likely to be extremely involved on campus or in the community. Because they don’t live on campus, I assume that most students in this category use their cars almost daily. They have to travel to get to school, shop, and to go home.

c.      Similarities: I think both parties value education highly and therefore are extremely involved on campus. They must travel to and from college to remain as engaged as they are.

4. Time is precious, especially for college students. Students are already being pulled in all different directions. They have to focus on their studies, jobs or internships, extra-curricular activities, and social life. Students have no time to waste, and that includes looking for parking spots. Students will do a lot to get five more minutes of sleep or five more minutes of studying. I think anything that could provide extra time students will utilize. However, since I am targeting college students, I will not be charging for the app usage because it is unlikely that they will use it then. I will probably have to sell ad space to make income.   

5. I’ve lived both on and off-campus. I’ve walked and taken the bus to get to my classes. There is nothing like the convenience of jumping into your car. I have and am currently still in the position many of these students are in. Having that firsthand experience makes me valuable and approachable for criticism and ideas to make the product better.

Evaluation:

For the most part, everything seems to fit well together. The students have issues with finding secure and accessible parking, plus this issue is not something that will likely be fixed by the university. The target market makes sense for what the product is, and the app directly fixes the problem students are having with time management. The only thing that I still really need to figure out is how I will make the app work. How will I get the necessary intel to inform students of current open spaces and when new parking spots open up.

10A- Elevator Pitch No. 1

9A- Testing The Hypothesis, Part 2

Opportunity: finding a way to get cheap and easy access to online newspapers without having to subscribe to different ones.

Who: I said that my who for the opportunity was typically men and women between the ages of 30 to 55. After interviewing five more people, I have found the people that fall outside of this boundary come in two forms. The first is that they are not interested in easy access to an online newspaper because they have no interest in politics or reading about it. They hear about politics from family, friends, and co-workers, but they make no effort to research on their own. Since they have really no interest in the news, these particular people wouldn't really care for or need access to an online newspaper. Of the five people, I interviewed three people who fell into this category. They felt like the news was too polarizing, and they try to remove themselves as for from it as possible. One explicitly stating that the reports make her feel "depressed," and therefore, she avoids reading the news. The second group of people that fall outside of this boundary is people who have a "distrust" of technology. This group of people would instead purchase a physical newspaper or subscription then get their information online. This group of people is still holding on to the past and to a dying form. Of the five people,  two people fell into this category. Both of these people have a subscription to their local newspaper and still purchase other papers from gas stations. Neither seemed particularly interested to make the switch to an online subscription. 

What: Their needs differ from the others because they don't have the need to have access to reputable online resources. These subscription newspapers like the Wall Street Journal aren't the only source people can turn to get their news, and some people just don't keep up with the story. 

Why: Their needs differ because their perception of staying informed and the importance of keeping up with what is happening varies. Some individuals were taught that it is essential to know what is happening in politics because it affects them, their family, and friends directly. For others, politics isn't as "important" because changing regulations don't alter how they live.

Inside the Boundary	Outside the Boundary
Who is in: the people that I have found that want to access to reputable and researched resources are directly affected by individuals by politics or changes in the economic environment. A small percentage of people wish to access to online newspapers because they just want to stay informed.	Who is out:  people who have absolutely no interest in staying up to date with the current environment or they find their news from other sources like the physical newspaper
What the need is: the need to have the ability to find news from sources that are reputable and professionally researched without paying several different subscriptions	What the need is not: the need to stay informed. People can be informed through various mediums.
Why the need exists: today's polarizing political environment and the notion of "fake news."	Alternative explanation: there are so many other sources where people can get their news that the need for access to these online newspapers isn't needed.

8A- Solving the Problem

In one of the previous exercises, I have discussed finding parking on or near campus. Many students struggle to find accessible parking near their dorms, classes, gyms, etc. Even students that have bought decals to park on campus struggle to find parking. These decals are only really helpful during the day; once restricted parking is lifted at 4:30 PM, off-campus students and visitors can park. From the students, I interviewed in assignment 3, parking is the hardest to find beginning in the evening and lasts until the morning. Students search for thirty to forty-five minutes for a place to park. If students do find parking, they are far from where they need to be. I remember when I used to live in Beaty Towers, my roommates and I were sometimes forced to park as far as the commuter lot and walk back to our dorm or take a snap. Students that live on campus are frustrated because they purchased a decal and still can’t find parking. Off-campus students are frustrated because they can’t park on campus until 4:30 and then always can’t find a place to park.

The product that I would provide is an app that indicates where there are available parking spots in the area they are looking for, and when these spots usually begin to fill up. As mentioned previously, there are certain times during the day that parking is worst. Knowing during what hours traffic on campus is the highest will allow students to leave earlier in hopes of getting a spot before the masses arrive. In addition, telling students where free parking will allow them to cut down their usual search time hopefully. There also could be a feature that notifies students of new parking spots available once they become free. I realize that since I am targeting this app towards college students, I couldn’t charge them for the usage of the app. One way I could make an income is by selling ad space but I am still looking for a more lucrative way to make money.