People in my community are still unable to get haircuts. Due to the mass amount of people looking to get a haircut, in addition to the social distancing guidelines that limit the amount of people allowed inside a barbershop at once, many people have yet to even book an appointment.
Who: People in my area, kids, adults, male, female, insert gender here, etc.
What: Unable to get haircuts due to long lines, unavailable times, overcrowding
Why: Everyone's hair grows and everyone has a busy schedule.
Who do you think would need a haircut in our area?
Interview one (Luke Macdonald) : I think the majority of people in our area would pay for someone to come to their home and give them a hair cut
Interview 2 (Joseph Colarusso) : Everyone needs a haircut right now.
Interview 3 (Josh Negron) : As far as I can see a lot of people in the area need haircuts. it's really a problem
Interview 4 (Thomas Macdonald) : Because of all the social distancing stuff I think a lot of people are not getting haircuts at all.
Interview 5 (Josh Bobet) : I really need a haircut
Why have people not been able to get haircuts recently?
Interview 1: Most likely anybody with a decently filled up schedule is not going to be able to get a haircut because of the waiting time.
Interview 2: Getting a haircut would have to be priority number 1 right now because there is really only a few places to do it around here and the wait times are crazy.
Interview 3: Their just isn'[t enough places to get it done and it is very inconvenient
Interview 4: Time
Interview 5: I would say probably due to social distancing limiting the amount of people inside a place at once.
Summary: I found through my interviews that people are not able to get haircuts mainly due to the lack of people able to give them. Barbershops are working under limited capacity causing wait times to skyrocket and keeping a lot of people away.
Through these interviews I figured out a lot about who would want a haircut around my area as well as a few logistical concerns to think about such as how I would deal with the mass amount of people requesting my service.
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
6A
Opportunity 1 (Economic):
The first opportunity based on economic trends I found was to offer my services as a financial planner to those looking to save money. With the coronavirus having taken its toll on the economy it is clear many people are looking to save money now and for the foreseeable future. I worked an internship last summer as a financial planner and believe I can use what I learned to help people save their money. I found this opportunity online here:
This article suggests people are going to start saving their money and I believe I can offer my service to help anyone who falls in the net of trying to save money. This is a very difficult opportunity to pursue as the competition is fierce and I have not graduated with a degree that many people would like to see before allowing someone to oversee their finances. I saw this opportunity because it falls close to the field that I am studying.
Opportunity 2 (Economic):
One can deduce that the stock market is as volatile as ever and I believe now is the right time to invest in many blue chip stocks. This information shows how the stock market is rebounding slightly due to optimism relating to phased reopening. Even if stock prices remain volatile in the near future I believe long term that stocks are at an all time low and will be reaching their target prices by this time next year. The customer in this opportunity is anyone looking to buy stocks. The opportunity is very easy and all you need is the capital to do it.
Opportunity 3 (Regulatory):
As regulations on social distancing are relaxed I believe an opportunity may arise in the disposal and possibly the recycling process of face masks. Articles like this one:
Suggest all americans should at least own a facemask for protection. I believe an effective process for repurposing or reissuing the facemasks could be profitable. This service would be very valuable to the medical community. The customers of this opportunity are any medical care facility looking to keep and distribute masks in the future. This opportunity is very difficult to take advantage of because you would need a facility capable of recycling a lot of facemasks.
Opportunity 4 (regulatory):
Once again, as regulations on social distancing are relaxed nationwide, I believe as an entrepreneur I can find a easy opportunity to make money by cutting hair for locals in my area. This article lists the plans for each state’s phased reopening:
I believe even though barbershops in florida have been reopened many are still closed or working at less than full capacity which is where my opportunity comes in. I have been cutting my family’s hair for a few years now and believe I can put what I know to good use for people in my area looking to get a cheap and quick haircut in the luxury of their own home.
5A
Title:
Unemployment surges to 16.2% in metro Orlando and 12.9% in Florida, a stunning picture of jobs claimed by coronavirus
The story in this article follows the unemployment percentages in Florida, particularly in Orange county, and how they have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. From the article, I have concluded that the corona virus has hit the Orlando area so hard because non essential businesses like restaurants and tourist attractions have been ordered to shut down until further notice and non essential business is big in Orlando. This has caused many people to lose their job compared to other areas. Also, according to the article, many people may still be technically employed but have seen a reduction in working hours and thus monthly income due to the virus as well.
Article 2:
Title:
AdventHealth, Orlando Health get millions in federal COVID-19 relief funding
The story in the article helps the reader to understand how the federal government is distributing the allotted 50 billion dollars for health care providers. The problem in this story is once again the coronavirus and how the government is trying to keep a float major essential businesses like healthcare providers.
Article 3:
Title:
Orlando International Airport's budget slash ignores history of growth, will have major impact on new terminal
This article examines the financial impact of the coronavirus on one of Orlando’s most essential airports. The problem in this story is surprisingly due to the coronavirus and how it has impacted so many companies’ bottom line.
Article 4:
Title:
SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral scrubbed, rescheduled for Saturday
This article presents the weather concerns SpaceX is having in relation to its next launch to send astronauts to the ISS. The problem in the story is bad weather and SpaceX has decided to move the launch to a different date.
Article 5:
Title:
Annual Orlando postseason college football throwdown becomes the Cheez-It Bowl with crunchy new sponsor
This article follows the college football postseason and how bowls games are constantly being added and taken away from the Orlando area. The problem in this article relates comes in between the lines as it will soon be determined which bowl is being moved out of the stadium.
Thursday, May 21, 2020
4A Opportunity Belief
1. I believe a profitable opportunity exists in the metal straw industry and I would be adequately prepared to take advantage of this opportunity while in school.
2. The most prevalent unmet need I see in everyday life around Gainesville is the need for metal straws to replace the paper straws restaurants are required to use. Nearly every person that drinks using a straw in Gainesville is a potential client to a firm that sells metal straws because of how annoying the issue has proven to be to so many people. The issue came about when Alachua county passed a statute banning plastic straws in an effort to combat climate change. Most people looking to fill this unmet need have either resorted to buying them online or are left helpless, destined to a fate of drinking their beverage through a paper straw and merely complain about it. I am roughly 90% sure this opportunity exists and would be profitable to some extent.
3. 3 A. The prototypical consumer is anyone in Gainesville who uses paper straws
B. Another consumer would be any person who has yet to purchase a metal straw, as this need may be realized when they have the opportunity to buy a metal straw.
C. Environmental activists looking to do their part in saving the planet is another example of a prototypical consumer.
4. What is the exact nature of the need?
Interview 1 (Joseph Colarusso): I believe the use of metal straws takes care of both my distaste for paper straws as well as my desire to help the environment anyway I can.
Interview 2 (Josh Bobet): The nature of a metal straw need is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things but can be useful for making a statement about the importance of protecting the planet and maybe even a quick profit if done correctly.
Interview 3 (Harrison White): I think there is a need for a metal straw and to be honest if I was presented one in person for a cheap price I would buy it. However i’m not going to waste my time buying one online.
When did you become aware of the need?
Interview 1: I became aware of the need for metal straws immediately after last fall semester started. I ordered an iced coffee that came with a paper straw and knew very quickly I would need to find an alternative.
Interview 2: I first noticed I needed a metal straw when you asked me if it was a good idea. But now that the option is in front of me I do realize the potential in the idea
Interview 3: I first realized the need for a metal straw when places started giving out paper straws. They are very bad to drink with and this is a need that occurs nearly everyday, at least five times a week for me.
How long have you had the need/What are you doing to address it?
1: I have had the need for a metal straw since about a week after Alachua passed the statute banning plastic ones. Not doing much to address it though
2: My need for metal straws is relatively new but I’m fed up with paper straws and am looking for a solution. I have yet to find a solution and am just dealing with it right now.
3: I haven’t made headway in solving the problem but I’ve had the need for a while now.
5. I learned my opportunity has a market and many consumers are looking for a solution to paper straws as I had anticipated. The most surprising thing I learned from these interviews was how little people are doing to solve the problem for themselves.
7. The opportunity I formed at the beginning of this exercise has remained relatively unchanged throughout this process. I believe I have gained insight into the way a prototypical consumer thinks in this market and can more effectively address their needs. I believe customer feedback is very important in developing an item already on the market but the best way to turn a profit is to get your product out and figure the rest out later.
3A My ENT Story
My entrepreneurship story first started the summer after my freshman year of college. I was looking for an internship in the business field even though I had yet to decide on a major and stumbled upon an opening in a CPA firm focused on bookkeeping for smaller clients. I was able to learn about selling to clients from the Auditor I worked for in the firm as well as how to adapt a service specifically to client needs. It was a very interesting experience and helped me to grow as a business professional. My experience in the CPA firm is also the reason I decided to become an accounting major at UF.
I decided to enroll in this entrepreneurship class because I think it will help me look at business in a new way, similar to the accounting experience. I hope to grow as a business professional and get exposed to new and creative ways of doing business in this class.
2A Bug List
Bug List:
1. The faucet on my fridge doesn’t measure how much water is coming out, it requires a measuring cup to determine.
It was designed this way most likely because the people designing the fridge did not feel this was an important feature to include.
2 My dog’s collar is too loose and he is able to slip out often while we are on walks.
He is able to do that because the collar is too big and the problem could be fixed altogether by purchasing a harness.
3. The washer and dryer units in my house take up a lot of space and it is bothersome to move clothes from one to the other.
This happens because they were made to be two separate machines when realistically they could be one which would save time and effort.
4. My apartment runs out of hot water too quickly and not all of my roommates are able to take hot showers in the morning.
I’m not sure why we run out of water so quickly but we can fix this by taking showers at different times of the day to try and let the amount of hot water reset.
5. Paper straws at restaurants become flimsy and make the drink worse overall yet they are required in alachua.
The use of paper straws happened due to a new law requiring restaurants to use them.
6. Scooter Parking around Gainesville gets very crowded and it will become a problem as school starts and people are still trying to social distance.
Parking at UF was not a priority when planning the school and it will only pose more and more of a threat as time continues.
7. I make a lot of dishes to clean everyday and I am bugged by how often I find myself cleaning them
This became a problem when all the restaurants closed and I started cooking for myself.
8. Many restaurants only accept online orders at the moment and it is difficult having all the food delivery apps necessary to easily access the food I want to eat.
This became a problem when restaurants had the option to sign up for certain food delivery apps and not others.
9. My roommates and I don’t have enough space to study in the apartment.
This became an issue when the libraries shutdown due to the coronavirus and we were all forced to work from home.
10. Some of my teachers create deadlines for homework at noon instead of midnight causing me to finish work a day early and feel stressed out.
This happens because teachers want to create more anxiety for students to get their work done early rather than at the deadline.
11. My car runs out of gas quickly and I am forced to fill up to many times a month.
This happens because my car is either not burning fuel efficiently or the gas tank is not big enough
12. Lovebugs have started appearing all over my front door and windows and it is driving me crazy just looking at them.
This happens a few times a year in Florida and bugs me a lot, no pun intended.
13. I am constantly having to refill the food bowl for my dog.
This happens because there is not an automatic bowl refiller in my house.
14. I have to hold my phone when I go for runs because it flops around in pocket to much if I don’t
This occurs because I don’t have anything securing it to my body while I run
15. I like to work on my back porch but there are too many bugs around to keep my focus for a long period of time there.
If a screen was put in place this would no longer be an issue.
16. Cans are constantly being open then left in my fridge for later consumption. The item left is usually not as fresh later as well as creates clutter in the fridge.
This happens because there is not an effective way to store open cans.
17. My roommates leave lights on all the time even after leaving the room. This causes our electric bill to be very high.
This happens due to laziness but could be fixed with a timer that automatically shuts lights off after a certain time.
18. I play board games a lot with my roommates and I am bugged by the amount of cheating.
This happens because everyone wants a leg up on the competition.
19. Rappers have been dying a lot recently due to drug use which is very sad.
It has been highly speculated that rappers’ drug use is due to the music agencies pushing it on them.
20. I dislike going to the store and items are sold out causing me to go home without the item or go to a different store.
This happens because stores do not have a system that readily lists their inventory in real time to customers.
This was one of the most challenging blog posts we have had to write all semester. I am not used to thinking of what is wrong with the things around me and how I can improve them as well as my life.
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)