1. I think I am very unique. Five different ways I am different than others include: my height, my ability to sympathize and emphasize, my work ethic, my passion and my personality. These things make me different from others who may not be as personable. I am an extrovert and I am not afraid to talk to others in any situation. I pride myself in these qualities and use them to my advantage.
2. I had five people who are closest to me try to describe the qualities they think I have. Some things they said included: my passion, my humor, my giving-heart, my ability to adapt to situations, and more. My best friend said that one of my best qualities is how I am constantly there for people, no matter if I am close to them or not. Another friend really focused on my dedication to the things I do.
Interview 1
Interview 2
Interview 3
Interview 4
Interview 5
3. I think that a lot of how I describe myself is how my friends describe me. Some things that shocked, or caught me off guard, is how highly they think of me. They spoke about my heart and dedication to others. I like to think that these types of things come with time. When you truly love yourself, you can love others. I am humbled that my friends and the people that are so close to me think so highly of me.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2
1. 3 UF Students
2. Customers choose their way of getting around campus from a list of alternatives other than driving their cars. Many students drive scooters, some ride bikes or skateboards, some walk and some ride the bus. For many people, the price is a huge factor in choosing what they are going to do. Importance in my sector is based on convenience and time. As college students constantly on the go, they need something that is going to be fast as well as close to where they need to be. Easy access is key to the expansion of parking.
3. Customers in my segment are more likely to purchase the new parking passes online. There would also be an option to purchase at a location on campus, but many people will purchase online and wait for the decal in the mail. Since the purchase will not be as expensive as other college needs, students will most likely not finance this purchase.
4. What matters to the customer is that they will more often than not find a parking spot. If the student purchases the parking pass after the expansion and still cannot find spots across campus, then the purchase would not have been worth it.
5. I interviewed 2 sophomore students and one senior student at UF. All of these students live off campus. 1 sophomore said they did not bring their car to school, because not only is parking bad at UF, but also in Gainesville. The other sophomore said he has his car, but he rarely moves it in fear of losing his parking spot. He recently bought a scooter so he can commute to his classes, which are far from his apartment. The senior has had a scooter since her freshman year at UF. She joined a sorority that very far from her dorm room and needed an easier way to get to it for meals and meetings. She has used it every since to get around camups. The senior now pays a very high amount per month to park her car at her apartment complex. All of these students agreed that parking is an issue at UF. They suggested expanding garages, which I told them was my goal. They said they hope that by expanding the parking, the cost for passes would go down and provide better access to campus for students.
6. From these interviews, I was able to see that students have a need for more parking, but they do not want the price for passes to go up. If anything they want them to go down or stay the same. I think this is something that I could work out in my business plan, as long as enough people buy parking passes.
5. I interviewed 2 sophomore students and one senior student at UF. All of these students live off campus. 1 sophomore said they did not bring their car to school, because not only is parking bad at UF, but also in Gainesville. The other sophomore said he has his car, but he rarely moves it in fear of losing his parking spot. He recently bought a scooter so he can commute to his classes, which are far from his apartment. The senior has had a scooter since her freshman year at UF. She joined a sorority that very far from her dorm room and needed an easier way to get to it for meals and meetings. She has used it every since to get around camups. The senior now pays a very high amount per month to park her car at her apartment complex. All of these students agreed that parking is an issue at UF. They suggested expanding garages, which I told them was my goal. They said they hope that by expanding the parking, the cost for passes would go down and provide better access to campus for students.
6. From these interviews, I was able to see that students have a need for more parking, but they do not want the price for passes to go up. If anything they want them to go down or stay the same. I think this is something that I could work out in my business plan, as long as enough people buy parking passes.
Monday, February 18, 2019
Reading Reflection No. 1
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson Reading Reflection
1. Something that surprised me the most in my reading was knowing that Pixar is what made Steve Jobs a billionaire, not Apple. Something about Jobs that I admire most is his dedication and attention to detail. He was so determined to make things happen, that no matter the circumstance, he got them done. No matter the adversity or failure Jobs endured, he always overcame them. This perseverance is inspiring. An aspiring entrepreneur should learn to never lose sight of your goals from Steve Jobs.
2. Some competencies that Jobs had includes perseverance, drive and tenacity. He used every aspect of his life as a learning experience and always moved forward no matter what happened to him. He was driven to be detail oriented and make the impossible possible. He was tenacious in every endeavor of his career.
3. A part of the reading that was confusing to me was the falling out he had with some Apple cofounders. I wonder what really happened and how he left the company for some time.
4. If I could ask Jobs two questions, I would ask him what inspired him and what was his real, true passion. Inspiration and passion are something that are huge driving forces in my life, so I am curious, with someone as successful as Jobs, was it the same for him?
5. I think Jobs opinion of hard work was never giving up. I agree with this opinion. I think to make a change with the work you do, you should never give up. You should always look for new ways to get things done or more opportunities for success.
1. Something that surprised me the most in my reading was knowing that Pixar is what made Steve Jobs a billionaire, not Apple. Something about Jobs that I admire most is his dedication and attention to detail. He was so determined to make things happen, that no matter the circumstance, he got them done. No matter the adversity or failure Jobs endured, he always overcame them. This perseverance is inspiring. An aspiring entrepreneur should learn to never lose sight of your goals from Steve Jobs.
2. Some competencies that Jobs had includes perseverance, drive and tenacity. He used every aspect of his life as a learning experience and always moved forward no matter what happened to him. He was driven to be detail oriented and make the impossible possible. He was tenacious in every endeavor of his career.
3. A part of the reading that was confusing to me was the falling out he had with some Apple cofounders. I wonder what really happened and how he left the company for some time.
4. If I could ask Jobs two questions, I would ask him what inspired him and what was his real, true passion. Inspiration and passion are something that are huge driving forces in my life, so I am curious, with someone as successful as Jobs, was it the same for him?
5. I think Jobs opinion of hard work was never giving up. I agree with this opinion. I think to make a change with the work you do, you should never give up. You should always look for new ways to get things done or more opportunities for success.
Halfway Reflection
1) Tenaciousness is a competency. What are the behaviors that you have used (or developed) to keep up with the requirements of this course?
To keep up with this course I have learned that I need to stay very organized. I use my planner heavily and rely on my time management skills to keep me going. With the cupcakes open only on the weekends, finding times to do those is always my biggest struggle. But, I always manage to get it done.
2) Tenaciousness is also about attitude. Talk about a moment or two when you felt like "giving up." What pulled you through? Do you feel like you've developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months? What experience or experiences most contributed to this?
When you have so much going on in your life with school, involvement and commitments, it is easy to think about giving up. I think it is important to always remember that things will get better and not to give up. See the light at the end of the tunnel and know that things will slow down soon. I feel like in college in general, a tenacious is a necessity to succeed.
3) Three tips. What are three tips you would offer next semester's student about (1) fostering the skills that support tenacity and (2) developing the 'tenacious mindset'?
Some tips I would give to future students would be to be organized, be confident and be open to ideas and opportunities. All of these help you he open as a person, as well as a student and communicator.
This photo is from a leadership conference, YLC, that I recently attended at the beginning of February. It always inspires me to be the best version of myself.
Friday, February 15, 2019
Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No.1
1. Segment: UF students
2. For this, I have interviewed 3 students from UF. One lives in her sorority house, one in his fraternity house and one off campus.
3. The needs are most needed at popular hours of the day. According to my interviews are research, at high points of the day, before classes start, at dinner time, late at night parking spots are harder to find. If you are looking in an off period of the day, you may be more likely to find one.
4. The people I interviewed said they continue to circle around until they find a spot. Some said that they stop on the side of the road and wait for people to walk to their car. Some ask in group chats if they know if anyone is leaving, or some just simply give up.
5. Through these interviews, I learned that some people are willing to go to different measures to find a parking spot. Some people simply park illegally and accept the fact that they will get a ticket, some stop and watch for people who are walking to their cars, some just go back to where the came from and skip whatever they are on the way to go to. These all should not have to happen, and I was surprised to see that people actually go to these measures.
6. This segment is the segment that is affected the most by parking. This segment can be desperate for a parking space, and some may even uber instead of moving from their secured parking spot. This segment is desperate for more available parking on this campus.
2. For this, I have interviewed 3 students from UF. One lives in her sorority house, one in his fraternity house and one off campus.
3. The needs are most needed at popular hours of the day. According to my interviews are research, at high points of the day, before classes start, at dinner time, late at night parking spots are harder to find. If you are looking in an off period of the day, you may be more likely to find one.
4. The people I interviewed said they continue to circle around until they find a spot. Some said that they stop on the side of the road and wait for people to walk to their car. Some ask in group chats if they know if anyone is leaving, or some just simply give up.
5. Through these interviews, I learned that some people are willing to go to different measures to find a parking spot. Some people simply park illegally and accept the fact that they will get a ticket, some stop and watch for people who are walking to their cars, some just go back to where the came from and skip whatever they are on the way to go to. These all should not have to happen, and I was surprised to see that people actually go to these measures.
6. This segment is the segment that is affected the most by parking. This segment can be desperate for a parking space, and some may even uber instead of moving from their secured parking spot. This segment is desperate for more available parking on this campus.
Idea Napkin No. 1
1. Who I am?
I am a confident, driven student at the Universit of Florida. My skills include being an effective communicator as well as being an empathetic and sympathetic leader in many organizations on campus. I aspire to have a career that helps and inspires others. While the parking on UF's campus is not exactly in line with this, I believe it is a great business opportunity to pursue.
2. What am I offering?
I am offering more easy and accessible parking spaces to the faculty and student of UF. We will solve the problems of many who can never find parking on this campus.
3. Who am I offering it to?
I am offering this service to all students, faculty and staff of the University of Florida. My customers all have UF in common. They range in age, but all have the need to be on this campus, and should not have trouble getting here.
4. Why do they care?
These people care because it directly affects them. No longer will they have to circle trying to find parking spaces. There will be an appropriate amount available.
5. What are my core competencies?
Some of my core competencies include managing change, managing leadership and organizational skills. These skills will help me immensely in this expansion of parking on the campus. Being able to effectively manage plans and people is very important, as well as being organized in the process.
I believe that these elements fit together. I have full confidence that this business will be successful because of the support from the public, as well as the well thought out plan that will come along with this project.
I am a confident, driven student at the Universit of Florida. My skills include being an effective communicator as well as being an empathetic and sympathetic leader in many organizations on campus. I aspire to have a career that helps and inspires others. While the parking on UF's campus is not exactly in line with this, I believe it is a great business opportunity to pursue.
2. What am I offering?
I am offering more easy and accessible parking spaces to the faculty and student of UF. We will solve the problems of many who can never find parking on this campus.
3. Who am I offering it to?
I am offering this service to all students, faculty and staff of the University of Florida. My customers all have UF in common. They range in age, but all have the need to be on this campus, and should not have trouble getting here.
4. Why do they care?
These people care because it directly affects them. No longer will they have to circle trying to find parking spaces. There will be an appropriate amount available.
5. What are my core competencies?
Some of my core competencies include managing change, managing leadership and organizational skills. These skills will help me immensely in this expansion of parking on the campus. Being able to effectively manage plans and people is very important, as well as being organized in the process.
I believe that these elements fit together. I have full confidence that this business will be successful because of the support from the public, as well as the well thought out plan that will come along with this project.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2
Interviews:
I interviewed five more people to find out more information on the parking situation on UF's campus. One law student, one graduate professor, and 3 other students. Interestingly, the law student says she rarely experiences parking issues. She said that by the law school, there usually is enough parking for everyone. The graduate professor says he struggles daily with parking. He often is late to the classes he is teaching because of the amount of time it takes him to find a spot. He said he feels really bad that he is constantly late for his students, but he has no other way of getting on campus. He is very frustrated with the parking system and wishes UF was working on a solution. 2 students interviewed are freshmen who live in the dorms. One lives at Broward and the other at Jennings. They said it is a struggle for them to find parking. If they cannot find parking in the garage next to Rawlings, then they have to park in the commuter lot, which is very inconvenient for them. They believe that students, who live on campus, should not have to park as far away as they have to. The last student I interviewed lives off campus behind midtown. He said that he chose this location for its convenient location. He knew he did not have the money to purchase a scooter, so he had to pick a location where he could walk to all of his classes. He says that it is not the best area to live in, safety-wise, but he had no other option if he wanted to be able to make it to his classes.
I interviewed five more people to find out more information on the parking situation on UF's campus. One law student, one graduate professor, and 3 other students. Interestingly, the law student says she rarely experiences parking issues. She said that by the law school, there usually is enough parking for everyone. The graduate professor says he struggles daily with parking. He often is late to the classes he is teaching because of the amount of time it takes him to find a spot. He said he feels really bad that he is constantly late for his students, but he has no other way of getting on campus. He is very frustrated with the parking system and wishes UF was working on a solution. 2 students interviewed are freshmen who live in the dorms. One lives at Broward and the other at Jennings. They said it is a struggle for them to find parking. If they cannot find parking in the garage next to Rawlings, then they have to park in the commuter lot, which is very inconvenient for them. They believe that students, who live on campus, should not have to park as far away as they have to. The last student I interviewed lives off campus behind midtown. He said that he chose this location for its convenient location. He knew he did not have the money to purchase a scooter, so he had to pick a location where he could walk to all of his classes. He says that it is not the best area to live in, safety-wise, but he had no other option if he wanted to be able to make it to his classes.
| Inside the boundary | Outside the boundary |
| Who is In: students and faculty. | Who is Not: law students, people who live in areas where they can park. |
| What the Need Is: More parking. | What the Need Is Not: the need is not useful for those who do not have cars on campus. |
| Why the Need Exists: There is not enough parking spots on campus. | Alternative Explanations: expanding parking will save students and faculty money. |
Friday, February 1, 2019
The Second-Most Important Part of Entrepreneurship
Problem: not enough parking at UF.
The solution to my problem is constructing more parking spaces for people who have purchased parking passes at UF.
I intend to create more parking on the campus by contracting a construction company to innovatively design more spots and places for garages. This will expand parking campus-wide. Not just in certain places. This will ultimately let the university sell more parking spots, but more importantly help student and faculty reduce their stress of finding an alternative way to park on campus.
Testing the Hypothesis Part 1
The University of Florida is unable to provide enough parking spaces for the number of parking passes they sell each year.
The who: University of Florida
The what: There are not enough spaces for people who purchased parking spots
The why: The University sold too many parking passes
Testing the who: Students and faculty of the university have this problem.
Testing the what: Boundaries for the challenge include space and funding. Where will the extra parking be located? Where will it fit on the campus? Is there enough funding from the University?
Testing the why: The range of why for this issue could be that they do not regulate the number of parking passes sold. Some people who buy the passes early enough should be able to park always. What about the others who also have a pass too? For the most part, the why identifies for everyone.
For this exercise, I interviewed 5 people: Meaghan Norus, Isabella Dohse, DJ Kerwin, Caroline Cash and Ben Latinberg. All five students believe that parking is a huge issue on UF's campus. 4 out of 5 of these students had to purchase scooters to combat the parking problem, but say they still face issues with scooter parking as well. Isabella and Caroline both live in their Sorority house and said in the area parking and especially hard. People are always circling the Red One spots for almost 30 minutes to an hour on any given day. Ben and Meghan live off campus and don't ever bring their cars onto campus. That is the reason they bought scooters because they live too far from their classes to walk. The closer to campus, the more expensive, so students are left not having many options. DJ is the only one out of the five that used to take the bus before he got his scooter. He said the bus isn't that bad but takes a very long time. He said you may as well walk if you are contemplating it because of all of the stops the bus has to make.
Overall, all five different interviews made me realize even more that parking is an issue on this campus. Students should not have to buy a scooter to get around our campus. People should be able to get in their car and park if they have paid for it. I believe that there is an opportunity to make more students and people effected happier. I think that with the growing size of this campus, more parking is a necessity.
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