Is this working?
Monday, May 11, 2020
Saturday, April 25, 2020
29A – Venture Concept No. 2
1) Venture Concept
My idea of a digital disc jockey environment includes a website, in person meetings, and digital meetings and sessions. The idea will target a group of customers who are in college and are looking to get into Disc Jockeying, have a passion for music, are attempting to improve their disc jockeying skills, or, who are looking to spread their current knowledge with those, less experienced.
The most common need seems to be surfacing from those that have been DJing and don’t seem to be satisfied with their current progress. It also includes those who have been looking to get into it but can not afford fancy websites such as DJcoursesonline and other expensive websites. Furthermore, those that have a passion for music and are looking to meet others that share similar passion for it to connect with and talk about music. My idea’s market will, for the most part, be targeting college towns, such as the one I am currently living at, Gainesville and will be supporting universities such as the University of Florida, Florida State University, and University of Central Florida. Geographically, the plan is to start in Florida and to expand in other states as the business expands. My goal is for my website to reach an international scale after some time. My customers are not satisfied at the moment and are meeting their dissatisfaction with procrastination and expensive websites, which I have also used, and which were not helpful enough to help me achieve my goals and follow my passion. Thus, I believe this is a really big opportunity due to the existent need and the “window of opportunity” cannot be predicted in terms of how long it will stay open. I think that the safest measure for me to take would be to start my business as soon as possible as time is critical at times like this.
I am selling services through a digital website which will be coordinating 3 different aspects of the business. The website aspect, the digital communications aspect, and the “in-person,” aspect. Through my innovation, I will be selling services which include meetings, group disc jockey sessions, opportunities, knowledge, and other services to my customers. The website will work with a low membership fee and is designed in a way that allows for all the customers to play a role in supporting it. Older DJs will get the opportunity to spread their knowledge while younger DJs will get the opportunity to learn from the more experienced. I will be coordinating all the pieces of the “puzzle” that will be my business idea and will be making sure everything is running smoothly. The cost of the membership will be $3 billed monthly. This is way cheaper than DJcoursesonline which currently charges its customers $19 per month.
I believe my customers will want my product is because it is cheap, it allows for a lot of opportunities and helpful connections, and it provides them with satisfaction to their previously unmet needs. I believe I have competitors but there aren’t many that meet my services in price, familiarity, and customer satisfaction. By familiarity, I refer to the fact that my services would function a lot more as a family than a big corporation, such as DJcoursesonline and I believe this would be very important to my customers as they would get to no one another and actually meet in person and through digital meetings. Location would, for the most part, be digital, but we would also have many designated locations for meetings for the customers to get together. In terms of organizing a staff, my team would be compromised of college students who are as passionate as I am on this project and would include some digital technicians, some researchers, and coordinators. They would also include some very experienced DJs who would enjoy setting up meetings and helping with different aspects of the business.
I believe the most important resources to my venture, will be my personal experience, the investors, and the research team. I believe these 3 key aspects will help boost my idea to new lengths. These 3 resources include finance, experience, and market research, which I believe are 3 keys aspects to boost a business. I believe my “secret sauce,” in terms of my product, will be the experienced DJ group I have a assembled. Not only will they provide my business with a load of years of experience disc jockeying, but they will also provide me with a plethora of connections. My goal is to satisfy my customers on a national, and maybe someday, international scale. I want kids that are less fortunate and do not have the financing to succumb to expensive DJing corporations which will not provide them with the right support they need. In 5 years I would like to be covering all of Florida and in 10 years I want to my business to be intertwined on a national scale.
2) Feedback summary
I didn’t receive a plethora of feedback for my Venture Concept
no. 1 nor my What’s Next assignment. I received some positive comments about What’s
Next, however, agreeing with my interviewees on expanding my target group to 20
to 30-year-olds and creating digital meetings especially during times like
these. I think I am on the right track with my venture concept and have a solid
plan for the future.
3) Venture Concept Changes
4) Illustration
30A - Reflection
1) I believe the most fun I had in the class was with the interviews. I got to meet so many new people and share my idea with them. I was able to receive a lot of suggestions (on and off the record) from them as well. I believe these exercises contributed a lot to my entrepreneurial mindset that I have developed to this day. The most dreadful experience I’ve had in the class was making my first elevator pitch. I was very hangover and was trying to articulate words and it just wasn’t happening. Not my proudest moment but I was able, after a few shots of kombucha and pedialite and endless recordings, to make my 90 second elevator pitch. I think my second elevator pitch was a huge improvement and taught me a big lesson.
2) I’d say the most proud experience(s) of the class were being able to read a few books. I normally don’t engage in often reading even though I know I should. This class helped me push through my laziness and pick up a few books. Elon Musk was probably my favorite and really inspired me to be the best version of myself throughout this course.
3) Yes, even though I still believe I have a very long way to go, in terms of developing an entrepreneurial mindset, I think I have gotten a lot closer to achieving it. I always look around now and look for novel opportunities and customer needs. I think my viewpoint and perspective on a lot of topics has also shifted to accommodate the new mindset.
4) I think that one recommendation I’d have about this course to students taking it in Fall, would be to put their best efforts in and just do their best even if they think that it might not be for them or even if they are taking it only because it’s a requirement for their major. I started off with a negative mindset but after a few weeks I realized how life-changing this class can be. In just a few months I was able to create an entire business idea from scratch without any previous entrepreneurial experience. I’d say what is also really important to develop this mindset, is to keep an open mind on things. There’s always different ways to tackle something and it’s easy to get stuck in a one sided loop. Look at things from different perspectives and try to put yourself in other peoples shoes.
Friday, April 10, 2020
24A – Venture Concept No. 1
My idea of a digital disc
jockey environment includes a website, in person meetings, and digital meetings
and sessions. The idea will target a group of customers who are in college and
are looking to get into Disc Jockeying, have a passion for music, are attempting
to improve their disc jockeying skills, or, who are looking to spread their
current knowledge with those, less experienced.
The most
common need seems to be surfacing from those that have been DJing and don’t
seem to be satisfied with their current progress. It also includes those who have
been looking to get into it but can not afford fancy websites such as DJcoursesonline
and other expensive websites. Furthermore, those that have a passion for music and
are looking to meet others that share similar passion for it to connect with
and talk about music. My idea’s market will, for the most part, be targeting
college towns, such as the one I am currently living at, Gainesville and will
be supporting universities such as the University of Florida, Florida State
University, and University of Central Florida. Geographically, the plan is to
start in Florida and to expand in other states as the business expands. My goal
is for my website to reach an international scale after some time. My customers
are not satisfied at the moment and are meeting their dissatisfaction with
procrastination and expensive websites, which I have also used, and which were not
helpful enough to help me achieve my goals and follow my passion. Thus, I
believe this is a really big opportunity due to the existent need and the “window
of opportunity” cannot be predicted in terms of how long it will stay open. I
think that the safest measure for me to take would be to start my business as soon
as possible as time is critical at times like this.
I am selling
services through a digital website which will be coordinating 3 different
aspects of the business. The website aspect, the digital communications aspect,
and the “in-person,” aspect. Through my innovation, I will be selling services
which include meetings, group disc jockey sessions, opportunities, knowledge,
and other services to my customers. The website will work with a low membership
fee and is designed in a way that allows for all the customers to play a role in
supporting it. Older DJs will get the opportunity to spread their knowledge while
younger DJs will get the opportunity to learn from the more experienced. I will
be coordinating all the pieces of the “puzzle” that will be my business idea and
will be making sure everything is running smoothly. The cost of the membership will
be $3 billed monthly. This is way cheaper than DJcoursesonline which currently
charges its customers $19 per month.
I
believe my customers will want my product is because it is cheap, it allows for
a lot of opportunities and helpful connections, and it provides them with
satisfaction to their previously unmet needs. I believe I have competitors but
there aren’t many that meet my services in price, familiarity, and customer
satisfaction. By familiarity, I refer to the fact that my services would
function a lot more as a family than a big corporation, such as DJcoursesonline
and I believe this would be very important to my customers as they would get to
no one another and actually meet in person and through digital meetings. Location
would, for the most part, be digital, but we would also have many designated
locations for meetings for the customers to get together. In terms of
organizing a staff, my team would be compromised of college students who are as
passionate as I am on this project and would include some digital technicians,
some researchers, and coordinators. They would also include some very
experienced DJs who would enjoy setting up meetings and helping with different
aspects of the business.
I believe the most
important resources to my venture, will be my personal experience, the investors,
and the research team. I believe these 3 key aspects will help boost my idea to
new lengths. These 3 resources include finance, experience, and market research,
which I believe are 3 keys aspects to boost a business. I believe my “secret sauce,”
in terms of my product, will be the experienced DJ group I have a assembled.
Not only will they provide my business with a load of years of experience disc
jockeying, but they will also provide me with a plethora of connections. My
goal is to satisfy my customers on a national, and maybe someday, international
scale. I want kids that are less fortunate and do not have the financing to succumb
to expensive DJing corporations which will not provide them with the right
support they need. In 5 years I would like to be covering all of Florida and in
10 years I want to my business to be intertwined on a national scale.
25A – What’s Next?
What's Next?
1 Existing Market
STEP 1: What’s Next?
I believe what’s next for my company, in terms of products
and services, is figuring out what the website is going to look like and what services
it is going to provide, in detail. For example, I’ve been thinking of adding a new
tab on the website which allows for a “communication blog.” All the members
will be able to talk to one another this way and communicate about questions, answers,
and generally speaking about the one true passion of a disc jockey, music.
STEP 2: Interviews
Peter: I interviewed Peter and he liked my idea. Peter is
not a DJ but he really enjoys listening to all the hot, latest tracks of music.
He suggested we organize meetings once a week/2 weeks and get all the local
members together and have DJ spinning sessions.
Mary: Mary is also not a DJ but she really enjoys all kinds
of music and especially electronic. In her interview we talked about my idea
and she enjoyed the digital aspect of it all; however, she also suggested that
it would be more viable if the services could also provide a few other
amenities because she didn’t think that, if she was a DJ, she would pay for my services.
Jack: I interviewed Jack about a week ago about my idea. Jack
is a amateur DJ and he said he liked the concept of my idea. He also suggested
in person sessions but also thought that having live streams on the website
would be an excellent idea. He suggested we have digital DJ sessions with one
another and live stream our disc jockeying from our homes/studios.
STEP 3: Setting a path to the future
I really think that the interviews helped me create a very good
plan as to what is next and allowed to look at my idea from a different perspective.
I really do believe that Peter’s idea will be apart of the company as in-person
sessions are a great way to introduce people to one another and spread knowledge.
It also adds up to what Mary said about adding amenities to my project. Online
sessions could also work especially at times like this.
New Market
STEP 1: New Market
For my current market I chose to target college students. My
new market will include not only university students but also everyone between
the ages of 20-30 and has a strong passion for music.
STEP 2: Value for new market
I believe my idea can be valuable to the new market because
it will allow for a more diversified amount of people who are looking to meet
more DJs and maybe improve in some ways, or spread knowledge.
STEP 3: Interviews
Lambros: Lambros is a DJ from my home country Greece and he
really enjoyed my idea to diversify to a new target group. He is from a
different country and he thinks that the digital aspect of this opportunity,
along with the international people he could meet out of it will be great. He
didn’t have any new suggestions.
Niki: I interviewed Niki in Miami through zoom, due to the
current situation. She is not a DJ but she thinks my idea has a lot of
potential, as to someone who really enjoys music. She was glad when I told I was
diversifying to a new target group and thought it was a great idea. She
suggested that I divide my website into different regions and having an option
to select your region/city/state/country when entering the website.
STEP 4: Reflect
I believe that diversifying to a new market was a really
good idea. I received great feedback from my interviewees and believe that it
is very viable. I think that it has a lot of potential and it could be a great
opportunity for my business.
23A - Your Venture’s Unfair Advantage
Resources Available
1.
Group of experienced DJs
VRIN ANALYSIS
Value: Very valuable.
Rare: Moderately rare.
Finding a group of DJs that have experience and motivation to contribute to
your idea is not an easy task these days.
Inimitable: Possibly.
Resource could technically be copied but it wouldn't be an easy task due to its
rarity.
Non-sustainable:
Personal experience can provide similar benefits but that is just one
contributing vs. a whole team of experience disc jockeys.
2.
Investor 1
VRIN ANALYSIS
Value: Very valuable.
Rare: Not rare, but
extremely beneficial.
Inimitable: No, investors
are not inimitable.
Non-sustainable: No,
investors would be my solemn financial support in the beginning.
3.
Investor 2
VRIN Analysis same as
above.
4.
Marketing expert
VRIN ANALYSIS
Value: Very valuable
Rare: Not rare.
Inimitable: No.
Non-sustainable: Yes.
5.
Researchers group
VRIN ANALYSIS
Value: Yes.
Rare: Yes
Inimitable: No.
Non-sustainable: Yes.
6.
Personal DJing
experience
VRIN ANALYSIS
Value: Yes.
Rare: Yes.
Inimitable: Yes.
Non-sustainable: Yes.
7.
Personal DJing skills
VRIN ANALYSIS
Value: Yes.
Rare: Yes.
Inimitable: Yes.
Non-sustainable: Yes.
8.
Hardware
VRIN ANALYSIS
Value: Yes.
Rare: No.
Inimitable: No.
Non-sustainable: Yes.
9.
Software
VRIN ANALYSIS
Value: Yes.
Rare: No.
Inimitable: No.
Non-sustainable: No.
10.
Other equipment
VRIN ANALYSIS
Value: Yes.
Rare: No.
Inimitable: No.
Non-sustainable: Depends.
Feedback
I believe the most
important resource, after conducting my VRIN analysis for each one, is my
personal experience and skills. Even though I believe that all 10 are going to
be very important aspects of my idea, each with its own benefits, I my personal
experience/skills have complete value, rarity, inimitability, and non-sustainability.
I also think that they will benefit me incredibly step in my customers shoes
and look at things from a different perspective.
Friday, April 3, 2020
Reading Reflection 2
1) What was the general theme or argument of the book?
I decided to read the book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. The general theme of this book implies that your mindset is formed by your responses to people and events you encounter on a day to day basis. The book focuses on two premises; a fixed and growth mindset. A growth mindset is one that is more open to solving things in novel, creative ways. A fixed mindset is one that is less likely to think of alternatives to solve problems.
2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?
This book and its concepts has allowed me to change my mindset and perspective in life,
especially in this course. I used to have a fixed mindset, specifically when working on certain assignments, because I would only use one solution to solve my problems which would prevent me from thinking outside the box. Once I realized that these problems could be solved by a different and more effective method, I opened my mindset (Growth) and though of various unique ways to solve these issues. Once I did that, not only did my learning develop, but I became more efficient, especially in problem solving. This has enhanced my learning immensely in ENT because if you create a business with a fixed mindset, you will not see yourself nor the business flourish in any way shape or form. However, if you tackle the issue through a growth mindset, and you put yourself out there in order to make connections and deals, you’ll find your business moving forward. This will help position your business, its brand, and will prosper for growth, profit, and a variety of success in the future.
3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
I would design an exercise in which you identify an object in your business that you believe contains functional fixedness. Functional fixedness assigns stable uses to an object and fail to think about the features of the object that might be useful in helping solve a problem. To overcome functional fixedness, one must adapt a growth mindset in order to see the alternatives to a basic issue. For instance, lets say you’re helping your dad tighten a loose screw on a desk, however, you cant seem to find a screwdriver leaving you stumped as to how you will solve this problem. You reach into your pocket and you just so happen to find a coin. When you look at a coin, you typically assume its only function is currency, this is succumbing to functional fixedness. However, if you apply your growth mindset and think outside the box, you will find yourself using the coin as a substitute for the screwdriver, to tighten the screw. Thus, you’re going beyond the idea of its common function and overcoming functional fixedness.
4) What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?
My biggest “aha” moment when reading this book was how common it is to obtain a
fixed mindset. Many innovators on a day to day basis find themselves overlooking elegant solutions hidden in plain sight. This is because we do not like to think outside the box since its not a norm for us. Although its unusual, once you learn how to adapt a growth mindset and learn how to overlook these ideas, it becomes a part of our daily lives and it is actually extremely beneficial especially regarding success. Once you have identified these tools to overcome these cognitive traps, you and your business will find yourself solving problems in innovative ways—“whether conceiving new products, finding novel applications for existing products, or anticipating competitive threats.” What I learned that differed from most of my expectations is the relativeness of insight problems. Insight problems present themselves in our daily lives. While the problem initially seems impossible to solve, an alternative approach will suddenly bursts into your consciousness once you view the problem in a novel way. You need to start approaching your daily expectations and problems in innovative ways or else you will constantly find yourself stuck within a fixed mindset, preventing you from flourishing, learning, and building on that experience.
I decided to read the book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. The general theme of this book implies that your mindset is formed by your responses to people and events you encounter on a day to day basis. The book focuses on two premises; a fixed and growth mindset. A growth mindset is one that is more open to solving things in novel, creative ways. A fixed mindset is one that is less likely to think of alternatives to solve problems.
2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?
This book and its concepts has allowed me to change my mindset and perspective in life,
especially in this course. I used to have a fixed mindset, specifically when working on certain assignments, because I would only use one solution to solve my problems which would prevent me from thinking outside the box. Once I realized that these problems could be solved by a different and more effective method, I opened my mindset (Growth) and though of various unique ways to solve these issues. Once I did that, not only did my learning develop, but I became more efficient, especially in problem solving. This has enhanced my learning immensely in ENT because if you create a business with a fixed mindset, you will not see yourself nor the business flourish in any way shape or form. However, if you tackle the issue through a growth mindset, and you put yourself out there in order to make connections and deals, you’ll find your business moving forward. This will help position your business, its brand, and will prosper for growth, profit, and a variety of success in the future.
3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
I would design an exercise in which you identify an object in your business that you believe contains functional fixedness. Functional fixedness assigns stable uses to an object and fail to think about the features of the object that might be useful in helping solve a problem. To overcome functional fixedness, one must adapt a growth mindset in order to see the alternatives to a basic issue. For instance, lets say you’re helping your dad tighten a loose screw on a desk, however, you cant seem to find a screwdriver leaving you stumped as to how you will solve this problem. You reach into your pocket and you just so happen to find a coin. When you look at a coin, you typically assume its only function is currency, this is succumbing to functional fixedness. However, if you apply your growth mindset and think outside the box, you will find yourself using the coin as a substitute for the screwdriver, to tighten the screw. Thus, you’re going beyond the idea of its common function and overcoming functional fixedness.
4) What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?
My biggest “aha” moment when reading this book was how common it is to obtain a
fixed mindset. Many innovators on a day to day basis find themselves overlooking elegant solutions hidden in plain sight. This is because we do not like to think outside the box since its not a norm for us. Although its unusual, once you learn how to adapt a growth mindset and learn how to overlook these ideas, it becomes a part of our daily lives and it is actually extremely beneficial especially regarding success. Once you have identified these tools to overcome these cognitive traps, you and your business will find yourself solving problems in innovative ways—“whether conceiving new products, finding novel applications for existing products, or anticipating competitive threats.” What I learned that differed from most of my expectations is the relativeness of insight problems. Insight problems present themselves in our daily lives. While the problem initially seems impossible to solve, an alternative approach will suddenly bursts into your consciousness once you view the problem in a novel way. You need to start approaching your daily expectations and problems in innovative ways or else you will constantly find yourself stuck within a fixed mindset, preventing you from flourishing, learning, and building on that experience.
Friday, March 27, 2020
20A - It's who you know not what you know
Rodrigo (aka. DJ Chuy)
1) Who they are and what their background is.
Rodrigo is a DJ stationed in Gainesville. He has been DJing for the past 8 years and spins around Florida.
2) Which 'slot' you are filling with each person (i.e., domain expert, market expert, supplier), and how the person fills the spot.
Rodrigo would be a domain expert, as I would consider him a technical expert on the subject of DJing.
3) A description of how you found the person and contacted the person.
I met Rodrigo a couple of months ago during one of my gigs at White Buffalo, a nightclub in Gainesville. We had exchanged numbers and I reached out to him for an interview.
4) The nature of the exchange you have with the person -- what favor did they do for you? What is the return expectation?
He assisted me in getting a gig at another location and I did the same for him.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity?
He has a significant amount of technical knowledge and I believe he will be a key to my network.
Manny
1) Who they are and what their background is.
Manny is a alumni from the University of Florida. When he graduated he started his own company in Gainesville, Orlando, Tallahassee, and a couple of other cities around Florida. His company is named House Hats and focuses on promoting and DJing, working with nightclubs around Florida and, respectively, DJs who are looking for the opportunity to spin at different places.
2) Which 'slot' you are filling with each person (i.e., domain expert, market expert, supplier), and how the person fills the spot.
I'd consider Manny as a market expert as he has been working on this company since high school, building a steady network and making a significant amount of connections in the meantime.
3) A description of how you found the person and contacted the person.
I worked for him company for sometime.
4) The nature of the exchange you have with the person -- what favor did they do for you? What is the return expectation?
I worked for him and in return, I furthered my network and got more gigs around town.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity?
His has an extremely extensive network which would be very useful to my company.
Diego
1) Who they are and what their background is.
Diego is a producer and music engineer. He works with software, hardware, and audio and is an expert when it comes to music.
2) Which 'slot' you are filling with each person (i.e., domain expert, market expert, supplier), and how the person fills the spot.
I'd consider him as a supplier. He supplies audio, hardware, and other useful tools.
3) A description of how you found the person and contacted the person.
Through Manny's company. I met him during one of my gigs and we extensively talked and exchanged numbers.
4) The nature of the exchange you have with the person -- what favor did they do for you? What is the return expectation?
Haven't done any favors for each other yet.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity?
He would take over the supply and with his extensive background knowledge in music and audio engineering, he could benefit the company in many aspects.
1) Who they are and what their background is.
Rodrigo is a DJ stationed in Gainesville. He has been DJing for the past 8 years and spins around Florida.
2) Which 'slot' you are filling with each person (i.e., domain expert, market expert, supplier), and how the person fills the spot.
Rodrigo would be a domain expert, as I would consider him a technical expert on the subject of DJing.
3) A description of how you found the person and contacted the person.
I met Rodrigo a couple of months ago during one of my gigs at White Buffalo, a nightclub in Gainesville. We had exchanged numbers and I reached out to him for an interview.
4) The nature of the exchange you have with the person -- what favor did they do for you? What is the return expectation?
He assisted me in getting a gig at another location and I did the same for him.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity?
He has a significant amount of technical knowledge and I believe he will be a key to my network.
Manny
1) Who they are and what their background is.
Manny is a alumni from the University of Florida. When he graduated he started his own company in Gainesville, Orlando, Tallahassee, and a couple of other cities around Florida. His company is named House Hats and focuses on promoting and DJing, working with nightclubs around Florida and, respectively, DJs who are looking for the opportunity to spin at different places.
2) Which 'slot' you are filling with each person (i.e., domain expert, market expert, supplier), and how the person fills the spot.
I'd consider Manny as a market expert as he has been working on this company since high school, building a steady network and making a significant amount of connections in the meantime.
3) A description of how you found the person and contacted the person.
I worked for him company for sometime.
4) The nature of the exchange you have with the person -- what favor did they do for you? What is the return expectation?
I worked for him and in return, I furthered my network and got more gigs around town.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity?
His has an extremely extensive network which would be very useful to my company.
Diego
1) Who they are and what their background is.
Diego is a producer and music engineer. He works with software, hardware, and audio and is an expert when it comes to music.
2) Which 'slot' you are filling with each person (i.e., domain expert, market expert, supplier), and how the person fills the spot.
I'd consider him as a supplier. He supplies audio, hardware, and other useful tools.
3) A description of how you found the person and contacted the person.
Through Manny's company. I met him during one of my gigs and we extensively talked and exchanged numbers.
4) The nature of the exchange you have with the person -- what favor did they do for you? What is the return expectation?
Haven't done any favors for each other yet.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity?
He would take over the supply and with his extensive background knowledge in music and audio engineering, he could benefit the company in many aspects.
19A - Idea Napkin No. 2
1) I am a student at the university of Florida. I am originally from Greece but I've lived in Miami, Florida for 5 years before coming up to Gainesville to study. My skills include proficiency in music and disc jockeying, speaking Greek, and generally being a social, open guy. My aspirations include starting my own business, and being successful doing what I love.
2) I'm offering opportunities, unity, knowledge, and growth to my customers. I am offering a website which will allow my customers to connect with one another, learn from each other, and use the knowledge gained to grow and achieve their unmet needs.
3) I'm offering it the average student who has a passion for music and the art of disc jockeying and the hunger for knowledge and growth.
4) Out of all the interviews I conducted, roughly 80% of my interviewees were not satisfied with their progress thus far and the opportunities offered. I believe my customers will care for a solution to their dissatisfaction and will help promote my product to great lengths.
5) I believe my core competency is my creativity and my background knowledge as an experienced disc jockey. I have been DJing for a while now and have struggled a lot in order to succeed. I believe I am familiar with the system and can step in my customers shoes due to the fact that they are reflecting the struggle, obstacles, and achievements I underwent to make it to the point I am on. I also still have a very long way to go and believe my contribution to this will not only be dependent on my entrepreneurship agenda, but also on my objective for personal growth and progress.
I believe that combination of my skills, experiences, and failures, a long with my product will be a great combination to satisfy the customer need and allow me to stand out in face of all the other similar products on the current market.
I unfortunately did not receive feedback for my first idea napkin, but, based on a personal synopsis, I'd say the whole shebang of my first napkin was less confident and more chaotic. I believe I painted a better picture on my second napkin as I had a better understanding of my idea.
2) I'm offering opportunities, unity, knowledge, and growth to my customers. I am offering a website which will allow my customers to connect with one another, learn from each other, and use the knowledge gained to grow and achieve their unmet needs.
3) I'm offering it the average student who has a passion for music and the art of disc jockeying and the hunger for knowledge and growth.
4) Out of all the interviews I conducted, roughly 80% of my interviewees were not satisfied with their progress thus far and the opportunities offered. I believe my customers will care for a solution to their dissatisfaction and will help promote my product to great lengths.
5) I believe my core competency is my creativity and my background knowledge as an experienced disc jockey. I have been DJing for a while now and have struggled a lot in order to succeed. I believe I am familiar with the system and can step in my customers shoes due to the fact that they are reflecting the struggle, obstacles, and achievements I underwent to make it to the point I am on. I also still have a very long way to go and believe my contribution to this will not only be dependent on my entrepreneurship agenda, but also on my objective for personal growth and progress.
I believe that combination of my skills, experiences, and failures, a long with my product will be a great combination to satisfy the customer need and allow me to stand out in face of all the other similar products on the current market.
I unfortunately did not receive feedback for my first idea napkin, but, based on a personal synopsis, I'd say the whole shebang of my first napkin was less confident and more chaotic. I believe I painted a better picture on my second napkin as I had a better understanding of my idea.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Assignment 17A - Elevator Pitch No. 2
1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCFTAGdYXUo&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR184pH3iBPLUwDoOHXayM_9R161CkihJE759ieE3KU4Bd66VQgrg4sc6XQ
2) During my first pitch I was told to use less hand movements, add a grabber/anecdote, and to not introduce myself. I thought that a grabber was a good idea while the rest were silly, as hand movement, is an important part of a pitch and also a brief introduction of oneself is necessary to present your background and experience on the subject.
3) During my second pitch I added a grabber. I believe I was also more confident stuttered less which is an important part of a short pitch such as this one.
2) During my first pitch I was told to use less hand movements, add a grabber/anecdote, and to not introduce myself. I thought that a grabber was a good idea while the rest were silly, as hand movement, is an important part of a pitch and also a brief introduction of oneself is necessary to present your background and experience on the subject.
3) During my second pitch I added a grabber. I believe I was also more confident stuttered less which is an important part of a short pitch such as this one.
Assignment 18A - Create Your Customer Avatar
Similarities: I believe that I’m similar to my avatar in various ways. I’d say I’m a more experienced DJ but share the same passion for music. I’m not yet financially independent as I also study at the University of Florida. I have made a lot of friends and enjoy going out with them and DJing for them at clubs but also house parties. I drive an SUV to fit my equipment. I don’t have a family.
Friday, March 13, 2020
Assignment 15A
Londos (Junior at UF who loves electronic music): When I interviewed Londos about how he would feel about a website such as my own he said that it would be a great idea. He also informed that he was attempting to get into DJing and needed a place do start. He was thinking of buying some tutorials online but that they would be too expensive. Price is the most important factor but he also searches for quality. He believes that my website would be a good cheap alternative if quality is applied to it. According to Londos, he prefers online purchases as they are quicker due to cookies on websites. He usually feels good about a purchase if it benefits him in some manner.
Manny (Senior at UF who has been DJs for a couple of years now): I interviewed Manny at Tatu during one of my DJ gigs there. He informed me that he enjoyed the idea of my website and that he would be willing to contribute. He has been DJing for a while now and wants to spread his knowledge to others. Manny’s alternative was to make his website to spread the knowledge but time is the most important aspect to him and with his job, not something he can afford. Manny enjoys both in cash and online purchases. He feels good about a purchase if it’s advantageous in the long run.
Aydan (Sophomore at UF who’s an anterior DJ/producer): I also interviewed Aydan during one of my DJ gigs. As a starting DJ, he informed me that he would enjoy the idea of my website but wouldn’t be willing to pay for it. Price is a very important aspect to him as his alternative is to watch free YouTube videos online.
Conclusion: I believe that for the most part, I knew a lot about this segment before my interviews and wasn’t really surprised with the results (as I am technically part of it). Most DJs would be happy with the idea of a cheap website to spread knowledge and learn how to DJ but others find that a price shouldn’t be set to learning. I completely understand and can relate to that. The online segment and purchase part of my idea helps a lot with time and convenience I believe and I think my customers will be satisfied with their purchase.
Thursday, February 27, 2020
13A – Reading Reflection No. 1
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the
Quest for a Fantastic Future, Ashlee Vance
1) Growing up, Elon Musk has always
been an ideal for me. When I first read this book I was surprised by Elon’s erratic
and obstinate behavior. I always knew that he was an eccentric character with
unconventional ways; however, I was really surprised from the extent of his
behaviors. I think what I most admired about him was his tenacity and persistence.
He always got back up on his feet even after falling to his knees and having everyone
turning their backs on him. I least admired his communication skills, which I believe
have a long way to go. He seemed to not be able to take social clues even from
the start of the book when he was conversing with the author of it. He also
seemed to yell and expect a lot from his employees even when his expectations were
unattainable. According the book, he also encountered a lot of failure and adversity
jumping from company to company and clashing with different people in each venture.
I believe that his mind and creativity were always his key to fighting when
failing and getting back on his feet, like when he tried buying rockets of
Russians and the price was too high so he decided to build his own rockets
parts. 2) His brain was definitely his biggest competency, along with his
creativity and tenacity. 3) I believe that the reading was relatively straight
and I understood everything that I read. 4) If I could ask Elon 2 questions
they would be a) What fuels his tenacity and b) how does he feel about his
childhood now that it is way past him. The reason I would ask these question
would be because I have always been intrigued by his persistence and tenacity
and don’t understand how someone could have so much determination in one mind.
I would ask the second question because, according to the book, it was very
rough on him, due to his father. 5) I believe that hard work is one of his biggest
standards. I can tell from his unrealistic number of achievements and, also,
expectations. I share that opinion with my passions. I love DJing and could
spend hours in a room working on the perfect song and perfecting it.
14A – Halfway Reflection
1) What are the behaviors that you have used (or developed)
to keep up with the requirements of this course?
Throughout the semester I have used a few of my innate
behaviors while, simultaneously, developing a few to keep up with the requirements
of the course. I have used my social behaviors and ambition to establish social
skills and a ambitious behavior towards the class. I also manipulated them to
become develop an enterperneurship agenda. However, in order to be able to develop
such agenda, I had to enhance some further abilities and attitudes that had
never been part of my life, such as determination and persistence. Falling and having
the ability to get back up, is a big part of this course and I believe that these
past 2 months have contributed in doing so.
2) 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?
I believe that a moment I felt like “giving up” was during
my interviews. I had a hard time finding subjects that had similar passions to
mine and could relate to my product. I felt like giving up but I was able to
use my new-found behaviors and get back up on my feet and conduct all the necessary
interviews. As mentioned in the previous question, the course has helped me
become more tenacious and improve my persistency and determination by
milestones. I believe that this experience has helped me a lot with tenacity.
3) 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' ?
I think it would be adopting a certain kind of mindset and
focusing on being optimistic. I believe that concentrating on the positive helps
a lot with tenacity and persistency. When one is down and only focuses on the negative,
he/she can’t see what’s ahead developing a tunnel vision mindset. This disables
one’s ability to get back on their feet and practice tenacity in situations
where it is most required. I believe the key to developing the “tenacious
mindset” would be directing one’s attention to the positive when found in a tricky
situation.
Friday, February 21, 2020
12A – Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1
1) Segment: My segment is college students with a strong passion and admiration for music.
2) Interviewees:
Vincent: 18 year old male DJ
Peter: 20 year old male passionate for music
Nikita: 21 year old female DJ
3) Need Awareness:
My interviews presented a similar need to past interviews but with further detail. Vincent and Nikita stated that they both had been DJing for sometime now, however, Peter has been looking to get into it. Vincent hasn't been satisfied with school but has been looking for DJ opportunities in Gainesville for sometime now without any luck. He's been wanting to follow his passion but doesn't have a solid way of reaching out to other DJs. He feels uncomfortable asking managers to provide him with opportunities as he feels he will be rejected. Nikita has been DJing for 2 years in Gainesville and she is relatively satisfied. She has been DJing for some bars around town but is looking to branch out more. She also loves electronic music and wants to spread her knowledge of disc jockeying that type of music to other people. Peter, on the other hand, has been looking to start DJing for a long time but can't find anyone to teach him how to begin his DJ journey.
4) Information Search
When confronting the interviewees about what they have done to face their problem they all said the same thing which was putting it off and avoiding branching out and putting in the effort required due to its difficulty and lack of rising opportunities. Both Vince and Nikita admitted to feeling lazy and "content" with their current situation even though it seemed to me that they both wanted a lot more from their passion. Peter said that even though he did love the idea of DJing and even though he did buy a brand new mini-board to practice on, he didn't know anyone with the skills to help him learn the basics (software, hardware, music installation, transitions etc.).
5) Findings
I found out that a lot of people that have passion for music and that are dedicated to using it to their advantage through DJing, are not satisfied with their current situation and that even though they have high expectations, they are scared and/or lazy to pursue their dreams.
6)
I believe this segment have need awareness and is something that is worth investing in. All my customers presented a need even though they might not have expressed it very clearly. The information search could've portrayed a bigger desire and ambition for success but I believe that. through my product, the solution to the need will get easier thus allowing more people to pursure their passion.
2) Interviewees:
Vincent: 18 year old male DJ
Peter: 20 year old male passionate for music
Nikita: 21 year old female DJ
3) Need Awareness:
My interviews presented a similar need to past interviews but with further detail. Vincent and Nikita stated that they both had been DJing for sometime now, however, Peter has been looking to get into it. Vincent hasn't been satisfied with school but has been looking for DJ opportunities in Gainesville for sometime now without any luck. He's been wanting to follow his passion but doesn't have a solid way of reaching out to other DJs. He feels uncomfortable asking managers to provide him with opportunities as he feels he will be rejected. Nikita has been DJing for 2 years in Gainesville and she is relatively satisfied. She has been DJing for some bars around town but is looking to branch out more. She also loves electronic music and wants to spread her knowledge of disc jockeying that type of music to other people. Peter, on the other hand, has been looking to start DJing for a long time but can't find anyone to teach him how to begin his DJ journey.
4) Information Search
When confronting the interviewees about what they have done to face their problem they all said the same thing which was putting it off and avoiding branching out and putting in the effort required due to its difficulty and lack of rising opportunities. Both Vince and Nikita admitted to feeling lazy and "content" with their current situation even though it seemed to me that they both wanted a lot more from their passion. Peter said that even though he did love the idea of DJing and even though he did buy a brand new mini-board to practice on, he didn't know anyone with the skills to help him learn the basics (software, hardware, music installation, transitions etc.).
5) Findings
I found out that a lot of people that have passion for music and that are dedicated to using it to their advantage through DJing, are not satisfied with their current situation and that even though they have high expectations, they are scared and/or lazy to pursue their dreams.
6)
I believe this segment have need awareness and is something that is worth investing in. All my customers presented a need even though they might not have expressed it very clearly. The information search could've portrayed a bigger desire and ambition for success but I believe that. through my product, the solution to the need will get easier thus allowing more people to pursure their passion.
11A – Idea Napkin No. 1
Who am I? My name is Dimitrios Karellos-Gleoudis. I am from Greece but I've lived in Miami for the past 6 years. I am currently studying at the University of Florida. My major is general business and I'm minoring in Spanish. My talents are being social and fitting in well. I'm also very determined and ambitious when I set my eyes on a goal. I have worked at a couple of places around the country including an internship for a non-profit company in Peru, a cell phone company and a hotel in Greece, and a few jobs in Miami. I also have a strong passion for disc jockeying and would like it to be a part of my future. I believe this business will contribute a lot in doing so as it combines an entrepreneurship concept with my passion.
What am I offering to customers? I am offering an electronic page that will allow people with a strong passion for disc jockeying to post, receive feedback, and connect with other DJs in their area. My product will satisfy the unmet need of DJs feeling a lack of support and ambition towards achieving their goals.
Who am I offering it to? My customers have a strong passion for music and an attraction to finding creative ways to work with it and create it. My customers usually include a younger age but also a few older, more experienced customers. They are located in different areas, starting with Gainesville and expanding to different parts of Florida.
Why do they care? I believe that my customers care because my product will allow them to receive opportunities and skills that have yet to be met in their lives.
What are my core competencies? I have been a disc jockey for 4 years now and believe that my background knowledge and skillset, along with my experience as a starting DJ will help build a solid foundation for my business as I know the "game" and how its played. I have been in the shoes of my customers and I wasn't satisfied. It took a lot for me to get where I am and believe that there should be easier ways for DJs to branch out and receive more opportunities allowing them to follow their ambition.
Reflect: I believe that my "napkin" business concept can work well together as my background, experience, customer demographic, customer need, and competencies all have similar aspects to them that can work as a puzzle, one supporting the other. I am confident in my idea and its building blocks.
What am I offering to customers? I am offering an electronic page that will allow people with a strong passion for disc jockeying to post, receive feedback, and connect with other DJs in their area. My product will satisfy the unmet need of DJs feeling a lack of support and ambition towards achieving their goals.
Who am I offering it to? My customers have a strong passion for music and an attraction to finding creative ways to work with it and create it. My customers usually include a younger age but also a few older, more experienced customers. They are located in different areas, starting with Gainesville and expanding to different parts of Florida.
Why do they care? I believe that my customers care because my product will allow them to receive opportunities and skills that have yet to be met in their lives.
What are my core competencies? I have been a disc jockey for 4 years now and believe that my background knowledge and skillset, along with my experience as a starting DJ will help build a solid foundation for my business as I know the "game" and how its played. I have been in the shoes of my customers and I wasn't satisfied. It took a lot for me to get where I am and believe that there should be easier ways for DJs to branch out and receive more opportunities allowing them to follow their ambition.
Reflect: I believe that my "napkin" business concept can work well together as my background, experience, customer demographic, customer need, and competencies all have similar aspects to them that can work as a puzzle, one supporting the other. I am confident in my idea and its building blocks.
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