Final Reflection

Howdy! Here is the final reflection about ENT3003.

What sticks out to you as the most formative experience? The experience that you'll remember years later? What was your most joyous experience? What experience are you most proud of yourself for accomplishing?

• Having to practice interviewing people throughout this class was definitely the most formative experience I've had this semester.  There wasn't any experience that I know I'll definitely remember years later unless I stumble across old YouTube videos that I recorded for this class.  I am proud of myself for completing the course.

Do you see yourself as an entrepreneur? Do you think you have moved closer to developing an entrepreneurial mindset?

• I still don't see myself as an entrepreneur.  However, this class did give me a new perspective and a good insight on the entrepreneurial mindset.

What is the one recommendation you would make to the students who are going to journey down this path in the future? What would you recommend they do to perform best in this course? What would you recommend they do to foster that mindset?

• To students choosing to take this journey, I would recommend checking the due dates regularly and just being confident about your work over all.  To foster that mindset, practice.  That's somewhat of a simple answer, but through practice and the feedback from my classmates, I was able to develop this mindset.

....And that's that! Done! Have a good summer everyone!

Week 15 Reading Reflection

Howdy! Here is the week 15 reading reflection. Enjoy!

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 
• There was nothing I found surprising about the reading.
2. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
• Nothing was confusing about the reading.
3. If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
• How is entrepreneurship different in India than in the United States? If there were drastic differences, how quickly/not quickly did you adjust to it?
• It would be interesting to know how culture would affect innovation in business.
• Are there any business strategy aspects that are unique to your business?
• In the article, the author mentions how his business strategy was based on American fast-scaling consumer businesses. Their original input would be interesting to compare to these strategies.
4. Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
• There isn't anything I thought the author was wrong about.

Venture Concept No. 2

Howdy! The following is my second attempt at the venture concept.  Enjoy!

VENTURE CONCEPT

OPPORTUNITY

The major need of customers is one that promotes energy saving and also is an affordable convenience.

If the word “environment” is taken literally, the fact that energy is constantly being wasted helps create this opportunity. Generally speaking, however, the fact that the current market has not changed in such a long time also generates potential opportunities.

The market for this product would be those with access to electricity. The product could be sold to people of almost all ages that are able to make conscious purchases for themselves, from young adult to elderly people. All age groups could use the product for its energy saving potential.

Customers are currently satisfying this need through getting up to make sure that every electric object is turned off whenever not in use. Based on the interviews from random customers, they seem to be pretty loyal to this process. Because of this, realistically speaking, this opportunity is moderately sized. This is because although it caters to almost every age group and demographic, it can easily be replaced by something that already exists (other conveniently located and accessible objects) or through people sticking with what they already do. Nonetheless, this “window of opportunity” will be open indefinitely until someone, whether it be a large company or a small business, decides to cater to the need of being a convenience to people while being energy efficient.

INNOVATION

My product is a battery-powered, infrared remote-controlled attachment that would adhere to the wall around a light switch. When activated via the remote, the attachment would either press the light switch in the on or off position. The light switch would still be able to be used manually, but with this attachment, one could turn off the light from a distance without having to leave their comfortable position.

This product will make money via selling the attachment for more than it costs to make it. The price would range from $25 to $35, varying by light switch type, the amount purchased, and whether or not batteries are included in the package. As demand increases, the price would definitely drop. The product would be available online via Amazon.

VENTURE CONCEPT

My innovation will solve the aforementioned opportunity by enabling people to remain in their comfortable positions while giving them the potential to save energy with ease. They will buy my innovation purely for those reasons. People love products that make their lives easier. Customers would switch to this new product because not only does it help prolong the users comfort, it also has safety bonuses, especially for older customers. Through the use of the light switch attachment, there is a decreased chance of falling down and injury. However, it would be difficult for consumers to switch from their current methods because they would not have to spend any money to continue to get up and manually turn on and off lights. There are not any major competitors, but the existence of desk lamps and overhead lights that are already remote-controlled may sway consumers from purchasing my product. However, since not everyone has lamps on their bedside table or can afford built in remote-controlled lights, customers would be more inclined to buy my innovation.  This is what would make my product different: the affordability and accessibility.  

Since the product would be distributed through Amazon, the shipping costs would follow their standard (the product would be prime eligible). Business location and packaging would not have any influence on my business concept for this reason too. As any online purchase goes, there would be a review system that would allow the business to address any concerns of any customer (Amazon also supports this) to ensure the best possible customer experience. The price may be a slight deterrent, thus making the growing process somewhat slow until lots of units are purchased. Nonetheless, the product would be affordable.

I would organize the business to have the attachments assembled in a factory by machines to eliminate the possibility of human error. They would then be transported to the Amazon distribution centers. The business would need employees to communicate with consumers online via the business' website, Amazon, and social media outlets. It would also need employees to transport the product from the factory to the distribution centers.

THREE MINOR ELEMENTS

I believe that my most important resource is a tie between the good network I currently possess and my knowledge of electronics. The former because every entrepreneur needs a good network to accomplish anything and the latter because it is the fundamental reason as to why the product would exist in the first place. The unique and genuine designs of the product would make it difficult for other companies to copy.

Once this venture conquers the initial opportunities, I would want to adapt the wall attachment to work with objects other than switches and buttons. As for specific ways I would apply the product, I am not sure yet.

If I were to launch this business, in five years I would want this product to be one of many successful creations that promote convenience and energy saving. However, within a decade of running this business (and hopefully several patents later), I would step down and let someone else within my company run it for me. I would still have partial ownership, but I would not be in control. Although this first venture made me see that I would not want to run my own business for too long, it also would have given me the irreplaceable experience of being an entrepreneur.

REFLECTION FROM LAST VENTURE CONCEPT

The feedback from my initial venture concept post was generally positive!

However, some of the people that commented wanted to know how my product would be different than those already out there. As I described in the last post, my product would be different from others in that it would be more convenient and affordable than having a new light system installed in their house.  Design-wise, it will be unique since there is nothing out there like it that looks similar. 







I did not change my venture concept too much based on the feedback.  I added what I mentioned in the previous paragraph.

Google Gold

Howdy! Here is the post regarding the Google search engine and my experiences with it in refernece to my product.

1. A discussion of your general approach and strategy to search engine optimiation (SEO). What were some of the activities you did for each blog post to pursue SEO? 
• I actually did not try to pursue SEO.  I uploaded each post with the same general tags as required in the assignment.
2. What were your keywords. How did you select those keywords? Did you change or refine your keywords through the semester?
• The keywords I used were strictly based upon the ones required for each assignment.
3. How did you use social media to enhance your SEO efforts? What your your surprises or general impression of using social media to improve your blog's profile? Was social media generally receptive of your blog, or did it get ignored?
• I didn't use social media to advance my efforts at all.  I was always given the option to share my post to my Google Plus profile, but I did not want any of my schoolwork to be accessed from my social media profiles at all.
4. What was your most "viral" post? In other words, which post obtained the most traffic? Why do you think?
• My most "viral" post was the Idea Napkin No. 1 post (22 views and 6 comments).  I think this happened because it was the first time I clarified my business plan idea.  I doubt that keywords had anything to do with it.  Also, the fact that everyone in this course is required to comment on other peoples posts helped with that too.
5. Finally, did you make it to the first page of Google results for your keywords? If not, what page of results did you make it to?
• Technically speaking, my blog made it to the first page of the google results from one of the comments I made on another persons blog.  Otherwise, I could not find my blog on the first few result pages.  

Week 14 Reading Reflection

Howdy! Here is week 14's reading reflection:

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 
• There was nothing surprising about the reading.
2. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
• None of the reading was confusing to me.
3. If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
• Did you have any trouble creating a good environment for "in-house entrepreneurship?"
• I would ask this because it would be interesting to hear where the author had trouble in their endeavors.
• Which type of innovation do you prefer/apply more often: radical or incremental? Is there one you think is more effective?
• It would be interesting to know how the author would rather proceed in entrepreneurial advances.
4. Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
• There was nothing I thought the author was wrong about.

Week 13 Reading Reflection

Howdy! Here is my week 13 reading reflection.

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 
•  There was not anything I found surprising.
2. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
• There wasn't anything that was confusing to me.
3. If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
• When you started your business, how did you value your business?
• Since there's a lot of factors to take into account, I would like to know which factors they paid more attention to. 
• What was the greatest liability you had while making your business?
• I would ask this because liabilities take away from the profitability of a business so it would be interesting to hear how that affected the authors business.
4. Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
• There's nothing I thought the author was wrong about.

Celebrating Failure

Howdy! Here is my post on failure.

1. Tell us about a time this past semester that you failed -- whether in this class, or outside of this class. 
• One time that I failed was earlier this semester.  I registered for a discrete math course. I failed not only the first quiz, but also the first exam.  I had studied for hours and hours before each of them. When I dropped the class I had around a 40%. 
2. Tell us what you learned from it. 
• I learned that discrete math is hard and that I am not good at it.  I also learned that knowing information is not the same as comprehending it.
3. Reflect, in general, on what you think about failure. Failure is hard, isn't it? It's embarrassing, sure, but it also means that we have to change something about ourselves. Talk about how you handle failure (emotionally, behaviorally). Finally, talk about how this class has changed your perspective on failure -- are you more likely to take a risk now than you were four months ago?
• The way I handle failure has changed a lot from high school to now (my second year of college).  Before I would feel really embarrassed and be upset with myself for extended periods of time.  Now I accept the failure and move on since one can only move forward post-failing. Meaning the real failure would be not trying to better yourself afterward.  Each failure motivates me to try harder next time and I always learn from my mistakes.  This class has changed my perspective on failure in that I know it's okay to fail multiple times.  In terms of risk taking, I feel like I am not more or less likely to take a risk after this course.  I usually consider the consequences and take the risk based upon that.

My Exit Strategy

Howdy! Here is my exit strategy.

1. Identify the exit strategy you plan to make. Do you intend to sell your business in the next 5 years for a large return? Do you intend to stay with the business for several decades and retire? Do you intend to protect the venture as a family business, and pass it down to your children?
• I plan on selling my business within the first 5 years for a hopefully large return.  
2. Why have you selected this particular exit strategy?
• I have selected this exit strategy because my product is a pretty small venture so I wouldn't mind leaving it and moving on with my life.  
3. How do you think your exit strategy has influenced the other decisions you've made in your concept? For instance, has it influenced how you have identified an opportunity? Has it influenced your growth intentions or how you plan to acquire and use resources?
• I think my exit strategy influenced my decisions thus far in that I set up everything so I could leave easily at any point with or without whatever resources I accumulate.  In terms of my opportunity identification skills, I thin it definitely has improved it.  I notice a lot smaller needs that others may not consider to be needs.  

Week 12 Reading

Howdy! Here is the assignment for Week 12's reading.

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 
• There weren't any major surprises, but I thought it was interesting how much goes into growing a company/business idea (this could also be said for this entire course, but this chapter had a lot of the components listed).
2. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
• There was no part of the reading that was confusing.  Everything was pretty straightforward (as per usual).
3. If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
• How did you retain your entrepreneurial frame of mind?
• The chapter lists several ways to do so.  I think it would be interesting to hear which ones the author used.
• How did you balance the responsibilities involved in growing a business or entrepreneurial firm? Is there anything you had difficulty with in particular?
• If I knew the struggles that the author had, it would give me an idea of what to keep in mind while growing in my entrepreneurial skills.
4. Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
• There was nothing I thought the author was wrong about.  I didn't disagree with anything they said. 

Venture Concept No. 1

Howdy! The following is my initial venture concept.  Enjoy!

VENTURE CONCEPT

OPPORTUNITY

The major need of customers is one that promotes energy saving and also is an affordable convenience.

If the word “environment” is taken literally, the fact that energy is constantly being wasted helps create this opportunity. Generally speaking, however, the fact that the current market has not changed in such a long time also generates potential opportunities.

The market for this product would be those with access to electricity. The product could be sold to people of almost all ages that are able to make conscious purchases for themselves, from young adult to elderly people. All age groups could use the product for its energy saving potential.

Customers are currently satisfying this need through getting up to make sure that every electric object is turned off whenever not in use. Based on the interviews from random customers, they seem to be pretty loyal to this process. Because of this, realistically speaking, this opportunity is moderately sized. This is because although it caters to almost every age group and demographic, it can easily be replaced by something that already exists (other conveniently located and accessible objects) or through people sticking with what they already do. Nonetheless, this “window of opportunity” will be open indefinitely until someone, whether it be a large company or a small business, decides to cater to the need of being a convenience to people while being energy efficient.

INNOVATION

My product is a battery-powered, infrared remote-controlled attachment that would adhere to the wall around a light switch. When activated via the remote, the attachment would either press the light switch in the on or off position. The light switch would still be able to be used manually, but with this attachment, one could turn off the light from a distance without having to leave their comfortable position.

This product will make money via selling the attachment for more than it costs to make it. The price would range from $25 to $35, varying by light switch type, the amount purchased, and whether or not batteries are included in the package. As demand increases, the price would definitely drop. The product would be available online via Amazon.

VENTURE CONCEPT

My innovation will solve the aforementioned opportunity by enabling people to remain in their comfortable positions while giving them the potential to save energy with ease. They will buy my innovation purely for those reasons. People love products that make their lives easier. Customers would switch to this new product because not only does it help prolong the users comfort, it also has safety bonuses, especially for older customers. Through the use of the light switch attachment, there is a decreased chance of falling down and injury. However, it would be difficult for consumers to switch from their current methods because they would not have to spend any money to continue to get up and manually turn on and off lights. There are not any major competitors, but the existence of desk lamps and overhead lights that are already remote-controlled may sway consumers from purchasing my product. However, since not everyone has lamps on their bedside table or can afford built in remote-controlled lights, customers would be more inclined to buy my innovation.

Since the product would be distributed through Amazon, the shipping costs would follow their standard (the product would be prime eligible). Business location and packaging would not have any influence on my business concept for this reason too. As any online purchase goes, there would be a review system that would allow the business to address any concerns of any customer (Amazon also supports this) to ensure the best possible customer experience. The price may be a slight deterrent, thus making the growing process somewhat slow until lots of units are purchased. Nonetheless, the product would be affordable.

I would organize the business to have the attachments assembled in a factory by machines to eliminate the possibility of human error. They would then be transported to the Amazon distribution centers. The business would need employees to communicate with consumers online via the business' website, Amazon, and social media outlets. It would also need employees to transport the product from the factory to the distribution centers.

THREE MINOR ELEMENTS

I believe that my most important resource is a tie between the good network I currently possess and my knowledge of electronics. The former because every entrepreneur needs a good network to accomplish anything and the latter because it is the fundamental reason as to why the product would exist in the first place. The unique and genuine designs of the product would make it difficult for other companies to copy.

Once this venture conquers the initial opportunities, I would want to adapt the wall attachment to work with objects other than switches and buttons. As for specific ways I would apply the product, I am not sure yet.

If I were to launch this business, in five years I would want this product to be one of many successful creations that promote convenience and energy saving. However, within a decade of running this business (and hopefully several patents later), I would step down and let someone else within my company run it for me. I would still have partial ownership, but I would not be in control. Although this first venture made me see that I would not want to run my own business for too long, it also would have given me the irreplaceable experience of being an entrepreneur.

Amazon Whisperer

Howdy! Here is the Amazon Whisperer assignment.

• Describe the revenue drivers you currently include in your business concept for this class. Revenue drivers are the different ways you make money. 

Within my business concept, I can make money from actually selling the product for more than how much it costs to produce it. I can also make money from selling my idea to larger companies. 

• Describe what kind of product offering you believe should be next. What's the next thing your customers want?

I think my customers would want something else that would make their lives slightly easier. Possibly something that keeps blankets on the bed (could also be remote controlled). 

• Describe how this "next" thing will enhance your existing product/service offering. Does it improve the user experience, does it increase customer switching costs, does it foster customer loyalty, etc.?

I think it does improve user experience because I always end up losing my blanket in my sleep. It would be a shame if other people suffered from this issue. It does foster customer loyalty because they would know that I make their lives easier. 

• Go to Amazon and try to find a product that is similar to the one you want to offer next. Describe the product. Include a picture of the product.

I couldn't find a product on Amazon that matches this product idea. However, I did find tips that helped me with the design. 

• What are the customer reviews for the product? What, exactly, do customers not like about the product? What do they like about it?

Since there is nothing on Amazon like this (that I could find), there are not any customer reviews on the product. 

• Describe what design/usability changes you'd make to the product. 

For my design, I would either implement an automatic zipper with a sleeping bag-esque appearance. I would also maybe include temperature settings so that it the blanket will let cooler air in when the user becomes over heated. 

• Describe why you think this product would make a good addition to your current product/service offering.

I think that this product would be a good addition to my current product offering for the reasons listed under the third billet point - customer loyalty and better customer experience. 

My Unfair Advantage

Howdy! Here is my "staying power" reasons.

Resources:

1. I am very determined to make my life and other peoples lives easier (I'll do anything to fuel my laziness).
• VRIN: Not very valuable (laziness can sometimes be an issue), not very rare (almost everyone likes to procrastinate sometimes), somewhat inimitable, non-substitutable.
2. I have a good network of people that I could consult if I need help.
• VRIN: Very valuable (it's not what you know, it's who you know), rare in that everyone knows different people, inimitable for the same reason it is rare, non-substitutable because it's very difficult to go on business ventures alone.
3. I possess a lot of knowledge on how electronics work and what I would need to create my product and make it effective.
• VRIN: Very valuable (kind of the point of my product), not very rare (lots of people can have it), somewhat inimitable (some knowledge is different than others and can be applied in a different way), non-substitutable (see reason why it's valuable).
4. I give a lot of effort in everything I do.
• VRIN: Very valuable (effort is important), somewhat rare (not everyone gives a lot of effort), kind of inimitable (not found in everyone, but I suppose everyone has the potential to give effort), non-substitutable.
5. My product can help a lot of people save energy and reduce falling risks.
• VRIN: Valuable (safety is important), not very rare (lots of things can hep safety), inimitable, definitely non-substitutable. 
6. My product has the potential for different designs (all of which I have created already).
• VRIN: kind of valuable, somewhat rare (they are my ideas, after all), not very inimitable, non-substitutable.
7. I am very enthusiastic about making life easier for other people.
• VRIN: valuable (who would buy from someone not enthusiastic about their work?), somewhat rare (not everyone is enthusiastic), inimitable (everyone express enthusiasm in different ways), non-substitutable.
8. I have had many life experiences involving not wanting to get up to turn off my light/fan.
• VRIN: somewhat valuable, rare in that some people may not have to get out of bed to turn off their lights (like for lamps), inimitable (not just anyone can know your struggle the way I do), non-substitutable.
9. I know how and where to get affordable materials for this product. 
• VRIN: valuable, rare, inimitable, non-substitutable.
10. I have taken this class and have the business creation experiences from it (even though we weren't technically supposed to make a business in this class).
• VRIN: SO valuable, INCREDIBLY rare (it's unique to the unique to the University of Florida), very inimitable, somewhat non-substitutable (there could be other entrepreneurship classes out there, but they would more than likely be different).

My top resource is my knowledge of electronics because it is the main reason I would be able to create this product in the first place.  However, I will not be making this product because I do not want to start a business.  Maybe someday.  Just not today.

Week 10 Reading Reflection

Howdy! This is week 10's reading reflection.

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 
• There wasn't anything that surprised me. 
2. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
• I didn't find anything confusing.   
3. If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
• Which of the budget types is the most important to you?
• Since there are a lot of financial matters to take into account (pun intended), I would like to know if any of them take precedence. 
• Which financial statement do you use the most/pay the most attention to?
• I would ask this for the same reason as question 1.
4. Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
• I did not disagree with the author.

Week 9 Reading Reflection

Howdy! This is week 9's reading reflection.

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 
• The fact that some entrepreneurs don't conduct marketing research was surprising to me.
2. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
• None of the reading was confusing to me.  All of it was pretty straightforward.  
3. If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
• Have you not conducted marketing research? If so, why not?
• There were 4 main reasons for not carrying out research.  I am curious as to the authors potential reasons for not doing so.
• What do you think is the best method for social media start-ups to get their name/brand known?
• I use pretty much every social media outlet in existence and I would like to know why the author would think some are more successful than others.
4. Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
• There was nothing I thought the author was wrong about.

My Secret Sauce

Howdy! For this assignment, I will be talking about how wonderful and unique I am!

Five Ways I think I am Unique

1. I am very determined to complete whatever task at hand.  I don't like quitting (not specific to me, but I know that I can be more stubborn than most).
2. I do my best to put others needs before my own.
3. I try to make everyone smile even if it's at my own expense.
4. I'm somewhat quick-witted.
5. I do my best to put forth 100% effort (super hard sometimes though).

From Others' Perspective

Interview 1 - Niamh

Summary: Niamh says that I always give 110% and that I would give my life for the people I care about. 

Interview 2 - Allison

Summary: Allison says that I'm unique because I've only had girl scout cookies once (two years ago.  Barely remember the experience).  

Interview 3 - Veronica

Summary: Veronica thinks I'm funny and punny (true lol).

Interview 4 - Logan

Summary: Logan says I care about the people around me even if I don't know them.  He also says I'm dedicated to both Doritos and whatever I set my mind to.

Interview 5 - Anna

Summary: Anna says I worry about others regardless of my situation.  

Reflection

Based on the interviews with my dearest friends, they all seem to think that I'm incredibly generous and selfless regardless of the cost or situation.  Compared to my list, they think more highly of me than I do.  I think general self esteem causes the differences between the two views.  I'd like to think that what my interviewees said is true.  I certainly do my best to live up to that standard.  I wouldn't change my list all that much because I still think of myself the same way I did before.  

Idea Napkin No. 2

Howdy! This assignment is my product idea tied together with all of the information I've obtain via interviews and research and such (part 2).

1. About Me?
• My name is Nika de Vries and I am good at designing and assembling electronics.  I used to be a part of my high school's robotics team so I have had previous experience with creating a machine that would perform a specific task.  Regarding my business concept, I do not seeing it playing a major role in my life.  However, I think it would be interesting to materialize an idea of mine.
2. What are you offering to customers?
• I am offering a product that provides the convenience of not having to get out of bed to turn off an overhead/ceiling light.  The switch would be activated by using an infrared remote, so it could be controlled from a distance. 
3. Who are you offering it to?
• Although the product can be used for all ages, I believe that college students and young adults would find the most use from it.  Based on my interviews, the older people living in houses (adults and elderly people) had lamps by their bedside table, whereas college students living in apartments only had access to the overhead light. However, elderly people with trouble walking may also be able to use this product. 
4. Why do they care?
• The customers would care because it would expedite their whole going to sleep process and save them a small amount of energy. Personally, I have no other way of turning off my light other than standing up and doing it manually and it has been a terrible inconvenience.  I will sometimes go to sleep without turning off the light, thus expending energy.  Customers would pay for this product to save them energy when it comes to lighting in their homes and to get rid of an inconvenience. 
5. What are your core competencies?
• When compared to everyone else, I believe that I would be able to create this and other products effectively because I will do anything to make my own life easier.  

Reflection

From Napkin No.1: I believe these elements somewhat fit together in that the product does solve a problem. However, there since everyone has different room layouts the product may not apply to everyone.

From Napkin No. 2: Compared to the last napkin and from the feedback I received, I believe that these elements will fit together without any issues. 

Feedback Memo

1. My idea would be very easy to market to all age groups.

2. Aside from saving energy, there are more benefits to this product. 

3. College students would very much enjoy my product as all of the people that commented on my last post seemed to like the idea. 

4. Elderly people will be less likely to trip and fall on the way to turn off their light (bonus safety feature).

5. If there is a cost effective way to create this product, it would probably do well on the market. 

Since no one really said anything was wrong with my idea napkin, I didn't really change too much. 

Half-Way Reflection

Howdy! Here is the half-way reflection post for this class. First, please enjoy this inspirational picture.

1) Tenaciousness is a skill. What are the behaviors that you have used (or developed) to keep up with the requirements of this course? 

- For this course, I've had to arrange when I'll do each assignment. Since each assignment has the somewhat odd due time of 9PM, I had to figure out when I would make time to fit with this class' schedule. Time management is very important, everyone. 

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?

- The "giving up" feeling has been a familiar emotion throughout this course. I think a lot of these assignments aren't worth my time, yet I continue to do most of them because I want a decent grade in the class. I feel like my tenacious attitude hasn't changed much because if I want to get something done, I do. 

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'?

1. Be persistent. If something doesn't go quite right on your first try, keep trying. This class involves a lot of approaching strangers, most of which will walk away without a word, but one poor experience is not the end of the world. 

2. Manage your time. Some of your schedules might be hectic (I know mine is) and you will need to rearrange a lot of things to fit the needs of this class. If you  don't give yourself time to foster your tenacity, you're really not getting as much as you can out of this class.

3. While you foster tenacity, foster your confidence. This both applies to approaching people and your general self confidence. 

Week 7 Reading Reflection

Howdy! Here is the Week 7 Reading Reflection:

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 
• I didn't find anything particularly surprising, but I thought that the development of segmentation in businesses was interesting (early 60s and forward).  It makes perfect sense as to why it happened, but I never really thought about that change. 
2. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
• There were no parts that were confusing to me.
3. If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
• Which is the most effective type of segmentation (advertising vs new products)?
• I would ask this because both of these can work together (advertising FOR new products), but if one were more effective overall, I would want to use that one predominantly.
• In your opinion, which is more important: the issues of the business or the consumers concerns?
• I would ask this because in the event of conflicting solutions, one would have to choose which to solve first (if both cannot be resolved at the same time).
4. Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
• There was nothing that I thought the author was wrong about.  

Free Money

Howdy!  For this assignment, I was supposed to give $5 to busy strangers.  Here is how that went:

1. Where will you go?
• I went to my church since I was home for the weekend.
2. What kind of people will you approach?
• I approached pretty much anyone since I wasn't particularly nervous to talk to anyone
3. What will you say to get the conversation started?
• I just went with the "Excuse me, do you have a moment?" approach.  
4. What is your plan for the conversation?
• I chose to just ask people if they wanted a dollar so their initial reaction would be an immediate yes or no.  I didn't feel the need to make it any more descriptive than that, especially since my business pitches would be generally straightforward.
5. Out of five attempts, how many dollar bills do you think you will be able to give away?
• I thought I could give away at least 3 dollar bills.  I gave away 4.  How cool am I?

Encounter 1

The video cut out the "excuse me" part, but he was a bit busy selling gift cards.  He took my dollar after I stopped recording.  Totally counts.

Encounter 2

My phone is the worst at taking videos (or I'm just really bad at pressing record), but this girl was collecting money for her class' bake sale.  Of course she accepted my dollar.  She thought it was funny that I was recording her. I didn't get any baked goods (so I guess this project was a failure overall).

Encounter 3

I approached a parent also collecting money for the bake sale.  He accepted my dollar too.

Encounter 4

I walked up to my pastor after church while he was shaking everyone's hands (I waited in line because I really didn't want to interrupt a priest outright).  He also accepted my dollar.  He'll probably put it in this weekends collection.

Encounter 5

The last person I tried to give a dollar to was a man with his baby boy.  He didn't accept the dollar.  Probably because money has a lot of germs on it and he was holding a baby. 

Reflection

Giving away a dollar was about as easy as I expected it to be.  The most difficult thing giving the location I was in was that everyone was trying to leave to go to breakfast.When I approached people, I didn't really consider reasons why they would say no other than the fact that they were busy.  But all of their reasons for accepting or not accepting the dollar were completely understandable.

Idea Napkin No. 1

Howdy! This assignment is my product idea tied together with all of the information I've obtain via interviews and research and such.

1. About Me?
• My name is Nika de Vries and I am good at designing and assembling electronics.  I used to be a part of my high school's robotics team so I have had previous experience with creating a machine that would perform a specific task.  Regarding my business concept, I do not seeing it playing a major role in my life.  However, I think it would be interesting to materialize an idea of mine.
2. What are you offering to customers?
• I am offering a product that provides the convenience of not having to get out of bed to turn off an overhead/ceiling light.  The switch would be activated by using an infrared remote, so it could be controlled from a distance. 
3. Who are you offering it to?
• Although the product can be used for all ages, I believe that college students and young adults would find the most use from it.  Based on my interviews, the older people living in houses (adults and elderly people) had lamps by their bedside table, whereas college students living in apartments only had access to the overhead light. 
4. Why do they care?
• The customers would care because it would expedite their whole going to sleep process and save them a small amount of energy. Personally, I have no other way of turning off my light other than standing up and doing it manually and it has been a terrible inconvenience.  I will sometimes go to sleep without turning off the light, thus expending energy.  Customers would pay for this product to save them energy when it comes to lighting in their homes and to get rid of an inconvenience. 
5. What are your core competencies?
• When compared to everyone else, I believe that I would be able to create this and other products effectively because I will do anything to make my own life easier.  

Reflection

I believe these elements somewhat fit together in that the product does solve a problem. However, there since everyone has different room layouts the product may not apply to everyone. 

Week 5 Reading Reflection

Howdy! Here is week 5's reading reflection on chapter 9:

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 
• Nothing was really surprising for me in the reading as I am already interested in the legality of intellectual property (and other legal topics), but it was interesting to see it applied directly to entrepreneurship as opposed to criminal justice topics.
2. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
• I felt like this entire section was pretty straightforward.  There was not anything I found confusing.
3. If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
• If you could create a patent for anything (already patented or not patented), what would it be?
• I would ask this because a lot of good ideas have already been patented and I would want to know what his "missed opportunity" would be.
• What are your thoughts on the patenting of particular lines of code in programming projects?
• This question is pretty specific, but there are a lot of arguments about the validity of patenting code as there are only so many ways one can make a section of code perform one task.
4. Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
• Since a lot of the information in this section was factual and not based on the author's opinion, there is nothing that I thought the author was wrong about and nothing I disagreed with in particular.

Interviewing Customers No. 1

Howdy!

For this assignment, I had to interview 5 strangers.

Potential opportunity: Improving the whole "getting ready for bed" process. Whether it be making an attachment for the wall to turn off the light from afar or a way to fall asleep faster.

People with this problem: Pretty much anyone that sleeps.  So everyone.

Interview strategy: I mostly approached the interviewee, told them my name and about this project, and asked my questions.

Questions asked: What is your general going to bed process? Are there any pet peeves you have?

Here is the video containing brief interviews with complete strangers. Enjoy!

Reflection: Overall,this process was easy and difficult in different ways.  Although I do not have difficulty talking to people, approaching strangers after being told to not talk to them as I grew up made it slightly challenging.  I did appreciate the people that did talk to me for they were all very nice.

Week 4 Reading Reflection

Howdy! Here is a reflection on the Week 4 Reading.

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 
• I didn't realize that creativity was able to be broken down into as many categories/"arenas" as it is.  I usually considered creativity to be a very general term.
2. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
• I've taken a Business/Entrepreneur class that covered creativity and entrepreneurship before, so I didn't really find anything that was confusing to me.  Everything was pretty straight forward.
3. If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
• Have you followed the phases of the creative progress or have you followed a different process?
• I would ask this because there are many ways to come up with an idea for a product or service and I am curious to see how he would have gone through this process.
• What kind of creative projects have you done to nurture your creativity skills?
• I'm assuming the author must have outstanding creativity to write about it in a textbook, so I would want to know how to get to his level.
4. Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
• There was not anything that I thought the author was wrong about.  In the other Creativity books I've read, what was written is the general consensus.

Top 5 World Problems

Howdy!  In this post, I am ranking the Top 5 of my World Problems list and their solutions.



Problems (from most to least serious):

1. World Hunger/Thirst
• One cannot solve the worlds problems if there are people dying from lack of basic needs.
2. Pollution
• One cannot solve the worlds problems if there is no livable world. 
3. Lack of Available Education
• If people are uneducated on global and local affairs, one cannot expect them to do anything to help solve the problems.
4. Racism/Intolerance
• I feel like this kind of goes without saying, but it's a problem that people are killing each other over their race and beliefs...
5. Overpopulation
• Overcrowding can cause resources to be expended unnecessarily.

Solutions (from most to least possible):

1. Overpopulation - Make contraceptives more available to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Find more renewable resources to support our growing population.
• This the most possible because there are different organizations that provide contraceptives (This is not in reference to abortions.  Separate issue.) already.
2. Lack of Available Education - Offer better financial aid to those that need it.  Or lower tuition in general. Make extracurricular programs not included in the price of tuition (EXTRAcurricular.  Key word extra. Seriously).
• Second most possible because there are plenty of businesses/foundations that could provide different scholarship/sponsorship opportunities to aspiring students that need it.  
3. Pollution - Implement more laws that regulate emissions from vehicles, recycling, etc.
• Since laws have to go through different divisions of the government, this could take a long time to implement, but it's totally doable. 
4. World Hunger/Thirst - Donate food/money to people that are less fortunate either locally or farther away to help make these resources more accessible.  Build clean water pumps (see: https://www.thirstproject.org/).
• There are a lot of people without resources to sustain themselves.  It would take a lot of time to help everyone.
5. Racism/Intolerance - Help people understand that we were all created equally and should be able to coexist. 
• This is the least possible because people are stubborn and are not quick to give up their ideals regardless of how wrong they are.  

World's Biggest Problems

Howdy! For this assignment, I am to identify 10 of the worlds biggest problems and what a practical solution would be for them.

Here they are (in no particular order):

1. World Hunger/Thirst
• Millions of people around the world do not have access to clean water and food even though it is one of the basic items one needs to survive. This leads to malnutrition and ultimately an early death. 
• SOLUTION: Donate food/money to people that are less fortunate either locally or farther away (lots of organizations do this already, but more couldn't hurt) to help make these resources more accessible.
2. Unemployment
• My knowledge of this only extends to that in the United States.  Although unemployment rates have gone down over the past decade or so, there are still many people that are looking for jobs, but are unable to because there are no jobs available.
• SOLUTION: Either create more job positions or help educate people to take their ideas and do something with it (whoa entrepreneurship), thus creating more jobs for people on a local scale.
3. Racism/Intolerance
• Through a particular type of elitism, some people are under the impression that they are better than others because of the color of their skin or the religion they follow (if any). This leads to hatred and occasionally acts of violence.
• SOLUTION: Spread love and not hate. Help people understand that we were all created equally and should be able to coexist. 
4. Terrorism
• According to the dictionary, the definition of "terrorism" is the "systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion." This means that people will resort to violence as a way to push their agenda (usually political, but it can vary). This has very much to do with number 3 in that some terrorism is based on religious and racial intolerance.
• SOLUTION: World leaders should promote peace and tolerance rather than enabling hatred.  While it would be ideal for no one to fight at all, it is not a perfect world. Therefore, countries should hope for the best while preparing for the worst (focusing on strengthening their own defenses rather than attacking people elsewhere as civilians are getting killed all them time for doing nothing). 
5. Overpopulation
• To put it very simply, we have too many people and not enough space and resources. 
• SOLUTION: Make contraceptives more available to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Find more renewable resources to support our growing population.
6. The Economy
• Everyone's national debt is increasing continuously and national spending isn't slowing down either. 
• SOLUTION: Although it is not ideal and not everyone would agree with it, raising taxes for those that are able to pay them would probably be good start. Also redirecting some of the funds from unnecessary expenditures would also be a good idea. 
7. Apathy
• People do not care about what is going on in the world if it doesn't relate directly to them. Since people aren't caring about the world's issues, they more than likely will do nothing to solve them. 
• SOLUTION: There really is no tangible solution for this unless more people have a change in heart and start caring or if they are made aware of these issues.  So I suppose making education more affordable for everyone would help (See number 9).
8. Pollution
• Whether it be air pollution or littering, pollution is a growing problem. While air pollution destroys the ozone, littering can kill off species
• SOLUTION: Some places, such as New York City, have implemented different rules to regulate the amount of air pollution emitted. For example, people aren't allowed to leave their cars idle and running for more than a short period of time.  If more places used this rule, air pollution would decrease. 
9. Lack of Available Education
• Education is very expensive and not very accessible to those in less fortunate financial situations.  There is almost no reason for school (college especially) to be as expensive as it is.  If education is to stay this expensive, how are we supposed to expect people to obtain knowledge to make a living for themselves? Most jobs (with the exception of most of the food industry) requires at least a high school education.  Higher paying jobs require an actual degree.  You can't get those if you have no money.
• SOLUTION: Offer better financial aid to those that need it.  Or lower tuition in general.  That would be great. 
10. Reliance on Antibiotics
• Bacteria are building tolerances to the medicines that have been discovered already. We rely very heavily on antibiotics as a source of health. Not saying that medicine is a bad thing, but eventually we might not be able to fight bacteria that have built up an immunity.
• SOLUTION: don't use antibiotics unnecessarily. This solution is very dependent on medical advances.

Unfortunately, none of these problems are issues that can be changed overnight, but hopefully in the future, these will all get solved (or at least be closer to getting solved).

Week 3 Reading Reflection

Howdy! Here is my reflection for week 3's reading.

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 
• Although I knew how that there were risks and negative factors that come into play within any entrepreneurial venture, the biggest surprise for me in this reading was how many there were (especially when it has to do with ego).  
2. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
• I thought this chapter was pretty straightforward, so nothing was really confusing to me.  
3. If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
• In your opinion, between the types of risk listed, what is the greatest risk an entrepreneur takes when creating their own business?
• I would ask this because since there are multiple types (financial, career, social, psychic, etc.), they could potentially be ranked from worst to not-as-bad based on opinion.
• Have you personally had to recover from failure in any entrepreneurial endeavors?
• I'm curious to see if he had any first hand experience with the grief recovery process.
4. Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
• There wasn't anything in this chapter that I really disagreed with in particular.

Identifying Local Opportunities

Howdy!  In this post, you'll find 5 different local unmet needs. Here they are:

1. How to Avoid Boredom, Monotony in Retirement - The Orlando Sentinel
• People transitioning from a full-time job to retirement are having issues staying busy and motivated, whether it be at home or in retirement homes. There are some companies that offer "transition programs" to help with the adjustment, while donating to nonprofit organizations.  There are also many volunteer programs that "offer programs for retiring workers looking to engage with nonprofits." One company (My Next Season) trains executives to be able to effectively help these people start projects and to keep busy.  The head of this company wishes to/is in the process of creating a mobile networking app to develop a more phone-based service.  Potentially, other businesses could solve this issue.
• PROBLEM(S): Elderly/Retired people are not enjoying their retirement. One of the main organizations wants to expand their service to different markets through mobile phones.
2. Video-game Realism is Big Business - The Orlando Sentinel
   • The video-game community is beginning to migrate toward highly immersive/virtual reality game play, meaning that they are able to experience the game more first-hand rather than staring at a TV and using a controller. If gamers aren't able to use these devices, they expect the companies that create the games (Bethesda, Bungie, etc.) to implement higher graphics, updated player rosters, and improved game play.
   • PROBLEM(S): While there are major companies like Samsung and Oculus Rift creating VR games and hardware, these are very expensive and not accessible to everyone.  There also aren't that many popular video games that are made for the Oculus Rift (and products of the sort).
3. Hoverboards with Fake Batteries Seized at Port Miami - The Miami Herald
• Police confiscated over 200 of the "self-balancing scooters" that contained fake batteries.  The batteries had "LG" labels on them, but they were not actually produced by that company.  Since the batteries are not legitimate, they are at a higher risk for bursting into flames. Since there is no "one hoverboard manufacturer" (although they are mostly produced in China), it is hard to keep track of all of the counterfeit and potentially dangerous products. 
• PROBLEM(S): Batteries in general aren't very well made and even if they are legitimate, they still have the potential to malfunction (especially Lithium-ion batteries).  Also, if an organization were to create their own hoverboards, they would be able to ensure that they meet certain safety requirements before distribution.
4. As Veterans Come Home, a New Generation of Caregivers - The Miami Herald
• The article provides data for the amount of caretakers in the US post-9/11.  The author notes that this is the longest period of war that the country has been in, so the consequences of that are finally beginning to show.  They talk about a veteran in Miami who is no longer able to store short-term memories.  They also mention how the training of the caregivers "directly affects the health and wellness" of the veterans,
• PROBLEM(S):This isn't exclusive to Miami, but there doesn't seem to be too many reliable resources for veterans to receive help from (especially psychological help).  There also isn't many places for potential caregivers to receive training to help the veterans.
5. Have Bike, Will Travel -- And Will Suffer - The Orlando Sentinel
• MetroPlan Orlando, who is in charge of regional transportation, needs to install bike racks in a more accessible place, rather than on the second floor of their office building.  The reporter also said that there were no bike racks or lanes near the Orlando Executive Airport. "The authority has 109 miles of toll road along six expressways but no bike lanes."
• PROBLEM(S): There are not enough bike racks or bike lanes for people to use in different areas of Orlando.

Very Short Interview No. 1

Howdy!

This post contains a very short interview with an entrepreneur.  For this assignment, I interviewed Jezrael "J" Flecha.  J is an IT at the University of Florida and my boss.  He has worked for the University for ~10 years.  Recently, he decided that he wanted to create his own company that would assist other people with either their IT, carpentry, or vehicle maintenance needs at an affordable rate.  He is an entrepreneur because he is taking advantage of a need for a service by using skills he has accumulated over the years from both the University of Florida and from his personal hobbies. Here are his answers to the questions:

What does it mean to be an entrepreneur? 
To me, it gives me a sense of freedom. Even with taxes upon taxes upon taxes, I still feel less restricted than when I’m on business with the University. I’ve learned while starting up my own business that I am a victim of my own success. 

What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course? 
The ability to research efficiently and effectively. The saying, “time is money”, is never so real until it affects you directly. Communication is also another great tool to keep in your toolbox. Effective communication is key all throughout business.    

What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur? 
I didn’t attend college for business prior to being an entrepreneur. If I had to choose, I would say learning a bit more of the law side. One small mistake and all the time, effort, and money can simply just disappear.

During this interview, I learned that people can choose to be entrepreneurs for different reasons. Some people do it for money, while others do it for freedom.  I also didn't think about how important the legal aspect of business could be (which in retrospect, it is very, very important).  I actually will be working with J within his startup as he is looking for people with IT skills (he trained me in all that). At the end of the semester, I will be interviewing him again.

Week 2 Reading Reflection

Howdy! 

The following is a reflection on the first assigned reading.

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 
• I didn't know that there was a specific term for small businesses that grow quickly per year (gazelles).  I was expecting the chapter to be purely about entrepreneurial mind-sets.
2. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
• The section on the concept of integrative approaches to entrepreneurship and the figure involving entrepreneurial inputs and their outcomes was a little bit hard to follow.  
3. If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
• Why do you say that all companies die when there are multi-million dollar companies that are still going strong?
• I would ask this because I disagree with this statement and I would be curious to hear about his opinion on that.
• What is your personal opinion on the "profile" of an entrepreneur?
• Under Myth 5, he said that defining a set list of characteristics for entrepreneurs is hard to do, so I would want him to try making a list.
4. Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
• I disagreed with the statement, "All companies wither and die."  There are a lot of companies that have lasted for a very long time without any sign of slowing down.  Logically speaking, generalizing and saying that absolutely all companies die is more than likely incorrect as every company's situation is different.  

Bug List

 Howdy! The following is a list of things that bother me and the reasons why these problems exist.

1. The crosswalk at the intersection of SW 13th St. and Union Dr. takes too long to change.
• This "bug" exists either because me timing to get to the light is awful or because the timer on the entire stop/go cycle caters more to vehicles even though the crosswalk has a lot of foot-traffic.
2. I feel like soap in my bathroom is not as effective when I have to put water in it when the dispenser is almost out of soap.
• The soap that is not dispensed is collected at the sides, away from the soap pump.
3. The song queue on my shuffled Spotify playlist always plays songs that I don't particularly want to hear at the moment, even though I like the song in general.  
• The shuffle function is not able to cater to moods of people.  Spotify itself can create a "Discover" playlist of new music based on the types of songs you listen to the most, but unless you manually skip the songs you don't want to listen to or make a completely new playlist, you can't listen to the songs you want to right away.  How inconvenient.
4. The light switch in my bedroom is too far away from my bed, meaning I either have to get out of bed to turn it off or never turn it on in the first place.  
• This problem exists because I don't have any other lights in my room and once I get comfortable in bed, I don't want to move. 
5. My phone chargers and headphones always end up broken.
• The materials used to make the cords are not very flexible, leading to their destruction (dun dun DUNNN). I also lose them a lot, to be honest.
6. Speaking of headphones, whenever I plug them into a desktop (located on top of the desk for whatever reason) or the sound-bar on the monitor, the cord always gets in the way of the keyboard and my typing.
•  There are no convenient places to plug in the headphones that won't get in the way of something else.
7. The cardholders that can be placed on the back of cellphones break/become detached if too many cards are put in there.
• Too much stuff, not enough space.
8. There is a "bug" in my iPhone that causes none of the notifications to register as being read.  I have to restart my phone every time this happens,
• This is some error on Apple's part.  I'm sure it will be fixed in the future.
9. My computer has been trying to force me to update to Windows 10 for the past couple of months.
• This would stop if I updated my computer, but Windows 10 is a new operating system and has a bigger potential for security issues.
10. It is too easy to turn off my phone alarm rather than press snooze whenever I have to be up at a particular time.
• If you unlock your iPhone while the alarm goes off, the alarm will be deactivated rather than snoozed. Beware.
11. There isn't a place on the UF campus for students to practice piano (or other instruments) unless they are taking a class or are a music major.
• This is probably an effort to get more students to take these classes or to keep the instruments available for the students that are actually studying music.  However, it's somewhat unfair to those that are interested in learning an instrument, but don't want to change their course of study.
12. Lint brushes don't always get the lint off of my clothes.  Especially on pants.
• The adhesive on the brushes aren't that powerful.
13. On the sidewalk on SW 2nd Ave. on the Social 28 side, the sidewalk is horribly uneven (I've stubbed my toe and tripped too many times).
• General wear from getting walked all over all the time.  Poor sidewalks. They should stand up for themselves sometime. Could this be how they're doing that? I wonder...
14. It is too easy to lock myself out of my bedroom in my apartment.
• I don't always have my keys on me and the lock out process at my apartment complex is $20 too much (aka $20).
15. My keys are annoying to carry as I don't always carry a purse and they collection of keys themselves are bulky when bunched up in my pocket.
• Need either bigger pockets or smaller keys. 
16. The fact that I have to rinse off dishes before putting them in the dishwasher is both a waste of water and a waste of time. 
• Dishwashers are not powerful enough.  Probably something to do with water pressure.
17. 3M Command strips don't work all that well on larger items, such as posters on foam boards, even when multiple strips are used.
• Adhesive could be stronger (although damage to wall paint is another issue).
18. Chairs pretty much everywhere don't really help with proper and healthy posture and are uncomfortable in general (especially when one has to sit there for a really long time like during lectures).
• Poor back support and not enough cushioning on the seat.
19. Laptop batteries don't last that long, both power-wise and usability-wise, and are really expensive to replace.  And if you don't get a properly licensed battery or charger, it can completely ruin your computer.
• Everything has to expire one day as to create demand for the supply, but batteries could improve overall anyway.
20. Being super literal with the whole bug thing, but wasps bug me (Haha I'm funny, right everyone?).  They are terrifying, don't do anything for residential areas (unless you have a farm or intense garden as they protect your plants from most pests), and will actively go out of their way to sting anything that moves.  AND even when you spray their nests, they keep coming back! Wasps can't take a hint.
• They are the worst.  That is all.

This assignment was slightly more difficult than anticipated.  Not a lot of things bug me.  However, once I thought of one thing that bothered me, a decent amount of other problems came up that were somewhat related to the first. A lot of these have pretty simple solutions, but as resources are limited on my end, there doesn't seem to be too much I can do immediately.

My Entrepreneurship Story

Howdy! For this post I'll be talking about an entrepreneurship story of mine and why I am taking this class.

My entrepreneurship story happened fairly recently.  During the Spring 2015 semester, A group of friends I was approached by Parker Fields, another friend, to help him work on an app.  Without disclosing too many details, we would have work sessions throughout the week to learn how to develop apps for both iPhone and Android products.  We were working on a particular idea that would consolidate several existing apps into one program, making certain features more accessible, especially for students.  Eventually, we were registered as a business Arcium LLC.

Arcium LLC Logo

Working with Parker and my other friends was an interesting experience.  I ultimately ended up leaving the group so I could focus on schoolwork, but I am glad I was involved at all.  Parker and company continues to learn how to create apps.  A Wizard Game is available on the iPhone App Store for free (10/10 would recommend. I spend so much time on this game it's kind of sad).

I enrolled in ENT3003 mostly because it is required for the Innovation Minor.  However, from the first week, it feels like this class is going to be more interesting than I anticipated (as evidenced by how much fun I had recording the Entrepreneur's Mantra).  By the end of this course, I want to be able to figure out effective to the solutions for all of the problems I have.  Although I do not want to start my own business, I know that this skill will be useful in any job setting I may come across.

On that note, thank you for reading and have a wonderful day/night/afternoon/dusk/dawn!

Entrepreneur's Mantra

Howdy!

Here is my Entrepreneur's Mantra video. Enjoy!

Introduction

Howdy!

My name is Nika de Vries and I am from Palm Bay, Florida.  My immediate family consists of my parents, my grandmother, and my younger brother, Otto. They all live in Palm Bay.  Both of my parents are incredibly hardworking. I strive to be able to have the discipline and resolve they have.  My Grandma is unbelievably patient and is very good at crossword puzzles.  Otto is a somewhat typical teenage boy.  He's very much into sports, video games, and combinations of the two (he kicks my butt in FIFA every time).  We've grown closer since I left for college.

I am a second year Computer Science major, but I'm working on switching to Mechanical Engineering (that's a super fun and complicated process, but it'll be worth it when it's over with).  After I get my Bachelors, I also want to go to law school.  As for what I want to do with my life and with the education I'm obtaining, I'm not sure yet.  Right now, I'm mostly studying what interests me and I'm hoping that something that I want to do will appear along the way (either through opportunities made available through UF or through my own decisions).

Over the years, I've traveled to many places.  I've been to Bermuda (I lived there for almost 7 years), England, St. Maarten, Saba, Costa Rica, Jamaica (on a mission trip), and Ireland (on a study abroad trip with the Innovation Academy).  I hope to go to more places.  Number one on my bucket list is Australia.

One of the sunrises in Jamaica

Anyway, I will be posting on this site based on whatever is assigned in this class.  So stay tuned? Maybe? I would if I were you.  I'm pretty cool.

Test Post Please Ignore

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