1) The pitch: https://youtu.be/n64ZPennWLU
2) A reflection on the feedback you received from your last pitch.
The feedback I thought was important was a comment about my appearance. The comment said I dressed professionally and there were no distractions in the background. Dressing professionally says a lot about the entrepreneur. First impressions count and your appearance is the first thing people will notice. I also thought the feedback about my hands was insightful. The commented said I could maybe used my hands a little more and be animate to engage the audience. I think this was great advice since my hands seemed awkwardly placed in front of me.
3) What did you change, based on the feedback?
Since my elevator pitch was memorized I felt a lot more comfortable. In my last elevator pitch my hands seemed very awkward because I kept them together in front of me the whole time. This time I tried using my hands more while explaining the product to my audience. I recorded a few videos using my hands but they looked more awkward then before, so I decided to not use my hands at all. Overall, this was the easiest elevator pitch to record. I think I have improved greatly from the first elevator pitched I recorded.
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Sunday, March 24, 2019
21A – Reading Reflection No. 2
1) What was the general theme or argument of the book? The theme of the book "The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users" by Guy Kawasaki was to teach users to effectively implement social media tactics to market themselves and their company brand. Guy Kawasaki, a marketing specialist, filled the book with insightful tips that he has found valuable. The book gave advice on how to optimize your profile, integrate blogging, respond to comments, get more followers, and write effective posts.
2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003? The book enhanced what I have learned in ENT 3003 because it discussed ways to market your personal and company brand. In Module 10 of this course we learn about marketing and how it is used to sell your product and build relationships with customers. In class we market our products through elevator pitches, if we were to implement our ideas we would create a website to promote the product. The book also connected with ENT 3003, because it dedicated an entire chapter to blogging. Some tips include posting great content, always adding a picture or video, adding a share button, and including links to your social media account so that others can follow you.
3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve? The book gives helpful tips on how to create an effective profile picture. Your profile picture should only include your face. That means no friends, family, or animals in the background. The three main tips were to be asymmetrical, face the light, and make sure your photo is at least 600 pixels wide. My exercise would be for the student to analyze their current profile picture according to the tips the author gave and write a paragraph on how their photo met or did not meet the tips. I would then have the student take a new profile picture incorporating the advice and upload both the old and new picture to the assignment.
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? The biggest aha moment I had was the number of posts per day the author thought was acceptable. He said you can post three to twenty posts per day as long as they are different and good. I always thought it was annoying for a person or company to post more than twice a day. Another thing that surprised me was posting in a different language. The author said "if you are bilingual or multilingual try translating breaking news into another language and see what happens (p. 65)." I thought this was a great, creative idea to get people to notice your posts.
2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003? The book enhanced what I have learned in ENT 3003 because it discussed ways to market your personal and company brand. In Module 10 of this course we learn about marketing and how it is used to sell your product and build relationships with customers. In class we market our products through elevator pitches, if we were to implement our ideas we would create a website to promote the product. The book also connected with ENT 3003, because it dedicated an entire chapter to blogging. Some tips include posting great content, always adding a picture or video, adding a share button, and including links to your social media account so that others can follow you.
3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve? The book gives helpful tips on how to create an effective profile picture. Your profile picture should only include your face. That means no friends, family, or animals in the background. The three main tips were to be asymmetrical, face the light, and make sure your photo is at least 600 pixels wide. My exercise would be for the student to analyze their current profile picture according to the tips the author gave and write a paragraph on how their photo met or did not meet the tips. I would then have the student take a new profile picture incorporating the advice and upload both the old and new picture to the assignment.
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? The biggest aha moment I had was the number of posts per day the author thought was acceptable. He said you can post three to twenty posts per day as long as they are different and good. I always thought it was annoying for a person or company to post more than twice a day. Another thing that surprised me was posting in a different language. The author said "if you are bilingual or multilingual try translating breaking news into another language and see what happens (p. 65)." I thought this was a great, creative idea to get people to notice your posts.
Friday, March 22, 2019
20A – Growing Your Social Capital
1) Who they are and what their background is: Bill Wilson is the owner of Wilson-Lewis-Wilson Design.
2) How this person is a "domain expert:" Bill Wilson is engaged in the same activity I would like to be entrepreneurship. He started and runs a design company which specializes in graphic design, art work, and helping other company's create their websites. The company has sold merchandise such as cups, t-shirts, and limited edition prints. He knows the ins and outs of running your own business.
3) How I found and contacted the person: I asked my immediate family if they personally knew any entrepreneurs. My mom told me her cousin owned his own company, so she gave me his phone number and I contacted him.
4) The nature of the exchange: I explained my product idea to him and asked for his opinion. He said it was a good idea and could see it working. He asked if it was a "smart device" and if he could control it with his phone or Alexa. He pointed out as technology is increasing people have become so use to using artificial intelligence. The best product are those that fit a specific niche. Creating the machine with artificial intelligence would be a great upgrade. I also asked him what the most difficult part about running his own business was. He said getting established, marketing, and building clientele. In the beginning he had to learn how to wear "multiple hats," including graphic designer, illustrator, marketer, manager, programmer, and copyrighter.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity? Since he has successfully run his own business, I would ask him for tips on how to start my business. He would be able to give me insightful advice on marketing and management tactics. He is also a very creative thinker, so I would ask for advice on product design. I really liked his idea to improve the machine by adding artificial intelligence. If I were to continue with this idea, I would ask for his advice along the way.
1) Who they are and what their background is: David Chudhabuddhi is the Assistant General Manger at West Shore Lucky Dill in Tampa
2) How this person is a "market expert:" Restaurants represent a major piece of my market. I want The Spice to be sold to local and chain restaurants. David Chudhabuddhi is very knowledgeable about the products that could be used in a restaurant. He understand the front of the house (hosting) and back of the house (cooking) procedures.
3) How I found and contacted the person: My friend use to work at the previous restaurant Mr. Chudhabuddhi managed. She gave me his phone number and I contacted him.
4) The nature of the exchange: I explained my idea to him and asked if my product could be utilized in a restaurant. He really liked the idea and said it could be used in a restaurant. It would save the company money by not wasting spices. He liked the additional oil dispenser and said the idea was out of the box. He pointed out that not only could it be used for meals, but also craft cocktails. It could be used to store and dispense garnishes such as orange zest, fresh basil, and thyme. He advised me to upgrade the product to hold fresh herbs. To do this I would need to install a cooler into the machine to keep the herbs fresh.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity? David Chudhabuddhi has direct connect to a restaurant that could possibly be my first customer. Before I market my product to the public he would be able to test it in his kitchen and let me know what the advantages and disadvantages were. He came up with a great idea by adding a cooling machine to allow the device to store fresh herbs. If I were to implement this idea, I would ask for his assistance on testing out the product.
1) Who they are and what their background is: Nathan L (preferred not to disclose last name) is a Customer Solutions Specialist at Webstaurant Store.
2) How this person is a "industry supplier:" Webstaurant Store is a restaurant supplier that provides restaurant equipment from refrigerators to mixers to food processors. This company would be selling my product to restaurants. Nathan is knowledgeable on the products that are currently being sold from his company and the process on how a product would be approve and added to their supply list.
3) How I found and contacted the person: I researched restaurant supplier and found Webstaurant Store. I contacted him through the live chat function on the website.
4) The nature of the exchange: I explained my product idea to him and asked if it could potentially be sold on the website to restaurants. He said the closest item that is similar to my product and is currently being sold on their website is the cereal dispensers. The difference is it does not dispense exact measurements. I also asked him how long it would take for a product to be approved and appear on the website. He said they do not have individual product submissions, but work directly with manufacturers. The product details would be sent Webstaurant Store and reviewed by the purchasing team. The company works with all different types of manufacturing companies including Vollrath, BUNN, Beverage Air, and Tuxton.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity? Nathan would be a great contact point in regards to supplying my product to restaurants. He is also aware of products that are currently selling the most and products that are similar to mine. He could give me advice on the price point I should set my product at. By speaking with him I learned the only way I could market my product on Webstaurant Store is if I sold it to a manufacturer.
Overall Refection: This experience showed me that even if you personally do not have a connection with an "expert" someone you know will. In future networking events I will be more open to who I connect with and try to connect with as many people as possible. You can meet a potential business connection anymore. This experience did not differ from my previous networking experiences. Whether it be through a secondary connection, LinkedIn, or directly walking up to a potential employer I have had to make direct contact with people I do not know. Networking is about marketing yourself and connecting with potential employers or colleagues that will help you accomplish your future endeavors and goals.
2) How this person is a "domain expert:" Bill Wilson is engaged in the same activity I would like to be entrepreneurship. He started and runs a design company which specializes in graphic design, art work, and helping other company's create their websites. The company has sold merchandise such as cups, t-shirts, and limited edition prints. He knows the ins and outs of running your own business.
3) How I found and contacted the person: I asked my immediate family if they personally knew any entrepreneurs. My mom told me her cousin owned his own company, so she gave me his phone number and I contacted him.
4) The nature of the exchange: I explained my product idea to him and asked for his opinion. He said it was a good idea and could see it working. He asked if it was a "smart device" and if he could control it with his phone or Alexa. He pointed out as technology is increasing people have become so use to using artificial intelligence. The best product are those that fit a specific niche. Creating the machine with artificial intelligence would be a great upgrade. I also asked him what the most difficult part about running his own business was. He said getting established, marketing, and building clientele. In the beginning he had to learn how to wear "multiple hats," including graphic designer, illustrator, marketer, manager, programmer, and copyrighter.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity? Since he has successfully run his own business, I would ask him for tips on how to start my business. He would be able to give me insightful advice on marketing and management tactics. He is also a very creative thinker, so I would ask for advice on product design. I really liked his idea to improve the machine by adding artificial intelligence. If I were to continue with this idea, I would ask for his advice along the way.
1) Who they are and what their background is: David Chudhabuddhi is the Assistant General Manger at West Shore Lucky Dill in Tampa
2) How this person is a "market expert:" Restaurants represent a major piece of my market. I want The Spice to be sold to local and chain restaurants. David Chudhabuddhi is very knowledgeable about the products that could be used in a restaurant. He understand the front of the house (hosting) and back of the house (cooking) procedures.
3) How I found and contacted the person: My friend use to work at the previous restaurant Mr. Chudhabuddhi managed. She gave me his phone number and I contacted him.
4) The nature of the exchange: I explained my idea to him and asked if my product could be utilized in a restaurant. He really liked the idea and said it could be used in a restaurant. It would save the company money by not wasting spices. He liked the additional oil dispenser and said the idea was out of the box. He pointed out that not only could it be used for meals, but also craft cocktails. It could be used to store and dispense garnishes such as orange zest, fresh basil, and thyme. He advised me to upgrade the product to hold fresh herbs. To do this I would need to install a cooler into the machine to keep the herbs fresh.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity? David Chudhabuddhi has direct connect to a restaurant that could possibly be my first customer. Before I market my product to the public he would be able to test it in his kitchen and let me know what the advantages and disadvantages were. He came up with a great idea by adding a cooling machine to allow the device to store fresh herbs. If I were to implement this idea, I would ask for his assistance on testing out the product.
1) Who they are and what their background is: Nathan L (preferred not to disclose last name) is a Customer Solutions Specialist at Webstaurant Store.
2) How this person is a "industry supplier:" Webstaurant Store is a restaurant supplier that provides restaurant equipment from refrigerators to mixers to food processors. This company would be selling my product to restaurants. Nathan is knowledgeable on the products that are currently being sold from his company and the process on how a product would be approve and added to their supply list.
3) How I found and contacted the person: I researched restaurant supplier and found Webstaurant Store. I contacted him through the live chat function on the website.
4) The nature of the exchange: I explained my product idea to him and asked if it could potentially be sold on the website to restaurants. He said the closest item that is similar to my product and is currently being sold on their website is the cereal dispensers. The difference is it does not dispense exact measurements. I also asked him how long it would take for a product to be approved and appear on the website. He said they do not have individual product submissions, but work directly with manufacturers. The product details would be sent Webstaurant Store and reviewed by the purchasing team. The company works with all different types of manufacturing companies including Vollrath, BUNN, Beverage Air, and Tuxton.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity? Nathan would be a great contact point in regards to supplying my product to restaurants. He is also aware of products that are currently selling the most and products that are similar to mine. He could give me advice on the price point I should set my product at. By speaking with him I learned the only way I could market my product on Webstaurant Store is if I sold it to a manufacturer.
Overall Refection: This experience showed me that even if you personally do not have a connection with an "expert" someone you know will. In future networking events I will be more open to who I connect with and try to connect with as many people as possible. You can meet a potential business connection anymore. This experience did not differ from my previous networking experiences. Whether it be through a secondary connection, LinkedIn, or directly walking up to a potential employer I have had to make direct contact with people I do not know. Networking is about marketing yourself and connecting with potential employers or colleagues that will help you accomplish your future endeavors and goals.
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
19A – Idea Napkin No. 2
1) You. I am passionate, determined, personable, a strong communicator, and dependable. I am very organized which is a strong management skill to have. My past experiences as an Administrative Assistant at Shands has taught me to communicate well with my manager. I also have held past leadership roles, such as an aftercare school teacher, Sunday school leader, and VBS middle school leader. I would be able to implement both of these skills when running my own business. I really enjoy seeing local companies give back to their community, so I would want to incorporate this into my business, whether it be through donations or volunteer work. This business would be a large part of my life until it was stable enough to hire another person to manage it. In the beginning I would spend most of my time marketing and reaching out to local restaurants in the area.
2) What are you offering to customers? I am offering a machine that dispenses specific amounts of spices. The customer will use the touch screen on the machine to select the measurement and spice he/she wants. The machine can measure 1/4 teaspoon to 2 tablespoon of spices. It can hold 2 cups of each spice for 12-15 difference spices. The first design holds 12 spices and is 75 dollars, while the second design hold 15 spices and is 100 dollars. The standard colors for the machine are dark blue, light blue, silver, white, and black. Customized colors can be purchased for an additional 20 dollars. An oil dispenser can also be added for an additional 25 dollars.
3) Who are you offering it to? My target audience is motivated by saving time and money. My first target audience is inexperiences cooks and others who do not like using measuring cups. I am specifically targeting college student. They tend to be inexperiences cooks, since this is most likely the first time they have had to cook for themselves. Since my product is more on the expensive side, I am targeting wealthier customers. My second target audience is restaurants. They would save money by not wasting spices. From the "growing your capital" assignment, I learned my machine, not only could be used for meals, but also craft cocktails. It would be a great way to add garnishes on top of drinks.
4) Why do they care? Customers will actually pay me money for my product, because with The Spice measuring cups will no longer be needed. This will minimize the clean up time after cooking. Spices will no longer be wasted which will save the cook money. The customer will also not have to waste time tediously measuring out each spice. My product can also be used as a storage facility for spices. The customer will no longer need a place in their storage cabinet for them.
5) What are your core competencies? My machine is not just a spice organizer, but a spice dispenser. No other machine has been invented that distributes perfect amounts of spice. I have added customized colors to match the customer's kitchen, as well as an additional oil dispenser. Most spice organizers only hold solids, while mine can hold liquids. The Spicer also contains individually larger amounts of each spices. Lastly, my product holds 12-15 spices, while others only go up to 12 difference spices.
Evaluation of the Five Elements:I think all of the five elements fit together. I think my past experiences and communication and leadership skills will be beneficial when managing a business. I am very friendly and personable, which are great skills to have when interacting with employees and customers. The problem I am trying to solve, can be fixed by using my product. Additionally, the target audience I am marketing to is perfect for the product I am selling. By marketing my product to both restaurants and individual I am able to reach a broader market and ultimately increase revenue.
Feedback Memo:One of my feedback comments mentioned how I was right that customers would spend money on my product because it saves them time. I realized how important price is for some of my target audience, so for this idea napkin I added the price for the additional oil dispenser and customized colors. The product has also change slightly in the number of spices it can hold, so I updated the information in this idea napkin. She also mentioned she believes one day all restaurants will own my product because of the convenience it provides. In this post, I decided to go into more detail about the multiple benefits the machine would provide to restaurants. Another comment mentioned how past experiences and communication skills will be beneficial when selling my product. For this idea napkin, I decided to highlight more on my past experiences and how they would contribute to running my business.
2) What are you offering to customers? I am offering a machine that dispenses specific amounts of spices. The customer will use the touch screen on the machine to select the measurement and spice he/she wants. The machine can measure 1/4 teaspoon to 2 tablespoon of spices. It can hold 2 cups of each spice for 12-15 difference spices. The first design holds 12 spices and is 75 dollars, while the second design hold 15 spices and is 100 dollars. The standard colors for the machine are dark blue, light blue, silver, white, and black. Customized colors can be purchased for an additional 20 dollars. An oil dispenser can also be added for an additional 25 dollars.
3) Who are you offering it to? My target audience is motivated by saving time and money. My first target audience is inexperiences cooks and others who do not like using measuring cups. I am specifically targeting college student. They tend to be inexperiences cooks, since this is most likely the first time they have had to cook for themselves. Since my product is more on the expensive side, I am targeting wealthier customers. My second target audience is restaurants. They would save money by not wasting spices. From the "growing your capital" assignment, I learned my machine, not only could be used for meals, but also craft cocktails. It would be a great way to add garnishes on top of drinks.
4) Why do they care? Customers will actually pay me money for my product, because with The Spice measuring cups will no longer be needed. This will minimize the clean up time after cooking. Spices will no longer be wasted which will save the cook money. The customer will also not have to waste time tediously measuring out each spice. My product can also be used as a storage facility for spices. The customer will no longer need a place in their storage cabinet for them.
5) What are your core competencies? My machine is not just a spice organizer, but a spice dispenser. No other machine has been invented that distributes perfect amounts of spice. I have added customized colors to match the customer's kitchen, as well as an additional oil dispenser. Most spice organizers only hold solids, while mine can hold liquids. The Spicer also contains individually larger amounts of each spices. Lastly, my product holds 12-15 spices, while others only go up to 12 difference spices.
Evaluation of the Five Elements:I think all of the five elements fit together. I think my past experiences and communication and leadership skills will be beneficial when managing a business. I am very friendly and personable, which are great skills to have when interacting with employees and customers. The problem I am trying to solve, can be fixed by using my product. Additionally, the target audience I am marketing to is perfect for the product I am selling. By marketing my product to both restaurants and individual I am able to reach a broader market and ultimately increase revenue.
Feedback Memo:One of my feedback comments mentioned how I was right that customers would spend money on my product because it saves them time. I realized how important price is for some of my target audience, so for this idea napkin I added the price for the additional oil dispenser and customized colors. The product has also change slightly in the number of spices it can hold, so I updated the information in this idea napkin. She also mentioned she believes one day all restaurants will own my product because of the convenience it provides. In this post, I decided to go into more detail about the multiple benefits the machine would provide to restaurants. Another comment mentioned how past experiences and communication skills will be beneficial when selling my product. For this idea napkin, I decided to highlight more on my past experiences and how they would contribute to running my business.
Friday, March 15, 2019
17A – Elevator Pitch No. 2
1) The pitch: https://youtu.be/rWc5Vjmbv3c
2) A reflection on the feedback you received from your last pitch. What stood out to me as important was the feedback regarding the description of the need my product is solving. The student said he liked how I started my sales pitch stating the need I am going to fix and how my product would solve it. The student also mentioned he would actually use the product which is great to hear. The second student said "I spoke with a professional manner and fully explained how the product would solve the need." This feedback was the most useful and insightful, because it confirmed my tone and volume were at a good level and my explanation was clear.
3) What did you change, based on the feedback? I made sure to speak at the same volume and tone as the first sales pitch. I also tried to smile more. I personally noticed the first sales pitch was very monotone. I think it was because I was so focused on memorizing the sales pitch and saying the right words. This time I had the sales pitch fully memorized so I was able to add more emotion into my voice. I also glanced at my notes in the first sales pitch. This time I was able to record the video without any notes.
Friday, March 1, 2019
18A – Create a Customer Avatar
Customer Avatar
She is an out of state student from St. Louis, Missouri who transferred to the University of Florida this year. She is a junior studying education and plans on become a high school English teacher. She is very dedicated to her studies and spends most of her time working out, studying, hanging out with friends, and cooking. She drives a 2009 dark blue Chevy Traverse. Since her family and friends mean the world to her, she enjoys driving a bigger car to help friends out when they need a ride. Her favorite hobbies include cooking, working out, reading, and any activity outside. When she is not reading a textbook her favorite book to read is "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. She loves romantic comedies and her favorite movie is "The Proposal" starting Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Her favorite color is dark blue.
She recently started cooking for herself and loves to meal prep. She is focused on staying healthy and believes cooking meals is better than eating out. The hardest part about cooking for her is portion size. There are five people in her family, so she is use to cooking large meals. Her favorite part about cooking is seeing other people’s reactions when they try her food. She loves hosting dinner events at her house and being surrounded by close friends. As a result of being a full-time student and working 20 hours a week, she is always trying to find way to save money and time.
What do you have in common with the customer avatar? I also love working out, reading, spending time with friends, and being outdoors. I am dedicated to my school work and work 20 hours a week. I would rather eat a home cooked meal than go out to a restaurant. I try to eat health and also recently started cooking for myself. As a college student with a busy schedule, I am always trying to find ways to save time.
Do you think that is a coincidence? No, I do not think its a coincidence. I created the product based on a problem I personally had. I think many inexperienced cooks are found in college because this is the first time they have lived alone and have to cook for themselves. I do not own many measuring cups, so The Spice would be a great solution to this problem and also save me time.
She is an out of state student from St. Louis, Missouri who transferred to the University of Florida this year. She is a junior studying education and plans on become a high school English teacher. She is very dedicated to her studies and spends most of her time working out, studying, hanging out with friends, and cooking. She drives a 2009 dark blue Chevy Traverse. Since her family and friends mean the world to her, she enjoys driving a bigger car to help friends out when they need a ride. Her favorite hobbies include cooking, working out, reading, and any activity outside. When she is not reading a textbook her favorite book to read is "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. She loves romantic comedies and her favorite movie is "The Proposal" starting Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Her favorite color is dark blue.
She recently started cooking for herself and loves to meal prep. She is focused on staying healthy and believes cooking meals is better than eating out. The hardest part about cooking for her is portion size. There are five people in her family, so she is use to cooking large meals. Her favorite part about cooking is seeing other people’s reactions when they try her food. She loves hosting dinner events at her house and being surrounded by close friends. As a result of being a full-time student and working 20 hours a week, she is always trying to find way to save money and time.
What do you have in common with the customer avatar? I also love working out, reading, spending time with friends, and being outdoors. I am dedicated to my school work and work 20 hours a week. I would rather eat a home cooked meal than go out to a restaurant. I try to eat health and also recently started cooking for myself. As a college student with a busy schedule, I am always trying to find ways to save time.
Do you think that is a coincidence? No, I do not think its a coincidence. I created the product based on a problem I personally had. I think many inexperienced cooks are found in college because this is the first time they have lived alone and have to cook for themselves. I do not own many measuring cups, so The Spice would be a great solution to this problem and also save me time.
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