10A - Elevator pitch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgO3RfWLVgE&feature=youtu.be

9A - Testing the hypothesis, Part 2

Who?
In order to reach out to a wider audience, I decided to make an online survey with some questions that were general to my idea, I was surprised that so many people were willing to take the survey since I had only posted it about 30 minutes ago. As of now, 15 people have taken the survey.
Out of the fifteen people, 100% both said they would eat healthier if it was cheaper and more attainable. 57.1% felt like eating healthy is hard and most of the responses to why they don't eat healthy was accessibility and price.

What?
An affordable, healthy alternative for food for people on the go or too busy to meal prep on their own.

Why?
I feel like my idea is a very widespread need to where no matter who you are or where your interests may lie, health is something that is very versatile and despite anything, you have a need for it unless your health or what you put into your body isn't a main concern for you. While this may be true for some people, in relation to my survey results - no one expressed the opinion of not wanting to a healthier option or not caring for it.

Inside the Boundary	Outside the Boundary
Who is in: People who are wanting an easier, healthier option for food on the go.	Who is not: If you’re not health-conscious, your weight/health isn’t a concern, you don’t care.
What the need is: To make healthy food more accessible and cheaper for people on the go.	What the need is not: To be processed, use false ingredients, only be accessible at certain stores or in certain areas.
Why the need exists: This need exists because unhealthy food is far more accessible than better options.	Alternative explanations: You’re not concerned about your health therefore a healthy, on the go option isn’t something that you need in your mind.

8A - Solving the problem

There has been an immediate rise on teen deaths in the US which has been immediately linked to vaping, but people fail to realize is that these kids were trying to smoke cannabis cartridges that had vitamin E oil in them which, when burned at high temperatures, it turns into a deadly chemical called acetate that causes pneumonia and chronic lung illness. The problem is that due to cannabis not being legal, these things aren't regulated. With the market being on the streets and kids being able to buy cartridges, home made edibles, etc. You don't know what you're buying or what's included in these products because they're not being checked. A solution would be the legalization of cannabis in order to be able to regulate this industry and create a barrier of safety amongst American consumers who are going to get their hands on cannabis, regardless. This problem has been swept under the rug and blamed on vaping because it's easier to ban E-cigarettes than regulate cannabis due to the controversial outlook on cannabis from Americans and politicians alike.

7A - Testing The Hypothesis

1.) The opportunity that I would like to pursue is a fast, affordable, healthy alternative for food for people on the go or too busy to meal prep on their own.

2.) My target audience would be any teen, college student, young adult, adult - your average busy person who is wanting to be healthy but may not have the time to prepare healthy meals or not want to break their bank on healthy fast food services.
The who: Grocery stores, food services.
The what: They are unable to provide for busy individuals who want a quick solution to healthy eating.
The why: People struggle to eat healthily on the go because there's not a lot of options, and the options that are there are either expensive or not really healthy.

3.) Testing the who: There are others who have this need. I think this is a very diverse opportunity due to the fact that every person needs to be eating right but is faced with daily obstacles due to bargain pricing on junk food, the availability to fast food, and how expensive healthy food is on the go.
Testing the what: Can this solution be sustainable if on the go? Is it possible to make an on the go healthy meal without making this more expensive than regular fast foods? How could this be regulated?
Testing the why: I think any person who cares about themselves and their health wouldn't turn away the option of eating cleaner because a lot of the reason why people tend to eat worse when on the go is because there's not enough healthy options. If we made it a norm to eat healthier and brought better options into our grocery stores, fast food establishments, and places like airports - I believe we would see a change in how our nation eats.

Interviewee summary:
I interviewed five people that I work with and the average reaction was that they WOULD pick the healthier option if it was presented to them in a normal setting like a fast food establishment or grocery store if it were cheaper and fast just like bad food would be. I also heard from several people that there needs to be more of a variety when it comes to quick healthy options which is something to consider when pursuing ideas about fast healthy options.

6A - Identifying opportunities

1. Romney, Merkley to introduce bill that would tax vaping industry and ban flavored e-cigarettes.

I found this opportunity online when thinking about economic trends and regulatory changes. With the rise of vaping and tobacco alternatives, but also the rise of teen deaths - a need for this industry to be regulated has also rose. I believe the opportunity here is a safer option for people who are wanting to ween themselves off of tobacco but don't want to be exposed to the potential dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes. The prototypical customer would be someone who is wanting to quit being dependent on nicotine, which these days consists of teenagers to senior citizens. I believe this would be difficult to exploit due to the booming of this industry and due to it not being regulated, there is a huge market on the streets leading to people getting products that are unsafe and ultimately causing health issues. I saw this as an opportunity because I've seen first hand how addictive vaping can be among my family and friends. I've seen it help people, but I've also seen concerning behavior regarding nicotine usage and people's grown dependency on vaping, which kind of defeats the purpose of quitting smoking for vaping.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/19/romney-merkley-introduce-bill-that-would-ban-flavored-e-cigarettes.html

2. Trump’s tariffs on $112 billion of Chinese imports hit at midnight.

There's going to be a 15% tax increase for any company trying to import from China, and it is said that this will cost around 1,000 dollars more for any given American home. The opportunity here would be companies in the US being able to distribute products at the same rate as China to the companies in need. With the tariffs being raised on Chinese imports, a lot of these companies are going to want to look for an alternative option to buy from. The prototypical customer would be any company that outsources to China. This is a nation wide opportunity. For as long as I can remember, there has been talk about things, "made in China." vs. "made in USA."
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/31/trumps-tariffs-on-112-billion-of-chinese-imports-hit-at-midnight.html

3. Top Six US Economic Trends - Climate Change

Whether you like it or not, climate change is effecting us in every way, including economically. It's causing more natural disasters which is calling for more money for disaster relief, a long with a rise in floods in low lying towns. Food prices are rising because the corn and soybean fields plummet when temperatures are above 84 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, the U.S Forest Service nearly doubled in 2016, rising from 1.4 billion spent to 2.6 billion spent. This is an opportunity for every person in this WORLD to acknowledge what's going on and do what they can individually to light a match and spark a fire. We all need to be responsible and sustainable and do what is right to prolong this Earth we call home. Every single human is a prototypical customer for Climate Change and it needs to be taken seriously. I believe everyone should see this opportunity. 

https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666

4. Here's how much money millennials shopping for homes this year plan to spend

About 37% of millennials owned a house in 2018, but it's expected to increase this year as millennials get more financial stability and older. 30% of millennials say that they're planning to spend $100,000 to $199,999 while another 27% stated that their budget is $200,000 to $299,999 for a home. This is an opportunity for the real estate industry and a look at the market and what's in demand right now. The prototypical customer would be a young adult who is looking to purchase a home. I believe this opportunity exists because people don't want to rent forever and are looking to make a good investment, which would be purchasing a home. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/30/how-much-millennials-home-buyers-plan-to-spend.html?forYou=true

Local opportunities

Local opportunities

1. https://www.tampabay.com/hurricane/2019/09/13/tropical-storm-humberto-depression-likely-to-form-within-24-hrs-from-disturbance-near-bahamas/

Tropical Storm Humberto likely to form within 24 hours, take path eerily similar to Dorian

A hurricane is forming and is taking a very similar path that Dorian took, crossing the Bahamas and going up the east coast of the US and Florida. The problem is that we’ve already had a Hurricane scare, and since I work at Walmart and saw customers firsthand - I know many were ill prepared. This is a potential problem for the entire state of Florida, particularly the East Coast/North Florida. 

2.

• http://www.fox13news.com/consumer/report-tampa-among-least-affordable-cities-for-homeowners

Report: Tampa among least affordable cities for homeowners 

• A report found that Tampa is the 36th lead affordable market for homeowners. This was calculated by looking at the homeownership burden which includes median household income, local property taxes, etc. This problem effects anyone in Florida trying to purchase a home or hoping to purchase a home in the near future. 

3. https://www.abcactionnews.com/money/consumer/recalls/ford-recalls-some-vehicles-due-to-sharp-seat-frame-edge

Ford recalls some vehicles due to sharp seat frame edge

• Ford is recalling 311,907 vehicles in the US due to a sharpe seat frame edge that customers were complaining was bothering them when reaching between the front seat and the center console. The problem is that this could hurt them while driving and Ford would ultimately be liable due to this manufacturer error. This effects anyone who owns this vehicle. 

4. https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-pinellas/city-of-st-pete-sets-up-temporary-pump-to-lower-water-level-in-lake-maggiore-ahead-of-storms            

City of St. Pete sets up temporary pump to lower water level in Lake Maggiore ahead of storms

 

Due to the storm surges, a lot of neighborhoods have been flooding because of the already high water levels. To combat this, they’re trying to install a temporary water pump that’ll level the water and prevent flooding which is the initial problem presented in this article. This effects everyone in Florida in areas that are prone to flooding but especially people located near Lake Maggiore in St Pete.                                                                              5. https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/driving-tampa-bay-forward/tampa-bay-area-mom-records-school-car-line-that-takes-nearly-an-hour-to-get-through 

Tampa Bay area mom records school car line that takes nearly an hour to get through
Due to the different time expectancies of the students, students k-12 are to be there earlier than middle school students yet parents are dropping their children off at the same time, making traffic harder for parents, taking up to an hour to even get through to the school. This effects parents in Tampa taking their kids to school in the morning, messing up their schedules. 

Oppurtunity belief

                                                            My opportunity belief 



      As a music enthusiast, I believe there's opportunity in an interactive music app that syncs your music data from your streaming apps and/or music library, connecting you to people, events, and shows that are similar to your musical interests. The unmet need that's presented here is the suppressed feeling of joy and opportunity that could be there if you had a safe place to meet people just like you. A lot more people could potentially travel to more events by splitting costs with people who want to go just as much as them, which could be hard to find around the people you know just in real life who might not have the same interests. My target audience would be teenagers, adults, music fans - I believe this need has always existed but has brought into a bigger light due to the internet. 

My four questions for potential customers:
1.) When did you become aware that you have a need for this?
2.) How long have you had this need/thought about the possibilities of having an easier solution to this need?
3.) Would you use this/think it would benefit you? Why?
4.) Are you doing something now that is satisfying the need that this app would? Is this enough for you?


Potential customer #1 Kaylee T.
1.) I became aware that something like this would be beneficial for me when I realized not all of my friends have the same music taste as me. Therefore, no one would ever like to experience the musicians I love an then I end up missing out on that opportunity to see them because I'm too scared to go to an event alone. 
2.) I have thought about wanting an easier solution for about a year now. I feel like so many artists have come and gone in the past year that I missed out on that have made me always wonder why there isn't something like this already out there in the world so I don't feel like I'm constantly missing out on these opportunities. 
3.) I would definitely use this app, not only to connect and meet up with new people to see a show but to also talk to new friends who actually have the same appreciation of music as me and build a bond I never felt like I could with my friends since they don't have the same interests as me. 
4.) I am currently not doing anything now that is helping my situation to want to go to concerts with new people but this app would definitely help me get out there and push me to finally go to events I've always wanted to go to without feeling alone or like I'm the only person who likes this type of music while with my friends.

Potential customer #2 Penelope K.
1.) I never really thought about it until just now, that solution never popped into my mind but that's really smart and an easy way for people like me who can't afford to drop money on concerts/and festivals to be able to meet new people and potentially split costs for events.
2.) I've always wanted a better solution, I just couldn't find one. It would always be nice to have an easier solution.
3.) I would absolutely use this and think it would benefit me greatly to have an easy way to connect to people through music and having an easier way to be able to plan to go to conerts and festivals with people who have similar interests as me.
4.) I haven't found anything so far except the Spotify app but that app only allows me to put music on playlists. Nothing i have ever seen or heard of is as helpful as the app you mentioned and for me that would help A LOT.

Potential customer #3 Tianna T. 
1.) I'm not sure if I would have a need for it since I don't go out much, but it seems cool. Concerts can be a lot of money and it would come in handy considering a lot of people who to concerts are usually in high school or college. 
2.) I don't go to concerts much but I remember the first concert I went to, my mom paid for it and I was like 15. I remember her talking about how expensive it was, and this app could've helped back then considering I didn't know how much she spent.
3.) It would benefit me I went to a concert in the future, like if Frank Ocean ever plays live again, his tickets would likely sell out super quick - so if we're able to group up with people on this app and split costs/get the tickets for each other - that would be such a relief. 
4.) I don't go to concerts too much so my need isn't super strong. It's a really cool idea nonetheless, I think it would be cool if the app had a little chat/chat rooms in it as well so people can converse about different things.


Reflection
Throughout this process I learned that honesty really helps in a situation like this, and criticism is ultimately going to help you in the long run. I found it really interesting and inspiring that people took interest in my idea, and were even imagining different scenarios within my idea about what they would do if they had this in their life. I also like how some people gave different tips on what they would like to see in my idea, so if I were to actually pursue it, I'd know what my market wants.

Summary
I'm amazed at the feedback I got, I originally struggled with coming up with an opportunity belief but once I started thinking about what I think is lacking in my own life, it was easier to come up with something. I definitely think there's potential in my opportunity belief and that there's a lot of people out there who are wanting an easier alternative to social networking within music. I do believe it is more accurate because my interviewees expressed genuine interest in my idea. There is absolutely a trade off in adapting because when you're presenting an idea, and a potential customer gives you constructive criticism, they're ultimately helping you! You want to listen to your potential buyers. 

My entrepreneurship story.

      My grandparents were my first taste of entrepreneurship, before I could even make sense of that word. My grandfather on my dads side was an engineer, who later on in life became an independent contractor, with his own business doing house inspections for banks and mortgage companies. My parents took over that business when he passed away and continue to do that work. Growing up, my first "job" experience was through that business, helping with the paperwork and going out in the field with whoever was going. My grandfather on mothers side was a natural entrepreneur. As a handy man, I believe jobs are always thrown your way.. And although he wasn't handling a tangible business, people wanted what he had to offer. Whether that be cooking, fixing something, building something, hunting, fishing, you name it - he could do it. My step grandfather owned his own construction company, and spent his days with his head buried in blueprints and dull pencils. I'd like to think I got my zest for business from all three of them. All of them were extremely selfless, hard working, and got the job done no matter what. The older I get, the more I admire their work ethic and intelligence. They are part of the reason why I am pursuing business, and why I am here in this class today. By the end of this class I am hoping to have more confidence in myself as an aspiring entrepreneur with the tools necessary to grow and better myself in my career.