Final Reflection

I'm not going to lie, at the start of the semester I was pretty jazzed about this class being blog-based because I love using my technical and creative skills. After putting all of the *many* due dates into my iCal, I started out pretty high strong with my first couple of blog posts. I found the material to be very engaging and interesting and I was determined to never miss an assignment. Then life happened. I found myself doing the assignments last minute because of my 18 credit work load, plus my university involvement and on-campus job. That didn't work out in my favor when there were assignments due that involved videos or interviews with other people. However, overall I did the best I could and now I can spell entrepreneurship without using spellcheck! 

My most joyous experience with this class was realizing I knew an entrepreneur all along! One of our first assignments was to interview an entrepreneur and I was absolutely stumped. I sincerely thought I didn't know anyone who classifies themselves as an entrepreneur. Then, as I was sitting at my desk at work, it hit me. An entrepreneur was sitting not but four feet away from me: my supervisor! I had a wonderful, enriching experience interviewing my supervisor who started his own storytelling video production company and he was more than excited to be the interviewee! 

I don't really see myself as an entrepreneur. I definitely can get into the entrepreneur mindset of cultivating new ideas and figuring out ways to implement them effectively.  However, I can say that I now have a new level of respect for entrepreneurs! Entrepreneurs are creative and intelligent individuals who want to make the world a better place. 

For future students taking this course: BE MINDFUL OF THE DUE DATES AND WHAT EACH ASSIGNMENT ENTAILS. Also, make your blog look really snazzy -- it's not that hard. Have fun, be creative, and make time for this course! It's very beneficial. 

Thank you for a great semester! 

Week 15 Reading Reflection

The biggest surprise for me in this week's reading was the part about developing your entrepreneurial creativity. Personally, I consider my creativity to be more technical and crafty. While I love graphic design, video editing, and hand lettering I often have a difficult time thinking of innovative ideas, so I felt at ease to read that there are a other ways to enhance my creative talents as an entrepreneur.

What I found most confusing was the "creative exercise" on page 134. The activity tells you to look at a list of items and to write down every use for the item you could think of. This task proved to be quite the head-scratcher because at first glance the items are all random and quite frankly, useless. However, after taking some time to read through the list and really think about the item's potential uses, the exercise finally made sense.  The activity's purpose was foster creativity in normality. 

I would ask for the author to clarify the four areas of innovation. What are the distinctions, and where do you even start? Are you supposed to know which area you are before you go in, or do you begin innovating and see which area you fit best in?

The part of the reading I disagree with most would be the title for the sub-article "Terrorism Ignites Innovation." Although the article did take a nice twist on how we can make the best out of unfortunate situations, I feel like the title could be less blunt, harsh, and seriously triggering. It's unnecessary and the author could've taken a different approach in explaining this concept. 

Experience Portfolio

Venture Concept No. 2

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

• My revenue drivers lie in the variety of products I offer. Customers can purchase hand lettered quotes on either canvas (to be hung) or cardstock (to be framed) and both options have customizable color options. The background and font colors can be requested by the customer. 

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

• I think the next product I should be offering according to what my customers want would be customizable hand lettered art. I should take requests from customers, hand lettering THEIR favorite quotes. 
• I could also offer my hand lettered art on different mediums such as pillows, t-shirts, coffee mugs, and more! 

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.?

• By offering 100% customizable hand lettered art prints, customers can fall completely in love with what they are purchasing and feel more connected to it. I would agree it definitely promotes customer loyalty because I would be giving "the people" exactly what they want/request! I would be investing more time into making these new, customizable art prints but they would be well-received by the customers.
• If I offered my hand lettered art on different mediums I would be investing more into my entrepreneurial venture because I would need to outsource my printing/manufacturing. I would need to find a vendor that would take my artwork and print it on t-shirts, coffee, mugs, pillows, etc. This would factor in an extra cost but the variation in products offered could possibly drive in more sales and happy customers. 

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.

• This product features a customized hand-lettered design on a pillow. 
• In the case of my entrepreneurial venture, I would generate hand lettered art prints that would be made onto canvases, card stock, pillows, t-shirts, coffee mugs, and more!
• http://www.amazon.com/Reading-lettered-Decorative-Pillow-Cushion/dp/B019GWHFV4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459125397&sr=8-1&keywords=hand+lettered+canvas

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

• While this particular listing does not have any customer reviews, after searching related products, most of the reviews were rated three stars or higher. The only negative reviews were about how the product needs to be cared for. People want pillows they can put in the washing machine!

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

• I would make the pillow a slip cover so that it can be unzipped and machine washable. 

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

• I think this product would attract a consumer who maybe cannot hang anything up onto the walls of where they live due to certain restrictions given to them by their landlord, if they live in a college residence hall, or they would rather not have art hung onto their walls. This product just offers another form of the hand lettered art to be showcased. 

• Human capital: hand lettering skills
• My hand lettering skills are valuable because they are unique and they are also rare because it is fairly uncommon for individuals to know how to hand letter. For these two reasons my hand lettering skills are also inimitable because quite simply put: hand lettering is hard to copy without some intense and dedicated practice. The only other resource that can provide the same benefits are typography fonts. 
• Social capital: social media following 
• My social media following has accumulated over the past six years and it's become something individuals consider paying for instead of earning it themselves, which makes this fairly valuable. I wouldn't really consider this rare because, like I said, people can earn this with time or simply buy the followers and likes. This can absolutely be copied by others and the option of buying likes and followers can provide the same benefits. 
• Social capital: in real life 
• My real social capital is extremely valuable to be because it justifies my integrity. It would say MY personal social capital in real life is rare because it's unique to me, however, it can be copied by others in their own way. I don't believe any other resource can provide the same benefits as a strong network of people who mutually trust, appreciate, and support each other. 
• Financial capital: job and credit card 
• Having a job and a credit card are very valuable to my venture because it establishes a financial resource. It's not entirely that rare to have a job and a credit card at my age. This is pretty simple to copy, however, the only other way the benefits can be attained are via loans from banks or individuals. 
• Car: to go get supplies 
• Having a car is absolutely valuable to me and my business venture. However, again, it's not all that rare to have a car at my age and it's easily inimitable. The only other way to access the benefits of owning a car is simply just to have access to one. 
• Leadership capital: experience in leading organizationally 
• My experiences that have given me the opportunity to learn how to lead an organization are extremely valuable because they are unique to me. No one else has had the same exact experiences I've had, therefore, this makes this resource very rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable. 
• Human capital: organizational skills 
• Being organized is very crucial in any entrepreneurial venture, which makes my resource valuable. However, it's not rare nor inimitable because being organized sometimes comes natural to people, or in some cases it can be taught, learned, or outsourced to be someone else's responsibility which ultimately also makes it substitutable. 
• Human social capital: knowledge of creating a brand and brand presence in real life and online 
• I've learned these "resources" during my academic studies at the University of Florida, which makes it valuable to me and my entrepreneurial venture, but that does not make it rare nor inimitable because there are hundreds of other students studying the same things as I am. The only other resource that can provide the same benefits is studying the same exact thing at a different educational institution. 
• Human social capital: communication skills 
• In my opinion, my communication skills are valuable, rare, AND inimitable. This may not sound humble, but I'm being fairly honest with this one. I am constantly saddened by how so many individuals lack proper communication skills. I'm not saying my communication skills are perfect, but I am saying I've taken a big interest in making sure they are constantly improving. The only other way to reap the same benefits of great communication skills are to learn and practice how to communicate effectively. 
• Human social capital: passion 
• This resource is without a doubt valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable. My passion is my passion and no one else's. 

After conducting the VRIN analysis, my hand lettering skills are my top resource simply because I personally don't know anyone else who can hand letter like I do. It's often imitated, but never duplicated. Yes, there are individuals out in the world who have their own hand lettering business ventures but I would argue that the market is not saturated with it just yet. I've spent quite a lot of time perfecting my skill and it's the resource I'd say is my most valuable. A close second would be my passion. 

Going for Google Gold

I didn't employ anything special as far as SEO goes for my blog. I took a unique approach and named my blog something witty because I really can't spell entrepreneurship for the life of me.

My key words are "Erica," "Rego," and "Entrepreneurship." I chose them because those are the words most present in my blog. Also, my name is fairly uncommon so there's no confusion with another Erica Rego's Entrepreneurship blog.

I did not employ social media with my blog. My social media is strictly professional and reflective of my personality and brand. Not that entrepreneurship isn't part of my brand, I just know what my "following" wants to see from my social media outlets and it's definitely not this.

My most viral post was My Entrepreneurship Story: The Erica Bow. I believe it got the most traffic because it included real pictures of my product and it was one of my longer, more detailed posts.

Yes I did make it as the first listing on Google when you search my keywords! 

Week 14 Reading Reflection

The biggest surprise I found in the reading is how effective marketing is based on the three key elements of marketing philosophy, market segmentation, and consumer behavior. According to the textbook, a new venture must integrate all three elements when developing its marketing concept and its approach to the market.

I was confused to read that competitive edge factors should be noted because many services are known to be competitive to each other.

Two questions I would ask the author:

• What is the true difference between marketing in entrepreneurship compared to marketing in anything else?
• Do environmental factors affect pricing strategies?In the reading I disagreed with the author about the marketing research process and how gathering secondary data is a step before gathering primary data. 

I thought the author was not fully correct when he claimed that a new venture will survive only if a market exists for its product or service. I believe new ventures can make their own product market.

Very Short Interview With Entrepreneur, Part 2

When I first was made aware of this assignment I was stumped; I was certain I didn't know of ANY entrepreneurs. I read over the assignment again a few days later while I was at work and tried to think (again) of any possible entrepreneurs I even remotely knew. Then it hit me: I did know one and he was sitting at the desk less than three feet away from me.

I'm going to tell you about a very inspiring individual. I've had the pleasure of working with Brandon Telg for the past two years. Brandon created quite the passion project called Self Narrate. Self Narrate helps individuals (and groups of individuals) tell their real life stories to empower them in understanding their experiences so that they can grow and learn (individually or together as a group). Self Narrate believes everyone has a story and they want to help you tell it.

Even though Brandon took a few entrepreneurship courses while he was in graduate school here at the University of Florida, he started off our conversation by saying, "I never thought I'd be doing this [Self Narrate]." After taking an interpersonal leadership class and was required, via an assignment, to "tell his story" in 20 minutes to his entire class, Brandon experienced the benefits of storytelling and realized his experiences mattered to someone else. He wanted other people to have the opportunity to feel what he felt when he shared his story, so he and a classmate began offering people all over campus $1 to tell their story. Brandon and his classmate discovered most people believed they didn't have a story worth telling. However, they did encounter a few people who, when they shared their stories, were relieved or reached an epiphany just because someone stopped to listen.

At the end of our conversation, Brandon revealed the one thing he wished he was taught in his classes before he became an entrepreneur. "I wish I was taught where to find clients!" he exclaimed. Brandon explained how it's difficult for him to develop his own unique client base because what he does is so specialized and different organizations want to use his services.

To conclude our conversation, I asked Brandon what his favorite quotes were:

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." - Maya Angelou
"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." - Friedrich Nietzsche
This assignment made me realize entrepreneurs come in all different forms. Entrepreneurs are more than just individuals in suits trying to get you to buy the products they came up with. This is why it took me so long to realize that Brandon is an entrepreneur! Brandon is just like anyone else who has a big passion for something. However, Brandon isn't pushy for you to buy something from him. Brandon just wants to know your story because he's so passionate about storytelling. I think a great deal of entrepreneurs can learn something from Brandon and Self Narrate. Entrepreneurship is founded on, and fueled by, passion and thanks to Brandon, Self Narrate is a great example of just that.


Feel free to learn more about Self Narrate by visiting the following website:
http://www.selfnarrate.com/

Celebrating Failure

I failed for about 16 days this semester. It happened in January and I completely cracked. I was overwhelmed with the start of new classes, commitment to my involvement, and some other personal issues I was dealing with. I failed at keeping everything together. During those 16 days, it seemed as if I failed at something each day. From forgetting about an exam to being late to work, I was failing at life in general for 16 days. I would wake up with a tightness in my chest and the inability to breathe normally because I had so much anxiety that I was late to something or had to be somewhere at that time. Every email, call, and text I received sent my heart racing. I was on edge because I knew I had too much going on at once. 

I learned that spreading yourself too thin WILL LITERALLY TRY TO KILL YOU. I learned that it is not normal to wake up with difficulty breathing. I learned it is ok to say no to people and it is even more ok to ask for help when needed.

Failure absolutely sucks. The only good that comes with failure is what you learn from it. Thankfully I know now to take a step back and prevent myself from ever having another "16 days" situation. I handle failure in such a weird way. I don't like talking about it and I don't like burdening people with my problems. During those 16 days, probably no one knew I was losing my mind. It was only until after those 16 days were over that I was able to share what was going on. This class didn't really change my perspective on failure. It only made me aware of the fact that entrepreneurs must fail in order to perfect what they want to come to fruition. I'm always willing to take a *smart* risk. I'd rather do/say something than always wonder "what if."

Week 13 Reading Reflection

I was surprised, yet pleased, to read how entrepreneurs are so relatable. They make mistakes and encounter problems, but that doesn't mean they have to solve literally every issue in their life and they know insolvable problems exist.

I'm slightly confused on just how entrepreneurs know they are making the right behavioral and entrepreneurial decisions according to a model of entrepreneurial motivation. I was also confused/intrigued by the concept of grief recovery, but only because I think very few failures should be followed by a period of mourning.

There actually wasn't any part of the reading I disagreed with. In fact, there was one mention of something in the text I agree with wholeheartedly: entrepreneurs don't believe their successes or failures of their businesses derive from luck. I believe in setting goals, working hard, fate, and being at the right place at the right time.

The two questions I would ask the author are: 

1. Should an entrepreneur be feared or liked?
2. How do you deal with emotional side (grieving, stress, anxiety, etc.) of entrepreneurship?
   

My Exit Strategy

Unfortunately I don't see my idea turning into anything more than just a passion project/hobby. I love hand lettering in my free time and making them as gifts for my friends and family. I have other career aspirations I would like to accomplish first rather than trying to make my little hand lettering business idea grow. However, I fully intend on continuing my hobby and have it ready as a side hustle if I ever want to make a few extra bucks a month when needed!

I've selected this as an exit strategy for the simple reason of wanting to keep my hobby, a hobby. I'm also afraid that the more I do my hobby/am forced to do it, the less I am going to love it and I don't want that to happen.

My exit strategy has definitely influenced what I want to do ultimately in the future. I would still like to incorporate my hobby of hand lettering in a future creative career but not have it be the whole thing. I'll stick to my aspirations of wanting to work in the advertising field.

What's Next?

Week 12 Reading Reflection

Venture Concept No. 1

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

• My revenue drivers lie in the variety of products I offer. Customers can purchase hand lettered quotes on either canvas (to be hung) or cardstock (to be framed) and both options have customizable color options. The background and font colors can be requested by the customer. 

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

• I think the next product I should be offering according to what my customers want would be customizable hand lettered art. I should take requests from customers, hand lettering THEIR favorite quotes. 
• I could also offer my hand lettered art on different mediums such as pillows, t-shirts, coffee mugs, and more! 

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.?

• By offering 100% customizable hand lettered art prints, customers can fall completely in love with what they are purchasing and feel more connected to it. I would agree it definitely promotes customer loyalty because I would be giving "the people" exactly what they want/request! I would be investing more time into making these new, customizable art prints but they would be well-received by the customers.
• If I offered my hand lettered art on different mediums I would be investing more into my entrepreneurial venture because I would need to outsource my printing/manufacturing. I would need to find a vendor that would take my artwork and print it on t-shirts, coffee, mugs, pillows, etc. This would factor in an extra cost but the variation in products offered could possibly drive in more sales and happy customers. 

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.

• This product features a customized hand-lettered design on a pillow. 
• In the case of my entrepreneurial venture, I would generate hand lettered art prints that would be made onto canvases, card stock, pillows, t-shirts, coffee mugs, and more!
• http://www.amazon.com/Reading-lettered-Decorative-Pillow-Cushion/dp/B019GWHFV4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459125397&sr=8-1&keywords=hand+lettered+canvas

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

• While this particular listing does not have any customer reviews, after searching related products, most of the reviews were rated three stars or higher. The only negative reviews were about how the product needs to be cared for. People want pillows they can put in the washing machine!

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

• I would make the pillow a slip cover so that it can be unzipped and machine washable. 

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

• I think this product would attract a consumer who maybe cannot hang anything up onto the walls of where they live due to certain restrictions given to them by their landlord, if they live in a college residence hall, or they would rather not have art hung onto their walls. This product just offers another form of the hand lettered art to be showcased. 

• Human capital: hand lettering skills
• My hand lettering skills are valuable because they are unique and they are also rare because it is fairly uncommon for individuals to know how to hand letter. For these two reasons my hand lettering skills are also inimitable because quite simply put: hand lettering is hard to copy without some intense and dedicated practice. The only other resource that can provide the same benefits are typography fonts. 
• Social capital: social media following 
• My social media following has accumulated over the past six years and it's become something individuals consider paying for instead of earning it themselves, which makes this fairly valuable. I wouldn't really consider this rare because, like I said, people can earn this with time or simply buy the followers and likes. This can absolutely be copied by others and the option of buying likes and followers can provide the same benefits. 
• Social capital: in real life 
• My real social capital is extremely valuable to be because it justifies my integrity. It would say MY personal social capital in real life is rare because it's unique to me, however, it can be copied by others in their own way. I don't believe any other resource can provide the same benefits as a strong network of people who mutually trust, appreciate, and support each other. 
• Financial capital: job and credit card 
• Having a job and a credit card are very valuable to my venture because it establishes a financial resource. It's not entirely that rare to have a job and a credit card at my age. This is pretty simple to copy, however, the only other way the benefits can be attained are via loans from banks or individuals. 
• Car: to go get supplies 
• Having a car is absolutely valuable to me and my business venture. However, again, it's not all that rare to have a car at my age and it's easily inimitable. The only other way to access the benefits of owning a car is simply just to have access to one. 
• Leadership capital: experience in leading organizationally 
• My experiences that have given me the opportunity to learn how to lead an organization are extremely valuable because they are unique to me. No one else has had the same exact experiences I've had, therefore, this makes this resource very rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable. 
• Human capital: organizational skills 
• Being organized is very crucial in any entrepreneurial venture, which makes my resource valuable. However, it's not rare nor inimitable because being organized sometimes comes natural to people, or in some cases it can be taught, learned, or outsourced to be someone else's responsibility which ultimately also makes it substitutable. 
• Human social capital: knowledge of creating a brand and brand presence in real life and online 
• I've learned these "resources" during my academic studies at the University of Florida, which makes it valuable to me and my entrepreneurial venture, but that does not make it rare nor inimitable because there are hundreds of other students studying the same things as I am. The only other resource that can provide the same benefits is studying the same exact thing at a different educational institution. 
• Human social capital: communication skills 
• In my opinion, my communication skills are valuable, rare, AND inimitable. This may not sound humble, but I'm being fairly honest with this one. I am constantly saddened by how so many individuals lack proper communication skills. I'm not saying my communication skills are perfect, but I am saying I've taken a big interest in making sure they are constantly improving. The only other way to reap the same benefits of great communication skills are to learn and practice how to communicate effectively. 
• Human social capital: passion 
• This resource is without a doubt valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable. My passion is my passion and no one else's. 

After conducting the VRIN analysis, my hand lettering skills are my top resource simply because I personally don't know anyone else who can hand letter like I do. It's often imitated, but never duplicated. Yes, there are individuals out in the world who have their own hand lettering business ventures but I would argue that the market is not saturated with it just yet. I've spent quite a lot of time perfecting my skill and it's the resource I'd say is my most valuable. A close second would be my passion. 

Week 11 Reading Reflection

What I found to be interesting about this week's reading was everything related to innovation. I found it neat that there isn't just one path/way/form/system for innovation, which almost guarantees that if a one business tries to mimic another business' innovation system, it probably will be unsuccessful. Different businesses use various innovation systems to produce successful results. 

However, when I first began the reading, i found architectural innovation a little confusing, but there really wasn't anything that I completely disagreed with from this reading. The two questions I would ask the author are:

• Although there is no formula for innovation, what are some key things to keep in mind during the fostering of useful innovation?
• What is your opinion on the businesses that specifically hire people to handle the innovation aspect of the company?

Amazon Whisperer

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

• My revenue drivers lie in the variety of products I offer. Customers can purchase hand lettered quotes on either canvas (to be hung) or cardstock (to be framed) and both options have customizable color options. The background and font colors can be requested by the customer. 

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

• I think the next product I should be offering according to what my customers want would be customizable hand lettered art. I should take requests from customers, hand lettering THEIR favorite quotes. 
• I could also offer my hand lettered art on different mediums such as pillows, t-shirts, coffee mugs, and more! 

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.?

• By offering 100% customizable hand lettered art prints, customers can fall completely in love with what they are purchasing and feel more connected to it. I would agree it definitely promotes customer loyalty because I would be giving "the people" exactly what they want/request! I would be investing more time into making these new, customizable art prints but they would be well-received by the customers.
• If I offered my hand lettered art on different mediums I would be investing more into my entrepreneurial venture because I would need to outsource my printing/manufacturing. I would need to find a vendor that would take my artwork and print it on t-shirts, coffee, mugs, pillows, etc. This would factor in an extra cost but the variation in products offered could possibly drive in more sales and happy customers. 

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.

• This product features a customized hand-lettered design on a pillow. 
• In the case of my entrepreneurial venture, I would generate hand lettered art prints that would be made onto canvases, card stock, pillows, t-shirts, coffee mugs, and more!
• http://www.amazon.com/Reading-lettered-Decorative-Pillow-Cushion/dp/B019GWHFV4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459125397&sr=8-1&keywords=hand+lettered+canvas

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

• While this particular listing does not have any customer reviews, after searching related products, most of the reviews were rated three stars or higher. The only negative reviews were about how the product needs to be cared for. People want pillows they can put in the washing machine!

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

• I would make the pillow a slip cover so that it can be unzipped and machine washable. 

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

• I think this product would attract a consumer who maybe cannot hang anything up onto the walls of where they live due to certain restrictions given to them by their landlord, if they live in a college residence hall, or they would rather not have art hung onto their walls. This product just offers another form of the hand lettered art to be showcased. 

My Unfair Advantage

• Human capital: hand lettering skills
• My hand lettering skills are valuable because they are unique and they are also rare because it is fairly uncommon for individuals to know how to hand letter. For these two reasons my hand lettering skills are also inimitable because quite simply put: hand lettering is hard to copy without some intense and dedicated practice. The only other resource that can provide the same benefits are typography fonts. 
• Social capital: social media following 
• My social media following has accumulated over the past six years and it's become something individuals consider paying for instead of earning it themselves, which makes this fairly valuable. I wouldn't really consider this rare because, like I said, people can earn this with time or simply buy the followers and likes. This can absolutely be copied by others and the option of buying likes and followers can provide the same benefits. 
• Social capital: in real life 
• My real social capital is extremely valuable to be because it justifies my integrity. It would say MY personal social capital in real life is rare because it's unique to me, however, it can be copied by others in their own way. I don't believe any other resource can provide the same benefits as a strong network of people who mutually trust, appreciate, and support each other. 
• Financial capital: job and credit card 
• Having a job and a credit card are very valuable to my venture because it establishes a financial resource. It's not entirely that rare to have a job and a credit card at my age. This is pretty simple to copy, however, the only other way the benefits can be attained are via loans from banks or individuals. 
• Car: to go get supplies 
• Having a car is absolutely valuable to me and my business venture. However, again, it's not all that rare to have a car at my age and it's easily inimitable. The only other way to access the benefits of owning a car is simply just to have access to one. 
• Leadership capital: experience in leading organizationally 
• My experiences that have given me the opportunity to learn how to lead an organization are extremely valuable because they are unique to me. No one else has had the same exact experiences I've had, therefore, this makes this resource very rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable. 
• Human capital: organizational skills 
• Being organized is very crucial in any entrepreneurial venture, which makes my resource valuable. However, it's not rare nor inimitable because being organized sometimes comes natural to people, or in some cases it can be taught, learned, or outsourced to be someone else's responsibility which ultimately also makes it substitutable. 
• Human social capital: knowledge of creating a brand and brand presence in real life and online 
• I've learned these "resources" during my academic studies at the University of Florida, which makes it valuable to me and my entrepreneurial venture, but that does not make it rare nor inimitable because there are hundreds of other students studying the same things as I am. The only other resource that can provide the same benefits is studying the same exact thing at a different educational institution. 
• Human social capital: communication skills 
• In my opinion, my communication skills are valuable, rare, AND inimitable. This may not sound humble, but I'm being fairly honest with this one. I am constantly saddened by how so many individuals lack proper communication skills. I'm not saying my communication skills are perfect, but I am saying I've taken a big interest in making sure they are constantly improving. The only other way to reap the same benefits of great communication skills are to learn and practice how to communicate effectively. 
• Human social capital: passion 
• This resource is without a doubt valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable. My passion is my passion and no one else's. 

After conducting the VRIN analysis, my hand lettering skills are my top resource simply because I personally don't know anyone else who can hand letter like I do. It's often imitated, but never duplicated. Yes, there are individuals out in the world who have their own hand lettering business ventures but I would argue that the market is not saturated with it just yet. I've spent quite a lot of time perfecting my skill and it's the resource I'd say is my most valuable. A close second would be my passion. 

Elevator Pitch No. 3

And I still feel silly doing this assignment. Since putting a chair on my bed in order to get the shot worked so well last time, I decided to do it again! This time I only did one take, whereas last time I did about seven! I'm still very thankful for my public speaking skills and the love I have for it!
I decided this time to be a bit less formal with the pitch. Last time I was so focused on saying everything right and I kept messing up. This time around I just made sure I said what I wanted to say and how I felt. It went much better this time around! I've found it's almost effortless to talk about something you're extremely passionate about.

My Secret Sauce

Five ways I think I have human capital that is unique and makes me different:

1. I am passionate and I only pursue what I love.
2. I am creatively and technically skilled. 
3. I love to communicate and engage in public speaking. 
4. I listen more than I speak.
5. I think before I speak. 

I interviewed the five people who know me best. Unfortunately they do not live in Gainesville with me so obtaining a video of each interview wasn't the best way to go about it. I emailed (and Facebook messaged) these individuals and this is what they had to say:

1. My older sister (Pembroke Pines, Florida)
   "Erica is fiercely passionate and does things with her whole heart or nothing at all. She doesn't take any you-know-what from people and isn't afraid to tell it how it is. Although she is very honest, she is kind in choosing her words."
2. My dad (Pembroke Pines, Florida)
   "Erica is extremely enthusiastic and motivating, mostly because she motivates herself to go after what she wants and doesn't let anyone get in her way. Her facial expressions tell-all. She's a little one, but with a big personality." 
3. My mom (Pembroke Pines, Florida)
   "Erica is strong and kind. She knows how to keep her head up during the tough times and enjoys the good times. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. Her positivity is infectious." 
4. My aunt (Pembroke Pines, Florida)
   "Erica has a strong personality that is hard to not like. She does a little bit of everything and never seems to be overwhelmed, or let her responsibilities overwhelm her. She's a go-getter!" 
5. My best friend (Tallahassee, Florida)
   "No one can work a computer, phone, or any piece of technology like Erica. I don't know how she does it. Yes, she's stubborn at times but that's only because she's passionate about doing things she absolutely loves. She also gives great advice because she listens really well." 

Looking back on all of the nice things my family and best friend said, I can't help but be thankful they receive me so well. While a few of them pointed out my flaws (my apparent facial expressions and my stubbornness) they were still combated by positivity. I'm also thankful that how I see myself is fairly close to how the people who matter most in my life see me (shout out to my self awareness).  

Week 9 Reading Reflection

The biggest surprise I found in the reading is how effective marketing is based on the three key elements of marketing philosophy, market segmentation, and consumer behavior. According to the textbook, a new venture must integrate all three elements when developing its marketing concept and its approach to the market.

I was  confused to read that competitive edge factors should be noted because many services are known to be competitive to each other.

Two questions I would ask the author:

1. What is the true difference between marketing in entrepreneurship compared to marketing in anything else?
2. Do environmental factors affect pricing strategies?

In the reading I disagreed with the author about the marketing research process and how gathering secondary data is a step before gathering primary data. I thought the author was not fully correct when he claimed that a new venture will survive only if a market exists for its product or service. I believe new ventures can make their own product market.

Half-way Reflection

Everyday I am thankful for my organizational skills. I can specifically thank my mother for instilling this skill on me at a very young age. However, since I am a millennial, technology is very much so my "thing." Thankfully I've been able to combine my organizational skills with my technological skills to keep up with the requirements of this course. My iCal is my life. Literally. I'm not exaggerating. If I need to do something, it's scheduled in my iCal. The secret to my success in this course thus far is scheduling when all of the assignments are due into my iCal. They're coded a green-blue color and when I submit an assignment, I change it to a grey color to signify that it's completed. 

Elevator Pitch No. 2 is when I felt like giving up. It had completely slipped my mind that for that assignment I had to record a video of myself. I had a pretty bad day the day this assignment was due and I was in no mood to be cheerful in front of a camera. I reluctantly put a chair on my bed and my laptop on top of it and looked at this ridiculous rig of a "tripod" I made. However, once I read over what we had to actually say/do in the video, my attitude changed. I was excited to talk about my topic. Thankfully I'm no stranger to public speaking and I was able to get the video knocked out in two takes. Sometimes you just have to make a makeshift tripod and talk about something you love and you'll forget about the bad day you had. 

Three tips for next semester's ENT3003 students about fostering the skills that support tenacity and developing the 'tenacious mindset:

1. MAKE NOTE OF ALL ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES AND TIMES -- Whether you write it down in your iCal, real agenda, or on a post-it note on your desk, write them down SOMEWHERE. 
2. Now that you've written down the due dates and times, plan time to actually do them. However, read the assignments while you plan for when you'll do them. Some assignments will take longer than expected and it's better to know that before you try to knock it out the hour before you have to submit it. 
3. Take pride in your blog. It's your own unique space on the Internet so fun with it! 

P.S. I still can't spell entrepreneurship without spell check... 

The Twenty Percent

1) Find a business owner and talk to them about their customers. Who do they think their target customers are? What are their customers' unmet needs?Where do they find their customers? What are their customer's demographics? What kinds of media do their customers consume? Etc.

2) Next, go and talk to 3 'target customers' -- using the demographics/psychographics the entrepreneur described. As these 'target customers' the questions in the paragraph directly above.

3) Reflect. Does the entrepreneur adequately understand their customers' problems? Where are the differences? Why might these differences exist.

Important. Do not tell the entrepreneur about the second part of the exercise -- it can put them on the defensive and either shut down the interview or prevent them from providing you with the fullest information. Also, please video record your customer interactions and the entrepreneur interview. If the entrepreneur declines to be recorded, that's OK. But if they approve, be sure to include the videos in your post. Do be sure to include video recordings of your customer interactions, however.

Week 8 Reading Reflection

What I found surprising in this week's reading was how "crowd funding" is a factor in weakening the economy. At the rate of how many start-ups are being created and how they typically use crowd funding as a source of funding the start of their business ventures, it's alarming to know that all of that effort and money raised is actually hurting our economy. 

What was confusing to me was how an enterprise facing company in a niche industry, for example, would create excitement and/or get highly interested investors for an IPO. It's confusing to be because I simply don't understand how such information gets out/is released or how a company goes about doing that specifically -- it can't just be solely reliant on public relations. 

The following are two questions I would ask the author: 

• Please elaborate on how crowd funding is dangerous to the economy and visa versa. 
• How do truly know what source of capital is best to start your business?

I'm pretty adamant on disagreeing with the fact that crowd funding is a result of a weak economy. A smarter hypothesis as to why crowd funding exists and is so popular is because of the Internet and its social media platforms -- not because the economy is poor. 

Free Money

Strategy: 

• I am going to enter a meeting room before the start of a meeting 
• I will approach the first 5 people I see in that meeting room 
• I will say: "Hi, would you like a dollar? You can use it to get a snack later from the vending machine!"
• My plan is to give them an incentive for attending the meeting. After the meeting (or during a break they are given) they can treat themselves to a snack from the vending machine. 
• I don't think I'll be able to give away any of the dollar bills -- or maybe just one! 

Reflections: 

• To be honest, I was dreading this assignment. I did not want to walk up to random people and try to give them money. It was just as hard as I thought it would be to give away the dollars. What I found were that people are actually really nice and don't want to take your money but they will be a good sport for you when you're trying to complete an assignment! 

Videos: 

• Click here for Video #1
• Click here for Video #2 

Week 7 Reading Reflection

What stood out the most to me is how the use of traditional demographics no longer serves as a basis for marketing strategy. It was surprising to read because I assumed that such demographics (age, sex, income and education) would be a definite influence on purchasing decisions made by a consumer. I thought that information would be extremely useful for businesses to factor in when developing a marketing strategy for a specific product and its potential consumers. 

The "Drift into Nebulousness" I found to be confusing. However, I found an interesting Prezi presentation about it online, which can be found here:
https://prezi.com/lcpvqlbzrer1/rediscovering-market-segmentation/

The two questions I would ask the author are:

• In your opinion, are traditional demographics influential in developing a unique market strategy? 
• What is the relationship between the Drift into Nebulousness and Market Segmentation? 

I was very interested in this week's reading. There wasn't really much I didn't agree with. I look forward to the readings more and more each week! 

Elevator Pitch No. 2

I'll be honest, I felt a little silly doing this assignment. I had to put a chair on my bed just to get this shot -- balancing it was the best part. However, after a few warm-up takes, I found my groove. Thankfully I've never been one to be shy about public speaking, especially when it's about something I love. 

Standing up to give this pitch is definitely a game-changer. I even fixed the lighting in my room a bit to make sure everything looked just right in the video. I wish these pitches could be done in person because I'm definitely less awkward in person compared to in a video! 

Customer Interviews No. 3

Business idea: Hand-Lettered Art (framed or on a canvas) 

The questions I plan on asking are:

1. Do you know what hand lettering is?
2. Do you enjoy simple home decor?
3. What is your favorite quote?
4. Would you be interested in a customized art print of your favorite quote?
5. Would you be interested in purchasing an art print as a gift?

My interview strategy is casual. I would ask only females in the 15-30 year old age range these questions. 

Week 6 Reading Reflection

What surprised me most in this week's reading is the power of buyers. It's apparent that if no one buys a product, it will fail but that seldom occurs. However, what isn't apparent is how much consumers have the power in the business/entrepreneurial world. It's more common to think people like you and I buy things here and there and it doesn't make that much of a difference. 

What I found to be confusing is the part about how fast-growing industries are not always attractive. It's odd how products that are trending quickly tend to have higher prices because the consumer demand is competitive -- everyone wants it -- so how is a product like that sometimes considered to be not doing well? 

I would ask the author: 

• To differentiate more clearly between factors and forces 
• and more about exploiting industry change 

Compared to what I've learned thus far and what I've learned in previous classes, I don't disagree with what the author was explaining in this chapter nor do I think any of the information was incorrect. 

Idea Napkin No. 1

I am Erica Rego: small girl, big personality. I have a knack for video editing, graphic design, conceptual branding, and consistent, cohesive social media presences. During my first year at the University of Florida, I developed a unique talent: hand lettering. I like to call it knock-off calligraphy because I don't use calligraphy pens or nibs to do it. I use any common writing utensil; from paint pens and pencils, to fine-tip felt pens and thin-line markers. I hand letter quotes and simple illustrations on either canvases or card stock. I hand letter to make something beautiful. Something that makes people stop and say, "Wow! You really made this?" Something that people would love to have framed on their walls or give as a gift to someone they love. I find joy in people's positive reactions to my hand lettered art and I want to spread that joy. Although at the moment hand lettering is just a hobby, I find myself doing it as often as I can because that's how much I enjoy it. 

I am offering my customers art and joy. Since my hand lettered art comes in two forms (canvas or card stock) my customers have options to fulfill their unmet needs. My product can serve as art for personal appreciation or as a gift to a loved one. Canvases can be hung onto walls and the card stock prints can be framed and hung onto walls as well. 

My potential customers all have one thing in common: they love quotes and simple art. My potential typical customer is female, ages 18-55, and appreciates a beautifully decorated home (or dorm) space. I believe my potential customer age rage is so large because I personally have made canvases and prints for women as young as 18 and as gracefully older as 50. I would also add the occasional male purchasing a print or canvas for his loved one as a gift. 

Potential customers would pay for this because it will bring them great joy in seeing their favorite quote in a new light, on a wall of a space they love. People want to be happy and I believe my product will make my anticipated customer demographic happy. 

My core competencies are the fact that I can tailor my product to the customer's wishes. I can make the canvas the color of their preference, they can choose between a canvas and a print, and they can select their favorite quote of choice. This sets me apart from everyone else: the ability to get exactly what you want. Also, while the hand lettering community is growing each day, it's still a fairly new concept that is making its way through the event planning business -- especially for weddings! 

I believe these elements definitely fit together. Success is when passion collides with talent and hard work. Those three ideas come together to achieve the ultimate goal: to make my potential customers happy. However, there is one weakness to my "idea:" it is very time consuming. Cranking out canvases and prints takes longer than you think. In contrast, I believe all great things are worth the wait and that's why I feel so strongly about my hand lettering art business idea. 

Week 5 Reading Reflection

The fact that at least 600,000 new companies have emerged in the United States every year since the mid 1990s was what surprised me the most in this reading. If you do the math, that's over 12 million new businesses since I was born! What comes as no surprise to me is how the emerging of those businesses helps make the U.S. the greatest nation in the world.  We can credit this success to the resources and opportunities we have that allow these businesses to start.

The "Evaluation Process" confused me the most in this reading section. I understand the profile analysis, but the feasibility criteria approach and the comprehensive feasibility approach are very confusing to me. These different approaches to evaluate the viability of a new venture need to be better explained. In my opinion, the more you understand about what's going into a new venture, the more you are prepared to handle any unexpected challenges that you may face early on in the development process. The goal is to reduce as many obstacles as possible! 

Two questions I'd ask the author are: 

• What are the common key characteristics among the most successful entrepreneurs? Learning this would allow me to gain insight about what I would need to change about my tactics if I were to pursue my own entrepreneurial venture. 
• On average, how much time time do successful entrepreneurs spend planning/researching, evaluating, and validating their ventures before they actually get the ball rolling and begin? Learning this would give me an idea of how long this process would take if I were to pursue my own entrepreneurial venture. 

I agreed with everything I read!

Elevator Pitch No. 1

Business Opportunity and Solution: "ParkIt"
ParkIt is an app that shows maps of parking lots in your areas.  The maps indicate which parking spots are vacant and which ones are not. A technology system powered by satellites and WI-FI gathers data on vacant and occupied parking spots to inform the consumer where they can and cannot park. The perfect solution to having to drive around everywhere to find the perfect parking spot -- ParkIt will bring you right to it!

Interviewing Customers No. 1

*coming soon*

Week 4 Reading Reflection

The biggest surprise for me in this week's reading was the part about developing your entrepreneurial creativity. Personally, I consider my creativity to be more technical and crafty. While I love graphic design, video editing, and hand lettering I often have a difficult time thinking of innovative ideas, so I felt at ease to read that there are a other ways to enhance my creative talents as an entrepreneur.

What I found most confusing was the "creative exercise" on page 134. The activity tells you to look at a list of items and to write down every use for the item you could think of. This task proved to be quite the head-scratcher because at first glance the items are all random and quite frankly, useless. However, after taking some time to read through the list and really think about the item's potential uses, the exercise finally made sense.  The activity's purpose was foster creativity in normality. 

I would ask for the author to clarify the four areas of innovation. What are the distinctions, and where do you even start? Are you supposed to know which area you are before you go in, or do you begin innovating and see which area you fit best in?

The part of the reading I disagree with most would be the title for the sub-article "Terrorism Ignites Innovation." Although the article did take a nice twist on how we can make the best out of unfortunate situations, I feel like the title could be less blunt, harsh, and seriously triggering. It's unnecessary and the author could've taken a different approach in explaining this concept. 

Top 5 World Problems

Here are 5 of the world's biggest problems ranked from "most serious" to "least serious" (but still pretty serious) 

1. Lack of World Peace
2. International Terrorism 
3. The Global Economic Situation
4. Political and Social Instability 
5. Lack of Resources 

I selected "World Peace" as the top problem because if we solve that, almost all of the other problems on my list will be solved too.  "International Terrorism" is a danger to every human on Earth and exists as a result of lack of world peace, the worsening global economic situation, and the political and social instability that exists as well.  I selected "Lack of Resources" as "least serious" because this one can be solved with help from science and strategy. 

Here are 5 solutions to the world's biggest problems (in my opinion) ranked from "most-possible to implement" to "least-possible to implement."

1. Lack of Resources: Distribute the world's resources more effectively and then use them wisely and effectively.
2. Political and Social Instability: Foster effective and non-corrupt government officials who actually listen to their constituents. Wow, what a thought? Oh, and overthrow the corrupt government systems! I say we start with Cuba.'
3. The Global Economic Situation: Create budgets and stick to them. Or take a big step at world peace and maybe we wouldn't have to spend massive amounts of money on defense and weapons.
4. International Terrorism: This one is really tricky to solve. I wish I had all of the answers
5. Lack of World Peace: This one is another tricky one to solve. I'll let you know if I think of anything great to solve this one! Just kidding, I'll go straight to Washington D.C. if I figure out how to solve this problem.

These solutions are ranked in reverse from the Problem List.  This is because there is a direct correlation between the size and capacity of the problem and the size and capacity of the proposed solution I created for it.  As you can see, the last two problems on my "Solutions" list don't really even have solutions because the problems are so severe, I can't even fathom a solution. 

Update: Still don't know how to spell "entrepreneurship" without relying on Spell Check but thankfully I didn't have to use the word in this post (until now). 

Identifying Local Opportunities

Cold weather shelter program houses homeless

Due to the recent decline in temperate, Gainesville's Cold Night Shelter program has been offering housing, blankets, and breakfast for Gainesville's homeless residents.  The program offers two shelter locations where they are currently offering temporary relief to as many people as they can with housing.  Although the program is doing a successful job at keeping the homeless safe and warm, the program could be even more effective if there were more than two locations and if the program offered different services year-round and not only when the temperature drops.  While easy to overlook, all homeless people suffer from a lack of shelter, food, and safety.  The problem would no longer exist or diminish greatly if communities came together to help those in need. 

http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_42dd9a7c-bb44-11e5-8aaa-2b8f4774dbac.html

Driver arrested after high-speed chase

A Gainesville man was arrested after leading officers on a three-mile chase, while driving a car that was missing its front passenger-side tire.  The man was involved in a hit-and-run prior to the start of the police chase, where a motorcyclist was hit and thrown off his vehicle.  He only sustained minor injuries.  It's no surprise that reckless driving ensued; the man ran a red light while narrowly avoiding hitting multiple vehicles. The man finally stopped after reaching Aviara Apartments.  During the hit-and-run accident, this man hit a motorcyclist. The motorcyclist was thrown off of his vehicle, but only sustained minor injuries.  The obvious problem was that a man was involved in a hit-and-run and a high-speed chase with police officers.  The man was arrested for these crimes now faces the problems and the severe consequences that will come from his actions. The motorcyclist that was involved and injured also faces problems with his injuries and the damages of his motorcycle.

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A73C5DD53A9200?p=AWNB

Blaze destroys Monteocha family's home

After being made aware of a house fire in the area, Alachua, LaCrosse, Melrose, and High Springs fire teams worked together to extinguish the flames.  Although the cause of the fire is still unknown, the possibility of foul or inappropriate play is very unlikely and fortunately nobody was injured.  Kind comments by neighbors were made about the homeowners, the Monteocha family, of the house that burned down.  They chose not to make a comment about the accident.  The problem now lies in the fact that the homeowners and their family are without a home and must look to help from their insurance company as they try to rebuild their life.  The Monteocha family are now the victims of this new, unwelcome problem. 

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A8E38F7047DD00?p=AWNB

Rock Gym faces unstable ground, buoyed by locals' support

Due to the unfortunate recent discovery of cracked and sinking concrete slabs, The Gainesville Rock Gym has temporarily been forced to close.  Although the gym had plans on successfully expanding due to popularity and success, this new issue has put a halt to that plan.  This displaces its 400 active members and its 10,000 monthly customers.  Kindly, other rock gyms in surrounding areas are offering free or reduced climbs to Gainesville's members until the foundation is fixed.  The biggest problem on hand is that the gym needs around $100,000 to repair their damages.  A GoFundMe account was created three weeks ago and they have successfully achieved their goal, so they are already on their way to solving their problem.  The closure affects its patrons and its 20 employees they were forced to lay off until the gym reopens. 

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7E65B287302D0?p=AWNB

Royal Caribbean ship cancels Haiti visit amid protests

After various protests from locals near their Haitian port, The Royal Caribbean cruise line canceled its visit to Haiti Tuesday.  This decision was made due to the fact that the guests would not be able to fully enjoy their vacation due to political unrest stemming from the opposition party, which ultimately resulted in the protests, which go hand-in-hand in serving as the problem.  Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines potentially faces a huge economic losses (after spending millions to create a port in Haiti) if political equilibrium isn't restored in Haiti.  The problem can be solved by having the protests end once Haiti's citizens are content with the political situation with their country. 

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7E6C412AF10D8?p=AWNB

Week 3 Reading Reflection

In Chapter 2, I was surprised, yet pleased, to read how entrepreneurs are so relatable.  They make mistakes and encounter problems, but that doesn't mean they have to solve literally every issue in their life and they know insolvable problems exist.  

I'm slightly confused on just how entrepreneurs know they are making the right behavioral and entrepreneurial decisions according to a model of entrepreneurial motivation.  I was also confused/intrigued by the concept of grief recovery, but only because I think very few failures should be followed by a period of mourning. 

The two questions I would ask the author are: 

• Should an entrepreneur be feared or liked? 
• How do you deal with emotional side (grieving, stress, anxiety, etc.) of entrepreneurship? 

There actually wasn't any part of the reading I disagreed with.  In fact, there was one mention of something in the text I agree with wholeheartedly: entrepreneurs don't believe their successes or failures of their businesses derive from luck.  I believe in setting goals, working hard, fate, and being at the right place at the right time. 

Very Short Interview No. 1 with Entrepreneur Brandon Telg

When I first was made aware of this assignment I was stumped; I was certain I didn't know of ANY entrepreneurs.  I read over the assignment again a few days later while I was at work and tried to think (again) of any possible entrepreneurs I even remotely knew.  Then it hit me: I did know one and he was sitting at the desk less than three feet away from me.

I'm going to tell you about a very inspiring individual.  I've had the pleasure of working with Brandon Telg for the past two years.  Brandon created quite the passion project called Self Narrate.  Self Narrate helps individuals (and groups of individuals) tell their real life stories to empower them in understanding their experiences so that they can grow and learn (individually or together as a group).  Self Narrate believes everyone has a story and they want to help you tell it. 

Even though Brandon took a few entrepreneurship courses while he was in graduate school here at the University of Florida,  he started off our conversation by saying, "I never thought I'd be doing this [Self Narrate]."  After taking an interpersonal leadership class and was required, via an assignment, to "tell his story" in 20 minutes to his entire class, Brandon experienced the benefits of storytelling and realized his experiences mattered to someone else.  He wanted other people to have the opportunity to feel what he felt when he shared his story, so he and a classmate began offering people all over campus $1 to tell their story.  Brandon and his classmate discovered most people believed they didn't have a story worth telling.  However, they did encounter a few people who, when they shared their stories, were relieved or reached an epiphany just because someone stopped to listen. 

Brandon knew he wanted to help people understand their story and give then an opportunity to share it.  After two years of helping individuals in the community share their stories, someone offered to pay him for his skills and passion for storytelling, professionally.  That's how Self Narrate was born.  It began with a great deal of what Brandon described it as "trial-by-fire."  However, Brandon realized he had something that worth money and decided to incorporate Self Narrate as an LLC.

When I asked him what my expectations should be for this course, he encouraged me to look beyond the textbook and lectures and use the course as an "opportunity to meet other entrepreneurs" because it's a "prime place for networking."  He advised that this course would serve as a "good opportunity to see where each others' skills fit into each others ideas."  Something he learned through developing Self Narrate was that "no entrepreneur does it alone; everyone works together." 

According to Brandon, being an entrepreneur "means different things to different people, but ultimately entrepreneurs are the ones who have an idea, the passion to make it come to life, and the fortitude to actually follow through."  Brandon believes almost everyone has one of those three qualities, then some people have two of the three, but it's a very small group of individuals who have all three qualities, but it's those people who are the entrepreneurs.  "Being an entrepreneur means you know it's ok to fail," Brandon said after restating the wild statistic of how the greater majority of companies fail within their first year of existence. 

After explaining to Brandon how this class works, he advised that I should learn about "the stuff that would be very confusing to learn on your own -- basically any kind of legal and/or government stuff.  Finding that stuff clearly online is like finding a needle in a haystack."  Brandon explained the ins and outs of your own business is what you're going to learn on your own on a trial and error basis.   

At the end of our conversation, Brandon revealed the one thing he wished he was taught in his classes before he became an entrepreneur.  "I wish I was taught where to find clients!" he exclaimed.  Brandon explained how it's difficult for him to develop his own unique client base because what he does is so specialized and different organizations want to use his services.

To conclude our conversation, I asked Brandon what his favorite quotes were:

• "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." - Maya Angelou
• "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." - Friedrich Nietzsche   

This assignment made me realize entrepreneurs come in all different forms.  Entrepreneurs are more than just individuals in suits trying to get you to buy the products they came up with.  This is why it took me so long to realize that Brandon is an entrepreneur!  Brandon is just like anyone else who has a big passion for something.  However, Brandon isn't pushy for you to buy something from him.  Brandon just wants to know your story because he's so passionate about storytelling.  I think a great deal of entrepreneurs can learn something from Brandon and Self Narrate.  Entrepreneurship is founded on, and fueled by, passion and thanks to Brandon, Self Narrate is a great example of just that.

Feel free to learn more about Self Narrate by visiting the following website:

http://www.selfnarrate.com/

The World's Biggest Problems

This class has given me a new favorite quote: "When we find problems we identify opportunity." 

Here are 10 of the world's biggest problems, and their proposed solutions, in no particular order, according to me. 

1. Obesity - Unhealthy food is more cost-effective and made more available than healthier food options, individuals place a lack of priority on engaging in physical activities to make them healthier, and people are going to the doctor less (possibly due to insurance issues/lack of access to healthcare providers). 
   Proposed solution: Establishing a global Food and Drug Administration.  This would help eliminate the rise of unhealthy food options/establishments. 
2. Climate Change - The climate appears to be getting hotter every year, the amount of greenhouse gases is alarming, and the number of natural disasters has increased over the past few years. 
   Proposed solution: Placing eco-friendly limitations on construction, automobiles, and waste disposal. 
3. Increased Global Population - According to thepopulationinstitute.org, the world population is increasing at around 80 million people a year (that's about 220,000 people per day!)  If this trend continues, there will 2.5 billion more people on the planet by mid-century, bringing the total to about 9.2 billion.  Where do we put all of these people?  What do we feed them? 
   Proposed solution: Allow birth control and contraceptive options to be easily accessed and cost-effective. 
4. International Terrorism - Ever since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, international terrorism has been on the forefront of the minds of citizens and politicians all over the world.  The unsettlement of peace between countries all over the world is costing the lives of innocent individuals and billions of dollars in damage. 
   Proposed solution: This one is really tricky to solve. I wish I had all of the answers. 
5. Poverty - Homelessness is an issue almost every country in the world faces.  Other problems that fuel this are lack of resources and unemployment. 
   Proposed solution: Creating more jobs or programs to help get homeless individuals back on their feet. 
6. The Global Economic Situation - Debt hangs over like a dark cloud over most countries in the world; especially the United States.  It seems almost as if money is the root of all evil in our world today. 
   Proposed solution: Create budgets and stick to them.  Or take a big step at world peace and maybe we wouldn't have to spend massive amounts of money on defense and weapons.   
7. Unemployment - Although many countries have decreased their unemployment numbers over the past few years, the unemployment numbers still exist.   
   Proposed solution: Create. More. Jobs.  Maybe create more jobs that don't require 10 years of experience out of college?  Just a thought. 
8. Political and Social Instability - Citizens are no longer putting their complete trust in their government officials.  Communism and authoritarian government systems still exist today.  Even in democratic societies, its citizens are not being fairly represented, therefore creating political unrest. 
   Proposed solution: Foster effective and non-corrupt government officials who actually listen to their constituents.  Wow, what a thought?  Oh, and overthrow the corrupt government systems!  I say we start with Cuba.   
9. Lack of Resources - Countries have poor access to clean drinking water, natural resources, and a stable food supply.  This directly impacts its citizens and their health. 
   Proposed solution:  Distribute the world's resources more effectively and then use them wisely and effectively.   
10. World Peace - Simply put: countries aren't getting along and its detrimental.  The reason why items number 1-9 on this list exist is because there is no world peace. 
    Proposed solution: This one is another tricky one to solve.  I'll let you know if I think of anything great to solve this one!  Just kidding, I'll go straight to Washington D.C. if I figure out how to solve this problem.