Forming an Opportunity Belief

1. I believe there is an opportunity in Gainesville for a straw made out of licorice.

2. There is currently an unmet need in Gainesville for straws that are non-plastic and will endure an entire cold drink. Since the plastic ban, some establishments have been providing biodegradable straws. However, these are expensive, so most companies have resorted to paper straws or none at all. This is a problem, as many consumers feel that using no straw is unsanitary and paper straws do not hold up for an entire cold drink. I am 70% certain that there is an opportunity for this straw. I am certain there is a market for a new solution to the straw problem, as UF students have voiced their negative opinions about both paper and plastic straws.

3a. A prototypical customer of the licorice straw is a UF sorority girl.

4a. Paper straws are not a proper solution due to the fact that they don't work well when wet and they require chopping down trees. She came back after winter break and discovered this need while drinking Coca-Cola with a paper straw. She only experiences this need when at establishments off campus, where they don't use biodegradable plant-based straws. She addresses her need by bringing her own straws from home. She doesn't prefer licorice straws because she doesn't want to mix the taste of licorice with certain drinks. She believes there are other solutions that exist outside of paper straws.

5a. From this interview, I learned that while paper straws are not well-liked, plant-based straws are more desirable than the licorice straw solution. Some consumers may not want to put licorice straws into all types of drinks, which is understandable. I still think the plant-based straws are not currently solving the problem, because most companies in Gainesville do not provide them.

3b. Another prototypical customer of this product is a UF business student.

4b.There is a strong need for a new type of straw. She became aware of this need on January 1 2020 when the ban went into affect, and experiences the need every time she drinks a drink. She currently deals with this problem by purchasing single use plastic straws in bulk from Walmart. She does not like the idea of a licorice straw because she doesn't like the taste of licorice.

5b. From this interview, I learned there is a sincere desire for a new solution to this problem, however I do not think my solution will be satisfactory for all consumers due to the taste factor of the licorice.

3c. A third prototypical customer of the licorice straw is a UF faculty member.

4c. The problem is only moderately important. Paper straws dissolve faster and make your drink taste grosser. However, paper straws are still usable. This need became apparent right when Gainesville banned plastic straws. She is only occasionally aware of this need. She is very dissatisfied with the idea of a licorice straw, because she doesn't like the taste of licorice and it is too pliable since it has no structural integrity.

5c. Since this interviewee does not feel as strongly about the problem, it makes me wonder if my idea will be a success. Also, having interviewed three people, and receiving no positive feedback about the licorice concept, I think it is lacking in ingenuity.

7. While I think there is still a great opportunity for someone to solve the straw issue in Gainesville, I do not believe there is opportunity for a licorice solution. A lot of consumers do not like licorice, and would have a problem using it to drink their beverage. I think taking a different approach, and producing more affordable plant-based straws would be a more successful venture. I think this shows it is extremely important to adapt to your consumers' since they will be the ones purchasing the product, while still remaining true to your strengths.

5 potential opportunities

1. Title: Infrastructure and beach access among priorities for Destin council
Link: https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20200128/infrastructure-and-beach-access-among-priorities-for-destin-council
Summary: A half-cent sales tax has been approved in Okaloosa County, and many people are advocating to use the funds to buy more public beach access.
Problem: There is not enough public beach access in Destin, and there are unallocated funds due to the new tax.
Who: Taxpayers of Okaloosa County, tourists, businesses in the area (specifically in the hospitality industry), and law enforcement are all affected by the possibility of buying new public beach access areas.

2. Title: Destin fire rating to drop, raising fears of possible insurance rate hike
Link:https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20200128/destin-fire-rating-to-drop-raising-fears-of-possible-insurance-rate-hike
Summary: Last year, when the fire department was struggling to make ends meet, it was evaluated and has been demoted to a level 4 in terms of ability to protect against fires.
Problem: The taxpayers of the community may have to pay for increased insurance rates, as insurance companies take this score into consideration.
Who: The taxpayers, fire department, and insurance companies are all affected by this threat of increase in tax rates.

3. Title: Coronavirus outbreak being monitored by UF Health officials
Link: https://www.alligator.org/news/coronavirus-outbreak-being-monitored-by-uf-health-officials/article_326453ba-40d4-11ea-afec-2f079d021025.html
Summary: Due to the outbreak of coronavirus, UF has encouraged everyone to register their travel with the university, and officials are monitoring the situation to keep students informed.
Problem: A lot of people have died due to the outbreak, and travel to the affected areas is being monitored, and may be impacted in the future.
Who: People living in or traveling to the affected areas, people traveling in general, workers in the health industry, UF students, students planning to study abroad or travel in the coming months, businesses, and investors are impacted by the outbreak.

4. Title: UF lobbyists ask legislators for $50 million to achieve top 5 rank.
Link:https://www.alligator.org/news/uf-lobbyists-ask-legislators-for-million-to-achieve-top-five/article_d01f4e36-4131-11ea-b07c-2f5b3d3c2cf2.html
Summary: UF is lobbying for $50 million for new initiatives, including hiring more faculty to decrease class size and projects focused on climate change efforts.
Problem: UF needs more resources in order to reach a top 5 rank among public schools.
Who: UF students and faculty, Florida residents and taxpayers, government officials, potential new hires, future students, hiring companies, and competing universities are all affected by this agenda.

5. Title: Anita Hill discussion causes student debate on Clarence Thomas teaching at UF Law
Link:https://www.alligator.org/news/anita-hill-discussion-causes-student-debate-on-clarence-thomas-teaching/article_5c141bbc-3edd-11ea-a6a1-a76b72129d68.html
Summary: Students held a discussion on victim blaming in regards to the Anita Hill case ahead of Clarence Thomas' arrival to teach at UF Law.
Problem: Many students feel that their voices in regards to harassment and sexual assault are not being heard, while others are adamant that it is a great opportunity to be able to learn from a respected Supreme Court Justice.
Who: UF students (law and other), Clarence Thomas, UF faculty, and supporters of the #MeToo movement are all affected by this debate.

Entrepreneurship and Me

My first and most impactful exposure to entrepreneurship was watching my start his own business. He started a t-shirt screen-printing and embroidery business, and while now it has been established as a steady small business, I remember when he was simply making t-shirts in our garage. Watching him expand from a one-man pursuit to a team of employees at a production facility inspired me to pursue entrepreneurship as one of my interests. Although I don't know if I want to own my own business in the future, I want to keep the creative and problem-solving entrepreneurial mindset in whatever I do.

I decided to take this class so I can learn more about problem-solving and working outside the constraints of a regular course. I hope I am able to open my eyes to a whole new way of thinking about the world (specifically the business world), and that I learn to solve others' problems.

Bug List

1.     The air conditioning in my room never works properly and my room is always 7 degrees colder or warmer than what it is set to.

a.     The A/C system in my house is really difficult to fix

2.     Paper straws disintegrate in my mouth before I can finish my cold drink at Dunkin Donuts and my coffee tastes like paper.

a.     Paper straws are not durable enough to last an entire drink

3.     The people in front of me in my Spanish class always talk too quietly when we work in groups and I can never keep up with what they’re discussing.

a.     It’s easier for them to talk quietly amongst themselves

4.     Parkway International Hotel in Orlando doesn’t allow pets.

a.     They want to keep the hotel cleaner

5.     The pizza at Dominos is too greasy and I always have to blot at it with a napkin.

a.     The cheese on the pizza is too greasy

6.     The staff at Bay Island takes so long to fix each individual order that it takes 45 minutes to get through a line of 5 people.

a.     They don’t want to expand to another location but they’re too small for all the demand

7.     People don’t merge properly on the Turnpike causing me stress.

a.     People don’t pay enough attention to other cars on the road

8.     Flight delays in LaGuardia Airport result in my sitting on the nasty carpet for 3 hours because there is nothing else to do.

a.     There is so much traffic in and out of that airport there’s not enough seats and flights become delayed easily

9.     You have to take your shoes off at airport security sometimes, but not all the time, which is confusing and gross.

a.     It’s for security purposes to randomize it, but some airports got rid of it all together with better machinery.

10. The line for pub subs at the Publix on University is too long.

a.     They only take orders one at a time and they can only have two people working at a time.

11. There aren’t enough parking spaces on campus for students.

a.     There isn’t enough space near campus for more lots.

12. You have to call at 8am two weeks in advance to get an advising appointment at Heavener.

a.     There are not enough advisors to handle the number of students.

13. Sometimes UF wifi kicks me off and I can’t get back on.

a.     There are too many people using the same wifi.

14. When student registration happens the website crashes.

a.     Too many people are trying to register at the same time.

15. The chick-fil-a on campus doesn’t use Styrofoam cups so my milkshake melts faster than I can drink it.

a.     They don’t use Styrofoam on campus since it can’t be recycled.

16. When you order something on Etsy and it doesn’t look like you thought it did.

a.     People put pictures online that make things look better than they actually do.

17. When you have to wait for someone to come get their laundry out of the machine.

a.     There are too many people using not enough machines.

18. People who bike on the sidewalk and try to run others over.

a.     The bike lanes are not wide enough.

19. The drugged out homeless people that come up and harass you in the parking lot.

a.     Gainesville doesn’t have enough resources for the homeless population.

20. The estimated time for Postmates delivery is never accurate.

a.     They become delayed at restaurants and on the road.

I found it difficult to do this assignment, as I try to view the world in a more positive light, and tend to let things that bug me go. However, after thinking of my list the even more challenging part was trying to identify the reasons many of them exist. It is easy to recognize how they make me feel, but I don't often consider why they occur. I also recognized that there were common themes about many of them. For example, things that cost me time bug me. If I have to wait in a really long line, or something becomes delayed that is really annoying. It also shows me how much I value my time. I can see how creating solutions to the things that commonly bug people, such as long lines, could turn into a successful entrepreneurial venture. I would definitely spend money in order to obtain more of my time.

Trial Post

This is my trial blog post.