Customer Interviews No. 1

The Opportunity:  Creating sound barrier between the walls of dorms to diminish a lot of neighboring sounds which will increase the happiness of annoyed residents and give the dorm better reviews.

Who has this unmet need: Students who live in resident halls


Questions:

• Are you a student here at UF?
• Do you live in a dorm at UF and if so, what are your thoughts so far?
• Can you hear people in other rooms or pipes in the walls? (If yes, how often. If no, move on.)
• Would you like it if the hall had sound barriers in the walls that would diminish the sounds you hear from other rooms, thoughts?
• If not said, ask if they think more people would want to live in that hall?

Talking with customers:

Learned about the Opportunity: The opportunity, to place sound barriers between the walls, will increase the happiness of the resident but it wasn't the biggest issue for people living in dorms.

Learned about interviewing customers: I couldn't remember everything that I was going to say until the few last tries of the interviews. Customers were more likely to tell me other issues for residents, such as themselves, if I asked them more vague question like their thoughts on living in a dorm, for example.

Week 4 Reading Reflection

Entrepreneurship: Theory, Process, Practice

1. One statement that stood out to me was that 'Probability Thinking' is a middling mind-set that tends to hinder the creative process. I do believe hat innovative ideas can come from not thinking of it outcomes, but at the same time it's wise to at least subtlety use this strategy. The author states that probability thinking prohibits one from taking calculated risks but I believe that calculated risks are calculated with probability thinking. 

2. The only thing that would seem a little confusing to me as that the we consider duplication of a product with a slightly different look is innovation. Usually when I think of innovation I think of a new use or new idea; not the same product with a different name.

3. What types of opportunities did you identify when you first considered yourself as an entrepreneur?

Did you fall for any of the misconceptions of innovation?

4. You don't need to eliminate all "muddling mind-sets" in this chapter. A few "muddling mind-set" can lead to innovative ideas and can also lead to fewer bad decisions. Just use those "muddling mind-sets" more subtlety than usual. 

Top 5 World Problems

From my last list about the top ten biggest world problems, I will now pick five of them and list them in order of 'most' to 'least' serious in my opinion. I will also list a ranking of the top five solutions by the possibility of implementation. 

Top Five Problems

1. Global Water Crisis

2. Famine

3. Loss of Biodiversity

4. Peak Oil Production

5. Education 

I ranked this list in order of what was going to help us survive as a human being first and then what was going to contribute in helping us survive as a species and planet to a better future and generations to come. Fixing the problem of water and food shortages keep us alive, while the latter may contribute to our economic problems and others unlisted such as (the possibility of) climate change and poverty.

Top Five Solutions

1. (Education): Following the ways of many other countries and how they keep college cost effective may help with education in the United States; Lowering the cost of attendance and amenities for students so they are more free to learn and have the desire to pursue higher education.  

2. (Peak Oil Production): To avoid a sudden void of energy or mass panic, it would be wise to slowly shift our choices of energy from nonrenewable fossil fuels to renewable, more environmentally friendly sources such as Solar, Wind, and Thermal Energy. 

3. (Loss of Biodiversity): Limiting the loss of biodiversity can be difficult since the process of creation that mankind seeks slowly reaps the land of it resources and in turn different species of animals, both land and marine, will find it harder to live. Implementing more areas that include what was taken in a large area where mankind will not touch to help improve the biodiversity such as making more havens/reserves for endangered animals and artificial reefs to create homes for marine wildlife.

4. (Famine): Researching a new type of soil for plants that wouldn't have to be tended as much as well as genetically creating plants that would serve the same purpose in giving nutrients but use up less water to grow and thrive.

5. (Global Water Crisis): With there initially being a limited amount of freshwater on the Earth and it may be difficult/expensive but worth it to turn seawater into freshwater in large amounts which in turn could helps droughts and thirst. (Although desalinated water contributes to less than half of our needs). The cost of desalination and the energy it takes will further increase it's difficulty.

What makes me believe that my top solution is the most implementable is the fact of it's smaller scale as I jut talk about he education in the United States while the others are more world-wide focused. Changing the cost of college will be lot easier than fixing the loss of biodiversity on our planet and attending to the cost and energy of the global water crisis.

Week 3 Reading Reflection

Entrepreneurship: Theory, Process, Practice

1. What stood out the most to me was actually the very beginning when the author talked about corporate entrepreneurs and described them saying that they often look past ethical barriers. When I think of an entrepreneur I think of someone who follows loopholes or guidelines to help out a problem but I do not think of an entrepreneur as 'impeding unethical behaviors'. My expectation for an entrepreneur is now more of someone who will go beyond the set limits that society as set to make a deadline or create someone new, visionary, unique, etc. for the common and/or own personal good. I know won't always the an entrepreneur as someone who is good, but can also be corrupt. Thank you, author. This is what I needed.

2. One part of the reading that confused me was when the statement was made that "Entrepreneurs must be personally committed, credible, and willing to take action on the values they espouse." In the beginning the author stated that corporate entrepreneurs go beyond ethical barriers, so technically break their own signed ethical conduct for their corporations good, but they don't always take responsibility. You call them corporate entrepreneurs but breaking ethical boundaries can make them a corrupt business and usually a corrupt business will lie about it's unorthodox practices so save their own assets. So does this wrongdoing make them less of an entrepreneur or not one at all? They will do what an entrepreneur does and create new and unique ways to increase productions, good, or be proactive with the future, but do these corrupt corporations keep the name as an entrepreneur? They do everything the same, except one may lie.

3. Where would you suggest an entrepreneur to start out if they wanted to avoid too much stress? Or would you say that they should take the risk and take that stress as a learning tool?

How would you suggest a new entrepreneur to evaluate their risks in buying, starting, or creating something new? Where or who would you send them to talk to or visit to evaluate these risks?

4. When the author talks about he overbearing need for control they imply that every entrepreneur has the need to control everything and anything that affects them. Isn't part of being an entrepreneur not being able to control the outcome and taking a few risks? Sure, a lot of entrepreneurs want to control a business or upcoming advancement, but some entrepreneurs just want to be a art of it, or simply help out someone else and let them control the outcome.

This is me, Identifying Local Opportunities

Here is a list of five local opportunities that are currently happening around the US. In my list I include a few opportunities to express how easy it is to find a project to do around you, and how easy it may seem to find one may be.

1. Cape Coral Daily Breeze (Cape Coral, Florida)
   

     Burnt Store residents bring pleas to the city

http://www.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com/page/content.detail/id/547164/Burnt-Store-residents-bring-pleas-to-the-city.html?nav=5011

    Residents that live near the Burnt Store area are being asked to implement the possibility of noise mitigation to the project being concluded.Safety is also a being of concern as large trucks will be going around 65 mph which could be a safety issue for close living residents. People are requesting a berm and no bike path, but there will be a bike path and the cost of a berm is of concern.

     The project is causing noise complaints, cracks in houses and ant infestations. They are currently thinking of a solution to fix these problems in a cost effective way.

     The residents near Burnt Store have this problem.

2. Civil Beat (Honolulu, Hawaii)

New Bill Seeks To Ban Sitting Or Lying On State Lands

http://www.civilbeat.com/2016/01/new-bill-seeks-to-ban-sitting-or-lying-on-state-lands/

     The House Bill 1525, by state representative Isaac Choy, would expand the sit-lie ban mainly opposing the homeless people in the area. This bill would limit the camping issue to those with permits and others who are "authorized" to be there. Choy has introduced three other bills that would limit the homeless even more with where they can "squat", defecate/urinate, an immunity for store owners about illegal items stored on their property placed there by, as Choy would be making the bill for, the homeless. Isaac Choy introduced these bills the same day that the Senate and House tried to show compassion for the homeless, so he may not get much support from either chambers.

     The problem is that there are more and more issues that individuals want to be fixed that are caused by the homeless such as the homeless who lie or sit around public areas possibly scaring away customers, or the overall appearance of Honolulu.

     The residents of Honolulu have this problem and another problem will arise for the homeless if the bills go through.

3. The Valley Breeze (Cumberland, Rhode Island)

A blast of snow

http://www.valleybreeze.com/2016-01-24/pawtucket/blast-snow#.VqVRdiorKM9

     Rhode Island's first major snowstorm in Blackstone Valley has brought six inches of snow or more.

     Large amounts of snow will become a problem for people traveling through the snow to get to where they need to be and the snow will be an interference.

     Residents who live in the area of the major snowstorm have this problem.

4. Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Kansas)

Exploiting Mental Illness

http://www.kansascity.com/latest-news/article54870165.html

     Parents discuss and bring to the community the problem about people who exploit others with a mental instability.

Strangers have used their daughter, who suffers from schizophrenia, to get money or use her for their own gain. They want to educate the community about how it is to live with a mental illness and discuss the problems about how people use other with mental illnesses.

     The problem is that people are using others who have a mental illness for their own personal and sometimes illegal gain.

     Individuals who have a mental illness may suffer this, even if they don't realize it.

5. Lone Tree Voice (Lone Tree, Colorado)

PARCC test suffers from mass opt-outs

http://lonetreevoice.net/stories/PARCC-test-suffers-from-mass-opt-outs,205031

     Students are opting out from taking the PARCC, which stands for Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. Although it may not seem like much of a problem as the test is not mandatory, but is upper grade students are less likely to take the test, the results are skewed. Students are not taking this test because they are more worried about AP or IB tests which they study and complete because that's what they know colleges look for and how they enter college. With skewed results the schools will not be able to assess what they will need to change to help prepare their students for college.

     The problem is that students are not taking the PARCC which skews results and doesn't help the school district or the students.

     Who has the problem? Students who want to enter college and schools who want to help educate and strengthen their learning curriculum for their students.





NOTE: I am aware that some parts of this blog post are very hard to read and are very small. In all attempts to fix this, I was only able to enlarge few parts of every point. Sorry for any inconvenience. 

      

Only a few of the 'World's Biggest Problems'

Time to make a list of 10 problems that everyone else is probably talking about already!

1. Climate Change - This has been a debate for years now, decades even, and there still is no solid solution. The climate is changing around us has greenhouse gasses are becoming more of an issue as the Earth is beginning to heat up. Yeah, maybe people up north who are always freezing feel kind of blessed with some of the warm weather, but that's just a few moments of warm air compared to abnormal rain patterns, hurricanes, tornadoes, crop failures, smog, etc.

Solution? As a worldly community we could all begin using fewer and fewer harmful and toxic gas emissions and start implementing solar and wind energy. May as well use the new heat waves from the sun for some use.

2. Constant War - Everyone just seems to hate each other whether it be their political views, color, ancestry, or simply that someone else lives better than they do. People always find a way to fight about something, whether they need something because they are coming of short supply or just want to begin dominating for their power hungry souls.

Solution? Well, for this there may not be any solution as anyone can find conflict in their daily lives so world conflicts may never stop. We have the United Nations to help calm down a lot of nations but that doesn't cut the bill for everyone.

3. Loss of Biodiversity - Biodiversity is the variety of life in a habitat. A more bio diverse habitat has the possibility of being more productive such as a greater variety of crops and natural sustainability. Ever since our expansion as a species we tend to bring a path of destruction for other species that we don't find a use for. This is becoming more of a known and pressing issue as habitats are being destroyed for resources, human made climate change and pollution is unbalancing the natural processes of pollination and reproduction as well the destruction of coral reefs and rich marine life from overfishing.

Solution? We're trying to help out the ecosystems by implementing nature reserves to keep specific pristine landmarks free from human  interference to have several types of species to live prosperously (at least trying to let them as we continue to strip resources). We have also began to rebuild coral reefs so marine life can begin to flourish once again.

4. Global Water Crisis - As we overpopulate the earth, yes overpopulate, we are depleting our sources of water for industries, food, and drink. Our supply is so low that when a drought it's an area like California there starts a strict water regime to which you can not drink to much to preserve the water.

Solution? Although it may pain a lot of us to do so, taking shorter showers, turning off faucets when not in use, controlling your water intake, etc. can undoubtedly begin to prolong our supply of fresh water for generations to follow.

 5. Peak Oil Production - We've been using oil to run millions of inventions over the past century but most of us never think about it being wasted away, since it is a non renewable resource. Several industry insiders believe that we are beginning to hit our peak oil production and that it may be wise to look for other sources of energy.

Solution? To avoid a sudden void of energy or mass panic, a wise decision would be to start to slowly shift our choice in which energy we use such as starting to use solar, wind, and electric energy. Types of energy that are actually renewable and have a more positive impact on the environment.

6. Famine - An adverse effect from climate change, famine will create starvation across the nations as they won't be able top grow specific nutritious crops because the soil may to dry or there may be an extreme drought in place.

Solution? Creating a new type of soil that it widely rich for plants and won't need to be constantly tended as well as genetically creating a new plant that will not need to soak up so much water to grow to it's final stage.

7. Poverty - According to http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats at least 80% of humanity leaves on less than 10$ a day. Although it may not sound that bad but to some, especially some college students who may think of this as some distant dream, it is extremely hard to live off especially when you have a family to provide for so kids will be malnourished and death tolls continue to rise.

Solution? This has been an issue for centuries but in a the 21st century it should not be this bad. A careful look at how the distribution of money for everyone's purpose may be in order.

8. Racism - I better you were waiting for this topic. Racism may be heavily over used as a topic in accordance with poverty, famine, climate change, etc, but it's a real issue. Racism discriminates against racial groups because some people believe that certain races have abilities and attributes that simply make them superior to others. Racism can be used to encourage fear or hatred in times of conflict.

Solution? You can't really stop people fro being racist but you can provide information proving that your race does not make you instantly have the ability to outperform the other. That is at least a start.

9. Disease - Disease has been around since the beginning. Disease has been the cause to wipe out parts of species that is inferior to the other or even wipe out most if not all of one whole species. Such a disease could be the Panama disease which affected the roots of banana plants around the world except for Asia. Epidemics such as the black plaque in Europe for example.

Solution? Disease doesn't seem to be much of an issue now as it was before since scientists, researchers, etc locate of fix up cures or temporary fixes. This doesn't mean that we're fine, since disease can evolve to fight the cures we currently have in place to maybe the continued research on a more permanent cure. Although that sounds like just a fantasy.

10. Education - Education may not sound like a global issue, but it is in its own way. Not everyone seeks a higher level education after high school, and that's okay, but some do. Some people either don't get accepted anymore or simply can't even pay for their secondary education for a higher learning experience. It also does not help that after students graduate they are in debt. In a study from 2014 (http://ticas.org/posd/map-state-data-2015) about 7 out of 10 students who graduated were in debt (about 69%) so you can only assume that this number has increase with the given economy.

Solution? If countries want the next generation to be able to lead the country into the future with the knowledge of how to do so, then they should help out with colleges and universities. Give the next generations the chance to innovate the country, and chance for the next generation to positively improve the country and possibly the world (sounds kind of cliche but is very true).

My Week 2 Reading Reflection

Entrepreneurship: Theory, Process, Practice 

1. The biggest surprise for me is when the author stated that 95 percent of all radical innovations are created by 'gazelles' (small businesses). I mean, I could see it being a high number but not so high in which it seems like large industries really don't do much to provide for the innovation of our world.

2. The reading overall was completely understandable and not really confusing at all, but if I had to choose which confused me the most was when the author talked about how entrepreneurial education is becoming one of the hottest topics in business and engineering schools. I feel as if entrepreneurial education was becoming a hot topic I would hear more about it than from books or classes that I'm already taking about entrepreneurship. How I got into this class about entrepreneurship wasn't solely me hearing about wanting to become or aiding my optimistic view about creating opportunities, but was simply the act of me seeing an option in UF's application to attend school here asking about becoming a growing member of the Innovation Academy. I've also heard that a lot of business classes, and maybe engineering classes, don't really talking about being an entrepreneur. I guess that I'm simply going to have to look more into this.

3. In the second paragraph in the very beginning, the quote you use saying "Anyone [can be an entrepreneur] who wants to experience the deep, dark canyons of uncertainty and ambiguity; and who wants to walk the breathtaking highlands of success. But I caution, do not plan to walk the latter, until you have experienced the former." Do you always think entrepreneurship in this way? I like last sentence that's basically saying don't expect to be successful without failure.

When you were talking about small businesses being a 'gazelle' did you try to describe them that way because they are fast and can outrun predators (possible large companies), how they can form in groups and look out for each other, or maybe how they can easily be weak at first but grow stronger? Or maybe all and more?

4. What I don't necessarily agree with is how the author described entrepreneurship as this extremely elegant, ambiguous, uncertain process in deep, dark canyons  with highlands of success because I feel like it romanticizes entrepreneurship in a way. The quote may have people believe that entrepreneurship is easily seen or you can distinguish what it is with how hard or successful it can be. I feel like the author should have also stated how it can be even the small things that can make you an entrepreneur.

My Bug List

Here's a list of what bugs me through my day to day life and why they exist:

1. When picking out a new headset for your desired system you can't try it out and end up returning it.

•  Why do they do this? Probably because they don't want to let their product out of the box because someone may break it or they'll have to clean it afterwards (health issue).

2. When you're trying to use the school's internet with a wireless connection but it's slow because other people have their WiFi on (which they are not supposed to).

•   Why? I guess people like they're own connection but do not realize how it negatively affects everyone else plus they don't care about the rules.

3. When people come back to their hall late at night and decide to sing really loudly because they think their the next big thing and don't care about the people trying to sleep.

• Why? Some people just like to hear their own voice and like to show off. I mean its fine to show off but please don't do it around midnight. 

4. When the neighbors are taking a bath or a shower and it sounds like the pipes in the walls are about to come out.

•  Why? The pipes may need to be replaced or tightened.

5. When you're waiting for the bus and it finally comes but it passes right by you. 

• Why? Well, the driver probably didn't see me but I'm more than six feet tall so I don't know how they could miss me.

6. When you're in the middle of doing very important school work but your computer decides to freeze and it loses all your work.

• Why? I should probably get a new computer or get something fixed.

7. Around lunchtime when I make myself a sandwich with my toaster oven I have to bend down and look under the sandwich at the bread to know when to take it out.

•  Why? Each time I make a sandwich the timing is different for when the bread gets to the perfect crisp.

8. That the food at the POD Market at Beaty Towers costs so much but at Walmart, which is a good hour walk away from me, is about three or four times cheaper.

• Why? The POD Market is on UF Campus so it costs more, but two dollars for one Ramen? Come on.

9. When I'm walking down the sidewalk but the people in front of me decide to make an impenetrable line that I can't walk past and covers the whole sidewalk.

• Why? Some people really don't care about others needs but their own. So they don't think about the other people trying to walk past until the passerby walks around them.

10. Walking down the sidewalk from class and instead of a little bit of fresh air all you get is a mouthful of exhaust fumes.

• Why? Well, the exhaust fumes from passing cars.

11. When Cheez-It crackers try to tell you  that they are "made with 100% real cheese" but another brand goes and says "Cheese Nips has real cheddar cheese. Original Cheez-It doesn't."

• Why? They are being very competitive so one may slander the other.

12. When you are trying to do laundry but every washer and drier is full but no one is there to pick them up or move them and you have no idea what to do.

• Why? Not everyone sets a timer for when their laundry is finished washing or drying.

13. When you're trying to talk within a group of people but you are constantly being cut off from speaking because someone decides they are more important and no one hears you.

• Why? Someone might just have an ego or maybe you just simply spoke too soon or too late.

14. People who just throw their trash on to the ground even if there is a trash can nearby.

• Why? They love to litter? They probably just think everything through.

15. People who decide to come to a lecture class but continue to moan, sigh, and a few minutes later you hear their heavy breathing as they are now sleeping.

• Why? They come for the in class questions that everyone has to answer if they want credit.

16. When people project their own life story on you when you have a problem but their life story as nothing to do with your problem.

• Why? People want to tell you their problems and probably don't care about your own even if you asked first.

17. When you're watching a movie in the theater and people laugh obnoxiously at something that wasn't even funny and then you can't really hear the movie.

• Why? Some people don't know how to react to something so they just laugh.  

18. When people say "Wow, you are tall!" when I'm walking around (usually anywhere I go).

• Why? I guess people never have seen a tall person before. I'm an oddity to them.

19. When people take my things without asking me and don't tell me that they are taking it after they used it.

• Why? Others grew up without proper manners?

20. When people don't give you personal space or know what personal space is.

• Why? Some people don't take into consideration others personal space and may be oblivious to others needs. Ignorant because of how or where they grew up.

       Reflection

       When I was coming up with the bug list, the first thirteen bugs were somewhat easy to think about as I went through the day but afterwards it became a little more difficult. I usually don't care about much of the stuff that bothers me so they didn't exactly come to me quickly at ease. After I finally hit twenty bugs I felt as though most of them bugged me but the rest kind of just irritated me only a little than how badly they would others.

My Entrepreneur's Mantra

Entrepreneurs don't wait. They act. And they don't quit.
Entrepreneurs fail. A lot. But in this forge of failure,
entrepreneurs sharpen their edge, ready to face the future.
Entrepreneurs thirst for negative feedback. Too much praise
leads to complacency, while criticism provides clues to improve.
Entrepreneurs work harder. To pursue their own lives. To improve
the world around them. To build a better future for themselves, their families, and communities.
I am an entrepreneur

My Entrepreneurship Story

In my high school there were a few clubs that I joined. I joined the Art Club because I enjoyed creating art and I also joined the Science Club because science is a passion of mine. In the science club there were two large projects that they were pulling off. One being to create a robot from Scratch for an FTC Block Challenge and the other to create a Solar powered Go-kart.

For the Solar powered Go-Kart I was in charge of putting together the base. This included making the a systems for when you pressed the pedal the kart would be able to move because it would be accessing the electric power it was storing. I also made sure the steering and seating was perfect enough for safety reason and for comfort for a medium size driver. We entered this competition at one of the latest days we were able to enter and this was also our first year so we had to learn from scratch how to build the kart and how to make it work by learning the most efficient way the kart would be able to receive power and would not require expensive products to make. Our team visited another school to see how their kart worked and gave it a test drive to feel how it works and for fun. Once we got to the competition we were able to see everyone else's Go-Karts and saw how they built certain parts such as where the solar panels were placed. We were one of two or three newcomers so most of the karts looked pretty much the same with where they placed the solar panels for the best aerodynamic style (most contenders had all three connected and placed on top) but we had the most diverse placement. We had one placed on the lower back, the very top at downward angle, and on the front in a slightly more downward angle.

There were two races, one for speed and the other a relay. We may have one first place for both challenges and received a larger trophy but safety issues occurred with the tires as one tire looked like it was about to blow. Other than the almost blown tire we were happy as a team to receive a first place trophy, especially since it was our first time joining with the more innovative design.

The second project was for the FTC Block party challenge ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPAATO-NpcM ) in which we also joined late in the game to. My job was to help lead the design for our robot and to actually build it. Following the official rules of the challenge we were able to make our robot move around 360 degrees, the ability to lift itself above the ground granted there being something to hang on to, to move around blocks located on the floor, and to lift our 'alliance' flag at high speeds. Our robot was not able to be one of the best robots but it definitely was not the worst (not trying to say other schools designs were bad). Since this was our first year we were excited for what we accomplished and our design would be used as an example for our school if they consider entering in the future.

Introduction of Me

I'm a Sophomore at UF and my current major is Biology in the Liberal Arts and Sciences college. I originally came from Miami but moved to the city of Cape Coral (Below Fort Myers). I was considering to becoming a geneticist but then I thought to myself "All that time spent in school, will I really enjoy just being a geneticist," so I'm deciding to probably be a nurse so I get to help people like I intended, won't have to be in school for as long, and will still enjoy my work. I've only been to a few states stretching from Florida to Texas but I do want to travel further than that and even to another country at some point, to see what it's like (Somewhere in Northern Europe maybe).

Other than School, I like to enjoy spending my free time with a few friends, going to events or simply just hanging out watching a movie, video games, etc. I don't usually have a preference to which type of game that I like to play but I usually tend to play more strategy/team games.

I'm also hoping that the game supposed to be released soon called Pokemon GO won't be like the picture below.

This is not a Test (Or is it(Its not(But Maybe)))

Is my blog working?
Well, I'm about to find out.
Alright then, Good Luck.