15A

I conducted three additional interviews from my selected segment and found information about the alternative options people choose due to their need. Some of the alternatives these customers have chosen to settle for are vending machines, Starbucks, ubereats, and traveling to outside food options. Money was a concern in each of these scenarios. Each of these options do not allow meal plan options and force students to spend unnecessary additional time and money. Quality and style were factors considered by my interviewees and played a role in determining their choices.

The interviewees from my segment were most likely to buy from a physical vendor vs an online option. The only online option they utilized was ubereats and online delivery services through apps online ordering services. They are most likely to use debit/credit cards to purchase their food/meals. One of my interviewees shared how they normally opt for using cash because it helps them keep track of how much they are spending. The only ones involved with the purchases are the customer and the vendors. What mattered most regarding the rightness of the purchase to my interviewees was the price, distance, and quality. These factors also helped them determine if it was a good purchase idea. After each of my interviews and evaluating this segment, I have determined that this segment will be satisfied by my idea and it will improve an aspect in their lives.

14A

                                                   
At first I did experience some stress and a lot of pressure with this class because of the strict deadlines and weekly assignments due. Over the weeks I feel I have gotten a better hang of this class and how it functions. Some things that I have developed over this course is time management skills and practiced my organization/ planning skills.

I felt like giving up when I went home for a couple of days and was unable to complete my posts early so I was forced to do them on Sunday on my car ride home. I was struggling because I was low on battery, but I pushed through and got my assignments due on time. My motivation to complete this course with a good grade pushed me through. I feel I have developed a tenacious attitude from this course because of the demanding time requirements and assignments.

One tip that I would offer to future students would be is to keep up with each assignment and responses. Also to plan out which days you will complete each assignment. I also advise them to acknowledge the importance of each assignment and the impact it will have on their next post.

13A- Reading Reflection No. 1

1. I read the book Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson for this assignment. I was very surprised by his background and his past. It seems he went through events that truly shaped who he is and what he accomplished. After hearing about the experience he had with his parents and with being adopted it gave me a whole new perspective on him and his life as a business man. I really admire how he did not let his past affect his success and his future. I least admired how he took credit for other's work and treated them very poorly. He experienced adversity with other individuals and experienced conflict with them, especially when it came to the running of the Apple company.

2.
One of the main competencies I found in Steve Jobs was his eye for detail and his drive for perfection in everything that he did.

3.
I was a little confused on one area of the reading where it talked about Jobs being upset at gates for producing products which were similar to his, but in reality both windows and apple were copies of Xerox.

4.
If I were to ask Jobs two questions they would be:

-What motivates and inspires you when it comes to founding ideas and products?
-What is the number one most important skill for an entrepreneur to hold?

5.
I believe Jobs was probably motivated by hard projects and it pushed him to succeed and combat his obstacles.

12A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

The segment I chose was UF students between the ages 17-25. I found three people who fit into this segment and interviewed them. Each of my interviewees had the same unmeet needs. I questioned them each when, where and how their need awareness occurs.

Each individual I interviewed said they felt the need strongly when studying and completing homework assignments at library west. They also shared how they experienced the mostly at meal times so at around 11am-1pm, 5pm-8pm, and 8am-10am. This was the range of hours they shared with me about when they felt the need most. One of the students also explained how late ate night when studying he experienced late night cravings and at times feels he needs a real meal to keep him going. The first things my interviewees said they did when experiencing the need was search for a food option. They shared how they settle for vending products, food services or Starbucks. They don't feel a need for searching for information, but they do search for alternatives to having a real meal.  Some of the terms they searched were "restaurants near me," "food services in Gainesville," and restaurant hours. They explained how they complain about the issue to their friends and family. After completing this assignment I learned more about this segment and how they combat this issue and their needs.

11A- Idea Napkin No. 1

1. You

My name is Evelyn Menendez and I am a Business major at the University of Florida. I am a business major and I am specializing in leadership and communication development. I have gained skills such relating to leadership, organization and time management during my time as a student and through my internship. I aspire to one day manage a successful company. I do not plan on starting my own business, but I would like to manage a company that needs an analytical and knowledgeable manager.

2. What are you offering to customers?

Through my purposed opportunity, I plan on being the project manager for the opening of an additional restaurant into library west at UF.  Through this plan I will satisfy the needs of students who study at library west that are facing challenges relating to the current food options.

3. Who are you offering it to?

My target audience is UF students. This idea mainly will cater to students who frequently study at library west. The majority of students who study at this library are between the ages of 17-23. These students normally come to this library to complete their assignments or to study for exams and quizzes. Students need energy when completing homework or studying, so food is essential. The lack of food options leads to many negative consequences for students.

4. Why do they care?

Students care about this issue, because it negatively affects them. Students result in paying for food services, ubers, eating out of vending machines or just staying hungry. Students will pay to eat at this food option since it will save them time, money and it will satisfy them.

5. What are your core competencies? 
What this food vendor will uniquely offer is a solution for a high demand and traffic area. There currently is no individual restaurant or cafe dedicated to offering students adequate meals inside library west.

I believe that after evaluating my five points and answering all the questions that they seem to mesh together nicely. The only question I had difficulty answering was number five. I would not call my idea unique, but the location is the key selling point. I want to work on making something unique about this idea in order to make it as successful as possible. I believe I have a strong idea with potential, but that adding a component of uniqueness will improve it and its outcome.

9A- Testing The Hypothesis, Part 2

I conducted additonal interviews on my opportunity, but this time it was definitely much harder. I had to search for students who were the target audience, but not have the need which I hoped to satisfy for each student. I interviewed students who attend library west. The common facts found in my target audience are uf students who study at library west. Each on of the students I interviewed held these factors and fell into the boundary. I believe this opportunity is limited to satisfying students need to consume energy and a satisfying food at meal times. The people inside of the needs boundary mostly feel that there is an opportunity here, but there are some who disagree for certain reasons. Some only spend very limited time in the library so they don’t experience the issue or they use other routes to satisfy his need. I believe through my interviews and findings that my opportunity is still strong and that it could satisfy many, but I also learned that there are some who feel this opportunity is unnecessary. 

Inside the boundary:

Who is in?

Students at uf who attend library west are inside the boundary.

What the need is?

The need is an additional food vendor inside library west where students can have a larger election of choices and where they can use a meal plan.

Why the need exists?

The need exists because many students will go to the library and spend hours upon hours there and then need a meal. Currently the only food offered inside the library is a small selections of choices at Starbucks.

Outside the boundary:

Who is not?

The people outside of the boundary would be professors, non-if students, or students who do not either attend of spend a lot of time at library west. 

What the need is not?

The need is not nearly a food opportunity, it a the opportunity to supply students with a proper source of food when at the library where they can also utilize their meal plans if they have one. 

Alternative explanations?

I believe that my opportunity has a specific target audience and while this may limit who will be served by this opportunity, I strongly believe that the majority of people inside the boundary will be utilizing my plan if it was set into action.

                                

8A- Solving The Problem

The opportunity I’ve selected was to add a new food option inside of library west at UF. Currently, many student’s are facing negative consequences due to the lack of food option in the library and I believe an opportunity lies here to satisfy students and improve their experience as a UF student. I intend on the additional food vendor to be located on the ground level floor and for it to be a cafe or maybe even a chomp it. Preferably somewhere where students have the opportunity to use their meal plan or at least have more meal like options rather than Starbucks limited sandwich/snack selection. I believe that this idea would succeed if it was put into place and that it would not only extend students study time, but in the long run improve their outcome as a student.