Halfway Reflection

For this course I have developed a few skills to help manage my work and get the most I can from the information and insight being presented. I have learned to always check my entire week's assignment schedule and make note of what assignments are due at their respective times. It helps me keep track of my responsibilities and commitments while balancing my workload and social life. I have also worked on thinking creatively and outside of the box for these assignments. Coming up with my idea for a problem solving product or service took a lot of time and creativity. 

I’ve had plenty of moments throughout my entire life, as well as the past two months, where I felt like giving up and cutting my losses. For example, at the beginning of the course I had no idea assignments were due at noon everyday, and I missed the first day of work. At that point it felt really discouraged because schoolwork is so important to me and I saw that I had missed the first five assignments. After remaining positive and tenacious, I decided to reach out and explain my situation and lucky I was able to submit my work for credit. That really showed me tenacity is absolutely necessary. 

Three Tips for Tenacity:

1.) It’s all about mindset, if you don't have a positive outlook and a determination to succeed you never will.

2.) Always stay on top of your schedule and what you have going on. There's no way you can achieve your goals without an organization of your work and opportunities.

3.) Surround yourself with people who support your goals and have their own tenacity. Tell me your friends and I’ll tell you your future.

Reading Reflection No. 1

I decided to read “Coco Chanel, an Intimate Life” by Lisa Chaney.

What surprised me most was just exactly how far ahead of her time Chanel was, she was so much more than just a women’s fashion designer. She lived beyond the present day boundaries and provided groundbreaking styles to accompany it.

I admire how independent she was. She played by her own rules and didn't let anyone dictate what she was going to do with her life. She was originally born into poverty, where shortly after her mother died and her father put her up for adoption, yet despite her background, she grew an amazing life for herself and became an icon. I also love that she never married, smashing the traditional gender role.

It’s not particularly that I don't admire it, however, I wouldn't emulate her suspected drug use. Everyone struggles with their own vices and that is one I wouldn't enjoy playing a part of my life.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel dealt with much adversity in her life. Originally being born into poverty as an orphan is a huge struggle for anyone, yet she built herself an unbelievable life from scratch. Also, breaking into the fashion industry as an unmarried woman from poverty is absolutely unheard of.

She absolutely exhibited tenacity and determination, with a glamorous and effortless sense about her. She wanted something so she went and got it with almost a “fake-it-till-you-make-it” attitude. She changed the game of women's fashion and made it look easy.

I think her involvement with WWII and the Nazis was a little confusing to me. I left that area of the book without getting a real sense of what exactly happened. However, I do understand why this is most likely the case due to the fact her involvement was secretive.

I would ask her “If you could go back in time and change anything, would you?” I would ask this because I think the best learning is done by learning from mistakes and failures. By pointing out where she went wrong I could learn what not to do in the future. I would also ask her if she could give my sister a raise, because my sister works so hard for the Chanel brand and I want the best for her!

I think she would value hard work, however, place much more importance and concentration on working smart. Hard work is something to be appreciated but if you’re not working smart it's almost wasted. I agree with this opinion very much.

Elevator Pitch

Testing the Hypothesis Part 2

For this exercise I found five individual girls who should very much be interested in the app, however, aren't into the idea at all. My step-sisters five sorority sisters from their time in college are all in their late 20s, with stable jobs. They are all unmarried with no children, free every night from 5pm and do not work weekends. However, even with all this free time and limited constraints, they have no interest in this app. Why? On paper they seem like the perfect candidate. I decided to take a deep dive and ask in depth questions about why these girls' lives aren't suited to be interested in my app.

After asking them questions as to why they wouldn't care about the best deals and nights out, I discovered something about newly working young professionals in their late 20s… they are very tired. Apparently, so tired even the thought of a fun night out with friends seems so draining and unappealing it’s enough to induce a nap. Although they have plenty of free time, they are exhausted from years of college partying and their new professional careers plus navigating financial independence, relationships and setting up the rest of their lives. The “littlest night club in town” really isn't on their radar anymore. I have concluded that this means my app should mainly be marketed to college students and in college towns.

I believe this app connects to other needs of socialization such as loneliness and a desire for new connections. I believe everyone loves having fun and being social, it's in our nature! From my personal experience I've discovered that people have a desire to have fun and let loose and there's a real need and desire for that in humans. We are meant to be social animals and I believe coming together and celebrating life is ingrained in us. 

I think the difference between those who feel a need for this app and those who don't is their current stage in life and a real desire for the human connection and pleasure in the form of nightlife. There really isn't one specific person that I believe this app is made for, it’s made for anyone who wants it. However, college students seem to be the primary audience interested in this type of technology. Typically those who enjoy social activities and nightlife as a primary way to spend their free time. 

Inside the Boundary                                               Outside the Boundary

Who is in: College students, social individuals, young and extroverted adults, those who enjoy spending their free time out and about and having fun.	Who is Not: Those who are tired and would rather spend their free time resting and relaxing, adults with children and other responsibilities, etc.
What the need is: Finding deals and the best event of the night, spending your free time in the best way possible.	What the need is not: Not as a hookup app, and app to get people in the door to make money, a dating app.
Why the need exists: There are so many events that waste people's time and money, my app avoids that as well as brings people together.	Alternative explanations: Many people do not lie going out and would rather rest and relax.

Solving the Problem

Problem/Opportunity: People are wasting their few hours of weekend freedom fun by waiting in line and paying cover only to enter a dead and empty club. This has happened to myself and my friends multiple times and can make what is supposed to be a fun night, filled with stress, Uber rides and frustration. There is something missing in nightlife planning, and that is the opportunity to find out the size of the line, price of cover and crowded nature of the event or venue before even leaving your house.

Solution: An affordable social media style app that allows individuals to properly plan out their night with live updates from potential bars and clubs they are interested in attending. Skips the negative side of nightlife involving long lines, wasted time and uncertainty of how an event or venue is going to be all with the added benefit of social media profiles and sharing.

Testing the Hypothesis

I would like to pursue an app that lets individuals know about nightlife events going on in their area and include cover, line wait times, drink specials, etc. however, with one very big difference. These types of apps already exist, but they just work to get people in the door and spending money. They could be promoting a completely dead and empty club just in order to make a profit. My app would allow users to share pictures and videos of the events and event spaces to ensure those who are interested in going can see live footage of their potential night in action. There would also be a social media aspect where users can create profiles of themselves and like and comment on app features.

The Who: College students and young adults looking for a fun night out without the stress and pressure of discovering what event is “lit.”

The What: A media app providing information on events as well as social media style live updates from individual profiles that can be liked and commented on, forming friendships and connections. 

The Why: To ensure individuals precious Friday and Saturday, or any night of the week really, free time is spent well and not wasted in an empty nightclub a promoter promised would be super “lit.”

I believe there are plenty of people who have this need. Many individuals love nightlife and want to spend their free time and money well and this app can help them. There are some boundaries of this need such as a pretty small market of mainly 18-25 year olds who spend their free nights clubbing rather than with their families. However despite that, there are plenty of people who would love to use this and it could really improve their nights out.

Interview with my roommate Kendyl: 22, UF Senior 

Me: Do you feel a need for this app?

K: Oh absolutely, I hate waiting in line and paying $5 dollars to walk into a completely empty club. I wasted that time and money for nothing.

Me: So if I developed this app you would use the live update feature to discover what the inside looked like before you wasted that time waiting in line and the cover?

K: Yeah for sure, I'm not made of money. I want to spend my Saturday night somewhere fun.

Me: How would you feel about paying for this app?

K: I wouldn't love it but I get it, like I pay for plenty of apps that don't promote my personal and social life like this one would.

Interview with my roommate Sabrina: 22, UF Senior 

Me:  Do you feel a need for this app?

S: Not personally considering I don't go out that much but I know plenty of people who would use it, especially those in Greek Life.

Me: Do you think they would enjoy the social media aspect of it?

S: Yeah I think that would be a great drawing point. People are obsessed with themselves so developing an app where they can post pictures of themselves as well as having a blast? They’d be all over it.

Me: Have you heard of any similar apps?

S: I know about a party app in Tallahassee, but it just posts cover fees and event details, nothing like live updates or social media sharing.

Interview with my friend Ally: 20, Sante Fe Sophomore

Me:  Do you feel a need for this app?

A: Ugh yes, I can't tell you how many times I’ve waited in line and paid money just for the place to be boring and dead inside. Then you can either painfully wait for more people to come, pay for an Uber somewhere else and wait in line again hoping the new place will be better, or just cut your losses and go home.

Me: Do you know individuals who would use it?

A: Way too many.

Me: How would you feel about paying for this app?

A: Absolutely not, I’m way too cheap.

Interview with my step sister Colby: 28, Chanel Representative

Me:  Do you feel a need for this app?

C: Not so much anymore but I absolutely would have loved this in college. I spent so many nights trying to find what the best plan would be while spending the whole night in the car driving to different places.

Me: Do you think anyone in your age group and stage in life would enjoy it?

C: I know a few people still wild into their late 20s but not too many, I think young adults would be your best bet.

Me: How would you feel about paying for this app?

C: I wouldn't mind, I have a full time and well paying job.

Interview with my friend Sarah: 20, UF Junior 

Me: Do you feel a need for this app?

S: Dude this is literally such a good idea I’m gonna steal it.

Me: Please don’t.

S: Well you better get crackin then.

Me: This interview is over.

These interviews really showed me there is a real need for some direction in nightlife planning. So many people cherish nights out with friends and to have an easy application that streamlines that and makes it more convenient seems great to me and many others. Even though many people wouldnt be happy about paying for this app I believe a $1.99 a month price point would be absolutely worth it and protect against ads and the promotion of events due to payment rather than the real enjoyment of the event. These interviews actually made me believe in this vision and I would love to develop this or something similar like it one day.

Identifying Opportunities in Economic and Regulatory Trends

Economic 

1. Florida’s top industry is Tourism and in 2016 it added $111.7 billion to this state's economy. It’s a huge market that is constantly growing with 663 miles of beaches and a temperate climate year round. I found this opportunity in the Markets section of Business Insider while I was researching interesting and unique facts about Florida’s economy. I believe a huge opportunity exists in the tourism industry for expansion of unique and Florida centered entertainment. The customer would most likely be travelers from colder climates looking to escape the winter tundra for a warm and inviting tropical climate. They would include a wide variety of people such as families, spring breakers or elderly seniors. I think this may be relatively difficult to exploit because the tourism industry is so vast and filled with businesses already. I saw this opportunity because I have worked in the entertainment and tourism industry before and see it as a huge market. Everybody likes to have fun, and that is a simple fact of human nature that is unlikely to change.
2. The city of Miami is planning on spending $500 million on piping and water pumps to combat the rising sea levels. I found this opportunity in the Markets section of Business Insider while I was researching interesting and unique facts about Florida’s economy. I believe this information shows a great opportunity for an individual to break in and get this job done at a better price and a more efficient way. The customers of the opportunity would stakeholders, taxpayers and people of Miami, which would benefit from this money being saved and put to different use. The lawmakers of Miami would be the most direct customers however, due to the fact they would be controlling this deal, money and construction of this project. I think with the right plans and knowledge of the subject, this could be relatively easy to break into due to the nature of saving the city money and promoting efficiency. I saw this opportunity because I live so close to Miami and have a huge passion for its culture, beauty, and entertainment. When I heard of this $500 million dollar plan to save it I was taken back by the figure, and felt there must be a better way to solve this problem without spending so much taxpayer money.

Regulatory

3. A recent law was passed in Florida criminalizing the sale of sex dolls that resemble children. I discovered this information through the Tampa Bay times regarding which bills were passed or have failed throughout Florida in 2019. I believe an opportunity exists to catch potential child predators and pedophiles by setting up sting operations run by law enforcement, attemping to illegally sell child like sex dolls. Much like Chris Hansen's “Predator vs. Hansen,” these sting operations can provide jobs for individuals, take these horrible people off the streets and even be commercialized. The main customer would definitely be law enforcement or predator watchdog groups. I believe this would be relatively easy to break into due to the need to keep these bad people away from children and in jail where they belong, and this way can help law enforcement do just that. I saw this opportunity because my mother used to work as a commander at the police department specializing in the children and family unit, working to protect children and save them from horrible and unsafe conditions. Once I heard this law passed in Florida I was thrilled and felt that any disgusting individual who would want to buy a sex doll with a childs resemblance deserves to be looked into and potentially behind bars.
4. A law recently failed to pass in Florida looking to ban or regulate plastic and disposable bags near coastal areas. I discovered this information through the Tampa Bay times regarding which bills were passed or have failed throughout Florida in 2019. Although this did not pass, I see the potential for a great opportunity. I believe that with the growing uncertainty of our environmental state, many people are trying to reduce waste and make the planet cleaner and greener. Instead of banning plastic and disposable bags, perhaps reusable bags can be encouraged and marketed to individuals rather than forced on them. I believe the customer would be the average environmentally conscious individual, which is becoming more and more common as time goes on. I believe this would be relatively easy to break into because so many people are looking to reduce their strain on the planet and the environment as well as feel good about their choices. I saw this opportunity because throughout my youth, my cousins and I would participate in beach cleanups because we lived walking distance from the beach. I’ve loved the ocean my whole life and feel passionate about keeping it clean and plastic free. However, I believe shoving that down people's throats is never the answer, and rather than forcing legislature, it would be better to encourage and educate people to make environmentally conscious decisions that they can incorporate in multiple aspects of their life.