Thursday, February 13, 2020
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
Friday, February 7, 2020
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
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
Friday, January 31, 2020
opportunity belief
I have a belief that an opportunity exists in nutritional healing. I have research information proving many individuals ailments can be solved by a total revamp of their diet. Not only will an individual's health and body change, but also their personal life and career can change as well due to their increased energy level and elevated mood. This can possibly change people's lives.
The unmet need is people having better control over their lives and bodies. Many people, including the average American, don't understand how good they could be feeling if they just ate right. This need developed from out horrible diet and exercise habits. People are currently meeting these needs by going on fad diets and taking pills however the solution to many of these problems starts with nutrition.
The typical customer would be the average overweight and unhealthy American who constantly takes medication due to diet based illnesses.
My uncle currently takes medication for diabetes and has sleep apnea due to his weight. He believes this is not really due to his diet and he just received an unlucky draw. I have spent time trying to convince him of and show him the studies proving diabetes has almost been completely eradicated in people who follow vegan plant based died but he doesn't want to hear it. He is much more comfortable taking a pill than making a real life style change.
I learned that many people often don't want to look at the facts if it requires them to leave their comfort zones. Many people are creatures of habit and very stuck in their ways and practices.
Many people who adopt this live strive to live a wholesome and healthy lifestyle in the first place and still see monumental results.
I recently had the chance to speak with a local yoga instructor who swears going vegan and eating clean elevated her mood entirely and caused her to no longer need her anti depression and anxiety pills. She said once her body felt better her mind began to clear almost as if a fog has been lifted. She is currently happier that she has ever been throughout her entire life and hasn't taken a medication for mental illness in over seven years.
This really resonated with me because I couldn't believe something as simple as changing your diet can possibly result in monumental life change. After this instructor began eating clean and feeling like a new person, she went on to meet her spouse and they currently have a beautiful daughter together.
My roommate is suffering currently from weight related illness due to her horrible diet that developed after her first few years of college.
I have spoken to her about the chance of a clean and plant based diet making her feel much better and making hr ailments and difficulties greatly improved. She is open to the idea, however there are logistical concerns on her part such as expense and free time to prepare food.
This showed me that many people may be very open to the idea, however logistically it may be difficult.
These experiences have shown me that many people may embrace this idea with open arms or may be stagnant, however exposure and education is the first step.
Identifying Local Oppertunities
Title: This jeweler dishes out the bling - with Cuban coffee and more.
Description: This story discusses the transformation of Mayors jewelry stores throughout south Florida in order to revamp their jewelry buying process. These stores have been redesigned to emphasize the chic and sophisticated nature of buying expensive, luxury goods. Not only have the stores changed aesthetically, they also provide refreshments and lounging available to everyone and anyone who broses the store.
The Problem: The problem presented in this story was the dissatisfaction of consumers who found the high-end jewelry buying process outdated and bland. Mayor’s decided to take action and bring back class and sophistication to such large and expensive industry.
Who has the Problem: Shoppers
Title: Hardball: Rays threaten to block redevelopment of Tropicana Field
Description: They Rays were supposed to split their season with plying the second half in Montreal however the owner has decided to no longer do that due to the inconvenience of it. This will halt the redevelopment of Tropicana field which was supposed to be worked on during that time period.
The Problem: This decision by the Rays will stop the development of this field and money making opportunity and improvements.
Who has the Problem: The owners and developers of the field.
Title: Oak trees may hold antibacterial to help infected citrus trees.
Description: Old oak trees may hold a chemical that can be extracted and used to cure the greening disease that affects and kills citrus trees.
The Problem: Citrus trees are suffering from a greening disease.
Who has the Problem: The Citrus trees.
Title: Astronomers prepare for more crowded skies as SpaceX and OneWeb ramp up launches of internet satellites.
Description: Astronomers may have a harder time obersing and doing research on the night sky due to the crowded objects filling up the night sky. This may make their research harder and more difficult to complete due to obstructed view.
The Problem: Astronomers will have a harder time conducting research on the night sky due to crowing.
Who has the Problem: Astronomers
Title: ‘Deep’ going-out-of-business sales begin at Lucky’s Markets in Florida
Description: Luckys has recently decided to close all of their Florida locations and have subsequently has large sales throughout their temporarily open stores.
The Problem: Many shoppers who love the brand are very upset about the store closures.
Who has the Problem: Shoppers
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