Lauren Nguyen's Entrepreneurship Blog: January 2016

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Customer Interviews No. 1

This opportunity was hard. Not going to lie. I don't know if it's because I don't know how to read English, or I overthink things, but I totally think I did this assignment wrong.
The opportunity is out there somewhere, and it is flexible to whatever person's perspective on it can be.

First off, interviewing people is hard. You get tongue-tied; you feel awkward; at times, you can only get one question answered from them because they're busy. Long story short, factors (random ones) will happen, and you have to make the most of what data you collect.
I think this exercise was really fun, and at the same time, I do understand that people have a lot of unmet needs in this society.

I've all kinda grouped my interviews into one succinct video. I apologize for the bleh editing, but there's more improvement along this entrepreneurship journey, so watch out for it!

Week 4 Reading Reflection

For each reading reflection post, I ask you to address the following areas:
1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations?
2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

While reading this chapter, the part that immensely surprised me was the fact that terrorism is more of a governmental trend than a societal one. My initial thought was that terrorism would be considered more of a societal or even international trend, but not governmental. I would think terrorist attacks such as the Paris shooting by ISIS affects communities and the people living in it rather than the government. But in the end, I guess the government is eventually affected because they have to react and compensate for the attack.

I found the two different approaches to creativity a tad confusing. I know that creativity is a great set of ideas one would have that results in "improved efficiency or effectiveness of a system." But I thought this was more of a general thing. Instead, the passage apparently has two "approaches" to creative problem solving: adaptive and innovative. But I see that as the same thing.

One question I would ask the author is to go into more detail about process needs. I don't quite see the correlation between "pain and painkillers" and entrepreneurship here, so maybe if he explained that a bit more, that would be great. The second question I would ask is do you think we would be technologically behind if 9/11 didn't occur thus bringing about innovative homeland security ideals?

When reading about the creative problem solving, there was a section about "common idea killers" which are expressions that can "quash creative ideas from further development." I disagree with this because I believe that this creates a drive to prove the "common idea killer" wrong and to continue with the idea. Not only that, but if an idea is great enough, there is nothing that can stop it from being spread and changing the world.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Identifying Local Opportunities

1. “15-year-old girl accused of bomb threats at Keys schools”
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A9384073104FB8?p=AWNB
Description: A Marathon High School ninth-grader has been charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor for her role in December bomb threats at Marathon High School and Key West High.
Problem: The 15-year-old girl is accused of making a false bomb report, tampering with evidence, using a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony and giving false information to police.
Who has the problem: The 15-year-old girl has to live with the repercussions of her actions.
Solution: Create an app that reminds individuals of the legal ramifications of their actions.

2. “Florida gunman distracted by no-firing gun scared off by armed victim who took own shot”

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A938406A9A76B0?p=AWNB

Description: A gunman's focus on his malfunctioning weapon gave a victim time to arm himself and take his own shot.

Problem: That shot missed, but it scared the gunman off. The shooting drama happened Saturday night outside a home in Manatee County. The gunman approached a man and demanded he be quiet and go inside the house, according to the report. The suspect then pulled the trigger, but the gun failed to discharge.
That's when the victim took matter into his own hands, grabbing a weapon of his own taking a shot at the distracted gunman.

Who has the problem: The gunman has a problem with proper gun control usage.

Solution: By creating an app that gives you a crash course from improper gun usage, many individuals will be able to save themselves from a sticky situation.

3. “AUGUSTA SAMACH”

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A945EBD7B57D10?p=AWNB

Description: SAMACH, AUGUSTA, 94, passed away on January 22. A proud mother, grandmother and aunt, she loved travel, opera, ballet, and classical music but she especially loved listening to her grandchildren sing and play music. Her delicious baked creations were so well regarded that she regularly took ";orders"; from her friends and family. She was a beloved hostess at the Sterling Hotel restaurant for over 30 years.

Problem: A death is such a sad thing. The love she shared and ideals she embodied shall live on in the hearts of the many she touched over the years.

Who has the problem: Augusta has the problem because she is dead.

Solution: By creating an app that informs people of recent deaths associated in their family, it can be recorded better.

4. 2,000 jobs available at job fair in Miami Lakes Jan. 26

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A83B0A133AAB20?p=AWNB

Description: Some 36 companies with 2,000 jobs are scheduled to participate in a job fair Jan. 26 in Miami Lakes.

Problem: Employers include discount grocer Aldi, home improvement retailer Home Depot, property manager First Service Residential and USA Parking Systems, will all be there.

Who has the problem: People who are not made aware of these opportunities.

Solution: Create an app to inform people of job fairs in local towns/cities.

5. Principal for a day: DJ Khaled Snapchats his visit to Miami middle school

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A83B0A2957C168?p=AWNB

Description: DJ Khaled, Miami hip-hop personality and was given the keys to Carol City Middle School Thursday. With his penchant for inspirational talks, dubbed "keys to success," at the school after it won a nationwide attendance contest.

Problem: Kids today do not have good guidance in leaders.

Who has the problem: Kids who need inspiration in their lives.

Solution: DJ Khaled needs to have an app that sends you a daily inspirational quote.

Week 3 Reading Reflection

1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations?

It might be hard to believe because of the invisible division between “normal” people and “multibillionaire” entrepreneurs, but the fact of the matter is, normal consumers have a lot in common with successful entrepreneurs. Just like regular people, entrepreneurs face the same obstacles and road-bumps, and just because they had success, they may not be able to solve problems more effectively just because they have had success. Basically, sometimes a battle lost is better lost, so many times if problems become unsolvable for them, they will quit because time is precious and wasting it is sometimes not an option.

2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

I think family time is important. It is actually the reason why I want to become an optometrist. (They have a set schedule, and they can devote their non-career time to family, which is hard for some people sometimes). Overall, the high energy level portion confused me because with so much energy focused on building the business, it is hard to find time to dedicate to family and personal time. It’s like that saying, “It’s lonely being at the top.” (But Mark Zuckerberg is doing something right.)

3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?

I think it’s obvious that everyone in this class would inquire about whether or not entrepreneurs are made or are they born with natural abilities?

Plus, what are three key personality traits that are evident within every successful entrepreneur?

I think that it is important to understand the entrepreneur mindset.

4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

I think that luck is something that could be helpful in the success or failure of a business, but although we would love to have luck, a lot of hard work and dedication will build success. (and just learning from mistakes and not giving up.) Although the textbook mentions that luck has nothing to do with the success or failure of their business, it really depends because many individuals who jumpstarted successful businesses were just in the right place at the right time.

Friday, January 22, 2016

Very Short Interview No. 1

The Shortest Interview Ever, January 2016
----

Background: Lauren is sitting in Bella's nail salon in Gainesville, Florida. Bella is Lauren's boss, and she has 15 years of experience in the pampering industry. Bella is suitable for this task because she has opened her own business with the clear goal of changing the consumer mindset: "Nail shops are not just places that people get their nails done; it is an escape from the daily stresses of life...even for just an hour."

------

Me: Thanks for letting me see you on such a short notice. In this short interview, I will be asking you some questions with regards to entrepreneurship, is that okay?

Bella: Okay. What’s this class for?

Me: It is for my entrepreneurship class. I joined it because I think I like business, but it’s more than that, it is a way of thinking.

Bella: Okay. Cool.

Me: What should my expectations be in this course?

Bella: I think that with entrepreneurship, it teaches you to take risks if you want to do anything in life. If you’re really scared, you will never step outside of the box. You’ll always be there. You have to be open. That’s why people are their own boss. Think about the line. Inside the line is always safe.

Me: What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?

Bella: To be your own boss. To work for yourself.

Me: Is it bad to work for someone else? Or more freedom?

Bella: It depends. It depends if they see the vision that you see, and they pay you appropriately.

Me: What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course?

Bella: To just be open.

Me: What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur?

Bella: Finances. High school never taught us how to approach money or the use of money.

Me: How do you learn it?

Bella: You learn through debts. Trial and error and debts. And interest payments. When you have to pay for interest without no reason, it’s called “stupid spending."

Me: Well, thank you for your time. If further questions need to be solved, could I please see you again?

Bella: Yup.

-Conducted Jan. 2016

Reflection:

For one thing, I already can say I am learning something in just 2 weeks of doing this class. I feel like I knew it before, but, yes, entrepreneurship is not about making money and businesses, it is about the way you think and how you utilize your thoughts and put them into action.

It's like that song by Drake (Youtube link Attached Below):

"Yours truly the boy
I just build and build more
Y'all nig*** build and destroy."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wl-HSl386k

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

World's Biggest Problem

1. Homelessness is ridiculously prevalent, with statistics of up to 2.3 million people experience being homeless. Most of these individuals are retired veterans, 40%, which makes it even more sad. Honestly, the solution is within the individuals themselves. For some reason, if we were to give the homeless jobs, they might not guarantee us good work ethic. Maybe because they feel intimidated by the working class around them, maybe they are lazy, who knows?

Solution: By creating a community of small homes, such as the one pictured below, a community of recent homeless individuals can work together in a community without the fear of being alone or judged. By ensuring a stress free, nonjudgmental work environment in a like-minded community, the possibilities are endless.

2. Global warming is beginning to become more and more evident within our lives. Even with this year’s Christmas, we had a record high temperature of a consistent 70 degrees, with maybe 2 days of truly cold weather.

Solution: Global warming, many scientists agree, is the result of human expansion of the “greenhouse effect.” This warming results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space, and this is dangerous because certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. By stopping deforestation and burning fossil fuels, humans are able to lessen the repercussions of this effect.

3. In this day and age, people are always defending their right to free speech, but there comes a time (or a funeral) where it opens people’s eyes to the varying opinions and perspectives on when freedom of speech is appropriate. For instance, with the Snyder vs. Phelps case, the case of whether or not the freedom of speech clause in the First Amendment was demonstrated properly. Phelps and his followers at the Westboro Baptist Church believed that God punished the United States for its tolerance of homosexuality, specifically in the military; to demonstrate such beliefs, Phelps and his followers (which were basically his extended family members) often picketed at military funerals. Snyder was attending his own son’s funeral, Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder who was killed in the line of duty in Iraq in 2006. Snyder sued Phelps for emotional distress that was caused because of their picketing during his son’s funeral, his last day to really say goodbye to his son. Even though Snyder's complaint lost, the case opens up the question of: When is free speech appropriate?

Solution: Sometimes when it comes to laws, there is not really a clear black and white situation. Sometimes, it is difficult, and I believe that there should be extensions of the law with exceptions, such as “do not picket at a funeral and disrupt the family mourning for their lost loved ones.”

4. Some 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life.

Solution: Even though it is hard and there are some law issues with giving food to individuals, I think that it would be awesome if all restaurant establishments give their leftover food from the day to starving individuals.

5. There are a lot of uneducated individuals that live in this world.

Solution: By providing free informational workshops that introduce these illiterate individuals to knowledge, we can provide them a gateway into expanding their minds and their worlds.

6. Within this day and age, beauty is consistently seen as the gateway to happiness, as seen in how much presence plastic surgery has in this world. There have been over 100,000 number of nose jobs performed within the last year alone and 4,000+ surgeries performed on patients 18 and younger.

Solution: Apart from creating self -beauty workshops that focus on each individual’s inner and intellectual beauty, there should be a mirror invention that allows individuals to see themselves normally but also view encouraging messages on the side of the mirror, such as “You look beautiful today,” “approximately this percentage of people have freckles,” “beauty marks are seen as exquisite in these countries, etc.”

7. Sometimes at parties, people feel very disconnected from the group, which resorts to individuals often participating in “social activities,” so they would not feel out of place, such as hookah or beer pong, even if they do not smoke or drink regularly.

Solution: There should be a new activity created at parties where people can initiate fun and social activities that do not create distress to your physical body.

8. Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. About 3.5 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancer are diagnosed in this country each year. Melanoma, a more dangerous type, accounts for more than 73,000 cases of skin cancer in 2015.

Solution: There should be blocked off beaches that are incubated in a sealed space, away from the sun, so that beachgoers can enjoy the beach, without the harmful rays.

9. Obesity is a prevalent issue in this world. It is often linked to poor diets due to low socioeconomic environments that offer cheap and unhealthy food options.

Solution: There should be a reward program that utilizes a point based system to help individuals in these environments to pick healthier options in their restaurant of choice, and in return, these individuals might get a check for money to be used in whatever necessities their life might need.

10. In this society, many of the Millennials that post on social media often post self absorbed things.

Solution: In order to progress society, there should be an app that allows its members to post enlightening pictures of their kind actions and allows for the sharing of positive energy throughout the community.

Sites used:

http://www.oprah.com/style/Plastic-Surgery-Statistics-Body-Image-Facts

http://www.wfp.org/hunger/stats

http://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/facts-and-case-summary-snyder-v-phelps

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-causes/

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/sunanduvexposure/skin-cancer-facts

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Week 2 Reading Reflection

Dr. Donald F. Kuratko, being a prominent scholar—he has published more than 160 articles on various aspects of entrepreneurship—and a national leader—he is the Jack M. Gill Chair of Entrepreneurship, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center at the Kelly School of Business of Indiana University in Bloomington—, it is not surprising that his work does not fail, but his text left me rather confused. For instance, the confusion for me resides with the difference between the internal locus of control and the entrepreneurial trait school of thought. It was like Kuratko said, “Yup, here it is. I know you know it.”

No, Kuratko, I want more.

One of the biggest realizations to have is that 85% of businesses fail within their first year is not true. (Although you have to admit, it is definitely within our realm of reality.) It is actually why most people are afraid to branch out and take risks. I did not find anything wrong with the text however. I only had questions revolving around startups and their success or failures in different markets. For instance, at my college at my university, I am under the “Journalism and Telecommunications” college; this college recently started an integrated advertising agency which allows students to have first hand experience with clients around the area while integrating themselves in an “agency” setting. Another startup I am familiar with is a sports community app startup developed to team up other outdoor recreation lovers to a community. I want to understand why both startups are not really doing well.

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Bug List

Bug list:

1. During rush hour when people are getting off from work around 5pm, whenever there is an ambulance or police car that needs to get through traffic causes an inconvenient car pileup in order to allow the vehicles to come through.

Why: Obviously, the ambulance and police cars are doing their job and are needed on an urgent basis.

Solution: There should be a designated separate lane for emergency vehicles such as these.

2. Whenever I am trying on clothes in a store, there is always one thing wrong with the article of clothing.

Why: It isn’t the store’s fault that they may carry a defective item, and it was most likely due to overuse by customers trying it on and off over a period of time.

Solution: Clothing stores should have an in-fitting-room machine that can help customers find the exact article of clothing they are trying on and order the product from its online catalog or see if the product is available from the backroom of the store.

3. Whenever I use those gel ink pens (even though I love them), they always leave a disgusting smear on any type of stationary I write on, which makes it horrible if I am writing a heartfelt letter to someone.

Why: The gel within the ink is just made that way. It is also probably due to human error that the smears and smudges happen.

Solution: By creating a “white-out” that “clears” or makes marks/smudges/smears from pens disappear instead of just covering it with a white layer, it can really benefit the many individuals that love stationary items and utilizing gel pens.

4. Parents are always in need of babysitters, and sometimes they may not have money on hand to give it to them.

Why: Most people do not carry cash anymore.

Solution: By developing an app that creates a layout similar to Venmo, or other payment apps, parents can safely pay their babysitters efficiently. (No more forgetful payments, and students can have the cash directed straight to their account and track the transactions between all the people he/she babysits for.)

5. Whenever girls wear fake lashes, they tend to disregard wearing false lower eyelashes.

Why: People usually do not care about their lower lashes, and also, they are a bit harder to work with than the upper ones.

Solution: The creation of a lash line dedicated to not only providing standard quality upper lashes but providing cute and various options of lower lashes to the public, would create a huge appeal.

6. My laptop screen gets dirty easily.

Why: Over time, dust and debris accumulate onto the laptop screen.

Solution: To create a dust-free laptop screen cover as an accessory so that viewers will always have a clear screen.

7. Overtime backpacks rip due to old wear and tear.

Why: It is just the overuse of backpacks that create this problem.

Solution: By creating an item that one can store inside their backpacks (to hold items in place and also prevent damage to the exterior from the interior), we would have backpacks that never rip from wear and tear.

8. Sometimes when I apply on nail polish, I accidentally spill some onto my jeans, and they never come off. (Seriously, they never come off.)

Why: Nail polish is applied onto the nail, and the chemicals that make up the nail polish may stain clothing.

Solution: Create polish resistant clothing or create a line of nail polish that will not stain clothing.

9. Often, posters we hang up on our walls have to be put down and folded, but when we place them back up, they are all wrinkled with visible lines from the folding.

Why: Because of the material posters are made out of, it is unlikely the wrinkles will disappear.

Solution: By creating a wrinkle free material to print onto, posters can be rolled and transported to new locations and reapplied onto walls without the fear of seeing wrinkles.

10. Sometimes when we write, we make mistakes and we don’t have an eraser or white-out to fix our problems.

Why: Because ink just spills and is permanent.

Solution: To have a pen specifically designed to allow the writer a temporary chance to wipe off the ink before it becomes permanent on the page.

11. I always forget to drink water sometimes.

Why: Sometimes life is so busy, and I do not keep reminders on my phone.

Solution: Building a water bottle container that reminds you to drink water at a specified schedule that you can control.

12. Paintballs hurt—and for good reason, because that is the point of the game: to pummel your opponent with pellets, but these pellets often leave more than just a bruise.

Why: Some individuals are afraid of playing paintball because they are afraid of getting hurt.

Solution: By creating soft pellets, individuals who are fragile or do not want to be hurt can enjoy the game of paintball.

13. Sometimes you cannot stop thinking about your ex, and you do not know why. And it sucks.

Why: When you dwell on the good memories of past exes, you cannot move on quite as efficiently.

Solution: By creating an app where you can compile all the negative characteristics of your ex, you can be reminded at specific intervals in your day about how much of a scumbag he/she was.

14. Sometimes your favorite pen runs out, and you just cannot move on in life.

Why: Sometimes pens hold nostalgic value to some people. Some people even get embellished pens for their friends who just became lawyers.

Solution: By creating a line of pens that that disposable ink filters just like mechanical pencils, one can gladly use their favorite pen any time they want for as long as they want.

15. Whenever I come into the house, I always go into the shower to wash my feet.

Why: I believe that washing your feet is crucial to good health because your feet walk on many surfaces, and by the end of the day, it takes in a lot of bacteria that need to be cleaned off.

Solution: By creating a portable feet washing machine, any individual who wants to quickly sanitize their feet before they walk further into their home is made possible.

16. Whenever I write, sometimes I can’t see.

Why: Sometimes the light isn’t positioned how you would want it to.

Solution: By creating a detachable light that can be fixed onto your pen/pencil/writing instrument, there is no more worry about your lighting needs.

17. A friend of mine gets embarrassed in the toilet. No joke.

Why: She doesn’t like people knowing she’s taking a #2, so she tries to quietly do her business, but the moment her business touches the water, it “splashes” and makes a noise.

Solution: By creating a line of toilets that are insulated with a soundless water rim, everyone can take care of their business silently.

18. Sometimes coffee becomes less cold and more watered down.

Why: It just happens that way.

Solution: By creating special coffee ice pieces, everyone can enjoy their coffee without it being watered down.

19. Sometimes women like to try on nail polish but are afraid to commit to one color.

Why: Women are just mystical creatures that love options in their lives.

Solution: By creating a line of nail polish that provides a temporary 15 second drying time (to allow women to try on the color but not worry about leaving the color on or having to use nail polish remover), every woman will have the chance to try on different colors on their nails to see which one matches and the option to wipe it away without leaving any smudges on their hands or clothes.

20. Napkins are always needed but are always gone when you need it.

Why: Sometimes people waste paper, and sometimes people use it sparingly, but it is still gone.

Solution: Create a line of paper towels or napkins that will be able to be used for up to 5 uses and still look brand new, making buyer purchase retention increase.

Reflection:

"Oh god why," is the perfect response to how I felt about this assignment, but as I worked on it more and more, I realized the importance of understanding the needs of my surroundings. No joke, I think I worked on it for more than 10+ hours because I just could not think of everything all at once. So, I basically worked on it sparingly throughout a day.

I definitely found this to be a problem because I am not used to always seeking out the flaws in our everyday environment. I also think it’s quite difficult to think about these things because we live in a society where there are consistent changes day in and out, and there is always a Mark Zuckerberg or Bill Gates waiting around the corner. So, I think that when it comes down to it, one just needs to understand that he/she (too) has the capabilities to change the world.