Customer Interviews No. 1

The opportunity I chose was a transportation method for college students going home for the holidays.  Trying to find a ride home from college can be stressful and expensive.  I asked 5 strangers if they thought that a service that provides reasonably priced rides would interest them at all.
The questions I asked were:
"What mode of transportation do you use when you are going home from Gainesville?"
"Would you be interested in a service that can provide you a ride with a stranger for a reasonable price?"

 After talking to them, I am now unsure if the opportunity would be viable.

I learned a lot about interviewing customers from this exercise.  At first, I was very nervous to talk to 5 strangers.  However, by the fifth interview, I was very comfortable asking a stranger questions.  I also learned what kind of questions to ask someone during an interview.

Week 4 Reading Reflection

The biggest surprise for me in the reading was when the author stated that researchers believed entrepreneurship and bureaucracies were mutually exclusive and incompatible with one another.  This surprised me because I think that the two could actually be compatible with one another.  Entrepreneurs could help bureaucracies by giving them new ideas.

I was confused by one of the Corporate Innovator's Commandments.  One of them said that a worker can ignore their job description entirely if that is necessary for the innovation of their work.  I don't think it is a smart idea to tell workers that they do not have to do their job.  Innovation is important, but is it worth the cost of ignoring one's duties.

I would ask the author, "Do you think it's worth it for a worker to ignore their job description for innovation?"  I would ask him this because this was what confused me the most.  I would also ask "What are some examples of bureaucracies that contain entrepreneurs?"  I would like to more examples of these types of companies.

I did not really disagree with anything the author had to say in this chapter.  This information was new to me, so I felt that the author actually taught me a lot.

Top 5 World Problems

Top 5 Problems:
1. Terrorism is a huge problem the world is facing right now.  ISIS has been terrorizing the world and killing innocent people.
2.  War is a huge problem in the world today.  Countries go to war which leads to many innocent people dying.
3. Nuclear weapons are a problem in the world.  These weapons of mass destruction have the potential to destroy entire cities.
4. Hunger is a huge problem in places like Africa.  There are starving people with nothing to eat.
5.  Racism is a huge problem in the world today.  There are still many people that are prejudice against minorities.

Top 5 Solutions:
1. A solution to terrorism would be to destroy ISIS.
2. A solution to hunger would be to keep donating to charities that provide food for these poor people.
3. A solution to racism would be to keep educating our children about human equality.
4. A solution to nuclear weapons would be to stop the manufacturing of these weapons.

5. A solution to war would be to try to resolve conflicts without violence.

I listed terrorism as the number one problem because terrorist deaths have increased by 80% over the past year.  This problem is growing and needs to be stopped.  Even though racism is huge problem, I still put it at number five.  We are getting more tolerant and accepting as a society of different races.  The solution to terrorism is also the most feasible.  The whole world is against ISIS.  I believe if we all come together, we can definitely defeat them.  War is much harder to solve.  War has been around since the dawn of time.  Unfortunately, that problem may never go away.

Week 3 Reading Reflection

The part that surprised me the most in the reading was when the author talked about the psychological risks of being an entrepreneur.  Being an entrepreneur is very mentally demanding.  I did not realize that it could cause severe psychological problems to people.  I now understand that this is a stressful career path, and it is not a joke.

The part that confused me the most were the different types of personalities.  I think the author could have done a better job at explaining the difference between the two and giving more examples of them.

I would like to ask the author about more ways that entrepreneurs can relieve stress.  Entrepreneurs have stressful lives, and I would like to know how they live their lives happily.  I would also ask the author how he would classify type B personalities in terms of successful, efficient leaders.  Once again, I would like to learn more about the types of personalities because that is what confused me.

I actually did not disagree with anything the author had to say.  He made a lot of good points, and many of them were new to me.  This chapter definitely taught me a lot of the lives of entrepreneurs.

Identifying Local Opportunities

1.a. What bugs are lurking in your home?
b. http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_35d9df74-bf37-11e5-899f-1b7855d8fca6.html
c. The article is saying that a study found up to 10, 000 species of insects throughout 50 North Carolina homes.
d. Most of these bugs are harmless.  However, these bugs could pose a threat to people who are allergic to the protein that arthropods carry.
e. Homeowners have this problem because they do not know what kind of organisms are living in their houses.

2.a. Research shows hookah may not be the safe alternative to cigarettes after all
b. http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_37317cb6-be69-11e5-9b6c-1f1681e728f3.html
c. According to a recent study, hookah may create 25 times more tar than a cigarette.
d.   People think that smoking hookah is a safe alternative to cigarettes because it is evaporated through water.  However, this is not the case.  Smoking hookah can definitely lead to serious health problems.
e. The people that have this problem are those that are unaware of the dangers of smoking hookah.  It is not a safe alternative.

3.a. Police say unnamed man flashed genitals on Sorority Row
b. http://www.alligator.org/news/crime/article_b0e6afbc-c0c7-11e5-a026-5f1c1c6e1789.html
c. A man flashed his genitals to women in a parking garage.
d. The problem is that this is sexual harassment.  The women were minding their own business, and when he committed this act.
e. Everyone in the city of Gainesville is affected by this problem because this man is still on the loose.

4.a. A look at sexual misconduct in local law enforcement
b.http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_438e5f9a-9e36-11e5-bd98-6b7bdc37f12c.html
c. An 18 year old woman reported that she was sexually assault by an officer after being arrested for shoplifting.
d. The problem is that there is a lot of corruption in our local law enforcement.  Police officers are abusing their power.
e. The city of Gainesville has this problem because this happened at our local Target.  The city needs to do a better job when they are hiring these officers.

5.a. University investigating death of UF freshmen, no foul play suspected
b. http://www.alligator.org/news/crime/article_3a9e3f9c-ba86-11e5-b406-b7171b8c1b11.html
c. A UF freshmen was found dead in his car Wednesday morning.  Police do not suspect that he was murdered.
d.  The problem is that he may have been depressed, and no one knew about it.
e. Students suffering with depression are affected by this problem.  Help and support needs to be provided for them.

Very Short Interview No. 1

Veronica Vidal is a yoga instructor in Key Biscayne, Florida.  She has been teach yoga for 22 years now.  She started her own business called Vero Yoga.  I sat down with her and asked her a few questions about entrepreneurship.

Tyler:  What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?
Veronica:  Being an entrepreneur means having the motivation and enthusiasm to start something from scratch and take risks while doing it.
Tyler:  What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course?
Veronica:  You should learn all aspects of forming a business and running it on a daily basis, so that it is successful.
Tyler:  What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur?
Veronica:  I wish I had learned more about finances, marketing, and accounting.

I learned a lot during this interview.  Veronica taught me that you can be very successful with a business of your own.  I also learned that even if you are successful, there is still always more you can learn.

World's Biggest Problems

1.  War is a huge problem in the world today.  Countries go to war which leads to many innocent people dying.  A solution to this problem would be to try to resolve conflicts without violence.
2.  Hunger is a huge problem in places like Africa.  There are starving people with nothing to eat.  A solution to this problem would be to keep donating to charities that provide food for these poor people.
3.  Illegal immigration in America is a huge problem.  People are pouring through the border undocumented.  A solution would be to build a huge wall at the southern border.
4.  Unemployment is another huge problem.  Many people are looking for work, but there are no jobs available.  A solution would be to create more jobs.
5.  Terrorism is a huge problem the world is facing right now.  ISIS has been terrorizing the world and killing innocent people.  A solution to this problem would be to destroy ISIS.
6.  Racism is a huge problem in the world today.  There are still many people that are prejudice against minorities.  A solution to racism would be to keep educating our children about human equality.
7.  The spread of infectious disease is a huge problem in the world today.  Some diseases are being spread that are fatal.  We need to do a better job at controlling these diseases and trying to find a way to possibly cure them.
8.  Global warming is a problem that the world is facing today.  Humans are polluting the air, which is destroying the ozone layer.  A solution would be for humans to start taking better care of the environment and stop polluting it.
9.  Gender inequality is a big problem that the world is facing.  Women are still seen as subordinates to men.  The average man tends to get paid more than the average women.  The solution to this problem is to start viewing men and women as equals.  A woman should not be paid less than a man for the same job.
10.  Nuclear weapons are a problem in the world.  These weapons of mass destruction have the potential to destroy entire cities.  A solution to this problem would be to stop the manufacturing of these weapons.

Week 2 Reading Reflection

What surprised me the most in Chapter 1 was the point the author made when he said there was a difference between entrepreneurs and small-business owners.  I always thought that they were the same thing.  Although they have some similarities, they also have some key differences.  For example, small business owners are not necessarily focused on growth.  They may prefer a more stable approach to running their business.  Entrepreneurs strive for growth and profit.

A part of the reading that confused was when the author said that gazelles do not survive.  Gazelles are business establishments with at least 20 percent sales growth every year for at least five years, starting from a base of $100,000.  From that definition, they sound like they would be successful.

I would ask the author why gazelles do not survive, because I do not understand how a business that grows for its first five years fails.  I would also ask the author how one could learn about entrepreneurship if they do not go to college.  I am curious about this because many people in America cannot afford to go to college.  I would like to know if these people still have the ability to become successful entrepreneurs.

I did disagree with one of the myths of entrepreneurship that the author brought up.  The myth was that all entrepreneurs need is luck.  I do not think that this is a myth.  Being in the right place at the right time is huge in entrepreneurship.  I have seen many worthy businesses fail, while inferior businesses succeed.  Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.

Bug List

1. It bugs me when I have to do laundry.  This bug exists because clothes get dirty when you wear them.
2. It bugs me when I order California Chicken Grill, and the delivery driver forgets to bring my rice.  This bug exists because the employee might be new to the job.
3. It bugs me when people do not use their turn signal when they are driving.  This bug exists because a lot of people think that it is necessary.
4. It bugs me when my apartment has fire drills in the morning.  This bug exists because the fire alarm is very loud.  However, fire drills are very important for safety.
5. It bugs me when the temperature outside is below 60 degrees.  This bug exists because Gainesville tends to get cold in the winter.
6. It bugs me when my phone runs out of battery.  This bug exists because I forget to charge my phone.
7. It bugs me when teachers assign a lot homework on the weekends.  This bug exists because homework is an essential part of school.
8. It bugs me when the water from the water fountain does not taste good.  This bug exists because there could be something wrong with the filtration process.
9. It bugs me when there is a lot of traffic at around 5 o’clock.  This bug exists because 5 o’clock is when a lot of people get out of work.
10. It bugs me when there is a crying baby on an airplane.  This bug exists because sometimes parents need to travel with their child, and the baby could be scared of the noise of the plane.
11. It bugs me when my favorite T.V. show has commercial breaks.  This bug exists because companies need to advertise their product, and TV networks make money from it.
12. It bugs me when DirecTV loses signal when it rains.  This bug exists because DirecTV because bad weather affects the satellite.
13. It bugs me when the power goes out during a storm.  This bug exists because I use electricity all the time.
14. It bugs me when my laptop freezes.  This bug exists because I am used to my computer being fast and efficient.
15. It bugs me when people cut me off when I am driving.  This bug exists because some people are in a hurry when they are driving.
16. It bugs me when my headphones break.  This bug exists because I listen to music a lot, and they get old after a while.
17. It bugs me when the gym is crowded.  This bug exists because there are a lot of people that enjoy working out.
18. It bugs me when I have to complete an assignment in a short amount of time.  This bug exists because I tend to procrastinate.
19. It bugs me when I have been using a bar of soap in the shower for a while, and it keeps getting smaller until it is impossible to use.  I must then throw away the little piece.  This bug exists because I hate wasting things.
20. It bugs me when I am traveling, and my flight gets delayed.  This bug exists because sometimes weather conditions can affect the departure and arrivals of planes.

I found it difficult to think of 20 things that bug me.  I am a pretty easy going guy, so there are not a lot of things that annoy me.

My Entrepreneurship Story

A time when I met entrepreneurs was when I visited a new local ice cream store.  The store was called Chill-N.  The business was created by two college students at the University of Miami.  The entrepreneurs created the ice cream in their garage using liquid nitrogen.  It was such a unique idea.  The best part of all was that the ice cream was delicious!

I enrolled in ENT3003 because I thought it would be the most interesting and beneficial elective I could take out of the choices I was given.  I hope to learn more about what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

Introduction

Hello everyone!  I'd like to use this post to tell you guys more about myself.  My name is Tyler Murton.  I was born and raised in Miami, Florida.  Back in Miami, I live with my mother and father.  My dad is from Cleveland, Ohio, and my mom is from Trinidad and Tobago.  I have visited both of these places multiple times, and I always enjoy traveling to see the rest of my family.
I am now living in Gainesville and attending the University of Florida.  I am a second year Sport Management major.  When I graduate, I hope to work for a professional sport team or league.  I am eager to get to know everyone this semester!

Entrepreneur's Mantra

Welcome to my blog!

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