Final Reflection

      1.       Read through your blog from this semester. Recall all of the experiences you’ve had along the way – the highs, the lows – the fun moments, and the moments of drudgery, and even the moments of dread.

a.       After reading through my blog from the whole semester, I can clearly see where I went wrong. I had a couple of weeks where I didn’t do any of the assignments because I thought I was too overwhelmed with other classes. After speaking with my parents and friends, I realized that I had to turn it on for the end of the semester to make up for what I hadn’t done to still pass this class. The couple of weeks where this happened would be my moments of “dread” where I just didn’t have the desire to sit down and do these simple assignments.

      2.       What sticks out to you as the most formative experience? The experience that you’ll remember years later? What was your most joyous experience? What experience are you most proud of yourself for accomplishing?

a.       The most formative experience for me was learning that this class was no joke. I took it easy for the first couple of weeks, and started falling behind very quickly. Then the stress came, I was swamped in other class’ work, and had no idea what to do. Then, I realized that I had to stop wasting time not wanting to do the assignments, and start using that time to just complete them. I learned that simply, with the right mindset, life can never throw more at you than you can handle, and that is exactly what got me through this semester.  

      3.       At the beginning of the semester, I mentioned that I wanted each of you to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. And we repeated the mantra – I am an entrepreneur. Now, at the end, do you see yourself as an entrepreneur? Do you think you have moved closer to developing an entrepreneurial mindset?

a.       I would say that I have learned what it means to be an entrepreneur, but from my own perspective, I wouldn’t call myself one. However, I have moved even closer to becoming one, as I have learned the ups and downs throughout the process of this course. The entrepreneur mindset has always been implanted in my mind, and I wish to further develop it throughout the coming years.

      4.       What is the one recommendation you would make to the students who are going to journey down this path in the future? What would you recommend they do to perform best in this course? What would you recommend they do to foster that mindset?

a.       If I had to make one recommendation to a new ENT 3003 student, it would be to take this class seriously. There is no one in the world that can do the assignments, and fall behind if you don’t, besides you. To perform your best, I would say to just try your best, and not to overthink each assignment. They all add up to the final product of this course, but wasting time worrying about how much you don’t want to do something will only feed your procrastination. To foster the entrepreneurship mindset, I would suggest thinking outside of the box, and not following what everyone else is doing. You may feel out of place, or wrong, but in the end, you’ll find out that your gut feeling was right.  

Venture Concept No. 2

This is my second attempt at the venture concept for this idea. Once again, the opportunity for this concept pertains to those who need this project, and why they need it. Right now, the schedules for all four major North American sports are set up in a way that does not benefit the players. My problem with this is that there can be a change, an easy one at that. The reason these sports will need this program for their schedules is to tend to the players’ needs. There is no reason that it shouldn’t be set up more efficiently to help with player fatigue. I realize that there may be some kind program or development team working on this as we speak, but to have a program with the logic and algorithm set up for each year, will help tremendously.

The reason that this opportunity exists is, once again, because no one else has really thought about it, at least that I know of. I know, of course, that these leagues have been set up for years, and no one has specifically complained about inefficiency of the schedules, but why not change now for the better. It will only benefit everyone in the end. Demographically, the market hasn’t changed, and is defined just by the front offices of each of these sports, and in the future, the front offices of big companies. As for the geographic market would be defined wherever it is needed. Currently, these “customers” are satisfying their need by living without it, and having nothing specific to compare it to. If there was an implication of this program in their everyday lives, or just as an example of what it could do, I really think it would make a huge difference. I would say that this opportunity is a great one because of the fact that no one else has really thought about it. It is a great way to benefit everyone all around, and make things a lot easier for these sports, and big businesses alike. I believe that this opportunity window will be open so long as no one else really gives it much thought. If I came out with a finished product now, compared to a year from now, I don’t know if much would have changed barring any interruptions to this market.

Here is the more defined innovation. This program would be considered as a service that will address the need for a more efficient schedule for the four major North American sports. This “innovation” is not necessarily the most creative, or applicable one, but I really do think that it could make a big difference for a lot of people very quickly. As for a detailed description, is something that will start out as a scheduling application for the four major North American sports, including baseball, basketball, football, and hockey. As mentioned by one of my classmates, this would be somewhat of an impractical first step towards creating a business, as one of this biggest challenges is selling this to the league, without any real reason for them to spend money. I do not have a specific price point because I’m not quite sure how that would work out, but I assume it wouldn’t be cheap.

As a venture concept, the reason that this solves a problem is because ever since the creation of every single one of these four leagues, there hasn't been a system that can create the schedule for years and years in advance with taking into account the season rules for each sport, while also maximizing the efficiency of the travel schedules along with off-days for travel. I have seen too many times, a team go from the east coast to the west coast over night for an afternoon game the next day, and I think I can do something about this. I think that users would switch to this product because it would bring about change for the players, and give them a better schedule, taking into account travel and fatigue from an athlete’s perspective. Right now, there aren’t any competitors per say, but I do think that this is something that I should act on as soon as possible.

The three minor elements: My “unfair advantage” in this case would be my passion for sports, and perspective. I have been through tough scheduling myself, and I understand how hard it can be to recover, play hard, then do the same thing over again the next day, and sometimes that same day. What comes next for this venture is the opportunity to expand into local, or big businesses to help provide an easy solution for clients and employees. In five years, I would like to have an established product for the aforementioned “next step” for the venture.

Feedback: The feedback I received has been mostly positive, and the most helpful ones are those that outline a trial that comes fourth from their perspective, and challenge me to fix it, and/or take it into account for this second venture concept. As a summary, almost all of the feedback I received brought about the issue of getting this product to the league. This is a billion-dollar industry, so why would they stop what they are doing now just to buy a little program to do what they already do? Good question. Another insight I received was about the possibility of the inclusion of this program to collegiate sports, as student athlete schedules are full of travel, and missing class and tutoring sessions really hurts them on the student side of things, so the implementation of this program for this separate realm would be tremendous.

How did I change? I’ve changed the venture concept from the last time very minutely. There wasn’t an insane amount of feedback for me to work off of, so I used almost all of the same stuff from the last one. I did, however, change the opportunity side of things, taking into consideration the feedback I did receive. 

Reading Reflection No. 3

This is the third reading reflection I did for How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, by Scott Adams:

      1.       What was the general theme or argument of the book?

a.       The way this book was organized was just like a story book. It had a bunch of stories and lessons to basically test the reader’s takeaways. The author, Scott Adams, was very open with this failures and successes, and how each process leading up to that worked out. There were a bunch of major takeaways, and the general idea was that failure vs. success can teach you just about anything you need to know.

      2.       How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?

a.       This book connected with this course in that it outlined what it meant to fail, and how much it means to each process. You cannot win, or succeed at everything, and sometimes it takes a whoopin’ for you to find that out.

      3.       If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?

a.       If I had to design an exercise for this class, it would involve an exercise where you go out and try to fail at something, maybe just once, and then reflect on what you learned from failing that you could use towards trying to succeed the next time, and to see the real benefits of failing at something.

      4.       What was your biggest surprise or “aha” moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?

                  a.       I didn’t really have many expectations for this book, but the biggest thing I learned                               was the distinction between goals and systems. The example in the book was the                                   comparison between “losing 10 pounds” being a goal, and “eating healthier” being a                             system. It is much easier to follow a system, because you are constantly working with                         the system, whereas a goal, once you complete it, you start looking for a new one and                           forget about all you did to reach the previous one.

My Exit Strategy

      1.       Identify the exit strategy you plan to make. Do you intend to sell your business in the next 5 years for a large return? Do you intend to stay with the business for several decades and retire? Do you intend to protect the venture as a family business, and pass it down to your children?

a.       I believe that I would be interested in working with this venture for as long as I can, whether it be until the day I retire, or until I get bored of it and magically lose interest in everything that it has to offer.

      2.       Why have you selected this particular exit strategy?

a.       I would consider it to be a family business, but I wouldn’t want to force my children into this business, which would provide me with the opportunity to sell for a large return at the moment the aforementioned “end” comes to be.

      3.       How do you think your exit strategy has influenced the other decisions you’ve made in your concept?

a.       For me, I always wanted to work this venture until the end, so in any and all situations, I was looking at it from my perspective, not a prospectus new owner. Of course I want to grow as much, and as quickly as possible, so I’ve put my best foot forward in that regard. 

Making it Real

Here is my updated resume:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0NpFncqeMOXeGpQR2ZSaTR1N0E/view?usp=sharing

Celebrating Failure

1. Tell us about a time this past semester that you failed -- whether in this class, or outside of this class. Don't spare any details! It'd be even better if there was something you tried several times this semester, and failed each time. 
1. This past semester was a long and tough one, and I would say that the thing I failed at most during this time was in a discrete math course. I had all of the tools at my disposal to do well in this class, but after the first couple of weeks, I basically had no chance. This was frustrating because I spent a lot of time trying to understand everything, and even though I thought I did, I didn't. 
2. Tell us what you learned from it.
1. What I learned from being forced to drop this course was that failure can come in many different shapes and sizes, and nothing will ever be as easy as you think it will be without any experience. I know now that when it comes to challenging courses, I have to give it everything I have, or I risk falling far behind very quickly.
3. Reflect, in general, on what you think about failure. 
1. The thing that sticks out most to me when it comes to failure is the part afterward. Not knowing what to do, feeling embarrassed and down, all of that can really bring you down. In my first full year of college, I've learned that life will never throw more stuff at you than you can handle. We all have different ways about getting through failure and/or rejection, and the only way that is common is perseverance, pushing through to the next obstacle, and understanding that you cannot, in fact, be perfect.  

Venture Concept No. 1

My venture concept is a quite simple one, although I believe that it can serve a huge purpose in the sports industry, and business industry right away. To start, the opportunity for this concept pertains to those who need this project, and why they need it. Right now, the schedules for all four major North American sports are set up in a way that does not benefit the players. My problem with this is that there can be a change, an easy one at that. The reason these sports will need this program for their schedules is to tend to the players’ needs. There is no reason that it shouldn’t be set up more efficiently to help with player fatigue.

The reason that this opportunity exists is because no one else has really thought about it, at least that I know of. I know, of course, that these leagues have been set up for years, and no one has specifically complained about inefficiency of the schedules, but why not change now for the better. It will only benefit everyone in the end. Demographically, the market is defined just by the front offices of each of these sports, and in the future, the front offices of big companies. As for the geographic market would be defined wherever it is needed. Currently, these “customers” are satisfying their need by living without it, and having nothing specific to compare it to. If there was an implication of this program in their everyday lives, or just as an example of what it could do, I really think it would make a huge difference. I would say that this opportunity is a great one because of the fact that no one else has really thought about it. It is a great way to benefit everyone all around, and make things a lot easier for these sports, and big businesses alike. I believe that this opportunity window will be open so long as no one else really gives it much thought. If I came out with a finished product now, compared to a year from now, I don’t know if much would have changed barring any interruptions to this market.

Now, the innovation. This program would be considered as a service that will address the need for a more efficient schedule for the four major North American sports. This “innovation” is not necessarily the most creative, or applicable one, but I really do think that it could make a big difference for a lot of people very quickly. As for a detailed description, is something that will start out as a scheduling application for the four major North American sports, including baseball, basketball, football, and hockey. I do not have a specific price point because I’m not quite sure how that would work out, but I assume it wouldn’t be cheap.

As a venture concept, the reason that this solves a problem is because ever since the creation of every single one of these four leagues, there hasn't been an algorithm that can create the schedule for years and years in advance with taking into account the season rules for each sport, while also maximizing the efficiency of the travel schedules along with off-days for travel. I have seen too many times, a team go from the east coast to the west coast over night for an afternoon game the next day, and I think I can do something about this. I think that users would switch to this product because it would bring about change for the players, and give them a better schedule, taking into account travel and fatigue from an athlete’s perspective. Right now, there aren’t any competitors per say, but I do think that this is something that I should act on as soon as possible.

The three minor elements: My “unfair advantage” in this case would be my passion for sports, and perspective. I have been through tough scheduling myself, and I understand how hard it can be to recover, play hard, then do the same thing over again the next day, and sometimes that same day. What comes next for this venture is the opportunity to expand into local, or big businesses to help provide an easy solution for clients and employees. In five years, I would like to have an established product for the aforementioned “next step” for the venture. 

Amazon Whisperer

      1.       Describe the revenue drivers you currently include in your business concept for this class. Revenue drivers are the different ways you make money.

a.       The main revenue drivers for my business concept include contracts with the four major sports in North America. As things progress, I believe that I would start making money from other big businesses that need my services.

      2.       Describe what kind of product offering you believe should be next. What’s the next thing your customers want?

a.       The very next thing that I would want to work on is a calendar system for big businesses and regular people just like you and me for their busy, everyday lives.

      3.       Describe how this "next" thing will enhance your existing product/service offering. Does it improve the user experience, does it increase customer switching costs, does it foster customer loyalty, etc.?

a.       I believe that this addition would add to our overall business model. We wouldn’t be offering only to specific people or businesses, instead opening up to everyone, therefore expanding our horizons for shaping to the market.

      4.       Go to Amazon and try to find a product that is similar to the one you want to offer next. Describe the product. Include a picture of the product.

a.       Since I can’t find a product that is closely related to my service, I have chosen to look into the new Huawei MateBook tablet. It is a 2-in-1 laptop and tablet that allows you to take it anywhere, and use it in any situation imaginable.

      5.       What are the customer reviews for the product? What, exactly, do customers not like about the product? What do they like about it?

a.       The reviews for this product are quite positive, but the one thing I see being complained about is that it doesn’t come with a keyboard that works for it, so it basically is just a tablet, not really a 2-in-1.

      6.       Describe what design/usability changes you'd make to the product.

a.       If I were in charge of design, I would give it a small removable keyboard that can be easily attached and detached, making for greater ease of use. Overall, this product seems like a great tablet, not necessarily a PC and tablet in one.

      7.       Describe why you think this product would make a good addition to your current product/service offering.

a.       Since this product doesn’t relate to my business at all, it is hard to say how it would make an addition to my service, but at the same time, I really do think having something like this would help productivity in every situation.

My Unfair Advantage

Here is a list of my 10 resources:

      1.       I am quite adamant about making things easier for other people, and for myself for that matter. I will do pretty much anything to make other’s lives easier, and I really think this product will help me do so.

a.       VRIN: Fairly valuable (I feel that there are times where this can help me), fairly rare (there are probably some others that feel the same way), somewhat inimitable, non-substitutable.

      2.       I give just about 110% in everything that I do.

a.       VRIN: Very valuable (effort is important), somewhat rare (not everyone gives a lot of effort), kind of inimitable (not found in everyone, but I’m sure everyone has the potential to give effort), non-substitutable.

      3.       I am very enthusiastic when it comes to making things easier for others.

a.       VRIN: Valuable (who would buy from someone not enthusiastic about their work?), somewhat rare (not everyone is enthusiastic), inimitable (everyone express enthusiasm in different ways), non-substitutable.

      4.       I know how and where to get the materials I need for this program, at almost the click of a button.

a.       VRIN: Valuable, rare, inimitable, non-substitutable.

      5.       This class has helped me come up with this idea, and has given me a lot of insight on business creation.

a.       VRIN: Very valuable, very rare (it is unique to the university, and frankly, to the state of Florida), very inimitable, somewhat non-substitutable (there are probably other schools that offer this course, but I’m sure it isn’t structured how this class is).

      6.       I have shaped a pretty good network of people that I could consult if I ever need help.

a.       VRIN: Very valuable (it's not what you know, it's who you know), rare in that everyone knows different people, inimitable for the same reason it is rare, non-substitutable because it's very difficult to go on business ventures alone.

      7.       I have a lot of knowledge on how these sports work, and how to create this program with my own hands, from scratch.

a.       VRIN: Very valuable, not very rare (a lot of other people possess the same kind of knowledge), somewhat inimitable (I have a different perspective than everyone else, but others can still see what I see to a certain point), non-substitutable.

      8.       My product can help a lot of people and athletes, whether or not they notice.

a.       VRIN: Valuable (making things easier and more efficient is important), not very rare (a lot of things can help be more efficient), inimitable, definitely non-substitutable.

      9.       My program has a wide range of potential uses.

a.       VRIN: Very valuable, somewhat rare (not many products can be used for a bunch of different things), not really inimitable, non-substitutable.

      10.   I have a lot of experience coding, and a lot of perspective with my love of sports and connection to baseball specifically.

a.       VRIN: Very valuable (it gives me a specific insight to how it works, and how it would feel to have a change), very rare (not a lot of programmers look at the consumer part of things, and how much of an effect their product has on them), inimitable, non-substitutable.

I believe that my top resource is my insight into the world of sports connected with insight into the world of coding. I would not be able to, nor would I want to if I didn’t have this specific combination. 

Growing My Social Capital

• Domain Expert: My domain expert is a Hall of Fame baseball player by the name of Wade Boggs. The reason I consider him a domain expert is because he has been in the industry of professional sports for the last 40 years of his life. While he may not have the experience of selling something to a professional sports organization, he has many connections within the world of baseball. I've known Wade Boggs for the last 5 years. I first met him at my high school in Tampa when I first tried out for the baseball team, and after being on the team for all four years, I really enjoyed learning from him and gathering as much as I could from his many experiences. I think that having Coach Boggs in my network would put me ahead of everyone else trying to get into the professional sports business because he knows it like the back of his hand, which really puts me at an advantage. 

• Market Expert: My market expert is a good friend, Cooper Borden. He works for Under Armour, and they specialize in providing all sorts of things for these professional teams. I met Cooper about 10 years ago playing baseball, and we have motivated each other through everything since then. The reason he would be a good fit for the market expert job is because he has a good idea on how the market works. We may not be selling the same kinds of things, but with his connections I could learn a thing or two on how to get into the professional sports business. 

• Supplier: My supplier is one of friend's dad, Mike Garam. He is a retail specialist that sells sports equipment to local teams and organizations. I find him as a great fit for this because he has the expertise with selling to organizations in the same realm, and I think I could really learn a lot from his knowledge of the retail business. 

• Reflection: After completing this assignment, I learned what valuable connections I have already, and how easy it is to find someone who has connections that can get you to where you need to be. I know that sometimes social networking can be hard, but when you really sit down and think about who you know, and how they could possibly help you, the sky is really the limit on where you can go with it. For my future networking events, I would have to use the same mindset I did here, and try to think about the connections I already have, and which ones could be easily created, either through someone else, or going out of my way to find someone. As for my past experiences, I have never really been in a situation where I had to network, so I really don't have anything for comparison sake. 

Idea Napkin No. 2

I unfortunately wasn't able to complete the first idea napkin, so that puts me behind because I don't have any feedback as of yet.

1)You. I am Alex Broderick. I am a first year Computer Science major at the University of Florida and Innovation Academy. My talents and skills include coding, leadership, and a huge passion for sports. My aspirations are to become a successful programmer, and make a difference in the world in any way that I possibly can. For my business concept, I see this business playing the biggest role in my life. This is a concept that I will have to constantly monitor forever, and that will keep me focused on one thing, making my customers happy.

2)What are you offering to customers? My product, or program if you prefer, is something that will start out as a scheduling application for the four major North American sports, including baseball, basketball, football, and hockey. The reason that this solves a problem is because ever since the creation of every single one of these four leagues, there hasn't been an algorithm that can create the schedule for years and years in advance with taking into account the season rules for each sport, while also maximizing the efficiency of the travel schedules along with off-days for travel. I have seen too many times, a team go from the east coast to the west coast over night for an afternoon game the next day, and I think I can do something about this.

3)Who are you offering it to? This program will be exclusively offered to just the front offices of the four major sports, and after that gets off the ground, I plan to expand the program for other professional and non-professional schedules. Along with this, I plan to open the application to bigger businesses to plan out travel for their employees and clients travel schedules.

4)Why do they care? My demographic cares because it will make things insanely easier, and all those effected by these huge businesses, for example, a player on one of the MLB teams, will appreciate the travel schedule so it isn't as rigorous for the rest of their careers in comparison to what it's like now.

5)What are your core competencies? What sets me apart from everyone else is that I am trying to put everyone else before the money. I know that the business world is built on money, but I think that the consumer comes before that, and the foundation for a great product is great consumer satisfaction. Every player in every league deserves a change to their schedules to make things less painstaking. What I have that no one else haves is this program. No one else has put the athletes first, because these sports have been about their money, and will keep things the same as long as they're making a profit.

I really do believe in this program, and what it can do. I think it could benefit everyone in these demographics, but in due time, it can help everyone just like you and me. I do, of course, think that there is always space for improvement and the ability to adjust plans based on reality. On the other hand, I know what I want, and I have a good idea for going about it, so I will do everything in my power to accomplish that.

Reading Reflection No. 2

I read Makers: The New Industrial Revolution for this second reading reflection.

• What was the general theme or argument of the book?
• From just reading the title, I was instantly interested. From what I gather, the book was mainly about the future, and the realization that we are always going through a revolution, whether or not you notice. We have gone through a sort of circular pattern with manufacturing, and right now, it's at a fairly low level, and what this book predicts, and in my opinion predicts correctly, is that manufacturing is coming back. What that means to me is that we are all going to be our own factories, this doesn't mean that we are going to be building cars in our homes, but in fact building our futures with new software and technology. 

• How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?
• From my perspective, this book did a great job of bringing things together and showing me that entrepreneurship is the way of the future in any and every society. If we want to move forward, we have to be willing to be creative and chase our dreams and aspirations. At the same time, we have to be willing to adapt to new technologies and ways for going about things. We cannot be one-dimensional and ignore the fact that the world is constantly changing, and our job is to change with it. This connects to the course specifically because we are learning what it is like to have an idea, and try to capitalize on it no matter what it takes. Whether or not we are all businessmen/businesswomen, we have be willing to make an entrepreneurial step to moving our world forward, and being the innovators for the things our world will be built off of in the future. 

• If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
• If I had to design an exercise for this class, I would have to go with an exercise to do some research and find out the three biggest ways the student thinks the world has changed because of entrepreneurship. This will give the student the ability to reflect on what has changed around them, and what kind of revolutions we have gone through besides the most clear and common ones. 

• What was your biggest surprise or "aha" moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?
• My biggest surprise from this book would have to be the idea that we are all now designers, and what that means is that we are going to soon be responsible for our own products, whether it comes from 3D printing or some other kind of software or technology. This was most surprising to me because this is something that I never would have thought about if I had not read this book, and reflecting on it now gives me the chance to really understand the meaning and message of this book. We have to be the ones to take things into our own hands, and make something great out of it. 

My Secret Sauce

I really like the idea of human capital, and reflecting on yourself, in a good way. At times it can be really hard to see yourself as an accomplished, or motivated person, and reflecting on it and hearing other people talk about it really helps you see that. For my own human capital, I think that what makes me different is:

1. The fact that I am a people please-er. I have been this way my whole life, and in everything I am doing, I am usually doing it for someone else. 
2. The fact that I am good with people, and I can handle situations easily when it comes to confrontation. Although I am not very outgoing, I do understand when it is my time to step up and say something. 
3. The fact that I am very observant, and I listen a lot. As an introverted person, I am always tuned into the details, and I can sniff out a bad situation from a mile away. 
4. The fact that I am a problem solver. I've always liked things like math and puzzles, and I am always looking for solutions to problems right away, no matter the magnitude of the situation.
5. The fact that I really see myself to be super organized. I like to have everything set up well, and keeping everything organized just makes my life a whole lot easier.  

My first interview was with my very good friend Symone. One of the biggest takeaways I had from her interview was her looking up to me emotionally. I have always tried to be a positive and giving person around everyone, and it was good hearing from her that she noticed that.

https://soundcloud.com/user-715711442/secret-sauce-symone

My second interview was with my little sister Abbie. My biggest takeaway from her was the fact that I am a nice guy in her eyes. As a 12 year old girl, it was interesting to hear that perspective because of her experiences.

https://soundcloud.com/user-715711442/secret-sauce-abbie

My third interview was with my father Mark. The biggest takeaway from this interview was his workplace perspective. He told me that he works with a lot of younger people who frustrate him because of some of these traits, and it was interesting to hear that I'd be a better candidate because of my work ethic and drive.

https://soundcloud.com/user-715711442/secret-sauce-dad

My fourth interview was with my sister Alyssa. The biggest takeaway from her interview was her older sister perspective. Watching me grow up as an older sibling has really given her the best view of what I am dealing with and how well, or how badly I deal with certain situations.

https://soundcloud.com/user-715711442/secret-sauce-alyssa

My fifth and final interview was with my mother Daphne. I would say that she knows me the best, and from her experience with me, knowing that she recognized loyalty and passion within my personal traits was awesome to hear.

https://soundcloud.com/user-715711442/mom-interview

After all of the interviews, I found that I view myself very close to how others do, at least those who know me best. For me, that is great satisfaction, because I know myself better than I thought I did. There are, of course, some things that I may have overlooked, or didn't really see as something big within my personal traits, and I made sure to ask everyone if they had anything like that, and hearing some of those things really open up my mind to learning myself further. For the last part of this assignment, I am going to have to add my loyalty and passion to the list of my personal traits. There aren't any things besides that that I would change, but I really do think I may have overlooked those two parts.

My Customer's Avatar

My idea has transformed over the last month, and I have decided that I am going to continue with a business that is quite basically a scheduler. I will be writing a program that will generate a schedule for any of the four major North American sports, with respect to each sports rules, while optimizing travel distances and days off. This will target, at first, the front end of each of the sports, meaning it will be for the commissioners. After I have developed the program enough, I hope to give it out to people just like you, or other business who have to plan travel for their employees or clients, while maximizing efficiency, with the click of a button.

As I mentioned before, this program will be tailored for the executives of each of the sports, meaning that they will be very busy people, and very, very rich at that. They would be driving nice cars, like Mercedes, or Teslas, white with black rims. They watch the news all day, and stock trading channels, and have grand children. These people could be fairly young, to pretty old, and the old ones feel young while the young ones feel old and stressed out. As for myself, our common qualities are for the love of sports, and the love of competition. I think that being raised around sports my whole life, and playing baseball for 14 years has shaped my love and respect for all sports. Therefore, I don't think these similar qualities are by coincidence.

Here's the avatar I created:

My Portmanteau: Imagineering

The word that I created and fiddled around with the last couple of weeks was imagineering. It is just as you suspected the combination of imagination and engineering, which to many people may not sound so new, and of course it isn't, but it was tough to come up with something random that didn't really make much sense. I chose to stick these two words together because it would make for smoother mentioning of it. I would be able to use it all the time while just talking about everyday things with my family.

Just as I suspected, when talking with my family and saying this word over and over, in the best context I could, they started to notice. Later throughout the weeks I noticed my father starting to say it in some of the same exact contexts, which to me is awesome. Everyone else in my family kind of laughed at the word, but my dad really did understand the connection, clearly.

Halfway Reflection

1) Tenaciousness is a skill. What are the behaviors that you have used (or developed) to keep up with the requirements of this course?

- Since each assignment has a specific time to be turned in, most times on Friday nights at midnight, I had to figure out when I would make time to fit with this class' schedule. There is a very specific outline for each and every assignment, and being lazy won't cut it. Time management is super important, and making an effort on top of that.

2) Tenaciousness is also about attitude. Talk about a moment or two when you felt like "giving up." What pulled you through? Do you feel like you've developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months? What experience or experiences most contributed to this?

- The "giving up" feeling has been a familiar emotion throughout this course. I feel like sometimes, the assignments aren't worth my time, yet I've decided to come back to it, and try to get myself out of the hole I've created for myself so that I can get a good grade and not have to worry about this class again. I don't think my mindset has changed much because I've simply been more focused on other classes like calc II and programming II.

3) Three tips. What are three tips you would offer next semester's student about (1) fostering the skills that support tenacity and (2) developing the 'tenacious mindset'?

1. Always work towards your goal. This includes being super persistent with what you are doing because most of the time, the first go at something may not go quite right, so don't let that get you down and give yourself reason to give up.

2. This class really comes down to time management, so think about a schedule the best you can. Most first year students' schedules are hectic (I know mine is) and you really need to figure out the time it is going to take to balance this class among others.

3. Put yourself in a position to succeed. Don't spend the time that you could be doing something worrying about how awkward or annoying it will be.

Identifying Local Opportunities

Article 1:

• Restroom is Just One Aspect of Tricky Issue
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF881053D51278?p=AWNB
• This story talks about the issue that arises for transgender students and what bathroom they should or shouldn't use at school. The fact of the matter is that it is impossible to make a declaration on which bathroom they have to use, or which one would be safer. The choice is up to the person, for where they feel the most comfortable. Another point is that it is hard to tell if this would create issues for other students. Which bathroom is the safest for them to use?
• The issue in this article is the question: which bathroom should a transgender person go to?
• The people who have this problem are those who identify themselves as transgender.

Article 2:

• Intriguing, but Soulless
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF880FAA824360?p=AWNB
• This article explains the purpose of the play, "If/Then," which runs at the David A. Straz Jr. Center throughout this coming weekend. There is a brief synopsis of the story, and its significance. 
• The problem that arises is that the play "takes on a few big questions and tries to answer them." The problem with this is that a lot of people have disagreements with how these questions are answered, and how they are delivered.
• The people who have this issue are those who decide to attend the play, and have some views on how these questions should be answered. 

Article 3:

• Lightning Lose Bid as Top Sports Team
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF881084930D10?p=AWNB
• This article is discussing the recent decision by the SportsBusiness Journal that didn't rank the Tampa Bay Lightning as the top professions sports business team of the year. They lost this opportunity to the Golden State Warriors, which as a sports fan, I can tell you that this is a great team to finish behind. 
• The issue from this article is that the Lightning were not able to be named the top professional sports business team of the year, an honor which would bring great pride to the people of Tampa and the organization's front office. They made great strides this year to be in contention, and losing to the Golden State Warriors, who, by the way, set a new record for wins in a single season, doesn't sting too badly.
• This problem lies in the hands of Lightning fans, and the entire organization as a whole. It's not a huge problem to have but it is a situation in which everyone involved with the Lightning would have loved to win this honor.

Article 4:

• Walmart Prepaid Cards Not Working
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CFDCA8C53B33F0?p=AWNB
• This story is explaining the impact of a recent issue with prepaid debit cards across the country. There have been hundreds of complaints that those who have these cards are having a very hard time accessing their money to buy what they need. 
• The problem presented in this story, as obvious as it may seem, is regarding to the fact that a lot of the time, technology ends up biting us in the butt. There have been so many glitches and hacks within this realm and I believe that the security of technology is so unknown that it brings about a lot of issues like this. This specific story is not necessarily security related, but there should be no reason that this many people are having issues getting their money when they need it. The payment process should be seamless at this point, and it leads me to believe that it can only be improved.
• Those that have identified an issue paying with their prepaid cards clearly are experiencing this issue, but also anyone else around these people. It can cause arguments and disagreements, which a lot of people who are just getting their groceries, are trying to avoid all together.

Article 5:

• Roadwork to Slow Commutes on State Roads 836, 826 and 874
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CFA0610E77B858?p=AWNB
• This story is talking about the impact of roadwork around Florida's Turnpike, and how it will affect those trying to commute to and from work this past week and the week upcoming.
• The problem highlighted in this story is the fact that there is always roadwork to be done. It is tough to look forward to a time where there will be less traffic because of all this roadwork, because by the time it finishes, there will be so many more people that another expansion will be needed.
• The people who have to deal with this issue are those who are conducting the construction because they have to work in high volume areas during high volume traffic times. Besides that, it is the people who live in the area of this roadwork. No one is immune from traffic, and it is just the reality at rush hour times.

Forming an Opportunity Belief

1.) My Beginning Point: I have a belief that there is an opportunity existing within the realm of student parking on campus at the University of Florida.

2.) Description of My Belief: I think that this issue could be vastly improved, and as a commuting student myself, it would help me drastically. There is just not enough parking for anyone really on campus, and students: forget about it. I think most importantly, students need this to be met, because there are plenty of places for faculty to park, it just may be a little far. This need came from the very insignificant amount of parking spaces for students on or near campus, and it has probably always existed. As a student, I think the best way to meet this need is to just take the bus. It is too much of a hassle to have to walk over a mile to any building from the closest student parking lot. I would say that I am about 99% sure that this opportunity exists for other students besides me.

3.) Iteration No. 1: I talked with a fellow student. She said that the nature of this need is the very small amount of places to park on campus, and it will stay that way for as long as she can see. She experienced her need for some parking spaces when she first moved off-campus to Social 28. She experiences this need at least once a day. Right now, she said that her way of addressing this need is to ride her bike. During the summer though, can be really tough because of the insane rain. She was very happy to hear my possible solution, which would probably be just adding some kind of parking structure at the center of campus, or at least making the current ones bigger.

4.) Reflection No. 1: After talking with a fellow colleague, it was very apparent that this was an issue. I was already sure of that, but it was good to get some kind of reassurance. It helped me identify the needs of people other than myself, which made it much more revealing how much we really need a solution to this problem. It was very surprising to me to find that at least someone else, who lives way closer than me, has the same kind of issue.

5.) Iteration No. 2: I talked with a fellow faculty member. He said that, as a faculty member, there were very many opportunities for him to park anywhere and everywhere. He kind of seemed surprised that I had this issue, because he said he never really thought about it. His feeling after hearing my story was that it is an issue that can be definitely improved. As a faculty member, he explained to me, that when he was my age, as a student, his school was much smaller, and he lived on campus all of his years until he graduated. This made it obvious to me that he never had this issue of parking.

6.) Reflection No. 2: After talking with a faculty member, I realized that this may just be an issue for students who need to drive to campus. Besides that, it may be perfectly fine for other people because they have so many more lots dedicated for them. This realization brought me to the question, will this ever be fixed if only a small population on campus has this issue?

7.) Iteration No. 3: I talked with my sister, who is a recent graduate of the University of Florida. She told me that her experience with parking was very plentiful. She had many days where she would wake up late, and had no choice but to drive to campus. If this was the case, she would park in the lot near the Reitz Union, and this yielded her many many parking tickets. Her realization of this problem came her 3rd year here, which was her first time living off campus. She believes that this issue has been around since the campus became so big, and she also believes that it will last as long as the campus keeps getting bigger without any renovations to the parking lots.

8.) Reflection No. 3: After talking with a recent graduate, my sister, I realized that this issue has been around for at least the last 6 years, and probably before that. I also realized that when worse comes to worse, the only choice is to park close, but in a bad spot, and end up paying for parking tickets on a regular basis.

9.) Summary: After doing this exercise, I came to a lot of realizations. I learned that it may only be an issue for students, and that as a student myself who has to commute, my best choice is to either suck it up and walk really far, or suck it up and take the bus. All of these things though, do bring up an opportunity to create something great for students on campus.

Bug List

Things that bug me include:

1. The hunger in this world for money.
1. Why?: Because in order to put food on your family's plate, you have to be a hustler.
2. Cold floor on bare feet in the morning.
1. Why?: Because no one is awake and the house actually cools down.
3. Flat soda.
1. Why?: Because I left it in the fridge for too long without drinking it.
4. Inconsiderate drivers on the highway.
1. Why?: Because people are in such a rush, that they think they're the only ones on the road.
5. Misplacing my keys when I'm in a rush.
1. Why?: Because I get home after class and don't think about the next morning by placing my keys in a good spot.
6. Looking forward to the last brownie, only to find that someone else ate it first.
1. Why?: Because that brownie and I weren't meant to be.
7. Someone smelling like B.O.
1. Why?: Because that person was in a rush in the morning and forgot to put on deodorant.
8. Pop-up ads when I am trying to watch something on the internet.
1. Why?: Because people are always trying to sell me something.
9. Being misunderstood in an argument.
1. Why?: Because I didn't think enough before I spoke, and something came out the wrong way.
10. Waiting in line at the Chic-fil-a in the hub.
1. Why?: Because I only ever have time when class periods just ended, so there are always a bunch of people there at the same time.
11. Having a head cold.
1. Why?: Because I didn't drink enough orange juice when the weather changed.
12. Telemarketers when I am busy.
1. Why?: Because someone is always trying to sell me, a poor college student, something.
13. No one else taking out the trash.
1. Why?: Because either no one else has been home, or no one else cares about our apartments cleanliness.
14. Someone lying to me.
1. Why?: Because this person was afraid to disappoint me, or didn't respect me enough to tell me the truth.
15. Having things all over the place in my room, a.k.a. being disorganized.
1. Why?: Because I don't spend the time organizing things as I go, so I have to deal with it all at once.
16. Internet being unbearably slow.
1. Why?: Because my apartment is in Gainesville and I have Cox Communications.
17. Bad customer service from Cox Communications.
1. Why?: Because the company is not built around customer service, and all they care about is the fact that you're paying them.
18. Throwing up.
1. Why?: Because I ate something that someone prepared badly.
19. Stepping in someone's gum.
1. Why?: Because someone didn't care enough to throw it away in a trash can.
20. False advertising.
1. Why?: Because companies will do anything to lure you in, and then break you the bad news once you actually get to their store or website.

Reflection for this exercise:

As for the challenges when coming up with this list, the thing that stood out to me most was the fact that I felt like I was whining the whole time. I don't usually like to just straight up complain about things, and this took that to the next level. I also got the feeling multiple times that I was doing it all wrong because it felt too simplistic. Aside from those two things, it was also tough coming up with things outside of the box, something that no one else would think of, because I personally don't look around all day looking for things to be critiqued. 

My Entrepreneurship Story

My entrepreneurship story is short and simple. It has only been a couple of years, but I still remember it like yesterday. So, one night, I remember my father talking about how good he is at his job, and how it doesn't challenge him enough. The next thing that comes out of his mouth is that he's going to start a new business to challenge himself, alongside of his current job. To this day, he has been working tirelessly to get his business to the point where he can stop being bored with his current job, and finally feel challenged. The reason this story sticks out to me is because it is so inspiring. Instead of doing the bare minimum for his job, he has gone out his way to reach his full potential, and feel fulfilled at the end of the day. I enrolled in ENT 3003, partly because I had to for my minor, but also because I want to reach my full potential, and maybe being an entrepreneur myself will lead me there.

Introduction

Hey there!

My name is Alex Broderick. I am in my first year here at UF and I am a student of the Innovation Academy. I am studying Computer Science Engineering and I am very excited to continue along my journey of tough classes and long nights of studying!