30A Final Reflection

1. Looking back on the assignments in this class, one thing that stands out to me is my elevator pitch progress. It is actually amazing to see the actual physical improvements that I made from attempt tot attempt.
2. The most formative experience that I am going to take away from this class is stepping outside my comfort zone and trying new things. Whether this is memorizing a script, reaching out to new people to establish social networking connections, or simply interviewing random people.
3. Although I do not necessarily plan to become an entrepreneur, I have definitely develop an entrepreneurial mindset. I know how an entrepreneur thinks and I can analyze everyday business decisions from the viewpoint of an entrepreneur.
4. My biggest recommendation is to watch the lectures and stay focused. Staying focused will help you make a plan to turn in all assignments on time. The lectures are fun, educational. and will help you do better on the cupcakes in the long run.

28A Your Exit Strategy

1.     I intend to sell the company within a short time frame like 5 years. Although I can see myself embarking on multiple entrepreneurship ventures, I definitely don’t want this project to be my entire life. Selling the company will give me good experience and some capital to start a new, improved venture.

2.     As previously stated, I chose this option so that I can have some variety in my life. Obviously if the company is projected to skyrocket I wouldn’t sell it, but once we reach a peak, it likely makes the most fiscal sense to sell and move on.

3.     This exit strategy has definitely influenced past decisions in the class for this specific venture. To begin with, I stated that I would focus on business to consumer selling because I never thought the company would get large enough to the point where it would have enough inventory or desire to sell to an entire business. However, I am sure there were other cases where knowing the company was not long-term had an impact.

27A Reading Reflection No. 3

1.     Inbound Marketing by Brian Halligan - The main theme of the book and message it is promoting is stressing the importance of marketing and the rapidly increasing usage of online marketing. Due to various qualities, social media makes it cheaper to reach even more people than ever before.

2.     The book connected to the class because it stressed the importance of marketing and not only developing a good product but also knowing how to sell and profit off of it. Also, just as this class has talked about ways that modern technology has changed entrepreneurship, so has this book.

3.     The assignment would simply be to create a fake social media account that advertises your product. Make sure everyone knows that it is only for an assignment, but see how many followers you can get.

4.     My biggest aha moment of the book was how online marketing has helped small companies. Because it doesn’t cost anything to send out a tweet or make an instagram post, small companies, with proper marketing, can reach just as many people as big companies for a fraction of the cost.

26A Celebrating Failure

1.     One time I experienced failure was when I applied for a tutoring job at one of the tutoring centers at UF. Although the reason I did not receive the position was because it was a rolling application that was filled a month prior and thus not available, it still felt bad. I am yet to try to find a similar position to apply for, but I do not plan on letting this one instance of failure prevent me from doing so again. The worst part was that I technically didn’t do anything wrong so there was not much to learn from.

2.     The main lesson I learned was when you find out you want something, not to wait to get it. I knew about the opportunity for a while, but I delayed my application, and it ended up preventing me from getting the position.

3.     I think failure is important because it is both humbling and educational. Not only can failure serve as a check on overconfident egos, but it also helps us to improve. It is impossible to avoid failure, so we all need to become accustomed to it at some point. Too much failure is not ideal, but taking it in small doses might seem negative in the short-term, but will be positive in the long-term.

24A Venture Concept No. 1 - Fresh Breath Candies

            In today’s world, people are always on the go and have very busy lives. Thus, the need and opportunity that I have identified is that people need a mobile, on-the-go solution for their personal hygiene, specifically dental hygiene. The people who have this need are mainly college-age students because they are not only balancing professional lives, but also academic and volunteering time commitments. College students are also notorious for not taking the greatest care of themselves so it would make sense that they need a dental hygiene solution. Thus, overall, the nature of their need arises out of their crazy, busy schedules. The outside forces creating this need are the pressures on college students to be competitive. This means that the basic day can consist of a job interview, class, volunteering activity, and possibly even work for a normal job. College students have so much pressure on them that not only do they need to improve their hygiene, but that they can sometimes forget to do it themselves. The market can be defined all across the nation, with college campuses everywhere. However, to begin with, the target market will originally consist of University of Florida students. Customers are currently satisfying this need by simply brushing their teeth twice a day. They are moderately loyal to this, but only because they may not be aware of a better option. This opportunity is not too big because it is very niche and only serves one purpose, although this purpose can apply to a multitude of scenarios. The window of opportunity is large because the trend of college students being both irresponsible with their hygiene and busy is not new and will continue for a while.

            The innovation is a candy capsule that releases a fluid that both cleans teeth and freshens breath. Essentially, the way it works is that the person eats the candy, which will look like a regular mint, but come in special packaging. This is to avoid people from thinking this product is just a regular old mint. The product will come in a variety of flavors that test marketing should help with including but not limited to: peppermint, chocolate, strawberry, and blueberry. Once the person eats the product, it will either release or dissolve into the cleaning fluid. A couple gargles and then the fluid will be safe to swallow. In a matter of seconds, you have had both a tasty treat and an easy way to freshen up your hygiene. The capsules will come in packs of 15-20 for approximately $5.99. Because this product is relatively inexpensive, it will key to make sure we have good customer relation management. After all, it is way cheaper to retain a customer than find a new one. If the first experience a customer has is a positive one, then they are more likely to repeat buy and then the company will turn a profit.

            The innovation solves the opportunity that was previously defined because of how easy to use the product is. While it is inconvenient to carry around a toothbrush and toothpaste wherever you go, and this can be an awkward activity to have to carry out in a social setting, this candy capsule is small, portable, and easy to conceal. Thus, it is efficient, cheap, and overall easy to use. It is a better solution to an old problem. Customers will switch to this new product because it is more effective than a mint and easier than brushing teeth in the middle of the day. It will be relatively hard to get them to switch because they may not be aware of the need in the first place. There might not be direct competitors, but in the overall dental hygiene industry, the competitors include Colgate and Crest. Their weaknesses are that they do not have a way for people to clean their teeth unless they are in the comfort of their own home and bathroom. In addition, many people have electric toothbrushes anyway, so they cannot be traveled with everyone one needs to go across an entire day. Packaging and price will be important. The packaging will need to be special enough that it distinguishes our products from things it might look similar to, most notably cough drops and breath mints. The price will be important because this item isn’t a pure necessity, so it will need to be cheap enough that people still want to buy it. I think I would need a couple employees per department in order to start the business on a small scale. This includes finance, research and development, manufacturing, and sales/marketing.

            My most important resources will be both my network of contacts and my personal human capital skills. Having contacts in various pharmacies in Gainesville, uniquely puts me in a position to advertise and market the product in its immediate target market. In addition, I am dedicated, driven, bright, and relatable. These skills will definitely help in producing and marketing the innovation. The next thing for this venture will be its initial tests and making a prototype that finds a balance between taste and effectiveness in the area of health. In five years, I’d like to making a steady profit and creating new ways to not only improve the product but maybe be looking into other innovations that are related to it. In other words, I just hope to have moderate success. This means steady growth from year to year. While I hope the financial books show this, other signs of success will be an increased amount of employees and availability of the product in an increasing number of locations.

           

25A What’s Next?

Existing

1. I think the next thing within the existing market is really hitting on marketing and advertising. I have a good idea of what people want and do not. Now I need to tell them that what they want is readily available.
2. I think what customers in this market want is just to be able to get the product. Specifically, at UF, this means placing in it places near campus like POD markets, Publix, maybe put it in the vending machine in the libraries, and local pharmacies. This way people will know it is available.
3. To grow my market, I want to first make the product available all over UF’s campus. Next, word of mouth will lead friends from different college campuses to talk about the product. Eventually students from UGA, UCF, FSU, and more will find out about the product and want a similar solution.

In the end, the market will begin growing in terms of college campus coverage all over the country. Right now, the market might only be college students at UF, but eventually it will grow to other schools as well.

New Market

1.     While I was previously targeting B2C, I will now target B2B, helping businesses give their employees (likely middle-age adults) a way to improve their hygiene before working or heading into important meetings.

2.     This will be helpful to any business that often has employees going into meetings during the day. With many meetings, a way to improve dental hygiene will make such meetings more enjoyable for everyone involved.

3.     While I can’t really interview anyone, I think that customers in this market of businesses would like to have the assurance that something as easily controlled as dental hygiene is not ruining their business meetings.

4.     This market might be attractive, but I do not think it is as attractive as most B2C markets because the product is mainly for personal use and does not seem like something that a business would think it needed to supply to its own employees.

On the other hand, if I were actually able to interview people from this market, I would think that it is possible that some upper echelon companies would be okay with providing these products for their own employees. Overall, I think that I will stick to B2C markets, but I will not ignore future possibilities of approaching a larger B2B market.

23A Your Venture’s Unfair Advantage

1. Capabilities -  I am very involved on campus and can reach out to various large groups to promote the product - Not imitable because the groups I belong to cannot necessarily be reached by everyone else.
2. Human capital - well-trained employees - Many companies have well-trained employees so it might not be rare but it is valuable.
3. Social Capital - I have made contact with people who work in the industry, including a Walgreens manufacturer - Valuable because it puts me one step ahead of others with similar products.
4. Capabilities/Human Capital - I am very intelligent and committed to my ideas - This is valuable because it will keep the company and employees on course.
5. Financial Capital - The product is not revolutionary so it will not be expensive to research or develop - This is rare because many startups can be very costly.
6. Financial Capital - I have saved up money and have made previous smart investments so I do not need a lot of other investors initially - This is valuable because it will let me keep most of the profits to myself.
7. Financial Capital - UF has various investment groups and clubs that might be willing to hear my pitch and give constructive criticism - This is valuable advice and is rare in the sense that not every student has similar options.
8. Human Capital - One of my core competencies is being able to explain complex things in an easy way - This is valuable and rare because it will help with both marketing and delivering elevator pitches.
9. Social Capital - My uncle is a dental surgeon and has given me excellent advice on what the product should include - This is valuable because it will help on the research/product development side of my business.
10. Social Capital - One of my close friends is a dental student at a top university and has given me advice on how to market such products to young people - This is very valuable and non-substitutable because of our uniquely close relationship, not everyone has access to this person’s opinions.

My top resources are my vast network of people with unique expertise and my dedication to providing my best effort, energy, and intelligence.

22A Elevator Pitch No. 3

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLSvP-EbQrM&feature=youtu.be
2. A lot of the feedback I got on my second elevator pitch was positive. I was applauded for my eye contact as well as ideas and content. I was told that the improvements I sought to make in my second pitch definitely made a difference and that I should be happy with the overall product. The only improvement that was suggested to me was to take out my name and university at the beginning of the pitch because, as it was taught, nobody really cares about what our name is and it takes away from the time and hook.
3. Based on my feedback, I did not make many changes. I maintained my clothing/appearance and did not change my camera or camera angle. However, I made a small content/script change. I took out my name and personal introduction and simply replaced it with the hook I had been using all along. This way, I would be able to grab the reader's attention right from the beginning and not lose it until after the pitch was made. I thought all these changes were very constructive and I am satisfied with this product. Although it is the last pitch of this course, I know that as I show it to others and refine it further, it will get even better.

21A Reading Reflection No. 2

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

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

The general theme is that success is not dependent on skill or luck, but rather every person is capable of success, it just depends on your mindset and how you view your own skills and abilities.

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

In this class, we talk a lot about refining our skills and how to make connections. This novel expands on those ideas by telling you, once you believe you have obtained these skills, how to view them in a broader context. If you believe you can do something, or that you can learn to do something, you have a growth mindset, not a fixed mindset, which means you can succeed.

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

My assignment for this class based on this book would be to have each student make a graphic organizer or flow chart that shows their growth mindset. Essentially, each student would creatively list all of their skills and abilities, define them, show how they relate, explain how they might develop, and explain how they exemplify a growth mindset.

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?

I was most surprised by the impact that teachers have from an early age. I don't really remember a lot of my elementary school teachers, but according to the book, these figures can have a significant influence on your mindset and how you evaluate yourself.

20A Growing Your Social Capital

Domain Expert

1.     I spoke to Ben Gold, manager of a local Walgreens in South Florida

2.     He is a domain expert because he manages a store that sells various cleaning products and personal hygiene products.

3.     I found this person while shopping in the local store and told him about my assignment and asked if he could talk for a few minutes.

4.     He gave me some good information on how I should frame and market the product, specifically for its easy-to-use, on-the-go qualities. All he expected in return was my customer loyalty to the Walgreens.

5.     This will give me a potential contact if I ever want to sell my product in pharmacies such as Walgreens.

Marketing Expert

1. I spoke to my friend Andrew, the co-owner of a local cooler selling business that sells coolers for college organization formal events.
2. He fits this slot because he also sells to college students as his primary market.
3. I know him personally, as he is a member of my fraternity.
4. I have known him for a while, so he did not necessarily expect a return favor, but I continue to use and refer to his company to my friends.
5. The benefit of such a relationship is that he gave me advice on how to reach the market of young adults, which mainly included using a lot of social media since it is cheap and can reach a lot of people in a short amount of time.

Supplier

1. I spoke to a mutual friend named Stephen, who works for a company that supplies Target with many of its cleaning products.
2. This person fits into this slot because he works for a large, national supplier of a similar good.
3. I found this person after reaching out to a friend to see if he knew anybody who worked for a supplier.
4. Our exchange was rather short and he did not really ask for anything in return outside of asking me a few market/supplier research questions about his business. All in all, I just took a short survey.
5. The benefit of this is that I now have a contact in the supplier business as well as the fact that I made a connection with someone who could introduce me to other people that would expand my network.

Reflect: This differed from some previous networking experiences I have had because it really made me step outside my comfort zone and not only talk to new people, but talk to older people that were not necessarily me peers. However, I am glad I did so because it had the positive impact of growing my overall network.

19A Idea Napkin No. 2

1. Once again, I am Max Winton, a sophomore at the University of Florida. I am a middle child from South Florida. My talents and skills include being loyal, analytical, dependable, determined, and relatable. My experiences include serving as the finance director of my fraternity and being on the executive board of my high school’s National Honor Society. I aspire to be a sports agent or business analyst. This business could be a stepping stone toward building a successful and impressive resume.
2. The product I am offering is a mint or candy capsule that cleans teeth and freshens breath by releasing/dissolving into a liquid. This solves unmet needs because there is not a healthy way for people to clean their mouths on the go during their busy days.
3. The main demographic of who I am offering this product to is anyone with a very busy, on the go lifestyle. This description becomes exceedingly prevalent amongst college students, who are balancing class, involvement, and possibly a job or internship. My customers all have a desire for improved personal hygiene in common.
4. These people will care because this product will be affordable, easy to use, widely available, easy to replace, and effective in the sense that it will not only work but do so on a daily basis and in a variety of contexts.
5. My core competencies are that I am trustworthy, dependable, reliable, analytical, and straightforward. When I tell someone something, it is both easy to understand and easy to believe, which I think help sells products.

I believe both my qualities and the aspects of the customers I am trying to sell to align well. Not only can I relate to them as a student myself, but I understand what they want, what they can afford, and how they want it presented to them.

Feedback memo:

1. It is important, on top of my other qualities, to be both driven and committed.
2. It may be profitable to expand to other markets besides just students. More than just young people care about personal hygiene.
3. Partnering and selling the idea with a larger hygiene company like P&G might also be a good idea.

18A Create a Customer Avatar

My customer avatar is of a college-age student with a busy lifestyle, but that still cares about personal hygiene. In this avatar picture, you can see a college-age, young man who is clean shaven, has a neat haircut, and cares about his appearance. That is definitely the prototypical consumer because the prototypical consumer needs to care about keeping up a high standard of personal hygiene throughout the entire day. This person might have a job, or simply is very involved in several positions on campus. This customer likes to fit in in terms of being socially acceptable, but also likes to stand out, smell good, and always be clean. The avatar is willing to try new things, and is generally optimistic. 

I have several things in common with this consumer. To begin with, we are both college students. In addition, we both care about our personal hygiene and we both are very busy. I definitely fit into the typical group that the avatar represents.

17A Elevator Pitch No. 2

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBF6f-FINOU&feature=youtu.be

2. In summary, the feedback I received was fairly consistent. To begin with, everyone generally agreed that my content was good. The words I was speaking were good, but it was my delivery that needed to be fixed. First, a lot of people said I needed to engage the audience more by making more eye contact. Secondly, I needed to speak with more confidence in the product. Third, I needed to try to show the fact that the pitch was memorized and not being read off of a script.

3. Based on the feedback, I made one major change. In response, I memorized my script much more effectively. I put a camera at eye level so it was evident I am addressing my audience directly. Thus, with better eye contact and more fluid speaking, I was able to provide a better overall pitch.

16 A What’s Your Secret Sauce?

1. The first thing about me that I think is unique is my ability to communicate. I think that I am really good at taking something complex and breaking it down so that everyone can understand. The second thing about me that I think is unique is my determination. I always put my full effort into everything I do and don't give up until I succeed. The third unique thing about me is that I am very organized and good with numbers, which I have developed as Finance Director of my fraternity. The fourth thing about me is that I am loyal, always defending those who I rely on and can trust. Finally, I am analytical and I am always processing information. I always try to understand everything I can and this makes me prepared for any situation.

2. The link to my five interviews can be found on this Soundcloud playlist:

https://soundcloud.com/max-winton-989983617/sets/ent3003

1. I am dedicated and determined, when I start a task, I always finish it.

2. I am a problem solver and I do not get nervous when I am presented with an issue.

3. I am really organized, have a good work ethic, and am a good leader

4. I am pragmatic, sentimental, loyal, and analytical.

5. I am a good writer and am able to speak intelligently on any topic.

3. I would likely not make corrections to the list because for the most part, the lists were rather the same. It makes sense that those closest to me would have a good understanding of who I am, what my strengths are, and why those strengths make me unique.

15A Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

1.     I interviewed Benjamin Levine, Michael Sherman, and Michael Saltzman, three freshmen students at the University of Florida. They all have busy class schedules and only one of them has a job.

2.     Across the three interviews, there were two key factors that the interviewees cared about: price and quality. They see the item as something they would likely want but not need so the price could not be too high or they would have no incentive to buy it. In addition, they care about quality/effectiveness. The whole point of the product is to clean teeth and improve hygiene, so if it can not do so effectively, it would just be a waste to every customer. Side note, this product might be even more popular than ever as personal hygiene is of the utmost importance due to the spread of coronavirus.

3.     Although my segment is very young and orders a lot of stuff online, they definitely are more likely to buy something for their personal health in person. People like to see what they are getting if they know they are putting it in their bodies. Cash/debit/credit cards are definitely the more popular ways to purchase this low-cost item. A middleman pharmacy like CVS is likely to handle the transaction.

4.     What will help determine if it was a good purchase is if people feel more comfortable about their personal health after using the product. Their mouths should feel cleaner and their breath should smell fresher.  Bad taste in their mouth would likely make them think that it was a bad purchase.

5.     As previously summarized, the results were rather consistent across the three interviews, focusing on cleaner teeth, quality, price, and effectiveness.

6.     I would say this segment is a good fit for our product for a multitude of reasons. To begin with, the factors lineup because the product would be rather inexpensive, and hopefully, of high quality. Secondly, this segment doesn’t seem that hard to impress which is good because the product isn't earth-shattering. Finally, the product could be available either in person or online so its convenience will be high for college-age students.

14A Halfway Reflection

1.     The behaviors I have used to keep up with this course are proactivity and consistency. To begin with, the workload is fairly equivalent from week to week. Thus, as long as you do not overwork yourself from one week to the next, and stay consistent, you will be able to get the assignments done. In addition, be proactive. If you know you have two exams in one week, do the assignments earlier and you will not stress over them.

2.     One moment when I felt like giving up was after the first cupcake. I attended both classes during the week and took detailed notes, yet I still got a 0.8. I was not sure what the correct strategy was to get a 1/1 and I was stressing over it. The fact that it was only the first quiz pulled me through and made me feel like it was just a fluke. I feel like I have developed a tenacious attitude because nothing in the class really fazes me anymore. I know what needs to get done and I know when it needs to get done. The experience that most contributed to this was doing the elevator pitch. It took me a while to memorize my script but once I got it down, I finally felt like as long as I put in the work, there was no assignment that would prevent me from succeeding.

3.     Three Tips

a.     Do your assignments ahead of time. Even if you do not post them ahead of time, you will be better prepared to edit them if you are not doing them all last minute.

b.     Attend a lecture. Professor Pryor’s lectures are really interesting, engaging, and real-world applicable. You need to watch the lectures anyway, so you might as well participate if you can.

c.     Pick a business solution that you are actually interested in because many of the assignments will stem off of it.

13A Reading Reflection No. 1

1.     The thing that surprised me the most about Elon Musk was just how many different areas of business he has been successful in. I had no idea he co-founded PayPal. I knew about Tesla as a car company, but had never really looked into the advances he is making through SpaceX and SolarCity. The thing about Elon Musk that I most admire is that not only is he making a ton of money, but he is doing it in a way that has positive consequences for both the overall economy and environment as well. The thing about Elon Musk that I least admire is the sort of cocky way in which he carries himself, but at the end of the day, a lot of famous, wealthy people need to be that way to succeed. Musk has faced a ton of adversity because in the early days many people told him Tesla would not succeed; however, he pushed through and trusted his instincts and was able to create a top company.

2.     With Musk, he was not so much competent on the business side, but much more on the technological side. While he is a great businessman, he has made mistakes in the financial world, but ever since he was young he was a very talented, creative coder.

3.     I was both confused and surprised that Musk didn’t really have much control over the contents of the biography. It would seem to me that most biography subjects likely retain creative control. I guess not in this case.

4.     My first question would be about getting an internship with such a great company. However, if I were to ask real questions I would ask how he would recommend coming up with low-tech solutions to common problems and how to hire the right people, because it seems like he has surrounded himself with great people with which to succeed.

5.     I think Musk appreciates hard work. I mean, there is no way he could be where he is without it. I appreciate hard work because I love the feeling of both relief and accomplishment when you finish hard work and know the job was done correctly.

12A Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

1.     Pick a segment: The segment I chose to analyze is students at UF.

2.     Interviews: I interviewed three students at UF, all with very different schedules and lifestyles. One person is a very good student who spends a lot of time in the library. Another person was an okay student that goes out one night a week, but has a very important job during the day. The final person I interviewed is not a good student and goes out practically every night of the week. He is up very late at night and sleeps in all morning.

3.     Need awareness: The first person said her need is most prevalent at night because she stays at the library late and is really tired when she gets back. She does not have the energy to go through a whole routine when she gets home and just wants to go to sleep. The second person I interviewed said his need is most prevalent in the middle of the day. He has a job where he is constantly talking to new customers and clients. He said it would be very helpful to him, if after his lunch break, he had a quick-easy way to clean his teeth and improve his breath. He also said he obviously does not bring a toothbrush or toothpaste to work so it would be the only way to accomplish that goal. The final person I interviewed said he has a need for this item in the mornings. He often wakes up hungover and groggy from the night before. He thinks it would help him get to his morning classes faster as well as hide the fact that he didn’t necessarily clean up the night before.

4.     Information Search: The people I interviewed all had the same answer to this question. Whenever each of them has a need, they either call a parent, sibling, friend, or look it up online. This means getting on the first page of google could be very helpful because people seem to trust whatever shows up on that first page. Also, advertising on family-friendly restaurants in Gainesville could help parents see it as a viable solution for their kids. Finally, advertising in Midtown will get local students talking to their friends about the product.

5.     Findings: Although I essentially summarized my findings in the previous sections, I will do it again. Through my interviews, I determined that all three were relatively aware of the need, but did not think it was worth looking past a toothbrush and toothpaste for a solution. Then again, many people do not know they need something until they are told they need it. Also, I determined that the product was versatile in terms of what time during the day people need it. Targeting family locations, online searches, and midtown would be a good place to begin advertising.

6.     Conclusion: I think this segment has mediocre need awareness because they still kind of need to be told that they have the need. In terms of information search, they attempt to solve their issues by using a multitude of channels. However, the common denominator was definitely family, friends, and google. I think there is high potential for success in this market.

11A - Idea Napkin No. 1

1. You: I am Max Winton, a sophomore at the University of Florida from Weston, Florida. I am an information systems major minoring in statistics and receiving a certificate in sports management. I would say one of my talents is definitely working with numbers. I definitely prefer to work out a math problem than do anything relating to science or English. Another talent/skill I believe I have is the ability to explain things in a way that makes them easy to understand/comprehend. I can take any weird definition or tricky statement and turn it into something that the masses will be able to perceive clearly. I aspire to one day work in the sports industry maybe as a data/business analyst of sports agent. This business would play an important role in my life, setting up a foundation of both business experience and cash to potentially pay for law school.
2. What You Are Offering to Customers: The product is a candy (or capsule, mint, etc.)  that you put in your mouth and it both tastes good and releases a fluid that cleans teeth and freshens breath. This solves the unmet need of a quick, on-the-go solution to improve dental hygiene.
3. Who You are Offering it to: I am offering this product to anyone who wants to improve their dental hygiene, but more specifically to college students and young adults, who seem to have very quick, on-the-go lifestyles. Geographics don’t really impact the who is in the market, except for the fact that shipping costs will increase if I expand the boundary past Gainesville. However, the product would probably sell best in big cities, where the people who live there are very busy and constantly on-the-move.
4. Why Do They Care: They care because, especially as a student or young adult, you are constantly trying to impress others, whether it's out at a bar or in a professional interview. Because they are so busy, their hygiene is sometimes sacrificed. This provides them with a quick, easy-to-use, enjoyable solution.
5. What Are Your Core Competencies: My core competencies are my ability to analyze various situations and find hidden trends or patterns in them. Also, I am stubbornly determined and don’t quit on something until it's done the right way.

I believe these elements fit together because I think I am well-prepared to face many business problems. I’m good at adapting on my feet and good at using analytics to solve problems. Although these don’t directly apply to the business industry in which I am entering, they are general skill sets that help any entrepreneur.

10A Elevator Pitch No. 1

Youtube Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO4hd2fYUVg

9A Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

9A

Opportunity: Mobile, on-the-go dental health solution. A mint that releases a fluid that cleans teeth.

Interview 1: The first person I interviewed is a person in my business law class. He said he doesn’t have the need because he sees the mint as an unnecessary added cost to his already tight student budget. He thinks brushing your teeth twice a day is enough.

Interview 2: The second person I interviewed is in my fraternity. He said he would have the need, but hates mint and mint flavored items. This got me thinking that having a variety of flavors would be a cool way to satisfy multiple markets.

Interview 3: The third person I interviewed is a person who goes to school in another state. He said that he doesn’t have the need because he thinks it is a more expensive version of mouthwash. He said that the advertising would have to be specific and that some people might not get it.

Interview 4: The fourth person I interviewed said he didn't have the need because he has had his hygiene routine for so long that he hadn’t seen a reason to change it. In other words, he’s been taking care of his teeth the same way for 20 years so why change now.

Interview 5: The fifth person I interviewed should have had the need but did not because she is a health-freak and thought there was no way a candy could possibly be good for her health/hygiene. This is definitely an obstacle that I need to surpass. People need to know that the product is versatile and can serve multiple roles.

The people in the boundary are anyone who cares about personal hygiene or that has a busy lifestyle.	Elderly people or people who are not very active are not in the boundary.
The need is a need for an additional dental hygiene solution that tastes good and can be used on-the-go.	The need is not a need for dessert or to entirely substitute for toothpaste.
The need exists because dental hygiene can sometimes be an afterthought to people who are very busy and constantly heading to their next class, job, or time commitment.	Alternative explanations for the need existing is because people do not have an enjoyable, fun way to keep up with their hygiene.

8A Solving The Problem

As previously stated, the opportunity I am exploring is related to improving mobile, quick personal hygiene.

The product/service I intend to sell is a mint that releases/dissolved into a liquid that not only cleans teeth but also freshens breath. This candy can serve multiple purposes. It can be a fun, tasty way for young kids to learn about dental hygiene. However, it can mostly be a way for busy college students to keep up their health while living their busy lifestyles.

The mints would need to come in packaging that separates them from other regular candies. The packaging would need to stress that the mints have a special purpose. Also, this could be dangerous because the liquid that is released is likely not supposed to be consumed, so if someone buys them thinking they are normal mints, they will not be prepared to deal with them effectively.

Overall, this solution should be able to provide busy people with an efficient way to enjoy keeping up with their dental hygiene.