Assignment 15- Figuring out Buyer Behavior Part 2

Interview 1: George, Age 32, 11 Handicap(Intermediate Level Golfer)

Me: So George, when you're shopping for a new set of golf clubs(irons specifically), how exactly do you do your shopping?

George: Generally, I like to find a high-end set of clubs for the best price possible. I'll typically go to multiple well-known sporting/golf goods store such as Dick's or Edwin Watts. From there, I'll find the newest model available with the specs that I want and will then ask them to show me the previous year model of the exact same clubs.

Me: So other than price and quality, are there any other factors that you consider?

George: There is a certain style of club that I look for. Being an intermediate player, I want something with good feel, but also some forgiveness for the mishits as well. I've found that the top three brands of irons that can do this for me are Titleist, Taylormade, and Mizuno.

Me: So feel and forgiveness are the two factors that you would consider the most important to you in the mid-level skill segment of irons?

George: Yes, no doubt.

Me: Do you always go to one of those stores or do you ever order anything online?

George: I always like to go in person because I feel that I can better evaluate the quality and specs of what I'm trying to find. Also, I like to get my clubs custom fit to my body, swing type, etc... so that I can trust my equipment will never be a factor when I'm not hitting the ball my best. Obviously, if they have what I need but not in stock, I will order them with the custom fit specs and have them delivered to where I live.

Me: Do you always purchase outright with either cash or card, or have you ever financed a set of irons?

George: I generally always just purchase them outright. However, I do have friends that have financed clubs before.

Me: After you buy a set of clubs, what helps you justify that you made the correct purchase? By this, I mean what makes you feel that it was fair? What makes you feel that it was a good idea?

George: In regards to it being a good idea, I generally wait 5-6 years to get a new set of clubs. This is because I play enough to where by this point, the clubs have undergone significant wear and tear. Also, golf technology usually goes through a noticeable transformation during this general time frame. I know that if I want a new set of clubs before this that it's not necessarily something I need and will control myself. Furthermore, I make sure that I can more than afford the clubs so that I don't have to worry about any financing. In regards to the purchase feeling fair, I always do my research on the 2-3 sets that I narrow down before I actually go to any stores. This way, I have an idea of the general price range and will know if the salesman at the store is trying to be unethical to make a quick dollar. Finally, I always find myself looking up YouTube videos of reviews on the set of clubs to justify my purchase. I do this pre-purchase as well as part of my research. The only difference is that I always watch the videos post-purchase after I've actually tried them out at the course. Most of the time, I feel like I do a good job!

Me: Wow George, that was a great answer! I really appreciate it. Finally, has there ever been a time where you weren't satisfied with you purchase?

George: Yes, unfortunately. Once when I was younger/just picking up the game, I got ripped off on a set of irons. The salesman sold them to me at well above market price, and they weren't even good quality! I can't even remember the brand name. That's when I learned to do my preliminary research, as well as to always shop from a reputable sporting goods store!

Me: Well George, I'm glad to hear that you've pinned this process down to a science. Thanks for talking to me today.
George: No problem Max, anytime.

Interview 2: Jake, Age 27, 2 Handicap-Scratch(Advanced Golfer)

Me: Hey Jake. When you're shopping for a new set of clubs(irons specifically), how do you generally do your shopping?

Jake: At this point, I'm very brand loyal to Titleist. So much so that I go out to California every 3 years to get custom fit at their national facility.

Me: So you've already segmented your purchase to a specific style, quality, price, etc...?

Jake: Oh yes. I know exactly what I want/what I'm getting every time.

Me: Do you always pay for your clubs outright? Or do you ever finance them?

Jake: I always purchase them at the facility.

Me: So in terms of a post-purchase evaluation, it's insignificant to you at this point since you get the same product every time?

Jake: Exactly.

Me: Well Jake, that interview was short and sweet and gave me all the data I need. Thanks for dropping by!

Jake: Anytime Max!

Interview 3: Anita, Age 23, Novice Golfer

Me: Hey Anita. Have you ever bought a set of golf clubs?

Anita: No. I've only been to a golf course twice in my life and just borrowed the clubs my friend has.

Me: I understand that you're in the market for a set, is that correct?

Anita: Yes.

Me: I'm going to assume you will be looking for a beginner set, one that includes everything from a driver to putter, correct?

Anita: I guess so... If that's what you're recommending! Haha!

Me: I feel that would be best, yes! Most of these clubs come of a similar quality, generic branding, and similar styling as well. They are all roughly the same price as well. However, you can choose to get a name brand beginner set from a company like Callaway. It will just be a little more expensive and maybe a little higher quality. What do you think you would choose?

Anita: I think I would go with one of the generic sets. I'm not really sure if I'm going to get super into golf at this point to be honest, yet I want a decent set for when I do go.

Me: That makes perfect sense Anita. Now where do you think you would buy a set like this?

Anita: I've seen some really good deals online. Like I said, I just want a decent set at this point for the best price. So I'd probably buy off a site like Amazon.

Me: Do you think you'll be too concerned with the post-purchase evaluation stage of your clubs?

Anita: Honestly, as long as they don't arrive broken, no. I feel that I'll need to work on my game(aka consistently get the ball in the air, lol) before I can make an accurate evaluation of a set of clubs.

Me: That makes perfect sense Anita. Practice hard! I promise you, this is truly a humbling game.

Anita: Thanks Max, I appreciate it!

Findings:

As you can see, there is a direct correlation between the skill level of a golfer and the seriousness of his or her purchase behavior towards a new set of clubs.

Conclusions:

Based off these findings, I can conclude that there is a market for high end golf clubs at a far discounted price than what is considered "par." Even though the alternative evaluation, purchase decision, etc... differ from golfer to golfer based on their skill level, it is undeniable that regardless of skill, everyone wants to pay less for a set of clubs. Even Jake- although his ego from being so good and having sufficient wealth may not want to admit it. I'd rather just take the hit and make a meager profit for the betterment of the golfing community in the long run...

Assignment 14- Halfway Reflection: Paying it Forward

1. Tenaciousness is a competency:
- Unfortunately, I have missed three assignments thus far. There are personal reasons behind why I missed them, so I will disregard those for this post. As for everything else, having a tenacious attitude is obviously essential to getting your work done. Once you have this attitude towards it, it allows you to be punctual, efficient with your time spent on the work, and allows you to truly express yourself through the assignment. I would say those are the three behaviors I've used so far as we're now halfway through the semester.

2. Tenaciousness is also about attitude:
- The personal issues I alluded to above contributed to me having feelings of giving up. However, I know that I'm not a quitter and will persevere through anything despite and "outside noise." That thematic mindset that I've had my whole life is what pulled me through. A combination of a tougher course-load overall and reconciling with issues outside of school has without a doubt further developed my tenacity over the past couple months. I'm excited to see how I can implement this attitude towards things in other areas of my life.

3. Three tips:
1. Try your hardest to not wait until Friday to do the assignments
-Although I may sound hypocritical, I'm only saying this out of experience. It's much easier to get things done in advance as you're not as stressed due to not being as pressed for time. Also, you will be able to fit more things into your schedule later in the week. If you implement this from the start, your tenacity will naturally increase as you will get into the habit of attacking things early.
2. Be authentic in each post
-You're only cheating yourself if you aren't representing who you are in each post. You won't grow in terms of thinking like an entrepreneur, and it's only going to make you're tenacity decrease as you'll begin to care less and less with each assignment.
3. Watch the lectures
I'll be honest, this is something I'm guilty of not doing a lot. Trust me, I've paid the price for it too. It's only decreased my ability to develop true tenacity. Not only will you understand the course on a much deeper sense if you do keep up with all of them, you're tenacity will increase exponentially as well since you'll start to develop the habit I talked about earlier. To me, tenacity is just the result of forming productive habits that force you to think. That's it. If you can master that, you're golden.

Assignment 13-Reading Reflection #1

*I chose to read the biography Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance

1. You read about an entrepreneur:

• What surprised you the most?- Although this isn't directly related to Musk's entrepreneurial abilities, I would say what surprised me the most in this book was when Musk contracted falciparum malaria while on vacation with his wife at a game reserve near the Mozambique border in South Africa. Occurring shortly after the Board of PayPal/X.com voted him off from the CEO position, Musk lost 45 pounds over the course of the illness which took six months for him to fully recover from. The doctor who eventually figured out what exactly it was and cured him said that if he had waited a day later he very well could have died. This surprised me because I think it goes to show that everything happens for a reason. By that I mean that Musk was meant to live and do great things for the advancement of mankind.
• What about the entrepreneur did you most admire?- I would say what I most admire about Musk is his pure intellectual abilities. I mean come on. This guy taught himself code as a boy, proceeded to code his first video game at the age of 12, and now he's on a mission to revolutionize the space industry with a more compact type of rocket that can travel for longer distances yet still carry a suitable payload. This is all to try and colonize Mars as you very well may know... Oh, and to top things off he's already hit Detroit in the teeth with his Tesla electric cars, whose recharging stations are powered by solar energy... The guy is a freak and I'm jealous.
• What about the entrepreneur did you least admire?- The one thing that I definitely did not like about Musk is the fact that his work seems to have consumed him to the point where he is somewhat detached from his emotions. Since he's "wired this way," he's never been the best group/team leader, which is why he has so many people to get through as an employee before you can actually talk to him. However, I think this issue stems from his childhood. In the beginning of the book when we were learning about his upbringing in South Africa, he refused to talk about his father in any depth because "he's good at making life miserable- that's for sure"(37). There are other details that hint at Elon's father putting he, his brother, and his sister through psychological turmoil. All in all, I think this is the true reason Elon has this problem.
• Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it?- In order to get to where Elon Musk is today, it's impossible to not encounter any adversity or failure. He has responded differently to different situations that all occurred during separate "stages" in his career, so to speak. The moment of adversity I will talk about again was when Musk was voted off from the CEO position of X.com/PayPal in September of 2000. The reason why I think this is the most important moment of adversity Elon has faced in his career thus far is because even though he was slighted out of the position, he knew deep down that he wasn't making decisions that were in the company's best interest. When his successor Peter Thiel re-branded X.com as PayPal, Elon didn't let it get the best of him. In fact, he was very calm and actually supportive of Thiel through the whole ordeal. He continued to invest in the company and was still the largest shareholder. I feel that he showed this restraint because he knew that he had done wrong and that the company was still going to be fine without him as CEO. In July 2002, eBay purchased PayPal for $1.5 billion, with Musk walking away with $250 million.

2.

• What competencies did you notice the entrepreneur exhibited?- There are two things I noticed that Musk is very competent at that most people aren't. One, his absolutely insane work ethic. I mean the man would constantly pull all-nighters in his younger years and would forgo eating, hygiene, etc... just so he could get more work done. Yeah, all of us pull all-nighters here and there to get work done, but this man was on a different level. This leads me to my second point, which is that when Elon truly believes in something, he feels a personal obligation to attack the counters to his beliefs himself. He doesn't want to work for somebody that is doing it, nor take up a profession that may have a trickle-down effect to the cause. No. He wants to do it himself and he won't stop until it's complete. This is without a doubt what drives his insane work ethic.

3.

• Identify at ;east one part of the reading that was confusing to you- One part of the reading that was confusing to me was the fact that Musk constantly over-promised, over-hyped, and just flat out bragged to the media about his latest project that was going to make him even more rich. I don't know if this is something he did on purpose or if it was just another weird, impulsive quirk to his personality. Either way, it has cause the media to be highly critical of his work over the years, especially when he fails.

4. 

• If you were able to ask TWO questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask and why?

Question 1- Do you still feel like you have the youthful energy that everyone raved about in the past or are your years of hard work/age starting to catch up to you?

-The reason why I would ask this question is because I think the answer would be a good determinant as to how much Elon will be able to accomplish before his life ends.

Question 2- Which company is your favorite? Why?

-First off, if anybody can have this question asked to them, they're doing great things. Anyways, I feel that I already know the general answer to this question fro reading the book. However, I feel that Elon himself could give me a more thorough answer that will really tell me why he likes one over another with respect to the individuality each company contains with how they work.

5. 

• For Fun: What do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion?

Elon Musk's opinion of hard work is just that: HARD WORK. He believes that if work is to be done, you must put your absolute all into every aspect of whatever it is you're working on. Even if that means periodically sacrificing things one needs to survive such as sleep, food, etc... He also believes that you must wholeheartedly believe in whatever it is you are working on. When it comes to the belief aspect of hard work, I one-hundred percent agree with Elon. Why would anyone work on something they don't truly believe in? It kind of just defeats the purpose of doing the work in the first place... However, I feel that Elon has an abnormal work ethic because of the extent of the connection he feels when he believes in something to that something. Most people can't make that deep of a connection, including myself. Therefore, I would rather work hard but know when it is time to call it quits for the day so that I can properly manage the other areas of my life. It's safe to say that Elon Musk is truly just a different animal.

Assignment 11-Idea Napkin No. 1

1. "You"- Seeing that golf is my passion, it was an easy decision for me to come up with a business idea that involves the game. I have almost a decade of experience playing the game, as well as immersing myself in the culture that surrounds it. I know a lot about the mechanics of the swing, as well as the importance of custom-fit equipment. Ideally, I'd like to have a business that utilizes this aspect of the game when serving our customers while also trying to expand the traditional demographic of golfers. If this ever became a reality, it would essentially be my life.

2. "What are you offering to customers?"- In my previous assignments, I've stated that I would like to offer custom-fit equipment at a fraction of the price of any other custom-fit, high-quality golf equipment on the market today. My initial idea was to refurbish existing company's golf clubs and custom-fit it with a specific shaft, lie angle, etc... from there. However, I feel that this isn't innovative enough and probably won't be successful in the long-run. Also, I could run into a lot of legal issues as well in terms of trademarking, etc... Therefore, I'm not sure what I want to offer yet. I've been brainstorming some other ideas such as an app that can analyze your swing and tell you the exact specifications of what kind of clubs you would need that fit your body type, swing type, etc... However, this wouldn't really relate to the social responsibility aspect of my mission.

3. "Who are you offering it to?"- As aforementioned, I would like to target an alternate market than what marketers in the golf industry would normally target when trying to sell golf equipment. Golf is a game that has historically been played by people of higher class, and golf companies have capitalized on this by putting no restraints on the materials they use to make clubs. While this no doubt enhances performance characteristics, it allows these companies to charge massive premiums on their clubs to make their desired profit. Therefore, I would like my club manufacturing company to be able to offer "on par" level equipment as compared to the giants like Titleist, Taylormade, etc... However, there has to be some form of material you can use that will allow you to acheive the desired cost effectiveness while having the same performance results. This will open up golf to a completely new demographic for the better.

4. Why do they care?- Consumers in the golf world would appreciate the decrease in cost with the same results as their old clubs, as everyone loves a discount! However, people who were never able to play the game but always wanted to will truly enjoy this new concept to the equipment side of the game. The expanded life approach attained from taking the game seriously will be the true benefit that will drive their loyalty to the brand. They will be the repeat customers that would provide most of the business for the foreseeable future.

5. What are your core competencies?- Our commitment to diverseness yet still allowing everyone to be included is what will set us apart from the rest of the golf industry. By exemplifying this in our day to day business practices in unison with charitable marketing practices, we will show the world why we are so committed to our initial cause: making golf available for everyone.

Assignment 9- "Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Overview:
I interviewed three males and two females. I felt that interviewing both genders would capture the true demographic of golfers. However, since male golfers make up 62.5% of all golfers in the world, I figured having an extra male would be a more accurate assessment. Anyways, this is what I found when analyzing the "who's, what's and why's" that lie outside the boundary of the traditional boundary definition of my hypothesis:
Who- This is anyone who has an interest in/plays the game of golf. However, for my opportunity idea I was specifically trying to target novices of the game. This is because if their first ever club purchasing experience is from a company that refurbishes, and promotes an all-inclusive approach to the game, they will be more likely to carry that attitude with them to the courses they play/any other golf related event. Ideally, this will create a better stereotype for the game of golf that doesn't just include wealthy individuals. With that being said, anyone outside of my "who" boundary would be intermediate to advanced skill-level players who have already been "grandfathered" into the traditional view towards the game.
What- To eliminate the common perception of golf being a game for the wealthy only. Holistically, this is the same as trying to rid of discrimination within our society. Therefore, I feel that the only people outside of this boundary are wealthy individuals who want to keep golf the way it is in order to promote their feeling of exclusiveness. I wouldn't say that these people represent racists, homophobics, etc... However, if you're using the same holistic approach that relates to my specific cause, it would be anybody who wants to keep discrimination alive. No bueno...
Why- In order for golf to be enjoyed by people of all walks of life. The lessons that you learn from advancing in the game also teach you a lot about yourself and how to succeed in the world. The underlying cause of an outsiders need(wealthy golfers) is no different from my target consumers in this sense. However, I will assume that they do not want golf to be enjoyed by all(although this isn't the case for all of them). Therefore, outsiders only share "half" of the need for why in regards to my opportunity.

Who	Inside: Novices to the game of golf who need clubs at a discounted price.	Outside: Intermediate to advanced players who have been fortunate enough to take up the game in a traditional manner.
What	To eliminate the common perception of golf being a game for the wealthy only	People who want golf to be for the more fortunate only.
Why	In order for golf to be enjoyed by people of all walks of life. The lessons that you learn from advancing in the game also teach you a lot about yourself and how to succeed in the world.	For golf to not be enjoyed by everyone, but still agree with the life lessons taught by the game amongst themselves.

  Summary:

After working through this exercise, I can conclude that the outsiders to my boundaries were exactly as I'd thought they'd be. The only exception would be that the outsiders "why" is partially shared with the insiders in that they both agree to the life lessons taught by the game.

Assignment 8- "Solving the Problem"

As I stated in my last post, here is my selected opportunity: "Golf is a game that is associated with wealth, high-class, and just an older demographic in general. This is mainly due to the price of equipment and greens fees, especially at high-end courses. An effort needs to be made by the industry to make quality equipment available to consumers at a more realistic price, as well as implement ways to make the game more affordable, such as offering payment plans."

For the purposes of this assignment , I am going to solely focus on the equipment aspect. Although this is a great idea, here is the main problem I ran into when evaluating further: "How are you going to be able to afford to make such a product while still having a good profit margin?" This is definitely the biggest business related problem with this opportunity as it is expensive to make quality golf clubs, and selling them at a low price would obviously hurt profit.

My solution: Initially, I thought that making equipment under my own brand would be the way to go. However, if we're going to make a decent profit, refurbishing would be the only option. Buying faulty products off of the big brands like Callaway and Titleist would be an option. Refurbishing them under those respective brands but having the necessary tools to allow custom-fitting options regardless of the club brand would be ideal. Selling them under my own brand but advertising them under the respective club manufacturer would allow for my brand to gain recognition. Obviously, this would potentially further the stereotype around golf, as it would mean if you want a less expensive club, it would have to be refurbished or just not of name-brand recognition. However, this isn't the only solution to this problem. This is just one, "prototypical" solution.

Assignment 7- "Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

1. Opportunity: Golf is a game that is associated with wealth, high-class, and just an older demographic in general. This is mainly due to the price of equipment and greens fees, especially at high-end courses. An effort needs to be made by the industry to make quality equipment available to consumers at a more realistic price, as well as implement ways to make the game more affordable, such as offering payment plans.

2. "Who, What, Why"

-For Who?- Individuals who have an interest in the game of golf, but are being "crowded out" by the established, wealthy consumers of golf who clearly show a sense of pride in the game's association with class and power.

For What?- To eliminate or at least reduce the game's stereotype of only rich people being able to play the game. This has been greatly reduced in the last couple decades, however more work still needs to be done.

Why?- So that everyone can experience the wonderful game of golf, as well as all the life-lessons that come with advancing in the game. Golf should be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of their background/demographics.

3. Hypothesis- To provide custom fit golf equipment for novices of the game at a fraction of the price as any competitors custom fit equipment.
-I would say only the people in my current "who" have this need. That is, people who want to take up the game but don't feel they can afford it in the long run.
-If this could be successfully implemented, it would without a doubt make a dent in the current stereotype surrounding golf.
-Some people may already be golfers, and just want quality, custom-fit equipment at a lower price. While this is good and well, for now I would like to solely focus on novices. This "why" can be tackled once the hypothesis holds true/becomes successful.

4. Interviews- I will try my best to cover the "general range" of golfers/people interested in golf to better assess the validity of my opportunity hypothesis.

1. Mark:
-Mark, give me a brief background of your experience with golf
A: I've been playing since I was 15, and now I'm 40. So I'm no novice! I have a 5 handicap.
-How much money do you make a year?
A: Usually between $200,000-$250,000.
-Do you feel that golf should be made more widely available to other types of consumers?
A: Why yes, I think that would be good. How are they going to afford it though?
-Do you feel that there is a stereotype that surrounds the game of golf? If so, what is it?
A: Yes. Golf is commonly associated with upper-class. To be honest with you, I like the aristocracy that surrounds the game. It makes me feel truly elite when I have people put my bag in my cart for me, and calling me "Sir" in every conversation, etc...
-So you'd rather enjoy this aspect of the game, and let other people who might not be as financially well off as you miss out on what really matters about the game of golf?
-No comment. When can I leave?

2. Justin:
-Justin, give me a brief background of your experience with golf.
A: I've been playing for about ten years. I'd say I'm an intermediate player, since I can't play every weekend.
-How much money do you make a year?
A: About $80,000.
-Do you feel that golf should be made more widely available to other types of consumers?
A: Of course. It's pretty apparent that golf companies today are biased with who they market to.
-Do you feel that there is a stereotype that surrounds the game of golf? If so, what is it?
A: Without a doubt. It's what I alluded to in your last question, and that is that the golf industry is very dependent on it's high class consumers; both for profit and stereotypical image reasons... wait did I just say stereotype?
-What would you think about a cutting-edge golf equipment company that focuses on marketing to people who can't afford traditional golf equipment/beginners? Custom-fitting options would be available as well.
A: That sounds like it would be fantastic. Could very well eliminate a lot of notions about the game. However, how are you going to be able to afford to make such a product while still having a good profit margin? (Good question Justin. We'll get to that a little later...)

3. Sarah:
-Sarah, give me a brief background of your experience with golf.
A: I'm currently 19, and play golf in college. So I'm no beginner.
-How much money do you make in a year?
A: I don't make any money. I use whatever is on my dad's credit card.
-Do you have goals of playing on the LPGA tour?
A: Of course. However, it's very tough to get a spot to play there, and I don't know if I'll ever be quite good enough to be a consistent tour player. We'll see what happens.
-Do you feel that golf should be made more widely available to other types of consumers?
A: Yes, but I feel like golf is so strongly associated with wealth that it will never happen.
-Do you feel that there is a stereotype that surrounds the game of golf? If so, what is it?
A: Obviously. As I just stated, it has a stereotype of only rich people being able to play.
-What would you think about a cutting-edge golf equipment company that focuses on marketing to people who can't afford traditional golf equipment/beginners? Custom-fitting options would be available as well.
A: I mean that sounds great and all, but I don't think it would be able to compete with the like's of Callaway and Titleist for long...

4. Tessa:
-Tessa, give me a brief background of your experience with golf.
A: I am currently 32 years old and have never played.
-How much money do you make in a year?
A: My husband and I combined make about $80,000. We have two kids as well.
-Does you husband play golf?
A: No. I'm the only one currently interested in taking it up.
-Do you feel that golf should be made more widely available to other types of consumers?
A: Absolutely. Especially for middle-class people like me who can't afford to currently play on a regular basis.
-Do you feel that there is a stereotype that surrounds the game of golf? If so, what is it?
A: Golf is a game that is strongly associated with high-class and wealth. Through the years, that is what has created the stereotype. However, there is definitely a growing movement to try and "de-gentrify" the game, so to speak.
-What would you think about a cutting-edge golf equipment company that focuses on marketing to people who can't afford traditional golf equipment/beginners? Custom-fitting options would be available as well.
A: That sounds amazing! Obviously there are some big business-related questions to tackle there in order for it to be successful. However, that sounds like a big step in the right direction if change is really going to happen.

5. Jack:
-Jack, give me a brief background of your experience with golf.
A: I'm currently 21 and am a college student. I've messed around with my buddies on the course here and there but I've never actually taken a lesson or really tried to learn the game.
-How much money do you make in a year?
A: I'm in college, what do you think? I'll give you a hint: not enough.
-Do you feel that golf should be made more widely available to other types of consumers?
A: It definitely seems like it should. I'm sick of seeing a bunch of old men who drive Cadillac's every time I go to the course.
-Do you feel that there is a stereotype that surrounds the game of golf? If so, what is it?
A: It definitely has this "high class mentality" associated with it so I guess that would be the stereotype.
-What would you think about a cutting-edge golf equipment company that focuses on marketing to people who can't afford traditional golf equipment/beginners? Custom-fitting options would be available as well.
A: That sounds awesome. I'd definitely buy clubs like that. I feel like that would be hard to make a reality, but by all means go for it!

Summary: As you can see, I covered a wide array of current golfers as well as people who have minimal to no experience with the sport. I purposefully incorporated both genders into my interviews to show that golf is just as much of a woman's game these days as well. Anyways, it's easy to tell that Sarah and Mark are identical consumers, just different genders and are at different life stages. Both have the traditional view on golf deeply ingrained in them, so much so that they're proud of the class divide. Obviously, they're on the high-class side of the spectrum and the power that comes with that is what's fueling their pride. Given that many high-profile golf brands have great relationships with consumers like Sarah and Mark, it will be hard to persuade customers like them. Moving on, Justin is the perfect example of the "average" golfer. He definitely doesn't belong to a country club, but has a decent set of sticks. He's aware of the problem that the stereotype brings to the game, and would definitely be for a cheaper alternative in going about the game. He poses the best question of all the people interviewed: "How are you going to be able to afford to make such a product while still having a good profit margin?" I can't directly answer this question right now as there is so much that goes into it. However, that will be the biggest challenge in order for this opportunity to become a reality. Tessa and Justin are identical consumers(in terms of their viewpoints), and she actually poses the same question as Justin, just in her own words. Finally, Jack is the perfect example of a "true novice." He is generally unaware of the "golf culture,"(unlike Tessa) and only knows that their is a "high-class mentality" associated with the game. These are the kind of customers that would need to be targeted the most for this opportunity to work. Getting enough people without any pre-conceived notions about the game on board a business plan like this will only strengthen the movement towards golf equity for all.

Assignment 6- "Identifying Opportunities in Economic and Regulatory Trends"

Economic Opportunity #1: Tax Bill and Budget Agreement will increase spending, improve economy-in the short term

Upon reviewing some of the actions of the Trump Administration this past year, I have found two bills that were passed that will definitely improve the economy-but not indefinitely. Trump passed a newly reformed tax plan bill that is much different from Obama's. In simple terms, everyone will be receiving a tax cut in 2018. Also, Trump passed a 1.3 trillion dollar federal spending bill in March, averting a government shutdown. Now, why do I think this will improve our economy short term? The answer is simple: increased spending. This will temporarily offset our debt and at least give us a fighting chance to pay it back... So, the American people(prototypical customer) better be thankful for this as there are plenty of reasons why this shouldn't be happening right now... This will obviously be easy to exploit because if people have more disposable income what are they going to do with it? I am going to assume spend it. Finally, I saw this opportunity because I have taken economics classes before. However, I feel that most educated individuals would have been able to see this as well.
Source(s): https://www.daveramsey.com/blog/tax-reform-bill
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/22/us/politics/house-passes-spending-bill.html

Regulatory Opportunity #1: US must come to an agreement with trading partners to improve future economy

I found this opportunity while I was writing my economic opportunity above. I mentioned that the increases in spending and decreased taxes will only help us in the short run. This is because Trump has issued taxes on US imports, specifically with China. Assuming they remain for at least the next 2-3 years, any economic momentum we would have gained up to this point will come to a halt. China's trade volume will obviously decrease, and the countries that are affected by US-China trade relations will also not want to trade with us either. It would be very ill-advised for Trump to not lift these tariffs soon, as after all China is who we are most in debt to. They're without a doubt our most important "customer." It is going to be very difficult to exploit this as well because of the amount of money we owe China. Let's just hope that our domestic economy does well enough over the next couple of years so that this negotiation goes as smoothly as possible...
Finally, I saw this opportunity because I have taken economics classes before. However, I feel that most educated individuals would have been able to see this as well.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/23/us-china-trade-war-new-round-of-american-tariffs-on-chinese-imports.html

Economic Opportunity #2: With a fully employed economy, higher wages can become a reality

This opportunity came to mind when I looked at our current unemployment rate. As of today we have an unemployment rate of 3.9 percent. If you've ever taken an economics class, you'd know that "full employment" is 4 percent. This means that virtually anyone who is willing and able to work is currently working. At 3.9 percent, that means that there's slightly more job openings than people who are trying to find a job. If we can get down to maybe 3.5 percent, there's a chance the government will increase the minimum wage, leading other wages to increase as well. However, the only way this opportunity will exist is if everything regarding our foreign relations/trade(mentioned above) pans out in our favor. If it doesn't, I don't think we'll be hitting 3.5 percent anytime soon... "Prototypical customer?" Anyone in America who wants to work of course! Even if our foreign relations/trade issues work out, this will still be hard to exploit due to a lot of other factors at hand such as other economic trends, regulatory trends, societal discrepancies, etc...
Finally, I saw this opportunity because I have taken economics classes before. However, I feel that most educated individuals would have been able to see this as well.
Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/07/hello-full-employment/564527/

Regulatory Opportunity #2: With e-commerce businesses now having to pay sales taxes, they should aim for quantity over quality

Although my argument results in an economic opportunity, if it weren't for the regulatory change of taxes for online businesses, the opportunity would have never been able to exist. If you still don't agree with me, please let me know why in the comments. Anyways, I found this opportunity when reading through some of the US regulatory changes that happened this year. Before the Supreme court passed it 5-4, e-commerce businesses didn't have to worry about paying sales taxes. However, those days are now gone. My theory is that people pay the higher sales taxes on more expensive items right? Why not just change your business model and focus on cheaper goods that are still in high demand? Such as groceries, for example. I will admit that Amazon pantry and other innovative online grocers definitely inspired my thought process here. Anyways, the more of these type of products they sell, the less sales taxes they'll have to pay. Ideally, they'll make enough profit from this as well as their traditional products to pay all the taxes, and maybe even having some money left over! The "customer" would be anyone in the e-commerce industry, however the "actual customers" could maybe be considered "customers" as well since they'll have an easier way of getting groceries? Either way, as long as the respective businesses can figure out the logistics, there should be fair exploitation of this opportunity.
Source: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7671-regulatory-issues-changes.html

Assignment 5-"Identifying Local Opportunities"

Opportunity #1:

1. Title: James F. Lawrence: Foot soldiers needed to fight prejudice and poverty
2. Link: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AGSGB%21Gainesville%2BSun%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0905%21September%2B05&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E49EC10BEE4A70
3.Description of the story: Gainesville for All, an organization that is committed to eliminating racial inequality in the community, is eager to transcend their mission into a bountiful reality. However, they feel that they don't have the local support to truly end racism in Gainesville. The "Friendship 7," which includes various institutions(such as UF) and local government groups within Gainesville is the alliance that they are calling on for help. They ask for more "soldiers," as well as to adopt new projects to better certain Gainesville neighborhoods.
4. Description of the problem: The problem is that Gainesville for All feels that they don't have enough local support for their cause. It's clear that they care deeply about it as well since they also state numerous facts in the article that proves Gainesville's race disparity to be on of the worst among the nation's cities.
5. Description of who has the problem: Gainesville for All has the problem. More specifically though, anyone in the community who has a strong desire to end racial inequality.

Opportunity #2:

1. Title: After tail kicking, Gators work to correct lapses on defense
2. Link: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AGSGB%21Gainesville%2BSun%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0911%21September%2B11&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E689642B0C8DB8
3. Description of the story: The Florida Gators unfortunately snapped a 31-game win streak over the annual SEC East matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats last Saturday night. One of the biggest factors in the loss was the lack of physicality shown by the Gator defense. The Gators gave up 303 rush yards to the Kentucky RB duo. These are abysmal numbers for the Gator Standard. Hopefully the Gators will have their defense in shape for the Colorado State game tomorrow.
4. Description of the problem: The Florida Gators defense needs to work on playing more physical at the line, as well as to miss fewer tackles.
5. Description of who has the problem: The University of Florida Gators Football Team.

Opportunity 3: 
1. Title: John Ward: Alachua County faces dangerous changes to climate
2. Link: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AGSGB%21Gainesville%2BSun%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0910%21September%2B10&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E5F0986222A5C0
3. Description of the story: John Ward, a Gainesville resident and writer for the Gainesville Sun, cites numerous sources to describe the potential hazards of the future if our climate change issue isn't properly addressed. Specifically, he talks about the potential for long periods of flooding followed by droughts in North Central Florida.
4. Description of the problem: Global Warming is causing an increase in sea water temperatures, as well as atmospheric temperatures. This combination is slowing down Hurricanes in the Atlantic, which allows them to build even stronger. Air currents have a tendency to get stuck in one place, and when this happens with large Hurricanes, they just sit there and let out everything that they had built up. This is what happened with Hurricane Harvey in Houston last year. Essentially, North Central Florida has the potential to become a climate nightmare in the future due to Global Warming trends. Long periods of drought, followed by long periods of flooding, combined with long periods of temperatures over 105 degrees Fahrenheit does NOT sound like fun...
5. Description of who has the problem: Technically, everyone in the world could potentially have this problem. However, for the sake of this specific article let's just say two parties have this problem: Residents of North Central Florida and their respective legislators. It's going to be interesting to see how the relationship between these two parties pans out in the future when it comes to climate change... Not just in Florida but across the country as well.

Opportunity 4:
1. Title: Robert Mounts: Affordable housing plan needs fine-tuning
2. Link: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AGSGB%21Gainesville%2BSun%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0910%21September%2B10&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E5F09852CADA20
3. Description of the story: Robert Mounts, president of the University Park Neighborhood Association in Gainesville, is concerned about the current logistics of the city's new affordable housing plan. Known as " GNV R.I.S.E.," it's goal is to eliminate the racial and economic divide in housing.
4. Description of the problem: GNV R.I.S.E. is allowing for duplexes and other kinds of multi-family housing in certain areas where single-family houses have been well established. Since most of the single-family houses north of campus cater to temporary renters anyways(students), what's going to stop them from renting out a duplex in these same areas? This would only take away from the initiative in the first place. Mounts wants to eliminate this possibility in these kinds of neighborhoods, and for houses to be built and rented to non-student residents who need to live closer, but can't afford it.
5. Description of who has the problem: Any Gainesville resident who can prove they qualify for affordable housing, as well as a need to live closer to the university.

Opportunity 5:
1. Title: Tim Tebow still believes in college football
2. Link: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AGSGB%21Gainesville%2BSun%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0906%21September%2B06&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E4F393EFA7F380
3. Description of the story: Tim Tebow was in town a couple of weeks ago for a charity event when he was asked about the current state of college football. Given the recent off-season scandals of the Maryland and Ohio State programs, as well as Florida's not so great off the field reputation as of late, it seems his answer could've been anything. However, he talked about the tradition, passion that's strongly associated with college football. It's true- college football is a whole different animal from the NFL. I couldn't agree with Tebow more!
4. Description of the problem: Certain individuals have begun to lack faith in the culture around college football as a whole, given the recent scandals tied to numerous programs across the country.
5. Description of who has the problem: Anyone who isn't sure about the current state of college football based off of the associated recent scandals and stories. However, you could make an argument that high school recruits have the problem as well, since the next four years of their lives could be in potential jeopardy if something happens to college football, assuming this track record of immorality continues.

Assignment 4- "Forming an Opportunity Belief"

1. Beginning point:
-I believe that regardless of an individual's current work/school/life balance, they should be able to find the time to pursue a study/hobby outside of work and/or school.

2. Describe the belief:
First off, what is the unmet need? It is a need that deep down, every human has, whether they want to admit it or not. It is the need to learn and grow as an individual, based off of your personal interests.
Second, who has the need? The answer to this is simple: yourself. You're the only person who knows what's best for yourself based on these circumstances.
Third, where did this need come from? Is it new or has it always existed? I feel that the answer to this question will vary from person to person. For some people, they know that there's something they've always been interested in from the surface, but never gathered the courage to truly pursue it. For others, a recent life experience may have triggered the drive to pursue something, based off of the newly formed belief from this life experience. Again, this is something that only the individual can answer.
Finally, the Fourth question: What are people doing to meet this need now? Based off of what the individual wants to pursue and why, people who are successfully meeting this need are getting past any issues that hindered them from starting in the first place(legitimate problems, confidence issues, etc...) and are "pedal-to-the-metal" trying their best at a new study/hobby. The end goal is to become proficient enough at whatever this may be to where you can truly say to yourself "I really learned and grew as a person from this experience."
How sure am I that this opportunity exists?(In a percentage estimate) I am 100% certain that this opportunity exists. It's a form of "potential energy" inside of every human. It's just a matter of taking the right steps to activate it.

3. Identify the prototypical customer:
Now I will give three examples of three prototypical "customers" who would benefit from pursuing a new hobby/study of interest.
1. A mother/wife named Kelly who works full-time, has a nanny to watch her kids during the day, and is grateful when she has enough time to watch an episode of a TV show with her husband at night before bed. She's always had an interest in art and did paint for a little bit as a child. Recently, she's developed an interest in pottery, but hasn't yet pursued it for a multitude of reasons(we'll get to those later).
2. A single man named Ron who also works full time. Ron is interested in sports and cars, but has also always had an interest in electric guitar. Ron never pursued learning how to play because his parents couldn't afford to get him one as a kid. He feels that he is in a "rut" from doing the same thing every days for the past few years, and is eager to finally pursue a long-time interest of his...
3. A college student named Michael. Michael is fortunate enough to where he hasn't had to work to support himself through college. Michael went through some tough times during his childhood, with his father passing away at the age of 7 and his mom always gone at work. Michael has always been interested in the Sciences(Biology, Chemistry, etc...) but never really immersed himself in them during high school. Currently, he is an Economics major, in which he has moderate interest in. If Michael can get past his confidence issues, he would love to change his major and pursue what he really wants in life...

4.  Iteration #1(Customer 1):
Me(the Interviewer): Hello all! I hope everyone has had a fantastic day thus far! Welcome to the TV Show "Pursue Now," where we analyze an individuals interests and discover which new hobby/study they should take on in order to lead a happier and healthier life! Kelly from California is our guest today. Kelly, I have a few questions to ask you about your want, or should I say need to pursue art as a hobby. How long have you been interested in art for?
Kelly: Honestly, since I was a little girl. I've painted for a little bit as a child and into my preteen years. However, I began to draw after that and eventually after high school just stopped altogether. I guess college happened after that, and then life! I watched a show with my husband about pottery recently, and it kind of rekindled my passion for art, but specifically pottery.
Me: That's okay! It's good to hear that you've realized a newfound passion. Now, let's get into the root of the problem here. What is the exact nature of your need to pursue pottery? Do you experience the desire all the time or only sometimes?
Kelly: Well I've been at my current job for over 10 years now, and it's something I do enjoy for the most part. It's good pay and has benefits such as health insurance so I don't think I want to change my career anytime soon. Being 38 and having two kids as a full time employee, I would love it if I could retire but my husband and I simply can't afford that right now. In other words, I definitely don't think about pottery all the time. So it isn't something that I want to change my whole life over.
Me: That's good to hear though because you're being honest with yourself. So, how long have you had this need? You said you watched the TV show with your husband recently, correct?
Kelly: Yes, I'd say about 3 months ago.
Me: Oh, wow. So very recently! Were you aware of your interest in pottery before you watched the TV show?
Kelly: To be honest with you, no. I've just been so busy during my adult life with work, kids, their needs, etc...
Me: Well that worked out perfectly, as I was just about to ask you why you weren't aware of your interest prior to the TV Show! Have you done anything to pursue your interest in pottery yet?
Kelly: Unfortunately, no. I've been meaning to sign up for one of my local classes, but just haven't gotten around to it.
Me: No worries at all! Let me ask you one more question before you leave. Will you be more satisfied than you were when you walked in if we sign you up for your local class right now? Obviously, we'll work around your work/family schedule as well as pay for the first three sessions!
Kelly: Oh, absolutely! I would really appreciate that! Does the expression on my face answer your question?(picture a super happy facial expression)
Me: (chuckles) Yes Kelly, I think it does. Thanks again for joining us on "Pursue Now." We'll see you next week!
(End Interview)

Iteration #2(Customer 2):
Me(The Interviewer): Hello all! I hope everyone has had a fantastic day thus far! Welcome to the TV Show "Pursue Now," where we analyze an individuals interests and discover which new hobby/study they should take on in order to lead a happier and healthier life! Ron from Ohio is our guest today. Ron, I have a few questions to ask you about your want, or should I say need to pursue electric guitar as a hobby. How long have you been interested in it for?
Ron: Well, I've been a NASCAR fan my whole life and the music associated with that culture is heavily influenced by the electric guitar. So I've definitely always had an interest in it. However about 2 months ago, I saw Dead and Company in concert. As sad as it may sound, this was my first concert ever! Anyways, the way John Mayer played the guitar truly inspired me to pick it up myself.
Me: That's awesome! I'm personally a big fan of John Mayer and the Dead myself. What is the exact nature of your need to pursue electric guitar? Do you experience the desire all the time or only sometimes?
Ron: Well, considering the fact that I work as a mortgage broker full time, it's definitely not a constant thing I think about. I truly do like my job, but sticking to the same schedule for awhile gets old. After that concert, I realized I needed to "spice up my life" a bit.
Me: Ron, it seems that you already know what you're doing! So you have started playing at this point?
Ron: Yes! I picked up a Fender Telecaster two days after the concert and have been practicing since. I'm still a novice though!
Me: That is truly amazing to hear Ron. Let me ask you one more question before the show ends. Are you more satisfied now that you've started to pursue your passion of playing electric guitar versus when you were solely thinking about it?
Ron: Oh, absolutely! It feels like a huge weight off my shoulders. Yet, the weight has been replaced with the desire to learn!
Me: Ron, best of luck on your journey as a guitarist. We are going to sign you up for three complimentary lessons at your local Guitar Center before you leave. Thanks again to everyone for tuning in to another episode of "Pursue Now!" We'll see y'all again next week!
(End Interview)

Iteration #3(Customer 3):
Me(The Interviewer):  Hello all! I hope everyone has had a fantastic day thus far! Welcome to the TV Show "Pursue Now," where we analyze an individuals interests and discover which new hobby/study they should take on in order to lead a happier and healthier life! Michael from South Carolina is our guest today. Michael, I have a few questions to ask you about your want, or should I say need to pursue a study in Biochemistry. How long have you been interested in it for?
Michael: To be honest with you, I think I've been interested in it for longer than I'd thought. It was one of those things where I'm two years into my major in Economics but realized about two months ago that in hindsight I wished I would've majored in Biochemistry instead.
Me: Michael, it's good that you're being honest with yourself. It's not too late to change your major... However let me ask you another set of questions. What is the exact nature of your need to pursue a major in Biochemistry? Do you experience the desire all the time or only sometimes?
Michael: Definitely all the time. Basically, every time I open up my computer to work on my current courses for Economics, I think "Man, is this what I really want to be studying?"
Me: Well Michael, I'm not going to lie to you. It's evident that you're not doing what you really want to do. You said you realized "in hindsight" that you should've majored in Biochemistry. What specifically would you have done differently in the past to be in this position today?
Michael: It's simple really. I should've taken the sciences more seriously in high school. Instead of taking AP Human Geography and Psychology, I should've taken AP Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and probably Calculus since that obviously applies to some aspects of these studies as a whole.
Me: Wow, it's clear you've put some thought to this. Why weren't you aware of this in high school? It seems that you knew what to do all along?...
Michael: Well, I guess it all comes down to having confidence in yourself to achieve something. First off, I was not a long-term oriented thinker in high school. This has definitely changed in college. In other words, I simply never thought about it. I always said I was going to do something business related because that's what my parents do. Again, I only wrote myself off as such because of my lack of confidence in myself. This is what caused me to limit myself to eventually Economics and then... well I think I summed it up pretty good there...(nervous tone and complexion).
Me: It's okay Michael. No need to be nervous. The fact that you were able to explain to me that self-confidence is the root to why you didn't do anything about it in the past proves that you know why you didn't pursue it, which is huge. Now, Michael. You know that it's not too late for you to change your major. How would you like it if we paid for your first semester of Biochemistry courses at... which college do yo go to again?
Michael: The University of Florida, sir.
Me: Oh wow. I've heard a lot of great things about the Gators down there in Gainesville.
Michael: Yes sir. It's truly a special place. Wait- I have to actually get into the program though.
Me: Yes Michael. This is under the assumption that you get in.
Michael: Well, in that case- (takes a moment to think, obviously very emotional) YES! I would love to!!! Thank you so much!(Bursts out tears of joy, simultaneously goes to give the Interviewer a hug)
Me: Oh! It's our pleasure Michael! It's truly our pleasure! Thanks again to everyone for tuning in to another episode of "Pursue Now!" We'll see y'all again next week!
(End Interview)
5. Reflection:
As you can see, each one of these individuals came from and had a very different set of circumstances. Kelly, a full-time employee with two children and a husband, was an example of a very typical case as to why she hadn't pursued her hobby: time. She's always on the go, either worrying about work-related matters or her kids. She's happy to be able to spend time with her husband at night. However, she came to the conclusion that she needs to do something else in her life, something she has a passion for. Even though she's only doing her pottery class for an hour a week twice a week, it's something she can escape too. An outlet for her creativity. She now knows that no matter how hard the week will be, she has that personal time to look forward to.

Ron, on the other hand, was an example of an individual who knew what he wanted all along, but just didn't have the financial means to begin electric guitar as a kid. Because of this, he had to work extra hard growing up, eventually paying his way through college and landing a job as a Mortgage Broker. He must've forgotten about his childhood passion through those years, until something rekindled those deep desires: John Mayer's insane guitar solos. From here, Ron realized his old desire, and went out and purchased an electric guitar. He is now well on his way to excelling at his new hobby. Ron definitely had the most "straightforward" case of the three.

Finally, we get to Michael. Michael without a doubt had the most complex case of the three. Mainly for one reason: confidence issues. Based off of Michael's past, he was never able to have someone in his life (a consistent father-figure) to instill this in him during his formative years. Therefore, he kind of just "went with the flow" and did what most people expected from him, but not what he truly wanted. Fortunately, he was able to realize that he's at an age where he can do whatever he wants and that regardless of what he didn't learn growing up, it's never too late to change. The only thing that can give an individual confidence is the individual. More specifically, the actions the individual takes. It's truly inspiring to see Michael "get out of his own way" and pursue the major he always wanted.

6. Refer to #'s 3-5 above^^^
7. Summarize:
1. How much of your original opportunity is still there?
- 100 percent of it still exists no doubt. I will say that there are some things that hinder an individual from pursuing new hobbies/passions such as financial constraints, location, etc... However, at it's core purpose, any and every person still has the ability to do this if they are determined.
2. Do you believe that your new opportunity is more accurate than when you started?
-Seeing that I haven't deviated from the thought process of my original opportunity, I honestly cannot answer this question.
3. How much do you think Entrepreneurs should 'adapt' their opportunities based on customer feedback?(In other words, is there a trade off between adapting and staying firm?)
-There is no doubt a trade off between adapting and staying firm to your ideas based off an opportunity. If you stay too firm, you'll never be able to capture the true needs of the customer. Conversely, if you adapt too much, you'll never capture the true needs of yourself. There is an exact balance between these two elements that allows for Entrepreneurial harmony.

Assignment 3- "Your Entrepreneurship Story"

1. During the summer going into my sophomore year of high school, I was a Junior Golf Leader at a First Tee of Tampa Bay golf camp. The camp took place at Bay Palms Golf Complex on MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, FL. This also happened to be the site of my "home golf course." Although this position doesn't directly relate to Entrepreneurship, it requires you to think like an entrepreneur. For Example, a lot of the times I would have to come up with different games that allowed the kids to have fun while practicing their golf games. One of those games was called "Knockout." Similar to how you would play on the basketball court, the kids would putt to the hole one at a time. If the kid behind you makes the putt before you do, then you're out. Or, if you make the putt in one stroke and the kid behind you fails to do so, he/she is out. The only difference is that it wasn't a race like how you would play on the basketball course. After all, we were playing golf. The fact that I identified unmet needs for a group of individuals(the fact that golf is boring to kids), and came up with a solution(the game that I described above) proves that I was thinking like an Entrepreneur, whether I knew it at the time or not.

2. I enrolled in this course because ideally, I would like to own my own business one day. Whether or not this will come from a "pure Entrepreneurial approach" is unknown. Nonetheless, I figured that taking this class will only aid me in my future goal. Also, this course is counting as an upper-level business elective for me, as I am a Business-Administration-General Studies Major.

Assignment 2- Bug List

Greetings Everyone, here is my "bug list:"

1. The light at the corner of SW 9th Rd and 13th street is definitely one of the slowest to turn green in all of Gainesville.
- I feel that this problem exists for a multitude of reasons. One is that the street light may be improperly calibrated. This could have been done on purpose, as during rush hour there is more traffic coming from the north and west sides of town than the east. Or, the light simply needs to be fixed. Either way, it definitely "bugs" me when I'm trying to go get food or run errands down Archer.

2. When the driving range is closed at the Mark Bostick Golf Course (UF course) due to rain in the previous days. This also makes the course more difficult to play.
- Although this is a reasonable issue to work around, it is still an annoyance nonetheless. The golf balls easily plug in the ground when it is wet, making them near impossible to pick up for the man in charge of the range. This problem also transcends to the course, as I can attest that I've lost many golf balls due to this. Maybe turf grass specialists will be able to come up with a new kind of turf that drains easier? Or some kind of new technology can be developed and implemented that helps the course dry faster? Either way, it's a difficult problem to tackle here in rainy Florida.

3. When the line inside of the Steak and Shake on SW 13th St gets way too long, filled with a mix of dine-in customers and to-go customers. The dine-in customers just want to pay, while the to-go just want to order. This can create tension and the potential for "line cutters" as well. Also, it is typically on a Friday or Saturday night between midnight and 2am when this "bug" is on the prowl.
-There's only one reason why this problem exists: Steak and Shake's payment method is horrendous. Just designate one cashier/register for to-go and one for dine-in. Come on guys, it's not that hard...

4. When you've clearly been waiting for a spot to open in a crowded gas station, but someone who has a gas tank on the opposite side of their vehicle from yours comes in from the other direction and steals it.
-This only happens because most humans fail to adhere to the "most famous virtue:" patience. People just want to get to where they're going, with little to no consideration to others. While this is the root of the problem, it's one that doesn't have a simple solution. Gas stations should maybe consider having people(or robots?) man and monitor each pump again.

5. When people with scooters would block me in at the house parking lot last year, simply because they were lazy and careless.
-This was an ongoing problem for me last year, as the parking lot at the house I lived at last year was far from ideal. To make matters worse, my parking spot was directly in line with the designated scooter parking. Countless times I had to move scooters out of the way when there were a lot of brothers at the house. Even making a formal statement about it didn't eliminate the problem. Hopefully, brothers will be more conscientious this year and will use their brain before they park.

6. When Gainesville drivers can't comprehend the concept of the "4-Way Stop."
-Honestly, this problem shouldn't even exist. If you have a valid driver's license and a car, this should be second-nature to you at this point. Nonetheless, it is still a problem I face at least once a week. Just remember, whoever pulled up to the stop sign first has the right of way. That's it! Problem solved?...

7. When your fairly simple fast-food order is not what you ordered at all.
-I find that I run into this problem the most at the McDonalds on University Ave, usually sometime past midnight. I understand that some of the employees are working the overnight shift and that sleep deprivation is real. However, when I ask for two McChickens and a medium fry, I don't expect to get two cheeseburgers... C'mon McDonald's! Drink some coffee and pay attention! It's only your job...

8. That one friend who you can't have a "real" conversation with.
-This is probably the deepest bug on my list. However, I wanted to include it because I feel this is a real problem in our society today. I understand that some people have had it worse growing up than other's, etc... This doesn't mean you should block your true self and emotions and not be able to have a meaningful conversation. This only hurts the individual more in the long-run...

9. When you forget to do laundry when you absolutely need to.
-In my opinion laundry is one of the most important chores to do, yet it's always pushed to the back-burner. I feel that this is because we all have a lot of other things to worry about than "that stupid laundry." Let's be honest: it's a very mundane task. There are services around Gainesville that will pick up and do your laundry for you, charging by the pound. While this is a possible solution, it's definitely not a cost-effective one. Maybe someone should invent a laundry alarm with a piercing voice that screams "do your laundry!" on repeat?... Or I should just do my laundry.

10. When you deviate from your planned grocery list.
-Everyone has had that moment at the grocery store where they say "Ooh, maybe I should add a box of Oreo's, they're only 4 dollars..." Triple your daily serving of high fructose corn syrup and an extra 40 dollars later you say to yourself, "Well that wasn't what I was planning..." I guess this is why delivering groceries is becoming a thing: more people have self-control behind their computers versus in the grocery store!

11. PROCRASTINATION:
-This is something that I personally struggle with a lot, but I know a lot of other kids in college do as well. There's no solution to this problem other than yourself(or maybe robots?). Just create a schedule and stay true to it as much as possible. When you do find yourself procrastinating and not sticking to your schedule, maybe take some notes as to why you decided to procrastinate. This will ultimately lead you to the root of your problem.

12. When the Gators fail to meet preseason expectations.
- I grew up a huge Florida Football fan, so I follow it pretty religiously. Obviously, there are some huge expectations to succeed here at Florida(thanks Spurrier). However, the past decade of Florida football has been an absolute roller coaster ride. Last year was abysmal, so they hired Dan Mullen, ex-Offensive Coordinator from the 2005-2008 seasons. Wait a minute, didn't we win two national titles during that time span? And he coached Tebow? After last weeks destruction of CSU, I feel confident that Mullen will put an end to this "bug."

13. When you and your friends can't agree on a place to eat.
-This is usually only a problem when I'm with certain friends who are picky eaters, so they gravitate towards specific restaurants. The hours of midnight to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays are when this debate can get way out of hand. Someone should open a buffet style restaurant in Gainesville that serves Pizza, Mexican Food, and Chinese Food. This would be a miracle...

14. When you forget to where your sunglasses on a day when they're a necessity.
-What's almost as bad as this is when you wear your sunglasses on an overcast day... Anyways, this problem is usually due to having good intentions, yet poor execution. As long as you can get in the habit of checking the weather consistently, this will be a problem of the past.

15. Forgetting your laptop charger at the worst possible time.
-We've all been here... You're walking into Marston or Lib West, prepared for a grueling session of Study Edge videos and the mountain of practice problems to follow. As you get your station organized you realize you're missing a key ingredient: your laptop charger... This warrants an extra trip back home, which not only wastes time but just makes you not want to study even more. Wouldn't it be cool if there was a desk that could charge all laptops just by placing the computer on it?

16. Cleaning up after your roommates.
-If you've never experienced this tragedy throughout college, you are one lucky soul. Really, the only way to fix this "bug" is to chew out your roommate(s) until they carry their weight fairly. Or just live alone? Either way, there's no simple solution.

17. Waiting too long to get a haircut.
-If you're a guy who likes to keep short hair, this is always a constant struggle. Just like laundry, this is one of those mundane tasks that easily slips the mind. What if there was some medical technology that analyzed your hair type bases off of thickness, genetics, etc... and transferred this data to an app on your phone that told you the growth rate of your hair? Now that would be something!

18. Oversleeping your alarm.
This has to be one of the most common problems among all people in America. However in college, sleep truly is a precious commodity. That's what makes this problem so difficult, because it's ultimately up to you to have the responsibility to get up on time in order to do the things you need to do. I personally struggle with this a lot, as well as in general having sleeping problems. There are plenty of "smart alarms" available on the app store that supposedly track your sleep and wake you up at a time when you're in the lightest stage of sleep to optimize your chances of feeling refreshed and alert for the day. Yet, there are so many other contributing factors to this problem. In the short-run, the individual is the only solution.

19. Not exercising enough.
-This is definitely a big problem for me. I know that my generation in particular has really emphasized this, as it seems more kids work-out my age than don't. Yet, it's always hard to find the "activation energy" to get started, as well as the motivation to continue for a long period of time. I guess I just need to keep reading about all the health benefits to it until it just "sticks."

20. Pursuing studies you're passionate about- outside of school/work.
If you're passionate about your major, good for you! In reality, most people couldn't say that with full faith. Having interests and hobbies outside of work/school is very important. Working out(as aforementioned) could be one. Reading about a topic that interests you, picking up an instrument, or sport are just a few other examples. Not only will this keep you distracted from stressors at work/school, but your mind will grow from learning. Who knows, maybe your hobby will turn into your profession...

Reflection:
-I found this assignment moderately difficult. Although I came up with most of my "bugs" on my own, I did ask for the opinions of others, which absolutely influenced my decision(s) to use certain bugs over others. All in all, I enjoyed the critical thinking aspect of the assignment as it brought some personal issues of mine to light as well.

ENT 3003 Fall 2018 Test Post

This is just a test post for ENT 3003 at UF, Fall 2018.