14A - Halfway Reflection

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

This course has definitely tested by knowledge. Because it is an online course, I enjoy how I can make my own schedule regarding when to watch lectures and complete the weekly assignments. Professor Pryor is a very engaging speaker and does a great job at keeping the material fun and interesting. Within these last few weeks, I feel I have definitely gotten better at developing my entrepreneurial intelligence. Though difficult at times, each week I am learning how to train my brain into thinking like an entrepreneur and build a new idea off of a prior one. That being said, I am eager and excited to continue with this course and further enhance the quality of my entrepreneurial skill set to see where I can take my business opportunity.

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

There have definitely been a few moments within these last two months where I have felt like giving up. Some of the concepts and ideas have seemed to farfetched that I felt like I would never be able to grasp them, much less build off of them. This was particularly present within the first couple of weeks because I have never really exercised an entrepreneurial mindset, so I was very discouraged. However, I do feel that I have learned a lot and become tenacious. The weekly objectives almost come naturally to me now and rarely struggle with completing assignments in a thorough manner. I hope to continue with this progress and build a business opportunity that I am proud of.

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

• Think about and develop a business idea you are truly passionate about.
• Read the assignments before watching the lectures. This will help you apply the key points Professor Pryor highlights to your work.
• Take into consideration the comments your peers leave on your work.

13A - Reading Reflection No. 1

For this assignment, I chose to read The Wright Brothers by David McCullough...

1. You read about an entrepreneur:

• What surprised you the most?
• What surprised me the most was how both Wilbur and Oliver Wright had such expansive interests. Their knowledge and passion for architecture in addition to their reflections about the paintings at the Louvre was very unexpected.
• What about the entrepreneur did you most admire?
• I admired the Wrights' drive for creating sometime unheard of. They really studied and were passionate about their research on how birds use their wings to fly in order to build an invention.
•  What about the entrepreneur did you least admire?
• I did not admire how the brothers' theories were not particularly tested in a safe environment. Every time they tested something, they risked hurting themselves just to see if it would work, with complete disregard for how it could effect their well-being.
• Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it?
• Because their design process was so detailed and extensive, the entrepreneurs made mistakes but they learned from them; great attitude to have in an entrepreneurial field. 

2. What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited?

• I noticed how well the Wright brothers worked together. I have a sibling so I know how hard it is to join forces and work in unison. Wilbur was more of the brains of the operation while Orville handled the mechanics, which was helpful in the long run because they were able to apply and combine their individual strengths throughout their operation. 

3. Identifying at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you?

• No part of the book was necessarily confusing to me. I was more so shocked by how the brothers came up with their innovative idea by just reading books.

4. If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why?

• What was the most challenging part of the design and construction process?
• Have either of you had any other entrepreneurial ideas that would like to carry out?

5. For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion?

• I think the entrepreneurs opinion on hard work is to push the limits and challenge the impossible. I have always been a go-getter so I do agree with this. I don't think anyone should ever let nay-sayers or negativity effect their goals. 

12A - Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

Segment: The segment I have chosen to target are students and faculty members on the University of Florida campus. I chose to focus on this segment because, as a student at UF, I believe they are the ones who struggle the most with eating healthy on a budget. I chose the UF campus due to the fact that it is where I go to school and I know firsthand about the available restaurants, both fast-food and sit-down.

3 people to interview:

• UF freshman 
• UF professor 
• UF police officer 

Awareness & information:

• Throughout my interview process, I found that these three people had a common denominator in regards to not having time to buy and prep healthy meals for the week. Though they all felt breakfast was not an issue, as they all wake up relatively early 7 days a week and make their breakfast at home. However, complications arise when it comes to lunch and dinner. The freshman student said majority of her classes are online but she regularly goes to the library during the day to get her work done. She said she does try to prep her lunches but sometimes doesn't get around to it. To add to that, she is a vegetarian and feels there are not a lot of filling meal options on campus. The professor also said he does his best to prep both lunch and dinner as he teaches a night class three days a week. He is very active and prefers to eat as healthy as possible, but may or may not have time to prepare his meals accordingly. The police officer said he and some other officers usually prepare their lunches depending on their shifts and take healthy eating very seriously. He said a place in the center of campus, where he is often stationed, would be extremely convenient. After conducting these interviews, it is clear that a common issue was not having the time to prepare the healthy meals that they would prefer to eat. Due to their constant involvement on campus, it is evident that a place where healthy meals are offered in addition to it being located in a closer proximity would be extremely useful and handy. 

Conclusion
In conclusion, the targeted segment is very much aware of their unmet need. Though there are loop hols to where they could avoid this, more often than not they find themselves dissatisfied. They do feel that there are solutions to this issue, but they do not fulfill their need entirely.

11A - Idea Napkin No. 1

1. My name is Brooke Atwell and I am a public relations student with an outside concentration in business administration at the University of Florida. I was born and raised in Key West, Florida where I am considered a fifth generation "conch" - a tropical marine mollusk which locals identify themselves as. That being said, I enjoy anything on the water, in the sun and doing it all with my family and friends. From as far back as I can remember, I have always had a love for all things fashion and beauty. My future career goals and aspirations are reflective of this as I envision myself working in high-fashion public relations in New York City. I have gained some background experience due to my work with the national College Fashionista community and a past internship with the marketing and public relations department of Historic Tours of America. I plan to develop my entrepreneurial intelligence throughout this course in order to further enhance my skill set with the business realm of public relations. I think my business idea would have to be properly developed and marketed to where the relationship between the customer and the business itself is strong and trustworthy, which will make for an overall better, more enjoyable experience.

2. My service would offer an plethora of healthy meals - for breakfast, lunch and dinner - at all hours of the day in a quick, well-rounded way. This restaurant, or grab-and-go, would be located on or near the University of Florida campus so students and faculty would be able to pick up a nutritious and delicious meal throughout their busy day. I am solving the unmet need of the lack of wholesome meals available on campus for those who wish to maintain their healthy eating but don't have time to do so on their own time.

3. The targeted audience for this service are students and faculty members of the University of Florida, specifically those who make healthy eating one of their top priorities. My business, dubbed "The Hearty Gator," would also offer both vegetarian and vegan meals in order to broaden the spectrum of customers by offering meals to a variety of food audiences.

4. I strongly believe customers will pay for my service because, in most cases, everyone tries to eat healthy, but the availability to do so is not always easy. As a college student, eating healthy can be challenging considering their budget and time restraints. However, if there is a place for them that is both close and affordable, they would not have to worry about these concerns.

5. As far as I know, there is not a restaurant-style place on the University of Florida campus that offers well-rounded healthy meals at all hours of the day. Though there are a few smoothie and sandwich shops scattered throughout, there is not a place that offers versatile, hearty meals that will keep students satisfied and full that doesn't break the bank.

I definitely think all of these five elements work great together. My business proposal is very targeted and clear as to who I plan to reach out to and by which means this will be accomplished. In addition, I have little to no competition because there is not a place in the area I have selected that offers a similar service. The weaker or out-of-joint part would be students or faulty members who bring their own food to school or those who do not prefer to eat healthy.

10A - Elevator Pitch No. 1

This is my elevator pitch for my proposed business plan: The Hearty Gator

9A - Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Interview Summaries:

1. Interview 1: Sorority member

• Feels she would not use a healthy grab & go type of restaurant because she eats almost every meal at her sorority house. She also takes meals to-go during dining hours so she has additional food at home to snack on. Feel it would be a waste of money to buy healthy food on/around campus when she doesn't need to because her sorority provides well-rounded, healthy meals every day.

2. Interview 2: Graduate student

• Is consistent about grocery shopping and cooking at home every week. Does not have time or money to constantly be eating out, regardless of the cost. Though he does eat relatively healthy, he does not find it crucial to maintain a strictly healthy diet because he has never had an issue without doing so.

3. Interview 3: Student who is vegetarian

• Has been a vegetarian for eleven years now and hardly ever eats out. Also has a small, backyard garden of her own where she grows fresh vegetables and uses them to cook almost every meal. Cooks a variety of vegetarian meals that she has mastered over the years and enjoys doing so. Therefore a healthy express restaurant, no matter how near or far, would not be beneficial to her.

4. Interview 4: Uber Eats guru

• Uses Uber Eats for nearly every meal, every day. Says he only eats about two meals a day, sometimes only one, because he isn't very hungry. Enjoys fast food and eating out but doesn't like to make the commute to pick it up or eat at the restaurant. Does not most healthy foods and would hardly ever go to an express type of restaurant with such options.

5. Interview 5: Mother

• Makes weekly grocery store trips to cook three meals a day for her two kids. Does try to ensure they get as much nutrients as possible and feels gratitude knowing her kids are getting a home cooked meal. Lives far away from the University of Florida campus and would never even think to get a meal from a restaurant on campus. 

8A - Solving The Problem

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is far easier said than done and every one, college students in particular, find it hard to do just that. This such hectic schedules and prior commitments, not every college student has time to head to the grocery store and stock up with fresh fruits and vegetables for their upcoming week. That being said, I believe it is both a great and profitable idea to have a place on and near a college campus where students and faculty to pick up or eat in at a healthy restaurant/grocery store.

A healthy food grab-and-go would be of great use to this specific demographic. As many people around a college campus are constantly on the go with class, meetings, work, etc. An affordable and easily accessible place like this will give them the opportunity to meat a healthy meal - whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner - at any time throughout their busy day. They will be able to maintain the healthy lifestyle that many of us are constantly yearning for without breaking their bank account.

7A - Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

Opportunity: A healthy meal plan for college students who are looking to better their eating habits without breaking the bank.

The Who: College students across the nation.

The What: Many college students find themselves eating out over cooking due to difficulties with class schedules, jobs, or studying. After as while, these habits begin to take a tole on, not only their bank accounts, but their ability to eat healthy around the clock.

The Why: College students are unable to maintain healthy eating habits throughout their day-to-day activities because conflicting schedules or commitments.

Testing the Who: Who would most likely see the advantage of this? As a college student myself, I personally feel that they are the demographic who are looking for an opportunity of this kind and will benefit from it immensely. That being said, professors and those who work at a university or college might also be interested in this opportunity because with their hectic schedules, they are unable to cook at the end of a busy day or meal prep for the upcoming week.

Testing the What: Is this a problem for everyone or just a handful of people? Every single college student is probably not going to be interested in eating healthy and don't necessarily see the benefits in doing so. Some might not have a problem with setting up their weekly meal prep and others do actually have the time to cook at home for every meal.

Testing the Why: Why would this be a useful opportunity? It is a very common excuse for students of our age to put the blame of our poor eating habits on the fact that we simply do not have enough time in the day to eat a healthy meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; plus the expense of doing so. Though not every one of them feels this way, a vast majority of college students do and would make use of a healthy meal prep/plan restaurant/grocery store both on and off campus that is both affordable and easily accessible.

Interviews: Throughout my interview process, I found that most students of all ages with various financial budgets and health conditions would use and healthy meal prep restaurant or grab-and-go. Both a freshman I interviewed explained to me how she is still trying to figure out how she can manage a healthy eating habit while on campus, as many restaurants do have healthy options but few and devoted to completely healthy alternatives, not including smoothies or acai bowls. A junior, male body builder also said he would really appreciate and find use in a spot both on and off campus where he can quickly pick up lunches filled with protein for the week. He explained that is the one time of day where he finds himself in a rut trying to keep track of and maintain his calorie intake while going to and from class as well as the gym. In addition, a sophomore expressed how she has recently decided to go vegan, a demanding yet specific practice of eating, and how thought she prefers to cook her own meals, when she can't she would like to have a go-to place on campus where there is a variety of options to choose from that coincide with a vegan diet. All three of these students also made it clear that they work for their money or they are given an allowance for the month by their parents and being able to get a quality, healthy meal for a reasonable price is definitely something they would spend their money on. On a different note, a professor stated how she lives rather far from campus, with a morning commute of about 30 to 45 minutes as she does not have time to prepare herself lunch in the mornings and would greatly appreciate a healthy meal pick-up spot she can walk to on her breaks. Another professor also said that he lives near campus, but prefers to park a few blocks away to get some morning steps in and would like to be abel to pick up a smoothie or salad for the day along the way. Although diverse, each interviewee was clear in their opinions that having a healthy meal plan restaurant/grab-and-go in the university vicinity would be a great asset to their daily meal intake.

Summary: I definitely believe that these interviews gave me great insight into the diverse demographic of college students on the University of Florida campus who value healthy eating and would make great use out of a spot on or around campus where they can do so. The various students as well as professors expressed their desire to eat healthy meals throughout their day if it was more accessible. Due to the number of fast-food restaurants on campus that are quick and guilty pleasures, they felt that they began to settle for what was easiest. We are all busy with classes, studying, work, fitness, greek life, anything really and eating a healthy meal without spending a fortune should be a more attainable opportunity. For those reasons, I truly believe that a healthy eating spot where college students, and even employees, can go, grab a lunch pack, and head to their next class is a great entrepreneurship opportunity.