ENT3003 Assignment 4A – Forming An Opportunity Belief

Forming an Opportunity Belief: 

I believe that an opportunity may exist for an altered mechanical pencil that can improve an issue that most currently have. The unmet need would be the inability to track your lead count while using a mechanical pencil. The people with this need would be anyone that uses a mechanical pencil. This need has always existed for mechanical pencils as the lead is placed inside of the pencil, which is then covered by a solid outside layer. For now, the only way a user can tell if they’re low on lead is by emptying the pencil and seeing how much lead is left or by simply running out and not being able to write anymore. I feel like there is about a 50% chance this opportunity exists as some mechanical pencils already do include slightly transparent centers, but these don’t seem to be as popular, perhaps they don’t solve the issue sufficiently.

The prototypical customer for this product would be students age 12-20 that frequently choose mechanical pencils for their school work. While almost all people use pencils in some form, students go through pencils a lot quicker than other people. Furthermore, students below age 12 are likely in elementary school and either get given a pencil by their parents or from the school and don’t make the choice themselves. Conversely, people above age 20 typically rely more on technology when doing writing for university or work as they’re passed the introductory writing courses that occur around freshman and sophomore years of college.


Interviews with Prototypical Customers:

1. Female, Age 20, University Sophomore from the UK

• Have you ever run out of lead in your mechanical pencil?
• Not too often, I mostly just use normal pencils.
• Do you ever worry about not knowing how much lead you have left in your pencil?
• Not really, I’ve only frequently used a clear mechanical pencil that allows me to see how many pieces of lead is left.
• Would you say then, that you never really run out of lead?
• Well, I still do… but only because I have no lead to replace it with.
• How long have you been using Mechanical Pencils, when did you first start?
• I first used a mechanical pencil around 3-4 years ago.
• What do you currently do to avoid running out of lead? 
• When I use a mechanical pencil, I try to look inside of the pencil to see how much is left
• Are you satisfied with your current solution to avoiding this issue?
• I thought I was, but I actually have run out of lead a few times.

Reflection: Some people have mechanical pencils that are clear, this allows for the lead to be seen, but not clearly enough for you to always know when you’re running out. It seems another common problem with Mechanical Pencils is the lack of lead availability once you’ve run out of lead in your current pencil.


2. Male, Age 18, Incoming College Freshman

• Have you ever run out of lead in your mechanical pencil?
• Yes.
• Do you ever worry about not knowing how much lead you have left in your pencil?
• Sometimes, particularly if it’s during a test.
• Have you noticed that mechanical pencils don’t display how much lead is remaining?
• Mine shows how much is left somewhat, because it’s clear.
• How long have you been using Mechanical Pencils, when did you first start?
• For 4 years, started as a freshman in 9th grade and used all throughout high school (9th-12th grade).
• What do you currently do to avoid running out of lead? 
• I try not to push too hard when writing and keep my lead inside the pencil.
• Are you satisfied with your current solution to avoiding this issue?
• Yes.

Reflection: People seem just as concerned with how often lead breaks as they are with how often they run out of it. It also seems like there may be more clear mechanical pencils than I initially believed.


3. Male, Age 20, Sophomore in College

• Have you ever run out of lead in your mechanical pencil?
• Yes, but I typically have more lead.
• Do you ever worry about not knowing how much lead you have left in your pencil?
• Yes.
• Have you noticed that mechanical pencils don’t display how much lead is remaining?
• Yes, I have.
• How long have you been using Mechanical Pencils, when did you first start?
• I first started using them in high school, so around 7 years.
• What do you currently do to avoid running out of lead? 
• I have extra lead on me, replacing my pencil when it runs out.
• Are you satisfied with your current solution to avoiding this issue?
• Yes, it hasn’t been too much of a problem yet.

Reflection: This interviewee is one of what I believe is few people that carries additional lead with them, however this could be common. Like the others before, he is currently satisfied with just refilling lead when it runs out.


Summary: 

I believe numerous issues exist when it comes to mechanical pencils. Most people do not carry additional lead for their mechanical pencil and most pencils have a solid outside that do not allow you to see how much lead is left. Additionally, there are still some people that prefer normal pencils over a mechanical pencil. However, when it’s all said and done, I believe that that most people have experienced a time where they’ve ran out of lead and most do not have an answer when this occurs. Through the course of my interviews, I’ve lost some confidence in the opportunity of a mechanical pencil alteration. With that said, I now believe that there is about a 25% chance that this opportunity exists.

ENT3003 Assignment 3A – Your Entrepreneurship Story

My Entrepreneurship Story:

There are few times I can recall in my life where I was personally a part of an entrepreneurship endeavor. With that said, I frequently visited my Uncle’s trading card store that he operates and owns himself. As a graduate of UF himself, my uncle was of course very intelligent! He followed his passion for sports by becoming an affiliate of Topps, a popular collectible company, that is known for its Trading Cards in most major sports. With his experience and knowledge of sports and particularly the collectible industry, he opened a store that sells trading cards, memorabilia, and much more. After being in business for as long as I can remember, his store is still going today despite all of the other businesses nearby closing down.

“Roger Clemens” by meg hourihan
is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

As his nephew, I always saw my uncle as the coolest guy ever. He owned his own store with several employees, had no wife or children with a house to himself, and personally met hundreds of the biggest sporting stars all while attending the largest sporting events every year. Because of this image my uncle gave off, I’ve always seen entrepreneurship as a luxurious lifestyle that allows you to be the boss and the one receiving all of the riches. However, after learning more about what goes into running a business and learning of the many Myths professor Pryor brought up, I can see that an entrepreneur’s lifestyle isn’t always quite as glamorous as it can appear from the outside.

I enrolled in ENT 3003 because entrepreneurship has always been something that interests me but not something I know a whole lot about. Whether I find a great career or not, I’ve always hoped to have some type of side business that I operate that grows based off how much of my own hard work I put into it. At the conclusion of this course, I hope I understand what goes into owning and operating a successful business, how to initiate the process of starting one, and whether or not I’m prepared to do what it takes to become an entrepreneur.

ENT3003 Assignment 2A - Bug List

Things That Bug me: 

1. The UF Campus internet that runs slow and constantly disconnects. 
Why it Exists: Because UF has so many students, there's always thousands connected to the WiFi at all times which causes the internet to slow down on an individual basis. This is also most likely a result of repeated thunderstorms that can deteriorate and temporarily shut off power supply for entire cities, especially in Florida. 

2. When Mechanical pencils run out of lead and you have nothing else to write with.Why it Exists: Mechanical pencils have a set amount of lead that is slowly used up overtime you write but there's is not a clear enough designation of how much lead is remaining in the pencil as with a normal pencil that just gets smaller. 

3. When my glasses go missing and I'm unable to find them because I can't see.

Why it Exists: This happens because I take my glasses off when I do tasks such as showering, sleeping, or any contact sports. At the conclusion of whatever activity, finding the glasses becomes difficult because everything is a blur.

4. How easily Phones and their accessories are damaged and destroyed. 
Why it Exists: Phone's are used constantly and need charging several times a week resulting in a lot of wear and tear, at a rate much higher than most things, as well as most chargers being produced for low-price quantity rather than for quality. 

5. Having a charger for every single device (i.e Laptop, Phone, Speaker, Mobile Charger, etc)

Why it Exists: All electronics have their own custom charging slot of different shapes and sizes that can seldom be charged simultaneously with another device.

6. Having to get up to change my TV's volume and/or channel.

Why it Exists: The previous owner of my TV lost the remote and the TV hasn't been made in a long time leaving only universal remotes with custom programming as a suitable remote choice.

7. A phone going off in the middle of a University Lecture.

Why it Exists: Phone's don't automatically turn ringers off and students stay on their phone so much that they don't always think to turn the ringer off before entering class.

8. Not knowing anybody personally in any of my classes.

Why it Exists: I'm shy and prefer to stick to myself and my studies rather than make conversation with people that I'm unfamiliar with. 

9. Intersections that don't allow for right-run on Red lights.

Why it Exists: You cannot always count on people's own discretion and most of these intersections have a lot of people or cars coming across the lane in which the right-turn is going onto. 

10. People illegally crossing the street without once looking up from their phone.

Why it Exists: Phone's are polarizing and people would rather pay attention to what's happening on their social media or what song to  listen to next than they are about incoming cars.

11. Drivers not paying attention to the road when a light changes from Red to Green.

Why it Exists: People get bored waiting at a late and choose to engage in conversation, play with their radio, or go on their phone while waiting for the rather short time for a light to change. 

12. Hearing my suite-mate in the Springs Complex pee everytime from my Single Dorm.

Why it Exists: The doors in Spring's have gaps on the bottom that allow sound to easily travel through, additionally men frequently pee into the water from a high height which creates an even louder noise. 

13. Enormously long lines at the Pollo Tropical in the Reitz Union.

Why it Exists: Around lunch time, students are getting off of classes at the same time.

14. The Inconsistency of food at UF's Gator Corner Dining Center.

Why it Exists: There's a different menu everyday, resulting in variety of food that most people would enjoy, but while also not including the constant Chicken Sandwiches that I desire. 

15. People that read a text but don't Respond for an Hour or more.

Why it Exists: There's this common belief that you appear to be a loser or a kid with nothing to do when you respond immediately to someones text.

16. When UF Classes/Professors require a group project.

Why it Exists: Students need to be prepared for the work environment of their future that is almost guaranteed to include working with a team to accomplish tasks/projects.

17. When it Rains outside every time I get on my Moped.

Why it Exists: Florida has much higher rates of rain then most areas of the country and my moped has no way to cover the rain like that of a car or a walker with an umbrella.

18. When people at Turlington speak to me while I have headphones in.

Why it Exists: The several religious and random organizations try to speak with people in Turlington as such a large amount of students walk through it, they're very insistent on handing out flyers and talking to you despite anything you have going on.

19. When I want Miss Vickie's Jalapeño Chips at the Reitz Union Subway and it’s out.

Why it Exists: The Jalapeño favored chips are a student favorite at this location but they don't carry enough inventory every month to support the demand of the students like myself.

20. Constant Spam Calls to my phone

Why it Exists: Companies think they can convert a sale on people by using a robotic voice sent out to mass quantities. I also believe my phone was previously own by an Abner Rodriquez based on how many calls I get asking for him. 

Reflection:

I initially found this list extremely difficult to do. 20 things that bug you isn't a very simple thing to come up with as some things are very personal or not as relatable, while others just take some creativity and memory to think of. With that said, after a couple days of thinking and jotting things down, the list was quite simple to compile and started to flow one after another the more I thought about it. Furthermore, throughout my days after reading the assignment I experienced more and more frustrations that I was able to include in my list.

ENT3003 Test

Test Post