Sara's ENT3003 Blog

This class has honestly been a lot of fun for me. The highlight of the class for me was looking back on how far my product has come. I got develop it throughout this class and work off interviews and feedback. This was the first time I gave an elevator pitch in front of a camera, and though at first it was really weird and I had to do so many takes, it got easier and I got more confident looking back on the videos. I definitely think this class has moved me closer to an entrepreneurial mindset. I learned that though it is fun to create a product and share it in all developmental stages, being a successful entrepreneur has a lot of ups and downs. This class has helped me to see both the ups and downs and how to move forward from them. I got to apply feedback from peers and interviews into my product, which was very beneficial in getting my product to where it is now. To future students I would say to stay on top of assignments and always remember to declare them so you can...

Opportunity At the start of this class, when I was still on the road in developing my venture, I had a huge segment that I thought would use my product, but in feedback and as the class progressed, people made me understand that I needed to hone in on one segment and not multiple. The segment I have chosen since then is college students. The nature of the need I will be supplying for is completely convince based, which is a pro for a busy college student. Nothing really in the environment creates this opportunity, though for colder weather I feel like this product would be successful because soups, hot coco, etc. can be heated instantaneously to keep the user warm on the go. People are currently satisfying this need with the use of a Thermos. They are loyal to this concept of having the contents of the Thermos stay warm, but my product would be a step up from that in that the cup would not just keep the contents warm, but warm it instantly and continue to do this even when it cools off...

1) Identify the exit strategy you plan to make. Do you intend to sell your business in the next 5 years for a large return? Do you intend to stay with the business for several decades and retire? Do you intend to protect the venture as a family business, and pass it down to your children? Though I am passion about my venture, after a few years of working on my business to get it where I have envisioned,  I would wish to sell. I would like to work out the logistics with adding design and accessories to the cup and making the name spread. I would love to sell my venture to a well known manufacture for cups like Thermos L.L.C. 2) Why have you selected this particular exit strategy? I feel like once I get my venture to where I want it and assist it in spreading, I would wish to hand it off to work on other ventures and focus on my telecommunications career. 3) How do you think your exit strategy has influenced the other decisions you've made in your concept? For instance, has...

1) What was the general theme or argument of the book? The author talks about his experience in his professional career and compiled them in this book.He discusses how to maintain energy, through exercising and eating healthy, how to learn from mistakes, and discussed his take on topics such as goals vs systems and deciding vs wanting. I thought it was a very interesting and fun book, navigating hacks to a successful career. 2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003? The author discusses failure in the book and how to move on from them and grow. This goes hand in hand with what we do in this class because ever great entrepreneur  is going to fail sometime. This is why the class we get feeback from peers so we can strengthen our product and service. The celebrating failures post we did was a great way to evaluate a fail outside this class. 3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book...

I'm a Telecommunications News major and last year as a freshman I decided to audition for an anchor positions for the five o'clock news at the news station on campus. I gave it my best go and they told me they generally don't except freshman, but that it was a good practice opportunity. I tried to audition again this semester and still didn't receive a position. Though upset, I feel like this prepared me for the real world. I am not always going to get every opportunity and this helped step back and evaluate how to improve my performance. Everyone around me was supportive and told me to just try again next year. I definitely feel like I'm more inclined to take risks because of this class because I got to see and understand the beauty of a mistake or failure. Making mistakes and getting feedback in this class made my product better, just like doing the same thing in the real world improves my abilities.

Existing Market I believe my next step is to develop a blueprint of the product with an engineer so we can work out the heater's mechanics. The first person that I interviewed is in a service club at UF with me. She always carries around a Hydroflask, so I thought she was worth talking to to see if she would ever use my product. she loved the idea, though she was confused about the battery life and replacement of the heater. I explained to her that when the heater goes out on the product, you bring it back to the store you got it to have them put in a new heater. They would take your old heater, fix it up, and then give it to another cup that comes in and is need of a new heater. She told me my next step was refining that concept and figure out the heater's battery life with an engineer. I talked to one friend about the next steps of the product and she was explaining to me that my next step is to definitely get an online shop/ website. Most college students don't sho...

Opportunity At the start of this class, when I was still on the road in developing my venture, I had a huge segment that I thought would use my product, but in feedback and as the class progressed, people made me understand that I needed to hone in on one segment and not multiple. The segment I have chosen since then is college students. The nature of the need I will be supplying for is completely convince based, which is a pro for a busy college student. Nothing really in the environment creates this opportunity, though for colder weather I feel like this product would be successful because soups, hot coco, etc. can be heated instantaneously to keep the user warm on the go. People are currently satisfying this need with the use of a Thermos. They are loyal to this concept of having the contents of the thermos stay warm, but my product would be a step up from that in that the cup would not just keep the contents warm, but warm it instantly and continue to do this even when it cools o...

10 resources: 1. Costumer service skills This is a valuable resource because I will be able to talk to potential costumers. I feel like its not really a rare skill, because many teenager get costumer service jobs as their first job. It's an inimitable skill, but I also believe everyone has differing training at varying places, resulting in having different idea about how to treat a costumer. 2. Public speaking This is a value recourse because this will help with pitching and selling my product to a room full of people. I did theatre in the past and that is a skill that has greatly helped me with speaking to crowds. I feel like this skill is a little more rare. Many people struggle with speaking in public, so even though I do feel this is a inimitable skill, it is challenging, 3. Innovation Minor  This is valuable because its helps me come up with new idea and gives me the resources and knowledge to follow through with them. This is more rare as well, because ...

The book that I read was "The Art of Social Media: The Power Tips for Power Uses". 1.The general theme of the book was to get people to be more cognizant of their social media accounts. Your accounts are representations of you, make them professional, but still able to showcase your personality and talents in a. positive manner. 2. The book connected back with ENT because it really targeted marketers and how to gain attention based on putting out quality content. This relates to the pitches we do, getting on the best content to our audience, while being concise, just like a post on a social media platform. 3. Have the class choose either to make a profession Wordpress or Weebly or some other sort if free website designer, and have each person in the class design it to showcase their special skills. This not only ensures that they attained the knowledge in the book, be also leaves them with an extra something for their resume. 4. One part of the book that surprised me,...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mo4rtLCPW0 Feedback that I got on the second pitch was mostly about my attire and the background of the pitch. People reminded me that I should be in professional wear, instead of the Florida sweatshirt I was in the last time. I also filmed in my dorm bedroom for the first pitch and the bathroom (lol) for the second pitch. I took the feedback and dressed in a nicer shirt and used a neutral curtain background.

1.  One person must be a domain expert in your industry.   I talked to a business owner in my hometown. She sells water bottles, but decorates them with initials, sports teams, etc. I thought it was be interesting to talk to her because I got feedback on a past assignment and through interviews that it would be cool if my heating cup came in different designs and colors. I talked to her about my product and she loved it. She explained to me that her business stood out to people because the bottle wouldn't be generic, it would have personality and appeal to all ages because they can accessorize it as they please. 2.  One person must be an expert on your market.  Alex Pagani is a sophomore at UF. He is also an innovation minor and that is how I knew him. Alex is a student ambassador for an app, Islands. The app is also targeted at college students so it was great talking to him about how he and his team appeal to the masses of students. They often table at...

1. You? I am a Telecommunications major with a minor in Innovation. Through my minor, I have learned a lot regarding the process of thinking about problems people face and innovating an idea. The minor has also enabled me to learn different pitching tactics through working with events such as catalyst. These concepts I learned can greatly contribute to the success of the product. 2. What are you offering to costumers? The product is a reusable stainless steel cup with a heater on the bottom of it to heat the contents instantly. This will allow the costumer to instantly heat soups, stews, and even coffee without kitchen access. 3. Who are you offering it to? On the first Idea napkin assignment, I got feedback saying that it would be easier to market my product to one segment rather than multiple. I had talked about the homeless, busy parents, and students, but now I will be targeting college students. 4. Why do they care? Convenience is a big reason people will value and care ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7SXMfU3xsI I definitely started my last pitch video out with saying my name and how I would be talking about my product. This time I was able to be more engaging, having an attention grabber that would make listeners want to stop and wonder if they have been in that situation and what I would say next in terms of a solution. I also felt like I rambled a lot less and was able be concise when getting to my point.

The costumer segment I have chosen and have interviewed are college students. This is Gina, a second year Public Relation major. Her hobbies include being on the intramural soccer team at South West Rec, as well as biking on campus. She often stays out late doing homework at Marston, going to  club meetings, or going to soccer practice. She doesn't want to spend money eating out so by taking my product with her to keep her food warm, she saves money and is able to focus on her homework and organizations without worrying about her next meal. She is not a morning person, like most college students. She often wakes up late to her 8:30am classes and is usually not able to make her typical Starbucks run. She can fill coffee in my product to continuously keep warm, and because she got her caffeine fix, is about to stay awake during the lecture. On her free time she binge watches tv show on Netflix and hangs out with friends. Like this avatar, I am also a college student who is n...

1.  Describe five ways in which you think you have human capital that is truly unique. I am a very dedicated worker. I don't generally quit something I haven't finished. I always try to do my best work. I'm motivated and strive to reach my goals. Even with my classes and organizations, I still work at the news and radio station on campus.  I think my public speaking abilities are also an asset as a Telecom news major. I'm extremely empathetic and will help whenever I see an opportunity to do so. 2. Interviews: https://soundcloud.com/sara-dastgerdi/sarah-ent-audio This is my friend Sarah. We are both in the Journalism school together. I really appreciated her insight. One skill I hadn't thought about that she thought was important to my human capital was my kindness.  https://soundcloud.com/sara-dastgerdi/francis-ent-audio This is my cousin Francis. She described me as friendly and able to put a smile on anyones face. I had never thought ...

Interview #1 I interviewed someone that lived in my dorm. He was mostly focused on the price, which is super relatable being in college and all. He claimed that the style of the cup didn't matter to him at all, but if the product worked and was good quality with an affordable price, then he would definitely purchase it. He said for him amazon was the way to go when selling my product. That is because if he needs something his mom can usually send him something right to his doorstep, making amazon a smart and easy move. Amazon and ebay are huge right now, so a product being sold on these sites will do so much better. He says he knows he bought a successful product when he gets a lot of use out of it and it doesn't just sit on the shelf. As a college student, dorms are crammed. He has brought products that he has used once and now just sit unused taking up space. Interview #2 I interviewed someone on my floor. Unlike the first interview, she cared about the style. She showed ...

A behavior I have developed to keep up with this course is starting to frequently use a planner to map out due dates.  Due to my other courses and organizations, sometimes I get really stressed with balancing everything. Towards the beginning of the class I was doing poorly on cupcakes and balancing that with the blog posts and other assignments I had. Once I started mapping out study time in my planner, it helped me organize and prioritize. Due to this, I definitely feel like I have developed a tenacious attitude through this course. The three tips I would give students next semester taking this course: 1. Get a planner. It is a lifesaver. Planning out your extracurriculars and assignments will allow you to organize and utilize your time better. 2. Take suggestions and help from friends. Sometimes your biggest motivators are right in front of you. Looking around you at friends and family will allow for better brainstorming and creativity when completing the assignments,...

The book I have chosen is Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. What surprised me most about Steve Jobs was his upbringing. I was unaware that he was adopted. Even though he had his adopted parents, he felt abandoned in his early life. He got kicked out of multiple schools because he was bored and far ahead of his classmates. His adopted parents saw from the beginning that he was a special child, obsessed with electronics. I most admire his drive. He would rummage through junk yards and pull pieces together to form something new, which often times would get him in trouble. When Jobs and Wozniak came together, their first project was the Blue Box, which controlled long distance phone calls. Many people were unsure how to use it, but instead of stoping there, they kept working together until the formation of Apple. What I would say I admire least is that he dropped out of college his Freshman year. I understand his reasoning, he was an entrepreneur with a vision, but I also feel like professo...

Segment- College Students (18-22) Interview #1 My first interview was with an 18 year old girl on my floor in the dorm. She doesn't have a meal plan and I know she has been struggling with cooking on her own for the first time, so I thought she would appreciate this product. When I talked to her about it, her favorite part about the product was the thought of using the dorm stove less. She said she would definitely purchase it because the majority of the meals she makes are easy and quick food items that can be cooked and heated easily with this product. She liked that she could make food quick and on the go because, as a premed major, she was "always in Marston." Interview #2 This time I interviewed a busy senior. He explained to me that he loved the on the go concept because he was busy with numerous organizations and classes that he had no time to cook. He was always running around campus from early morning to like 9 at night and had a lot of stress with thinking...

1. You? I am a Telecommunications major with a minor in Innovation. Through my minor, I have learned a lot regarding the process of thinking about problems people face and innovating an idea. The minor has also enabled me to learn different pitching tactics through working with events such as catalyst. These concepts I learned can greatly contribute to the success of the product. 2. What are you offering to costumers? The product is a reusable stainless steel cup with a heater on the bottom of it to heat the contents instantly. This will allow the homeless or even busy individuals the ability to heat soups, stews, coffee, tea, etc. instantly without kitchen access. 3. Who are you offering it to? Homeless shelters, busy soccer moms, a day at the office, camping trips, road trips, the possibilities are endless.With that being said, what all this costumers have in common is simply convenience. The convenience of not needing access to a kitchen when on the go. 4. Why do they care?...