Alex's ENT3003 Blog

The customer segment that I identified in the last couple of assignments is the segment that is the business that is going to be forced to find an alternative to single-use plastic bags due to newly passed legislation. I imagine that the customers that I will be approaching in this segment are middle-aged business owners and managers. I think that younger owners and managers have already seen the importance of finding environmentally-friendly alternatives, and so my customers are more likely going to be slightly older. I think that most of my customers in this segment will be middle-class, middle-age business owners who are simply trying to find ways to run their business effectively and efficiently. They are probably near the center of the political spectrum because they are benefited by liberal policy to help small businesses but are on the older side, and likely grew up in more conservative families and areas. They are not readily looking for alternatives to the way that their ...

My Market Segment: Businesses that have to find an alternative to single-use bags because they are being forced to by local legislation. Interview #1: Owner of a Mexican Restaurant  Alternative Evaluation- When I spoke to this restaurant owner, he pointed out that most of their decisions are made based on how it will effect their margins and revenue. He said that they would like to use more sustainable products but are worried that this increase in cost will force them to increase their prices and eliminate some of their customers. He said that they always consider their customer's satisfaction when purchasing ingredients, packaging, and other items, but the most important factor is the cost of the product. Quality is more important when assessing ingredients, but cost is definitely the most important factor for packaging, silverware, and other disposable products. The Purchase- He said that they often will purchase their goods in bulk orders either online or at warehouse-styl...

My Human Capital: 1. Management Skills - Ever since I was a child, I have always tried to lead others and to organize different projects, teams, and events. This meant that when I was a kid, I was often called "bossy" but has also  allowed me to be a better leader and advisor as a teenager and adult. I have been the captain and coach for many different sports teams, the president of many different clubs, and work at a job that requires me to manage and advise others about their financials. I think that this has given me a good sense of how to properly lead others, to assign and delegate tasks, and to get a better understanding of what I am good at and what I need help with. 2.   Responsibility - I am the oldest of three siblings which meant that I was often put into a babysitter and caretaker role at a young age. My parents work very demanding jobs which mean that I was often left with my two siblings and dogs and was told to feed and take care of them. This led me to...

This course is not for the person who wants an easy-A, no effort course. Introduction to Entrepreneurship requires you to constantly communicate with other people and to question yourself. You are forced to constantly rack your brain for ideas and to implement them in the real world. In order to keep up with the requirements for the course, I had to take notes every day. Not necessarily on the lectures, but rather on the thoughts that popped into my brain throughout the week. I also had to dedicate a large amount of time to finding and talking to different people. I had to work on my social skills in order to be comfortable contacting and approaching strangers, and had to work on my memory and presentation skills. This course is not for the faint-hearted. I considered dropping the course many times due to the high-level of rigor that it requires. If I am being completely honest, the reason that I did not drop this class is because of the fees that I would have paid, but I am glad tha...

The book that I chose to read for this assignment was Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life  by Lisa Chaney. I was absolutely mesmerized by Gabrielle Chanel while reading this book and was shocked by how little I actually knew about her life. As an economics and french double major, I have always had an interest in the empire that she built but had never truly understood what her life had been like. I was most shocked to find about the sheer effect that she had on modern fashion. She completely revolutionized the style and fashion of the modern woman and nearly every modern designer considers her styles in their work. Gabrielle Chanel is a person who deserves incredible admiration. She built something out of nothing and did so by connecting herself with the right people and by always working hard. People may say that without investments from others, she would have never been able to build her brand. I do believe that this statement is the truth, but I think that if the people who had inv...

My Market Segment: Businesses that have to find an alternative to single-use plastic bags because they are being forced to by local legislation. Interview #1: Used Clothing Store Owner Need Awareness-  This store owner has been informed about the need but has not begun to make significant changes to the way that she runs her business because she does not think that it is necessary yet. She has become aware of the impending need due to news stories that she sees on TV and on social media platforms, like Facebook, but also has heard that the bans keep being pushed back in her area, so she is unsure if they will ever come to fruition. Information Search- She said that she has done a little bit of information searching, but mostly through internet searches and by reading articles and posts that she sees on social media. She was unable to remember or cite the specific search that she made, but said that it was probably along the lines of "Gainesville plastic ban" or "plas...

1. I am a second-year economics major at the University of Florida with a minor in French. I am the daughter of two entrepreneurs and have worked in a tax and accounting office for over three years. I have always wanted to help people and the planet which is why I plan to go to Law School to study trade law. My company idea is one that will help small businesses, like the ones that my mother and grandmother have created and built. I want to help small businesses find affordable solutions to new legislation that will ban their use of single-use plastics and other items that our leading to increased levels of pollution, like polystyrene containers. These changes will help make our planet a healthier and better place and keep small businesses from being crushed under the weight of large corporations who can afford to make these changes. This business would allow me to work directly with other entrepreneurs to try and help their businesses succeed and make our communities a better place to...

Opportunity Recap:  As more local governments are implementing laws to phaseout or ban single-use plastics and polystyrene containers, businesses and individuals are having to find alternatives to these items. Interview #1 (Owner of a Local Seafood Shop) 1. The owner of this shop was unaware that Alachua County was considering enforcing a ban, but had heard lots of information about the ordinance for the City of Gainesville. 2. He did not think that he will have a problem in regards to the polystyrene containers ban because one of the few exceptions to the ban is allowing these containers to be used for the packaging of meat products coming out of a butchery display. He also said that all of their prepared foods are already being sold in recyclable plastic containers and so they would not have to make a change there. 3. In regards to the single-use plastic bags, his main concern was with the sale of ice which has not been addressed under the ordinance but he believes will hav...

My Opportunity:  As more local governments are implementing laws to phaseout or ban single-use plastics, businesses and individuals are having to find alternatives to these items. Many consumers believe that businesses should be responsible for providing an alternative to items like plastic shopping bags and straws, but many are also willing to pay for eco-friendly options. Businesses are going to have to decide what kinds of alternatives to offer and whether or not they will charge for them. Some businesses like Aldi have already implemented ideas like this, by selling paper and reusable bags instead of offering plastic bags for free. My Product/Service: I think that the best group for me to market this opportunity to is small businesses. I think that small businesses are going to have the hardest time finding a solution to the problem that these bans are going to cause because their customer bases are likely going to expect them to provide an alternative and they have less ma...