My Venture's Unfair Advantage

1. Experience working in and managing two small business (retail and financial)

• V - This will allow me to have a better understanding of what decisions are the most important and how I should allocate my resources. 
• R - Many entrepreneurs have not had first-hand experience running a business
• I - This is not difficult for others to copy but is time consuming
• N - Any work experience can be beneficial in understanding how a business runs but having had management and financial insight into the business will help me more than having simply been an employee

2. Access to student loans 

• V - Student loans have notoriously low interest rates and do not require previous credit history
• R - Only accessible for current undergraduate or graduate students
• I - Any student has access to this same resource
• N - There are lots of other forms of financing available but few with the same benefits

3. Supported by the Environmentalist Movement across the US

• V - This movement is exponentially growing and many people are trying to find eco-friendly products and services to purchase and invest in
• R - Many other products and services are also trying to ride this eco-friendly wave
• I - It would be difficult for my competitors to utilize this because they rely on single-use plastics which are not supported by this movement.
• N - There are always movements and fads that products and services will try to exploit, but I think that recognition of the importance of the environment will only continue to grow

4. Relationships with small business owners in my community

• V - People are more willing to work with and trust the people that they know, and I already have a platform for which I can share my service
• R - It is not easy to develop a large number of relationships or to have a platform that allows you to constantly meet new people 
• I - It is possible for people to develop their own networks but it takes time and effort
• N - Many of the relationships that I have developed would be nearly impossible to copy because of the length of time that I have known them and the knowledge that I have regarding their businesses

5. Experience working with graphic and web designers

• V - This will be beneficial for me because my service will be mostly based out of an online platform
• R - It is not rare to meet or work with somebody who is a good designer, but not everyone has the hands on experience in developing a graphic or website
• I - It is not difficult to find someone to help with graphic or web design
• N - This is necessary for someone starting a business with an online focus but there are many graphic and web designers available to meet and work with new clients

6. Access to the University of Florida's resources 

• V - UF offers many services like Gator Career Closet, Internship Matching, and networking groups that help student entrepreneurs
• R - Most people do not have access to these resources, especially not for free
• I - It is difficult to gain access to all of these resources without being enrolled at a University which many entrepreneurs are not
• N - Many of the resources offered by UF are substitutable but it would like cost large sums of money to find equivalent resources  

7. Relationships with Charity organizations in my community

• V - These groups would likely be willing to invest in my service in order to better spread their message or help their cause
• R - This is not rare in a general sense but not everyone can connect with the same groups that I have established relationships with through volunteering or family connections
• I - This is not difficult to copy in general but it would be difficult for an outsider to establish the same relationships that I have in place already
• N - This is substitutable because not every company needs to have relationships with charities

8. My Financial & Economic Awareness

• V - This will allow me to make better decisions about my businesses budget and to eliminate expenses that could be incurred from hiring an accountant or tax preparer
• R - This awareness is not unusual but is not held by all entrepreneurs 
• I - These skills are not difficult to acquire but they take time and experience to develop
• N - This awareness can be substituted by hiring someone who has this ability

9. Access to Free Labor and Advising through Relationships with UF Staff & Students

• V - Saving money is important, especially in the early stages of a business, so any tactic for saving money is important
• R - This is uncommon, especially for entrepreneurs, because many people will not advise or help a business without an incentive
• I - Most entrepreneurs can find a student to work for them for free or for a small cost but it will be easier for me because I already have developed relationships
• N - This resource can be substituted with access to more financial capital and the ability or willingness to pay more for help and advice

10. Having lived in a liberal/eco-friendly area for all of my life

• V - This is important because it has given me insight into what my service might mean to people and how they have responded to similar products and services
• R - This is not common for much of the older population of the United States but is becoming increasingly more common
• I - This is not easily copied because it takes a lot of time and research to truly understand the root of a community and how they feel about certain subjects
• N - This resource could be replaced by hiring someone from the area or conducting lots of market research

I think that my most important resource is my access to and previously developed relationships with small business owners. I think that these relationships will allow me to have needed support in my business as I try to navigate the different decisions that I will have to make, and will provide me with a large network for marketing and distribution. I know that I will be able to get honest opinions from many of the business owners that I know and may even be able to convince them to invest in and utilize my service in the future.