29: Venture Concept No.2

Opportunity
1)The opportunity that my venture concept possesses is the chance to alleviate stress among students in need of assistance. 
2)This need is essential, as it would be a quality of life change for individuals who are seeking access to information on resources they are able to take advantage of within our community.`

• The forces or changes in the environment creating this opportunity are the burden of having to face the transition into college living alone. Without familial support, this transition into college is stressful and difficult to handle alone. 
• This market is defined geographically and demographically due to the city we live in and the university that exists among this city. Surely, there are many college aged individuals in need of assistance who are of a lower demographic, in otherwords, underrepresented minorities. 
• Customers may or may not be currently satisfying this need. Personally, I am among the students that may need acess to information regarding resources that can help, but I will not help myself. I've formed this venture concept around the sensations of impending doom as I continue to neglect the need for assistance. I cannot speak for all students who may be in a similar situation, but it is tough to be loyal to seeking answers to the hardship one may be facing while attending school full time.
• I believe that this opportunity would be impactful. 
• The “window of opportunity” continually be open until the venture concept is developed and executed. This is an ongoing problem that will persist in the years to come, unless someone does something to change that. 

    Our mission and specific innovationis to lessen poverty within our city and allocating essential resources and supplies to those in need. Moving forward with Changeville of Gainesville would surely improve the quality of life of those in distress regarding their financial situation and will alleviate the burden on those within our demographic. It is believed that with proper assistance, families and students will have the opportunity for growth that they need to be able to sustain themselves. Changeville of Gainesville is of much importance within our city, while many are starting off their careers and educating themselves to be able to flourish in our society. By proviging for those less fortunate, they, too will have a chance to succeed with 

Innovation

My innovation will help ease hardship among college students due to making information regarding resources more easily accessible. This venture concept may not necessarily lead to myself making profit, however, it would help those in need with allocating necessary funds that will help them. I am not selling a product, but offering a service as a non-profit organization. I will be offering my time, but expect nothing but results in return. I want to be dedicated to helping those who are in similar situations as myself.


Venture Concept
 Changeville of Gainesville will be a non-profit organization determined to help those within the underrepresented demographic within our city. Changeville makes it so that information regarding resources that assist low-income families is easily accessible. Often times, one may have to search for resources online, however, this is not accessible by all. By having lists and applications in order to apply for particular resources all in one place, we help those in need by providing information and our assistance on completing forms. In addition to solely having information, Changeville would like to collaborate with food trucks in order to provide direct assistance for those in need. We would like to host fundraisers to obtain necessary household materials for families and students among this demographic. 

• I believe customers or users of this service will make the most out of the opportunity. There is no swiitching of products due to the fact that the services provided are solely information that may help them in their nesar future. 
• There are no competitiors if our mission is to lessen poverty. My venture concept is built around the ideology of helping the community one step at a time. There should not be competition among non-profit organizations if our mission is to help. 
• Packaging and price points are irrelevant to the development of this venture concept. Distribution, customer support and the customer experience are of importance when considering the success of this non profit organization. The location of this non profit organization will surely play a role in defining this business concept. I believe that the clsoer it is to campus, more opportunity will exist, as it would be more easily accessible to students seeking our services.
•  I would organize a support system of individuals who are willing to invest their time into the bettering of others in need. I would need people who are invested in the development and overall success of this non-profit organization. 

The three minor elements

The most important resource will be dedication to the venture concept and its success. I believe that dedication to a cause is all it needs to become a successful organization, however, I may be wrong and too hopeful of the matter. I am not particularly concerned with competitors since I ideally want the iussue at hand dealt with. I do not need to be the one to execute the venture concept. 

Moving forward with my venture concept, I would need to do adequate research to yield the results I want to see with the development of this idea. I do not know how to run a nonprofit, or how to begin one. If I were to find the information I need, this venture concept could become a reality. 

As for what if next for myself, I plan to continue my education here at the University of Florida. Though I may like to further the development of this idea, it will take time and dedication to make it possible. Unfortunately, I am attempting to focus on my education and mental health as of now. I could, however, try to incorporate the development of this idea into the moments of spare time I may have. In five years, I hope to have dedicated the time I need to making this a possibility. As an entrepreneur, I hope to further my skills and be knowledable of aspects I may need to be successful in taking risks. This first venture has helped me broaden my horizons, in the sense that I am constantly thinking of ways to be a helpful citizen among our community.

Summary

The feedback I have received in the past were typically regarding how I would make this venture idea work. In addition to this, some feedback pertained to the real need that may or may not exist with this venture concept. I believe that by gathering information that can be essential to lessening hardship on ones life is useful. In particular, I was told that students may be able to do this on their own if they are truly facing a difficult time, however, what some fail to recognized is the fact that students may have other aspects of their life distracting them from taking advantage of opportunity that will ultimately improve the wuality of their lives. Personally, I know I have not sought assistance and this may be due to trouble with time management, difficulties completing work, as well as discouragement. It can be discouraging to admit that you are in need of assistance and the lvied experience I continue to have can speak for the potential success and impact this venture concept could have on the lives of college students in need. 

My venture coincept has changed quite a lot since its initial planning. Originally, this venture concept was directed toward all minorities and those amonf the lower income demographic that exists within this town. I decided to narrow down my venture concept to a personal level due to experiencing constant stress when it comes down to allocating funds to continue to pay rent, bills, feed myself, etc. It really is hard to do this alone and I think students deserve the opportunity to know of potential resources that may be able to assist them. 

30A: Final Reflection

1) Throughout the duration of course, the moments of drudgery stuck out to me the most. Unfortunately, I dedicated many hours to both my art and work. This made it particularly difficult to keep up with dates I often set aside until the last minute. The fun moments of this course were discussion based assignments that were often introspective and reflective of who we are and how we might conceive ourselves in regards to the rest of the world around us.

2) The most formative experience I have had was completing the assignment "What's Your Secret Sauce?". I feel as though I will continue to hold this assignment close to me due to the responses I received from my closest friends. Listening to their input regarding how they see me as a person and sharing their lived experiences with me made my heart happy. I know for a fact that I will return to this assignment when I am feeling down and need words of encouragement from those clsoe to me. I am proud of this assignment as well due to the amount of effort I put into it. In lieu of submitting a simple document of what was said, I submitted a short film highlighting points of my life with the feedback of my friends in the background. I truly enjoyed this assignment and am thankful to have had the opportunity to create such an uplifting video.

3) I believe that my minndset has been altered in the slightest. After reading entrepreneurial books for assignments, I was able to reflect on what most authors had to say about the power of our mindset. I  believe that I have always had a fixed mindset and did not allow myself the flexibility to change such a mindset. In order to receive results and be successful, whether it is in school or performing miniscule tasks, a change of mindset can alter ones experience and results. I think this form of thinking is essential when it comes down to being an entrepreneur.

4) One reccomendation I would make to students who are going to journey down this path would be to give their assignments more thought than I had. If I truly thought about my venture concept in depth, I may have been able to progress with this idea in the years to come. I still feel my venture concept would have been influential and a success if I were more invested in the developpment of my own idea. Students can and will be able to execute their ideas and make use of the entrepreneurial skills they are learning while working toward their Innovation minor within the Innovation Academy.

                                       

27A: Reading Reflection No.3

Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman

1) The general theme of the book was providing an explanation of systems of thoughts. In this book, the systems of thought were broken up into different categories. System one is best defined as fast thinking, while system two is referred to as slow thinking. Use of these systems simultaneously are not known to be detrimental, but beneficial as the systems are learning to coexist.

2) "Thinking, Fast and Slow," by Daniel Kahneman connected with what we were taught in ENT3003 due to its references to taking risks and dealing with failure as a result of those risks. When it comes down to taking risks, system one and two handle them differently. System one is known to make extreme predictions, as it is commonly referred to as fast thinking. System two has a tendency to have issues with regression. Failures and risks are prominent aspects in the field of entrepreneurs, as they must make decisions that will either become flourish or become denied. Overall, one must be willing to take risks in order to grow.

3) If I were to design an exercise for this class based on the book I have read for this assignment, I would challenge my peers to make use of system one and system two simultaneously. Using the systems at the same time allow one system to pick up where the other left off if it is too difficult of a task for system one. By incorporating riddles into an exercise, we may be able to exercise both systems at once.

4) My biggest surprise when reading this book was its mentioning of risk and failure in depth. I was not quite expecting the book to reference much material learned through lecture but was glad to have gotten the chance to make a connection between the reading material and what we have learned in this course.

28A: Exit Strategy

1) I intend on allowing the non-profit organization to grow for the next five years, if possible. I intend on staying with this non-profit organization until I have built up a community of individuals who are just as dedicated to the cause and allow them to manage it once it comes time to retire. Ideally, I would like to protect the venture as a family organization, however, if my children are not interested in serving others for bettering their wellbeing, they clearly aren't my children. Overall, keeping such an organization within the family would be ideal but ultimately up to my children on whether or not it is a cause they would like to pursue and be apart of. 2) I have picked this particular exit strategy due to making a decision to make it a mission within my own family to help those in need. Coming from a town overrun by minorities who depended on the assistance of non-profit organizations has instilled a motive to give back to those who were in my shoes many years ago. 3)I believe my exit strategy is influenced by other decisions made within the development of this concept. It has influenced how I have identified an opportunity, as keeping this venture within the family would be an opportunity to give back to those in need. It has influenced my growth intentions and developing this idea has led up to research of non-profits within our area. If I cannot start a nonprofit for this cause, I would still like to give back to the community in a way that is within my grasp. I plan to acquire and use resources efficiently. Acquiring knowledge is not too difficult in this era. Knowledge is within our reach, and maybe even within our pockets. Using resources for this venture concept would consist of acquiring goods for families in need.

26A: Celebrating Failure

1) This past semester, I thought I would be able to handle a course load of one course. I am an Innovation Academy student, therefore I follow a spring-summer schedule in lieu of the typical fall - spring term. I had decided to retake a course I had failed earlier that spring, as I had not given up hope for the major I thought I wanted to pursue.

2) Though I took one course, it was a lot to manage for someone who was unmotivated and struggling emotionally. It was hard to get out of bed every morning, not because my bed was so comfortable that I’d much rather do that, but due to constantly slipping into, out of and through depressive states throughout the years without seeking medical attention. Failure to do so led to my mental illness taking over me, and preventing me from completing the simplest tasks.

3) I do not view failure as negative. It takes time to overcome challenges and facing failure so often has led up to personal growth. I handle failure terribly. If one thing goes wrong, so does everything else. I do not do well emotionally, nor behaviorally but have tried to become more self aware of instances that have a tendency to lead up to failure. This class has changed my perspective on failure due to having to take risks in order to make progress. This is a valuable skill that can be applied to all aspects within one’s life.

25A – What’s Next?

Existing Market 

   In terms of products and services for my venture, I believe that Changeville needs more than just accessibility of information on resources that could improve the quality of life of those in need. After conducting interviews, I have found that individuals would like more direct assistance for their families. Being able to host food drives and potential fundraising for those families in need would make Changeville more focused on helping the demographic directly. With the help of hosting fundraising in order to obtain necessary supplies, Changeville could be an organization focused on making sure each household has the means to sustain itself. By providing toiletries and household supplies, those living in poverty will have access to essential objects needed in their homes.  

New Market

   Though I am currently targeting a specific demographic within society,I would  have to consider an affluent society to contradict my current target. However, Changeville for Gainesville was built on the foundation of helping those in need. Helping an affluent society would not provide much assistance to those who are well off. In lieu of targeting children and families of lesser wealth, I could shift my focus to college students who are lacking in financial assistance and are not dependent on familial support. My venture concept might be able to create value to people within this market because there surely are college students who do not have much and are "scraping by", similarly to myself. By providing additional resources to college students in need, they may be able to make use of all resources available to them which would lead to an improvement of quality of life.
    Upon conducting interviews among the community, I have gotten positive feedback for the venture concept I have in mind. One young woman stated that she is among the demographic I'd like to focus on, and thought the venture concept was worth developing due to the impact it would have among students who are in need including herself. The second person I interviewed was accepting of the concept but thought there would be flaws in making it happen. Though I disagree, I believe it would not be difficult to gather information on resources that could further help the college student population that struggles financially. They suggested collaborating with First-gen, as many students within this community may fall into this demographic I would like to focus on. 

   I believe that this new market would be as attractive as my existing market due to the venture concept being applied. Though I am passionate about my existing market, I do not see why the new market would hinder success of the existing market. Changeville's mission is to help those in need and though their focus may be directed to children and families living in poverty, we would not turn college students away if it would better their quality of life. Changeville for Gainesville is adaptable to its demographic of individuals they attempt to assist. 

24A – Venture Concept No. 1

Putting It All Together

    Changeville of Gainesville is a non-profit organization determined to help those within the underrepresented demographic within our city. Changeville makes it so that information regarding resources that assist low-income families is easily accessible. Often times, one may have to search for resources online, however, this is not accessible by all. By having lists and applications in order to apply for particular resources all in one place, we help those in need by providing information and our assistance on completing forms. In addition to solely having information, Changeville would like to collaborate with food trucks in order to provide direct assistance for those in need. We would like to host fundraisers to obtain necessary household materials for families and students among this demographic. 
    Our mission is to lessen poverty within our city and allocating essential resources and supplies to those in need. Moving forward with Changeville of Gainesville would surely improve the quality of life of those in distress regarding their financial situation and will alleviate the burden on those within our demographic. It is believed that with proper assistance, families and students will have the opportunity for growth that they need to be able to sustain themselves. Changeville of Gainesville is of much importance within our city, while many are starting off their careers and educating themselves to be able to flourish in our society. By proviging for those less fortunate, they, too will have a chance to succeed with ease. 

23A – Changeville's Unfair Advantage

Human Capital

Human Capital is defined as the skills, knowledge, and experience possessed by an individual or population, viewed in terms of their value or cost to an organization or country. There is much human capital within the development of Changeville of Gainesville. 

• Experience: Though I may not have experience organizing a non-profit organization, I have lived experience of being among those of a lesser demographic who require assistance. Having experience is non-substitutable.

• Knowledge: I have knowledge of what nonprofit organizations do for people, having been one of those families. Having knowledge is imitable.  

Social CapitalSocial Capital is defined as the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively. 

• Networking: As we have learned earlier this year in ENT3003, networking is essential to starting a business or nonprofit organization. By having connections to skilled individuals, one can expand their social capital and their business idea. There would be much value in networking. 

Financial CapitalFinancial Capital is defined as any economic resource measured in terms of money used by entrepreneurs and businesses to buy what they need to make their products or to provide their services to the sector of the economy upon which their operation is based, i.e. retail, corporate, investment banking, etc. 

• Economic resource: Since Changeville is a nonprofit organization, it is unlikely for this organization to have a definitive financial capital in place. Lack of financial capital in businesses and organizations would be considered rare. 

CapabilitiesEntrepreneurial capabilities are best defined as distinct sets of individual and organizational capabilities and skills as well as actions, practices, and routines that aim to explore, integrate, and exploit business opportunities.

• Capabilities: Our actions to alleviate burden on families in need would involve collaborating with food trucks, fundraising for household necessities and placement of routines in our actions. We can host food drives every other week, provide essential items on a biweekly basis, etc. This would be imitable and could take place among other nonprofit organizations as well. 

Organizational CultureOrganizational culture is defined as the underlying beliefs, assumptions, values and ways of interacting that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of an organization.

• Beliefs: We believe that everyone has a fighting chance at being able to sustain themselves. By providing assistance at times of need, people will be able to get back on their feet and support themselves in due time. Having beliefs can be viewed as imitable. 

• Assumptions: Changeville assumes that their services are of use within the city of Gainesville. We believe that we can make a change.  Assumptions can be viewed as imitable.

• Values: We value humanity. We value the lives of those who are often underrepresented. We are understanding of struggling and how difficult it can be to put oneself together again. We are here for you and your success is our mission. 

Changeville of Gainesville's top resource would be dedication to its' mission and overall objectives. Dedication goes a long way when one is determined to make change happen. I believe that dedication itself will lead to promising results. Change occurs within our lives inexplicably and often times, these changes are unwarranted. It is rather difficult to keep up with negative changes, but it is easily manageable to introduce changes that will influence our society positively. A little effort goes a long way and simply by being dedicated, the change this city needs among its' people will happen. 

22: Elevator Pitch No.3

https://youtu.be/qNksl6cyY9A
:)! Elevator Pitch No.3

21A: Reading Reflection No.2

1. The general theme of “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol Dweck are the concepts of having a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. While both are essential for success, both differ greatly from one another. A fixed mindset often involves acceptance of predetermined abilities, while a growth mindset does not limit oneself to a fixed mindset. With a growth mindset, one believes that traits can be cultivated with persistence. 

2. “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” connects with and enhances what I am learning in ENT3003 due to the main argument of the book and its correlation to the mindset of an entrepreneur. In order to succeed, one can not limit themselves to a fixed mindset, rather they must have a growth mindset at all times in order to see progress in what we do as entrepreneurs. Once you place limitations on oneself with a fixed mindset, you have lost an opportunity for growth. 

3. The exercise would involve creating a list of ones predetermined abilities and talents, along side of another list of behavior traits that can be cultivated and learned. This exercise would clearly show the differences and similarities between both a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. 
4. The biggest surprise I came across when reading this book occurred to me while reading Chapter 8: Changing Mindsets. Within this chapter, Carol Dweck writes about self awareness and it’s similarities to the process of cognitive therapy. Self awareness often leads to realization, judgment of oneself, and transformation of one’s perspective. Failure is no long se viewed as a hinderance, but an opportunity for learning and growth. 

19A – Idea Napkin No. 2

1. I am an undergraduate student at the University of Florida. My aspirations include pursuing happiness and making differences in the lives of others. If I were to create the business I have in mind, it would dictate my future, as I would put in the majority of my time and effort into it to ensure success. 
2. Changeville of Gainesville would offer assistance to those who face racial and equity disparities. By making information more accessible, the result would improve the quality of life of those utilizing the service. 

3. All our customers are individuals who suffer from racial and equity disparities. 

4. Customers would know that they are being provided with a service that solely exists to make their lives easier. If the organization is a non profit, they would ideally be provided the services free of charge. 
5. Changeville of Gainesville is an organization built on helping those who are less fortunate. Our core competencies lie within our dedication to helping those in need by providing exceptional services.  

I believe that there are aspects of my business concept that are weaker compared to that of others due to my misunderstanding of non profit organizations. Two main points that I omitted from the second napkin idea were remarks regarding Changeville and it’s potential customers. I elaborated on the demographic in my previous post and it is unnecessary to reiterate the potential customer, having already discussed it. 

20A – Growing Your Social Capital

Robin Rosario

1) Robin Rosario is certified in marketing within a company she has worked for, for over 10 years. She has recently taken interest in building her own business and has had much success, as well as much failure. She has experienced the highs and lows of being a business owner. 

2. She would be considered the domain expert, as she has had experience within industry. 
3. Robin is a good family friend and has known us for several years. 
4. Robin helped me understand that there is a lot that goes into forming and sustaining a business. 
5. Including Robin would enhance my ability to exploit an opportunity due to her experience in the field. She is also connected to many different companies within my home town and has contacts of her own who may potentially be interested in the services I’d have to offer. 

Crystal Maldonado

1) Crystal Maldonado is the College Access Coordinator who works for Grace Place for Children and Families. She has experience conducting research for a non-profit organization 

2) Crystal would be the market expert due to her exposure to a non-profit organization that is known to pave pathways out of poverty for children and their families. 

3. I met Crystal during my senior year of high school. I had applied to a position referred to as being an “AP Mentor” and worked with middle school aged children after school. I had a class size of children to myself whom I aided with their homework, and conducted team building exercises with. 
4. I was able to participate in an after school program as a mentor and in exchange, she gave me community service hours. 
5. Including Crystal in my network would enhance my ability to exploit an opportunity due to her expertise in the field of non-profit organizations and how they are structured an ervices provided by marketing to locals as best he can. He connects his father to potential clients and essentially seeks work for his father to fulfill. 

1. Yandeivis would act as the supplier, as he is experienced in supplying his father with clientele. 
2. Yandeivis is a family friend and has continued to be a part of my life throughout the years. Recently, he took interest in helping manage a business and therefore has experience that could be of use as I attempt to start my own. 
3. Yandeivis has been working hard to connect his father to clients. I referred him to Robin Rosario, who was able to grow the amount of customers asking for his fathers services. In return, he agreed to assist me in matters pertaining to the non-profit I’d like to start. 
4. Including Yandeivis in my network would enhance my ability to exploit an opportunity due to his role as a supplier. He would be a good asset to include on this entrepreneurial journey. 

Reflection: This experience will shape how I participate in future networking events due to the exposure of seeking contacts within the network I’d like to be involved in. This experience has differed greatly from previous networking experiences since I have not necessarily been involved in much networking. 

18A

My prototypical customer is named Maria Velasco. She does not have many hobbies since she is constantly working to support her family of two. She drives a red 2000 Ford station wagon with an engine that turns off if she is idle at a street light for an extended amount of time. She enjoys watching Texas Ranger starring Chuck Norris and likes to watch infomercials of jewelry being sold on that channel that no one else watches. She has two children and birthed both of her children. She has a 19 year old daughter and a 10 year old son. Her daughter does not read additional material she does not need to read. She is assigned enough readings in her Art History course. Unfortunately, her son is physically disabled and mentally delayed and is unable to read books. Maria’s favorite politician is nonexistent. She votes for the independent party year after year because she believes that voting for the independent party has a sense of neutrality embedded into it. She is 53 years of age and she feels as if she’s going on 100. She was recently diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and is doing her best to continue receiving an income to provide for her children. Her daughter works overnight shifts at a local Steak N Shake every single day after going to college all day. Her daughter is trying her best to alleviate the hardship they are facing and is working on getting her mother to step down from her position with her employer so that she can heal as best she can. Her children need her. 

What do you have in common with the customer avatar? If you have anything in common with the avatar, do you think that is a coincidence? Why? 

I share many similarities with the avatar. I grew up watching Chuck Norris on my living room TV and thought it was the silliest thing. My mother enjoyed it very much and I like to reminisce and think of the times where she was here with us. Unfortunately, the avatar and myself have similar financial situations. I do not have family. When I say that, I mean it. No one reaches out, no one tries to help. I am constantly struggling financially. The one thing that helps me most is the University of Florida. I was admitted as an MFOS Scholar and they have continually helped me receive the financial assistance I need to live. I think it is not a coincidence that I share these similarities with this customer avatar. We seem  to belong to the same demographic and could benefit from assistance. 

16A: What's Your Secret Sauce?

I truly do believe that I differ from most within my age group. I have gone through a multitude of experiences and have undergone inexplicable changes I wouldn't trade for anything else. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and I am here where I need to be, doing what I must. I feel as if I was dealt a bad hand of cards, but since then have handled the deck rather well. I have not succumb to giving up, and quite honestly that surprises me. After conducting interviews with those who know me best, I can say one thing for sure: these people are life long friends you have to appreciate. Not everyone is privileged enough to have consistent friendships that have lasted and only continue to grow. I can agree with most of what was said about me. It is not rare to disagree when others speak of one's strengths. However, I am compelled to believe and trust in what they share when they speak of myself and how I am different from others.
What Sets You Apart From Others?

15A: Figuring Out Buyer Behavior

      As I have conducted my interviews, I have noticed one similarity among each and every individual. When it comes to purchasing a service. the value of the service itself is in question. "Is the object worthy of the expense I am paying for it?" is a question I tend to ask myself when making purchases and this same concern is shown by the individuals I interview. Though my potential business I'd like to create is deemed as a non-profit organization, I have concerns regarding the sustenance of such an organization without monetary funds. I have to become more educated in the matter in order to better provide answers to my potential clients in seek of assistance.
      Within my interviews, I spoke to Andy, George and Pietro. Each individual had concerns regarding pricing since the organization is deemed as non-profit. I would like there to be little to no expense to solely provide individuals with information regarding potential resources available to them. Each person interviewed had admitted to struggling with financial funds, as they are college peers who do not receive much parental contribution. If this service I were to provide were free of charge, I could surely help them resources that would assist them and improve their quality of life.

14A: Halfway Reflection

1. Behaviors that I have used to keep up with the requirements of this course would have to be actively paying attention to time management. Working 30 hours a week and going to school full time can be a lot to handle, especially if it is new to you (which is what I’m learning to adjust to).                              
2. I’ve felt like giving up multiple times throughout my upbringing. When faced with hardship, it is difficult to move past inexplicable change that one may encounter. After the loss of my mother and loss of the place I used to call home, waking up was a very difficult task to do. I felt powerless. From time to time, I still experience the grief in waves. February 12th was her birthday and the second one I’ve spent without her. I feel as if I’ve developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months and the experiences that have heavily contributed to this is the making of art. Art served as a distraction but art has also been a driving force. My first art project was dedicated to her to ensure that I give it my all.

3. Fostering the skills that support tenacity all come from within. You have to want to succeed. Development of a tenacious mindset does not simply come to one overnight. You must put in the effort in order to receive results. You must press on forward and not allow yourself to give up. 

13A: Reading Reflections No.1

1. Muhammad Yunus is an individual who sought to help millions escape poverty in Bangladesh. I admire his effort to bring forth change to a community that otherwise would not have received the attention it deserved. However, Yunus failed to recognize that his solution to ending poverty would create its own demand. Microcredit could be interpreted as a simple misunderstanding of basic economic principles which Yunus overlooked. 
2. The entrepreneur exhibited concern for those of his country and acted by instilling his humanitarian endeavors into his work. 
3. I found the fact that microcredit was introduced to a struggling community rather difficult to understand. By introducing an economic principle that often never succeeds, he put the livelihood of his people at risk. Yunus might have made matters worse. 
4. I would ask the entrepreneur personal questions regarding his motive for introducing microcredit to the people of Bangladesh. I would also ask Yunus if his humanitarian endeavors would further motivate him to do more than what he already has. I would ask these questions to seek the reasoning behind his drive for introducing such a concept to a struggling demographic. 
5. I believe that Muhammad Yunus did not undermine hard work and what it entails. Surely, this entrepreneur must have executed this idea having thought of the potential failures and successes that could derive from it. I would have to say that I would share this opinion. It is important to evaluate oneself, especially when you are becoming involved in the lives of others. 

Assignment 12A

          The segment that would match my venture market would be students and families that live here in the city of Gainesville. 

          The individuals who were glad to help by being interviewed were Cody, Andre and Will. All who were interviewed are individuals that face racial and equity disparities due to their financial standing in society. Each person I interviewed had an unmet need of finding ways to benefit themselves through the use of organizations such as Changeville of Gainesville.

          Their unmet needs become more problematic when it comes down to budgeting in order to get by until their next paycheck. They are all undergraduate college students who primarily live and sustain themselves. 

In order to solve this pressing issue, they all tend to follow unhealthy habits which consist of not eating as often and restricting themselves to the bare minimum they can spend in between paychecks. If there were a way for each one of them to access potential resources that can help lessen their burden, it would be an opportunity they would be grateful for. 

Assignment 11A

1. I am an undergraduate art student here at the University of Florida. I’m still discovering my talents, but thus far I have found that I am decent at painting and do well with exploration of the creative process. This is my first year making art but I feel as if I can grow a lot as an artist if I continue to be ambitious. Unfortunately, my skills and experiences do not cover a vast area. My aspirations include pursuing happiness and making differences in the lives of others through art as well as through Changeville of Gainesville. This non profit organization would help instigate my aspiration of wanting to help those in need. If this organization were to become a reality and a large part of my life, I would be content with my achievements and the influence I’d have on others.

2. Changeville of Gainesville would offer assistance to those who face racial and equity disparities. This organization would provide individuals with the information they need to take advantage of all the resources available to them due to their demographic. By making information more accessible, more people would be able to live their lives as they are facing less hardships by utilizing resources that exist to help them grow. 

3. This service would be available to all individuals who would be categorized within a population that faces trouble with racial and equity disparities throughout our city. The demographic of these individuals would be people who come from lower class and are considered minorities. All our customers are individuals who suffer from racial and equity disparities. 

4. Customers would know that they are being provided with a service that solely exists to make their lives easier. Though the organization would be a nonprofit, there would be no need for customers to actually pay me money to use the product or service. 

5. Changeville of Gainesville is an organization built on helping those who are less fortunate. Throughout my upbringing, my family found solace through organizations that provided similar assistance. Personally, I know how rough it can be to live under extenuating circumstances. By introducing this nonprofit, I feel as though I am giving back to the community that deserves all the help they can receive. 

I believe that these elements fit together due to the fact that there is an unmet need that requires attention. I feel as though my business concept may be weaker than others due to lack of funding to allow opening of such an organization. Once the organization is up and running, if there is no service fee for providing assistance, there is no source of income for the organization to continue running. I am unsure of how non profit organizations work and how they continue to exist without funding. In order to properly execute this idea, I would need to learn more about introducing a nonprofit organization to a specific region. 

10A

https://youtu.be/34HNJZuXnRo

Assignment 9A: Testing the Hypothesis Part 2

Who:  I spoke to a few peers regarding their stance on racial and equity disparities. Some peers were considered outside the boundary, while some were within the boundary. The peers I interviewed felt that there is a need for racial and equity disparities to be valued and brought to attention. Such matters should be evaluated and revised to ensure the best quality of life to all residence of Gainesville. 

What: This unmet need is of utmost important, as it interferes with the lifestyle residence attempt to carry out throughout the duration of their time here in the city of Gainesville. The residence of this city should not have to feel inferior to others. The residence of this city should be able to seek opportunity without judgment. 

Why: The underlying cause of racial and equity disparities lie among issues within healthcare, education, employment, families, housing and transportation. Due to the fact that some are not as financially fit as others, those individuals face hardship when it comes to affordable healthcare and means of transportation, among other aspects. It is imperative that we seek a solution to alleviate the burden residence must face. 

Inside the Boundary	Outside the Boundary
Who is In              •Low income families                      • College students	Who is Not                                 • People who have support of their families                        • People with sustainable income
What the Need Is    • Providing services to further distribute useful resources and information to those in need	What the Need is Not                      • An organization that does not fulfill their purpose
Why the Need Exists                          • Racial and equity disparities are a result of unfair treatment that has been around for years.	Alternate Explanation              Racial and equity disparities are a result of lack of concern and lack of attention to the underlying issues that contribute to it. With an organization that provides additional information regarding resources available to the public, the information is spread with ease and as a result of this, more individuals are able to take advantage of the services at their disposal.

Assignment 8A: Solving The Problem

• In order to resolve racial and equity disparities, we must take underlying issues into consideration.
• By revising the education system in place, incorporating more parental involvement in education, revising means to receive help with housing, and making healthcare more accessible to all, racial and equity disparities will lessen over time.

Potential solutions for the issue:

• Ensure that children have equal opportunities available to them regardless of social standing and financial restrictions.
• Inform parental guardians of opportunities available to their children.
• Encourage parental involvement when it comes to education.
• Enforce employer laws to ensure that applicants have equal opportunity regardless of race.
• Improve RTS tracking to provide riders with accurate ETA and departure schedules.

Overall, the service being provided would be revision and enforcing of rules. By doing what is mentioned above, we can lessen the likelihood of racial and equity disparities throughout our town.

Assignment 7A: Testing The Hypothesis

Opportunity: Racial and equity disparities exist within the city of Gainesville due to underlying issues among education, healthcare, employment, families, housing, and transportation.

The who: Residents of the city of Gainesville

The what: They must put up with racial and equity disparities.

The why: Lack of attention toward the city’s underlying issues.

Testing the who: This includes but is not limited to the residents of Gainesville who must face racial or equity disparities. Visitors, tourists and transient individuals may also experience racial and equity disparities.

Testing the what: Racial and equity disparities do not solely exist within Gainesville. These disparities are prevalent issues throughout our nation and have been for quite some time.

Testing the why: It is becoming more and more difficult to tackle these disparities as the nation becomes accustomed to maltreatment of one another. People follow by example and we should be able to look up to those who are in positions of authority.

Interview #1: My first interview was with Will. When asked about his experience with racial and equity disparities, Will mentioned that he had yet to be affected by such disparities. Will is employed, has adequate housing and reliable transportation. Though he is unaffected, he states that the reasoning behind having all of the above is due to his work ethic and motivation to excel.

From this interview, I realized that though some may be more unfortunate than others, that may be a result of an individuals lack of concern for their future.

Interview #2: My second interview was with Whitney. When asked about racial and equity disparities that exist within our city, Whitney argued that the education system and families are to blame. Though the academic standard may not include teaching children life skills, consideration in including such a teaching would alleviate stress regarding adulthood. However,

Whitney believed that families should be held liable for withholding informative tips on need to know life skills.

From this interview, I realized that Whitney’s point of view has some truth to it. If children were taught how to deal with matters that need to be taken care of at an early age, they would have a better understanding of how the real world works after they transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Interview #3: My third interview was with Ryan. I asked Ryan what his solution to racial and equity disparities would be if he could have a say in the matter. Ryan said that the root of the problem lies in families. If families were to raise their children in a manner where they would not view humanity differently based on the color of their skin, racial and equity disparities would be obsolete.

From this interview, I learned that some people are willing to acknowledge the root of certain problems without trying to appeal to everyone.

Interview #4: My fourth interview was with Jessie. When asked about racial and equity disparities in healthcare, Jessie stated that it is rare to be denied treatment due to being of a different race. Healthcare is a basic human right.

From this interview, I came to agree with Jessie’s point of view. One should not be denied or sent away when seeking help in a medical setting. The individual could be in serious danger.

Interview #5: My fifth interview was with David. I asked David if he had any experiences with racial and equity disparities and come to find out, he has. When David sought employment, he was rejected from a local Chinese restaurant and he is unsure as to why he did not qualify. He believes that this was a case of racism due to him not being of Asian descent.

From this interview, I learned that some businesses do have a tendency to only hire those of their race. This is wrong and should not be a prevalent issue in today’s day and age.

Caplan, Andrew. “GNV4All Unveils Plans to Tackle City's Problems.” The Gainesville Sun, Gatehouse Media, LLC, 16 Mar. 2017, 8:07 P.M, www.google.com/amp/s/www.gainesville.com/news/20170316/gnv4all-unveils-plans-to-tackle-citys-problems?template=ampart.