7A – Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

The opportunity I am going to pursue is a phone holder in bathroom stalls. This would allow bathroom users to have somewhere safe and clean to place their phone. The phone holder would be placed on the side wall of the individual bathroom stalls.

The who: Everyone who uses a public restroom

The what: People have a place to place their phone in the bathroom  

The why: To protect the phone from damages and germs

Testing the who: Everyone who has a cell phone and uses a public restroom.

Testing the what: All bathroom layouts have a different layout. Men and women’s restrooms are different.

Testing the why: People may blame the phone holder if their phone falls out or if the product becomes defective.

Interview #1 – I interviewed a female high school teacher. She believed that the phone holder could be useful for both men and women. When she uses the restroom during her lunch breaks the only thing she takes with her is her phone.

Interview #2 – I interviewed a male construction worker. He liked the idea, but did feel it would be more beneficial for women’s bathrooms. He is normally on the job site and does not use public bathrooms.

Interview #3 – I interviewed a female lawyer. She believed the idea of a phone holder in a stall would be a good idea because she normally wears skirts without pockets and she has nowhere to place her phone in the bathroom. She has a busy schedule so it is easy to drop her phone.

Interview #4 – I interviewed a college female. She was very intrigued with the idea and believed it would be beneficial to many people. She often uses the restrooms on campus and there is nowhere to place her phone in the restroom.

Interview #5 – I interviewed a male nurse. He thought the idea was very creative and it would be useful for everyone. He believes when people put their phones on the toilet paper holder it can easily fall or even collect more germs.

After conducting the interviews I learned that people were more interested in the idea based on their situation. The more often someone experiences a need, the more likely they are to want to find a solution to the need. I also learned that for this opportunity I would want to make the phone holder as sanitary as possible by making it a material that is easy to clean or even including cleaning wipes.

6A – Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Regulatory changes

1.     Sexual harassment prevention

https://www.paychex.com/articles/compliance/top-regulatory-issues

This leads me to believe that an opportunity exists because women do not feel comfortable. There is an opportunity to make women feel safer. Women would be the prototypical customer because they are the ones currently being affected the most in society. I think the opportunity would be difficult to exploit because it is hard to change the way society is and how the norms are for men and women.

2.     Paid Leave laws

https://www.paychex.com/articles/compliance/top-regulatory-issues

Paid leave laws are starting to become more implemented. There is an opportunity to provide employees with paid leave. People would be able to find more stability in their jobs and not have to struggle if a situation were to come up. I think college graduates would be the prototypical customers. I think the opportunity is relatively easy to exploit as it would be beneficial for many.

Economic

1.     America Is Declining in Global Economic Power

https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666

The opportunity exists for America to gain more economic power. Creating more jobs and keeping up with trade would help America economically. The prototypical customer would be Americans in power because they can use their power for good. I think the opportunity is relatively difficult to exploit because the economy is a big issue to tackle.

2.     Baby Boomers Aren't Retiring

https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666

The opportunity exists for Baby Boomers to be able to retire earlier. Their late retirement is creating fewer opportunities for millennials. The prototypical customer would be the Baby Boomers because they would be able to retire earlier with financial stability. I think it might be difficult to exploit because wages and pay fluctuate depending on where a person lives.

5A - Identifying Local Opportunities

1.    Title- Gran Paradiso residents seek answers about a dry pond

https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ANPFB%21North%2BPort%2BSun%2B%2528FL%2529&sort=YMD_date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=problem&fld-base-0=alltext&docref=news/173A572AB494F000

The residents had an issue with the pond that has been dried up in their community. The dried up pond has attracted unwanted animals to come into the community.

The issue with the dried up pond comes from the fact that the district and the property owners have control over the land. No one acted right away so the problem would continue to grow as more animals came to the area.

The people who have the problem are the residents of the West Villages community.

2.    Allegiant flight from Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Punta Gorda delayed over 14 hours

https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ANPFB%21North%2BPort%2BSun%2B%2528FL%2529&sort=YMD_date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=problem&fld-base-0=alltext&docref=news/173858181745CF38

Passengers on an Allegiant flight were delayed over 14 hours. The airline says that the issue was a combination of a weather issue and a technical issue.

The people who had the problem were the passengers and the airline company.

3.    Umpires have messages for parents "you're out."

https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ANPFB%21North%2BPort%2BSun%2B%2528FL%2529&sort=YMD_date%3AD&page=1&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=problem&fld-base-0=alltext&docref=news/1731C0866E7904B8

Parents are ruining the baseball games for the kids. The parents are yelling at the umpires and making the games more stressful for everyone. The umpires do not get paid much and should not have to deal with the rude parents.

The people who have the problem are the umpires and the people who watch the game.

4.    Texting-driving should become primary offense

https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ANPFB%21North%2BPort%2BSun%2B%2528FL%2529&sort=YMD_date%3AD&page=1&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=problem&fld-base-0=alltext&docref=news/172F736B4FC356E0

Texting and driving has been an issue for drivers. Florida’s law has made texting and driving a secondary offense so officers can only pull over a driver if they are breaking another law. We need to make driving safer so making it a primary offense could possibly help solve the problem.

The people who have the problem are drivers on the road, because they are being put in danger.

5.    Toll roads could ease clogged interstates

https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ANPFB%21North%2BPort%2BSun%2B%2528FL%2529&sort=YMD_date%3AD&page=1&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=problem&fld-base-0=alltext&docref=news/1731C0864A08DCE8

There is a buildup of traffic in the central part of Florida. The proposed idea for toll roads could help make Florida highways less crowded and safer. The current road situation would be a hazard for future hurricane evacuation routes.

The people who have the problem are Florida residents and potential Florida guests.

4A - Forming An Opportunity Belief

1)    Beginning point: I have a belief that an opportunity exists. Being at UF has led me to use public bathrooms constantly. Whether it is in a classroom, library, or sport facility. Taking my phone in the bathroom and having nowhere to put it is something that bugs me. There is an opportunity for a pocket box in the stalls of the bathroom to hold your phone.

2)    The unmet need is having nowhere to put your phone when you are using the toilet. Everyone almost always brings their phone in the bathroom, so this can be a problem for many different people. I would say women have the need more than men because women tend to have clothing that does not have pockets. If a woman were to be wearing a dress it may not have pockets and they have to hold their phone the whole time in the bathroom. If a woman is wearing clothing with a pocket, the pockets may not be deep enough and it could cause the phone to slip out easily. This need is fairly new because of the increased use of cell phones and the fact that people rarely go anyway without their cell phones. To meet this need, people are leaving their phones on unclean places in the bathroom. People can also put the phone away in their bag. I would say I am 30% sure this opportunity exists.

3)    The prototypical customer would be a young adult/college female.

4)    Interview #1

She said the nature of the need is to promote sanitation in an unsanitary area. She experiences her need almost all the time. She finds herself not having anywhere to put her phone while she is in the bathroom. The interviewee says that she has had the need ever since she has had a smartphone. She first became aware of her need when she had to put her phone on the toilet paper dispenser because there was nowhere else to put it. She is currently addressing her need by finding alternative places to place her phone in the bathroom or by asking a friend to hold her phone before she goes into the bathroom. She is very satisfied with the solution.

3) Another prototypical customer is an older female.

4) Interview #2

She said the nature of the need is for the protection of phones. She experiences the need sometimes. She says she can bring a purse to put her phone in. But, she does wear dresses often, so she experiences the need when she wears dresses. The interviewee says that she has had the need ever since she has owned a phone. She became aware of the need after remembering she almost dropped her phone in the toilet one time. She is currently addressing her need by trying not to bring her phone in the bathroom as much. She is very satisfied with the solution. She thinks it is a good idea to prevent her phone from falling in the toilet.

3) Another prototypical customer would be a college male.

4) Interview #3

He said the nature of the need is for women’s bathroom stalls. The interviewee said that men have pockets in basically ever pair of pants so the need is not as prevalent in the men’s bathroom. However, he did note that on rare occasions when he wears basketball shorts without pockets, he experiences the need. He also mentioned that in some men’s restrooms, they even have shelves on top of urinals, so men can put things on top of it, but he has never even used one of these. The interviewee said he only experiences the need on rare occasions, when he wears basketball shorts without pocket. He said he had the need for as long as he has owned a pair of basketball pants without pockets. The interviewee mentioned that he never really thought about his need; mostly because as a male, he owns many shorts and pants that have pockets in them. He said he is currently addressing his need by wearing mostly shorts and pants that have pockets. He is satisfied with the solution because he thinks it’s a good idea for women’s bathrooms but it does not apply to him all the time.

5) Reflection: After conducting the interviews, I found out that this product would cater more towards females. I wanted to interview a male to get their opinion since I have never thought about the need from a man’s perspective. I learned that women do feel the same way I feel about the need. One of the girls’s brought up the point of sanitation, which is a very good point in my opinion.

7) Summary:

I would say much of the original opportunity is still there. I was originally thinking of a bug that happens mostly for women which was shown to be true in the interviews. Now that I received feedback, I believe my opportunity is more accurate than when I started. I think there should be a good balance between adapting to customers and staying firm. Pleasing the customer is important but you have to remember the audience and that you cannot please everyone.

3A - Your Entrepreneurship Story

I was exposed to entrepreneurship in middle school science class. We had a competition to see who could create the best object out of only the materials provided. It was very challenging to think of a useful object with supplies that seemed useless. Once we created the item my group had to explain what the invention would be used for. It made me realize how much entrepreneurs go through to get their final product.

 I enrolled in ENT 3003 because I thought it would be an interesting class to take over the summer. I was not quite sure what to expect but when I looked up the class it seemed fascinating and not like any other class I have taken so far at UF. Even if I do not become an entrepreneur, I hope to be able to look at things with a new perspective after taking this class.

2A - Bug List

1.     I have city parking and every time I come from work there are no close spots to my apartment and I end up having to walk a far distance home at night.

Why are there never any parking spots?

Gainesville has many students that are all also trying to park.

2.     When I use the Rider App for the bus system, it will say one minute away and end up not coming for 15 minutes.

Why does the bus not show up on time?

It is hard to predict the exact timing of a bus because of traffic and other factors such as the driving having to use the bathroom.

3.     There are many 4 way stops near my apartment and people like to sit at the stop sign when they get there first and wait. But then I start to go and then they decide to finally go.

Why do people not know the rules for a 4 way stop?

It can get confusing and people get forget the way to approach it.

4.     I have been walking to class when I step in gum and it gets stuck to my shoe.

Why do people spit their gum on the ground?

It is convenient and people don’t care as long as they are not the one to step in it.  

5.     I was craving ice cream late at night and I wanted to get a milkshake at McDonalds because they were one of the few places open and their machine was broken.

Why does McDonald’s ice cream machine never work?

It is just not working anymore because it is frequently used and there comes a point when the workers just don’t want to fix it anymore.

6.     I take Archer Road to work and I have to leave earlier because the speed limit is 20 mph because of all the construction.

Why is Archer always under construction?

Archer is a very important road because it is next to Shands so they are continuing to improve it for the future.

7.     I like to study at the libraries but when I go there is never an open table for me to sit at.

Why is there never an open table at the campus libraries?

There are more students at this University than there are seats.

8.     Ads pop up for free items when I am scrolling on social media. When I click on the ad it says the item is free if you pay $20 shipping.

Why do apps claim items are free but then charge extra for shipping?

This is a way companies lure you in to buy their products.

9.     When I drive back home on the highway, I always can stuck in traffic because of construction or an accident.

Why is there always traffic on i75 when I am driving home?

I75 is a popular highway which can increase the chances of an accident.

10.  I have BB&T because that is the bank I had before I came to Gainesville so if I receive a check, I have to drive far to deposit it.

Why is the closest location of my bank in Ocala?

My bank was not started around here and has yet to build banks in this location.

11.  When I am walking to class, people on their bikes always zoom by wearing headphones and that is very unsafe.

Why do people ride their bike wearing headphones?

People enjoy listening to music and tuning the world out.

12.  I get out of class every morning at 10:45am and that would be a nice time for chick fil a breakfast, but by then they already stopped serving breakfast.

Why does Chick fil a stop serving breakfast at 10:30?

It would be too hard to make both breakfast and their regular menu foods at the same time and it would slow them down.

13.  It is very hot during the summer and I want to go to the beach but Gainesville is far from the beach.

Why is Gainesville so far from the beach?

Gainesville is located in the central part of Florida so to go the beach, you would have to drive to the east or west coast.

14.  When I drive on the highway to south Florida my truck becomes completely covered in love bugs.

Why are there so many love bugs?

It is love bug season and they like the moist, humid climate in Florida.

15.  I have to pay for each load of laundry I want to do so it becomes annoying if I want to separate my laundry and do multiple loads.

Why do I have to pay for my laundry?

My apartment complex does not have washing machines in our rooms so someone else is paying for the water so we have to pay for it.

16.  When I am finished eating I like to wash my dishes, but there are already so many dishes in the sink that there is no room for me to even wash my dishes.

Why do people leave their dishes in the sink?

People are in a rush and do not feel like cleaning up right away.

17.  I see great deals online for concert tickets but when I go to checkout the price goes way up.

Why are the fees on concert tickets so expensive?

Different sellers have different transactions fees to make money, concert tickets are so popular that people will buy them no matter what.

18.  When I am trying to go to bed I hear people yelling outside my apartment around 2 in the morning.

Why is it so noisy at my apartment after 2am?

2am is the time the bars and clubs so people are walking back and getting home around that time.

19.  I have been looking for a job that I like and the job either cannot work with my class schedule or I am not qualified for the job.

Why is it so hard to find a job I like?

I currently do not have a degree yet so it is hard to find a job that fits my interests or that I am qualified for.

20.  I clean my room at the end of the week and it seems to get so messy and it just becomes a cycle of having to clean it every weekend.

Why does my room get messy so quickly?

I do not put things away and my room is very small.

I actually did have an issue coming up with my bug list. I was able to think of all the things that bother me throughout my day. At the end of each day I would look back and recall things I encountered. Then putting the bug list into a question format was very interesting. I never thought of things that way and it helps put things into a new perspective.

Hello!

My name is Allyson