Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

In my interviews, I have interviewed people who should have the need, but they actually do not have the unmet need. Simply, there are not the first point of contact. The people I have interviewed are homeowners, business owners, workers in school, managers of golf courses, and real estate agents. These groups of people are consumers of the product produced by the drinking water and wastewater treatment plants. They do not realize how much work is involved in producing the tap water to satisfy everyday needs. Also, it includes the laboratory tests that are needed to keep the plants in compliance and operating safely and properly. The environmental labs need certification to produce their product, which is the lab results. The treatment plants need their own separate certifications and the lab results to ensure their product is safe and consumable, so the plant is in compliance. A homeowner would have to boil the water. A golf course manager would have to spend money on artificial turf because the grass would not be able to be watered. Businesses cannot operate without a fresh water supply. Schools cannot open without a clean water source for the students and staff. Real estate agents would not be able to sell homes if the potential sellers could not pass the homeowner inspections, which environmental laboratories are a part of. Landscapers would not have the same opportunity because they do not need to rely on a water sources for the lawns they cut. A maid whose job is just to clean the house would not need this opportunity, as well; the same goes for taxi drivers and delivery service personnel. Essentially, it is people who go to other people’s homes and businesses to do labor work. They are not the direct consumers of the water being supplied to the establishment. It is the responsibility of their employer. Their job duties have no bearing on this water supply and the federal certification processes.

Inside the Boundary	Outside the Boundary
Who is In: Environmental labs and the water treatment plants	Who is Not: Homeowners, school workers, real estate agents, managers of gold courses, labor workers
What the Need Is: Safer water production	What the Need Is Not: The need is not recognized as having to go through such strict regulations and procedures.
Why the Need Exists: The government is trying to make a profit off private sectors by collecting fees for such certifications	Alternative Explanations: They do not have direct contact with the labs and plants. They are simply the consumers of these services.

Solving the Problem

The opportunity I have selected is to reduce the number of federal certifications businesses must pass, as well as its respective employees, in order to operate. An opportunity as this one will alleviate some of the stresses that workers must endure. While the problem may be hard to address directly, a number of solutions can be imposed to decrease the certifications. Many of these certifications are expensive and time consuming, which impact the company as a whole and hinder its productive environment. One of the solutions some laboratories had during this competitive time was to reduce the prices of laboratory tests and hoped to make up the deficit with more volume.  A solution to these problems would be for the government to lessen the regulatory requirements so that labs can still be profitable and provide the highest quality data. Also, most of these labs’ clients are some form of government, City, County, State, and Federal. When obtaining any service, they have to use a completive bid process with award going to the lowest priced qualified bidder. Higher sets of criteria could be used other than price and complicating qualifications, such as experience of each employee, awards, and recognize performance on the very costly yearly required Performance Testing samples.

Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

1)    The opportunity I would like to pursue is to reduce the number of governmental certifications for a business, particularly in environmental laboratories.

2)    The hypothesis for this opportunity is:

a.     The environmental laboratories in the United States are hindered by the rules and regulations of the federal government, which impact their competitiveness, because the maintaining of yearly certifications are expensive and cut into productive working time.

3)    Testing the who: The ‘who’ is not only applied to environmental laboratories, but any business that requires federal certifications for licensing reasons. For example, some of these other businesses include startup companies, healthcare, and any business owner. They are all required to pass and complete the federal certification processes in order to run their business and being a working employee.

Testing the what: The ‘what’ is an opportunity such as this one is the governmental regulations. These regulations are the driving force behind this opportunity. Also, the customers and clients who abide by the same regulations as the businesses are a part of the ‘what.’

Testing the why: The ‘why’ in this situation is developed from the competitiveness of these companies in lieu the government’s appearance and role. As mentioned already, the governmental regulations are the root of this opportunity. In reality, it is a “survival of the fittest” scenario, where stronger businesses outlast the weaker ones in terms of profit made. This is representative of an industry overload.

4)  For this part, I have conducted interviews with employees in the environmental laboratories. My mom used to be the President of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, playing an active role in marine-biological research. The people I chose for the interview were some of her past co-workers. In my interview, I asked the interviewees questions in regard to the ‘who,’ ‘what,’, and ‘why’ of this opportunity. As a collective whole, they agreed that the governmental regulations for re-certifying are overwhelming and quite extortionate. This opportunity is highly needed in order for a less stressful and more productive work environment to prevail. One piece of information I had learned about the opportunity is how common this issue of government regulations is for the workers in this field. I knew that the problem existed, but I did not know how well aware the workers were of it. Some of them are prepared to action in order to reduce these regulations. Staff members I interviewed each had a different perspective, based on their job position. Essentially more work and less income and lower quality because supplies and chemicals sometimes couldn’t be ordered. Laboratory directors and managers had to not only watch their budgets closely but motivate their staff to work extra hard even overtime without pay. Quality assurance Managers had to sign their names to reports that they knew did not meet top quality standards. The labs were a commercial entity and had sales representatives selling the services of the lab. They were compensated by the lab tests they sold and contracts they were awarded on a commissioned/salary. They were the first point of contact with the client so when quality started to decline, they took the heat. The lab accountants had to generate client invoices then when payment was received pay the lab operating bills. Sometimes this person and the director would have to pick and choose which bill took priority. Payroll had to come first because if the staff wasn’t paid no one would be able to do the work. Clients, some of whom were governed by the same agencies as the labs, also saw the effect: they weren’t getting reports on time and some reports were rejected by the agency they reported to, or they were fined. Harbor Branch did not succumb to lower prices. They stayed firm and when clients left for lower priced labs, they quickly learned how much those lower prices were costing them in fines and retesting and quickly came back to Harbor Branch at higher prices.

Identifying Opportunities in Economic and Regulatory Trends

1)    Economic Trends: Combat climate change and decrease food prices

A.    Combat climate change

B.    Decrease food prices

Regulatory Trends:

C.     Growing use of health warnings on packages

D.    Greater enforcement of age limits on social media  

2)    A. Combat climate change:  

a)     https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/climate-change/

b)    Climate change is a current issue that the world is experiencing amidst a pandemic outbreak. In the article, climate change is creating constant impacts on the environment and quality of life for humans and living organisms. Some of the impacts are rising sea levels, closures of food production, and catastrophic flooding. An opportunity for this problem exists because it is preventable if there is no human interference with the climate system, which can prevent any dangerous impacts caused by global warming. There are different treaties and pacts that have been created to combat such a crisis, such as the Paris Agreement and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

c)     The mostly prototypical customers with the opportunity are scientists and those who are working to combat the rising issues caused by climate change.

d)    This opportunity is rather difficult exploit. Climate change has been an issue that counties worldwide have been combating for decades now. However, they may not have been successful as they hoped, but they did levitate some of the causes. The climate is constantly changing characteristic in the environment; therefore, it is difficult to manage and control. But with constant persistence work by those invested in an issue as this one, the problem could possibly be solved or even hindered from expanding at the rate it is.

B. Decrease food prices

a) https://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/08/fight-food-costs.asp

b) Food prices have been rising drastically over the years. Technology is becoming more advanced, driving the economy forward in a positive direction. As a result, there have been increases in product, such as food. There are some actions that people can take to combat or even decrease food prices. For example, customers can eat at home more and put on blinders to prevent themselves from over purchasing while at the stores.

c) The prototypical customer of this opportunity will be the everyday citizen who grocery shops. The rising prices in food has a drastic effect on these customers, particularly those with kids and pets at homes.

d) The opportunity is relatively easy to exploit. Decreasing food prices is an issue that can be combatting very easily and quickly. Prices change daily, so customers are more or less apt to purchase items.

  

C. Growing use of health warnings on packages

a) https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-requires-new-health-warnings-cigarette-packages-and-advertisements

b) The FDA is trying to implement new health warnings on the packages for cigarettes. They plan on making the warnings brighter and more colorful to catch the attention of potential customers. The new warnings will help increase the public awareness of the lesser known impacts that cigarettes can cause.

c) The prototypical customer will be those who are more inclined to purchased cigarettes to feed an addiction. Hopefully, they will be persuaded not to purchase them after seeing the new warning labels.

d) The opportunity of implementing new health warnings are relatively easy to exploit. Health warnings are not a difficult process to create. They are easy to revise and put on packages that may pose as a threat to human health. However, the question whether or not they are successful may be hard to answer.

D. Greater enforcement of age limits on social media

a) https://www.netnanny.com/blog/the-importance-of-social-media-age-restrictions/

b) Social media is the new platform of communication and can be ever so controlling. An age restriction is needed to prevent younger kids from being exposed to content that is not suitable or appropriate to see. An age restriction is easy to impose on any social media. If a user does not meet the minimum age requirement, they will not be allowed to create an account. Also, they are security and sensitive settings that block such content, as well. There needs to be a way to greater enforce underage kids from signing up for accounts on social media. Perhaps, they need to require more way of verification to ensure the age of a user.

c) The prototypical customer will be kids between the age of 13-17, when they are first introduced to social media. Also, the parents of the kids will be a prototypical customer to ensure the safety of their children.

d) The opportunity is relatively easy to exploit. Implementing age restrictions on social media is not hard, but the overall effectiveness is difficult to measure. As mentioned above, the new age enforcement can be equipped with greater verification to ensure no one is underaged.

3)    A. I see combating climate change to be a potential opportunity. Climate change has been in the news recently and a worldwide problem due to increasing temperatures and rising sea levels, which can a plethora of impacts on life and society. With the new advancements in technology and science, there is a demand to tackle this problem and the chances of being successful are heightened tremendously. I always try my best to protect the environment in any way possible to ensure the safety of its inhabitants and the quality of human life. A stance against climate change can improve the health of nature and prevent any harm on living organisms.

B. Decreasing food prices is an opportunity that I can see being successful in society. Prices are constantly changing each day as customers’ demand change. Customers can take matters into their own hands to decrease the price of food. For example, customers can eat at home more, shop without the kids, and ensure they are not shopping on an empty stomach. Being a college student, a rise in food prices only puts a bigger hold on my finances and spending that are available to me. A decrease in food prices would help out families and college students, so they can save money on groceries.

C. I do believe there is an opportunity for the implementation of more health warnings on packages. In modern society, access to products, such as cigarettes and tobacco, has been made easier for children and minors. Thus, the need for new warning labels to further discourage the purchases of such products. Even though I do not smoke, I have family members and friends who do smoke and it is easy for to see the side effects of the tobacco on their physical and mental health. I believe it is important to persuade customers from not purchasing such products to prevent any health problems or tragedies, especially in underaged users.

D. Living in a modern society, social media has overtaken the world by storm. Businesses and school all operate through some form of social media. Kids at a young age are exposed to social media, which may be inappropriate to some viewers. Therefore, I do believe there is an opportunity to enforce greater age limits on social media. I have seen the effects that social media has on the mental and physical state of the younger generations. They become addicted and soon cannot leave the platform. It damages their mind, which may prevent them from achieving great grades in school and focusing on their health. Also, the content on social media may be too explicit for younger audiences to be exposed; thus, why an age limit needs to be enforced more greatly. Young kids and teens do not need to be exposed to adult-like content that social media allows access to for free after signing up for an account. Greater forms of verifications need to be implemented to ensure no one is underaged and certain content is hidden.

Identifying Local Opportunities

1. Keep a rug looking clean and not moving
2. Help pets out during a crisis
3. Prevent stains from occurring
4. Protect against pollen
5. Clean up after a pet

Newspaper #1: The Gainesville Sun

-       Title: How to buy a rug you’ll love – and keep it looking great

-       Link: https://www.gainesville.com/zz/homes/20200207/how-to-buy-rug-youll-love---and-keep-it-looking-great

-       Writer, Helen Carefoot, describes that purchasing a rug may be a daunting experience. Rugs come in a variety of sizes and shapes with an array of exotic patterns. However, the one issue with rugs is they tend to move around as a person walks on them and are hard to clean.

-       Christin Terrel, who is mentioned in the newspaper and owner of a rug stores, emphasizes that rugs are prone to getting dirty and being shifted from constant foot work on them. The problem is rugs are sometimes difficult to maintain in a given spot and keep clean. Therefore, she suggests that wool or natural hide rugs are a customer’s first choice.

-       Owners of rugs have this problem. Pets and kids tend to be dirty and run through the house barefoot, causing the rugs to get even dirtier and move around from their first position on the floor. A rug that moves may pose a tripping hazard for those in the house.

Newspaper #2: The Gainesville Sun

-       Title: Help is out there for struggling pet owners

-       Link: https://www.gainesville.com/ZZ/sponsored/20200521/help-is-out-there-for-struggling-pet-owners

-       In the newspaper article, pet owners want to show unconditional love towards their pets, even during the pandemic that the world is facing. Pet relief programs are helping those families in need that have pets and cannot provide for them.

-       The problem presented in the article is some pet owners are succumbed to financial hardships as a result of Covid-19. Unfortunately, they only have enough money to provide for themselves and not for their foot-legged family members.

-       Pet owners are the ones experiencing this problem as mentioned in the newspaper article. Pet owners want to provide the world to their pets as they do to their children but, sometimes, they are unable to. However, there are plenty of resources that can help those families in need to assist in providing for their pets to ensure their quality of life is maintained.

Newspaper #3: The Independent Florida Alligator

-       Title: UF patented stain proof and waterproof coating to be sold

-       https://www.alligator.org/news/campus/uf-patented-stain-proof-and-waterproof-coating-to-be-sold/article_76f7c30c-f625-11e5-a6bb-8bda939af6e0.html

-       In the newspaper article, writer, Welsey Durrance, discusses a new product that is in the process of being developed by UF researchers. These researchers are creating a coating that, if successfully developed, will be stain-and-water proof.

-       Stains are a major issue for people in the world. They can be caused by a plethora of different, such as the environment, foods, and contact with people. The worst part about stains is they are very difficult to get rid of if not treated immediately. Water is another issue that can be detrimental, especially for electronics. Clothes are a prime target for stains and water. Water is easier to treat than stains are.

-       In society, each individual has this problem of stains. Most people are bound to get a stain in their everyday life schedule. As annoying as they are, stains are a natural aspect of life.

Newspaper #4: The Independent Florida Alligator

-       Title: Warm weather brings high pollen counts to Gainesville sooner

-       Link: https://www.alligator.org/news/local/warm-weather-brings-high-pollen-counts-to-gainesville-sooner/article_0802638e-9b52-11e2-b2c1-001a4bcf887a.html

-       In the newspaper article, writer, Nathalie Dortonne, discusses the pollen count that is concentrated in Gainesville. Gainesville is landlocked and hot, so pollen is common in this area.

-       Gainesville is a town present in Florida where pollen can be found, especially when the temperatures are higher. The warmers temperatures bring move pollen concentrations to Gainesville. As a result, people’s cars get dirty from piles of pollen built up. The possibility of heightening one’s allergies increases and some of the symptoms are sneezing and watery eyes.

-       The problem is for those who live in Gainesville when it is pollen season. But this problem is not only limited to Gainesville residents. An issue as this one can be found all over the place. Pollen is common in almost state, just some places are more prone to it than others. People with allergies are victims of this problem and must keep an eye for pollen, so they do have any certain allergic reactions.

Newspaper #5: The Independent Florida Alligator

-       Title: U-No-Poo: Pick up after your dogs, Gainesville

-       https://www.alligator.org/opinion/editorials/u-no-poo-pick-up-after-your-dogs-gainesville/article_09c7da8a-c515-11e3-ad4d-0019bb2963f4.html

-       In the newspaper article, the main topic of discussion is cleaning up after a pet when taken outside to use the bathroom. Florida is a state known for hot temperatures and dog poop can be an unpleasant surprise for those who go outside in the grass.

-       The problem presented in the article is owners are not cleaning up after their pet uses the bathroom in a public, especially in Gainesville. Their poop festers in the hot sun all day, creating a smelly and uncomfortable experience for those who walk by. Owners must be responsible to clean up after their pet, if not it will cause issues with the city and residents.

-       Dog owners are the creators of this problem, but walkers and people who enjoy the outdoors are the ones who have this problem. Their outdoor activity is impeded due to dog droppings that are laying in a public setting, giving off repulsive fumes of a foul smell.

Forming An Opportunity Belief

*I have tried multiple times, but questions 2, 5, and 7, will not align like the other questions. Sorry for the inconvenience.

1) Have you ever been to a campfire with friends and made s'mores and the marshmallow

and chocolate got all over your fingers when putting together the s’more? What if there

was such a thing as a cleanly s’more that had the chocolate already inside the

marshmallow.

2) The unmet need is a cleanly s’more. Students are the ones that have this need, such as

grade school and college students who enjoy campfires and roasting s’mores. The need for

a campfire treat is ninety years old. As of right now, people are not taking action to solve the

issue of a messy s’more.

3) The prototypical customers would be ones who enjoy eating s'mores over an open fire with friends and family and prefer a cleanlier s'more. Below is the list of the three prototypical customers who fit this description.

a) Cindy Cromer

b) Noelle Yackel

c) Drake Moore

4) a) The exact nature of the need is associated with camping as a fun activity to do over the fire with little to no mess. The customer, Cindy Cromer, experienced the need a few times while outdoors with family and friends, especially during the wintertime when s’mores are a nice treat. She has had this need for a few decades now. She first became aware of this need when she was a girl scout in third grade. This was her first time camping and saw how messy s’mores can get with the melted marshmallow and chocolate. Mrs. Cromer is currently not addressing her need because she lives in hot, sunny Florida where s’mores are not a necessity in the summertime. If she had received this solution to the need, she would be highly satisfied with the product.

b) The exact nature of the need is to enjoy s’mores with no mess. The customer, Noelle Yackel, only experiences this need when she is camping or having a bonfire. She has had need since she was a child. She first became aware of this need when she had s’mores for the first time when she was five years old with her family. Ms. Yackel is currently addressing this need because she does not eat them often anymore since she is in climate where s’mores do not really have a role in the Florida heat. If she had received this solution, she would be highly satisfied and will probably eat s'mores more often.

c) The exact nature of the need is to limit the number of supplies needed to make s’mores and make them in a cleanly manner. The customer, Drake Moore, becomes aware of the need throughout the year, especially when it is fall, while camping with friends and family. He has had this need since elementary school. He grew up with campfires playing a huge role in his life, particularly starting in fourth grade. He is currently not addressing this need because there is no product. If the opportunity was available in stores, he would buy the product immediately for more than just the need.

5) After gathering information from three different prototypical customers about the need, I

have learned that they had similar views on this need. Each of them has been exposed to

this need starting at a young age. Also, they all live in Florida, so the need does not

have to be addressed immediately due to the type of climate they live in, which is not

ideal for s’mores unless it is wintertime. The most surprising thing I learned about my

opportunity is how satisfied the prototypical customers would be if they had this opportunity

readily available for consumption.

7) After conducting my research, my original opportunity is still fully present. Each of the

prototypical customers seemed to be in a favor of such a need. I do believe that my new

opportunity is more accurate than when I started. I have heard different opinions on such a

need that there might be a demand for this opportunity in the market someday. As far as my

research allows, entrepreneurs should adapt their opportunities based on the customer

feedback. The feedback was supportive and positive in favor of this need, which means a

business could be started to create such a need and make a profit.

Your Entrepreneurship Story

Growing up, I did not have much exposure to entrepreneurship. No one in my family is an entrepreneur and I have never actually had a job before. However, I did a ton of volunteering and participated in an array of school clubs and activities. When I was in elementary school in fifth grade, the teachers created a day of business for the students. They created an event called BizTown. All day, we had a hands-on experience with the different job careers that we might have found interesting. Also, at each of the stations, we dealt with money, as some of the jobs required to be in charge of money. Additionally, we were exposed to the necessity of being organized and a hard worker in order to be successful at any job. 

BizTown. Google Images. https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/local_news/fifth-graders-learn-about-economy-at-ja-biztown/article_8057f244-a9d4-11e4-8dcf-f3237b4753b6.html.

My main reason why I enrolled in ENT3003 is to satisfy a course requirement for my major. That being said, I am interested in this course more than just getting the requirement. No matter what job I pursue, a basic understanding of entrepreneurship is deemed necessary to be successful and make the most out of my business and career. My major is sports management and entrepreneurship can play a vital role in any position I may pursue in the sports world. Even with this type of degree and knowledge of entrepreneurship, I could possibly help improve the standard of living of parts of society that are deprived and poor, as well as creating improvements in the economy and being innovative for the well-being of the common good.