16A –What’s Your Secret Sauce?

1) Describe five ways in which you think you have human capital that is truly unique. What is it about you, exactly, that makes you different? Write this up in a detailed list. 

I think my human capital that is unique would include my ability to fully empathize with people, my ability to step up to leadership roles when needed, my desire to solve problems, my creative nature (entrepreneurial spirit), and my color-coding skills. 

2) Interview the five people who know you the best. Ask them what they think makes you different -- remember, focus on your knowledge, skills, abilities, emotions -- in other words, your human capital. Try to stay away from discussing your other types of capital (such as who you know). Record each interview. In your post, please post each interview, as well as a two-three sentence summary of each interview, explaining what your key takeaways are. There is no time limit on these recordings. As long as you cover the information asked for above, that's all you need to do. (Audio recordings are fine. You'll need to use a platform like Soundcloud to host your files.)

https://soundcloud.com/user-554456547/new-recording-89/s-U2VUC

My organization and leadership were both highlighted in this audio recording. My character was also mentioned, noting that I am a kind person.

https://soundcloud.com/user-554456547/new-recording-88/s-qIZiG 

My concept building and organization skills were mentioned. Also, my desire to help people was brought up.

https://soundcloud.com/user-554456547/new-recording-86-2/s-fEQu3 

Leadership was mentioned, talking about my work in group projects. Also, she talked about my ability to learn things by research, regardless of the field or subject.

https://soundcloud.com/user-554456547/home-1/s-18bsI 

Organization was mentioned, handling deadlines, and scheduling organization. My emotional intelligence was discussed, as well as my motivation. 

https://soundcloud.com/user-554456547/zach-1/s-nJ7uB 

My dedication and passion was mentioned, focusing on my hard-work. Emotional support capabilities were also discussed.

3) Reflect on the differences. How do you see yourself, and how do others see you? Are there differences in how you assess yourself compared to others? What do you think causes these differences? Do you think your interviewees are correct about you? Finally, going back to your list from part 1, would you make any corrections to the list? How? 

Though I did not highlight my organization as much as others did, I guess the interviewees are right. I would likely add that to the list, making color-coding a sub-skill within that ability. Most of the things I mentioned aligned with what was said by the people I interviewed, so I don’t think I would make other changes to my initial list. 

15A – Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Since the product that I’m developing is one that solves an issue that isn’t tangible, it is harder to put a price on it. When seeking alternatives for meeting people in college settings before school starts, people select based off of where they find the greatest amount of people/options. For example, in my interviews, Facebook groups for incoming classes where mentioned for trying to meet people; however, meeting this alternative was the only one that was identified by interviewees as PRE-college interactions. The others mentioned they wait until the semester starts to try and join clubs and go to classes. Price seemed not to matter much, as people joined Greek life, with costs upward of $1500 per year and clubs having dues/fees. Audience size mattered most, it seems. For the alternatives that required money, people tended to buy in person (Greek Life) and use a check or credit card to finance the purchase. There isn’t much post-purchase evaluation, as it appears most of my interviewees did not spend money to try and make friends more than club dues and going to events. Interacting with people on Facebook, though, had mixed reactions, some good, some bad. 

My interviews mainly involved gauging ways people made friends in their school prior to attending. Most people were unable to meet this need and tried to find people in their neighborhood, or meet people through Facebook pages. This did not always work. 

I would describe this segment as hopeless (platonic) romantics. Their needs seem not to be met and mimics those of hopeless romantics, however are platonic. 

14A – Halfway Reflection

To keep up with this course, I have made sure to use an agenda to stay organized and plan ahead. Organization and focus have been keep behaviors I have used. I felt like giving up when I got a 67% on a quiz that I studied for 7 hours for in calculus. I pulled through by talking to family and friends and developing new study habits. I do think I’ve become more tenacious in the past two months because of the people I am surrounding myself with and the content I am consuming from entrepreneurs and successful individuals. 

I would suggest noticing and grabbing opportunities that can help them feel more involved and a part of the community, like visiting the UF Innovate Hub or Collaboratory for Women. Another recommendation is to watch videos or read books of successful entrepreneurs that have a tenacious mindset, like Gary Vaynerchuk. Finally, I would encourage making a promise to continue studying and working, even after doing poorly on some assignments.

13A – Reading Reflection No. 1

I was mainly surprised at the way Gordy came across in his book. Most of the books I’ve read by entertainment industry moguls have a more serious tone. I admired his tenacity and resilience as an entrepreneur. I least admired his reasoning for entering the music scene- for fame and girls. Gordy did encounter lots of adversity; however, he kept forward, working with other artists. 

His main competency was in elocution and social skills. 

I was a bit confused with Gordy’s explanation of his decision to sell his company, which he then decided against.

I would ask Berry how he discovered such incredible talent and how to encourage his employees and artists to keep going in a tough industry because as someone who aspires to own a record label one day, these questions are ones I feel would benefit my entrepreneurial endeavors. 

I think hard work for Gordy was just second nature, something that came from his core and was necessary. I feel the same way.

12A – Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

From my research and interviews, I learned their need happens mainly when they see the social media lives of people they follow. It also can happen when in class, at an event/party where they don’t know anyone, etc. Nighttimes have been a common time where the need arises, as they get lonely when they have time to think after working/studying all day and are in bed watching Netflix or have nothing to do. Shockingly, the immediate response to feeling sad after looking at social media is to continue looking. This is quite self-deprecating, but its what they claimed happens. To meet people, they often wait for “fate” or a new semester, hoping they make a friend the first week of class. One person even opened up to me claiming they’ve researched “how to make friends” on Google. 

From this, I learned that my target market needs to feel comfortable on the app. To do this, it is important to find a way to ease “the first move” on the app to be less awkward and more of a fun icebreaker. 

I selected the segment of “unpopular,” which initially sounds quite rude, however, as someone who has fallen under this segment my whole life, I see it less offensive and more as factual. Identifying the typical “unpopular” person relied on heavy stereotyping, which I hate to do in the real world. For the sake of this assignment, I will keep interviewee’s names anonymous for this reason.

11A – Idea Napkin No. 1

I am a college student studying business and economics. I love to write music and organize things. I’m a good leader and am very creative. I aspire to be a creator, whether in entertainment content, contracts as a lawyer, or an entrepreneur. 

I see UNIMEET as a way for college students to connect with people, customizing what they are looking for. UNIMEET can be professional, or social. The app can serve as a university-style LinkedIn, helping students get connections or get involved in clubs or opportunities around campus. It also can help freshman, transfer students, or people seeking new friendships to meet people outside their typical circle. 

My customers are likely more female than male. They are on the lonelier side and have the common goal of making a connection with someone (pun intended). This app matters to them because it can make them find friends and feel less alone in a large college campus. You can’t put a price tag on friendship. 

What sets me apart from others is my experience with social media and dating apps. I’ve worked as a social media manger, so I understand the human patterns that develop from instant gratification and the desire that stems from dating apps to be seen as initially as a game or pastime. I met my boyfriend from a dating app that I swore I would only use to swipe on when bored, so I truly have faith in applications for connection. 

The elements that make up who I am and what I can do, as well as what this app is, what it can do and who it can do it for, together form what I believe is a potentially successful business concept. My background and personal experience as a dating app user and college student makes me aware of what the customer would want and have the desire to learn more and continue developing to make this app a success for those seeking a friend. 

10A – Elevator Pitch No. 1

9A – Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Though most freshman and transfer students tend to have a common goal of making friends, not all use the same methods to do so, which became apparent in my recent interviews. Of the three that I interviewed that are a part of greek life, all three seemed uninterested in my app idea. Their need for friendship is is satisfied in a different way because they seek more traditional ways of meeting people. It appears that friendships are preferred to be made by some people, particularly those in big clubs or greek life, in real life because it is what they are used to and feel comfortable with. What seemed most off-putting to them was meeting strangers as friends, however the idea of dating apps did not have the same reaction. Knowing this helps me, as it means that, similarly to when dating apps where introduced, norms for social interaction can change, especially if the app is developed with sensitivity to this issue. 

Who is in: Freshman and Transfer Students not in Greek Life or big organizations	Who is not: Freshman and Transfer Students in Greek Life or big organizations
What the Need Is: To make friends (through an app)	What the Need Is Not: To step outside of their comfort zone and meet "strangers"
Why the Need Exists: Current methods of making friends are insufficient	Alternative explanations: The desire to make friends, while strong, involves standards and requires genuine connection and interaction