Final Reflection

I really liked my idea of the Variety Van- a late night food truck that would serve healthy, good quality, yet cheap food with many cuisines options to choose from. The highs of the semester I would say was the feedback I would get from my peers- most of it was really good advice and it was all so supportive and encouraging. The lows were if I forgot to turn in an assignment or just declare my points, but that was more so in the beginning of the semester. Although there were no exams (which was awesome) this was definitely one of my more tedious classes.

For me the most proud moment was the end of this class, as I write this reflection. I truly believe I have come a long way as an entrepreneur and although I do not plan to be one in the future, it's comforting to know that I could if I wanted to. As far as the mantra goes (to be honest, I totally forgot we did that), I went back to watch and it laughed because it was so obvious how uncomfortable I was, but after videotaping myself so many times I found progress and confidence within myself.

To all the students out there who are going to take this class, I think it's important to know that sometimes you are going to mess up, or feel uncomfortable asking strangers to be interviewed, but it will (hopefully) be worth it for you in the long run. Also to keep in mind that you must keep track of your assignments and not wait until the last minute because there are some that take a lot longer than others. Like I said, tedious class, but not hard by any means. It was entertaining and cool to look at other blogs- at what other people had come up with. I hope to see some of those ventures in the future.

Week 15 Reading Reflection

This last week's reading was all about business basics at the base of the pyramid. I was initially confused at this title but figured it was all about the business cycle. I would've liked the author to provide more diagrams and examples, so those are my two "questions" I would have asked. I didn't really disagree with the author on anything since it was written by a Harvard professional, but I did find it surprising about how many things there are to get done- it seems general but can be very tedious. I thought it was a good last reading for this class.

Elevator Pitch No. 4

The feedback I received on my Elevator Pitch No. 3 was all positive, along with my first two pitches. My idea has really evolved since the beginning, but no so much since my last pitch. I think a strong skill of mine is the ability to speak clearly and effectively and convey my words in a sense that easily gets the message across of what I'm trying to say. One feedback I thought was interesting was when I went out and interviewed a possible opposite market. My target market is currently college students, but when I interviewed adults, someone mentioned "good old-fashioned American food" which I haven't named in my pitch, but it is most certainly included! Feedback is important to my business and I will expand in any way I can. Enjoy my pitch! 

p.s. sorry about the lighting 

Venture Concept No. 2

The Variety Van (original venture concept)
Opportunity
The opportunity I see in the market is that of hungry college students who are on a budget, especially at the University of Florida. Specifically, when it comes to a night after going out to the bars, or students who need a quick snack when studying but don't want to pay for an entire meal. Students need a healthy, cheap place to get quick service during the later hours of the evening.

On one hand you have the college students who have gone drinking and are now craving late-night food in midtown. They hit up Pita Pit, Relish, Flacos, or Jimmy Johns. I would say these restaurants' customer loyalty is very high as there are people there each night. On the other hand, students studying at Library West may be craving a snack. There's a Starbucks and some vending machines, but the food is pricey and processed, respectively. This customer loyalty is not as high as those in midtown (right across the street from the library).

This is a HUGE opportunity because everyone has to eat at some point. Whether you're craving some late-night snack after going out, or desperately need a study break- food will always be there. The window of opportunity will be open as long as students are going to college because there will always be young men and women who are hungry but on a budget.

Innovation
I present to you all: The Variety Van, a food truck to be set up behind midtown that essentially sells cheap yet healthy food for late-night goers. Special features include:

• Healthy food
• With gluten-free and vegetarian/ vegan alternatives 
• Cheap prices 
• An array of options (hence variety)
• Mexican, Asian, Italian- you name it! Customer input is much appreciated
• Snacks
• Fresh fruit, smoothies, pretzels and hummus, chips, popcorn, etc.
• 2 separate ordering windows
• So the line is cut in half 

I plan on operating the hours from 10pm-4am. Eventually I would like to branch out and start a location in downtown as well because I feel it is an entire different genre- includes college kids but more Gainesville locals. I think it would still be successful because food trucks are trending and  the food would be healthy, cheap, and of good quality. I did research and it does not cost much (as compared to a venue) to start a food truck business, so in turn the prices to sell will not be much. I am aiming for under $10 for a meal and under $5 for a snack. 

Venture Concept 

I think my idea is pretty self-explanatory. When college students are hungry but on a budget, they want cheap food, especially after a night of going out. I think my snacks idea sets me apart as well because sometimes you just aren't in the mood for an entire meal. Gluten-free is trending right now, and people overall try to eat healthy for the most part (at least I think so). 

I don't think it will be hard to get customers to switch for these reasons- especially the variety. My competitors are who I listed before- Pita Pit, Relish, Flacos, and Jimmy Johns. What sets me apart aside from cheaper food and healthier options, is the variety of food that will change on a weekly basis. It keeps customers surprised and engaged. 

As far as employees go, I think no more than 5 or 6. It's a small food truck business and there would only be about 3 people working at a time (one prepping the food and two taking orders at the two windows). 

Most Important Resource

The variety definitely sets me apart but the snacks do as well. Most competitors sell chips or fries as a side, but my snacks will be more filling (as far as snacks go). 

What's Next

As I mentioned before, I would like to open a business in downtown as well. However, I would like  to go to a food truck rally first to get the word out there regarding my business. 

What's Next For Me 

I would do this venture as a side job, not sure if I would stick with it for the rest of my life because it's just a food truck. I would maybe sell it for profit to someone else, or maybe open a restaurant with the same business concept.

Feedback

Each person who commented on my original venture concept had nothing but positive things to say. I think I really did a good job at evolving my business and brand. I haven't made so many changes along the way as I have just added to the base of my ideas. I will say that one person positively suggested that I could possibly at some point bring the food truck to schools and rotate which school I go to on a weekly basis. This is something I could do once I really got my foot in the door. Like I said, I haven't changed much of my concept, but added on- and I thought this idea was great! 

Week 14 Reading Reflection

In this week's reading, we covered both chapters 3 and 4, which were about corporate entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship in the global environment, respectively. Something that stood out to me in these readings was just the idea of corporate entrepreneurship in general. To me, when I think of entrepreneurship, I think of small start-ups that grow over time- but the point is they start out small. But then again, it obviously makes sense when you think of Steve Jobs and Apple- that started small but it is one of the biggest corporations in the word. If I had to ask the author two questions, I would like to ask for a modern day example of a social entrepreneurship (as I've never heard of one before) and how exactly you get the world out about a global start-up. I was kind of confused about the part "control vs. autonomy" as they seem very similar to me, and I don't agree that the author did a good job at really getting to the bottom of what makes the two different.

Google Gold

General approach/ strategy to SEO
My approach was always pretty simple- just Google verbatim what came to mind and let Google do the work. I feel like I really never used Google that much because most of my idea came to me pretty easily and I just ran with it.

Keywords
Like I said, I feel like I didn't really use Google too much in this class (at least from what I remember). It could have been a small thing or two, but I do remember the assignment where we had to talk to the market expert and all those people. I did some research with Google to try and find local food truck companies (as that was my opportunity) in order to talk to some professionals. I ended up talking to a company in Orlando and I think that was the most I had to use Google for this class. I literally just typed in "local food truck companies" and some options came up, the closest being stationed out of Orlando.

Social media
I didn't really use social media to enhance my SEO efforts, nor was I aware that was even encouraged. However, I have been on Yellowdig many times to post and/ or look at articles to inspire myself. I consider that a social media platform since you can talk to peers online.

Most "viral" post 
I'm not even sure how to look at which post had the most views, but so far my blog in entirety has 413 views. I don't know how many people are in this class, but I found this number pretty high since I never really shared my blog on other people's pages (the one's I was commenting on). Sometimes when people commented on my blog they would leave the link to their blog, but I never did that so 413 views seems pretty big to me.

First page of Google 
I always used the first page of Google results as that is in my opinion the most beneficial. It's rare in any Google search for me to hit the second or third page. I think if what you're looking for isn't on the first page, it probably won't be on the following ones either.

Very Short Interview Part 2

Back in the beginning of the school year, I spoke with artist and former neighbor, Adam Brett. Adam left a 6-figure job in New York City in order to pursue his dream of painting. Since I could not record an interview with him because of distance, he typed out his answers to the questions I sent him.

I asked Adam 4 questions:

• What should my expectations be in this course?
• I think most people would say this course should teach you how to start a business, whoever I believe it is about doing things for yourself. If you want to start your own business, best of luck. However, there is so much more to entrepreneurship, like taking risks and challenging yourself- seeing how far you can push. 
• What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?
• Being an entrepreneur means that you are your own boss, literally and figuratively. You can be your own boss is an economical sense, but also you are in charge of your actions and you determine your future. It is also about choosing happiness. Even if you aren't making the most money, you are chasing a dream, which in my opinion is much more fulfilling. 
• What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course?
• I think my answer above sums it up- find your passion and follow your dream. Don't devote all efforts to the textbook, but really try to soak in examples your professor gives you and really try on your assignments. 
• What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur? 
• Well, I did attend UF, and got a degree in finance. I quit my job in NYC because I always had a dream of being an artist. I had family in Florida, so I moved to Jacksonville Beach. The lifestyle there is very easygoing- a good work environment for a work ethic like mine. In school, I wish they didn't teach me so much about getting a job, but about working hard to find what I was truly passionate about. 

My impression of this initial interview is that upon becoming an entrepreneur, it's not all about creating your own business, but learning how to do things yourself and really believing in your own ideas and understanding how to evolve them and make them better. 

Again, Adam was not available for a recorded interview due to distance. I sent him the questions and he sent back his responses:

• Do you think taking an entrepreneurship course is truly beneficial on the path to becoming an entrepreneur?
• I don't think it hurts but I think you need to just get out there and get experience. Talk to people, brainstorm ideas, take risks. It's all about creating your own future and doing what you love. There's only so much you can learn in a classroom. 
• What do you think it takes to become an entrepreneur?
• I think you need passion, a solid plan, people to back you up, and funds depending on what you're trying to accomplish. I think anyone can become an entrepreneur if it's what they really want to do and they put their mind to it. Most important, you need confidence. 
• (Upon explaining my venture concept of the Variety Van- my food truck idea) What do you think of my idea and do you find it plausible? 
• I think you're going to need funds for sure, but in an idealistic world, I think it's a fantastic idea. I love food trucks, the food is always fantastic. I think healthier options and variety on what you serve would be really popular among college students and people in their 20s in general. 

I think I've come a long way in this class in evolving in my idea and myself as an entrepreneur. I feel like I have a lot of knowledge now on what it takes to be an entrepreneur because out of all of Adam's responses, I can relate and feel like I would say something really similar. What he described I think says a lot about how far I've come in this class.