Halfway Reflection

• Tenacity is a competency. Throughout this course I've learned the importance of using feedback on my own work. It's easy to think you know everything when completing assignments and have gone through all the "kinks" in a concept. However, I appreciate going through peer reviews to see where I can improve and gaining new perspectives to get better.
• Tenaciousness is also about attitude. There have definitely been times where I have felt like giving up during the semester because I haven't had time to complete assignments on time or don't know what direction to take my ideas in. I have given in to these feelings once so far in the semester when I had a stressful week full of work, exams, and other classes where I don't complete the assignments for this class. However, I've learned from these mistakes and improved my time management so I can dedicate enough time to all of my commitments.
• Three tips.
• Don't wait until the last minute! You have at least a week to complete all of your assignments, use it wisely.
• Read through peer reviews! You might find yourself stuck in a rut or losing motivation, but looking at what your classmate's have to say about your ideas can help you find inspiration.
• Research other entrepreneurs! It's easy to think you know enough about the subject of entrepreneurship or other business concepts, but there is so much out there to learn about. Watch TV shows like Shark Tank, read up on articles on successful entrepreneurs, and (obviously) read the weekly module videos to find more information so you can constantly educate yourself to help build on your own ideas.

Reading Reflection No. 1

Coco Chanel by Lisa Chaney

• What surprised you the most? I was very surprised to learn about the unconventional methods Chanel used to fund her work. Coming from a less than affluent family, she used money from a string of wealthy lovers, and later a German intelligence officer at the start of WWI, to build a name for herself and create House of Chanel.
• What about the entrepreneur did you admire the most? I admire Chanel's hardworking and ambitious work ethic. She came from nothing and was able to revolutionize women's clothing post-WWI. Although she died almost four decades ago, her name has been able to live on. She created a brand that has lasted, and will probably continue to last, generations from now.
• What about the entrepreneur did you admire the least? I didn't like Chanel's deceit about her background and upbringing. She fabricated her origins and childhood to appear more glamorous, but I think that her actual story is much more fascinating and would make her more relatable and inspiring to other entrepreneurs who could relate to her.
• Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it? I think the biggest obstacle Chanel had to overcome was at the beginning of her life, after being born into an impoverished, nomadic family. Once her mother died at age 12, and her father sent her to live a covenant orphanage, she was forced to choose whether she would succumb to her adversity or turn it into a success. It was as this stage of her life that she learned  how to sew, worked as a seamstress, and began to build her career that would later transform her into one of the biggest icons in the fashion industry.
• What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? I noticed that Chanel was able to create opportunities out of any situation. She could turn disadvantages into advantages for herself, which helped her build her brand.
• Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you? I was confused about her relationship with the German intelligence officer, especially with the timeline so close to WWI. There are a lot of indications that he was affiliated with the Nazi and that she assisted him with spy activity which in turn helped her brand, but I was confused as to how that would happen.
• If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why? I would ask her if she regrets lying about her background because it might alter how successful she became if people knew the truth. I would also ask how she felt about being involved with someone affiliated with the Nazi given the nature of their beliefs.
• For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion? I think Chanel valued hard work over anything else. I partially agree with this opinion, but I would have to reconsider when it came to ethics.

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

• Segment: I chose a segment of college students who were my initial target audience for my delivery service. I decided to choose three individuals who live on campus (student A), near campus (1-3 miles; student B), and far from campus (>4 miles; student C) to see how their needs would differ.
• Need Awareness: Student A is a freshman with no car who lives on campus. She experiences the need for this delivery service late at night and on the weekends because she has to rely on the bus to get around town, and these are the times when service slows down. Student B is a senior who lives near campus behind midtown with only a scooter as his mode of transportation. He experiences the need whenever the weather is bad or his scooter is in the shop for repairs. Student C is a senior who lives far from campus near the Oaks Mall with a car and a bike. He experiences the need on most days because of the traffic around his area during rush hour.
• Information Search: When student A becomes aware of her need, she usually plans ahead by getting things earlier in the day and during the week. If she can't, she either asks a friend with a car for a ride or orders an Uber. When student B becomes of his need, he tries to borrow his roommate's car or takes a Lyft. When student B becomes aware of his need, he tries to get things done during less hectic times of the day.

I learned that individuals in different situations share the same unmet need. There is also a reasonably high demand for this service. While all of my interviewees said that if they're not able to meet their need quickly or at a reasonable price, they settle for going without. However, they all said they would utilize this service for convenience sake.

Idea Napkin No. 1

• You: My name is Imelda Ogango and I'm an APK major with a French minor on the pre-med track. I've been fortunate enough to have experiences in different fields such as healthcare and international studies which I think have strengthened my ability to understand and communicate with people from various backgrounds. While I ultimately want to pursue a career in medicine overseas, I would like to see my delivery idea help people in need.
• What are you offering to customers? I am offering an affordable delivery service of everyday items to customers who are otherwise unable to go to the store and buy things themselves. My idea will work as a standalone site that is stocked similar to a typical grocery or convenience store with an app that customers can quickly order items online. There will also be hired drivers that will eliminate the need for a third-party service and ultimately keep prices low for customers.
• Who are you offering it to? This service will be catered to individuals who are burdened by time constraints, transportation limitations, or a physical inability to shop.
• Why do they care? In the past few years, we have seen a rise in companies that offer fast delivery times (i.e. AmazonPrime free two-day shipping) as well as more restaurants offering their menu on third-party apps for delivery (i.e. UberEats and BiteSquad). However, the cost of having an AmazonPrime account or paying up to $5 in fees for food, even more during "surge" or "popular times" can add up. I believe customers would care about my service because it will bring them everyday things they actually need at a low price.
• What are your core competencies? There is currently a similar business model that exists with my idea called GoPuff that has around 55 locations around the country. However, they recently have had trouble with privacy and sharing consumer's private information. My service will have an explicit privacy policy that will prevent things like that from happening. I also hope to be more widespread around the U.S. and eventually move overseas to developing countries where we can offer aid to those in need (i.e. clean water, fresh food, medication).

I think these elements work well together in turning this concept into reality. There is an unmet need for a relatively large demographic that could be met with this delivery service. However, I think the biggest weakness would be my lack of marketing and business knowledge. 

Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

• Who: I tried to interview a variety of different people that could possibly fall outside the market of fast delivery of everyday items and surprisingly found a few. Many of my interviewees claimed they just didn't believe in a service that they could do themselves, no matter the circumstances or pricing. Two of these individuals are still in high school and either 1) can't drive anyway or 2) rely on their parents for everything they need, so they wouldn't benefit from a delivery service. I also interviewed my supervisor who is a middle aged father of one that claims his schedule is flexible enough that he doesn't typically have a problem getting to the store when he needs to. I interviewed two international students who live near Oaks Mall and they both said that although they live far from campus, they don't mind having to go out to get their own supplies whether it be walking or taking the bus.
• What: Both of the international interviewees didn't fully understand the concept of having a delivery service when they can easily walk or transport themselves to the store; they find the U.S.' culture of relying on things like UberEats and grocery store delivery to be strange. However, as I highlighted in the first part of this hypothesis, there are people who simply don't have the time or the ability to physically get to the store. I think the need here stems from not necessarily laziness but adapting to new technologies and services available that can allow people to live with ease.
• Why: I think the difference in need here lies in priorities. For those in the boundary, the money is worth the convenience of saving time or not having to go to the store. For those outside the boundary, there is no (perceived) benefit of having a delivery service of this nature.

Inside the Boundary Outside the Boundary

	Individuals that prioritize convenience	Individuals with no preference for convenience
	Fast delivery of everyday items for individuals who can't or don't want to get to the store themselves	A service for individuals who have the means to do it for themselves
	Make life easier on a daily basis	Alternative options to physical shopping (i.e. grocery store) or ordering online (i.e. Amazon Prime)