Final Reflection- 30A

1. During the course of the class I had to conduct main interviews for assignments. I think the hardest part is simply talking to a random person. Many individuals do not want to be bothered especially people in the gym. It is very ironic because the reason I believe my opportunity exists is because at a gym it is very difficult to talk to strangers. I had to experience this often as I was trying to interview people while at the gym and many did not want to be bothered or thought I was trying to "hit on" them. I don't think I developed any confidence as the semester passed because it was still difficult for me every time to ask someone to interview them. However I did make some new friends at the gym from this experience. Therefore I think the interview process is very important since you are contacting potential customers. 
2. The experience I will remember the most as well as the most helpful experience is during the "Growing your social capital" assignment. During this assignment I was able to request an interview with a CEO of a company and he was willing to let me interview him. During the interview I planned to go with the flow and did not have any particular questions instead I wanted to chat with him to get to know him and his business better. The interview did not go according and although I got what I needed for my assignment I felt I did not leave a good impression to build any form of relationship with him. 
3. I do not think I was able to produce an entrepreneurial mindset during the semester. At the start I was super excited to finally put something together towards the idea I had. Once I started doing the assignments I got more and more interested and inclined to start my venture. However towards he end of the semester it became something I am not as interested in anymore. My attitudes towards it changed drastically and I do not know why. Possibly its because I realized how hard it will be to successful start this venture. 
4. The main advice I would like to give new students is complete the assignments to your best ability. I notice many students who became lazy towards the end and would write a bunch of fluff and not try for their assignments. Some also stopped trying to even meet word counts. I think the assignments I designed well to get you started with your venture. Actually interviewing individuals rather than making it up or interviewing your friends is essential to produce real results. For activities such as growing your social capital use your status as a student at UF to get you interviews with individuals in successful businesses. They are willing to speak to you if you email them using your UF email. 

Venture Concept No. 2- 29A

Opportunity

• The opportunity is, individuals who workout at a gym have a difficult time finding a gym partner. This occurs when they are planning to workout at a gym. The reason the opportunity exist is because of the gym environment. Although individuals in there are friendly. It is very difficult to approach someone and befriend them. Even after meeting someone at the gym it is unlikely that they will want to be your gym partner because there are so many different programs and variations of lifting. I am focusing my market to America currently. This market is for people above 16 years of age and go to a gym. Individuals in the market need a smartphone since it is an app. Currently individuals are attempting to satisfy this need by texting their friends. Others don't even try to satisfy their need, they continue to workout alone because they can't find a way to find a good gym partner. This opportunity exist all throughout America, wherever their is a commercial gym. In these commercial gyms there are a multitude of individuals struggling to find a gym partner. The window will be open until either someone else creates a service that satisfies this need or people stop working out. 

Innovation

• I am creating is an app that will match individuals to a gym partner based on the criteria they input. They will be asked what type of workout, the time, the location, the experience of their partner, and the gender of their partner. Runners will also be able to use the app so find other runners in their area. They can meet up and run a trail together. From this they will be matched with multiple individuals and they get to pick which one they want to workout with. Once both individuals agree to each other they will be connected. Each user will have their own profile. The profile is connected to their social media page within the app. The profile will have basic information such as gender and experience level. The social media page that each individual has can be public or private, allowing them to keep their privacy. If they choose to make their account private, during the matching process the only information given to the other individual is their gender and experience level. However once they match up all necessary information will be shared so that no one is considered a stranger before working out. The app will be free to use, however it will have two free matches each week. For a $1 a month or $10 a year individuals will get unlimited matches and a workout tracker that they have to upload their own workout. They will get to select one workout program every fourth paid month. For $2 a month or $20 a year individuals will get unlimited matches, a workout tracker with a timer, free workout programs and a diet tracker. The free programs will come from the app itself and individuals who upload their workouts. This plan allows for instant change without having to wait 4 months to select a new workout The diet tracker can track the nutrients from the meals they eat. The app will also have advertisements. There are multiple ad choices. For example they can purchase an ad that last 10 sec on the screen and the user can not exit. Or they can purchase a banner that stays throughout the duration the app is opened. The app will have a store that contains fitness products such as supplements and gear. 

Venture Concept

• This venture will connect individuals to a workout partner. Individuals will want to use the app because a gym membership is often expensive and when it isn't expensive on a monthly basis there is usually a contract involved making it more expensive longterm. They don't want to be wasting all this money. Therefore using the app to find gym partner is very appealing since studies show that having a gym partner resulted in individuals working out for longer and seeing more growth. It will be difficult to get individuals using this app since it highly depends on the number of users. If there are not that many users than others will not want to use it. So the main issue that needs to be solved is how to get a high volume market using it and then replicating that elsewhere. There are currently no competitors therefore, individuals will not be spread up between apps instead they will be on the same app if they choose to. This increases the number of users, increasing the effectiveness of the app. The price points are a main part. The free version gives access to the main feature of the app. Each price point higher is directed towards a different group of gym-goers. So it is directed at a wider audience then just those looking for gym partners. There isn't a need for multiple employees. The app will need individuals at the top that focus on the management and financial aspects. A technical team is needed in the future for updates as well as maintenance of the app. Initially however there will only be either me or another individual that will handle coding of the app. 

Three minor elements

• I think the most important resource is my desire to make the world more fit. This will keep me motivated and on dedicated to continue to pursue launching this and making it spread worldwide. Next for my venture will be to expand outside of the gym. Staying in the gym and only focusing on finding partners for lifters will not make the world more fit. Instead I need to branch out and incorporate other fitness activities such as running or yoga. By including other activities I can reach bigger crowds and spread fitness even easier. In the next five years I want to be capable of opening a training facility. The facility will focus on training athletes. I want to use fitness as a way to give athletes an advantage in their sport. For example, making running backs more agile and quicker. Or increasing the striking power of a tennis player. The facility will be designed for professional and collegiate athletes. But I want to provide free training for middle school and high school students.

Feedback received

• The feedback I received asked how big of a difference there is between the free version and the subscription version of the app. I thought I explained it clearly in my venture. During my whats next exercise many individuals stated that I should incorporate other activities such as running or yoga. 

How I changed it

• I decided to add other activities such as running to the app. By doing so I can create a bigger audience for the app even though the lifters and runner do not share anything in common. But by having a social media page, I hope they can influence each other and inspire each other to try new activities. 

Reading Reflection No. 3- 27A

Carol Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

1. What was the general theme or argument of the book
• Carol Dweck stated that the constant fear of judgment comes from the core belief that everyone has set amount of intelligence. Therefore whenever someone makes mistakes they assume they are not as smart as others. She stated that some individuals have a fixed mindset. In a fixed mindset you believe things are how they are, therefore you will take on less challenging tasks and stop trying. The other mindset is a growth mindset. Those with a growth mindset believe there is growth. Therefore by making an effort to do something you can end up successfully accomplishing it. They believe that effort and a plan is essential in success, not chance. 
2. How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?
• I think it connected really well with the class. During our identify an opportunity assignment, we were tasked with finding an opportunity and explaining why we saw it and not anyone else. This caused some individuals to look deeply for a hidden opportunity. Some students picked the first thing they found, these people would be considered fixed mindsets. The one who dug deep to find hidden opportunities have a growth mindset. 
3. I'd you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
• The exercise that would fit this assignment the most is asking students to pick an opportunity from someone in their group and make a venture for it. This will show if individuals simply mimic the original venture or come up with something unique of their own. 
4. What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?
• My biggest surprised is that those with a fixed mindset are really harsh on themselves. They stop themselves from cognitively growing my harshly judging themselves. This makes me question if having a fixed mindset is linked with depression or other mental illnesses. 

Celebrating Failure- 26A

1. On my first biology 2 exam I got a score I was not proud of. It dropped my grade drastically and put me in a rough spot for the semester. Normally I would be ok with a low grade if it was above the average, but it was not. The reason I failed the exam was because I was too confident with myself. I thought that biology was something I can just walk in and do. The only method of studying I did was reading my notes. I did not try to apply it or even memorize facts. 
2. I learned that even when things are easy or if you are confident, failure is possible. It has changed my mindset drastically. I no longer view things not as strength and flaws. Because no matter what it is their is someone out there that is better than me at it. Therefore I have to continue personal growth. 
3. I have always seen failure has a disappointing situation. Whenever I fail no matter what it is, I always blame myself for it. No one else is involved but to me, everything I do is my responsibility. I normally use my failures to motivate myself to work harder. For example I am a competitive powerlifter. At my most recent competition I failed a record deadlift because the bar slipped out of my hand, not because the weight was too heavy. I am now training my grip strength as well as working on my technique to get a record the next time I compete. I always believed that taking risk is how you can grow. This mentality was developed from the gym. In the gym in order to increase strength you have to train at high intensities and heavy loads. Using minimal weights will not produce any results.

Your Exit Strategy- 28A

1. My end plan on the business is to sell it. I did not necessarily want to sell it for a large return. As long as I make something out of it I will be happy. 
2. I have chosen to sell the business one it takes off because my main goal with the business is to promote fitness and help individuals have a healthier lifestyle. I do no want to do it for the money. By selling it as it takes off I can let a company that has access to highly intelligent individuals that can work out the kinks in the app and trouble shoot it. They can even code it differently to make it more effective. My goal in life is to become a sports performance trainer with my own facility therefore the app is not essential in my life.
3. Because I am not looking for a large return in my business when I sell it, I do not plan on using that much money to start it. I will be trying to do everything on my own with my own resources. That way when I decide to sell the business I will not be taking any financial hits. 

Venture Concept No. 1- 24A "Lifter"

Opportunity

• The opportunity is, individuals who workout at a gym have a difficult time finding a gym partner. This occurs when they are planning to workout at a gym. The reason the opportunity exist is because of the gym environment. Although individuals in there are friendly. It is very difficult to approach someone and befriend them. Even after meeting someone at the gym it is unlikely that they will want to be your gym partner because there are so many different programs and variations of lifting. I am focusing my market to America currently. This market is for people above 16 years of age and go to a gym. Individuals in the market need a smartphone since it is an app. Currently individuals are attempting to satisfy this need by texting their friends. Others don't even try to satisfy their need, they continue to workout alone because they can't find a way to find a good gym partner. This opportunity exist all throughout America, wherever their is a commercial gym. In these commercial gyms there are a multitude of indivuals snuggling to find a gym partner. The window will be open until either someone else creates a service that satisfies this need or people stop working out. 

Innovation

• I am creating is an app that will match individuals to a gym partner based on the criteria they input. They will be asked what type of workout, the time, the location, the experience of their partner, and the gender of their partner. From this they will be matched with multiple individuals and they get to pick which one they want to workout with. Once both individuals agree to each other they will be connected. Each user will have their own profile. The profile is connected to their social media page within the app. The profile will have basic information such as gender and experience level. The social media page that each individual has can be public or private, allowing them to keep their privacy. If they choose to make their account private, during the matching process the only information given to the other individual is their gender and experience level. However once they match up all necessary information will be shared so that no one is considered a stranger before working out. The app will be free to use, however it will have two free matches each week. For a $1 a month or $10 a year individuals will get unlimited matches and a workout tracker that they have to upload their own workout. They will get to select one workout program every fourth paid month. For $2 a month or $20 a year individuals will get unlimited matches, a workout tracker with a timer, free workout programs and a diet tracker. The free programs will come from the app itself and individuals who upload their workouts. This plan allows for instant change without having to wait 4 months to select a new workout The diet tracker can track the nutrients from the meals they eat. The app will also have advertisements. There are multiple ad choices. For example they can purchase an ad that last 10 sec on the screen and the user can not exit. Or they can purchase a banner that stays throughout the duration the app is opened. The app will have a store that contains fitness products such as supplements and gear. 

Venture Concept

• This venture will connect individuals to a workout partner. Individuals will want to use the app because a gym membership is often expensive and when it isn't expensive on a monthly basis there is usually a contract involved making it more expensive longterm. They don't want to be wasting all this money. Therefore using the app to find gym partner is very appealing since studies show that having a gym partner resulted in individuals working out for longer and seeing more growth. It will be difficult to get individuals using this app since it highly depends on the number of users. If there are not that many users than others will not want to use it. So the main issue that needs to be solved is how to get a high volume market using it and then replicating that elsewhere. There are currently no competitors therefore, individuals will not be spread up between apps instead they will be on the same app if they choose to. This increases the number of users, increasing the effectiveness of the app. The price points are a main part. The free version gives access to the main feature of the app. Each price point higher is directed towards a different group of gym-goers. So it is directed at a wider audience then just those looking for gym partners. There isn't a need for multiple employees. The app will need individuals at the top that focus on the management and financial aspects. A technical team is needed in the future for updates as well as maintenance of the app. Initially however there will only be either me or another individual that will handle coding of the app. 

Three minor elements

• I think the most important resource is my desire to make the world more fit. This will keep me motivated and on dedicated to continue to pursue launching this and making it spread worldwide.  Next for my venture will be to expand outside of the gym. Staying in the gym and only focusing on finding partners for lifters will not make the world more fit. Instead I need to branch out and incorporate other fitness activities such as running or yoga. By including other activities I can reach bigger crowds and spread fitness even easier. In the next five years I want to be capable of opening a training facility. The facility will focus on training athletes. I want to use fitness as a way to give athletes an advantage in their sport. For example, making running backs more agile and quicker. Or increasing the striking power of a tennis player. The facility will be designed for professional and collegiate athletes. But I want to provide free training for middle school and high school students. 

What's Next?- 25A

Existing market

1. As of right now my service satisfies the opportunity. I think I can potential branch away and make services for none gym activities such as biking or running. I also think a social media section would be a good idea. Most people are afraid to post fitness content on their normal social media because they are afraid of judgement or people being annoyed of them for doing so. 
2. What makes most sense for my venture is to incorporate more user interaction. While speaking with the interviewees one of them suggested that I allow users to upload workouts for others to use. They stated that they trust another person's workout program more than some random one online. I will also be creating a social media segment that will create a better sense of community. Based on an interview and my own thinking I would like to expand the activities. Rather than only gym workouts, possibly add yoga as the interviewee suggested or running and biking. Included with the workout tracker and on its on will be a timer as well. An interviewee stated that they would love that feature because it helps them remain more efficient and cut down on their time at the gym. By timing their breaks they know when to start their next set. By doing this I believe I can reach a bigger audience. Even though everyone will not use every feature it will be available to them. I believe they will use more than one of the features which is why making it available is important.

New market (Active individuals who do not go to a gym)

1. I think that my service will not work for other markets unless I modify it. For example I can include other fitness activities and this will allow me to incorporate individuals in other markets such as runners or bikers. By branching out I can offer a service that matches runners so that they can run together for both safety and for company. 
2. This market focused on other activities such as running and bicycling. They suggested that I branch out and create an app that will connect runners to each other. I also believed that this is the main way to target these individuals. For example, the app will connect to runners in the same area so that they can run together. I don't think making an app will be a good idea because from my experience and interactions with other runners, they like to run alone. Even when running with others they have their headphones in therefore I do not think the app will have a big following. So including the feature into my previous app would be smarter. The other individual suggested including home workouts. However I believe that is deviating from the original idea of the app. So I will not continue with that idea. This market is smaller in my opinion and too diverse. Therefore I do not think I will be targeting them.