Elevator Pitch No.2- 17A

Link to the elevator pitch

• https://youtu.be/YU9OS5yBKFQ

Reflection on feedback I received

• The biggest feedback I received pertained to how I spoke. They stated that I did not have variation in my tone and were not loud enough. I think this was very helpful for how I should change my next elevator pitch. They also stated that adding statistics was a good idea because it shows evidence in how the app can possibly be profitable.  

What I changed based on the feedback

• From the feedback I received I raised my voice a little to make it easier to hear. I also stepped closer to the phone making the my voice sound louder than before. I tried to change the tone of my voice however I am having trouble finding when and how I should. I do not think there are any emotional parts of the elevator pitch where changing my tone can easily be done. Tips on how and when I should change my tone would be greatly appreciated because I am a little confused on it. 

Create a Customer Avatar- 18A

The segment I have been focusing on in my recent assignments is female lifters.

• They love having a healthy lifestyle. Almost every aspect of their life revolves around being healthy. Such as a healthy diet, healthy sleep schedule and routines to destress themselves. Each of them have a different definition for healthy however they all live by what they define. For example healthy can mean looking fit to one but to another it means being strong. 
• Female lifters generally wear clothing pieces that make them feel confident. They tend to wear fitness clothing such as leggings, sports bras, compression shirts, spandex shorts and much more. The clothing normally highlights a part of their body they feel confident about. They will also wear fitness clothes on a normal basis. Such as going out in public. This is due to the current trend of athleisure wear. Since many of these females favor wearing athleisure regularly, they are willing to spend money on these products. For example they will wear brands such as Gymshark. For this brand the average pair of leggings is roughly $50.
• Female lifters are generally above the age of 16 years. Individuals in this segment can have children however the majority do not. Most females who do lift are under the age of 30. There are other lifters at younger ages however those individuals normally lift for a sport so would not be included in this segment. They drive all sorts of cars. The majority can be found in a common commuter car that is either a sedan or crossover SUV. They typically drive these cars for the abundance in storage and because they are efficient inexpensive vehicles. They do not have any particular taste in the choice of their cars. 
• They will watch fitness youtubers who inspire them. By watching these videos, female lifters may replicate the workouts they see as well as inspire to be look like them or use them as a source of motivation.
• When planning out there week they make sure to schedule days for the gym. By doing so they can hold themselves accountable and make sure they are continuing to stay fit.
• The social media accounts of female lifters will start to contain fitness content after they began feeling confident. They will either post videos showing their strength or how they look performing the exercise or they will post pictures at the gym. On their social media accounts they will also follow fitness inspirations for them, this ranges from competitive lifters to fitness models. 
• Female lifters much like other lifters have many friends who are into fitness. By having friends that are into fitness it allows them to surround themselves with others with similar mindsets.

Things I have in common

• I have many common characteristics as the female lifters in this segment. Like them my life revolves around fitness. My eating choices, sleep schedule, work schedule, social media, and even the friends around me typically have been influenced by fitness. These similarities are not a coincidence because living a healthy lifestyle does not mean doing only one of these things. In order to continue being healthy all aspects of your life has to become healthy. 

What's Your Secret Sauce?- 16A

Five ways in which I have human capital that is truly unique

1. Altruistic- I believe that I have a kind heart because I want the best for the world. My goal in life is to impact the world by increasing the number of healthy individuals through fitness.
2. Sociable- Whenever I am introduce to a new environment I try to meet everyone there and become socialized with them. This is a habit of mine because I think it is awkward when there individuals are divided into multiple groups I an event. By socializing with everyone I hope to be the one that connects everyone, making the experience more enjoyable for everyone. Also by doing this I can make it easier for shy individuals to meet others because I am doing the mingling for them.
3. Motivated- I grew up in a ghetto community in which the main escape for the kids there was through sports. Most of them did not do well in high school therefore they would end up in a community college near home. Which means they would still be in the same detrimental environment. However some were able to make it to universities through sports. One of my main goals in life is to give back to communities and help propel the children there to better lives. Therefore I am highly motivated because if I give up, I'm giving up on communities instead of just me. 
4. Analytical- Every time I approach something in life I tend to do it logically. I will assess the situation and apply my knowledge to get the best outcome. If I do not have sufficient knowledge then I will go out of my way to acquire it. 
5. Good trainer- I have been placed in roles in which I have to train another individual multiple times in my life. Examples include at the gym, at work, at school and volunteer events. In each scenario I was able to connect to the other individual and train them based on how they learn best. I try to find what makes them learn best and I will apply that to their trainer. This makes each experience unique and results in further development of the individual. 

Interviews

For individuals 2-5 I recorded myself reading their interview because they do not live nearby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgsPdvKjONs&t=2s

1. 0:00-0:38
• My girlfriend stated that the two things that make me different the most is my passion and my confidence. She included the example of how I self programmed myself for my first powerlifting meet and since then I have been loving the sport. She spoke about my confidence when I am taking a task head on. She stated that I never back out and complete every task to the end.
2. 0:42-1:02 
• My cousin highlighted that I am a very smart individual and have been able to stay at the top of my class through school. He also stated that when I have a goal in mind, I become highly motivated and committed to doing it and I apply this to all aspects of life. 
3. 1:04-2:08
• My friend highlighted multiple qualities that he considers makes me different. He stated that I am very open minded which allows me to identify with other people. He also said that I am very supported and encouraging to him. I have supported him with no judgement with everything. He spoke about how through basketball and the gym I have pushed him to better himself as well as establish a higher standard for himself. He stated that I help him with workouts but training him and providing him tips where as others wouldn't. He included that the advice I give is backed up by the knowledge I have as well as research I do. The last quality he mentioned is that I am open with my feelings which allows me to be sociable.
4. 2:10-2:52
• My friend's main focus was that I am very honest and have a lot of confidence. She stated that I can easily say things on my mind, I don't hide the truth and I am also able to confidently say it. She also pointed out that even though I am very nice and generous, I am not fake out it, she stated that I am genuine. The last thing that makes me different is that I approach problems with a logical standpoint and assess situations analytically 
5. 2:53-3:25
• My friend emphasized that I am able to fit into any situation. She said that in any situation I can observe my surroundings and then blend in with the crowd. She referenced that she witnessed this when she introduced me to her friends at her apartment and I was able to connect with each of them and become their friends as well. 

Reflection of differences
From my interviews I can conclude that others see me as someone who would be considered a good friend. Most of them highlighted that I can easily make friends because I am sociable and open minded. They also describe me as an individual with a lot of confidence and passion. The only similar trait I stated was that I am sociable. When describing myself I chose other words to describe me. However if you compare the general meanings of each description they are very similar to how I described myself. I just described myself on a bigger scale than they did.

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No.2- 15A

Interviewee 1: Powerlifter at the national level, 5+ years of lifting
Interviewee 2: Co-founder of a fitness clothing brand(GuavaFit), 4+ years
Interviewee 3: Instagram Fitness female, 3+ years

Alternative Evaluations
During my interview process none of the individual interviewed had an alternative. They simply resorted to texting friends(3) or the would just go to the gym alone(1,2). I realized that everyone would probably say this therefore I searched online for apps that will satisfy this need. I found various apps yet none of them had ratings. When I presented my idea of the app to these individuals they all stated that this is something they would love to have access to. I showed them the apps(Physeek, Train With Me, and Chatfit) that I found online and they all stated they have never heard of these apps. I asked if they would try them. One replied probably not because it has no rating(1). The other two said they wouldn't try it because they've never heard anyone talk about it so no one is probably on it(2,3). Therefore I believe that they key factors individuals will look for when using an app that meets this need, they will look at ratings for the app and the popularity of it. This makes sense because this correlates with how many members are possibly using the app, which makes it easier to find a match.

How/Where do they buy?
Alternatives for this need are mainly apps. Therefore they are found on mobile devices in app stores. When conducting my interviews I showed the individuals examples of apps currently on the market that can satisfy this need. All of these apps were free to use. Therefore when I asked if they would pay for this service, two individuals(1,2) stated they wouldn't mind spending a dollar or so. The other individual (3) stated that they wouldn't pay since all the other ones are free. I believe that the majority of people will not want to spend money to use this app. This is most likely due to the fact that so many apps currently on the market are free to users and make money through advertisements.

Post-Purchase evaluation
None of the individuals interviewed have used an app to satisfy this need before. One of them has texted their friends (3) to go to the gym with them. They determined if they were going to workout again with them or not based on how the workout went. She stated that it didn't matter if the weights were different as long as the other person knew how to perform each exercise and was positive during the workout. When asked how they would evaluate if they were going to continue using the app or not, two of them emphasized that it depends on the workout partner they were matched too(1,3). For example if they stated that they want to be matched with an experienced lifter and weren't they most likely will not use the app again. The other individual stated that the most important aspect the apps needs for them to keep using it is the ease of navigating through the app as well as the number of individuals using(2).

Conclusion
When individuals in this segment evaluates alternatives they look to see is if the app has a high number of members and a good rating. They will most likely not pay for the gym partner matching service because other apps that have attempted to do so are free. They may potentially spend a dollar on the app, however there will be a higher number of users if it were free to download. After using the app the individuals will evaluate it based on the ease of using the app and if they had a good workout partner or not.

Reading Reflection No. 1- 13A

1. The Wright Brothers were the first humans to take flight. They were not students of prestigious schools or came from a family of money. Instead they were homeschooled and spent much of their time reading. It is so surprising that two individuals who were not seen as educated individuals by the public were the two who were about to piece together mankind's knowledge and be the first to fly. They also only spent about $1,000 total on their projects. They were able to do so because they were able to learn to design the majority of the things on their own. They also did not want any investors to be a part of this. I admired their mindset. They did everything on their own and would go to Kitty Hawk every summer and attempt to fly. After succeeding in creating an airplane, the Wright Brothers stopped being entrepreneurs in a way. They stopped at their last invention and let the competition out beat them. I felt like they were no longer striving to better their invention because they were happy to achieve what they did. Therefore what I least admire is that they stopped the progress they were making in aviation. During the process of building the first airplane they faced many challenges. Their projects kept failing and crashing. They used the information from each test run to revise their plan and continue building. They never seemed to give up. Even after Wilbur crashed and suffered broken bones, the two continued to attempt to fly. The biggest obstacle they had to overcome was to figure out a way to power the airplane. Engines at the time were too heavy. They overcame this obstacle with the help of Charlie Taylor. He created an engine built from aluminum that was able to propel the plane and not be too heavy. The Wright Brothers were able to overcome all their failures and adversaries by either enlisting the help of someone else or taking knowledge from other fields and applying it to theirs. 
2. Both Orville and Wilbur were very educated. They were not educated in a traditional sense, they learned everything from reading. The two were able to connect concepts between different subject matters that no one else could. By doing so they were able to create the first plane. Their observational skills were also very outstanding. By observing the flight of birds, the two were able to apply what they learned to their plane. This created wing tips which gave the plane lateral control. The Wright Brothers worked at a bicycle shop where they repaired and manufactured bicycles. The skills they obtained from this occupation translated into their ability to craft a plane. 
3. The most confusing part of the book was a small detail. During Wilbur's demonstration to the French they did not allow photographs to be taken. This confuses me because they are trying to promote awareness of what they have accomplished. Therefore by not allowing photographs it would result in the opposite effect. 
4. 
   
1. What did you envision for the future of airplanes and aviation?
• I want to know this because I would like to know about their possible future endeavors as well as if they had a dream for their creation. 
1. Who was the engineer and who was the brains behind the project?
• The book as well as other sources state they are both tied in intellect however I believe that their is a difference and want to know. 
5. I think they believed hard work was something you could spend all your time doing and not give up. They were worked on their projects for years and never gave up therefore I don't believe they would assign a certain degree of difficulty to the term hard work. But rather define it has work that envelops the individuals, work in which you become free from the world and solely focus on.

Halfway Reflection- 14A

1. This class has five assignments due each week. Two of the assignments are actual assignments that are due on Fridays each week. Two of them are comments on two other individuals' post for the week. The last is a "cupcake" on the week's lecture. The last three are due on Monday. Because there is a set schedule to when the assignments are due I have developed a schedule to keep up with the work. On Tuesdays I will watch Mondays lecture as well as get started on one of the two assignments due on Friday. Wednesdays and Thursday I will continue to watch the lectures and work on the assignments. Fridays or Saturdays I will comment on other blogs as well as take the cupcake if I am caught up with all the lectures. 
2. The majority of the time when doing the assignments I have a difficult time putting my thoughts into words. Therefore I tend to take multiple breaks to sort things out in my head. These breaks sometimes resulted in me stopping with the homework assignment. After awhile I stopped taking things breaks and instead just kept writing the assignment and working on it. I would later revise it and that seemed to work more efficiently. Therefore I developed an attitude that would keep doing the assignment even when I hit a mental wall but would fix everything next time I worked on the assignment. 
3. 
   
1. Creating a schedule each week of when to work on assignments will make the workload seem a lot easier and keep you on track.
2. Don't turn in "weak" assignments. Do them as if you were actually starting your own business. You will get the most out of it and develop skills necessary to keep at it when actually starting the business. 
3. Before starting the assignments read both of them and develop a game plan of how to approach it. This will help put you in the "zone" which allows the words to "flow" out of you and it is much easier to complete an assignment this way. 

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No.1- 12A

Segment

• The segment I chose is female lifters. Two of the interviewees have lifted for 2+ years and the third has just started lifting.

Summary of Interviews

• The timing of the need differed based on the interviewees. However the need occurs at a common context, when they go to the gym. During my first interview the individual stated that it is difficult for her to find a gym partner because she has a strict schedule of when she can go. Therefore her need occurs at night. The other two interviewees stated that their need does not have a specific time. 
• The two individuals who have been lifting for 2+ years does not do anything about their need because they haven't found a solution. These two simply workout without a partner even though they want to. Both of them stated that they have asked their friends before to go with them. It didn't workout for one individual because her friend only wanted to do cardiovascular exercises and did not want to lift weights. The other individual ended up lifting weights with her friend however her friend was very inexperienced and it was difficult for her to get an actual workout because she had to teach her friend. One of these individuals has tried to ask other females at the gym if they would like to workout. This worked for "leg day" only because the person from the gym solely focused on working out her lower body muscles. The interviewee liked to train her full body so her need is only partially met. The third individual who is new to the gym stated that she would post on her snapchat story, "hmu if you want to go to the gym." She said most of the time it doesn't really work but occasionally someone would go with her. Therefore her solution is not reliable. 

Conclusion

• For the female lifter segment need awareness is very general, it can be anytime of the day. The only criteria is that the need occurs when they want to go to the gym with a partner. The need for certain individuals can occur at a set time if they only workout at certain times. From the interviews it can be concluded that no research is really done. The individuals in this segment will mainly ask their family and friends if they want to workout with them or not. One individual did use social media as a form of information search. With today's current technology and focus on social media this is likely a form for many other individuals in this segment as well.

Idea Napkin No. 1- 11A

Who you are. What your talents are. What your skills and experiences are. Also: what are your aspirations? Specifically regarding your business concept, how do you see this business (if you were to start it) playing a role in your life?

• My name is Larry Nguyen. I am a second year Applied Physiology and Kinesiology major at UF. I am a competitive powerlifter and through my training, I have obtained values and experiences that have shaped my life. I am not certified in any form of personal training however, I program myself as well as others and everyone has seen improvements in both strength and aesthetics. Therefore I consider myself qualified as a trainer. My main goal of this app is to increase health and fitness in the world. Though my training experiences I have witness influxes of people to the gym during certain times of the year such as New Years or fall. However the gym dies down about a month or two afterwards. Those who stick around usually are highly dedicated or have a partner. I can't change their dedication therefore I want to find a partner for everyone to train with. I see this as an opportunity for me to get a foot in the fitness world. My goal is to eventually one day create a training facility that focuses on athletes. The facility will also focus on high school athletes that do not have the funds necessary for hiring a personal trainer. At the facility these students will be able to train for free as long as they are successful in their studies. With the app I am hoping to make connections with other companies that will sponsor the training facility or help with fundraisers. 

Describe the product or service (in other words, how you'll solve customers' unmet needs).

• The unmet need is, individuals have a difficult time finding a training partner. The service I will be providing is an app that mimics matchmaking. Individuals will input search parameters such as; the gym, the time, the workout, and gender of the partner they want. This will match individuals with those that have the same parameters entered. After the match, the two can agree to workout together or not. If they agree, information they would like to shared will be shared such as their profile. As a privacy concern, individuals can choose to remain anonymous during the matchmaking phase however once both have agreed to workout together their identity will be revealed. The app will act as a social media app as well in which individuals can create their own fitness profile, here they can share videos, photos or even blogs. The app will also have a calendar for each gym in which individuals can post on. For example I can post on the calendar that on March 3rd I will be doing a chest workout at 3pm. This will also make the matchmaking process easier because a time is set in advance which allows others to adjust their schedule if they want to workout with me. The calendar can also be used to set up other activities at the gym such as a basketball game. Someone will create an event on the calendar for a particular day and time and people can come and play. The app will contain a store section. The store will contain products from clothing to supplements. They will also contain user reviews on each products to make the buying process easier, especially for new gym goers.   There will be a top 5 ranking for each category of products to make the buying process even easier. All these features are of the free version. For $1 a month individuals will have access to published workout programs, dietary resources and a workout tracker. The workout tracker makes it easier to log one's workout. Usually individuals will carry around a notebook and pencil to complete this task because their isn't any easier way. However with the tracker they can track their workout by inputting the weight, workout and reps. This makes it easier because most individuals already have their phone with them at the gym, so a notebook and pencil is no longer necessary. 
• The app wil contain advertisements from companies that are in the fitness industry. They can pay different fees for the type of advertisements they want. Examples include banners at the top or bottom or a 5 sec screen advertisement. Because the app is designed for individuals in the fitness community, these companies will be advertising directly to them. Individuals who are new to working out are viable customers for these brands to attract. Once an individual selects a brand they usually stick to that one brand for a while, increasing repeat revenues for these brands. On average $130 a month is spent by Americans on fitness related products such as clothes and supplements. Therefore this will be a great opportunity for businesses as well. 

Describe, in as much detail as possible, the demographic and psychographic characteristics of your customers. Think especially of this question: what do your customers all have in common?

• My customer base is very broad. The main similarity between them is that the workout at a gym. The free version of the app will be targeted towards those that want to workout with others at the gym but have a difficult time or simply can't find anyone to workout with. It can also be used by individuals to plan a game of sports at the gym such as basketball. The subscription version is targeted towards any gym goer that needs help with programs, diet or a way to track their workout or diet. The workout programs and dietary resources are mainly for those who do not have a trainer or coach to program for them. The workout and diet tracker is for anyone who needs it but is mainly targeted towards cross-fit, powerlifting, strongman and weightlifting athletes. These individuals usually track their workouts to track progress,as a log to refer to when creating a new program, and to report to their coach or trainer. In terms of gender, religion, politics and location the app is for anyone in those categories as long as they fit one of the above categories. Because it is an app, having a smart phone is a requirement, therefore a common characteristic of the customers is that they have a smart phone. 

Your solution is only valuable insofar as customers believe its valuable to them. Here, explain why customers will actually pay you money to use your product or service.

• The solution to the unmet need is free therefore individuals do not need to pay to use it. However I believe the will use it because statistics show that only 20% of gym memberships in America are actually used. That means 80% of the 54 million individuals who have a gym membership are simply wasting their money on an unused service. I believe they will use the app so that they are no longer wasting money on a gym membership. Study shows that the majority of individuals who quit going to the gym do so because they do not have a partner to go with. Therefore my service will be valuable to them. The subscription version of the app cost $1 a month. This is not even 1% of the $130 average individuals are spending on fitness related products a month. Therefore I believe that the benefits of the app will lead them to purchasing the subscription. It will make it more convenient to workout because their workout tracker and workout plan is in the palm of their hands instead of a notebook they have to carry around. Many individuals also do not want to pay for a personal trainer therefore they will be wiling to pay $1 a month to access a range of workout programs that have proved to be successful. 
• For businesses my approach is targeted towards both new comers and regular gym goers therefore their marketing audience will involve the masses. Whereas other services target a specific group so it will be much more cost efficient to work with me. These companies can also build loyalty within the new gym goers. These will result in a constant flow of revenue from these individuals. Also they will get free advertisement from the individuals who use their product as well as the top 5 product list that will be in the store section fo the app. 

What sets you apart from everyone else? Also: what do you have that nobody else has?

• The main difference from me and everyone else is that they are trying to exploit the customers whereas I simply want to increase fitness in America. I have used many fitness apps in which there is a free version and a subscription version. The free version will be very basic and not even serve its purpose, whereas the subscription version will satisfy the unmet need. My approach is different. The free version will satisfy the unmet need of the customers. My subscription version is to enhance the unmet need and explore other small unmet needs. For example it will solve the problem of having to carry a notebook and pencil around if someone was trying to track their workout.

In addition to these five elements, please spend a paragraph evaluating whether you believe these elements fit together or whether there are aspects of your business concept that are weaker / out-of-joint with the others.

• All the elements fit together, however my skills lack. I do not know how to create an app therefore that is a skill that I need to learn. My experiences as an athlete and a trainer are also not quite helpful in the actual development of the product. My experiences only helped formed the idea of the app. To help with this I have formed a relationship with a computer science student that would be willing to work with me on this app.