8A - Solving the Problem

Solving the Problem

The opportunity that I would like to select is from my story about the school Andrew Jackson and how it has turned around it's grade from the lowest F school in Jacksonville to a B school and known for its advanced technology programs.  These programs focus on teaching students how to program, develop games and educate them in cyber security.

In that posting I talk about the need for a public relations or marketing campaign to promote the fact that they are not offering these new programs and increased their grade to a B.  This would be important to the school because funding is decided in part enrollment numbers.

If a good marketing program were to be put into place it could allow for better enrollment numbers and in turn better funding.  Then the school could possibly start new programs or improve the ones they have and continue improving their score to get an A.

7A - Testing the Hypothesis Part 1

Zombie Apocalypse Meets Escape Room(s)

The opportunity that I see is in Jacksonville.  There is an old mall in the Regency area that is largely unused.  This does not help that area or the surrounding businesses.  I would like to utilize a large portion of this building and create a new type of fantasy experience for people to enjoy. 

My idea combines the fun of pain ball or laser tag with the puzzle and thought provoking fun of an escape room.  The utilized space would be setup with multiple rooms that you much figure out clues in to progress to the next.  When you are trying to make your way from room to room you must "stay alive" by fighting off the zombie horde that is trying to take over the quarantine zone you are in.  The end of the game is reached by making it alive to the last room and solving the necessary puzzles to obtain the cure to the Zombie virus.

Who: People who enjoy paint ball/laser tag and the excitement of fantasy opposition

What: This would bring people back to this area for fun and excitement.  That should lead to other opportunities for new businesses like restaurants and the like provide services to this new clientele. 

Why: There is a need for a new physical way to have fun and enjoy fantasy.  People are spending much more time online and in games.  This will provide a way to exercise the body and mind.  It will also serve to revitalize an area of town that desperately needs it.

After interviewing five people about this idea I found that most really liked the idea.  There was some concern about paint ball and if that would deter people because they are afraid of the paint balls; laser tag may be preferred. 

I also had one person that really doesn't like zombie movies or the idea of being in a haunted house type environment like that.  All in all, it seems viable.  Four of the five people I talked to feel like the who, what and why would stand up.  The last one was more freaked out by the idea and would not want to partake in something like this out of fear.

5A - Identifying Local Opportunities

Title: Once troubled, Andrew Jackson High School evolves into advanced technology magnet

Link: https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190119/once-troubled-andrew-jackson-high-school-evolves-into-advanced-technology-magnet

This article was interesting to me because the problem that I see is readily apparent.  The article is all about how this Jacksonville high school was able to transform itself from a F school to a B school.  They were able to utilize technology and create programs that kids were interested in.  They became a magnet school that focused on ways to give kids knowledge towards careers or college.

So, where is the problem this sounds like a great thing to happen, right?  Absolutely, they did a great job of transforming themselves.  The problem they have now is dealing with their long-standing reputation.  Since they have been able to successfully become a place of learning that kids want to be at and graduate from, they now need to promote that fact. 

They need to keep that mentality of continued improvement and maintain their ability to teach and intrigue but transition to problem solving how to let people know that this change has occurred.

Title: Kenny Gilbert, ‘Best Chef in Jacksonville,’ cuts ties with 4 restaurants due to irreconcilable differences

Link: https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190117/kenny-gilbert-best-chef-in-jacksonville-cuts-ties-with-4-restaurants-due-to-irreconcilable-differences

This is a short article, but it outlines a problem that many businesses face.  The loss of key personnel can be a very detrimental.   The article outlines that Kenny Gilbert, the chef voted as “Best Chef in Jacksonville” has left working with four of the restaurants he was affiliated with.  This means that they are not only losing top talent but possibly his name and reputation that go with him.

 

Title: Commercial feed removed from Northeast Florida stores following cattle deaths

Link: https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190112/commercial-feed-removed-from-northeast-florida-stores-following-cattle-deaths

This story about a commercial feed product that may be the cause of death to many cattle in northeast Florida.  They are currently investigating this now.  Those poses an obvious problem for the manufacture of this product.

With most products, causing death is usually a large problem.  The manufacture has voluntarily started to pull their product and stores as well.  As stated in this article, the cattle industry is $1 Billion industry and Florida is $900 million annually.  Taking that info account, the impact of this problem could prove to damaging to the manufacturing company.

 

Title: Certain flushed materials give JEA big headache

Link: https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20181231/certain-flushed-materials-give-jea-big-headache

The link above is about how we as citizens of Jacksonville who are serviced by JEA should not be flushing certain solids or liquids down the pipes.  JEA has a tough time when we do this as it may leave our homes unscathed, but it will end up clogging up their pipes and systems.

Their whole system works largely on gravity to get the water where it needs to go.  So, as you can imagine, if a pipe is clogged with “flushable” wipes or fatty deposits from grease and oils.  This system isn’t going to work well.

This is a problem for residential homes as well as businesses.  We just really need to be aware of what we are putting down our drains.  Just because it leaves our site and mind, doesn’t mean that it is just magically gone.  Someone how to deal with that sh…. Um, stuff.

 

Title: Swisher accountant hit with more felony charges

Link: https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20181227/swisher-accountant-hit-with-more-felony-charges

This is a short article but had some really obvious problems.  This story tells about an account for Swisher Cigars being arrested for grand theft.  The true problem is that for something like this to happen at the level and capacity that it did, there are not enough checks and balances in their accounting process. 

I am making a large assumption here but, in an effort, to keep administrative overhead down they probably put too much on this person and the temptation was too much for them.  In no way do I give this person an out based solely on temptation.  You’re an adult and you job is to deal with money.  You should have enough integrity to do it.  However, you don’t always know the limits of the people that you employee and sometimes the carrot is just to enticing.

Checks and balances….you should have them.

 

 

 

4A - Opportunity Belief

Opportunity Belief

My belief is that the Managed Service Provider (MSP) industry needs a much better means to gather, document and maintain vital information related to their customers.  This belief is near and dear to my heart since I work in this industry and see this need first hand. 

Most MSPs handle fulfilling this need in a very manual and time consuming fashion.  There are a few different types of documentation that is necessary to provide customers with the proper level of service.  

1. Asset information
• Does the asset exist
• When/if it expires
• When should it be replaced to prevent an outage
• Serial number and model information
2. Software and other service renewal dates
3. How the different aspects of technology is configured
4. Vendor contact information

In most cases this information is gathered and maintained manually by people seeking it out and inputting this data somewhere.  There are some products out there that have attempted to satisfy this need but they fall short on the main point that should make them successful.  They still require manual gathering of information and input into the system.

The opportunity that I see is to automate the gathering and maintaining of 80% of this information.  I believe that a product can be written as a documentation portal, providing easy and searchable access to information that is automatically pulled from a customer's network and delivered into the application.  There is about 20% that would still require manual input and is not able to be automated.  This would in turn save many hours over the life time of a client in just the process of documenting them, allowing the MSP to focus more on important items likes properly maintaining their network.

After conducting my interviews I found that my belief was still correct.  I spoke with three other operations personal from three different MSP companies.  All of them came the same conclusion.

• Documentation is very important
• It allows for efficient problem solving
• It allows the MSP to produce a superior customer experience
• Time = Money in this business
• Clients pay a flat monthly rate for services.  The more efficient good service is delivered the higher margin is made

Entrepreneurs should be very open to adapting to the feedback their customers provide.  Without listening to your customers you may be trying to deliver a product and/or service they don't want or worse yet need.  Innovation and problem solving are very important to success.  If you don't listen to what your core customers want, you shouldn't be in business. 

3A - Entrepreneurship Story

Entrepreneurship Story

Exposure to Entrepreneurship

My first exposure to entrepreneurship started at a young age.  My father started a small business fixing VCRs out of our house.  Obviously, without innovation this was not a sustainable business thru the years.  Technology changes fast and if you adapt and innovate with it you will fall behind and fizzle out. 

Later in life, I worked for a small family owned restaurant that my friend’s family operated.

Both experiences taught me a bit about running and operating your own business.  It is much more glamorous from the outside looking in.  There are some very big benefits, but it takes a certain mentality, personality and drive to be successful. 

In my current role I run a privately-owned IT consulting company.  Doing this truly filled in some of the gaps that I had on the financial side of running and operating a business.

Why I enrolled in ENT3003

To be honest, I enrolled in this class because it is a core requirement for my program and during orientation, we were walked through the process of choosing this and one other course.  I will say that I truly am excited to continue down this road and feel that this course will be valuable to my education and future goals in business.

I am hoping to gain a deeper understanding of Entrepreneurship; starting and building a business from the ground up.  

2A - Bug List

Bug List

1. Comcast customer service often does't listen to you
1. Why does this exist:  Lack of focus on customer service and training.  This is not their core purpose and focus
2. Service companies advertising a price then you find that it is more expensive due to other fees
1. Why does this exist: The advertised price is a teaser and gets you pulled in to be sold.
3. IKEA's model of self-service because when I needed help no one seemed to understand their product
1. Why does this exist: The self-service model keeps their costs down.  They also keep costs down by having less people in staffed and involved.  The product catalog is so large that they probably don't train on their products as often as they should.
4. The Starbucks on airport road consistently messes up the orders and makes us take more time
1. Why does this exist:  They are more focused on churning orders than producing quality the first time.  I also believe that there is a higher turn over and constant training of new employees which leads to more errors as they learn.
5. When I get my hair cut and they try to carry on a conversation with me
1. Why does this exist:  Most people enjoy that feeling of getting to know someone and having a relationship.  This practice leads to more repeat customers for a longer life time on average.  I just happen to be in the minority.
6. My WizGear cell phone holder in my car doesn't hold onto the vent properly and comes off constantly when I try to take my phone off of it.
1. Why does this exist:  This is a design flaw and the reason this happens is the arms that hold onto the vent have become loose and don't hold tight enough.
7. Walmart has 30+ registers available but only staffing to have 2-3 open.
1. Why does this exist: This is a cost cutting move.  It allows the stores to produce a higher profit margin.  The better cash flow the larger they can become which increases their buying power and allows them to have the lowest prices and live up to their brand promise.
8. Our lawn guy would only take checks and would show up at random times to get it
1. Why does this exist: This is due to his lack of business acumen and ability to properly invoice and track his customers on a consistent basis.
9. Airlines cramming people into the plans
1. Why does this exist: Airplanes, fuel and staff are expensive.  The more people they are able to get onto the craft at once the higher margin they can squeeze out of their flights.
10. When we order pizza from Stoner's Pizza on Main Street on Friday nights it take over an hour to get to our house
1. Why does this exist: They offer a good product and get busy especially on the weekends.  It seems as this bug exists because they either don't have enough staff cooking and that causes them to wait to have a bunch of deliveries before they leave, they don't have enough drivers during that time period or a combination of both.
11. When renting a movie from Vudu, I still have to pay full purchase price if I decide to buy it after the rental
1. Why does this exist: This exists as a way to make more money on their streaming service.
12. During Christmas Target delayed the delivery of purchases several times until we finally canceled them
1. Why does this exist: This is a high volume time of year and they struggled to keep up with demand.
13. iPhones slow down their older models after newer updates
1. Why does this exist: This is a way to push their consumers to move to the latest and greatest phone.
14. Eyeglasses cost 200-400% more at the eye doctor compared to an online service like zenni.com
1. Why does this exist: zenni.com has the ability to create their product on demand, at higher volume and doesn't need to keep an expensive inventory.  These items allow them to offer their products at a lesser markup and maintain an acceptable margin.
15. Constantly getting junk mail or phone calls about extended warranties for vehicles
1. Why does this exist: They are trying to build their business.  It's just very annoying.
16. Our Summer Infant baby monitor loses signal with the camera often and makes a beeping noise that is very annoying
1. Why does this exist: Seems to be a faulty product.
17. Designer water like Smart Water or LifeWTR cost much more but have been tested and found to be much more acidic than their cheaper counterparts like Zephyrhills
1. Why does this exist: Products like Smart Water have great marketing and packaging which make it much more appealing.  There is also an alure to a more expensive product with the thought of "you get what you pay for"; this is not always true.
18. The product LOL Dolls my daughter likes, do not have cloths that properly fit them a lot of times
1. Why does this exist: I believe that to keep costs down on the production of the doll clothes they are shaped the same and painted with different designs.  The dolls however a slightly different so the clothes may not fit exactly right.
19. When my children's favorite characters are used to market junk food and that I don't want them to eat and they want it now that they see these characters
1. Why does this exist: Good marketing tactic.  Kids see their favorite characters and want that product just for that reason.  Marketing is often to children and not the ones with money.  Marketers know that kids will ask their parents or throw a fit and get that product.
20.  When we returned a couch that was purchased at IKEA but had not been delivered to us yet, they wanted to wait to give our money back when the product had never been in our possession
1. Why does this exist: This a move to protect them from loss of  revenue.

I found this process to be a bit challenging.  There are a lot of times that you figure out ways around bugs like this so they aren't necessarily bugs anymore.  A good example of this was my lawn guy.  Like I said above, he couldn't invoice me properly so I took it upon myself to setup bill pay and simply have my bank send him a check on a monthly basis; I never have to think about it again.  

The point is it was challenging because I don't spend a lot of time thinking about the things that bug me like this so they were not forefront in my mind.

1D - Test Post

This is a test post to make sure that this is all working properly as it should.