30A - Final Reflection

The experience that sticks out to me as being the most formative were the assignments related to identifying opportunities. An experience that I will remember for years down the road were the elevator pitch assignments because it forced me to step out of my comfort zone, however turned out to be very positive. My most joyous experience was the further development of an entrepreneurial mindset. I have always had an entrepreneurial mindset, however this course developed this mindset even further and forced me to think a little further outside the box. I am most proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and performing the elevator pitches, regardless of my disliking for  talking in front of a camera.

I have been an entrepreneur for quite some time, starting several businesses and always trying to identify further opportunities. However, I definitely feel that this course has further developed my entrepreneurial mindset and has provided me with a different perspective and method to source out potential opportunities.

One recommendation I would give to future students is to be open minded throughout this course. This course is going to teach you to look at things a little differently, but will positively provide you with tools to further advance you in any direction you may wish to go! To perform best in this course, I would recommend to get ahead and to not wait until the last minute to complete assignments. To foster an entrepreneurial mindset, you must be willing to apply yourself and be open minded to look at things in a different light!

29A - Venture Concept No. 2

The opportunity that I have discovered is the implementation of a technological device on each table at restaurants. This device will allow for customers to order food and beverages from the table at their own pace. It will enhance the customer experience by ensuring that the customer’s needs are always met. In this case, restaurant owners have the need for this unmet opportunity. The nature of the need stems from the issue regarding poor customer dining experiences resulting from servers being unable to attend to them during busy hours. The biggest change in this environment creating the opportunity is in the form of technology. Technology has opened the doors for so many opportunities and implementing technology in restaurants and giving customers the access to place their own orders at their own pace could be beneficial to all. I believe the target market for this product is in young restaurant owners. Young restaurant owners are more familiar with the benefits and development of technology and are likely to be privier to the value that technology presents. Customers currently offer table side service with servers attending tables and taking customers orders. The biggest issue they are facing is the human element; servers can only be in so many places at one time. In other words, if a server is attending one table, she is unable to serve another at the same time that may be in a rush to leave. Restaurant owners understand the need for servers and are loyal to them, however, they are usually eager to learn of new and improved ways to offer the most to their customers. This opportunity is huge in the sense that it will greatly enhance the customer experience and result in more returning customers to the business. I believe the window of opportunity will not be open for too long because technology is available to anyone and this idea can be thought of by many others and acted upon quickly. This product can also be implemented in other environments besides casual dining. This can be implemented potentially in a drive-through scene in which customers could pull up, and instead of giving their order through the speaker, they could plug in their own orders.

My product is essentially a technological device that allows for customers who are dining out to order food and beverages to their table at their own leisure. The technological device would give the customer access to the restaurant’s food and beverage menu and would allow for a customer to follow the steps to order whatever they would like whenever they would like. Once a customer sends an order in, it would be received in the kitchen immediately and would begin to be prepared. The restaurant could then have a “runner” grab the order when finished and bring to the customer.

My innovation would address the opportunity that I have identified in the sense that it would reduce the burden put on servers to attend to many tables at once while enhancing the overall customer experience. Servers are human and are only capable of helping one table at a time. In working in the restaurant industry for a while now, I can tell you that some customers become unruly and aggravated when they are not attended to in a timely fashion. My product would eliminate this by allowing for customers to order their food and drinks at their own pace, regardless of how busy their server may be. I believe customers would implement this product because it would be utilizing technology to their benefit. I believe it would be fairly easy to get them to implement my product in their restaurants because of the tremendous benefits it would offer to the customer experience. In business, the happier the customer is, the more likely they are to return. Many restaurants could not survive without returning customers! The competitors would be other companies that offer similar type technologies to restaurants who could duplicate this idea. Customer support would play a huge role in my business concept in the sense that if there were ever any technological errors, we would need to be there to help immediately. We would also need to package and distribute personalized tablets to restaurants with their own menus on them. I would organize a team of professionals in the field of technology to produce and distribute this product. In the beginning I would consider hiring 2-4 employees, however that number would grow the more customers we gain. These employees would be in charge of customer support and setting up each tablet to specific customer’s needs.

As far as student feedback is concerned, I was told that my venture concept did a good job in describing the need of my product and how it is unique in its own way. As far as other feedback is concerned, I was told that this could be good in a drive through scene. I saw value in this as well in the sense that it could help speed the process up if a customer is ready to order and the employee was pre occupied. 

I changed my venture concept in the sense that I added the possibility of creating a device meant for drive through restaurants as well. I believe this could be beneficial for drive throughs and it could add great value to my product, along with bringing on an entire different set of customers. 

28A - Your Exit Strategy

If I were to start my business, I would likely sell it 5-10 years down the road. I love to generate new ideas, and could use the capital from selling my business to fund new projects down the road. I believe this exit strategy has influenced other ideas I have made in this concept in the sense that I understand I would have to move fast on this idea. I understand that technology is available to everyone and new products are being created daily, so I would have to capitalize on this idea quickly and get out when the value peaks.

27A - Reading Reflection No. 3

For this assignment, I chose to read Grinding It Out, by Ray Kroc. Ray Kroc was the founder of McDonalds's. I was surprised the most in the fact that Kroc did not start on his journey to making McDonald's what it is today until his 50's. What I admire the most about Kroc is that he used to work long days working several jobs. I admire the sacrifices he made during these times, sometimes working 19 hour days! What I admire least about Kroc is that he neglected personal relationships in the early days of his life, only focusing on business. Kroc faced adversity early on, notably in the second McDonald's he opened. He struggled with getting food to taste how he wanted it to. Kroc seeked professional help and fixed this problem. A main competency that stood out to me about Kroc was his ability to keep goin. It seemed as if throughout his whole life, he never stopped until his standards were met and exceeded. I was confused the most about how it was mentioned early on that Kroc struggled with personal relationships because his mind was so focused on business, however, he formed a quick relationship with the McDonald brothers and turned McDonald's into what it is today.

If I could ask Kroc two questions, they would be as follows:

What inspired you to keep going on your business journey?
What did you pick up on in McDonald's that impressed you so much?

I would ask the first question because Kroc had been a business man all of his life, however he never really hit it big. I would be curious to see what kept him motivated through these times to finally hit the jackpot with McDonald's. I would ask the second question because I am in the restaurant industry and would be curious to see what exactly Kroc saw in McDonald's that made him think it could be what it is today.

I believe that Kroc valued hard work over almost everything. Kroc was a true example of someone who never gave up. I share this opinion with Kroc. I believe everything is earned, not given. I am inspired by Kroc's willingness to persevere.

26A - Celebrating Failure

One time in which I failed was early in this semester. I am new to the UF online degree program so I was still learning how everything worked. I was not familiar with ProctorU and failed to register in time for one of my exams. Thankfully, there is an opportunity to take an end of course exam that will replace the 0 I received on that one.

My main takeaway from this failure was to be more careful in reading instructions. It is so important to learn and understand all details of a situation before believing that you know it already.

Although failure is often times tough, I do believe that a lot of good comes out of failure. There are a lot of lessons that I have personally learned stemming from failure. I generally get upset when I fail, but upon reflecting I try my best to take it as a lesson. My favorite quote is as follows: "Never a loss. Always a lesson." This class has further advanced my beliefs on failure. This class has taught me that with proper planning, taking a calculated risk is a good thing. If you look at failure as a positive rather than a negative, you are far more likely to take educated risks and achieve your dreams.

23A - Your Venture's Unfair Advantage

Resource 1: Human Capital (group of friends very intelligent in the field of technology)

V: Very valuable

R: Rare to find people with this advanced of technology skills

I: Hard to find good workers who are extremely advanced in technology 

N: There are others intelligent in technology, but I have a group of friends that I know very well that are not-substitutable 

Resource 2: Network

V: Very valuable

R: It is not rare for someone to have a network, but my network happens to be connections in my existing market

I: Hard to copy because every business owner is unique in their own way

N: Non substitutable 

Resource 3: Funding

V: Very valuable

R: Not extremely rare

I: Anyone with the means can offer financing 

N: Non-substitutable - I have close family members willing to help me by funding my business at favorable terms that I would be unlikely to find anywhere else

Resource 4: Emotional 

V: Very valuable

R: Fairly rare

I: Hard to imitate

N: Non-substitutable - I am very good under high stress situations and feel that I have what it takes to handle the responsibilities of getting this business off the ground

Resource 5: Determination

V: Very valuable

R: Pretty rare

I: I believe one is either determined or they are not

N: Non-substitutable - everyone is unique in their own ways and I believe I have the determination necessary to keep going regardless until the outcome is what I desire

Resource 6: Knowledge 

V: Very valuable

R: Rarity depends on the specific subject, in this case quite a few people are knowledgable in this field

I: Can be imitated because the materials are there for people to learn

N: Substitutable - However, one must take time to learn what I may already know in this field

Resource 7: Experience 

V: Very valuable

R: Quite a few people have experience in restaurants

I: Can be copied - however one must climb the ladder in the industry to acquire the experience'

N: Substitutable - experience can be found in many different individuals, however I have management experience in restaurants and understand the ins and outs of the business, so it gives me an edge

Resource 8: Physical Resources (I own a tablet/iPad which could be classified as equipment)

V: Valuable

R: Not too rare

I: Can be copied

N: Substitutable 

Resource 9: People skills

V: Valuable

R: Rare

I: Can be copied, but one must learn it

N: Non-substitutable - because each individual is unique and the way one person says something may be interpreted differently than the way another says it

Resource 10: Value proposition 

V: Very valuable 

R: Rare in this industry

I: Can be copied

N: Non-substitutable - The value my product brings will likely differ from the value another individual's product may bring

My top resource is likely my network within the industry. This is so important because it gives me an edge up on competitors in the sense that I already know of people looking for this product that will give me business immediately. 

25A - What's Next?

Due to the current circumstances, I did not interview customers for this assignment.

For me, I believe what makes the most sense for my venture in terms of growing in my existing market is staying the technology route. I believe there are many opportunities that technology presents that could be super beneficial to restaurant owners. Retaining customers is the key for all restaurant owners and utilizing technology to enhance the customer experience could be key.

One such area of expansion within my existing market could be implementing tablets for servers to use as well. For instance, most servers write down a customers order and then plug it into a computer to send to the kitchen. However, this is time consuming. If a server had their own device in which they could copy down the customers order on a tablet and then immediately send to kitchen, it might make for quicker service.



As far as new markets are concerned, I could potentially target investors looking to create a brand new concept rather than an existing restaurant owner themselves. For instance, I could approach an investor looking to open a hands off restaurant. Customers would come in and order via a tablet, and someone would bring their food to them. This would eliminate the need for excessive payroll and would be the first ever of this concept.

This new market would be more for a creative thinker looking to take a risk on something that has never been introduced before. I believe that this presents an opportunity to a radically different type of consumer. Restaurant owners typically go the conventional route, however this opportunity would require someone with an open-mind eager to try something new.

24A - Venture Concept No. 1

The opportunity that I have discovered is the implementation of a technological device on each table at restaurants. This device will allow for customers to order food and beverages from the table at their own pace. It will enhance the customer experience by ensuring that the customer’s needs are always met. In this case, restaurant owners have the need for this unmet opportunity. The nature of the need stems from the issue regarding poor customer dining experiences resulting from servers being unable to attend to them during busy hours. The biggest change in this environment creating the opportunity is in the form of technology. Technology has opened the doors for so many opportunities and implementing technology in restaurants and giving customers the access to place their own orders at their own pace could be beneficial to all. I believe the target market for this product is in young restaurant owners. Young restaurant owners are more familiar with the benefits and development of technology and are likely to be privier to the value that technology presents. Customers currently offer table side service with servers attending tables and taking customers orders. The biggest issue they are facing is the human element; servers can only be in so many places at one time. In other words, if a server is attending one table, she is unable to serve another at the same time that may be in a rush to leave. Restaurant owners understand the need for servers and are loyal to them, however, they are usually eager to learn of new and improved ways to offer the most to their customers. This opportunity is huge in the sense that it will greatly enhance the customer experience and result in more returning customers to the business. I believe the window of opportunity will not be open for too long because technology is available to anyone and this idea can be thought of by many others and acted upon quickly.

My product is essentially a technological device that allows for customers who are dining out to order food and beverages to their table at their own leisure. The technological device would give the customer access to the restaurant’s food and beverage menu and would allow for a customer to follow the steps to order whatever they would like whenever they would like. Once a customer sends an order in, it would be received in the kitchen immediately and would begin to be prepared. The restaurant could then have a “runner” grab the order when finished and bring to the customer.

My innovation would address the opportunity that I have identified in the sense that it would reduce the burden put on servers to attend to many tables at once while enhancing the overall customer experience. Servers are human and are only capable of helping one table at a time. In working in the restaurant industry for a while now, I can tell you that some customers become unruly and aggravated when they are not attended to in a timely fashion. My product would eliminate this by allowing for customers to order their food and drinks at their own pace, regardless of how busy their server may be. I believe customers would implement this product because it would be utilizing technology to their benefit. I believe it would be fairly easy to get them to implement my product in their restaurants because of the tremendous benefits it would offer to the customer experience. In business, the happier the customer is, the more likely they are to return. Many restaurants could not survive without returning customers! The competitors would be other companies that offer similar type technologies to restaurants who could duplicate this idea. Customer support would play a huge role in my business concept in the sense that if there were ever any technological errors, we would need to be there to help immediately. We would also need to package and distribute personalized tablets to restaurants with their own menus on them. I would organize a team of professionals in the field of technology to produce and distribute this product. In the beginning I would consider hiring 2-4 employees, however that number would grow the more customers we gain. These employees would be in charge of customer support and setting up each tablet to specific customer’s needs.

I believe the most important resource for this company will be human resource. I would focus on hiring the highest level of technological professionals to bring this company to the top!

The next opportunity I would like to tackle with my current innovation is creating tablets for other businesses in different industries.

In five years, I would like to have acquired 500 new businesses to implement my product. In the next decade, I would like to build on this product and discover other opportunities in the technological world. This venture is a steppingstone to bigger and better opportunities!

22A - Elevator Pitch No. 3

Link: https://youtu.be/Rxp4htd6Rqw

I received very positive feedback on my last two elevator pitches. One thing I changed this time around was not reading off a script. I believe this is more realistic because if I were to actually pitch a product to investors, I would not be reading off a script.

21A - Reading Reflection No. 2

In this exercise, I chose to report on How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams. I would say the general theme and argument of this book was that you should always be working on something exciting. The author of this book was always working on projects that made him excited to get up in the mornings and he believed in this concept thoroughly. In my opinion, this book connected with what I am learning in ENT 3003 in the sense that it stresses the importance of acquiring new skills to be successful. Throughout this course, we have worked on numerous exercises that have enhanced our skillset in different areas. I believe that this is so important when pursuing a business or anything else in life. If I had to design an exercise for this class based on the book I read, the exercise would involve students finding something they are passionate about. This book stresses how important it is to be working on something that gets you excited, and I would design an exercise meant to discover one’s true passions. One surprise that I came across in the book was the priorities that the author set forth in his routine. The author first prioritizes himself, then his economics, then his family and community. It is not common for people to express their priorities unless they are always looking out for others instead of themselves, but the author justified his position in the sense that when you are not looking out for yourself and economics, you actually become a weight on your family.

20A - Growing Your Social Capital

Person 1: Silvestros

Silvestros is a long time general manager in the restaurant business. He is very strong on the business operations and customer service sides of restaurants. He is a domain expert in the sense that he is very knowledgeable on the kind of product that I would like to produce. In being in the business for such a long time, he has come across all forms of implemented technology within restaurants. He has seen a lot of products similar to mine. I know Silvestros from the restaurant I work at and asked to speak with him on this. I asked Silvestros to watch my elevator pitch and requested feedback. He has been in the business so long and has many connections in the industry, so once I begin producing my product, he will be a huge help in getting my product distributed in restaurants.


Person 2: Chelsea

Chelsea is a representative and installer of a company that makes POS systems. She is a market expert in the sense that she targeting my market with a similar product. POS systems and my technological device provide almost the same function, however, they have different users. POS systems are typically used by employees and my device would be used by customers. Chelsea installed the POS systems at the restaurant I worked for, and I was able to reach her over the phone. I discussed my idea napkin with her over the phone and requested feedback. She knows my market as good as anyone and could be a key help in overcoming any technological issues that we may have in the future. She is extremely educated when it comes to the technology side of POS systems.

Person 3: Dwayne

Dwayne is the owner of a company that distributes POS systems. He would be the supplier in the sense that he sells products to restaurants that are similar to the product that I am aiming to sell. Dwayne is the owner of the company that installed the POS system at my restaurant and I reached him through a contact that knows him. I asked him to review my business concepts and requested feedback on my product. Dwayne is very knowledgable on the production side of the business and would be able to guide me in producing the product if I were to move forward with this idea.


Reflection: 
This experience changed the way I view networking. It shaped how I will participate in future networking events in the sense that I will look for domains, experts, and suppliers to speak with in future business ideas that I come up with. I believe that all three people can add tremendous value to a business idea and can guide you in the right direction. This experience differed from networking experiences in the past because it was more targeted and specific. I have never segmented the people that I would network in, but I see the value in doing so to get the most out of a networking experience!

19A - Idea Napkin No. 2

About Me

I am currently a junior in the UF online degree program, majoring in business administration. I am very business-minded, with skills in technology and math. I am currently a manager at a local restaurant. My aspirations are to get technology into all casual restaurants. Technology is bigger than ever right now and has the potential to positively impact the dining experience. I also have family that owns restaurants and night venues in New York. I am able to get more of a first-hand look based on life experiences in what might be useful in improving customer satisfaction. 

What am I offering to customers?

Customers of my product would be in the restaurant sector and would see a positive impact in the service they are providing to their clients. Adding a technological device on each table and allowing for customers to order at their own leisure would prevent customers from leaving a dining experience unsatisfied. Service would be quicker and more at the customers pace. 

Who am I offering it to? 

Based on my interviews, I came to the conclusion that my customers are in the restaurant sector that offer a casual setting. Restaurants such as Ale House, Chili’s, Flannigan’s, and more would be my target group of customers. All of these restaurants offer a casual dining experience to their clients and could use some assistance in offering a quicker and more efficient service. 

Why do they care?

Customers of my product would see value as it would assist them in offering the most for their clients. The number one goal of restaurants is customer retention and offering my product in their setting would allow for an optimal dining experience, sure to bring customers back! Customer satisfaction is key in the restaurant business. 

What are my core competencies? 

My product differentiates from everyone else's as it offers an all-in-one experience. For instance, customers can place not only dessert orders, but also food and beverage orders right from their table. Imagine how convenient it would be to order at your own pace. It would essentially be like putting a POS computer system at every table. 

I believe that these elements fit together. In my experiences, the number one priority of restaurants is customer satisfaction and retention. The goal of restaurants is to keep customers happy so they will be more likely to return. One of the biggest issue’s restaurants face today is attending to impatient customers immediately. Thus, customers get upset and often times never return for business. My product would eliminate these hardships and ensure that customers always are always attended to.

Feedback Memo: 

In the feedback I received, I took away that my primary market segment was casual dining restaurant owners and that my business concept elements fit well with each other. I was told that there was no extraneous information, so everything is relatively the same. I elaborated a bit more on myself and some other topics, but tried to keep everything almost the same as the feedback I received was positive and stated that everything seemed to be in line. 

17A - Elevator Pitch No. 2

Link to elevator pitch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn7K4BEpKws


Based on feedback that I received on my last elevator pitch, it seemed as though my pitch was easy to follow. My goal was to make my pitch very relatable, and based on my feedback I believe that I accomplished that goal.

Based on the positive feedback that I received, I tried to keep this pitch much of the same. I attempted to keep the track of speaking clearly and being relatable throughout my pitch, offering personal experiences in regards to the problem that I have located as well as solutions to the listed problem.

18A - Create a Customer Avatar

The prototypical customer in my segment of 25-40 year old business owners or managers are generally very business-minded. Some have degrees and some do not, but a majority usually share a common foundation in mathematics and problem-solving skills. The hobbies of a prototypical customer in my segment include reading books and constantly studying and evolving. They tend to drive luxury cars, such as Escalade's. I have particularly noticed that they seem to have an interest in black colored cars. They tend to watch more YouTube than TV, and a lot of them have children. As stated before, they love reading and are usually obsessed with getting better every day. After all, they want to produce at the highest level possible. They are 25-40 years old, however generally feel a little younger than they are because of their relaxing life outside of work. Usually, these people tend to have a solid work-family balance.

I have a lot in common with the customer avatar. I love to learn and spend a lot of my free time watching educational videos on YouTube. I also love Escalade's and can picture myself driving one in the future. I also love numbers and am a math guy myself. I do not think it is a coincidence that I have a lot in common with the avatar because I strive to be a business owner myself some day.

16A - What's Your Secret Sauce?

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

1.     I have better than average communication skills

2.     I am very determined

3.     I am very motivated

4.     I am a leader and possess leadership skills in which I try to bring everyone together and get the best out of people (currently a restaurant manager)

5.     I am a problem-solver

In the first interview, it was my brother Noah. Noah points out that I am wise, but also mentions that I am organized and meticulous. I did not mention this, but I am very neat and believe organization is a key to success.

In the second interview, my girlfriend mentioned that I take a lot of pride in my studies and also read a lot. I believe that reading and watching videos on my interests have played a big role in shaping who I am today.

In my third interview, my sister Melissa mentioned that I am funny, determined, and self-motivated. She mentioned that I do not need exterior circumstances to motivate me and that I am driven from within, which was interesting.

In my fourth interview, my sister Teresa mentioned that what makes me unique is my ability to solve problems and always be caring for those around me. I love that she mentioned how I am caring for those around me because I truly believe in putting my loved ones first.

In my fifth interview, my good friend Andy mentioned that I was very competitive. I believe that competition brings the best out of everyone!

I believe that others see me in a similar way that I see myself. I take a lot of time reading and watching videos to gain knowledge on things that interest me. Because I do this, I believe it gives me an edge. I am always determined to learn new things which makes people to see me as being more mature for my age.

Interviews: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o5Whk9-CSTW5a5Se-iYGK8VPZEkvz6i5XNDq3BWTRV4/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LPcO63ehwVWPjQlN0oY9dxS1xTQdfJ-_/view?usp=sharing

15A - Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Interview 1: Local restaurant general manager (Age 33)

In this interview, I spoke with a local bar and restaurant general manager.  In questioning how he makes decisions on what to implement in the restaurant, he said value played the biggest role. He did not mind paying a premium price for something that he felt brought a lot of value to the business. He said a lot of the ordering he does is online, and they do not finance such purchases. He handles almost all purchasing decisions. He says when he evaluates purchases, he tries to gauge the value that was received. He says he tries to gather a lot of customer feedback and uses that to gauge value.

Interview 2: A sandwich shop owner (Age 38)

In this interview, I spoke with a local sandwich shop owner. In questioning how he makes decisions on what he implements or purchases for his business, he said value plays a huge role. In being a small business, he does not have a big budget on spending. He says that he must believe something would bring the business an immense amount of value in order to make a purchase. When he purchases things for the business, he finances when he can. He liked being able to see things in person before purchasing. When he evaluates purchases, if it is directly related to the business, the first thing he looks at is sales. If something is perceived to be beneficial for the business, he likes to see the revenue match it.

Interview 3: A chain restaurant manager (Age 36)

In this interview, I spoke with a chain restaurant manager. In questioning how he makes purchases for his business, he noted that it was different in working for a corporation. He does not make decisions; however, he does have input as to what may be beneficial for the business. He says that if upper management is presented with something that they believe will be beneficial to the business, they do not hesitate to make a purchase and implement it. Price does not matter as much as the actual product they are receiving and how helpful it is. He says that purchasing is done by upper management and is mainly online. When he evaluates a purchase made by upper management, he looks at how user friendly it is first to determine value. He believes that if something is hard to use or difficult to understand, it can be detrimental. He believes a product must be user friendly in order to be effective.

Summary: Upon conducting these interviews, I have found that all three people in my segment prioritize value over price. All of these restaurant owners and managers are not afraid to purchase or recommend a product for their business if they see potential value.

Draw Conclusions: Based on what I have learned in these interviews, I would describe this segment as being risk-taking with the possibility of gaining a reward. They are not afraid to make purchases for their business that they believe can bring value. They evaluate their purchase decisions on how much value it brought to their business.

14A - Halfway Reflection

1.     One behavior that I have developed to keep up with the requirements of this course is that of getting ahead. I believe that starting work early makes the requirements of this course less stressful, as you won’t feel pressured to get assignments done at the last minute.

2.     One moment that I felt defeated was during the elevator pitch assignment. It took me several attempts until I finally had a version that I was happy with. However, I felt like giving up during the times of struggle because I was unsure if I would ever get a clip that I was happy with. What pulled me through was the thought of all of the determination and hard work that I had demonstrated up until that point. I feel like I have definitely developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months in the sense that I have been very determined to stay on a strict schedule of getting assignments done early. I experienced one circumstance in the beginning of the semester in which I waited until the last minute to do an assignment and feel that my best effort was not exerted. That moment contributed to my tenacity to now get ahead in all of my classes.

3.     Three tips I would give next semester’s students about fostering the skills that support tenacity and developing the tenacious mindset would be to create an agenda and follow it, keep the end goal in mind, and to always reach out to your professor or TA for assistance if needed. By creating an agenda and following it, you are exemplifying tenacity in your determination to always get assignments done early. By keeping the end goal in mind, you will always be looking forward and remain persistent in reaching that goal. By reaching out to your professor or TA for assistance when needed, you will never feel like you can’t move forward if you don’t fully understand something.

13A - Reading Reflection No. 1

I chose to read the autobiography of Nike’s founder, Phil Knight. I was surprised the most about the whole story in general. Knight, although very successful because of Nike, has always stayed out of the spotlight. Unlike some other highly successful CEO’s, Knight was always very quiet about his endeavor, which made this story very interesting. I admire Knight in a lot of aspects, but I most admire his courage to go all out for his dream. One very courageous move that Knight made was calling for a meeting with Mr. Onitsuka, the CEO of the Tiger Brand in Japan. He secured a meeting and that was the beginning of Knight’s journey. I can honestly say that there is not one part of Knight that I do not admire from what was shared in his book. He stayed humble throughout his career and built an empire in the process. One notable struggle that Knight faced in the early days of Nike was finding customers. He started out very small, selling very small amounts of athletic sneakers in retail stores.

One competency and highlighted characteristic of Phil Knight was his ability to never give up. Knight was as persistent as they come, and no challenge or obstacle he faced brought him down from building his successful athletic sneaker company. One part of the reading that was a little confusing to me was how he kept getting banks to believe in him enough to continue investing in his company. Even at Knight’s lowest points, he was able to convince banks to continue loaning him money to further his journey of creating Nike. I believe that if this were to happen now, it may be a little tougher to convince banks to loan money without any signs of progression and numbers to back up the request.

If I had the opportunity to ask Phil Knight two questions, they would be:

1)    What pushed you to keep going after facing all of the struggles you did?

2)    How did you look past your generally shy and introverted personality to gain the courage to reach out to the CEO of Tiger and execute a meeting with him?

I would ask him the first question because I am always interested in learning of an entrepreneur’s mindset when facing adversity. I believe that mindset is what separates entrepreneurs from the rest. I would ask the second question because I can relate to it personally. I am generally more of a shy individual, but also understand that networking and taking bold moves to meet with higher level executives who can help can be extremely beneficial to building on any business idea. I would be curious to his mindset on how he overcame is introverted personality to gain the courage to reach out to Mr. Onitsuka.

If I had to guess, I would say pretty confidently that Phil Knight thoroughly believes in hard work and would credit it to a lot of his success. I share this opinion with Mr. Knight. I believe that there are no short cuts, and a combination of hard work and persistence is the key to success in anything you set out to do.