Final Reflection

     I know everybody in this class has been through a lot and gained a lot of experience dealing with adversity. I personally think that I went through the most during the first month. I had to understand entrepreneurship, consumers, my venture idea, and time management all at once. I had a tough time getting in the rhythm of things with how the class was functioning. I missed a lot of assignments early on and had some trouble doing the early venture-related research required. I was very proud of my idea, though, once I got it all set up and thought out. I am very happy with the experience I gained in going out and having to do business-y things for this class, and it really did help me gain an entrepreneur's mindset.

     I never really considered entrepreneurship as a mindset until after this class. I learned that the definition is truly broad and allows for a lot of contextualization. I have learned a lot and would definitely consider myself much more of an entrepreneur than before. I find myself thinking critically about every situation with the goal of finding the core problem and then any possible solutions.
      I would recommend that people in this class look ahead and make a legitimate plan. Understanding each week before it happens is the key to success. You need to understand it and then set up time for each part because sometimes it feels like work magically appears and slaps you in the face. In order to better understand the entrepreneurial mindset, you need to understand the future problems and plan for all kinds of eventualities to be successful, and it is also important to learn how to solve problems on the fly. That is what this course does for you, it gives you the opportunity to strengthen yourself in those areas. It isn't hard, it simply requires dedication.

Week 15 Reading Reflection

1. I was a little bit surprised at their ability to handle intimidation and genuinely take care of their customers first because it seems to be such a rare trait nowadays.
2. I understood everything perfectly well.
3. 
   
1. I wonder how long it takes a company that targets the lowest classes to thrive?
2. Why are there not more businesses that target these underprivileged people?
4. I don't think that there was anything wrong in this week's reading.

Week 14 Reading Reflection

1. I was surprised at how common the idea of corporate entrepreneurship is, it is not the kind of innovation that is commonly considered when I think about entrepreneurial endeavors. 
2. I was not really confused by anything, I really understood most of the ideas presented and agreed with them as well.
3.  
1. Do you think that ethical concerns receive enough attention in today's markets?
2. Which is more beneficial to the company: corporate or social entrepreneurship?
4. I do not think that there is anything incorrect in this week's reading.

Google Gold

1.  I mostly tried to use words very specific to my venture in order to optimize my search engine results. I tried to incorporate the name of the product idea and the process by which it works. 
2. Quick Cheffing is a food rehydrator. I tried to use those words as often as possible. My keywords evolved from food and time to those two phrases because of their specificity and uniqueness.
3. My blog was fairly nonexistent on social media. Only my closest friends acknowledged it and that was more because I told them explicitly about it. My social media presence is very minimal so it is likely that my posts are not as noticeable.
4. My idea napkin received the most views, and I think that was probably because it was the most explicit explanation of my idea and clarified questions that may have arose when reading other posts on my blog.
5. I honestly couldn't find my blog unless I googled the title itself, which proves what I thought. I really should have used my keywords more often.

Very Short Interview, Part 2

My first interview was very straightforward, but it was pretty insightful. I never posted it because I waited to long to email my entrepreneur. It was very nice to hear some similar ideas repeated by someone not in our class.

1) To what extent has your business altered your personal life?

Relatively little impact. I tend to leave work at work pretty well so that helps. When the stress is exceptionally bad it certainly has an impact on mood, but I try really hard to balance work/personal life and am fortunate to be in a place now where I can work as much or as little as I want to. 

2) What are you most proud of with regard to your business?

The lasting impact it has made in the area. The brand is well known in beer circles, but in Tampa Bay it has become nearly ubiquitous and that is pretty cool. Right there with that is the opportunity we have provided for our employees to work in an industry they love as much as I do and be able to earn a living at it. 

3) What is the best way to make connections with people in a given industry?

Become a student of that industry. Attend trade shows related to that industry. Subscribe to publications that cover that industry. Just really immerse yourself in the jargon, news and developments of that industry. 

In this class I have learned a lot about holding myself accountable. It is important to understand your own limits and then push them to fit all that we can, and my limits have absolutely been pushed by the workload. It was not difficult, but required a lot of thought and preparation. I was not used to having to prepare so much and so often for every assignment, but I really gained a lot from it. I now feel much more knowledgeable about entrepreneurship, and I feel more confident in my ability to discuss it given my new-found understanding.

Celebrating Failure

     Everybody fails sometimes, and most people fail often. Failure is commonplace, no matter how much we try to avoid it. My biggest failure was probably when I was denied from the NHS my junior year. I had never even considered that I wouldn't be accepted, so when I was told I was shocked. I finally realized that I was not as great as I had thought. I was not good enough, or if I was, I had not shown it.
     It sounds so petty and basic, and it actually is, but it was an important moment for me. I learned that I needed to be better if I wanted to be as great as I'd hoped. I learned that life wasn't easy and I needed to put in work to get what I wanted.
     My biggest fear in life is probably failing. I sometimes choose not to even do something because I know I will probably fail. We know logically that we shouldn't let fear control us, but it is a fear for a reason. It is hard. When I fail, really badly, I often shut myself off from people except for those closest to me. I become sluggish, no matter how often I tell myself that I need to overcome. After a little bit of that, I finally take my own life and am reinvigorated by life. I am motivated to be better and prove to both myself and those around me that I am capable. Failure is hard, but it makes us stronger, if we let it.

Week 13 Reading Reflection

1. I was pleasantly surprised at how thorough the many tables and ideas were explained in the book.
2. I did ont really understand the complexities of the Discounted Earnings Method.
3.  
1. What is the most important component of a venture to decide when evaluating it?
2. What is the least important?
4. I do not thing that the author was wrong about anything.

Exit Strategy

My business was never intended to be my long-term source of revenue. I intend to sell the company after I have solidified its position in the kitchen appliance market. I want to get it to a point of stability and success, but, ultimately, I want to sell the company for profit.

My goal in life is to create an engineering conglomerate and simply research anything and everything that we can. I love knowledge, and I think that I am well equipped to solve problems and discover new problems to solve. I would use the profits from the business to establish my engineering company on my own dime in order to solidify my control over the venture that I truly care about. I would purchase a building to house several labs and a core office, as well as all of the equipment required for scientific study.

I think that my exit strategy has caused my venture to be a bit more short-sighted than it need be. I could eventually have tried to grow and expand my brand into other kitchen appliance innovations, but I simply wanted to solve a problem and create a foundation for monetary success. I still would care deeply about the success of my company, but would sell at least a majority of it to others in order to focus on my main desires. I would only be there long enough to make sure it would not fail, and then sell it for as much as possible.

Week 12 Reading Reflection

1. I was surprised at how complicated the Strategic Management Process was, with such a complicated flow chart.
2. The whole idea of strategic positioning was very confusing because of all of the different interactions between position, leverage, and opportunities.
3.  
1. What other possible paths are there for a venture that are different than figure 13.5?
2. What are the most common causes of the early failure pictured in the same figure?
4. I did not think that the author was incorrect about anything.