There was nothing in this chapter that was necessarily
confusing to me, but just a bit eye opening. I’ve found this this subject is
interesting to study. I feel inspired with ideas when I think of all the
opportunities I could have as an entrepreneur.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Week 4 Reading Reflection
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Top 5 World Problems
Problems.
1. Ignorance. I would say ignorance is the number one problem in the world. A lot of these world problems I've listed are avoidable, or their impact can be greatly reduced. The problem is that so many people choose to turn the other cheek and continue to live their lives the way they want, without thinking about the consequences.
2. The destruction of our environment.
3. Lack of clean water.
4. Poverty and world hunger
5. Waste/pollution
Solutions.
1. Poverty and world hunger. There are impoverished families in countries all over the world. These people are struggling to get food and water, while many other's are becoming filthy rich and wasting so much.
-I believe this is the most possible to implement because we already have what it takes to fix this problem, it's just a matter of getting people to do it. We have the capability to end world hunger.
2. Overpopulation. -The solution would be for people to reproduce less, which is very possible.
3. Availability of energy. We are using up too much energy and it is becoming scarce.
-A solution would be to conserve!! Also implementing the use of solar power, wind power, and other natural sources of power.
4. Pollution/Waste.
-The solution to this would be to conserve!! Use biodegradable products. Plastic water bottles need to be obsolete, and replaced with a biodegradable alternative, for example.
1. Ignorance. I would say ignorance is the number one problem in the world. A lot of these world problems I've listed are avoidable, or their impact can be greatly reduced. The problem is that so many people choose to turn the other cheek and continue to live their lives the way they want, without thinking about the consequences.
2. The destruction of our environment.
3. Lack of clean water.
4. Poverty and world hunger
5. Waste/pollution
Solutions.
1. Poverty and world hunger. There are impoverished families in countries all over the world. These people are struggling to get food and water, while many other's are becoming filthy rich and wasting so much.
-I believe this is the most possible to implement because we already have what it takes to fix this problem, it's just a matter of getting people to do it. We have the capability to end world hunger.
2. Overpopulation. -The solution would be for people to reproduce less, which is very possible.
3. Availability of energy. We are using up too much energy and it is becoming scarce.
-A solution would be to conserve!! Also implementing the use of solar power, wind power, and other natural sources of power.
4. Pollution/Waste.
-The solution to this would be to conserve!! Use biodegradable products. Plastic water bottles need to be obsolete, and replaced with a biodegradable alternative, for example.
5. Lack of clean water. -The best solution to this would also be to conserve!! Waste less, take fewer, shorter showers. Don't water your lawn every day, If everyone started doing this, we could conserve so much water.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Week 3 Reading Reflection
1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations?
What stood out to me was when the book stated that people with type A personality make the best entrepreneurs. I am extremely type B and I think there are good and bad traits that would make us better entrepreneurs in some aspects.
2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
There was nothing really confusing to me in this part of the reading. Most of it made sense.
3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
How he came up with the list of traits, and why he ranked them the way he did.
4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
In addition to the first question, I think being a business owner means you have to have solid people skills, and a lot of type A personalities are lacking in that area.
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Identifying Local Opportunities
1. High winds knock out power for thousands in Miami-Dade, Broward
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A9383197E67820?p=AWNB
Description
Thousands of Miami residents lost power due to winds
Problem
3,000 customers in Miami-Dade county and 2,000 in Broward are powerless
The people who have this problem are the residents who lost power, as well as the FPL employees who are trying to fix it
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A9383197E67820?p=AWNB
2. Why community banks are an endangered species and how than can hurt Central Florida's small businesses
http://go.galegroup.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/ps/retrieve.do?sort=DA-SORT&docType=Article&tabID=T003&prodId=GPS&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&contentSegment=¤tPosition=1&searchResultsType=SingleTab&inPS=true&userGroupName=gain40375&docId=GALE%7CA440527901&contentSet=GALE%7CA440527901
Description:
Orlando's community banks which build close relationships with local business owners and are main source of loans for businesses continues to disappear from Orlando local banking landscape. Community banks help development of the community and work side-by-side with business owners to accomplish their goals and objectives.
Problem:
Fewer community banks means fewer choices for business owners to get loans, higher prices and less service.
The people of Orlando have this problem, the small businesses are affected which will affect the families of business owners.
3. Florida leads U.S. in new HIV cases after years of cuts in public health
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A8E3CBDB765D70?p=AWNB
As the size of the Health Departments are shrinking, the number of HIV cases are going up in Florida. Armstrong said Florida is spending a record $34 million on HIV and AIDS prevention this year, thanks to a federal grant. He did not dispute the rise in infections.
Problem
Spending is cut in public health, and the governor of FL is not treating it as a crisis.
Who
This is a problem for the residents of Florida. Almost anyone can be affected by this deadly virus and the number of cases is rising.
4. Climate change could cost jobs in South Florida, says White House adviser
Description:
Flooding and coastal erosion could threaten Miami's tourism and real estate sectors. And climate change-caused disruption around the world could disrupt the global supply chain, killing the region's ability to import and export valuable goods.
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A83B09F3219D68?p=AWNB
Problem: 2015 was the hottest year on record. If sea levels keep rising as polar ice melts, one analysis shows that Miami property owners could from coastal flooding. No region in the country faces a greater threat from flooding
All of the residents of Miami, the real estate workers, and the tourists who go to Miami have this problem because it has an effect on them.
5. WSVN remains blacked out on AT&T U-verse in South Florida
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A83B0A21D02890?p=AWNB
Description: The channel WVSN remains unavailable to subscribers of AT&T's U-verse television service.
Problem: Whether a dispute over transmission fees between the two companies will be resolved in time for the game remains up in the air.
The channel has the problem, along with AT&T U-verse and it's paying customers.
Friday, January 22, 2016
Very Short Interview No. 1
This person is someone I briefly worked for, who I still see from time to time. He co-owns a popular bar downtown. He has started a few different businesses over the years that closed down but he and his partner opened this one several years ago, and it has been pretty successful.
- What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?
It means I can be my own boss, I don't have to work for anyone else again in my life. It also means it's my responsibility to make sure things get done and my employees are doing their job.
- What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur?
That I didn't need my degree. I have a degree in business but I honestly never used it since I started my own business right away. I suppose it gave me some useful information on some aspects of the job. What they can't teach you in school is how much dedication it takes, and how to overcome failures. My first time around I really didn't know what I was getting into. Things went south and I had to reinvent my vision, and build from the ground up. I always knew giving up wasn't an option because I know that working for someone else is not for me. My job consumes my life most of the time, but I enjoy my work so it doesn't really feel like work to me.
How would you describe your daily role as a business owner?
It's a lot like babysitting. My partner does most of the paperwork and logistics, while I take care of the scheduling and managing of employees. In order to be a good manager, you have to be personable and well respected, but you also can't take sh*t from people. You have to know when to put your foot down, and I've had to fire people many times. You also have to be good at reading people because hiring the wrong person can harm your business.
My reflection of this interview is that I am not very surprised by his answers. When I worked for him I would sometimes ask him about what it was like opening his own business, since at the time I was very interested in becoming an entrepreneur myself someday. He would always tell me the hard truth and never sugar coated anything. I think seeing firsthand how this business was run made me realize that working in a bar or nightclub is exhausting and not something I would want to do for a long time. I think I have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur but I would need to work in a field that I would enjoy.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
World's Biggest Problems
The Worlds Biggest Problems, not necessarily in order
1. The environment. The world is becoming overpopulated and humans are depleting our resources and destroying the earth. Deforestation is out of control, our carbon footprint is increasing, animals are becoming extinct, and we are running out of room for everyone.
-If there was a simple solution to this problem, it would not be a problem. That goes for most of the worlds biggest problems, but this one is a big deal. We need to be more aware of how much we waste, trees need to be planted in place of those that are cut down, and we need to find better natural sources of energy.
2. Poverty and world hunger. There are impoverished families in countries all over the world. These people are struggling to get food and water, while many other's are becoming filthy rich and wasting so much.
-A simple solution would be for all the first world countries to make a effort to come together and help third world countries to develop. There have always been people trying to help out, but if the majority of rich people got involved it would help immensely. Imagine if every single person who wasn't impoverished chipped in just a little money each year?
3. Nuclear weapons. This one is simple, nuclear weapons are being made that could bring the world to destruction. This is not one of those problems that you see day-to-day, but it was the capability of ending life as we know it.
-The solution to this would be to destroy all weapons in every country and to never make any more, and we would all live happily ever after. Wishful thinking at it's best.
4. Climate change. This is one that is hard to be sure about the amount of damage done, but according to a lot of scientists it is a real threat to us and it us due to human activity.
-The solution would be to drastically reduce waste, consumption, and use of energy.
5. Hate, or more specially, acts of terrorism. If anything proves that terrorism is a big problem in the world, it's the attack on 9/11. Mass shootings are happening more frequently than ever. There are people killing hundreds of others because of religion, or because of mental health issues. History tends to repeat itself and these types of terrorist attacks could be the cause of the next World War.
-I can't think of a good solution to this. Even without religious extremists, people would kill others just to kill. If only everyone listened to John Lennon and decided to give peace a chance.
6. Lack of clean water. Drinkable water is becoming more and more scarce. Even in cities like Flint, MI, people are being poisoned by the high amount of lead in their tap water. What are we going to do when we run out?
-The best solution to this is to conserve!! Waste less, take fewer, shorter showers. Don't water your lawn every day, If everyone started doing this, we could reserve so much water.
7. The increasing global population. The world population is growing rapidly, and this is the root cause of so many others problems. Overpopulation makes water, food, energy, and land more scarce. The fact that medical technology is increasing the longevity of human life does not help this problem either.
-The only solution would be for people to reproduce less. This may sound unjust to some, but if there were a way to require people to be sterilized until they reach a point in life where they can afford to support a family, it would greatly decrease the overpopulation of the world.
8. Ignorance. I would say ignorance is the number one problem in the world. A lot of these world problems I've listed are avoidable, or can be reduced. The problem is that so many people choose to turn the other cheek and continue to live their lives the way they want, without thinking about the consequences.
-If anyone finds a solution to ignorance, please let me know. Although I think the Internet is going to help people to be more informed on what's going on in the world and maybe push them to make a change in their own lives.
9. Availability of energy. We are using up too much energy and it is becoming scarce.
-A solution would be to conserve!! Also implementing the use of solar power, wind power, and other natural sources of power.
10. Pollution. This one is tied into several other problems listed. But pollution of all kinds is the root of many of these problems in the world. Pollution is so bad in some cities that people are getting sick just from breathing the air. In Japan, people are buying canisters of oxygen to huff throughout the day just to give their throat some relief.
-The solution to this would be to conserve!! Use biodegradable products. Plastic water bottles need to be obsolete, and replaced with something that won't cause so much pollution.
1. The environment. The world is becoming overpopulated and humans are depleting our resources and destroying the earth. Deforestation is out of control, our carbon footprint is increasing, animals are becoming extinct, and we are running out of room for everyone.
-If there was a simple solution to this problem, it would not be a problem. That goes for most of the worlds biggest problems, but this one is a big deal. We need to be more aware of how much we waste, trees need to be planted in place of those that are cut down, and we need to find better natural sources of energy.
2. Poverty and world hunger. There are impoverished families in countries all over the world. These people are struggling to get food and water, while many other's are becoming filthy rich and wasting so much.
-A simple solution would be for all the first world countries to make a effort to come together and help third world countries to develop. There have always been people trying to help out, but if the majority of rich people got involved it would help immensely. Imagine if every single person who wasn't impoverished chipped in just a little money each year?
3. Nuclear weapons. This one is simple, nuclear weapons are being made that could bring the world to destruction. This is not one of those problems that you see day-to-day, but it was the capability of ending life as we know it.
-The solution to this would be to destroy all weapons in every country and to never make any more, and we would all live happily ever after. Wishful thinking at it's best.
4. Climate change. This is one that is hard to be sure about the amount of damage done, but according to a lot of scientists it is a real threat to us and it us due to human activity.
-The solution would be to drastically reduce waste, consumption, and use of energy.
5. Hate, or more specially, acts of terrorism. If anything proves that terrorism is a big problem in the world, it's the attack on 9/11. Mass shootings are happening more frequently than ever. There are people killing hundreds of others because of religion, or because of mental health issues. History tends to repeat itself and these types of terrorist attacks could be the cause of the next World War.
-I can't think of a good solution to this. Even without religious extremists, people would kill others just to kill. If only everyone listened to John Lennon and decided to give peace a chance.
6. Lack of clean water. Drinkable water is becoming more and more scarce. Even in cities like Flint, MI, people are being poisoned by the high amount of lead in their tap water. What are we going to do when we run out?
-The best solution to this is to conserve!! Waste less, take fewer, shorter showers. Don't water your lawn every day, If everyone started doing this, we could reserve so much water.
7. The increasing global population. The world population is growing rapidly, and this is the root cause of so many others problems. Overpopulation makes water, food, energy, and land more scarce. The fact that medical technology is increasing the longevity of human life does not help this problem either.
-The only solution would be for people to reproduce less. This may sound unjust to some, but if there were a way to require people to be sterilized until they reach a point in life where they can afford to support a family, it would greatly decrease the overpopulation of the world.
8. Ignorance. I would say ignorance is the number one problem in the world. A lot of these world problems I've listed are avoidable, or can be reduced. The problem is that so many people choose to turn the other cheek and continue to live their lives the way they want, without thinking about the consequences.
-If anyone finds a solution to ignorance, please let me know. Although I think the Internet is going to help people to be more informed on what's going on in the world and maybe push them to make a change in their own lives.
9. Availability of energy. We are using up too much energy and it is becoming scarce.
-A solution would be to conserve!! Also implementing the use of solar power, wind power, and other natural sources of power.
10. Pollution. This one is tied into several other problems listed. But pollution of all kinds is the root of many of these problems in the world. Pollution is so bad in some cities that people are getting sick just from breathing the air. In Japan, people are buying canisters of oxygen to huff throughout the day just to give their throat some relief.
-The solution to this would be to conserve!! Use biodegradable products. Plastic water bottles need to be obsolete, and replaced with something that won't cause so much pollution.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Bug List
Bug List
1.
It bugs me when I am working on something
important, like an assignment or an important conversation and I have faulty
Wi-fi
2.
It bugs me when I have to repeat myself several
times because people can’t understand what I’m saying
-This bug exists because I am very soft
spoken.
3. It bugs me when my laptop overheats when
I use it for a long period of time
4. It bugs me how quickly my battery dies
on my iPhone
-This is because I usually have a lot of
apps open and forget to close them out. Also, when I am in areas of poor
service, like the metro station
5. It really bugs me that I am studying
abroad and AT&T is making it extremely difficult for me to get my phone
unlocked so I can contact anyone
-This is because my contract just ran out
and they want me to sign another.
6. It bugs me when my roommate leaves the
window open at night and it’s very cold in our house.
-She does this because she is always hot.
7. It bugs me that customer service in
general is much worse in Spain than it is in the states.
-This is because people working in the service
industry here don’t work for tips and therefore, do not care to please the
customer.
8. It bugs me when I’m driving and other
driver’s on the road fail to use their turn signals.
-This seems to be a common thing in
Florida, I think people just forget and don’t care.
9. It bugs me when people talk too much
just for the sake of talking.
-I realize this isn’t very specific, but it
is a big pet peeve of mine.
10. It bugs me when I have to wait in a
line at a grocery store with one item when the people in front of me have a
cart full.
-This bug exists because it’s easy to get
impatient when I know I could be in and out of the store much quicker
11. It bugs me when I go grocery shopping
and there is only one register open on the other side of the store.
-This is a common thing at Walmart.
Probably because they don’t have enough staff.
12. It bugs me when I’m driving and people
speed around me and cut me off just to get one car length ahead of me and wait
at a red light.
-I think some people are just extremely
impatient
13. It bugs me when I am at work and a
customer asks me the price of an item instead of reading the price tag.
-It bothers me because it happens so often
and I don’t understand why.
14. It bugs me when my customers get mad at
me for something I have no control over, like if an item they were looking for
is out of stock.
-I work at a busy store and we often run
out of the most common sizes.
15. It bugs me when someone calls me and I
call back 5 minutes later and they don’t answer.
16. It bugs me when I drink 2 cups of
coffee and still feel exhausted.
17. It bugs me when I am actively trying to be positive
in life and I am asked to list 20 things that bug me.
18. It bugs me when people walk really slow
in front of me when I am trying to get somewhere
19. It also really bugs me when people
stand right in front of a walk way or door way so nobody can pass.
20. It bugs me when it’s so cold out that
my phone stops working.
I found this exercise to be fairly difficult
and a little confusing. I was not sure how relevant my bugs are, but this was
the best I could come up with at the time. I try not to think of all the small
things in life that bother me so it
makes it a little hard to sit down and write up a list of these things.
Week 2 Reading Reflection
1)
What was the biggest surprise for you in the
reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different
from your expectations?
The part of the reading that stood out the most to me was
the part about how many start-up companies fail within a year and how many die
out within 5-7 years. I can see how a lot would fail but I didn’t realize it
was that many.
2)
Identify at least one part of the reading that
was confusing to you.
A part that confused me was where the author
stated “There are over 25 million small businesses; the number continues to
grow 2% annually.” It just seems to me that corporations are taking over and
offering everything for dirt cheap, which drives small business away.
3)
If you were able to ask two questions to the
author, what would you ask? Why?
If I were to ask the author questions, I suppose I would ask
where he came up with the entrepreneur myths. I would ask him if these are
something he came up with on his own or if it was really a common thought.
4)
Was there anything you think the author was
wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
I disagree with some of the myths of
entrepreneurships. Everyone and every situation is different but I can see how
many would draw these conclusions about entrepreneurs. I think some of these so-called
myths are true to an extent.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
My Entrepreneurship Story
Week 2
My most relevant experience with entrepreneurship was growing up around the entrepreneurs in my family. My dad and his brothers own a very successful business based out of Illinois. My grandpa started this business and carried it on to his four sons as the business expanded. On my mom's side, my great grandpa bought a large piece of land on the shores of the Great Lakes in Michigan. There were several abandoned cabins there at the time, and he decided to fix them up and start a small beach resort where he rented the cabins during the summer. This resort has been in my family since 1956, and since then my uncles have expanded and built more cabins and amenities for the property. Seeing my parents work in our family-made businesses for many years has taught me what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. It has also made me realize how hard it can be. Owning a business takes a lot of dedication. At the end of the day, it's up to you to make sure your business does not fail. There are definitely a good amount of pro's as well as con's to being an entrepreneur.
I have enrolled in ENT 3003 because it was part of my set academic plan, honestly. I have always considered the option of being an entrepreneur myself. Although, it does not exactly match up with my career aspirations, things change and you don't always know where you may end up in life. I want to work in health administration in a hospital and will most likely start out in Human Resources. I hope this class can help me to be better at what I do, and to always think outside of the box. If I can find a way to be my own boss someday I would jump at the opportunity. After all, Oprah had just got fired from her job as a reporter at my age. Who would've known she would go on to be so successful?
My most relevant experience with entrepreneurship was growing up around the entrepreneurs in my family. My dad and his brothers own a very successful business based out of Illinois. My grandpa started this business and carried it on to his four sons as the business expanded. On my mom's side, my great grandpa bought a large piece of land on the shores of the Great Lakes in Michigan. There were several abandoned cabins there at the time, and he decided to fix them up and start a small beach resort where he rented the cabins during the summer. This resort has been in my family since 1956, and since then my uncles have expanded and built more cabins and amenities for the property. Seeing my parents work in our family-made businesses for many years has taught me what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. It has also made me realize how hard it can be. Owning a business takes a lot of dedication. At the end of the day, it's up to you to make sure your business does not fail. There are definitely a good amount of pro's as well as con's to being an entrepreneur.
I have enrolled in ENT 3003 because it was part of my set academic plan, honestly. I have always considered the option of being an entrepreneur myself. Although, it does not exactly match up with my career aspirations, things change and you don't always know where you may end up in life. I want to work in health administration in a hospital and will most likely start out in Human Resources. I hope this class can help me to be better at what I do, and to always think outside of the box. If I can find a way to be my own boss someday I would jump at the opportunity. After all, Oprah had just got fired from her job as a reporter at my age. Who would've known she would go on to be so successful?
Introduction
Week 2
My name is Kelsey and I grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I moved to Florida after high school and I love it! My family still lives in Michigan and I visit them often. I previously attended nursing school and decided to switch my major to Health Administration. I am planning on graduating this year and starting grad school here at UF! I have traveled many places, as it is my favorite thing to do. The most relevant trip is the one I am on now. I am studying abroad in Spain this semester through the UF in Madrid business program. I have always considered being an entrepreneur and I am excited to see what this course is going to teach me. Below is a picture of me last week in Madrid!
My name is Kelsey and I grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I moved to Florida after high school and I love it! My family still lives in Michigan and I visit them often. I previously attended nursing school and decided to switch my major to Health Administration. I am planning on graduating this year and starting grad school here at UF! I have traveled many places, as it is my favorite thing to do. The most relevant trip is the one I am on now. I am studying abroad in Spain this semester through the UF in Madrid business program. I have always considered being an entrepreneur and I am excited to see what this course is going to teach me. Below is a picture of me last week in Madrid!
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