Week 4 Reading Reflection

In reading Chapter 5 "Innovation: The Creative Pursuit of Ideas," I learned how to find opportunities and how to look for them on a daily basis.

• What stood out the most for me in this reading was that creativity is something that can be developed and improved over time. I always thought creativity was something you either were good or bad at and nothing could change that. This reading helped me realize that there are phases and processes to help improve creativity. Exercises and experiences make this process easier. 
• The only part of the reading that was confusing for me was the muddling mind-sets section. I understand the concept and how your mind set has an effect on the work that you can do, but some of the processes are somewhat confusing. 
• I would ask the author how he evaluates his creativity from project to project. I think this is important because once you evaluate your work, you can think of ways to improve it for the future. I would also ask the author his opinion on how innovation is going to continue to develop with the changes in technology we are seeing today. Technology is improving everyday and it is having a serious effect on innovation in multiple industries. 
• I somewhat disagree with the author when he talks about how technology is not the driving force of innovation success. I think technology has a huge effect on innovation and the new products and ideas we see from day to day.

Top 5 World Problems

Top 5 Problems

1. Hunger 
2. War and armed violence
3. Poverty 
4. Obesity
5. Cyber crime

• This was a tough list to put together because all of the problems on my list are important and need to be solved. I picked world hunger as the top problem because it is very simple and crucial to everyday life. Millions of people around the world do not know where their next meal is going to come from. This is something that we need to solve on a global scale. 

Top 5 Solutions 

1. Security systems to stop cyber crime 
2. Strengthening European Union and United Nations to fight the spread of war
3. Educating the young and improving eating habits for people all around the world
4. Strengthening local governments to help with shortage of food in communities 
5. Spreading the wealth in the world to decrease amount of people living in poverty

• All of these problems are hard to solve, and that is why they still exist to this day. I think that cyber crime is the easiest to stop because we have the resources and people in line to create security systems to counter the hackers. We need this security so our personal information and identities are safe on a daily basis. 

Identifying Local Opportunities

1) "Wal-Mart to Shutter 269 Stores, 3 in Florida"

• http://www.tbo.com/news/business/wal-mart-to-shutter-269-stores-three-in-florida-20160115/
• Three stores are closing around the Tampa Bay area, and this is going to effect thousands of people. The stores are closing because of competition from online stores like Amazon. Wal-Mart is working on new ways to combat the newest competition they're facing. 
• The problem with 3 stores closing in Florida is all of the jobs that are going to be lost in these areas. Wal-Mart employs hundreds of people in a single store and provides a lot of workers with an important income in their life. 
• The problem is going to directly effect the current Wal-Mart workers, but also the consumers in the area. Wal-Mart customers are now going to have to go elsewhere and potentially pay more for their every day products. 

2) "Port Tampa Bay Looks to Keep Cruising Despite Restrictions on Mega Ships"

• http://www.tbo.com/news/business/port-tampa-bay-looks-to-keep-cruising-despite-restrictions-on-mega-ships-20160110/
• Without these giant "floating cities" coming into the port, officials think the area can still prosper. Because of bridge restrictions, Tampa is not able to allow the mega ships into their port, but they're researching other opportunities to make money in the cruise industry. 
• The problem with these restrictions involves Tampa missing out on potentially big money from these huge ships. These ships carry thousands of people who would pump money into the local economy. 
• This directly effects those working around the port because they might see a loss in business coming shortly. 

3) "Tourism, Downtown Groups Urge Progress on Go Hillsborough Plan"

• http://www.tbo.com/news/business/tourism-downtown-groups-urge-progress-on-go-hillsborough-plan-20151228/
• Because of the limited transportation options in Tampa, tourism is likely to shrink from its current record levels. "Go Hillsborough" is a plan funded to help improve transportation in the area and has been approved, but not much progress has been made. 
• The problem with the lack of progress on the transportation changes is that economic developers are hesitant to invest in Tampa until they see a better system of transportation in the area. 
• This is going to negatively effect businesses in the area that are looking to expand and develop but are held back by their corporate headquarters. 

4) "Hillsborough Commissioner Oks Deal with Bucs for Stadium Upgrades"

• http://www.tbo.com/sports/bucs/hillsborough-commission-oks-agreement-with-bucs-for-stadium-upgrades-20151216/
• The somewhat outdated Raymond James Stadium is going to undergo around $87 million in renovations. There were some problems with the local commissioners and protests, but the plan was finally approved and will begin this offseason. 
• The problem with these renovations is that $29 million will come from taxpayers in the Tampa Bay Area. Some people see this as a "waste of money" but others see the project as necessary for Raymond James Stadium because it is necessary if Tampa wants to host Super Bowls and other big events. 
• This is going to directly effect the taxpayers in Hillsborough County area. 

5) "Hillsborough County Commits $50 million to Vinik's Downtown Renaissance"

• http://www.tbo.com/news/politics/county-commits-50m-to-viniks-downtown-renaissance-20160122/
• This article discusses how Hillsborough County is going to give up to $50 million to assist on Vinik's Downtown Tampa project. The money will come from an increase in property values in the Downtown Community Redevelopment Area. 
• The problem involves the people currently living in the Downtown Tampa area that are soon going to be left without a place to live because of the redevelopment and new infrastructure. 
• The problem lies directly in the current residents in the Downtown Tampa Area.

Week 3 Reading Reflection

In this weeks reading, Chapter 2 focuses on how entrepreneurs must have a specific mindset in order to be successful. Being an entrepreneur is not just about having a cool idea and starting a business, being an entrepreneur combines sound judgement and planning along with risk taking to ensure the success of a business. 

1) The biggest surprise for me in this reading was the discussion about risk. I did not know how much calculations went into deciding on a "risky" decision. Taking a risk is not a matter of making a decision and just hoping for the best. While you do need some luck sometimes, risks are calculated and debated for a long period of time until enough information is processed. 

 

2) I really did not find anything in this chapter overly confusing, but if I had to pick one it would be about the journey associated with becoming an entrepreneur. Some people say success can come overnight, but others say it takes years of success and failures to truly see what works.

3) My first question for the author would be, "How would you suggest dealing with the everyday stress and grind?" The only way to answer this question would be from experiences so I would like to hear the answer from a reliable source. My second question would be, "What are some risks that you have taken that have paid off and some that have not?" I would ask this just to see examples of what has worked and not worked in his past experiences involving businesses. 

4) I do not think the author was wrong about anything in this chapter because it was all about experiences and mindsets and I think the author gives us good information from his experiences and point of view. 

Very Short Interview #1

For this assignment, I called Kim from Hip Pops in Athens. Like in my post at the beginning of the semester, Hip Pops is a flavored popsicle store in Athens, GA that has become a huge success in the area. Kim was at dinner one night when she realized the popsicles she made had great flavor and were pretty simple to make. She took this idea from the ground up and now has hundreds of customers a day! I asked her:

1) What should I expect from an entrepreneurial class in college?

• She was very honest with me and said she simply did not exactly know because she didn't take this class in college. She did say though that being an entrepreneur is all about putting yourself out there and not being afraid of failure. 

2) What does it mean to be an entrepreneur? 

• Kim said there is no clear cut definition for being an entrepreneur and you have to be able to go with the flow on a daily basis. She did say that being an entrepreneur involves getting it 100% effort in all the tasks you have to do relating to your passion. 

3) Why was your idea so successful?

• She laughed at this question, but then said maybe it was luck or just the right timing. She runs her business the right way so it is no surprise that her business is rolling!

I found this to be an interesting assignment. Kim is a great person and runs a very successful business so it was nice hearing from her. I am looking forward to calling her again at the end of the semester to tell her about all I have learned and the experiences I have been through. 

World's Biggest Problems

Problem 1 - War

• War is a serious problem that effects millions of people on a global stage. War rips apart families, and murders thousands of innocent people every year. 
• War is something that needs to be addressed by nations all around the world. The United Nations and European Unions need to be stronger to help limit wars around the globe.

Problem 2 - Hunger

• Around 795 million people around the world do not have enough food to live a healthy and active lifestyle. That comes out to about 1/9 people on Earth. These numbers are staggering for me to hear. 
• Hunger needs to be addressed by strengthening local governments in the hunger states so they can learn how to survive on their own. 

Problem 3 - Homeless / Poverty 

• More people are becoming homeless and reaching poverty than we have ever seen. Almost half of the world's wealth is now owned by just one percent on the population. 
• Potential solutions to solve this problem would involve opening more homeless shelters and governmental housing. I think we should also try and improve younger education to keep children off the streets at an early age. 

Problem 4 - Armed Violence in US and worldwide 

• There has been an increasing number of armed violence over the past couple of years. More people are able to possess firearms both legally, and illegally. 
• I am not sure how to solve the problem of armed violence in this country. Many people would say to make stricter gun laws, but then some citizens might not be able to properly protect themselves. This is a tough situation that our lawmakers are dealing with at this time. 

Problem 5 - Cyber Crime

• This is one of the most popular forms of crime happening today that we do not always seen with our own eyes happening. Millions of peoples identities are stolen each year and tons of information off of personal laptops and computers. 
• There must be more security systems in place to help fight cyber crime and the criminals that are sitting behind desks on computers. 

Problem 6 - Water deficiency 

• Over the last few decades, the lack of water supply in the world is becoming a problem. Many people suffer from a lack of clean, healthy water and it could eventually cause tensions like the oil shortages have in the past.
• Must find affordable ways to purify water for third world countries. Water is something that we should not all take for granted on an everyday basis. 

Problem 7 - Growing Unemployment Rate

• There are many reasons for the growing unemployment rate in not only the US, but countries everywhere. One politician said, "Lower economic growth and technological changes are likely to keep unemployment high in the future." Because of the changing business world, many people are left without jobs and have been replaced by electronically made products. 
• Must expand and grow as economies to provide more jobs for those who are unemployed. Education must also improve in our public school system.

Problem 8 - ISIS is growing

• With recent attacks in France and other countries in Europe, we must be concerned with the growing treat of ISIS on a worldwide stage. ISIS is moving across national borders and effecting more areas on an everyday basis. 
• The European Union and United Nations must comprise a plan to prevent the spread of ISIS and their terrorist attacks. Individual countries must also do they own part and help limit the spread of members. 

Problem 9 - Obesity 

• Obesity rates are climbing all over the world. Fast-Food is now so easily accessible and available at such a low cost. Because of this, people are straying away from healthier lifestyles and all natural foods. 
• Programs need to be setup for children to get started on the right tract as far as eating healthy and getting the right amount of exercise. Food companies also need to work on making produce and healthier items more affordable to everyone. 

Problem 10 - Increase in Natural Disasters 

• People do not know if it is climate change or bad luck, but more natural disasters are occurring more than ever. We must take care of our planet and try to make it a better place than we found it. 
• I am honestly not sure how to limit natural disasters, but we must take care of our environment on an everyday basis. 

Week 2 Reading Reflection

Reading Reflection Week 2 : Chapter 1

1) In this reading, the biggest surprise for me was (also the most interesting) was the integrative approach to entrepreneurship. I was intrigued by the different amount of resources and inputs in general that must go into beginning the entrepreneurial process. All of these inputs then lead to intensity that begins the thought of innovation, risk taking and productiveness. This was surprising for me because it is a more detailed process of thinking instead of just throwing out ideas. When I hear the word "entrepreneur", I used to think of just an idea that leads to an invention or product. Now I know that a lot more goes into the process of developing an idea.

2) I was a little bit confused with the strategic formulation school of thought. I understand the concept, but the emphasize on "unique" gets confusing in the paragraph.

3) My first question to the author would be, "As a young entrepreneur, without much experience, where would be the best place to start?" This would be a very vague question, but I think it is important since we are all just beginning our careers. My second question would be directed more towards the author and his own personal experiences in the entrepreneurial world. I would ask him some of his own personal failures and success stories. I believe that information is power and knowledge so I would try and get everything I could out of him from his own experiences.

4) I did not find anything in chapter 1 that I disagreed with or thought was wrong. Chapter 1 was mostly informational and all makes sense in relation to what we are studying.

Bug List

Bug List:

• 1) It bugs me that there are only 6 to 7 bars in Midtown that most of the students go to
• There are over 50,000 students in Gainesville, so the bars are going to be extremely crowded when a decent amount of people go out on the same night
• This bugs me because I sometimes cannot even find my friends when I am out 
• 2) It bugs me that when I ordered a new phone online and it said it was going to be delivered by 3 at the latest and it came after 4 
• The shipping companies should not put "at the latest" unless they're positive
• This bugs me because I planned my day around being more before 3 and I had plans after 3 
• 3) It bugs me how slow traffic moves on Museum Road at 5 
• It seems like people are not paying attention and it causes major delays 
• This bugs me because I try to make it on time to dinner on Fraternity Row and it is very difficult
• 4) It bugs me when I call a company with a question or problem, but I only get an automated voice talking to me 
• Rarely can you call a company now and actually talk to a real person
• This bugs me because it is so much easier and more efficient to talk to a person instead of a computer
• 5) It bugs me that my laptop battery is always running low
• Laptops are meant to be used on the go and not always a stationary spot with an outlet
• This bugs me because they should hold a longer charge for the price it costs to buy one 
• 6) It bugs me when people make simple grammatical errors while texting or writing an email 
• The different between "your" and you're" and "there" and "their" are pretty easy to understand 
• This bugs me because people do not give the effort to think about it and get it right
• 7) It bugs me when people throw trash out the window from their car/home
• It is very easy to wait an extra ten minutes and find a trash can instead of just throwing an item on the ground
• This bugs me because nobody wants to live in a place with trash everywhere and it is very easy to avoid
• 8) It bugs me when places have hand dryers in the bathroom instead of regular paper towels 
• It is more efficient to have the automatic dryers, but they don't always work as well
• This bugs me because paper towels do a better job and they're very easy to throw them away after use 
• 9) It bugs me when people constantly talk and make comments during movies 
• It ruins the mood set by the movie and it is hard to pay attention
• This bugs me because I usually want to watch a movie in peace and quiet and not be bothered
• 10) It bugs me when people are too lazy to put DVD's or video games in the proper cases
• This makes it a pain to find what you're looking for
• This bugs me because it takes 2 seconds to find the correct case and to put the item in there
• 11) It bugs me when people are constantly late and you can always count on them to be late
• It is very easy to set a plan to make sure you leave with some time to spare
• This bugs me because it is rude and inconsiderate to chronically be late to events 
• 12) It bugs me that some people still refuse to wear seat belts in a car
• There are hundreds of thousands of studies that prove that seat belts can save lives 
• This bugs me because people are either too lazy or don't think they're necessary, but in reality the seat belts are just there to help us
• 13) It bugs me when I call somebody and they don't answer and then text me a second later, "what's up"
• Unless you're busy, just answer the phone really quickly 
• This bugs me because the person obviously saw you called and chose not to answer
• 14) It bugs me when people do not cover their mouth/nose with sneezing and coughing 
• It is very unsanitary and can result in the people around you potentially getting sick
• This bugs me because it is inconsiderate to not cover your germs when people are around 
• 15) It bugs me when people at the gym sit on one piece of equipment for a long period of time and don't get much done
• It is an unwritten rule to keep moving at the gym on equipment and not to sit on a machine using your phone etc
• This bugs me because people want to get in and out when they're at the gym and not waste a bunch of time
• 16) It bugs me when I walk into a store and get attacked by "pushy" sales representatives 
• Usually when I walk into a store I know what I am looking for, and if not I will ask for help
• This bugs me because I don't want to be pressured or talked into looking at a product I am not interested in 
• 17) It bugs me that there are never any parking spots in Gainesville
• There are simply too many cars and not enough spots
• This bugs me because I hate getting home late and having to park far and walk to my apartment when it is pitch black
• 18) It bugs me when people use things in somebody's house and then do not put it back where they found it 
• It is simply common courtesy to put somewhat back where you found it 
• This bugs me because it is disrespectful and so easy to avoid 
• 19) It bugs me that all of the school exams and projects tend to fall on the same week
• Most teachers are on a relatively similar schedule and it always results in having a couple extremely busy weeks during the semester 
• This bugs me because there are so many other weeks throughout the semester when not much school work is going on
• 20) It bugs me that Florida State fans actually believe their school is better than the University of Florida 
• As far as academics, athletics and everything in between, UF is a better school
• This bugs me because I have grown up in a house raised by two former gators!

I found this assignment very interesting! It took some time to think of 20 "bugs" but then I realized that a lot of things bug me. I found myself looking for solutions to these bugs while I was coming up with different options. Overall, I enjoyed this assignment because it made me think outside of the box. 

My Introduction

My name is Ralph Ghioto, but most of my friends call me Chet. I am from Tampa, Fl and have lived there since I was born. I have attended Catholic School since I was young including High School at Jesuit in Tampa, which is an all boys Catholic School. I have a sister who is thirteen months older than me and is currently a senior at the University of Georgia. Both of my parents went to the University of Florida and that is where they met.

After high school, I ended up at the University of Mississippi in Oxford for two years. I enjoyed my time at Ole Miss, but I wanted to move closer to home and pursue my education at the University of Florida. This is my first semester in Gainesville and I am having an awesome experience so far.

In my free time I enjoying playing golf and traveling with my family and friends. I have played competitive golf since I was about 4 years old and I am even lucky enough to have played with Tiger Woods when I was 7 in Orlando. I am looking forward to a great semester in Gainesville and everything this University has to offer!

My Entrepreneurship Story

My Entrepreneurship Story involves my sister and the University of Georgia. My sister is a senior at Georgia and she was assigned a business in Athens to evaluate their marketing tactics. The business she was assigned was called, "The Hip Pops." The small business sold gourmet frozen treats (popsicles) with different flavors and names for their products. This is a true entrepreneurship story because the founder began the business by simply making the pops in her kitchen and selling them to family and friends for special events. Once the founder saw a demand for her product, she took out loans and began to construct her own business which is now named one of Athen's favorite local businesses in 2015.

The reason I enrolled in ENT 3003 is because I hope to gain the experience necessary to have my own entrepreneurial success later on in life. I hope to open my own business one day and I will be able to use the good and bad examples from this class to make productive decisions for my business. I also hope to make connections with classmates also enrolled in this class so we can bounce ideas off of each other and really start thinking like entrepreneurs.

My Entrepreneur's Mantra

1st Post

This is my first blog post!