22A- Elevator Pitch No. 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NozcNWTahnM&feature=youtu.be

This is my third elevator pitch. I didn't change much from my previous pitch because I hadn't gotten much feedback. I made sure to emphasize why consumers would want to use my mobile scooter repair service. I also made sure to explain how I will overcome the major obstacles that result from doing scooter repairs onsite instead of doing them in a shop. I think the feedback I have gotten over the past few pitches has been fair and reasonable. If I were to correct anything in this pitch, I would probably improve the quality of the video and the angle from which it was recorded. I think I'm becoming more comfortable with these elevator pitches over time, which will benefit me in the future when I have to potentially give a real pitch to customers for a job. Hopefully I can improve this pitch even further and apply what I have learned to my presentations in other classes and interactions at work.

21A- Reading Reflection No. 2

The Art of Social Media by Guy Kawasaki

1) What was the general theme or argument of the book?

The book was about how social media can be used to benefit a business and its image to consumers. The book described how you should use social media professionally. It also described how you need to understand what consumers want to see on the account. For example, your profile should have a positive attitude, people smiling, interesting content, and posts that address your customers.

2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?

It further emphasized the need to understand consumers and present your business in a professional manner. The better I can expose my business to consumers, the more likely they are to consider using my product or service.

3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?

I would try to create sample social media pages for your hypothetical business and then show them to the rest of the class and get responses from other students. You could also try showing them to your target market if possible.

4) What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?

I was surprised to hear that some companies or people still don't have a strong understanding of social media. This means that there is an opportunity for people to be employed by many different companies to provide this service.

20A- Growing Your Social Capital

1) Domain expert in my industry
When taking my friend's scooter in to get repaired (he needed help loading it into the truck), I decided to go inside and ask the employee some questions about the average time it took for a scooter to be in and out of the shop and also the amount of repairs that were simple enough to do on site. He replied that the time in the shop varied by the type of repair and the demand, but he also said that many of the repairs could be done on site if there was a means of getting the tools to the scooter (a van, for example). This exchange was just a conversation.
2) Expert on my market
I met with a friend who currently markets promotional items to students at UF. We have known each other since we first started our freshman year. This friend understands the market well because he sells much of his products to students and is a student himself. We were able to meet because we were friends. There was no exchange of favors. I now better understand my market.
3) Supplier to my industry
I asked an employee at a NAPA store about how often people come in to purchase batteries. They said a lot of their business was selling and then replacing batteries because many people are either incapable or don't want to do it themselves. A battery replacement would be an example of an easy on site repair.

Reflect-
From this experience, I found that there are many other industries related to what I am currently pursuing and also that many of them operate similarly to what I would provide. I found that my idea, if feasible, would have a high demand. I also found that it would take a lot of effort to establish, but there are many resources available. This networking was similar to my past networking. I just found people who were conveniently around me who were knowledgeable.

19A- Idea Napkin No. 2

You- I am a business student at the University of Florida who is starting an onsite scooter repair service. I am a driven and organized person who has already had experience in starting their own business. The things I learned from my previous business can be applied to this one. 

What are you offering to customers?

I'm offering a convenient service to customers that isn't currently available. This service makes it so that customers have to put in minimal time and effort into their scooter being repaired.

Who are you offering it to?

I am offering my service to busy college students who want to have a convenient repair.

Why do they care?

They care because they will save time and energy if they do not have to wait as long for their scooter to be repaired and also because they don't have to transport it.

What are your core competencies?

I have a better understanding of the students and their needs than a typical entrepreneur would. This is because I am a current customer of my own service.

Summary-

I think that everything lines up. The fact that I am a typical customer and have experience sets me apart from other entrepreneurs. My ability to understand the customer's needs will help me provide a convenient service.

Feedback- 

The feedback I received commented on the fact that I will need to provide the service more quickly than competitors if I want to remain the preferred service.

17A- Elevator Pitch No. 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StTEvq1usjA

My elevator pitch is about my business idea which is a mobile scooter repair service. The video includes my introduction and then an overview of what my service provides to customers. I was told by my peers that I needed to have a more attentive but informative energy in this elevator pitch. I think I improved on that. I also think my pitch is more clear and understandable in this one than it was in the last. I also think I did a good job of outlining how it will benefit students and gave examples. I think that all the feedback I received was legitimate and beneficial. I found that improving the "mood" of my pitch was very important as well. I improved this new pitch by changing the energy and flow of my pitch. This one was more clear and relatable. I think it'll reach customers better this way and will also be more convincing.

18A- Create A Customer Avatar

The ideal customer for my mobile, onsite scooter repair service is someone who is in a hurry, wearing a backpack, probably on their way to class. This customer is probably between the ages of 18 and 22 and may have a part time job. This customer is probably still dependent upon their parents income and makes their purchasing decisions with this in mind. The typical customer probably enjoys spending their free time watching Netflix shows like Game of Thrones or going out to bars. The typical customer could hold any political beliefs and could follow a variety of religions. My typical customer is probably hard working, energetic, and open minded, as most students are.

My typical customer and I both share some traits. Both of us are college students who own scooters. We are both between the ages of 18 and 22. We both are dependent upon our parents income. We both also like Netflix and going out. It is not a coincidence because we are both in the same demographic.

16A- What's Your Secret Sauce?

1) I'm an open minded person who is able to understand and operate in many different situations
2) I am able to work well with a variety of people
3) I am results oriented and often am able to improve on my mistakes
4) I am an organized and reliable person
5) I am consistent

Interview 1:
https://soundcloud.com/user702966941/recording
Ryan felt that I could improve on my assertiveness/how vocal I am but agreed with some of the characteristics in my list.

Interview 2:
https://soundcloud.com/user702966941/recording-2
Trent thinks that I communicate well with others and am good at winning over people's opinions. Trent thinks I can become one with my emotions.
Interview 3:
https://soundcloud.com/user702966941/recording-3
Brent thinks that I am an organized person (which was on my list) but that I need to adjust my time schedule to fit others better. This makes sense because I tend to be most productive at night while others are usually sleeping.


Interview 4:
https://soundcloud.com/user702966941/recording-4
Alex also believes that I am an organized and open minded person. He thinks that I need to be more assertive, which I can agree with. I am more likely to succeed if I can assert myself.

Interview 5:
https://soundcloud.com/user702966941/recording-5
Lucas is a good friend of mine who believes I create a strong connection with those who I surround myself with. He thinks I am open minded as well. I could improve on asserting myself though.

Reflection:
The people who I interviewed are very close friends of mine. They know me well and they agreed with the traits I listed about myself. The most common trait they also saw was my organizational skills and my ability to develop a reliable relationship with others. I thought it was interesting that they also believed that I needed to be more assertive, because I believe this is true as well. I also agree with Brent that I need to adjust my schedule to where I am more productive during the day instead of at night. These insights will benefit me greatly. I still agree with my previous list.

15A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

What is important to my customer segment: My customers would use my on-site scooter repair service because they value convenience and time. They are customers who look for the fastest service that requires the least amount of effort out of them, while still maintaining the quality of service other options would provide. Being college students, my customers would also value the price. My price would still have to be competitive with other repair services in order to stay a reasonable option. Students want this service to be cheap and quick.

How/Where they buy: In most cases, my customers call in to a repair shop and ask about how long it would take to have the repair done and how much it would cost. During this phone call, the customer decides whether the time and effort it will take the repair to do is worth it or not. Customers usually pay with cash once they receive their repaired scooter.

Post purchase evaluation: My customers determine if the service provided was good if the customer service was adequate, the time it took for the repair was short enough, the scooter was returned with the expected repairs, and they are able to use their scooter as usual again.

Conclusions:
I think it is safe to say that my target customers value customer service and price most. They expect that any repair done is going to "work", so the quality of the repair usually isn't even evaluated because it's just expected. My customers want a service that doesn't inconvenience them and is affordable. Customers seem more likely to give a bad review than a good review as well.