As I Sit Here and Reflect

     This class really helped me to be more creative and look for those opportunities to try to seize. I have not always been the most creative person so this helped me to develop those creative juices and really open my mind to different possibilities. I rather enjoyed handing out dollar bills. I got to hand out a few to homeless people that need it more then I do. So it is always nice to give something away. Also a more academic topic is the Discovery Planning Process and developing Pro Formas and the reverse income statement. I am going into corporate America and plan on staying there unless something more appealing comes along. To see the process of Discovery Planning Process will be great in my future endeavors when I launch new products.
     Some recommendation for future students is to stay open minded and plan ahead there are a lot assignments here. There is some slack built in but there assignments can get away from you if you do not stay on top of them.
    After taking this class I see myself more of an entrepreneur then before. That has never been my goal to start my own company but that does not mean having this new outlook will not help me in the future.
    Thank you everyone for your great feedback and wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Remix.......Bristol's Stations LLC

Venture Concept

            Building a gas station and restaurant combo is not ground breaking or new by any means. The reason to exploit this opportunity is the strike while the iron is hot. There is a customer base that has been proven and the opportunity is fresh and will succeed most likely by the first person who can execute the plan properly.

Opportunity

            The people that will be satisfied by my concept are the drivers and passengers riding on the new US 301 bypass around Starke, FL. These potential customers include families on vacation, business travelers, and professional transport drivers. Their needs that I plan to fulfill include both gasoline for their vehicles, food for their bellies, and other convenience store items.

            This need arose really over 20 years ago when the state of Florida and US Department of Transportation proposed a new bypass around Starke. The local government voted for this new road. It has only become a reality over the past year when they broke ground and started construction on the new bypass.

                      

               

            This market is made up of a very diverse set of customers. Some being professional drivers and others being people driving for vacation. As well as it varies from affluent people to middle and low-income earners. As well as many different age groups. Currently there are around 20,000 vehicles that drive through Starke on a daily basis and the state expects that number to grow to approximately 30,000 vehicles by 2025. So, this opportunity is very large. If only 5% of the vehicles stop by to use the gas station and restaurant that will mean around 1,000 customers per day. The window of opportunity for this is very small because land around the new route is scarce and needs to be acquired immediately to assure the best location.

            The great thing about this new route is the customers are isolated to the road traveling north and south. Loyalty to the old locations will be very low because to get to those old locations would take a considerable effort to get off the new route and drive over to Starke. Some customers may be loyal to certain restaurants and gas station brands.

Innovation

            This idea is not very innovative as there are hundred of thousands of gas station restaurant combos across the U.S. The idea here is to capture an already existing market that is being moved due the new route of US HWY 301. This concept will make money by selling gasoline/diesel, food, and traditional convenience store items. All the items will be sold at normal market value unless price competition requires us to sell it cheaper.

            The focus on my stations will be about cleanliness and service. Through my interviews I found people care most about the cleanliness and quick service they receive at these types of stops. I will use both nationally recognized names for the gas station and restaurant, such as a franchise. This was the customer can reasonably assume the level and service and the type of products we will carry.

Venture Concept        

            The new US HWY 301 bypass reroutes that highway to a new area that has no gas stations or restaurants. So, I intend to fill that need by placing stations there. I think the vehicles driving by will be customers due to convenience. Most people driving along the highway do not go out of their way to eat or buy gas they chose what is most convenient. I do not think it will be hard to get them to switch because my gas stations and restaurants will on the route and will not take a lot of effort to get to.

Changes

            I received some great feedback from my classmates. Some of that included describing my customer base more in my concept and also including a bit of my growth plan in there as well.

            My customer would choose me over the competition for two main reasons location and cleanliness. I learned in my potential customer interviews that cleanliness is a big factor when people chose gas stations and restaurants. So, having my employees focus on organization and cleanliness would be a major point I would include in my mission statement.

            As well growing my business would include buying an additional plot of land that could be used either purely as an investment to be sold if the first store did not do as well as hoped or to build another one if growth was strong.

            My exit plan focuses on my family but I would like to provide my family money more than a specific asset, so my kids could do what they want. If they wanted to continue to run the stores they could but if they wanted to branch out to something else, then they could as well.

            I learned through the feedback that I got to make my venture concept more rounded and include growth, customer preferences, and something about my employees as well.

Make that Free Money Rain!!!

My strategy here was to find homeless people and give them the dollars. I figured I could give away all my dollars this way. I thought they would get the most value out of the dollar. I did find a few but it was hard to find them when they were walking or on their phone. Most of them were just kind of hanging out asking for money. I did find 2 homeless people one was walking and the other, video included, was on the phone. My plan to start the conversation was to just give them a dollar.

After trying this strategy, I just approached people walking on the street to save time. One of the guys that took the dollar mentioned giving it to someone who needed it more. Which was a nice gesture. I learned I need to be more creative with my ideas. I did not really have any plans for the conversation since I shifted tactics in the middle, and had a hard time coming up with a story. I just kind of “stronged armed” them into taking my dollar.

27A The Art of Social Media

The general theme of this book follows very nicely with the title it is all about how to maximize your social media presence. That means connecting with people, creating content, and some do’s and don’t’s. I found this book very useful as I do not come to social media naturally. It is not something I have been able to utilize very effectively that is the main reason I chose this book.

This book really helps to enhance the marketing side of the class when you are going out to get your customers. Social Media is a very cost effective and efficient way of connecting with your customers. This book really helps one maximize that potential.

The biggest Aha moment I had when the author explains content curation. He talks about creating really great original content is very time consuming. He mentions a company can only create and post 2 original content messages a week that is of high quality. So one way to maximize connecting with your customer is curation, or summing up other account post.

28A Get Out While the Gettin' is Good

Ideally my exit strategy would be to build the business and sell it when I can realize a healthy return on my investment. Since my idea requires a large capital investment this might take quite a few years. After selling my business I could invest in other things that require less time commitments such as land, real estate, stocks, or other people businesses.

I think I have picked this particular strategy because I like variety. When I have accomplished one of my goals I like to set new ones. That way I always have something to strive for that will keep me hungry.

This strategy has influenced my plans slightly. I would like to buy two parcels of land and just use one first. Then is growth is good I could invest in another gas station. This would help overall growth of my company so I could sell much sooner.

26A Failure Tastes Sweet and Sour

I failed early on in the semester. My failings cost me one of the very first assignments. I failed to plan properly and fully take into account something that would change my schedule drastically and that was having a new puppy. Well two puppies to be exact. I did not fully appreciate what it takes to take care of two five week old puppies. My friend's dog had a litter and the mom was not the nicest mom so they had to be separated. I took care of the pups. 

Due to not fulling appreciating what it takes to care for such young puppies I became a bit frazzled in those first days and missed one assignment. From that point on I had to ask for help. My friend is a dog trainer so I asked for his advice and he gave me a wealth of knowledge. So I could reorganize my schedule so that I would not miss anymore assignments.

This did help me with the thought of failing. My schedule has always been very precious to me. So the shock was a bit overwhelming but it taught me to be a bit more flexible.

25A What is Next

Next Stop

Existing Market

            Currently we are selling to anyone who is driving down US HWY 301 after the new route opens. We are starting with 1 store and 2 parcels of land one at each end of the new bypass. The 1 parcel of land is for growth. The first station will be just a normal gas station and restaurant it will be name brand franchised stores. We will be selling gas, food, and normal convenience store items.

            After interviewing people that would already be in our customer segment I found that a lot suggested opening up a full-service store for semi-trucks or at least opening another store that is similar but has different business names to diversify my offerings. I would have to see what the franchise contract would say about opening a different kind of restaurant. One customer also mentioned opening a gas station that sells food itself like Wa-Wa.

New Market

            This new market would kind of a B2B market since I would target professional drivers. Opening a full-service station aimed at the professional driver’s market with a diesel mechanic shop, trucker accessories store, showers, and laundry facility.

            After interviewing a few professional drivers this market seems very attractive. One interviewee told me the industry is always growing and the number of drivers is always increasing. Everyone I talked to said that they like going to clean and quiet places where they can relax. As well as the normal customers cleanliness is a high priority for them. Also having a store that sells accessories for their trucks as well as a place that can fix tires when they lose their treads is important.

24A Bristol's Stations LLC

Venture Concept

            Building a gas station and restaurant combo is not ground breaking or new by any means. The reason to exploit this opportunity is the strike while the iron is hot. There is a customer base that has been proven and the opportunity is fresh and will succeed most likely by the first person who can execute the plan properly.

Opportunity

            The people that will be satisfied by my concept are the drivers and passengers riding on the new US 301 bypass around Starke, FL. These potential customers include families on vacation, business travelers, and professional transport drivers. Their needs that I plan to fulfill include both gasoline for their vehicles, food for their bellies, and other convenience store items.

            This need arose really over 20 years ago when the state of Florida and US Department of Transportation proposed a new bypass around Starke. The local government voted for this new road. It has only become a reality over the past year when they broke ground and started construction on the new bypass.

                                     

            This market is made up of a very diverse set of customers. Some being professional drivers and others being people driving for vacation. As well as it varies from affluent people to middle and low-income earners. As well as many different age groups. Currently there are around 20,000 vehicles that drive through Starke on a daily basis and the state expects that number to grow to approximately 30,000 vehicles by 2025. So, this opportunity is very large. If only 5% of the vehicles stop by to use the gas station and restaurant that will mean around 1,000 customers per day. The window of opportunity for this is very small because land around the new route is scarce and needs to be acquired immediately to assure the best location.

            The great thing about this new route is the customers are isolated to the road traveling north and south. Loyalty to the old locations will be very low because to get to those old locations would take a considerable effort to get off the new route and drive over to Starke. Some customers may be loyal to certain restaurants and gas station brands.

Innovation

            This idea is not very innovative as there are hundred of thousands of gas station restaurant combos across the U.S. The idea here is to capture an already existing market that is being moved due the new route of US HWY 301. This concept will make money by selling gasoline/diesel, food, and traditional convenience store items. All the items will be sold at normal market value unless price competition requires us to sell it cheaper.

            The focus on my stations will be about cleanliness and service. Through my interviews I found people care most about the cleanliness and quick service they receive at these types of stops. I will use both nationally recognized names for the gas station and restaurant, such as a franchise. This was the customer can reasonably assume the level and service and the type of products we will carry.

Venture Concept        

            The new US HWY 301 bypass reroutes that highway to a new area that has no gas stations or restaurants. So, I intend to fill that need by placing stations there. I think the vehicles driving by will be customers due to convenience. Most people driving along the highway do not go out of there way to eat or buy gas they chose what is most convenient. I do not think it will be hard to get them to switch because my gas stations and restaurants will on the route and will not take a lot of effort to get to.

23A I'm SPECIAL

1) Experience under stress, this I believe is my most important resource I currently have. After being in the Army and a Firefighter/Paramedic I have honed my ability to be decisive and I know how to control myself under stressful conditions. I believe this is very valuable because starting your own business is very stressful. If you do not react well under stress you may make a bad decision, and/or your employees may see your actions under stress and lose confidence in you. I believe it is rare, at least to the level I have experienced. It can be copied by people who have been in stressful situations in their own life. I do not think it is substitutable because those type of experiences are not easy to come by.

2) Resourcefulness, I have always been able to critically think in situation and use all my experiences to help solve problems in sometimes creative ways if necessary. I do not think being resourceful is that rare. Inimitable, yes this is inimitable. In most situations, it is substitutable because some situations do not require resourcefulness to solve the problem at hand. A lot of situations are pretty straight forward.

3) Attention to Detail, I believe this is very valuable. I believe it is uncommon but not rare. It is very inimitable, this is a skill I believe people can hone and get better at. Also, I do not think it is substitutable.

4) Business Knowledge, All of the classes I have taken in business school as given me great knowledge on how to run a business. This is not very rare as anyone can attend if they meet the requirements of business school. It is inimitable, if someone has a ton of experience in the business world they should know the basic business knowledge that I have. Yes, it is substitutable from experience as mentioned in the last sentence.

5) People skills, or interpersonal skills. One of the things I treasure most about all my experiences are the people I have met and the stories I have heard. Having met and worked with people from all over it has really opened my mind to different ways of thinking and attitudes of people in general. It is not rare because other people have had those same sorts of experiences. It is very valuable. Others can go out and meet people and work with them so yes, it is very inimitable. It might be substitutable from lots of reading and education.  

6) Tenacity, I am very good at persevering and going after my goals with dedication. This is very valuable because there will always be bumps in the road you just have to get over them and carry on. I do not think it is very rare. It is inimitable, other people can also have tenacity. It might be substitutable if you can hire someone that will help motivate you and get you through those hard times.

7) Beginning of a good network, thanks to our other assignment I have a good network started with a few owners already that seem very eager to help. This is valuable as they can advise me to errors and mistakes. It is not rare as there are many other gas station owners out there. It is inimitable because I could find others out there to mentor. I do not think this is substitutable.

8) Persuasive ability, this resource is very valuable as it can get things that are favorable towards my business. This is not rare as other people can be good at persuasion as well. It is inimitable if someone has purchasing power in one way or another. It is also substitutable as well if someone has purchasing power or leverage over the other.

9) Great support system, this is very valuable because there will be hard times and having people there for you is invaluable. It is not rare because others have good support systems too. Other can have this to so it is inimitable. I do not think this is substitutable at least in a healthy way.

10) Mentors, along with a great support system I have a couple mentors that are entrepreneurs themselves. This is very valuable as they can give me advice when I need it. This is very inimitable as others can cultivate good mentor relationships. This is substitutable to a degree by continually educating oneself.

21A From the father of Management himself Peter Drucker

For my second reading reflection I chose the book “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” by Peter Drucker.

The overall theme of this book is looking at Innovation and Entrepreneurship as it reacts with the economy from almost a psychological or sociology perspective. It goes into great detail on how Peter Drucker think entrepreneurs think and act and how that action has effect on the economy.

This book gave great detail on how the entrepreneur thinks and acts. Which is much of what we talked about in this class. As well the book talks about innovation and how innovation works and different forms of innovation.

I would design an exercise for the class around a case study of one of the newer tech companies that have started in the past few decades. By using some of the principles in the book people could provide comparison of what was found in the book and what happened in real life.

One of the light bulb moments that stands out to me happened in the very beginning of the book. During the introduction Peter Drucker talks about how business have changed over the years. Moving from large bureaucratic organizations to leaner more innovative organizations.

20A Working the stations

- Chris Henesy, domain expert, Gas Station owner for 10 years, went to a Gas station near my home that I frequent. Chris is always there so I asked if I could speak with him. They listened to my idea of putting new stations on the new US HWY 301/441 bypass around Starke. Chris said that me being a loyal customer was enough of a favor for him. I reassured him that if he ever needed anything to give me a shout and we exchanged phone numbers.

- Darshan Panchal, Market Expert, Gas Station Co-Owner for 10 years, after speaking with Chris he got me in contact with Darshan. I spoke with Darshan over the phone. He also listened to my idea of placing new station along the new US HWY 301/441 bypass around Starke. He said it would be a great idea and reinforced the idea that this business is all about convenience and location. He said no favor was necessary in return for chatting with me. Again, I reassured him if he ever needed anything to give me a call and we also exchanged number.  

- Josh Whitney, Pepsi Co. Account Manager for 4 years, Chris also got me in contact with Josh. I talked with Josh on the phone as well. I asked him question about how supplying gas stations/convenience works with Frito Lays. What kind of things does Pepsi Co. looks for in customers and what do they supply. Josh jokingly said next time you see the Pepsi guy stocking shelves give him a hand. I told him I would. I am still on the look out for the Pepsi guy.

22A *pushes button again* When is this elevator going to get here

      From my last pitch I still tried to keep the passion and enthusiasm on a high level. As well as working on my posture and non-verbal communication skills. I received some great feedback Katia reinforcing the non-verbal part of my last pitch. Also I noticed something from commenting on another's pitch and that was to also focus on what is in it for the person listening. Trying to communicate what the investor will get out the deal. Also I focused on creating a bit of urgency by letting the listener know this opportunity is time sensitive.

   Hopefully by focusing on some other aspects of the pitch I did not lose some of the other points I was trying to get across. After learning so much about elevator pitches I have found it hard to fit everything into that short of a time span without speeding up to much or sounding monotone.

19A Coffee Stained Idea Napkin

1) This business idea would be something that at first would consume my time and I would be very involved. After meeting people and hiring the right people and seeing if they work out I would allow them to run the business. I would step back and collect my money but move onto the next idea.

2) I am offering customers gas to fill up their car and food to fill up their stomachs. The point of my business is to satisfy two very innate desire one not to be hungry and two the need to explore. Also a co-worker in sense to the professional drivers.

3) All my customers need to fill up on natural resources either food or gas. They are all hungry. Hungry in the natural way or hungry in the need gas kind of way.

4) People will pay me because I will satisfy there most basic urges in a quick and convenient way. Most are just making a pit stop and do not want to be bothered by the extravagant. They just to satisfy their urges as quickly as possible and be on their way. 

5) Right now location. Since there are no new gas station or restaurants being built yet. Also we will provide the quickest and cleanest service to the customer.

18A Model Customer

For my gas stations and restaurants I have two prototypical customers in my head. 

The first is a trucker. One that is tired from all the driving he has been doing. It is his job to keep the American economy going and he thrives in that role as a facilitator. He is proud of the work he does, he does it for everyone else to help out. The driver is a late 30's male who may or may not be a veteran but has found trucking after other jobs. He has a family maybe one or two kids and an "ol lady." A loyal person who likes a good routine. 

My second customer is a family, the stereotypical middle class family where dad jokes come from. This family's patriarch is a very sure and confident father who has chosen their route on the vacation because he is "very" knowledgeable about the area even though he has never been there before. The family is busy but they have dinner every night and fast food is only an option for the road. 

17A Elevator going up!!

On this second installment of Brad does an elevator pitch I took everyone's comments into consideration. The biggest one is about being passionate. I could tell from watching my first elevator pitch several times it lacked some motivation and passion. My voice was a bit monotone and flat. There was no inflections to elicit any excitement. So in this video I tried to get people excited by using my voice and maybe a few different hand gestures. I thought I did include a great statistic to get some buy in from people so the context I thought was decent. Bringing the fact that 25,000 people drive through Starke  FL everyday so that is tremendous potential. That was one critique that I did not agree with very much. I can also see how the context could be cleaned up and to make the delivery much smoother. There is still more work to be done to polish up this one as well.

15A Figuring everyone out

                

15A Figuring everyone out

                The information I gathered in the interviews gave me a great deal of different things to consider when thinking about how the customer chooses which gas station or restaurant to go to. The number one consideration is overwhelmingly price, but also some circumstances that will change some people’s minds are size and visibility at night of gas pumps. Security was the second big issue it seemed for travelers at night. Also, a third consideration is the cleanliness of the gas station. That is the least of the top 3 concerns. Most customers will buy with card whether that is debit or credit. One interviewee suggested credit due to her increased points she will earn purchasing gas.

                The two items people seemed to evaluate post purchase is cleanliness and service of a gas station and/or restaurant. Everyone interviewed were very confident in their expectations in service stations and fast food restaurants. When the station or restaurant is dirty they will think that their food is unhygienic in some way.

                The customer segment I am looking at judges first on price then security depending on time of day, and cleanliness. Everyone interviewed looked at gas stations more like a commodity, they really expected the same out of all of them. Everyone interviewed judged gas stations and fast food restaurants on cleanliness and service.  

14A Advice from a Pro…Sort-of

14A Advice from a Pro…Sort-of

1) Tenaciousness is a competency. What are the behaviors that you have used (or developed) to keep up with the requirements of this course?

Reading the assignments ahead of time helped me out a bunch. If you read the assignments ahead of time, then you can guess how much effort each will need. This will help you prioritize these assignments and other classes assignments. Some of the assignments do not require as much time and effort and others require a good deal so knowing that ahead of time gives you a great advantage.  

2) Tenaciousness is also about attitude. Talk about a moment or two when you felt like "giving up." What pulled you through? Do you feel like you've developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months? What experience or experiences most contributed to this?

At the beginning of the semester I took in two puppies to take care of so in the beginning adjusting to the high work load in this class, other classes, and the puppies was a bit much. Honestly, I missed one of the first assignments during the adjustment. Being so busy and having a goal of graduating with honors at the end of the semester has helped push me through the hard times.

3) Three tips. What are three tips you would offer next semester's student about (1) fostering the skills that support tenacity and (2) developing the 'tenacious mindset' ?

- Have a goal for the semester and focus on it intently.

- One thing at a time. What’s right in front of you that needs to get done right now? Do that.

- If you trip don’t fall, catch yourself and carry on.

13A Andrew Carnegie

13A Andrew Carnegie

-          What surprised you the most?

That he did so many other things besides just business. Like writing and playing politics.

-          What about the entrepreneur did you most admire?

That he was able to wear so many different hats and do them all very well.

-          What about the entrepreneur did you least admire?

How he started off to be pro-worker rights then shifted and struck down unions and kind of drove his workers without regard for their own predilections.

-          Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure?

If so, what did they do about it? Yes he did most notably his efforts to create peace in a time of The Great War. Andrew Carnegie disliked war but no matter how hard he tried he could not foster peace between the waring nations. He did not handle this very well he pretty much went into exile for the remainder of his life.

-           What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited?

 Andrew Carnegie was very passionate about everything he did, and he never rested on his laurels. He challenged himself continuously.

-          Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

The fact he switched from being so pro-worker to almost totally against the worker. Especially so against unions.

-          If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why?

How did you find those opportunities to seize? I would ask this because it seems like he was always in the right place at the right time. What was the most important thing to you? I would ask this to be able to see how he prioritized his life

-          For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion?

This is kind of funny because he expected so much out of his own workers but only worked a few hours of a few days on his main business. He delegated most of the work to other executives. This allowed him free time to pursue other endeavors he was interested in.

12A Trucker Behavior

12A Trucker Behavior

                The segment I targeted where professional drivers that included 2 semi-truck drivers and 1 professional transporter who drove a large pick-up truck and was hired privately to move certain objects for customers.

                The semi-truck drivers stated they used highways other then the interstate very often depending on if it was closer to their destination. They both also eluded to the fact they do have certain stations they like to stop at and do build a loyalty to certain stations. They did not have brand loyalty, but the loyalty was to the station. They both expected to have enough parking to sleep and a maintenance person to work on the trucks.

                The transporter did not have the same loyalty to certain stops and frequently used the interstate system over the highway system. As well this person did not have a routine like the semi-truck drivers did. The transporter was less scheduled and only ate and filled up when needed. The semi-truck drivers would fill up and eat at mostly designated times unless it was a must.

11A Gas Station Napkin

11A Gas Station Napkin

ME

                I am a very passionate about safety and helping people out. I have used that passion as a solider in the U.S Army and as a Firefighter/Paramedic. Even being a paramedic in Bradford County where Starke, FL is. I love connecting people, getting to know people, and building productive and positive relationships. If I were to start these stations I would focus all my time to them in the beginning. Then I would like to hire someone to run them in the long run to give me more free time to explore other ideas.

Our Offerings and Who will buy them

                We aim to satisfy the need most drivers have the need for gas, food, and other convenience store items. As well as meeting the needs of the professional drivers needs such as new tires, repairs, and showers.

                We will do this by having a mix of full service stations and smaller restaurant/gas station combos along the new US 301 route.

Why

                Everyone get hungry on the road and everyone will eventually run out of gas and along the new US 301 route there is not currently any places to correct those problems.

Differentiator

                We will offer the same product most gas stations and restaurants do but we will have the location that is what sets us apart from our competitors.

10A Escalator Pitch.......or is it Elevator Pitch???

9A Stress testing the hypothesis

9A Stress testing the hypothesis

Who: The main customers for my idea are hungry, need items in a convenience store, and/or need to use the services of a full-service gas station for semi-trucks. In my idea I am thinking of fast service restaurants for the traveler. Some of the businesses that would not fit into my boundaries are sit-down restaurants. While some drivers might want that I believe the majority would mainly want fast service. Customer who are like mine but fall outside of the boundary are ones who have already satisfied their thirst and/or filled up their vehicles.

What: The point that differs in my idea comes with the quickness of the service for the restaurants. In deed there are other kinds of restaurants out there, but my idea focuses on fast service restaurants.

Why: There are restaurants and gas stations to the north and south of Starke so some potential customers could have already stopped at before reaching the area for my idea.

                In my interviews most of said that the reason they would not stop at my restaurant or gas station is if they already stopped at one earlier in their travels. They also mentioned the ease of accessing the locations. If they are easy to access then they would be more inclined to stop. If they need to go off the route a great distance or u-turn then they would not want to stop either.

Inside the Boundary	Outside the Boundary
Travelers using US 301	People who live near who do not like the food being served. Travelers who have already stopped.
need food, need gas, need items from a convenience store, and/or semi-truck drivers that need a rest or their truck serviced	The need is not for a long sit-down type meal
Since US 301 will now bypass Starke it will no longer be a convenient place to stop	Some people might want to take an extended break and have a nice meal. Those are in the minority.

8A No convenient stops on the new US 301 route

8A No convenient stops on the new US 301 route

                The opportunity I have selected is about exploiting the new change to US 301 and placing restaurants/gas stations on the new route. Currently most of the gas stations and restaurants are located in Starke which the new route is bypassing. When the new route is complete those vehicles will not have easy access to those restaurants/gas stations in Starke.

                Since these service stations would be used by people traveling they need to be oriented to quick service. Also accommodate the large amount of semi-truck traffic that uses that highway. I would be thinking of building full service stations with a restaurant in them. This one would also have  the option of showers and such for truckers. This will give the customer the ability to only stop once for all their needs.

                The locations could be one full service station at one of the ends of the new route and gas station/restaurant with a different restaurant option on the other end.

7A Hypothesis for locating new Restaurants and Gas station for the new US 301 bypass

7A Hypothesis for locating new Restaurants and Gas station for the new US 301 bypass

                People driving on US 301 have usually stopped in Starke, FL to ease hunger pains and refill their vehicles with gas, with the new US 301 bypass these vehicles will no longer have that convenient opportunity.

Who

                I have identified the who in my hypothesis as the people driving on US 301. Other possible customers are the people that live close to the new route. The residents that live close to the new route will have gas stations and restaurants closer to them now, so they might frequent these establishments.

What

                What gas stations and what restaurants to open is the big questions here. Obviously, speed is important to the customers that are making a pit stop on a road trip. As well, we must service the customer that live in the area. As well as what service level do the gas station need such as truck stops or just convenience store and gas stations. As well as the service level of the restaurant i.e casual dining, fast food, and/or sit-down restaurants.

Why

                This need has arisen from the change in route of US 301. They created the bypass to relieve congestion in the small town of Starke which has many stop lights and a railroad crossing that is active. Most people agree with the bypass being built even the Bradford County commission voted for the bypass over just widening the road through Starke. Some businesses feel threatened by the bypass others do not. Like Powell’s Dairy Ice Freeze stand which has been around for 40 years. Freight traffic is estimated to increase from 25,000 semis a day presently to 31,000 by 2040.

Interview Summary

                I interviewed people who worked at those businesses along the present US 301 about the change and if they were to move the restaurant what would be some concerns and advice they would give. It seemed as the residents around the area frequent the sit-down more full-service type restaurants. Also, they suggested something I did not think about and that is placing the restaurants near points of congestion where traffic is moving slow. This gives those people driving the opportunity to pull off and not zoom right by. Some of the restaurants were concerned with the change and felt as if their restaurant was going to make a massive hit in revenue.

6A Macro Opportunities

6A Macro Opportunities

1) This possible regulatory change was found browsing reulations.gov. This regulation would remove some restrictions on hunting certain animals in National Parks in Alaska. If there are more hunting grounds opened, then that will attract more hunters to Alaska. The typical customer would be a avid hunter from across the world. I believe this opportunity would not be that hard to satisfy. If you could hire the right guides and execute a good marketing strategy, then it would be relatively easy and cheap. I personally do not hunt back have made friends with lots of people who are avid hunters, so I have an idea of what hunters want.

2) This is an economic trend focusing on the import of fine denier polyester stable fiber found on regulations.gov. The International Trade Administration is deciding whether or not China and The Republic of Korea are dumping these fibers in the U.S at below market value. If this is the case, then there may be a tariff or quota placed on these fibers. If this does happen the manufactures of everything from beds, furniture, and clothes in the U.S will want to source this fiber from a cheaper source. The customers for this would be those manufactures just mentioned. This would be pretty difficult to support in capital, time, and connections. Since this is a commodity you would need large volumes to make any decent profit. As well as speed you would need to acquire the goods and makes these sales fast as the manufactures will satisfy their need as quick as possible. Also, you would need to make the necessary connections with those manufactures supply-chain. I saw this opportunity from the knowledge I have learned while in business school.

3) Another opportunity from regulation change is for portable benefits for freelancers and people who move jobs frequently. This was found in a business weekly article. This is a new concept, so companies could be looking for consultants or different companies to provide services or portable benefits. As the “gig” economy grows more and more people will be looking for portable benefits. Those in workers in the “gig” economy would be the customers. This would be another very hard opportunity to seize. It would take a lot of knowledge of different insurances and retirement plans to set up a consultant business. If you wanted to start an organization which provided a large catalog of benefits under one roof that would require licensing and lots of start up capital. I saw this as an opportunity because I know the ‘gig’ economy is growing and there is a need. Having had some experience with having to choose benefits in some of my jobs helped me to see the potential of this opportunity.

4) An economic trend that has just started recently is block chain that came from the introduction of cyrptocurrencies. I have found information about the uses of block chain all over the web. Block chain offers the ability to set up smart contracts and also gives a very easy and secure way to track shipments or money transactions anywhere on the globe. The customers I would focus on is the shipping/transportation industry. Smart contracts give them a much faster and easier way to fulfill the payment end of a contract. As well as create a log of all shipments in a very secure manner. This would not be to hard. Not to much capital only to hire technology minded people who know how to utilize block chain in this manner. I am very interested in the supply-chain side of business, so this topic has been something I have been following.

5A Backyard Opportunities

 5A Backyard Opportunities

1) Editorial: Safe schools should be bipartisan issue

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16C3A4ED91C69920?p=WORLDNEWS

                Recently in Florida some groups in the government wanted to discuss adding some legislation pertaining to school safety. In order for the legislation to be talked about it needed a majority of the state senate to vote yes on it. The motion did not pass and was denied. The majority of the house and senate for the State of Florida is the Republican party and they voted against the legislation. This is mostly due to the fact they believed the requirements on school was unrealistic due to funding.

                The problem presented in this issue is of school safety and what is the best way to keep schools safe from gun violence.

                Schools of all kinds have this problem. Since schools have this problem then the decisions rest in the hands of elected officials of the school board. As well as the State government who can pass laws making minimum requirements for schools.

2) Shift on SR 100 in Starke set for mid-week

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16C3A4ED5BBBCAE0?p=WORLDNEWS

                This article is discussing a temporary shift of traffic from US 301 to SR 100 due to construction on the Starke bypass of US 301.

                The problem presented here is about the bypass of UD 301 around the City of Starke. Starke is mostly made up of gas station and restaurants for people driving north or south on US 301. When the bypass is completed the cars driving on the new road will not have easy access to those gas stations and eateries. A smart entrepreneur might look at the new route and see where the best location for new restaurants and gas stations is.

                The people traveling along the new US 301 Starke bypass will have the problem of o access to gas stations or restaurants.

3) Woman dies in ATV crash in Putnam County

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16C3A4ED55BD0488?p=WORLDNEWS

                This article talks about a young women killed after she was ejected from an ATV.

                Safety is the big problem here. These new ATVs are more like cars then normal ATVs. This can cause people to be complacent of the dangers of driving those types of ATVs.

                Anyone who owns an ATV or side-by-side has the problem here.

4) Alberto bringing heavy rainfall to area this Memorial Day

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16C34E687214CD00?p=WORLDNEWS

                Hurricanes and tropical storms are a fact of life in Florida and this article is just giving the predictions at that time about Subtropical Storm Alberto.

                The problem is dangerous weather and being prepared for the possible devastation.

                The people living in the path of the storm bear the brunt of the storm.

5) Bike with Mayor event focuses on bike safety

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16C2FEF136B449A8?p=WORLDNEWS

                Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe got together with local bikers to do a ride for bicycle safety and reassure the bike community Gainesville still cares for it cycling community. Recently a local cyclist was killed while riding his bike.

                The problem presented in this article is biking safety.

                The cycling community of Gainesville has the problem of riding safely and preventing accidents as well all of the people who drive vehicles in the city.

2A What Really Grinds Bristol's Gears

                                                    What Really Grinds Bristol’s Gears


1) That there is no puppy food specially designed for weaning puppies off Mom’s milk.

Why) There is a story behind this, but I am currently weaning a couple puppies from Mom’s milk and there is no specific weaning food. So, I am going through lots of trouble and stress since the pups are not eating as much as they should. Trying to find the right mixture and I still have not found the right mixture.

2) Having all these calculators.

Why) I do not want to worry about storing moving and knowing how to use all these different calculators.

3) Telemarketers

Why) They have now developed the tactic of using a number with your same area code to call you. Now you do not know if it is a telemarketer, your bank, or the dry cleaners. So, you get interrupted a lot.

4) Salesman

Why) They are pushy and annoying. I understand you are trying to help but I can make my own mind up.

5) PayPal

Why) It never seems to work for me.

6) Tight spots when doing repairs on your car.

Why) The tight spot makes it near impossible to get a tool in to remove retaining mechanism.

7) When Firefighters go on a call to a structure and must break in to gain entry.

Why) Damages building causing a sometimes-unnecessary finical burden on the owner.

8) When performing a rescue on an injured Firefighter in full gear the standard method does not work on larger Firefighters.

Why) This makes rescue much harder and take longer. They may be in a situation where seconds matter.

9) The alarms or “tones” that wake Firefighter up at night for a call are too loud.

Why) It takes a completely resting Firefighter from 0 to 100 really quick. That is not good for their health.

10) High cancer rates in Firefighters.

Why) This can cause early deaths as well as making Firefighters endure great hardships in their fight against cancer.

11) Organic food is so expensive.

Why) I want to eat healthy and organic but can not because it is too expensive.

12) When people walk a long time, you can develop blisters. Especially in the Military.

Why) This causes great pain and can affect the capabilities of our troops.

13) People dying from cardiac arrest.

Why) I lost my father and do not want anyone else to go through that.

14) Having to throw out so many unused medical supplies due to expiration dates.

Why) Waste of money and where does all the unused items go?

15) Too many kinds of dog food.

Why) I do not know much about dog food so hard to choose.

16) Dog shedding hair.

Why) I have to clean it up all the time.

17) Soldiers transitioning from Military to civilian life.

Why) Soldiers are programmed to be a certain way. Then they leave the service and sometimes have a hard time adjusting causing homelessness, suicide, and under/unemployment.

18) Touch-up paint for cars is not very good.

Why) You can obviously see the part of the vehicle that has been touched -up.

19) Paying medical bills.

Why) It is so complicated. Why am I getting a bill for $20.00 3 months later??

20) How you technically are not supposed to plug the sidewall of a tire.

Why) Forces me to buy a whole new tire.

                                                                    Reflection
    This list a bit hard to come up with. The biggest problem I ran into was I would think of bugs that already had different fixes. I just had to think that does not matter because you could always come up with something better. 

3A Bristol's Entrepreneurship Story

My friend’s father is a great example of a successful entrepreneur. He got his start in computer science in corporate America with IBM. His wife was from Melbourne, FL that is how he was introduced to the Defense industry. He started his company in the early 90’s when computer technology was really taking off especially new ideas and products for the military. He designed a very rugged computer designed for use in austere conditions. I actually used this technology when I was in the Army. The government loved the idea and gave him some lucrative contracts. 

Just like Professor Pryor talks about he took his company public and then executed his exit plan by selling his company for a sum in the nine digits in the early 2000’s. After listening to the first few lectures come to find out he is in the very small minority of entrepreneurs that obtain that kind of success.

I hope to get a more entrepreneurial mindset from this class. That mindset does not come to me naturally. I know I will need that later in my career, because I think at some point up the career ladder in corporate America your mindset needs to shift from a straight managerial/leadership mindset to a entrepreneurial/leadership one because you are now driving that company forward. Looking to innovate, create, and take on certain risk to grow that company.  

This is the FBCB2 or Blue Force Tracker as we called it in the Army. It connects all the units on the battlefield. It also enables you to see the blue units, friendly units, on the displayed map. As well as gives you an interface to message and connect with them. Really neat stuff and remarkably enhanced battlefield safety and communications.