Halfway Reflection

1. Behaviors I've acquired to keep up with the assignments from this class include going on canvas early in the week to view what assignments I have due later in the week so that I have sufficient time to complete the tasks. On top of that, I make sure to watch the lecture videos and take ample notes, especially what's on slides and specific examples he only speaks of in class.

2. With this class, there is a lot of potential outsourcing one could need to do. With this, I have definitely been overwhelmed with having to go out in public and interview prospective customers for my product/service. I feel that after the first couple of times you get more and more comfortable. To continue, as you develop your product/service I feel that the idea makes you excited to continue the journey and helps that tenacity develop

3. My three tips are

1. Be proud and passionate about the business plan you choose to create- it will make it much more interesting to work with.

2. Try to remember that the people you may interview for your assignments can be very helpful and others may not be so: plan to take time to find the right people who will give you the feedback you're looking for.

3. If you feel like you just can't take it anymore, take a step back and reflect on what has brought you to that moment. What could you handle differently? Are there other ways of getting the same information? Then keep going!

 .  (My picture)

Finding Out Buyer Behavior

Warning: Drug use and foster care are touchy subjects that are discussed in this assignment.

For this assignment, I chose to interview homeless individuals that have specific keywords on the signs that they hold. I did have to drive around the city to find these people but I am pretty happy with the outcome. I chose people who had the words hungry, have kids, and need work on their signs. I chose these because I think that it's these people who are in the most need for resources. Those who have to provide for their own kids or those who desperately want to work have more motivation than others to go find work.

In my interviews, I asked very general questions that allowed for the interviewee to tell me their story. For this, I just listened and took notes. I asked questions like "when did you lose housing?" "how many kids do you have?" "When was your last job" and each of the three people I interviewed was very cooperative. I could tell that two of them were not in good shape, had bruises all over them and signs of drug use.

Overall, these three people had similar outcomes to very different experiences. Each of them found themselves homeless but due to many different reasons. One, like I've been wanting to interview, was a retired veteran who lost his retirement funding as well as contact with his family due to unfortunate circumstances. I asked him when he realized he needed to ask for work instead of just money and he said "Honey, ever since I got out on the streets I knew something needed to happen. Problem is, once people see that you're on the street they don't trust you anymore and look down on you." This broke my heart. It's one of the things that I included in my idea napkin about having faith in people. I got similar answers from the other two just not as emotional. The other two said that they both had been addicted to drugs and because of that, don't have contact with their family. They also described that due to their drug usage they have been in many different bad situations on the streets. I asked them when they realized they needed to ask for work and they said that because of their drug habits, they need to take drugs to function properly. They described that it's not about the high but just getting out of bed in the morning to not get sick. They both do have kids, all of who I found out are actually either in foster care or with family (who they don't contact). They both said they are trying to get work in order to get housing and hopefully get into a program so that once they're clean they can try to get their kids back.

Overall, I think that the need awareness happens when they want to make a change in themselves. Once they realize how bad of a place they're in, they want to change for the better. Need awareness is a tricky subject for those who are homeless because many of them have many different intentions. I think that for the most part, those who recognize the need to get out of the situation are often looking for something else that comes with getting off the street. With my program, I think that these individuals have the potential to really turn their lives around.

Idea Napkin

Who we are: Our company will play a very important role in our community as we know it. With our skills on how to function as a proper part of society, we will help those in our community who have found themselves without a home.

What are we offering? We are offering rehabilitation and resources to those who are homeless in order to help them get the training they need to sustain a job and housing for themselves. 

Who are we offering it to? We are offering these services to anyone who has found themselves homeless and hungry. We are offering our services to those who need it the most. If we get a good grasp on that, we may be able to expand to those who have housing but have a hard time sustaining a job or who are on government welfare. 

Why do they care? They will care a great deal when it comes to the difference of having a place of their own to go to with a warm bed versus living on the street. Our supporters and sponsors will care because they will be able to have the work they need done easier and won't have to see people living on the street panhandling. 

What are our core competencies? Organizing resources to those in need and explaining the steps one needs to take to get those resources. We also will be great in giving classes on everyday skills such as time management, how to sustain a job and things like financial planning and stability.  

Elevator Pitch 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNbxeq56v9k&feature=share

I'm sorry I was really nervous and didn't have a fancy place to do this!

Testing the Hypothesis Part II

To be transparent, my idea is not very easy to conceptualize or ask others to relate to as it does not exist in this area. Instead of an invention you can touch or that will solve a lot of people's everyday problems, my idea goes deeper into humanity and government. I have interviewed people for this assignment though I'm not sure it was what we're looking for. I couldn't find people that "should have the problem but don't." Rather my project looks at people who do have the problem that shouldn't. Many of the residents of Alachua county don't have this problem but for the few that do, this could make a difference. I focused on an idea that can work with government and collaborate with other businesses around Alachua county.

I interviewed a different set of people asking who they think this idea would help and who they think would have the problem. Overall, many people defined that homeless people would have the problem to solve. I did notice, though, that some of the people I interviewed brought up the idea of the homeless people's willingness. If they wouldn't want to become part of the program, what's the point of creating it? If they're disabled in the first place how are they going to be a part of the program? These are things that put me into perspective about my idea. A few of the other topics that were thrown out there was how hard it would be to manage. What if they aren't reliable? What if they relapse or get in trouble? How hard could it be to rehabilitate them? All of it seemed to overwhelm me because I did not think of the possibility of things like mental illness and agressiveness. All of these topics did give me a good look at who would and wouldn't be included in who would participate.

Who: I feel that those who wouldn't take part are those who are not comfortable with once homeless or drug addict or once-arrested individuals in their business or homes. Another population who would be outside the boundary are those with homes.

What: I feel that the point my service is different from others is the fact that we would be working to not only rehab them but also train them on life and how to function as a normal part of society. We would also be helping them find work and housing but from a non-governmental status. (It could become governmental) This need is different because it would make a huge difference that would change people's lives. Taking them off the street and helping them live comfortably without just being a homeless shelter or something of that sort.

Why: The need for those in the boundary is much much different than those outside the boundary simply due to the need to get off the street. The difference between people who have shelter and those who don't is extremely significant.


Inside the Boundary

Who: Those who are homeless and willing to put in time and effort to get better and learn so that they can get off the streets as well as businesses who are willing to collaborate and teach these people and finally those who need work done in their homes who trust that we can provide good service without any problems.

What: The need for the individual to start a life of their own. To learn, work, and support themselves so that they live comfortably.

Why: The need exists because unfortunately people of many different backgrounds can find themselves in a spot where they don't have anyone to rely on or any work. Because of these instances, they can find themselves homeless which is a terrible way to live.

Outside the Boundary

Who: Those who have proper shelter, those unwilling to come off the streets and work, and those who don't want to work/ give work to the homeless people.

What: The need is not to get shelter for free. It IS hard work and willingness to make the individuals life better as a long term commitment.

Why: As an alternative explanation, the need is not the same for those looking for free housing to continue not working, but rather to look for the guidance to get in the right headspace to get back into life as a working person and a self reliant person in general.

Solving the Problem

I have displayed my idea for a solution to the unemployment of homeless individuals in Alachua county. My idea is to create a program that takes homeless people who either can't sustain a job due to their living conditions, don't have enough education, or other disparities in leading them to a sustainable source of income.  In this program, I would set up sponsorships and collaborations with trade experts in order to train these people in a field they would be interested in making money in.

This program would not only supervise the kind of work and where they work but also be responsible for a payroll system. I view it as a kind of agency for freelance workers. We would show them the opportunity, teach them about the workforce and workforce etiquette, and send them on apprenticeships with local trade workers to learn the trade. From there, people can call our business and request work to be done when they need it to be done. After that, we will choose one of our workers and send them to that job. Initially, we will take the money from the job and use it partially for-profit and partially for the payroll of the workers. On top of payroll, though, we will be helping those who succeed in the program find things like housing and resources to get necessities like clothes and food. I'm sure there are better ways to hash out the details but that's my rough idea for the project!

 I like helping a variety of people with one solution. So, we would help those who are homeless sustain a job and teach about workforce etiquette as well as helping other residents of Alachua county with work they need done and lowering rates of panhandling on the streets.

Testing The Hypothesis (Part I)

For this assignment, I wanted to focus on the unemployment rate and the homeless issue we have in Alachua county. I have talked about this topic in a previous assignment so I can recognize that it's really important to me. Many of the people who are homeless consist of retired vets who have had it rough and those who have been thrown out or left home. I feel that from an entrepreneurial level, there is a great deal of opportunity here as well as being able to give back to your community. My concept is through the sponsorship of small businesses in and around Gainesville/Alachua county. Through these sponsors, a company could be started that takes those who are homeless, teaches them the skills they need to sustain a job and get them trained in a number of different skills. Once the company takes off is when revenue would be coming in. Businesses like construction companies can work with you if they need some extra hands or maybe train some to be HVAC technicians or even electricians. Trades are a great way to help people with little education or minimal experience out into the workforce.

The Who: Homeless people in and around Gainesville

The What: They often find it hard to find jobs due to lack of education, experience, or due to underlying conditions such as disabilities.

The Why: Many of these people are unable to find jobs and such because they have no resources to help them with basic life necessities such as housing, proper hygiene, and knowledge to enter the workforce.

The prospective company would help teach them work ethic as well as different skills they can take into the workforce under your supervision. This, in turn, could help make our unemployment rate go down in Alachua county and help keep our area in good shape. I feel that others would benefit from this company due to the decreasing rate of panhandling in the streets. All citizens of Alachua county could technically benefit if they needed work done that the employees are able to do. We could send our employees on apprenticeships to find what they are most interested in and once they have successfully learned the skill, we could supervise the amount of work given to them and set up their payroll as well as help them with their living conditions. Eventually, I feel this type of program would benefit from working alongside the local government.

After talking to 5 Alachua county residents of all different demographics, I have come to the conclusion that this kind of program is something that could be a big opportunity. Many of the individuals said that they would like to see that kind of opportunity. I even spoke to one homeless man on the corner of University and 13th street who said that if something like that were to be created that he would definitely take part in it. This really put me into the perspective of just how much it can help the community. I believe there is a real opportunity here and it would benefit many people in the community. While I don't have all of the details thought up in my mind, I definitely think I have the big picture.

Identifying Opportunities in Economic and Regulatory Trends

For my first category, I would like to talk about two economic trends that are happening right now.

1. The first economic opportunity I recognized was unemployment trends and the homeless issue in Alachua county. Many of the people who are homeless here have a number of reasons why they have been found without a home including economic struggles, disability, and unemployment that could all be caused by another aspect in their lives. I feel that there is a major opportunity here. I think that if we were to create a program in Alachua county and even expand to other counties or states, that we can help not only to rehabilitate but to reinstate work ethic in those people by hiring them to do work around the city. I did not really research this, I just thought about it and thought it would be great for the economy because it could lead to things like neighborhoods getting cleaned up which would help with real estate, for example. I think that the prototypical customer would be homeless people who could find themselves employed and this, in turn, would benefit everyone in the community.

2. The second economic trend I thought about was the increasing rates of the student, and family, housing in Gainesville. I have noticed that there is an array of people who have complained about the cost of living in Alachua county. I feel that if I had the opportunity to maximize the amount of resident in a building while keeping it private and putting the building in a lower cost area yet still central to many things around Gainesville that it would benefit me, the entrepreneur, as well as residents who find housing to be nearly unaffordable. There could even be income limits in living there so that the people who really need it are able to rent an apartment comfortably. The prototypical customer would be residents of Alachua county who find housing too expensive.

My second category is about recent regulation changes.

1. The first regulation I would like to talk about, as many people are, is the age of tobacco sales going up to 21 years of age in Alachua county. Folks, we have entered the day in age where sadly we see many people young and old smoking not only tobacco but synthetic e-cigarettes. These products and devices obviously have nicotine in them more often than not which is an addictive substance. For those under 21, it must have been a shock to those addicted to nicotine because in their own town they are no longer to buy it for themselves. While I certainly don't condone the use of tobacco or vapes, I feel that there is an unmet customer need for the prototypical customer of adults 18-20 who depend on tobacco and nicotine in their daily lives. I have to be honest, I see a definite opportunity here I just don't exactly know what the solution could be. With this, I thought this regulation was extremely relevant.

https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190122/county-raises-tobacco-buying-age-to-21
https://www.wuft.org/news/2019/01/23/alachua-county-approves-ordinance-making-it-illegal-to-sell-tobacco-to-anyone-under-21/

2. The second regulation change I found an opportunity in was a tightening in food stamps. Due to President Trump's new regulations on SNAP, about 700,000 people will no longer be able to receive food stamps. This can really put a damper on those who lost this welfare support. I feel that an opportunity for this could be to create a program where people who can't afford food from the grocery store go to save money on food. A version of this exists in waldo at the flea market. They sell new food, food that's about to expire, and mildly expired food at a very discounted price. They also sell things like vitamins, feminine products, household products, and pet supplies. I feel that if someone were to open a place similar to this locally that there would be some real opportunity there. The prototypical customer would be someone who can't afford food from average grocery stores, possibly due to losing their governmental benefits.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/12/04/food-stamps-trump-administration-tightens-snap-work-requirements/2608297001/
https://time.com/5744647/trump-food-stamps-rule/
https://www.supermarketnews.com/laws-regulations/snap-rule-change-would-cut-food-stamp-benefits-700000-recipients