Idea Napkin #2

Who I am: I am an empathetic person who cares deeply about what people have gone through and how that can affect their entire lives. My talents include helping those who can't help themselves and providing resources for those who wouldn't be able to find resources themselves.

What I'm offering: I'm offering a service to those who are homeless. My service is helping homeless people find the resources and educational facilities needed for them to obtain and sustain a job. To continue, my organization will also help teach these people things like money management, insurance, renting, and taxes. We will provide the necessary tools they need to maintain housing and a good life in society. Once our students learn the skills they need for their trade, we can help them get a job in town. With this, we will also help them find housing and get them settled into their new life.

Why they care: Most people will care about sustaining a job and getting off of the streets. For a lot, this program can change their whole life for the better. In some cases, it may help entire families!

Our core competencies: What sets us aside is our unique understanding that many people who are on the streets want a better life. We don't have any bias towards those who are less fortunate which can help those who go through our program to feel comfortable and welcome. We also go above and beyond by not only emphasizing education but providing knowledge on everyday necessary knowledge.

I feel that all of these pieces fit together extremely well. The combination of emotional attachment and passion as well as the educational knowledge we are able to provide sets us up for success. One thing that could be a weak link is financing the education needed for students to complete their trades.

The feedback from my last napkin was only one comment and it was telling me that my post was good. There wasn't much constructive criticism so I had to take matters into my own hands. I looked at my work from the last napkin assignment while taking into consideration all of the knowledge and work I had gone through after that in order to create a more refined napkin this time.

Note: I drew a picture for this but it couldn't upload onto this document. I will try to make a new post with just the picture.

Growing your social capital

Initial Thoughts:

Finding people to talk to about my personal business proposal proved to be difficult. I had to resort to friends of friends and businesses from where I’m from. There is nothing quite like what I have in mind, especially locally or even statewide.

Domain Expert:

For my domain expert, I reached out to Jan Lindsay. Jan is a co-founder of a home for pregnant women and new mothers who have found themselves homeless or in a bad social situation such as domestic violence. She is passionate about her religion and has based her company on it. I found Jan from the website of the home she founded located in South Florida. At first, I called the home asking if she was available. When I was informed she wasn’t, I chose to email her. I included my information and left my phone number for her. In our conversation, I proposed my idea to her and asked how it is setting up a business like that. The exchange that happened was an exchange of information and advice. She explained the basic mechanics behind her business and what I could change about mine.

Market Expert:

My market expert is someone who can represent a large portion of my market. I chose to interview someone who was homeless and is currently in a program to get help. I don’t want to disclose their name for confidentiality but the information I gained from talking to this person has been some of the most insightful information I’ve gained all semester. I was able to reach out to this person because they are a part of a family I know down south. I reached out to my friend from high school about her sibling and she gave me his contact info.

Supplier:

I actually couldn’t find a good supplier to reach out to so again I spoke with my domain expert and spoke about the business. My particular business venture is difficult to work with I am starting to find out.

My Reflection:

This experience helped shape my future in networking because it gave me the practice and confidence to reach out to others and speak about my business. If it wasn’t for this class, I wouldn’t be networking with people in the business of homeless organizations. This definitely has differed from my experiences in the past because most of my experiences in the past have revolved around gaining things like volunteer opportunities and shadowing needed for the medical industry.

Elevator Pitch 2

Video Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIef-SwaqYs&feature=youtu.be



I found that the feedback that was most useful to me from the last pitch was how I was very nervous and became flustered. For this time, I did keep notes in front of me so that my words wouldn't overlap and give the impression that I was unprepared and sloppy. I was nervous again and did have a slip up on my words but I feel that this time was much better than last! Thank you!

Create a Customer Avatar

For my service, there is not one exact stereotypical person. There are many different people of different genders, races, family dynamics, and other demographics. If I had to picture the "typical" customer would be a middle-aged man whos homeless. He's a tad unkempt due to the lack of money available for things like haircuts or nicer clothes. He's a little dirty from not having a bathroom available to shower although he does shower every chance he gets. During the day, he holds a sign at a busy intersection either asking for money, food, or work. He doesn't have any kids that we can see because he doesn't bring them to hold the sign. He doesn't have a tv available to watch so holding the sign and talking to others throughout the day is what his day consists of. At night, he either tries to find a safe place to sleep on the street or goes to the local homeless shelter. He doesn't drive and although he's around his 40s or 50s he feels much older from the intensity of being in the sun all day, walking everywhere, and always sleeping on hard surfaces. The stress that he experiences consumes him, and that doesn't help with his feelings or motivation. He's sad but tries to make the most out of every day. He's on the skinny side because while he manages to get food, there are meals skipped and not much nutrient-rich food available to him.

Again, I don't love this assignment because it's very stereotypical and there are many different people who would use the same service that I'm offering. However, as far as similarities to this avatar, I have no similarities whatsoever. I am a young girl who is well fed, has a car, and most importantly has a place to live. I feel that there isn't a coincidence that I am the polar opposite of the avatar I have created because fortunately, my life (so far) has resulted differently than theirs. I am passionate about these people because I know that for a lot of them, the way they have ended up in this position is either not because of them or because of very unfortunate and sad situations. Everyone deserves food, shelter, and water at the very least to survive and I would like to help the less fortunate do so.

Below, I have attached many possible avatars showing that one size does not fit all in this case.



 

What's your secret sauce?

How I see myself:  

I see myself as hardworking, clean, loving, and kind. I am an extrovert who loves meeting new people and getting to know them. I love my family and spending time with them. I like to think that I'm smart and well rounded. I got my certified nursing assistant (CNA) license while taking courses at the University of Florida. I got my associate's degree at the same time as I graduated high school. I have worked hard for what I've gotten and continue to work hard. I love animals and helping people as well.

Interviews: "What makes me different? What skills and ethics set me apart?"

Ricky (My Boyfriend of 4 Years)

• Ricky: "What do you mean by different?"

• Me: "Like unique, what makes me unique?"

• Ricky: "You have a big heart, you care more than you should sometimes. Umm... you work harder than most people, you're always willing to help the people you care about. You're smart and work hard for things that you want. You have strong ethics and care deeply about a lot of things. I don't know, these are things that set you apart from other people. I mostly think about how much you care and work for the things you care about." 

Key Takeaway: This made me feel good. Living with my boyfriend of 4 years, it can be difficult juggling things like cleaning the apartment, taking care of our animals, going to school, and working. It's nice to be told how appreciated I am.

Faith (My Mom)

• Faith: "Oh okay, well, you are very nurturing and caring for those you love. You are kind and passionate about animals, you help your sister with Kylie and the twins (my nieces) and are there no matter what time it is- if people need you, you're there. You have a kind heart and are so smart. You got into a great university with your smarts and that's due to your work ethic- which I'd like to think you got from me- you work so hard. One thing you should work on baby is how anxious and stressed you make yourself from putting so many things on your plate and adding commitments in your life. I think you're doing great and I'm so proud of you"

Key Takeaway: My mom is so extra sometimes but she is always there to support me when I need her the most. I have to agree with her when it comes to friends and family I am always there when they need because I have a great foundation and support group behind me.

Stacy (My sister)

• Stacy: "I don't know if anyone else said this but the first thing that comes to mind when I think of your strengths is your charm and communication skills. You're great in interviews, you are great at making connections and networking and I think that can take you far in life. You're well rounded and are smart both in school and with everyday life (adulting). You're mature, which is probably because of us (she's referring to my much older siblings), but it's a great trait. Keep doing what you're doing and you'll be great. 

Key Takeaway: My older siblings are everything to me. They have been the ones that have mentored me, taken care of me, and guided me to be better every day. They are amazing individuals with one being in PA school and one being the head of a Montessori school in Jupiter. Hearing this from Stacy really felt good since she's really successful.

Alyssa (My other sister)

• Alyssa: "You are so relatable with everything you do, you're humble. No matter how successful or unsuccessful you are with something you stay the same. You truly believe that you are equals with everyone when, to me, you shine so bright. Watching you grow up has been so cool because I have seen your work ethic just grow and grow since you were a baby when I thought there could be no kid who's more hardworking than you. You're so loving with my and our family and are always there when we need you the most. You have been the best Aunt I could've wanted for my three girls and I am truly lucky to have you in my life. 

Key Takeaway: Alyssa is always very sappy but I truly do think I'm just me. No better or worse than anyone else. I like being down to earth and myself.


Kate (My best friend)

• "You're so nice to everyone you meet, even if people are mean to you, you remain kind. You are very responsible compared to everyone in our friend group and most people our age. You are very concerned with succeeding and having a good life with a family when most people haven't even thought about that. You're funny and get along with people very well. You're just awesome!" 

Key Takeaway: What she said is true. I try to remain kind even when people aren't kind to me. I also think about my future often. 

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I agree with what people said about me as they were all quite similar. I feel that I am kind, I care deeply for those that I love, I am passionate about success and my future, and I love to help people as well as animals. 

Finding Out Buyer Behavior Part 2

For this assignment, I sought out to find one homeless person, one community member, and one existing organization leader. I chose these three people in order to gain a holistic insight into who would be affected and interested in my service.

While speaking with the homeless woman, I came to the conclusion that they don't have many alternatives. I explained my idea and asked what alternatives there were and which she thought would be the best. The woman, Shirley, explained that it's hard to find resources for the homeless due to the negative stigma that homelessness sees. The other factor that goes into the choices of homeless people is the longevity of programs available. Many resources as explained are short term and not sustainable. When programs are longer they tend to be more successful for those in the program from what I've gathered. For homeless people, the "post-purchase evaluation" is if the program they have gone through proves successful with getting them off the streets and in a good place in life.

I also chose to speak to a community member that could act as a potential customer of the program. Those in the community could hire the people we train in our program. I explained my idea and expressed some of the alternatives like workers in the different fields and doing things themselves and the woman I spoke to explained that while she would be willing to hire those in our program, she expressed that for many in our community they might not be as willing due to liability and quality of work. The way she explained it helped me put things into perspective. Those are some kinks that I think I could work out, I just have to think about it. I think the "post-purchase evaluation" for these customers would be the quality of work for the price. There are many factors that can go into this such as the amount of time it took for response to the call, the quality of work, and price.

The third and final person I spoke to was someone who runs an existing organization. After explaining my business idea, the man I spoke to gave me some insightful feedback. He said that the idea itself is great but that there are some things to be worked out like if I was going to work with the local government or work independently, how I planned to rehabilitate the people I take in, and how we can facilitate the employment of the people once they complete the program. He explained to me that I should be careful with people taking advantage of the resources I help provide. He also helped me think of alternatives and gave me the pros and cons of each.

 Final Conclusions: After this assignment, I think that now is the time to think of details. While the big idea did the job in previous assignments, now is the time that details are important because the details are what will divide my program from others and it's details that go into buyer decisions and evaluation.