Final Reflection

I wish I could've gotten more out of this class.  The truth is I believe it has less to do with the class itself and more to do with my own circumstances.  I'm in my final semester of 7 straight semesters of classes without a single break, I'm living alone in Gainesville while my wife is in Berlin waiting for me to finish up here so I can join her, and I really just don't have much left to put into a class that requires this much personal motivation.  I'm also a very introverted person, and this class is certainly more geared towards extroverts.

The best suggestion I could have for somebody would be to take this class sooner in their studies, because I believe I may have gotten more from this if I'd taken it two years ago rather than during my final semester.

Making It Real

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1ds-uxSjEjHaktXdTlRWjc1VTg/view?usp=sharing

My Exit Strategy

Simply based on the type of person I am, I know I tend to lose interest when I'm doing the same thing for an extended period of time.  Because of this, I believe I would sell my venture after several years and move on to something new.

I don't believe my exit strategy had much of an impact of my selected venture, I chose it simply as something that I have a personal interest and passion about.  I believe the model I set up would be successful long term, as I wouldn't want to create something that couldn't last past my ownership.  I think there's a problem these days of entrepreneurs creating businesses with weak foundations because their intention is to sell of the business at the first opportunity to the highest bidder.  Many brilliant ideas have been lost or held back due to this kind of entrepreneurship, and I wouldn't want to contribute to such a system.

Celebrating Failure

An activity I've recently picked up is playing Escape Room games.  You and a team are placed inside a room with a locked door, and you have to go through a series of puzzles, hidden doors, riddles and so forth in order to escape the room within 60 minutes.  No matter how close you might be to winning, if you don't make it out in time you've failed, so it's a very binary feeling of accomplishment or disappointment at the end.

It took a couple of attempts in different rooms before I started getting the hang of it.  Without any prior experience, it took some time for my friend and I to get into the right mindset for how to go about solving the room, and it required a lot of trial and error.  But after each failure I felt I'd gained some valuable insight to keep in mind for the next attempt, and I also felt a renewed sense of determination that I was definitely going to succeed the next time.

I'm generally a little bit a perfectionist, and it can actually be a deterrent  against trying new things if I don't believe I can do them to my own satisfaction.  Failure is a difficult thing or me to accept, and I end up dwelling on it for a long time afterwards trying to figure out it could've been avoided.  Some of my experiences in this class have forced me to accept the potential of failure a little more, and try to not feel too much disappointment if I'm not able to do something perfectly right away.  

The Amazon Whisperer

Revenue Driver:
1. Rent paid by developers
2. Membership fees from consumers
3. Sales of VR/AR equipment and peripherals
4. Sponsorship deals with outside developers/manufacturers


Next thing:
High quality wireless audio systems.

These will allow customers to enhance their VR/AR experiences by allowing them to feel more immersed in their headsets without an additional piece of equipment (headphones) on their heads.  It will also help to better simulate the effect of truly being in a different environment, as the audio sounds more natural when it's filling an entire space.

Example: Sonos Playbar

The Sonos Playbar has excellent reviews, with 83% of customers giving it 4-5 stars.  Unfortunately this device is not wireless, at it requires an optical audio cable, so there would be a limited ability to place it around the room.  It would be better to have a truly wireless option to allow for the best positioning without limitation.

The quality of this product is very high, and is perfect for the current target market of VR adopters who will be slightly more affluent than the average person.

Elevator Pitch No. 3

The only feedback received on my previous post in regards to how I might improve the pitch was from one person who said they didn't quite understand what VR was, and so they were slightly confused at the end of the pitch.  Given the time limitations of this exercise, and the fact that I'm already pushing the upper limit of this, I was unable to find any room to trying and work an explanation of the technology itself into the presentation.

Part of the venture itself is to give the public better exposure to VR, as a lack of understanding or experience with the technology is the exact barrier I believe needs to be overcome.  The complexity and need to be "experienced rather than explained" of VR and AR as a whole is exactly what makes the explanation during an elevator pitch difficult.

I believe this pitch will always be unsuccessful to anybody without even at least a passing knowledge of VR, and so that must be something I'll always need to take into account when considering who I choose to pitch to.  With all that in mind, I believe my last elevator pitch is exactly where I would like it to be.

Idea Napkin No. 2

1. Me:

I've worked in retail and consumer electronics for 10 years, in areas of sales, service, management and operations.  I have a passion for technology and innovation, and want to be able to share and spread this enthusiasm with the wider public.

2. What I'm offering:

For the public, I'm offering access to, and experience with, new technological innovations.  For business, I'm offering access to customers, by means of a public facing showroom of in-development technology, and an environment facilitating their development of new products.

3. Who I'm offering this to:

Target audiences will initially be middle to upper class, young to middle aged.  "Gadget" technology tends to first be adopted early by males, partially driven by the heavily male development teams creating experiences appealing to males.  Over time, this demographic will broaden as the technology becomes more widely available and lower in cost, and the variety of experiences increases.  

4. Why they care:

People are always curious about the newest technologies, and most want to at least experience something they've heard about, even if they aren't interested in purchasing.  Achieving that initial interest is the first step, and once you have the customer actually trying out a product it becomes much easier to convince them of the actual utility.  Much of this utility will be unfolding over the next several years, due to how new the technology currently is.

5.  Core competencies:

Passion for the product, experience in retail, sales and customer service, technical knowledge, the ability to demo products for customers before sale.

I believe my experiences and knowledge are greatly beneficial to this type of venture.  One area I may struggle with, I tend to be great at putting together an overall big picture and making "large" decisions, but the normal minutia involved in day to day operations becomes a drag and I have no interest, so I'm liable to overlook these.

I only received one comment, which recommended I elaborate on how to provide access to customers for the developers.

Reading Reflection No. 2

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, by Scott Adams

1.  The general theme of the book is that it's a good idea to create systems for oneself to follow in order to work steadily towards success, rather than simply having a goal and hoping to achieve it.

2.  The book gave many examples of the entrepreneurial efforts of Scott Adams, most of which have been complete failures, but each provided a valuable addition to his skills, knowledge, or network that enabled him to ultimately succeed once he had discovered the right combination of idea, connections and timing.

3.  A good exercise would be to think of a possible goal that one has, and try to think of the types of consistent behaviors one might be able to undertake that would allow you to steadily move in the direction of the goal.  Creating a system to follow which gives a sense of progress, rather than just aiming at a goal.

4.  One of my biggest surprises was the sheer number of horrible ideas that Scott Adams had for various business enterprises, and how he still seems to think the ideas are good even though I couldn't imagine them working whatsoever.  All it really takes is that one idea that connects.

Elevator Pitch No. 2

The feedback received of my first pitch was very positive.  I decided to explain the idea a little more in this pitch, give a better picture of the final goal.

My Customer's Avatar

The traits my customer would have:

Gender:   Skewed towards male

Age: mid-teens to early 40's

Interests: technology, movies, music, video games, computers.

Economic class: Middle to Upper class

Physical limitations: At a minimum, customers must be able to see reasonably well with the aid of glasses or contact lenses.


As VR Technology is still in its nascent phase, the potential uses for it are just now being created and explored.  The potential customer will certainly expand over time beyond those with an interest in cutting edge technology, especially as the pricing comes down and the devices become more accessible.

Portmanwho: Custumors

The word I created is "Custumors."  I used this to describe customers I consider "malignant," in that they seem to always cause problems, seem to never go away, and aren't worth the cost of dealing with.

Since I work in a retail environment, the term was instantly relatable to all of my coworkers, and they found it useful in describing certain customers.

Reading Reflection No. 1

The book I read was Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson.

The thing I found most surprising about Steve Jobs was how deplorable his hygiene actually was.  He was often described as having horrible body odor, due to his delusions regarding diet and hygiene, and he would walk around unbathed, barefoot and without deodorant.

What I admired most was his absolute dedication to have the highest quality product without compromises.  Nothing was ever "good enough" if it could actually be better.

What I admired least was his callousness towards everyone around him, even his own children.  He seemed to usually view people in terms of how useful or not they were to him, and if you fell on the wrong side of that line you barely registered at all.

Steve Jobs did encounter a great deal of diversity and failure, including being forced out of Apple a decade after creating it.  His response was to sulk for awhile, but ultimately he held on to the same passions that drove him, and just found a new direction to aim them in.  He started a new company, and also bought Pixar, and led them with the same principles he'd always believed in.

Steve Jobs was very competent at dealing with people and manipulating them in directions that would be favorable towards himself.  He had very high ambition, and good business acumen.  His eye for detail and ability to understand the unmet needs of people were uncanny.

If I were able to ask him two questions today: "How does Apple compare now to the vision you had for it when you stepped down in 2011?"  and "Are there any decisions where you wish you'd been less driven by ambition?"

Steve Jobs was definitely a believer in hard work, and worked himself sick on many occasions.

Idea Napkin No. 1

1. Me:

I've worked in retail for 10 years, in many aspects of the business including sales, management and operations.  I have a passion for technology and innovation, and want to be able to share and spread this enthusiasm with the wider public.

2. What I'm offering:

For the public, I'm offering access to, and experience with, new technological innovations.  For business, I'm offering access to customers, and an environment facilitating their development of new products.

3. Who I'm offering this to:

Target audiences will initially be middle to upper class, young to middle aged.  Over time, this demographic will broaden as the technology becomes more widely available and lower in cost.  

4. Why they care:

People are always curious about the newest technologies, and most want to at least experience something they've heard about, even if they aren't interested in purchasing.  Achieving that initial interest is the first step, and once you have the customer actually trying out a product it becomes much easier to convince them of the actual utility.  Much of this utility will be unfolding over the next several years, due to how new the technology currently is.

5.  Core competencies:

Passion for the product, experience in retail, sales and customer service, technical knowledge, the ability to demo products for customers before sale.

I haven't previously experienced any business providing exactly the model I have in mind, so there certainly will be great difficulty in figuring out all of the logistics and details.  People are always interested in new technology, but they are also often wary of it, and may have to be won over.  The cost of entry is currently quite high, and the technology is still very much in the luxury category, so initial customer base is low, and will have to build over time.

Elevator Pitch No. 1

Tweaking the Innovation

Tangible: Day passes will be simple paper tickets, will also come with brochures detailing aspects of VR and options for purchasing equipment.  Memberships will include durable plastic membership cards.

Office spaces will be rented out to companies working on VR.

The store will sell physical equipment including various VR Headsets, pre-built computers and computer components for DIY builders, various peripherals begin developed to compliment VR experiences, and packaged download codes for software.


Benefits:  Day passes will be cheap options allowing easy means for people to experience VR for the first time, or experience something new being showcased in the showroom.  Membership passes will be more expensive, but allow for unlimited access to the ever-changing experiences on display.

Various big name publishers and equipment manufacturers will be able to promote new products in the showroom in order to increase their exposure and boost sales.

Companies will be able to rent office space in order to be in a collaborative and innovation focused setting, with dedicated showroom space to demo whatever they're working on, also giving them access to customers who will be able to give them direct feedback to improve their products.

The store will contain knowledgable staff able to answer technical questions and offer advice to customers interested in the technology, and a variety of products will be on sale offering prebuilt solutions and individual components for the more technically savvy customers interested in DIY.



Augmentation:  The store will also contain a service department able to assist with technical problems customers experience, and will also offer in-home installation of VR equipment.  Customers will also be able to try equipment prior to purchase.

My Solution

Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to complete the previous two exercises so I'll just be writing about my idea.

The Problem:  The success of new Augmented and Virtual Reality hardware and software is extremely dependent on market development, but with cost being a high barrier to entry, most people will remain without any exposure to these systems and the market will struggle to expand.

My solution: Create an innovation hub, of sorts, which will bring together various companies and technologies on this industry.  The hub will be located in a major metropolitan area, and will contain both work spaces for companies, and showrooms open to the public for easy demonstrations of both existing and in-development software and hardware.  This will raise awareness and increase exposure to the technology, and also provide avenues for companies to beta test their in-development products and receive real time feedback from a large number of customers.

Looking for Opportunity

1: Regulation:  Increasing legalization of Marijuana

Information regarding this issue is widely available through any news source.  Anytime a product moves from being illegal to legal there is going to be massive opportunities throughout the supply chain and in adjacent industries.  The prototypical customers are numerous and diverse.  The opportunities are not without complications, due to differences among states and the continued illegality on the Federal level, but for those located in the right markets the opportunities can be relatively easy to exploit.

My wife's parents recently moved from Germany to Colorado, and have become increasingly interested in getting involved with the marijuana industry.  I also worked with a woman who went on to co-found the organization Women Grow, which is the largest collective of female marijuana growers and promoters in the world, so I've witnessed the tremendous potential of entering this industry.


2. Trend:  Massive, increasing investment in VR



According to TechCrunch, more than $1.1 billion was invested in Virtual and Augmented Reality technology in the first 2 months on 2016 alone.  Reports even indicate Apple might be developing its own entrant into the field, which would greatly bolster an industry which already includes the likes of Google, Microsoft, FaceBook, Samsung, Sony and HTC.  The available opportunities exist not only for the produces of hardware, but also for developers, film and music producers, writers, manufacturing, government/military applications, and numerous industries that are likely to begin incorporating this technology into their fields and future plans.  Exploiting these opportunities with require a certain level of technological sophistication, but for people possessing these skills the number of opportunities available is vast.

I've had a lifelong interest in technology, electronics and the video game industry, so the resurgence of VR/AR recently has long been on my radar, and I've watched the process unfolding.


3.  Regulation:  EU to Make Publicly Funded Scientific Research findings Publicly Available

In an article from Engadget, the author discuses a recent decision by the European Union to make a majority of research papers and scientific data, which have been either partially or fully funded through public money, freely available to the public.  This greatly levels the playing field in many industries, where previously larger companies had greater access to expensive information regarding scientific advances, social and demographics data, etc...  This can be readily useful to people of any field or industry, and will be incredibly easy to exploit.

I subscribe and keep up with many scientific journals, so the prospect of having easier access to this information is very exciting to me.


4.  Trend:  Revolt Against the Open office Environment

NPR recently profiled a trend that has been occurring in which office workers are rejecting the open office format, and seeking a return to walls and private spaces.  Ultimately the trend is becoming towards more varied office environments, in which open and communal spaces are interspersed with private areas where workers can experience a more secluded, quiet space.  I believe this provides a great opportunity for office planners, as the increasing prominence of a new office format will lead to increasing interest from businesses looking for experts in layout and design of their office spaces.  The typical customers will be businesses with a significant number of office workers and dedicated office space.  As the trend is still in it's early stages, it's easily exploitable by anybody with experience of knowledge of the industry.

I work in an office, and have experienced a strong need to seclude myself during certain projects, but have also experienced a strong disconnect from my coworkers when I lacked the option of working alongside them.

Identifying Local Opportunites

With Gym Still Closed, Local Climber Left Hanging

In December 2015, the owners of the Gainesville Rock Gym were forced to close after discovering critical flaws in the building's foundation.  Their insurance company has still given no word on whether they will cover the cost of repairs, or opt to just cut a check for the value of the building and walk away.

In the meantime, the community of rock climbers that has developed in Gainesville is left without a dedicated climbing facility, and there's no word on when or even if this gap will be filled anytime soon.

County to Consider Fixes to Funding for Arts Groups

Disputes have arisen between local artists, the Tourist Development Council, and other local organizations regarding issues of funding allocation and autonomy.  A change in the system used to award money to artists and groups had led to a funding surplus of nearly $179,000, of which more than $100,000 was allocated to pay for international artists to create murals in downtown Gainesville.

Local artists have taken issue not just with the project itself, but the lack of opportunity for the local artists to have access to these funds.  Since the change in how funds are allocated, many artists and organizations are now finding themselves underfunded, and struggling to get by.  Local artists also seem to lack a strong voice in the decision making process, which tends to be handled at the county level.

ASO: Another Skimmer Found at Gas Station Near I-75

Skimming is a means by which criminals are able to obtain a person's credit or debit card information by acquiring the data when a card in run through a card reader controlled by the criminal.  These devices are often placed on pumps at gas stations, and while attempts have been made to make skimmers easier to detect, the systems in place are woefully inadequate.

When gas stations are found to be unsafe, it hurts their image and can lower sales.  Additionally, customers are at great financial risk when their data is stolen, and are in need of better solutions for preventing these breaches.

Trees Down, Power Down after Storm Blows Through

A storm caused power outages for 4,000 Gainesville residents, many of them being without power for most of the day.  The outages were caused by trees falling onto power lines.

Above ground power lines offer significant vulnerabilities, particularly in areas with many trees and high likelihood of storms, i.e. Central Florida.  This causes problem for citizens, local governments, and local utility companies alike.

No Buyers on Horizon, Owners to Develop Newberry Road Site

Parkwood Alachua Land Investments has been struggling since 2014 to sell a 31-acre property approved for traditional neighborhood development.  This type of development requires the incorporation of commercial and residential sites into a neighborhood, and can complicate the development process by requiring differently specialized developers to coordinate on plans.  After failing to sell the property for two years, despite substantial price drops, the owner is going to begin development themselves.

Those in need of housing are currently hurt by the two year delay on this development, and the owner is holding a large piece of land from which they definitely need to recoup their investment.  This may depress prices and lead to opportunities for business owners once the commercial properties have been developed.

Working at a startup

I've been working at a small business specializing in Apple products for the past five years, and have been fortunate enough to not only witness, but also contribute to, the growth and success of this company.  I work directly alongside the owner: an entrepreneur who started his first company at the age of 18, and has always been determined to be his own boss.

He's now 34, and started this company at the end of 2010.  I began working there the following summer, and there's been a very close group of us who've been around ever since.  We've each taken on greater responsibilities as the size of the company has grown, and we've been able to rely on each other to get things done.  It's allowed me to see how critical it is to find the right people to sustain a company longterm, and weather the good times with the bad.

My time at this company is drawing to a close, as I move on to a new chapter in my life.  I know I'm going to miss it greatly, and hope to always retain the invaluable lessons I've learned as I move on to new projects.

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