14A – Halfway Reflection

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

I think a behavior one has to develop is the development of a mindset that the outcome/future is positive/successful, given one sets goals and stays on top of things on the daily. Have goals in mind, but manage your assignments, do your work, don't procrastinate, etc. Another behavior I've developed, being an online student, is time management. To complete assignments for various classes, while managing a 9 to 5 job, a social life, and other responsibilities, it definitely takes organization. This organization sets you up for the future though, and once managed becomes a positive aspect of your life. 

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?

I never felt like giving up, but definitely felt infuriated at myself for not managing my time and responsibilities effectively, and as a result missing assignment dates. When you're not able to make assignments, you lose points, you lose points, your grade goes down, your grade goes down, you get pissed. You just have to keep going, and make the best out of the situation. Have faith that everything will fall into place. 

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' ?

1. Fostering the skills that support tenacity: Keep going, don't let failures and stressful situations kill your vibe/goals. The reality is it all falls on you, so you just have to power through at moments, even when everything just feels like it's going downhill. 

2. Developing the 'tenacious mindset'. Honestly, I'd watch Scarface a few times, read some autobiographies of important and impacting people (such as Steve Jobs), and create goals for yourself. It's all mindset, and as a friend would say "sos vos" (it's you). 

3. Ask for help, not in the sense of asking people to do assignments, but rather with time management, exploring the entrepreneur mindset, etc. 

13A – Reading Reflection No. 1

What surprised you the most?
The autobiography I read was Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, a compact autobiography that captures not only the career of Steve Jobs but also his personal life. What surprised me the most reading this text was the strong character that Jobs had. Before this book I had heard stories of him being very direct at times and frankly an asshole, but never to the extent that this book portrays him to be. I had never seen the movie, though I watched it after reading the autobiography-- but it doesn't quite portray how heavy his actions and emotions could be, and the impact it had on family and friends.

What about the entrepreneur did you most admire?
What I admired the most were the values Jobs held with respect to what a product had to be. He wasn't an engineer, this man was an artist. For him the Macintosh had to be a work of art, encasing beauty and design in all aspects-- packaging, interface, design, even the interior of the computer, something which many of the engineers would question and battle him for, due to the fact that the consumer wouldn't be able to see it. He held his values to heart so deeply that it eventually led to his downfall at Apple, when he was ousted due to his inflexibility and tenacity. While at Pixar, after the success of Toy Story, the company's IPO settled at $39, which increased his net-value at the company to $1.2B-- at an interview with the New York Times he was quoted saying, "There's no yacht in my future... I don't do this for the money". This just exemplifies how he simply pursued changing the world, and giving to the world a product that meant something.

What about the entrepreneur did you least admire?
Although in part it encases what I most admired about Steve Jobs, the inflexibility he had when it came to pursuing the beauty of his products, essentially sticking to his values, led to him to become an outright asshole in many parts of his career/life. This not only translated to coworkers, but close family and friends. He did in fact mold into a better person as his life progressed, learning from certain situations and repenting his actions-- but his tenacity and tyranny many times led him to be extremely cruel with people. Those around him either dealt with it, or cut ties completely.

Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure?
Yes, like any entrepreneur. The difference in Steve Jobs's case was that some of this adversity/failure came from something he had essentially created. Apple was his baby, and he was eventually ousted due to his persona. At NeXT, the company he started directly after being ousted from Apple, he didn't have much success due to pricing-- creating an expensive product with a target for ordinary people, with prices in the thousands. At no point did he stop or give up though, which led him to create two of the most powerful and influencing companies of our era: Apple and Pixar.

What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited?
The biggest competency that Steve Job exhibited was his vision. If you notice throughout his career, early and late, he was never really the technical brains behind his products. He was more of an "I say, you must do" type of guy. More than most these obligations he bestowed onto the people around him were thought to be impossible tasks, but he was able to motivate and convince people utilizing his "reality distortion field" and people would achieve them.

Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you?
The reading is thick, with many names that come and go-- this was probably the most confusing part of the reading for me. Steve Jobs met so many people, encountered so many important figures in his life, that it was surprising that he was even able to remember them. In every chapter of the book he's embarking new paths, new routes, meeting the corresponding leaders or prospects of these routes. The array of his connections is broad and full.

If you were able to ask questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask?
If I were to ask Steve Jobs the question, it would be what his aspirations were for the future. I'd love to have a coffee with a guy, ask him a bomb of a question, and have him speak for hours on end-- simply to see if I could get inside his mind, or maybe get a glimpse of his thought process. This guy was not only an entrepreneur, he was prophet, a visionary-- Steve Jobs essentially changed the world.

For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's was of hard work?
This is an interesting question. For Steve Jobs there were two kinds of people; geniuses and assholes. I think his idea of hard work would be how effectively you could carry out and accomplish his ideas. This was really how people won him over, and even if a great idea was presented to him, he would later present it as his own-- and I believe he really believed it was his own. So making a reality of his vision or what he proposed was his vision would be the idea of hard work for him.

12A – Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

Segment: My segment includes three prospect entrepreneurs from the Central American/ Caribbean region (as this increases my chances of having the same unmet need). All three are friends I have met from travels or school. Juan from Nicaragua, has opened a bar in Chinandega with a group of friends-- Dylan from Puerto Rico, has been creating his own craft beer with his father and sells samples here in Argentina-- Ivan from the Dominican Republic, is venturing to create an application that delivers party necessities (though it's still in development).

Interviews Info: I learned that the potential of this product is very low, stemming from the probable lack of demand, even though all three interviewees agree the targeted region is the right demographic for the same. The first factor that popped up was, "how big would this market be?", as all interviewees shared the same concern that the market would be too small for the product to have any success. The second obstacle to tackle was, "what marketing strategy would be utilized to achieve the maximum effect?". All three interviewees each separately suggested the best marketing strategy to attain maximum reach and gain recognition for the product would be to merge with a beer brand, and sell packs of these capsules along with six-packs (for example) in promotions. Apart from this, the most realistic scenario presented would be the selling of this product in small retail stores such as kiosks.
Given the nature of this product, when asked what they would do to search for a solution, there wasn't really one presented. My conclusion is that this is more of a preference than a need, the which offers little potential to the success of the product.

How I would describe this segment:
It was interesting to see how quickly my interviewees tackled the factors involved in creating this product. I believe there are many people in contemporary society that bear this entrepreneurial mindset, given the general environment in which we live in. Even though my interviewees shared a taste for the consumption of beer in the manner this product would provide, the initial feedback given wasn't so much in terms of production but chipping at "would this product work?". It was clear they were skeptical with the business idea, which I now agree with. 

11A – Idea Napkin No. 1

Who you are. What your talents are. What your skills and experiences are. Also: what are your aspirations? Specifically regarding your business concept, how do you see this business (if you were to start it) playing a role in your life?

• My name is Carlos Daireaux, I recently transferred to UF for the General Business Program as a UF Online student. I would consider myself to have a facilitation for connecting and identifying with people from a variety of cultures, given I have lived in eight countries. I have experience in the digital marketing area and human relations. The business concept proposed, which is more of a personal endeavor, is to create an additive in the form of a small capsule like product that contains a salt, lime, or the mix for beer drinkers. This business concept would play a personal role in my life, being an beer drinker. I believe it could also offer much convenience for beer drinkers with similar tastes in regions such as Central America/Caribbean, where this taste/preference is popular. 

What are you offering to customers? 

• The product offered is a capsule containing salt, lime, or the mix for regular people to purchase and add to their beer. This does not imply creating another beer and/or competing with brands-- but rather offer a convenient method of adding this additive, which is popular in certain regions of the world-- to people who have this taste preference when consuming beer. 

Who are you offering it to?

• The demographic for this product is limited. The opportunity originates from the popular preference in parts of Central America/ Caribbean for consuming beer with salt and lime. I have roots in Nicaragua and it is common for people to add a pinch of salt to their beer when consuming it, or adding a cut lime. There are many places though, where you don't have these at hand, leading to the origin of my idea. It would definitely be a small market, as many people worldwide do not consume beer this way-- though I would rather focus on adding a convenient product for delivering a better experience to people who do. 

Why do they care?

• Throughout my interviews I have noticed that the product is risky, as the only real advantage sustained in this product is the factor of convenience. Though the region where this specific consumption happens is very tourist oriented, specifically in areas such as beaches. I believe this product could work well in these micro-regions as you don't have these additives at hand. 

What are your core competencies?

• The core competencies is pretty simple, this product isn't really on the market. If it were to be produced, it would be a first of a kind. The results/success would then be either a hit or miss. It would be an interesting situation to see how it plays out. 

In addition to these five elements, please spend a paragraph evaluating whether you believe these elements fit together or whether there are aspects of your business concept that are weaker / out-of-joint with the others. 

• There are two factors which are outstandingly weaker to the others, these consist of "who are you offering it to?" and "why do they care?". In itself the demographic is regional based, and even then it's not a sure hit. I believe this is one of those products that could either be a surprising success or a miserable failure. Either way it would be interesting to see how it plays out. 

10A – Elevator Pitch No. 1

Elevator Pitch Youtube link: https://youtu.be/Ko65rTuJ3HQ

9A – Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Opportunity: Creating small bottle rim-sized capsules primarily containing salt, lime, or the mix for beer drinkers. This opportunity is regional as many people in the Latin American tropics have a taste for beer with salt and lime. 

Who: As originally anticipated when identifying this opportunity, many people do not consume beer in this manner, due to either preference or simply lack of introduction. I picked my interviewees based on their cultural backgrounds, consisting of one American, one German, an Argentine, one Costa Rican and one Nicaraguan— all beer drinkers. From personal experience, I have travelled many times to Nicaragua given my mother is from there. Beer is religiously served ice cold, and is many times accompanied by adding a little salt or lime. This is what got me set on the opportunity. In my interviews, only those from Costa Rica and Nicaragua thought this to be a great idea— while the American, German, and Argentine looked at me with speculation. A major factor in this is cultural, and also that not all types of beer tastes well with this additive (most beer in Central America is blonde). My American interviewee noted that he only drinks IPA’s, which I agree would not mix very well with salt and lime. The German and Argentine told me good beer should be consumed as it is. 

What: The conclusion of my interviews led me to think, is this really a need? Or is it capitalizing an aspect of convenience? An opportunity nevertheless, but with moderate to high risk. For those who do drink beer with salt, lime or the mix, would they go through the trouble of purchasing these capsules instead of simply adding salt themselves and cutting a lime?

Why: Those outside the regional target (Central America, Caribbean) simply do not have this taste (as to my knowledge), so the underlying cause is that they don’t have this need. 

Who is in? Beer drinkers in Central America, Caribbean who have a preference for beer with salt, lime, or the mix.	Who is out? Beer drinkers who do not have a preference for beer with additives.
What the need is? To provide convenience for beer drinkers with this preference.	What the need is not? To influence beer drinkers to adopt this preference.
Why the need exists? Cultural factors resulting in many beer drinkers having this preference.	Alternative Explanations: Cultural factors resulting in many beer drinkers not having this preference. Different types of beers that do not fit well with this additive.

The Second-Most Important Part of Entrepreneurship- 8A

• The problem I identified is the costly service of ambulances in the United States, regardless of whether one has insurance or not. Given it is not regarded as a public service, those without insurance pay thousands of dollars, while those with insurance many times have to pay a portion as their insurance does not cover the ambulance service completely. 
• To find a solution for this problem is difficult, as it implies changes that would have to go through politics and the government. The following are proposals of both governmental changes and far-fetched private services that could be offered as solutions. 
• 1. Taxes: Following the example of many countries in the EU, ambulance services could be paid for by taxes. This proposal obviously involves many changes in politics, though in my opinion is the most logical solution. If tax dollars paid for ambulance services, many US citizens would be given the appropriate immediate attention in medical emergencies that they deserve. Obviously, the ideal form of this solution would be to extend tax dollars to provide a well established public health care system, though by covering ambulance services it would already be a major step (in my opinion). 
• 2. Uber-Ambulances: This proposal would not be specifically an Uber service, but rather follow the same function. Ambulance services cost hundreds to thousands of dollars-- now imagine a private agency across the country that functioned as an ambulance service, providing on-call pick-ups with medical assistance and equipment on board, but for much lower prices. Of course, not all medical emergencies would be handled by this type of service. Citizens would have to know what medical emergencies this service could handle, etc. 
• A well established and comprehensive public health care system should be a priority in the United States, and ambulance services should be incorporated as public services. Given this service regards health, I believe it should be offered nation wide. 

7A – Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

Ambulance Service Charges/Fees in the US

• Opportunity: Citizens with and without medical emergencies have to pay costly fees for ambulances in the US given it is not regarded as a public service.
• The Who: Citizens with medical emergencies, regardless if insured or not
• The What: Medical emergencies resulting in costly ambulance fees
• The Why: Ambulance services are not considered a public service/ poorly thought-out comprehensive health care system.
• Testing the Who: I believe it is all US citizens that have this need. It is my belief that health care is a universal human right, and ambulance services should be integrated in a health care system. Whether or not a person has insurance, which is also very costly in the US compared to most nations worldwide, I believe ambulance services should be paid with tax dollars and be considered a public service.  
• Testing the What: While in California, I stepped on some glass and cut an artery, I was called an ambulance as I was losing large amounts of blood. I did not have insurance at the time, and when the medical bill came, it was roughly USD2,000 just for the ambulance. I was fortunate enough to have family members cover my bill, as I did not have the money, though I found it absurd how costly an ambulance service was. 
• Testing the Why: As arguably the most influential country in the world, it is in my opinion one of the most incomprehensible flaws the US has. One could argue that a comprehensive public health care system hasn't been developed in the US, though I'm not quite sure why it is the way it is. I am from Argentina, though I also have US citizenship. Here in Argentina we have a very comprehensive public health care system, as do many countries, Europe. In Europe for example, most ambulance services are public services, paid for by tax dollars, and one may only be charged if the service was requested inappropriately. 
• Interview #1: The first interview conducted was with a good friend of mine from Spain. This particular person was playing basketball with a scholarship at Cuesta College, the community college of San Luis Obispo, CA. He's a big guy, 6'9", and as a kid suffered from heart problems which led to surgery. Because of this, he has to be careful so as to not strain himself physically beyond his limits. During practice running laps under the summer heat, he suddenly complained about his heart and fell to the ground. An ambulance was called, and the bill came to USD3,000. He was baffled at the bill, as even with insurance it was very costly. 
• Interview #2: This interview was with an uncle of mine, who lives in the US and is not financially well off. He was suffering from heart problems as well and had suffered an incident where an ambulance is called. After covering his expenses for the ambulance bill, he was no longer in a situation where he could afford a similar service. The incident reoccured and instead of requesting an ambulance he decided to drive himself, under no appropriate conditions, to the hospital. The incident almost cost him his life. 
• Interview #3: This interviewee is my grandfather who suffers from diabetes and is now obligated to have blood dialysis twice a week. He is from Nicaragua but has moved to Florida because of the medical services/treatments offered. As a diabetic, he has many times had to request an ambulance when his blood sugar levels get either too high or too low, mostly too high as he can't get off the sweets. Given he doesn't work anymore, and lives off his savings, he remarked the ambulance services take a toll financially. He has insurance, but it doesn't completely cover the costs of ambulance services. 
• Interview #4: This interviewee is a family member who works as a nurse in South Carolina. In the interview I asked what his personal thoughts were about the costs of ambulance services, and he remarked that many patients who are not financially well-off and can't afford the best insurances have put their lives at risks for hesitating or refusing to request ambulances. He also said this is a common thing in lower income areas. 
• Interview #5: My final interviewee is my mother, who while my grandmother was sick, accompanied her on many ambulance trips. My grandmother had Medicaid insurance, regardless, she always had to pay a portion of the ambulance service as it was not covered by completely by Medicaid.

• Given your interview, what do you know about the opportunity that you didn't know before?
• Given I had a personal experience with an ambulance trip, I had spoken about this subject many times before with family members and friends who live in the United States. My findings from the interview were not completely surprising, although it was shocking to hear from my uncle (the nurse) that it is common for patients to put their lives at risk because of the financial implications that not only an ambulance trip implies, but medical services in general imply. Personally, I believe I have a predisposition of regarding the US as the most powerful nation worldwide, and it is because of this predisposition that the poor public health care system present in the US baffles me. I can safely say that Argentina, which is very far away from being a nation to exemplify, has better public health care than the US.