Halfway Reflection -- 14A

1) This course can be tricky at times, as you can set your own pace and work on your own schedule. This is something I definitely had to adapt to and adjust my behaviors for the course accordingly in order to not only meet the requirements of the course, but also feel like I was making substantial strides in the assignments I was completing each week, as they all lead into the next week and are constantly building onto each other. With this, I had to train my brain to think outside the box for these assignments, considering different angles before I just wrote my obvious answer to whatever assignment we had for the week. In addition, I also feel as though I had to establish a higher level of consistency week-to-week in order to maintain the quality of work and not be over my head in the assignments.

2) I've definitely had a moment or two throughout the semester where I felt like I was drowning in the concepts of this course or like I wanted to give up. Particularly during the early stages, I felt like I really didn't know enough about entrepreneurship to be developing ideas, which showed in my output of work. This was a hard mental block to overcome in order to get into the headspace where I could produce a quality idea and run with it. I definitely feel like I have become more tenacious as the semester progresses in that I feel like I have had to take on tasks differently than I have in the past for this course, which was frustrating at first but now just feels natural as I challenge myself to move past  roadblocks and really challenge myself to produce something I am proud of.

3) My first tip to future students is to really hone and commit to a business idea or opportunity that you think can go the distance early on, so you can really focus and grow the idea as much as possible throughout the semester.

Second, I would preview and plan assignments ahead so as to have time to develop and understand what is expected and have enough time to accomplish the tasks, such as the interviewing part of certain assignments.

Lastly, I would recommend to new students to always read the peer reviews being left on your post, as this will provide insight, suggestions and feedback that will only help to make you and your ideas better!

Reading Reflection No. 1 -- 13A

The book I chose to read and reflect on was Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Isaacson's biographical novel on Jobs was built upon over 40 interviews with Jobs over the last few years of his life. This gave Isaacson ample material to write the biography. While I know of Steve Jobs generally in terms of his role in the domination of Apple and it's rise in the technological world, I did not know much about his life and experiences prior to reading this novel.

One thing, of many, that I found interesting was how quickly the very first Apple product became profitable. Jobs and Steve Wozniak's first foray into Apple technology was the instant success because they used their entrepreneurial instincts to seek out a gap in the consumer market and create a product that birthed the modern computer. While I see the opportunity for obvious success of the Apple I computer at that time, I am not as surprised at the profitability but at the fact that on the very first venture of Apple, it was a success, considering most entrepreneurs have to try, try, try again to identify a market and problem, perfect an idea and actually make a profit.

I think the thing I most admired about Jobs throughout the book is his drive and ambition to keep creating and updating, constantly wanting all Apple products to be the absolute best in the field, no matter what it took.

By contrast, I least admired the accounts of how Jobs treated employees as described in the book. For  example, he frequently berated employees who presented ideas writing them off as bad ideas only to later present them as his own, taking credit and further deepening the apparent disconnect in my opinion between Jobs and his employees.

Steve Jobs definitely faced adversity and failure during his career, even though he also earned massive success. I think one of his earliest obstacles he needed to overcome was when he realized he no longer was benefitting or wanting to attend college in efforts to earn a degree. Thus, he dropped out and was challenged to use his ambitious and aggressive attitude toward life to kickstart something to earn him money and self-fulfilment. In addition, the massive company he founded essentially kicked him out of the company, until he later rejoined after rocky relationships with Apple, pulling the company out of its indisputable downward spiral at that time, and kickstarting it again into the empire that it is today.

I think one of Jobs' greatest competencies was his ambitious spirit and go-getter drive to achieve a perfect product. It could be his greatest asset at times, but also a deterrent, however in the end it helped him build the enormity of what we know as Apple today. This is introduced in the novel as the 'reality distortion field' a term coined by Bud Tribble, and means that Jobs with his spirit and driven nature could convince almost anyone of anything, especially regarding the quality Apple products. He also was a mastermind in knowing a good opportunity when he sees one, able to recognize ideas, open gaps in a market, and target niches, taking these ideas with a lot of potential and the having the ability to bring them to fruition. All of these are key aspects to being a powerhouse entrepreneur, which he was to his very core.

One part of the reading that was confusing to me and a bit hard to follow was the back and forth of Jobs' history with Apple, from founding it, to getting kicked out of the company, to working on other projects outside of Apple when he hadn't quite left it yet, to being brought back when the company was failing. In all, it is just a bit confusing because from the outside, Jobs has always appeared as the face of Apple but there were times when he wasn't even involved with the company at all, which in interesting.

If I could ask Steve Jobs any two questions I would ask:
1. Looking back at your life, would you want to go back and change anything, do something over or take back a certain decision?
2. What do you think contributed most to your success?

I think Jobs' opinion on hard work is that it is worth it in the long run, and it will drive you to accomplish great things. Jobs' also probably saw it as a necessary and crucial component to the success he achieved throughout his life. I agree with this wholeheartedly, as I was constantly raised and reminded to view hard work as an essential skill of life. In addition, I agree that it will motivate you to reach your goals as the hard work you put in is going to yield the results you desire.

Figuring out Buyer Behavior No. 1 -- 12A

1) The segment I chose was women, as this is the targeted audience and majority of who I think my business idea of a facial-only business would apply most to, without restrictions of age.

2) For this assignment, I have decided to interview three women currently living in Gainesville. I decided to interview three different age ranges, one is an 18-year-old high school student, another a college junior at UF, and the third woman is a 35-year-old mother who works a full time job.

3) The need is definitely apparent, as indicated by each female I spoke with. All of them recognized the gap in the market of speedy spa-related services, as there are not businesses dedicated solely to one service. They expressed that while they do value skincare and are always wishing they could head in for facials periodically, their schedules and wallets do not always allow for that. My interviewees agreed that certain times could present more of a need, for example before a big event they are attending or if they've had a rather bad day or week and just want to treat themselves on the spot.

4) My interviewees collectively said the first thing they do when wanting to potentially schedule a spa service like a facial is consult Google to find businesses offering the service and further look into pricing, appointments, reviews, etc. The high school student and college junior both acknowledged that they also look to social media, such as Instagram or even Yelp after recognizing their need and seeking out a solution, while the 35-year-old mother consulted websites of the spas and occasionally consulting local friends or Facebook.

5) Through my interviews with these women, I learned that there is definitely an unmet need as they all expressed wanting to get a facial or other spa-related service at some point and backed out due to accessibility, scheduling or pricing issues. The convenience of my proposed facial bar gained interest from each woman as they liked the idea of being able to walk-in and have a target, customizable service performed speedily. The high school student and college junior also really resonated with the comparison to the Dry Bar, as they had both been aware of that business and the experiential factor  (the Instagram-ability of it) and would jump at the chance to use the service should it be available in Gainesville, even as a once-in-a-while treat to themselves as opposed to coming on a consistent basis when on a budget.

6) This segment was really helpful as the interviews I conducted within it helped me to see where I get more traction from women age-wise.  It also helped to solidify that I am targeting my business correctly in terms of how it could be branded as an experience with trendiness which capitalizes on the 'fad'-like attraction for customers to certain ideas. I definitely think this segment has an opening for a facial bar in the market of the purchase of pampering services.

Idea Napkin No. 1 -- 11A

1) As someone who identifies as a creative with an affinity and keenness for communications, I think this is wildly influential over not only who I am, but also my current and future aspirations as well as which of my experiences I place the most value on. In terms of skills besides being a strong communicator with my background in journalism, I also am fascinated with the elements of branding whether it be design, concept, or marketing a business to a target audience through extensive branding, social media and aesthetics. Through my background in journalism, I have explored varying levels and fields of graphic design, which definitely would come in hand in my proposed business idea of an aesthetically driven facial spa, marketed toward the experience value in everything from the services and products offered to the interior and exterior layouts, etc to make the facial-only spa stand out from similar competitors. I think should I really launch this business, it could potentially become a huge part of my life, as most business owners can attest to. I see there being loads of opportunities along with the actual business as I could sell certain products with services, host events, promotions or create other opportunities to customize the experience and potentially increase profit and awareness of the business.

2) I am capitalizing on the unmet need of the majority of women's desire to maintain a skin care regimen with a professional but not have to go through the hoops and scheduling of booking with a full-fledged spa. My facial business would be more of an experience that caters solely to your skin, customizing facials for a speedy, but effective service that promotes the luxury and experience of a spa but does not have the time commitment or hefty price tag of a spa service.

3) As I mentioned, I feel as though much of my targeted demographic would be women seeking out facial services that want to feel pampered but might not necessarily have all the time in the world to head to a spa. Comparing my business idea to that of the Dry Bar, which also targets solely women and offers hair blow-out and styling services only, I would capitalize on the "experience" factor women seek out and care about when selecting businesses to use, especially considering the landscape we live in today, where women love to document their unique experiences via social media.

4) Again, I think customers in my targeted demographic would care about my offered service and business because it is capitalizing on a gap in the market, follows an already successful formula as documented by Dry Bar, and caters to the experience factor while not breaking the bank and becoming too much of an inconvenience in terms of time.

5) I think the idea at its root is what sets it apart from other businesses as I haven't really seen many ideas similar with the same purpose, capitalizing on an open market with slim competition and an already set-up, established demographic wanting to seek out these services, yet they are seemingly non-existent in the format I am proposing.

I do think these elements all fit together in a way that can create a functioning business that could become a trend and attract consumers to fuel the idea, especially considering there are various avenues to grow the business and generate more opportunities within. My only concern with the prospective business idea is with pricing because the business is contingent upon it as it determines how widespread our range of customers would be. If prices are too high, then customers may not feel the service is worth it, which would definitely be the downfall. However, should the element of experience exceed expectations as I hope, I think the prices would be seen as fair and valuable once a crop of customers has been established.

Elevator Pitch No. 1 -- 10A

This is my elevator pitch for my business opportunity GLOW Facial Bar.

Testing the Hypothesis Part 2 -- 9A

My opportunity and business idea lies within the open market of people who value spa services, specifically facials, but do not have enough time to settle into a spa for an extensive service. I conducted five interviews to further refine my business idea and opportunity.

Interview Summaries:

Interview #1: Male undergraduate college student

Does not feel completely in tune to the target demographic as he couldn't necessarily see himself going into a facial bar for a spa service. He stated he does not really have the need for an immediate access skin care facility.

Interview #2: Female college student who has their own esthetician

This female student has their own esthetician here in Gainesville. They are happy with the service and price given and make regular appointments bi-weekly to receive a facial. They stated they would be hesitant to leave their usual esthetician even for my idea of a more accessible facial service bar.

Interview #3: Female high school student

This interviewee likes the idea of the immediacy and experience of the potential facial bar but said she would likely not be able to justify spending her salary from her part-time job on the service. This is because she would not deem it valuable enough to her personally.

Interview #4: Mother of two kids

This mother also likes the idea in theory however she feels as though she wouldn't be able to use the business to it's fullest as she does not have enough time or feel that she could sacrifice time to play into the convenience factor of the business.

Interview #5: Male law school student

Similar to the other male I interviewed, this interviewee did not see himself coming into a facial bar as he has a simple skincare routine that works for him and does not see the need for much else in that realm. Also, money did play a factor as he has little room for surplus spending on non-priority expenditures.

Solving the Problem -- 8A

Idea: An express facial bar

Opportunity: Women in general love pampering themselves, from their nails, feet, hair, almost anything can turn into a service targeted to women. However, it can be hard to find time and access to a spa, thus the appeal of an express facial bar that offers facial services that are effective in quality yet don't waste time.

Product/Service: This facial bar would offer an experience that is customizable and specific to each customer, offering walk-ins appointments and creating a relaxing environment without committing to an expensive, drawn out spa service. To appeal to these express services, this would be comparable to the Dry Bar, an exclusive blow dry salon that offers express hair wash, blow out and styling services that creates an experience that appeals to women with a vibe of luxury that will keep them wanting to continue coming back. It combines access with glamour yet is realistic of timing and pricing to give value to the express facial.

Testing the Hypothesis -- 7A

1. Opportunity: Express facial bar/experience

2. Who: Marketed toward women of all ages

What: Capitalizes on the demand for express services in a trendy, accessible and luxurious environment creating an experience comparable to the extremely popular Dry Bar, but instead of blow outs and hair styling, it offers facial services.

Why: Most women love pampering but do not necessarily have the time for a whole facial at a full-fledged spa, thus the express element

3. Testing the who: Women would be the targeted demographic, not limited to a specific area or age, but I think men could also have the need for express facials.

Testing the what: One question to ask is, "Would people value the express facial or feel it would not be a valid service to provide and spend their money on?" This is an important question considering the fact that should potential customers not see value and worth in the service then the business idea is essentially defunct.

Testing the why: I feel as though there is an opportunity to capitalize on the demand of "express services." As a girl, I love pampering myself and when pairing the idea of glamour and luxury with access you end up with a model that has been tried and true as a hook for the female demographic.
The idea of "express services" relates back to the idea of access and pairing it with the luxury and glamour of a speedy, but effective facial could create an experience that is useful and worthy for consumers. In this age, so much of our generation makes decisions based on instant gratification and an experience factor to rave about to others, both of which I think will be touched on in this opportunity.

4. Seeing as my targeted demographic is mostly women, I decided to focus my interviews on them, however, I still asked one male what his opinion would be. Overall, the interviewees were interested in the concept of an express facial bar with a similar tone and concept to Dry Bar, though there were concerns. Interviewees 1, 3 and 4, all female college students, thought the idea was strong but their willingness to actually (in theory) go to the facial bar for a service all depended on how much the service would cost stating that the price would determine if they could spare the money on a quality service as well as how often they would be able to get the service. Additionally, interviewee 2, a female in her twenties said the idea had great potential as she was familiar with these type of express service businesses, like Dry Bar, supporting the idea of creating an overall experience that will help define the brand and business. She also voiced concerns similar to interviewees 1, 3 and 4 though about having reflective prices to make the time allotted to the facial deemed worthy of her money. Interviewee 2 did have an interesting suggestion of combining walk-in services with membership services of a flat fee for a certain amount of facials, perks, drinks, etc. at the facial bar. My only male interviewee is a college senior who has gotten facials before. While he could not personally see himself going into an express facial bar, he pointed out that many females love having spa services and having more access to them would probably increase the pool of females wanting to go to a business like this. He also pointed out that the experience side of social media could skyrocket this type of idea, capitalizing on the uniqueness of doing something others could see as "exclusive."

5. After conducting interviews and working through the who, what, why specifics of this opportunity and business idea, I definitely see more potential in an express facial bar than I did prior. The feedback from the interviews really made my thought process dart toward how crucial pricing is and got me to wonder how I could concoct a menu of prices for the services of the facial bar that is both profitable but also deemed appropriate for the customers. This could be one of the biggest challenged of any business really as the pricing really dictates consumership. Each of my interviewees also alluded to the fact that it could be limiting to only target women but that it would be the most obvious and attainable demographic to market toward, given the obvious that men typically do not frequent spas, though I would not rule them out of my demographic completely and perhaps specials for couples or males-only could widen my target audience. To conclude, this activity and my interviews gave me a lot of insight and inspiration for my opportunity and potential business idea, highlighting holes in the concept as well as noting the hole in the market for what could be an express facial bar.