1. Title: Coronavirus outbreak being monitored by UF Health officials
Link: https://www.alligator.org/news/coronavirus-outbreak-being-monitored-by-uf-health-officials/article_326453ba-40d4-11ea-afec-2f079d021025.html
This story describes the need to protect students at UF against the coronavirus. It details the need to inform students of preventative methods.
UF Health officials have the problem of needing to protect UF students against the coronavirus.
2. Title: Gainesville Regional Airport reaches new heights with passenger record
Link: https://www.alligator.org/news/gainesville-regional-airport-reaches-new-heights-with-passenger-record/article_32097908-413e-11ea-8d1e-63fe0a934142.html
This story talks about the fact that Gainesville Regional Airport has been experiencing a lot more traffic lately than it has in past years.
The Gainesville Regional Airport has the need to upgrade and update its facilities to accommodate the larger amount of passengers coming through the airport.
3. Title: County commission may install cameras on I-75 to prevent speeding
Link: https://www.alligator.org/news/county-commission-may-install-cameras-on-i--to-prevent/article_60ca8a1c-3940-11ea-9518-f75f01e96b1d.html
This story discusses introducing cameras to I-75 to send drivers' speeds to their insurance companies in hopes of preventing speeding.
The Alachua County Sheriff's Office has the need to prevent speeding as much as possible.
4. Title: Local vape shops lose profits due to recent tobacco law
Link: https://www.alligator.org/news/local-vape-shops-lose-profits-due-to-recent-tobacco-law/article_6033000a-42d4-11ea-bd9f-4f3ed2b963e4.html
This story talks about how the recent law, which raises the age eligible to purchase tobacco products to 21 instead of 18, impacts local vape shops' businesses negatively.
Local vape shops have the need to increase sales to make up for the fact that they are losing profits due to the new law.
5. Title: Ranking schools doesn’t close achievement gap in Alachua County, experts say
Link: https://www.alligator.org/news/ranking-schools-doesn-t-close-achievement-gap-in-alachua-county/article_b3e65070-3e7f-11ea-85b4-9b1663b4adc5.html
This story discusses the struggles of Alachua County Schools being ranked higher. It talks about the racial and financial barriers the schools have from evolving into better schools.
The Alachua County Education Association has the need to improve the quality of schools in our county.
Friday, January 31, 2020
Forming an Opportunity Belief
1. The application/hiring process is difficult and takes a long time.
2. The need for employers is to hire employees in a fast and efficient manner. The need for employees is to get hired quickly to be able to begin making money. This need has always existed. Technology definitely moves this process along, but the process can still take weeks to months, even. I am 90% sure that this opportunity exists.
3a. My friend Kate, who has a job now.
4a. Kate agrees that this need is mostly unmet, as the hiring process can take so long. She recently received an opportunity to work in a restaurant, but it took over three months from the time she applied to the time she was officially employed. She experienced this need last semester when searching for a job because she needed an income to be able to pay her bills. She says that she doesn't experience this need often, but when it is experienced it is relatively urgent. Kate first became aware of this need when she was searching for her first job in her hometown. It took her about a month from the time she applied to the time she got hired, which she said she wishes it would've been a faster process. She says she tried addressing this need by calling the managers of companies she was applying for to make sure they know she's interested, hopefully urging them to get the hiring process started. She says that she isn't satisfied with this solution, as it often doesn't produce any results and can get tiring.
3b. My manager John, who hired me.
4b. John also agrees with me that the application and hiring process could be easier and faster. He says that he sees a lack of employees and posts job listings wherever he can, in hopes of getting as many applications in as possible. He says, though, that looking through and keeping track of these applications and deciding on who the best fit is for the position can be difficult, which results in the process taking longer. He has so many other duties as a manager that taking the time to sift through applications and deciding who the best fit is is not always a priority. John says that it takes a toll on the business because this makes the need for more employees go unmet for an even longer period of time. He does what he can and has help from other managers to hire employees, but he says he doesn't really have a great solution to his problem. He says that he has this need almost constantly.
3c. My roommate Sophia, who is currently searching for a job.
4c. Sophia also agrees that this need exists. She is currently experiencing this need, as she needs an income for her rent, but it is taking a long time for her to get hired anywhere, even though she has a lot of work experience. As of right now, Sophia says she experiences this need constantly because of how bad she needs a job. She's had the need for about a month now, which is how long she has been job-searching. She says that many companies have scheduled interviews, but they will schedule them sometimes a week in advance and then it takes even longer to receive a call informing her whether or not she is being offered the job. She is addressing this need the same way Kate did, by calling the companies to ask if they were interested in her and to make sure they have checked out her application. She's not satisfied with this solution either, because she still doesn't have a job.
5. I think that I learned the most from my interview with John, as I have never been on that side of this problem. I have been a potential employee needing to be hired, but I have never been an employer needing to hire employees. I didn't realize how hard the process is for him and how much it affects the business. I learned that almost everyone has probably experienced this need whether they need a job or need to find someone to fill a position at a business.
7. I believe that my opportunity is very much still there; I learned that all three of the people I interviewed have experienced this need. I think that the potential for meeting this need more is there, as well. I also believe that my opportunity is more accurate than when I started, because now I know why exactly this need exists in the first place. Entrepreneurs should adapt their opportunities based on their customers' feedback. After all, we are solving their problems and providing them with a solution, so we should include them in adapting the opportunity.
2. The need for employers is to hire employees in a fast and efficient manner. The need for employees is to get hired quickly to be able to begin making money. This need has always existed. Technology definitely moves this process along, but the process can still take weeks to months, even. I am 90% sure that this opportunity exists.
3a. My friend Kate, who has a job now.
4a. Kate agrees that this need is mostly unmet, as the hiring process can take so long. She recently received an opportunity to work in a restaurant, but it took over three months from the time she applied to the time she was officially employed. She experienced this need last semester when searching for a job because she needed an income to be able to pay her bills. She says that she doesn't experience this need often, but when it is experienced it is relatively urgent. Kate first became aware of this need when she was searching for her first job in her hometown. It took her about a month from the time she applied to the time she got hired, which she said she wishes it would've been a faster process. She says she tried addressing this need by calling the managers of companies she was applying for to make sure they know she's interested, hopefully urging them to get the hiring process started. She says that she isn't satisfied with this solution, as it often doesn't produce any results and can get tiring.
3b. My manager John, who hired me.
4b. John also agrees with me that the application and hiring process could be easier and faster. He says that he sees a lack of employees and posts job listings wherever he can, in hopes of getting as many applications in as possible. He says, though, that looking through and keeping track of these applications and deciding on who the best fit is for the position can be difficult, which results in the process taking longer. He has so many other duties as a manager that taking the time to sift through applications and deciding who the best fit is is not always a priority. John says that it takes a toll on the business because this makes the need for more employees go unmet for an even longer period of time. He does what he can and has help from other managers to hire employees, but he says he doesn't really have a great solution to his problem. He says that he has this need almost constantly.
3c. My roommate Sophia, who is currently searching for a job.
4c. Sophia also agrees that this need exists. She is currently experiencing this need, as she needs an income for her rent, but it is taking a long time for her to get hired anywhere, even though she has a lot of work experience. As of right now, Sophia says she experiences this need constantly because of how bad she needs a job. She's had the need for about a month now, which is how long she has been job-searching. She says that many companies have scheduled interviews, but they will schedule them sometimes a week in advance and then it takes even longer to receive a call informing her whether or not she is being offered the job. She is addressing this need the same way Kate did, by calling the companies to ask if they were interested in her and to make sure they have checked out her application. She's not satisfied with this solution either, because she still doesn't have a job.
5. I think that I learned the most from my interview with John, as I have never been on that side of this problem. I have been a potential employee needing to be hired, but I have never been an employer needing to hire employees. I didn't realize how hard the process is for him and how much it affects the business. I learned that almost everyone has probably experienced this need whether they need a job or need to find someone to fill a position at a business.
7. I believe that my opportunity is very much still there; I learned that all three of the people I interviewed have experienced this need. I think that the potential for meeting this need more is there, as well. I also believe that my opportunity is more accurate than when I started, because now I know why exactly this need exists in the first place. Entrepreneurs should adapt their opportunities based on their customers' feedback. After all, we are solving their problems and providing them with a solution, so we should include them in adapting the opportunity.
My Entrepreneurship Story
My Entrepreneurship Story
When I was a freshman in high school, I chose a Journalism class to be on my schedule. I didn’t know that meant I was going to be on my school’s newspaper staff, but that’s what it was. It was the first year that the newspaper at my school had been printed in a decade, so they were starting very fresh. To my surprise, I was chosen to be the Editor-in-Chief. This meant I had to oversee all of the columns, edit every story, figure out the logistics with printing the physical paper, and find sponsors to buy ads to go in our paper. It was difficult considering I was 14 and this is not what I had asked for, but somehow I really enjoyed it. I would make sure that everyone was assigned a story and that the ideas for them were appropriate and that they were actually good ideas. I would spend hours editing every story for grammar and removing irrelevant bits, turning it into a news-style story. I would work with my teacher on the printing website, figuring out the layout of our paper. I would call up companies and ask around to see if anyone knew any business owners so that I could meet the quota for ads for our newspaper, so that we could actually fund it. I really enjoyed my time on the newspaper staff, and it definitely inspired me to do more projects in the future that I wouldn’t normally do. The photo I attached is from when our local newspaper wrote a story on our school newspaper.
Friday, January 24, 2020
The Bug List
Bug #1:
I walk to campus, and on my way there I have to cross 13th. It takes so long for the light to change to be able to cross, it often makes me late to class.
Why does this bug exist?
There is a lot of traffic during the times I walk to class, so there needs to be more time for the cars to be able to go through the intersection.
Bug #2:
The application/hiring process takes so long.
Why does this bug exist?
The employer needs time to be able to review the application and schedule an interview to get to know the potential employee.
Bug #3:
You have to pay shipping costs when ordering something online.
Why does this bug exist?
It takes time and effort to package, ship, and deliver a product to a consumer, so the people who do so need to be compensated for that time and effort.
Bug #4:
The air conditioning/heater isn't effective in the upstairs of my apartment.
Why does this bug exist?
The vents downstairs are much more powerful.
Bug #5:
McDonald's prices have raised so much that I now have to pay upwards of $8.00 for a Big Mac Meal.
Why does this bug exist?
McDonald's knows that the demand for their food will be there, even when the prices go up; they want to make more money.
Bug #6:
There are constant ads on YouTube videos that I watch, interrupting the video right in the middle of it.
Why does this bug exist?
YouTube needs to make money to run its platform by displaying ads on it.
Bug #7:
My "LifeProof" phone case broke after about 6 months of owning it.
Why does this bug exist?
The phone case is made out of plastic, so it's not the most durable thing in the world.
Bug #8:
Half of the weekly 2-hour showing of The Bachelor on ABC is commercials.
Why does this bug exist?
The Bachelor is a huge production, so it needs to be funded by commercial earnings.
Bug #9:
In my Music Theory class, homework is due in person in my professor's box in the office on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, even though we only have class on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Why does this bug exist?
We have a lot of material to get through, and a lot of homework to get through, so assigning homework four times a week evens out the workload.
Bug #10:
I have to print out the assignment and do it on paper for every time we are assigned homework in Music Theory.
Why does this bug exist?
It's difficult to do Music Theory work online, and my professor isn't fond of all our methods of education being online.
Bug #11:
A lot of nightclubs in Gainesville are 21+, and I'm 20 so I can't go to them.
Why does this bug exist?
The nightclubs don't want to be responsible for underage drinking and providing alcohol to minors.
Bug #12:
I have a class on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, which I don't like because I like to have Fridays off and all of my other MW classes are just on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Why does this bug exist?
The class has too much material to have two classes a week, so we have class three times a week to be able to get through all the material by the end of the semester.
Bug #13:
You have to pay for each page when printing in the library.
Why does this bug exist?
Printer ink is expensive, and if UF let printing be free it would be a huge expense to the school.
Bug #14:
The gate code to my apartment building has been the same since I moved in last August and it makes me feel unsafe because I feel like all of Gainesville knows it now.
Why does this bug exist?
Communicating to all the residents that the gate code is changing would be a hassle, and if someone living there didn't get the memo they would be stuck outside, so it's easier to just keep the code the same.
Bug #15:
The music building has a sort of open-air architecture to it, so when it's hot outside it's really hot inside, and when it's cold outside it's freezing inside.
Why does this bug exist?
The architect thought the building would have a cool look and feel if it was open.
Bug #16:
Gas is so expensive to buy.
Why does this bug exist?
Gas is expensive to produce and make available for purchase, so it has to have a higher price to make a profit.
Bug #17:
My apartment building is constructed around a courtyard with a pool in it, and since I live on the courtyard side of my apartment, I can hear when people are outside screaming/making noise in the middle of the night.
Why does this bug exist?
The design of the apartment building and courtyard looks very cool and appeals to potential renters.
Bug #18:
Because I was in marching band last semester, me along with all of the other marching band members are required to play with the band in the stands at the Orange and Blue game in April, even though we're technically not in the class this semester.
Why does this bug exist?
If playing at the game was voluntary, no one would end up showing up to play, and they need a big group to play.
Bug #19:
My computer doesn't stay charged very long.
Why does this bug exist?
Because I've had my computer for about six years, the battery is deteriorating a bit.
Bug #20:
Uber rides are most expensive when you most need them.
Why does this bug exist?
Uber as a company knows that during peak times the demand for Uber rides is high, so they charge a higher price because they know people will pay that higher price and they will make more money.
Reflection:
In writing this list, many challenges came up. I know that I get annoyed by a lot of things, but I guess that I do not dwell on these annoyances for long enough to make a lasting impression in my mind. All of the above are things that annoy me every day, but I don't stress over them very much. I really had to go through my day to be able to think of things in different locations that really bother me. I think that the reason I don't dwell on these bugs much at all is because I know that there is not much I am willing to do to make a change to them. I don't think of the reasons behind why these bugs exist, because they don't bother me enough to care why they exist, or even realize outside of when I'm experiencing them that I even experience them at all.
I walk to campus, and on my way there I have to cross 13th. It takes so long for the light to change to be able to cross, it often makes me late to class.
Why does this bug exist?
There is a lot of traffic during the times I walk to class, so there needs to be more time for the cars to be able to go through the intersection.
Bug #2:
The application/hiring process takes so long.
Why does this bug exist?
The employer needs time to be able to review the application and schedule an interview to get to know the potential employee.
Bug #3:
You have to pay shipping costs when ordering something online.
Why does this bug exist?
It takes time and effort to package, ship, and deliver a product to a consumer, so the people who do so need to be compensated for that time and effort.
Bug #4:
The air conditioning/heater isn't effective in the upstairs of my apartment.
Why does this bug exist?
The vents downstairs are much more powerful.
Bug #5:
McDonald's prices have raised so much that I now have to pay upwards of $8.00 for a Big Mac Meal.
Why does this bug exist?
McDonald's knows that the demand for their food will be there, even when the prices go up; they want to make more money.
Bug #6:
There are constant ads on YouTube videos that I watch, interrupting the video right in the middle of it.
Why does this bug exist?
YouTube needs to make money to run its platform by displaying ads on it.
Bug #7:
My "LifeProof" phone case broke after about 6 months of owning it.
Why does this bug exist?
The phone case is made out of plastic, so it's not the most durable thing in the world.
Bug #8:
Half of the weekly 2-hour showing of The Bachelor on ABC is commercials.
Why does this bug exist?
The Bachelor is a huge production, so it needs to be funded by commercial earnings.
Bug #9:
In my Music Theory class, homework is due in person in my professor's box in the office on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, even though we only have class on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Why does this bug exist?
We have a lot of material to get through, and a lot of homework to get through, so assigning homework four times a week evens out the workload.
Bug #10:
I have to print out the assignment and do it on paper for every time we are assigned homework in Music Theory.
Why does this bug exist?
It's difficult to do Music Theory work online, and my professor isn't fond of all our methods of education being online.
Bug #11:
A lot of nightclubs in Gainesville are 21+, and I'm 20 so I can't go to them.
Why does this bug exist?
The nightclubs don't want to be responsible for underage drinking and providing alcohol to minors.
Bug #12:
I have a class on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, which I don't like because I like to have Fridays off and all of my other MW classes are just on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Why does this bug exist?
The class has too much material to have two classes a week, so we have class three times a week to be able to get through all the material by the end of the semester.
Bug #13:
You have to pay for each page when printing in the library.
Why does this bug exist?
Printer ink is expensive, and if UF let printing be free it would be a huge expense to the school.
Bug #14:
The gate code to my apartment building has been the same since I moved in last August and it makes me feel unsafe because I feel like all of Gainesville knows it now.
Why does this bug exist?
Communicating to all the residents that the gate code is changing would be a hassle, and if someone living there didn't get the memo they would be stuck outside, so it's easier to just keep the code the same.
Bug #15:
The music building has a sort of open-air architecture to it, so when it's hot outside it's really hot inside, and when it's cold outside it's freezing inside.
Why does this bug exist?
The architect thought the building would have a cool look and feel if it was open.
Bug #16:
Gas is so expensive to buy.
Why does this bug exist?
Gas is expensive to produce and make available for purchase, so it has to have a higher price to make a profit.
Bug #17:
My apartment building is constructed around a courtyard with a pool in it, and since I live on the courtyard side of my apartment, I can hear when people are outside screaming/making noise in the middle of the night.
Why does this bug exist?
The design of the apartment building and courtyard looks very cool and appeals to potential renters.
Bug #18:
Because I was in marching band last semester, me along with all of the other marching band members are required to play with the band in the stands at the Orange and Blue game in April, even though we're technically not in the class this semester.
Why does this bug exist?
If playing at the game was voluntary, no one would end up showing up to play, and they need a big group to play.
Bug #19:
My computer doesn't stay charged very long.
Why does this bug exist?
Because I've had my computer for about six years, the battery is deteriorating a bit.
Bug #20:
Uber rides are most expensive when you most need them.
Why does this bug exist?
Uber as a company knows that during peak times the demand for Uber rides is high, so they charge a higher price because they know people will pay that higher price and they will make more money.
Reflection:
In writing this list, many challenges came up. I know that I get annoyed by a lot of things, but I guess that I do not dwell on these annoyances for long enough to make a lasting impression in my mind. All of the above are things that annoy me every day, but I don't stress over them very much. I really had to go through my day to be able to think of things in different locations that really bother me. I think that the reason I don't dwell on these bugs much at all is because I know that there is not much I am willing to do to make a change to them. I don't think of the reasons behind why these bugs exist, because they don't bother me enough to care why they exist, or even realize outside of when I'm experiencing them that I even experience them at all.
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Grounghog Day is Coming
Groundhog day is my favorite holiday. I'm so excited to watch Punxatawney Phil make his winter prediction.
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