Reading Reflection No. 3

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big

By : Scott Adams

1. The theme is no matter how big or frequent your failures, learn from them, keep working, and good things will happen. 

2. This book encourages you to develop a system, as systems are near-flawless, when compared to plans that fall through regularly. This connects me with the work that I did on the elevator pitches, as well as the venture concepts. The book also talks about reprogramming yourself and that is something that I have certainly had to do over the course of this class. It also analyzes your failures, much like the Celebrating Your Failure exercise.

3. In the book, it discusses its Six Filters of Truth, which are multiple filters to analyze whether or not a piece of information is true. I think it would be useful to have an exercise in which you run any of the interviews that someone has did through the filters and see what they learn from them.

4. His formula, "Good + Good = Excellent" struck me. I have often told me that I know a little about a lot and it helps with finding common ground in a situation. This formula is very similar, as it basically indicates that cultivating multiple skills makes you a much more accomplished human being and that having a wide range of skills will benefit you in life. This theory is something that I actually practice on a daily basis and I thought that it was pretty interesting. I also found it interesting that the author, who created the Dilbert series, does not consider himself to be a good artist. 

My Exit Strategy

1. I intend to take this company as far as it can go.

2. I believe that this company can be a national brand in a relatively short amount of time.

3. Once I saw the demand for organic food, combined with the plummeting profits of most fast food chains, I saw the opportunity as there to take their place. I think this idea will be massive and it will just take someone to do it. Once it gets big, my plans turned to buying land to grow my own crops locally. I believe that I can also help a tremendous number of veterans lives for the better by providing them with work (farming said land), shelter, and access to the food they grow.

Making It Real

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ct7QrMUNqXvBK3Kr2iflZsaaDjEPhEu4TEXjm4RTEKU/edit

Venture Concept No. 1

Opportunity

               

                Currently, there are two restaurants (individual buildings, not chains) that classify themselves as ‘healthy fast food’ and they are both located in the Bay Area of California. Costco is giving away money to just about anyone that wants to start an organic farm to keep up with the steep increase in demand over the past several years. Our streets are lined with fast food restaurants that sell cheap, low-quality, and often genetically-modified fare and we as a society are becoming educated on the subject. Globally, sixty-eight countries have completely banned genetically-modified crops, as they are being linked by numerous establishments (including the World Health Organization) with a host of health problems, including the dramatic rise in both digestive diseases (Celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease) and cancer. Patrons of these restaurants are not being served food; they are being served food-like products that are created in laboratories for less than what it costs to create the same product from real food. Is it that difficult to imagine that, during the rise of Monsanto GMO crops in the past thirty years, the ‘food’ that we are eating is the problem? This class has focused us on a target demographic for our product or business and I chose the young family with kids on the go or the student. These two made the most sense, as they both seek quick meals that are nutritional. However, when asked who has this need for healthy, organic food and what is the nature of the need for a widespread restaurant that sells delicious, organic, and affordable food, I would happily say that the answers to those questions are EVERY LIVING PERSON and the nature of this need is simple; the market is begging for this restaurant, as over six-hundred McDonald’s will close this year alone due to plummeting profits. I believe that multiple organic fast food chains will ultimately replace McDonald’s (and similar restaurants), as fast food and drive-thrus are simply an ingrained part of our culture now. Someone is going to take this market from these staples of American society and I believe that I can be one of those people.

Innovation

               

                As a society, we have become disconnected from our food. For the majority of human existence, you ate what you could grow, find, or kill. Due to advances in both agriculture and civilization as a whole, the majority of people on this on this planet have no idea where their food is coming from. Today’s world could use a dose of the past in many different aspects of life, but our diet has to be near the top. The food we eat three times a day to nourish and sustain us has got to become a priority if we are to continue to advance as a culture. Fast food restaurants are absolutely everywhere, including multiple establishments on the campus of our school. These restaurants sell us cheap food because they created cheaply. Currently, there is no major, national chain that supplies are country with completely organic, local food that is of the highest quality possible. I plan on selling fast food that is sourced only from local and organic farmers or co-ops, as it is the only thing conscionable for me to sell to you and your families. I want to see the demand for this market to be realized and I want to aid in the long and healthy lives of my customers!

Venture Concept

                 Consumers are making their demands clear with regards to organic food over the past decade, with sales tripling from $14B in 2005 to $42B in 2014. The internet has become the most valuable source of knowledge in human history and we are utilizing this information in our everyday lives as we are driving more electric cars than ever before and more green energy is being produced than ever before. Until recently, 100% of our food was organic. Your great-grandparents knew organic food simply as food. The people of this world are unwilling to continue on in the dark and this dramatic increase in organic food demand proves this to be true. Traditional fast food will always be cheaper than what I am offering and there will likely be some residual demand for it. However, when deciding whether you would like to save a few dollars by opting non-organic, it is important to also consider what increased medical conditions will cost you in the long run. A fundamental lack of foresight has placed our civilization on the brink of collapse from debt, environmental devastation, and ongoing military conflicts. We have already started to change and the economic impact of those that want to see the world be made into a better place is being felt from Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm to Tesla Motors and I seek to join them. This business will be organized as a standard fast food chains are today; an owner, several rotating mangers, numerous dining room employees, as well as the kitchen staff. Fast food chains can have anywhere from 15-30 employees and my restaurants will be no different.

The three minor elements

                     I believe my most important resource is the combination of the market demand for restaurants like this and the continuing demise of traditional, unhealthy fast food restaurants. I think it is fairly easy to see that these restaurants are on the horizon, as restaurants that boast healthy ingredients (like Zoe’s Kitchen) have been expanding massively and will continue to do so. I think that my passion to see this idea through is also another of my strengths. 

                    Once a proof-of-concept around this business model is established, I want to expand my ability to aid others by involving a major non-profit to assist me in helping homeless veterans get back on their feet with jobs, shelter, and healthy food for them and their families. I think that we could help each other, as I believe the homeless are ideal candidates to help in the growing of food that is also in high demand. Involving a partner, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) would be less about a potential financial contribution and more about establishing credibility with vets through name recognition and availability.

          In five or ten years, I would love to be on my way to taking McDonald’s market share for fast food. I think someone is going to do it and I think that person could be me. 

Celebrating Failure

1. I had hopes and dreams of maintaining my GPA where it is this summer. I was able to work it so that I could be taking 15 hours this summer and be able to return home for summer B, as there were a few things I needed to take care of. Last night, I asked my girlfriend to marry me and I was lucky enough for her to say yes! It was the culmination of a lot of hard work this past month, as a lot of planning and sneaking around had to take place. Unfortunately, I have not dedicated enough time to my studies during this same time and my grades are sure to reflect that. So, overall, I would say that summer semester has been a failure from an academic standpoint. 

2. I learned that I am ready to never plan another engagement while full-time at school. I really do not like the structure of having A and B classes and my unfamiliarity with it, combined with the work that goes into asking someone to spend the rest of their life with you, was too much. I apologize if I sound bitter about it, but I feel like this semester has been an L for me.

3. I spent six very hard years in the nuclear navy. Long hours that simply do not end begin to wear on you and it caused me to become somewhat negative. I have made it a conscious effort to improve upon that, as life is just too short to be pissed off all the time. Because of this, I normally take failure in stride. After being in environment like that, you start to take everyday failures post-military pretty well. However, this failure is a little more personal. Now I am responsible for two other people, as my fiancee has a sweetheart of a little girl. Our plan is for me to attend law school at UF after I graduate in the spring. This semester's GPA is going to hurt those chances and that is tougher to swallow. I have no one but myself to blame and that makes it a lot worse. My risk tasking, as far as academia goes, have come to an end. It is difficult to assess whether or not this class will alter my risk taking in the future.

My Unfair Advantage

1. An underutilized idea. With only two other organic fast food restaurants (individual restaurants, not chains) in the country and a verifiably expanding interest in the in the market, this idea is waiting to explode (in my opinion). This portion of the idea is not difficult to copy.

2. The capacity to help homeless veterans. I believe that through a grant from a military-affiliated non-profit organization (such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) or the American Legion) I will be able to purchase farmland which will not only supply my restaurants with the organic produce that countless consumers are demanding, but I will provide healthy food and low-cost, multi-family housing units that can accommodate the requisite amount veteran workers and their families. To my knowledge, this business model is completely unique. Again, it is possible someone could copy it, but no one is setting up to do it.

3. Passion. I believe this idea could be revolutionary. As a culture, we have become detached from our food, if it is indeed food at all. The food-like products that line our grocery store aisles and fill our fast food restaurants have paved the way for the epidemic of cancer in this country and across the world. I want to help people reestablish their relationship to the food that they eat three times a day by sourcing or growing all of my food from local, organic producers. The passion that I speak of is not only my own, but with the rising demand for these products.

4. Work ethic. I am a veteran of the US Navy's Nuclear Power Program, where I served as a reactor operator on board USS Nimitz. My work weeks were 90 hours in port and when the ship was out to sea, I would get roughly thirty hours of sleep a week if I was lucky. While there may be some that can push it as hard as I can, it is a rare skill and one that I owe completely to my service.

5. A globally trending product. Currently, 68 countries across the world have banned genetically modified organisms (GMOs), with more joining the list everyday. Last month, both houses of Congress have passed the Dark Act, which makes it illegal for a product to be labeled genetically modified. They decided that the citizens of this country are not worthy of the knowledge of what their food is made of and I provide an option where they do. Based on this, I think my restaurants would also be a success in countries that clearly feel the way I feel. Also, this bill is on the President's desk right now. I encourage everyone to sign this petition to let President Obama know that we wish for him to keep his promise that he made while campaigning in 2007 and veto the Dark Act!

6. Confidence. I will need to successfully pitch this idea in order to provide the life-altering benefits to our country's veterans. It will be expensive at first, but I believe that with a combination of a grant from a non-profit to get the farms off the ground and my idea gaining notoriety, I think this idea will be a success. Not everyone has the confidence to stand in front of others and sell them on an idea. Public speaking and presentations justifiably scare some, as it is intimidating. I thrive in these areas however and believe that it will be integral to starting the veterans program quickly. While this confidence is not necessarily rare, it is certainly useful and one that I hope to take advantage of.

7. Quality of work. The last four evaluations during my time in the Navy were Early Promote (EP), which is the highest you can earn. I believe that my military resume will impress the people that I need to sell and this can only help me in my endeavors. 20% of an enlisted division can earn an EP each year. With 4 out of six years as EP's, combined with the technical acumen required to perform my job, that bullet point is exceedingly rare.

8. Problem solving. When something broke in the plant, Geek Squad was not coming out to fix it. I have been the leader of countless complex troubleshooting undertakings involving intricate electronics. Because of this, I can get to the genesis of a problem quickly and therefore fix it quickly. I also was required to submit plans that involved the entire division of 60+ in accomplishing a wide range of goals. I believe that this skill can be developed over time, but it is not something that most would be successful in. I know that I have the right combination of skills to see this idea through.

9. I can handle pressure. I was selected to be one of my ship's reactor operators for the Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination (ORSE), where a dozen members of Naval Reactors (the supervisory institution for the Navy's Nuclear Power Program, similar to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission) come to your ship and measure of competence in administration, material condition, maintenance, and plant operations. As an ORSE reactor operator, I had these lifelong nuclear operators throw whatever they felt like seeing me perform in a drill setting. I performed well and was recognized by the senior observer. I thrive in situations where big decisions must be made. It would be difficult for me to determine how rare this is.

10.  Creativity. I have been told all my life that I think differently than most and that I see situations differently than most. I think that this can only benefit this company. This is also another skill that is difficult to put a gauge on how rare it is. However, I believe that this skill will come in handy in a variety of ways in this industry. The rotating, seasonal menu that I plan on installing will provide a tremendous outlet for said creativity and I look forward to getting started.






Conduct a "VRIN" analysis for each resource. That is, describe, for each resource, how it is valuable, rare, inimitable (how hard it is to copy by others), and non-substitutable (are there other resources that can provide the same benefits?

Amazon Whisperer

In my healthy fast food chain, my revenue drivers are my food. Being that the premise of my restaurants involve fresh and local food, soda and other fast food staples that are anything but healthy will not be present. In a typical restaurant, the main revenue drivers are appetizers and alcohol. To make up for our lack of alcohol, I plan on having an array of juicing and smoothie options. If you have ever made a smoothie with ingredients from a farmer’s market, you know that the quality of the product is significantly better than anything a Smoothie King or equivalent can deliver. Having a drive-thru for these products will make my restaurants more appealing than ones that you must go into.

                For what is next, I have an idea that I believe is going to not only set me apart from every other restaurant, but will also have the potential to change the world. It is a simple fact that we currently do not have enough organic farms to keep up with demand. Last month, Costco imported organic corn from Hungary because consumers are no longer satisfied with Monsanto’s GMO products. Along with this, the labor statistics from fiscal year 2015 paint a scary picture for our state. There were over 500,000 homeless people on any given night in Florida last year. This accounts for roughly HALF of this nation’s homeless individuals, with nearly 20% of that figure being veterans. This has weighed heavily on me since I learned about the reality that faces countless Florida families, including my brothers and sisters from the military. With a massive potential work force and a dearth organic farms across the state and the country my proposal is simple; employ willing homeless people to work on my farms in exchange for shelter and food. This idea is certainly in its infancy, as there is a massive amount of moving parts to it. However, I believe that if I am able to come up with a system that works for both my potential employees and the business structure of my restaurants, this idea could make me me the new face of fast food. If I am able to partner with a major non-profit, such as the American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars (and I believe that it will not be very difficult), I will be able to create two substantial, if not unconventional, revenue drivers. One, with partnering with one of these established entities, I believe that I will generate massive capital in the form of donations. This will enable me to buy farmland and build low-cost, multi-family housing units that can accommodate the requisite amount workers and their families. Two, with helping the homeless, I believe that at least a portion of this enterprise will qualify for tax-free status as a charity, which will also make me eligible for additional grants. As the idea takes off and people from around the country see that not only am I providing their families with the highest quality food possible in a timely and affordable manner, but that I am also accomplishing this by improving the lives of potentially hundreds or thousands of families, the more interest will be generated in my business, the more donations that will come in, and ultimately, the more franchises I will be able to open and the more people I can help. I believe with all of my heart that in the age of information that we are currently in, consumers will flock to my restaurants as they have to Tesla Motors. I have an immense desire to leave this planet better off than I found it and I believe this idea can accomplish that.

                There is nothing on Amazon that is close to my business, nor do I think that there would be a demand for it. 

Elevator Pitch No. 3

2) The feedback that I received from Elevator Pitch No. 2 was unanimously positive. It was very encouraging, as I have a tremendous amount hope for this idea. There was nothing to change based on feedback.

3) The change that I made was based on the wrinkle that I have added to my business model. As a veteran, I was blown away when I learned that roughly half of this country's homeless reside right here in the state of Florida. Over one hundred thousand of those are former members of our nation's military.  I believe that I will be able to attain support from a major non-profit, such as the American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) that will go to establishing organic farms with amazing shelters like this that will provide homeless vets with work, healthy food, and a roof over their family's heads. 

Reading Reflection No. 2

The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More by Chris Anderson

1) This book explained a new trend in business concepts, known as the long tail. Amazon is perhaps the best example of this structure, whereby they make profit selling a large quantity of items at smaller volumes. Other popular items are critical in generating traffic to your business. 

2) This class (for me) is centrally based around our business concept. Healthy fast-food is not going to survive with the long tail, as it will lead to more food waste then is reasonable for an already expensive product. The book was facinating and other fast food restaurants have taken its queue, from mozzarella sticks at McDonald's to tacos at Hardee's, restauarants that provide food as cheaply as possible will not mind a little more waste. These are the things I thought about while reading it and it did not make for an efficient reading process.

3) Open a general store and see how selling various items (pre-chosen with financials provided) would affect the store's income. This might take a while to construct, but I think it would be both fun and educational. 

4) The biggest aha moment from me came from reading the reviews of this book, with particular emphasis on renowned economists. I thought several times in the book that the author came off as a little arrogant, especially with regards to the the success of his article, and to see that many of his studies or assumed numbers (percentages) for these models made little sense. It is an interesting concept, but I have no interest in reading anything that man has to say again. 

Idea Napkin No. 2

1) You. 

My name is Chris Campbell and I am a veteran of the US Navy. I am extremely hardworking and thrive in solving complex workplace issues. I not only operated and performed maintenance on nuclear reactors, but I also had to organizie subordinates in a manner that would accomplish all of the division's goals. I plan on attending law school. I believe that this education will benefit me mightily in business. I believe that my model for a local, organic fast-food chain is the future of on-the-go meals in this country. I would love to see this take McDonald's market share. 

2) What are you offering to customers? 

I am providing local, organic fast-food at a similar price point to that of regular fast food.  

3) Who are you offering it to? 

My customers are pressed for time and unwilling to compromise on the quality of their food. Parents and students are the demographics that I would hit the hardest. 

4) Why do they care? 

Cancer has become an epidemic throughout this planet in the last 30 years. Why is this? Well, depending on how much you trust the FDA (I do not at all), there is really no explanation for it. If you do some research, it is not difficult to link the drastic alterations in our diets to the boom of this disease. We no longer eat food, we eat food-like products. Cultures such as the Amish are virtually devoid of the disease and have not altered their diets in any meaningful way. There are countless studies that link veganism to the eradication of even late term cancers. Why is the FDA not telling us this? Well, you are still valuable to them in the form of immensely expensive cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. What I am offering is a lifestyle change that will provide you and your families with the highest quality food that you can possibly buy. I am angry that we as Americans are basically science experiments for the biotech industry and my restaurants, in addition to widespread education to what is happening with our government, will help ensure a long and prosperous life to both you and your families. Only recently has this idea been utilized, so it is still in the infancy of its industry. Elon Musk's brother recently started a organic fast-food restaurant in California and I look forward to seeing others prosper in this arena.

5) What are your core competencies? 

 What sets me apart is my idea of rotating, seasonal menus. This will guarantee that our product is local and fresh. Being that it is also being produced by local farmers, the price point will be driven don as well.

I am extremely confident that not only is this idea a winner, but that I am the right man for the job. I understand a great many truths that many either do not know or do not want to know. My work for the government has given me insight on how they operate and my work ethic matches my desire to see this idea take off. I believe with all of my heart that if we as a speicies do not take control of our diets, we could be among the last humans to enjoy this world . 

Unfortunately, I did not do the first napkin idea. I again looked at several other presentations to get some background on what went wrong for others. 

My Customer's Avatar

My customer's avatar is a mid-30's mom of multiple children who may or may not work as well. She has zero free time, as her commitments outweigh her desires. Her hobbies are those of her children, that she has little time to prepare nutritional meals for through no fault of her own. She drives an SUV or minivan to haul her kids and their friends to-and-from whatever their daily requirements dictate. At the end of the day when her obligations are met, she watches trash reality shows to lighten her mood so she can giggle about other people's problems. She is constantly looking for ways to improve her daily grind, whether it be a faster route to get to her obligations or a quick, nutritional meal she saw on Facebook. She does her best in everything because so many depend on her. It is a thankless job, but no thanks is required for this super-mom!

My Secret Sauce

1. Creativity - I have been told throughout my life that I have a very creative mind and that I think differently from others.

Work ethic - After six years and countless ninety-hour work weeks, I like to think that my work ethic is very, very storng compared to others.

Problem solving - As a nuclear reactor operator that also performed complex maintenance on electronics involved with reactor protection systems, I know how to get to the genesis of a problem, organize a plan of attack, and see that tragedy through until completion.

Relatability - I have worked with people from all over the world in many different situations and finding common ground with others has always been easy for me.

Engaging - Speaking in public is a situation that causes anxiety to most. I have always found that being in front of people is where I thrive. I do not get nervous and I am able to articulate my feelings in a way that is easy to understand.


2. Interview #1


 My girlfriend Sara told me that I more or less poke holes in people's plans to expose whether or not they are well thought out. I see situations from multiple perspectives and it can be very useful (or aggravating).


Interview #2 and #3

For the second and third interviews I questioned my mom and stepdad (sorry, my stepdad refused to do it if it were separate from my mom). My stepdad said that I am able to approach a problem from multiple angles all while moving forward. My mom said that I have the ability to disagree with others without minimizing their opinions.


Interview #4



My forth interview was my little brother Jake. He said that my sense of humor gives me the ability to turn any situation into a comical one. This can be very useful in tense situations.


Interview #5


My 5th interview was probably my best friend from the Navy. We went through Nuclear Power School together, as well as serving on board USS Nimitz together for around four years. Kendal said that my planning and execution of strategy is what sets me apart. He also went into my work ethic and high standards for my work.

3. I think that the assessments that my family and friends provided was spot on. Many of them commented on attributes that I also mentioned. I would not have considered my sense of humor to be as useful in business, but I can see how it could be now. I think that it is very important to be your own biggest critic. It forces you to see your flaws and then you can go about correcting them. This is something that has been very important in my transformation from child to adult and I think this assignment highlighted many of these aspects!

Elevator Pitch No. 2

Unfortunately, I did not do the first elevator pitch. However, I looked at numerous videos and read the critiques. Several mentioned pauses, lack of hand motion, and looking out of place by smiling or laughing. I did my best to utilize other critiques as best as I could. 

Hammished

1) I found the words 'hammered' and 'famished' on the front of an old Men's Health magazine I found at my mom's house. I will bring these words together to form the word 'hammished'.

2) Hammished will be defined as the phenomenon of contracting boundless hunger after one becomes inebriated.

3) I used this word with family, friends, and online liberally.

4) My family and friends thought it was pretty funny, as it is a situation that many of them have experienced during their lives. Saying things in the comments section is risky business and when I used hammished there, I expected to receive some brutal and hilarious feedback (I did). However, I was hugely surprised to discover that most were generally receptive, if not outright dedicated to this word. I think that as it is a common experience, most can at least relate to the word. I think it fun to say, fun to listen to, and sums up the situation quite well. I have hope of this catching on and am pleased of this potential word to our lexicon. 

Halfway Reflection

1) This class has put me in several positions that I do not believe that I have ever been in before. Namely, approaching strangers to ask them questions about a product in today's extremely divisive college atmosphere. It seems that if you inhale oxygen within a five feet radius of much of today's college students, they are offended in a way that I do not understand. It seems that while I was in the Navy, the country's fracture between its citizens has propagated in a way that threatens our democracy. What does this have to do with tenaciousness? Approaching people that you can tell do not want anything to do with you is a struggle. 

2) For one of the exercises, I found a classmate that was willing to be interviewed, as she is a large proponent of healthy fast food. I began my second question with "As a female college student...", which I thought was an innocuous way to begin a sentence. I was then berated for the next five minutes about my role as a misogynist and how I was making the world a less friendly place. What makes it worse is that I crafted the question (had I been allowed to finish) the way I did because I believe it was the best way to get the most useful information from a potential customer. I cannot imagine how those words can cause someone to behave like this person did. I can say that this did cause me to give up for the particular assignment. This class has made me realize how little I enjoy being a college student and how much I cannot wait to graduate!

3) Firstly, I would recommend thick skin. I have spent a lot of time in the military taking abuse from a lot of people, but nothing like this. 

I would also recommend approaching people with a huge smile on your face. That seems to be the biggest factor in my success in getting people to agree to the interviews. 

Lastly, I would suggest anything that is useful to you for overcoming social anxiety. Never in my life have I found myself nervous to talk to someone, but at this point I do not know what is ok to say and what is not. Hopefully those in future classes have an easier time with needlessly rude people than I do. 

Idea Napkin No. 1

1) You. 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? 

I am Chris Campbell and I am an Environmental Geosciences major and a veteran of the Navy. I have come to believe that people that spend their lives helping others live longer and happier lives. It is important for me to help other, as I believe that I can. I want to focus this energy on something that will improve the quality of life for as many people as possible and I believe that my idea will indeed fulfill that. If I were to start this business, I would certainly no longer be going to law school, as I would want to get the concept out as quickly as possible. 

2) What are you offering to customers? Describe the product or service (in other words, how you'll solve customers' unmet needs). 

Currently, our fast food options are limited almost exclusively to the unhealthy category. With people getting busier and less time in the day to cook meals, I believe that the need for healthy, fast, and available meals is going to increase dramatically as time goes on and more data about health comes out. I intend to make the health food McDonald's in every since of the description.

3) Who are you offering it to? Describe, in as much detail as possible, the demographic and psychographic characteristics of your customers. Think especially of this question: what do your customers all have in common?

I believe that this will be most useful for students and young families on the go. Both groups have limited time and desire to consume nutritious meals. It is certainly not limited to these groups, as they do not have the monopoly on being busy. 

4) Why do they care? Your solution is only valuable insofar as customers believe its valuable to them. Here, explain why customers will actually pay you money to use your product or service. 

More and more studies continue to come out that suggest that fast food is simply not food at all, with the word poison being used by many. In addition to it being terrible for you, these restaurants source their food from the cheapest spot, which usually further condemns the quality, as well as being part of the industrial agriculture system that will bleed the freshwater from this planet if left unchecked. My restaurants will offer consumers an escape from both of those situations, as the business model is based around sourcing food from local, sustainably-grown farmers. This will also increase the demand for local farmers, establishing a symbiotic relationship between the restaurant and its food providers.

5) What are your core competencies? What sets you apart from everyone else? Also: what do you have that nobody else has? 

There are no major chain restaurants with this combination of concepts. My restaurants are the way of the future. 

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. 

I think the kinks lie with sourcing the food and providing a reliable menu. The latter part will likely be impossible, as certain foods have short seasons and the integrity and quality of the product can never be in question. Establishing a relationship with 'adventurous' eaters that will enjoy the rotating menu will be key, as well as establishing a festive, exploratory atmosphere. Having said that, I think that a college town is the perfect place to launch a proof-of-concept and that the customers are there. 

Reading Reflection No. 1

Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw (Week 7)

1) You read about an entrepreneur:

• What surprised you the most? I am always surprised when I here that someone obscenely rich gives away their fortune.  
• What about the entrepreneur did you most admire? I admired his problem solving strategies, speficially when dealing with the famous strike of 1892.
• What about the entrepreneur did you least admire? I wish he did not sell off his interest in steel to Rockefeller. It removed a lot of his ability to make positive changes. 
• Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it? He dealt with several catastrophes during his life, including the Johnstown Flood of 1889 and the aforementioned strike.

2) What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? He was very sure of his life philosophy. He believed life is split onto three phases and you should work toward the goals of those phases. 

3) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you. Although it expressed what a difficult decision it was, selling his stake in U.S. Steel to the Rockefellers. I understand why he did it, but it is not the choice that I would have made.

4) If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why? What do you think of Pittsburgh today and would you change you mind about selling U.S. Steel?

5) For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion? He was an immensely self motivated. One of his most famous quotes is  “People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.” I believe that we today lack self-accountability in a way that has never existed on this planet before and that we could learn a lot from men like this.  

My Solution

Unfortunately, I was unable to complete Testing the Opportunity Hypothesis Part 1. My girlfriend's older sister's wedding (maid of honor) was Saturday and my week has been extraordinarily busy. Keeping with the theme of my previous blog posts, had I completed TTOP, my choice would have been with healthy fast food. I believe massive changes are coming for our agriculture industry, with consumers actively seeking healthy, unprocessed, non-genetically modified food options. The fact that industrial agriculture is depleting freshwater stores across the world seems to be less concerning to the average citizen, but it is another frightening consequence of this system. By shifting to a more sustainable food supply, water resources, and the general heath of all those involved will improve dramatically. One of the main issues that I see with this model is supply. Large chains like McDonald's order their food from a relatively few number of locations, making the process much more simple. Food that is not created with preservatives (with sugar being the most common) spoils more quickly, meaning that it will need to arrive more quickly after harvest/slaughter and be sold quicker as well, as the reduced shelf life will be a problem. To survive in fast food, these new restaurants will likely need to locally source the majority of the food they sell. While it presents a less common business structure than standard fast food, the concept of farm-to-table establishments have been widely successful recently on a small scale. It will also provide the local, organic farmer (also becoming more prominent, with Costco actually giving money to people to start organic farms to keep up with the soaring demand) with a major outlet for their products and thus forming a symbiotic relationship between  two sustainable, lucrative businesses that will have major implications for the local economy. The entrepreneurs would have to establish their restaurants in areas that can keep up with demand and seek these farmers out. That would not be a problem for those with the necessary motivation to succeed, however. These farms also will need to form a system of refrigerated delivery to the restaurants. Politicians frequently tell us they will do one thing, with the opposite actually happening in the end. Adding more laws to the largest legal code in the world is also not the answer. Want to see healthier, more local food options? The only way to accomplish that is with your checkbook. Money talks and the massive demand for organic food shows that the consumer is no longer satisfied with being duped by the FDA. McDonald's anticipates that over 500 of their restaurants will close this year, with countless other fast food chains being affected as well. Who will replace these once booming food institutions? Who indeed...

Looking for Opportunity

Economic Trends Opportunity #1 -

http://www.curbed.com/2016/5/26/11787632/driverless-cars-will-shrink-our-roads-and-radically-reshape-urban

The trend of driverless is expanding rapidly. An article that I read a year ago predicted that by 2035, 90% of the cars currently on the road will be replaced by what is essentially a driverless Uber. These cars will charge a flat rate of somewhere between $0.25 and $.50 a mile (depending on location) and economists believe that this trend will be one that changes the face a America. With fewer cars, business owners can now expand on their own property, as enormous amounts of parking lots will need to be converted. Parking garages in prime real estate will also provide opportunities to build in locations that were thought to be lost forever. Any person that is sick of driving their personally owned car on the continuously degrading infrastructure of this nation will benefit. Car insurance, oil changes, yearly maintenance, and many other hassles of owning a car will disappear, least of which is having to share a road with a thoughtlessly aggressive drivers on our roads today. I for one find that around 90% of the anger I experience on a daily basis comes from driving and I cannot wait to never drive again. The opportunity is a little more difficult to see, as it will likely have massive implications for the uncountable American companies associated with the auto industry. If you have stock in manufacturers, insurance companies, or petroleum in general, the opportunity might be to not see your life savings go up in flames. There are too many positives to ignore for this change, with the CO2 generation set to plummet, as well. Impending environmental restrictions will likely see this future become a reality, one that I cannot wait for.

Economic Trends Opportunity #2-

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home/tesla-energy-is-the-companys-line-of-batteries/#:PAUBkyca41rsLA

With the implications of climate change becoming a larger part of our everyday lives, more and more Americans are looking to do what they can to ween themselves off of our dependence on fossil fuels. This approach is highlighted by Telsa Energy, who are at the forefront of this industry with their more-available-than-ever battery technology. With the introduction of the new Powerwall, Tesla founder Elon Musk believes that the issues with his first generation of batteries are in the past. The new model is smaller, more efficient, and less expensive, making them affordable for most homes and businesses, with those located right here in Gainesville, FL, (home of some of the highest utility costs in the nation) amongst those that will immediately benefit from the purchase. A recent policy change that has explored the viability of leasing these units will increase its availability further. It is not only a financial investment, but one in our future, as the ensuing reduction in carbon emissions set to slow the inevitability of rising sea levels. This opportunity is similar to #1, in that the true opportunity is not one on the surface. Musk has released every patent he has attained, hoping to inspire positive change in mankind. This opportunity is more about not being left int he past as the world evolves. The increased availability of these batteries will likely be the deathblow to many corporate power companies that are struggling across the country, so capital invested in those industries might be better placed.

Regulatory Changes Opportunity #1-

http://www.thecannabist.co/2016/01/27/florida-medical-marijuana-november-2016-ballot/47293/

Having been narrowly defeated in 2014, Florida voters will once again have the opportunity to legalize medical cannabis in November. The measure, which fell two years ago by 2%, will be on the ballot to see Florida become the 25th state (including Washington D.C.) to allow cannabis as an option for medical purposes. It is widely expected to pass, with online momentum seeing the legislation receive ten times the necessary signatures. The benefits of medical cannabis have been documented for two decades now, with California being the first state to pass such legislation in 1996. From combating the dreadful effects of chemotherapy, to simple pain management, cannabis offers a natural remedy in the face of harsh statistics surrounding the role of pharmaceuticals in our lives. America is the most medicated nation in the world, with each man, woman, and child averaging 13 prescriptions at any one time. Evidence condemning the toxicity of over-the-counter drugs, that many Americans depend on everyday, is released with frightening frequency. With medical cannabis's legalization, dispensaries will open and local growers will be needed. Securing a permit to open a dispensary should be only slightly more painful than opening a business and farmers looking to grow a crop that does not strip their soil of nitrogen (like cotton, which is grown on 72,422 in Florida) will also be interested in this budding industry. The continued economic boom seen in the completely-legal states of Colorado and Washington has inspired several states to join them, with 16 states voting on the issue this fall. Legalizing medical cannabis is the first step to ending prohibition altogether and those who establish themselves in the medical industry will likely continue to thrive in an open market.

Regulatory Changes Opportunity 2-

http://www.politico.com/agenda/agenda/story/2016/1/obama-regulations-2016

President Obama will look to impose an additional 4,000 regulations in 2016. One of which is to mandate that the FDA forces food companies to indicate the exact amount of sugar added to their products. This comes in the face of studies that indicates the amount of unnatural sugar that Americans consume has played a primary role in not only widely accepted diseases such as diabetes, but in cancer as well. A recent study showed that cancer cells consume 19 times the amount of sugar that a typical, healthy cell consumes, leading physicians across the world to label white table sugar as cancer fuel. The food industry has argued that the additional labeling would only confuses Americans. This is extremely troubling to me, as it perpetuates the idea that companies prey on our ignorance for profit. The Age of Information has seen consumers choose healthier options in the wake of these reports. The opportunity here is that the food and drug industries are moving towards more natural, less processed, and altogether healthier options. Any plan to get consumers fresh, nutritious food is a step in the right direction. Healthy fast food is an industry I personally expect to explode in the near future and will continue to look for opportunities to invest.

Forming An Opportunity Belief

I have had a strong feeling that the need for numerous, healthy fast-food options exists across the world. Fast food is cheap and delicious, but at what cost? Industrial agriculture, which is defined by the Union of Concerned Scientists as "the system of chemically intensive food production developed in the decades after World War II, featuring enormous single-crop farms and animal production facilities," is responsible for many of the environmental issues we are currently tackling today. The most troubling of which is the depletion of the world's aquifers for the irrigation of corn that grows in arid regions. This corn is then fed to livestock, as it fattens the animals more quickly than a traditional diet. The quicker they reach weight, the faster they can be slaughtered, and the cheaper your double cheeseburger is. This system of factory-farming cannot continue in its current form, as the groundwater that is pumped from the aquifers will soon be gone. Once industrial agriculture falls, so do fast food restaurants, as they buy the cheapest-quality produce and meat.  I recently read an article about organic food giant Amy's first store near San Fransisco, California, that hopes to be the first major chain to take advantage of this need. Since Amy's opened its doors just under a year ago, lines have extended out of the door for most of the time the restaurant is open. As far as a proof-of-concept, I believe Amy's has knocked it out of the park. The need is there, just as there was a need for Wendy's and Hardee's after McDonald's triumph.

I believe the ideal customer is anyone that wants a healthy and delicious meal that may be pressed for time. Given the lifestyle of today's college students, as well as universities being centers of progressive thought, I could not imagine someone more suited for this concept than us. I interviewed three students in my French class on the subject.

Question 1. How often would you say you are pressed for time to eat?

1- Everyday.
2- Multiple times a day.
3 - Several times a week.

Question 2. What are your options when this occurs?

1 - I usually just go to the nearest drive-thru. I eat fast food almost everyday.
2 - Fast food or delivery. Jimmy John's is 50% of my diet!
3 - I try and keep healthy options around my apartment, but health food is expensive and not always easy to cook. I go to Designer Greens and Daily Greens a lot when this happens.

Question 3. Do you believe quick and healthy food options are in abundance?

1 - I have no idea!
2 - Absolutely not, unless it's eating fruit.
3 - Daily Greens is my favorite! They have so many amazing option and it is affordable as well. There are a few options, but there really need to be a lot more!

Question 4. When you are pressed for time and need to eat, how often would you consider a healthy option if it were available?

1 - Most of the time. I will never fully give up fast food. I love it too much, but healthier options would probably be better for my health.
2 - I would love to eat healthy all the time, but it's expensive.
3 - I eat healthy 95% of the time. I just feel gross when I eat like crap, but sometimes I cannot resist ice cream.

Questions 5. How often would you eat at the health-food-version of McDonald's?

1 - It would definitely be included in my rotation. I would probably take girls there so they think I'm healthy.
2 - I cannot imagine a place like that! But I would definitely eat there a lot.
3 - I want to open a chain of those!

The most surprising thing that I learned during these interviews is that a similar idea exists right here in Gainesville. While Daily Greens is not quite fast food, it is certainly a step in the right direction, with a bevy of food and juice options. I believe that this need is truly uncultivated and is something that could have enormous potential. The interviews only reinforced this belief. I think that customer feedback is massively important, especially when in the early stages of an industry.