Week 4 Reading Reflection

    One thing that I did find surprising about this reading for the week was the section that included the most common idea killers as well as the creative exercises that were integrated into this section. Up until this week's reading, there has not been any creative exercises added to the chapter so I did find this to be surprising. It gave me a chance to see how creative I really was because I consider myself as a person who is not extremely creative because I can focus more on the serious aspects of the job. Actually seeing that I can come up with some creative ideas myself somewhat changed my mind about how creative I consider myself. The list of common idea killers was interesting to me because I have been told several of these before and I can say that they have worked! It was just different actually reading the list instead of hearing it.

    One section that I found a tad confusing was the section about the innovation process mainly because of how wordy and technological it got. This was a brand new concept to me that I have not previously learned therefore when I started reading the section, I found myself somewhat struggling through it because it involved a lot more than I was expecting. If I were able to ask the author two questions, I would ask:
1) How did you gather that information for your list of most common idea killers? Survey?
2)  How effective are the principles of innovation? Will all of these rules combined guarantee innovation?
I would ask these questions specifically because I want to know why some idea killers are up there and some are not because there are a few that I can think of however, were these results based on a survey? Same thing with the principles of innovation. Was this list compiled from a panel of entrepreneurs? Just curiosity. As far as what I think the author was wrong about, I found myself agreeing with the material in this chapter.

Top 5 World Problems

Image by sunshinecity, CC BY

https://flic.kr/p/2v76ZB

When ranking the top 5 of my World's biggest problems, I found these to be my top 5 issues:

1)International Terrorism

2) Armed Conflict

3) Unsafe drinking water

4) Police Brutality 

5) Women's rights

These were my top 5 solutions to these problems in order:

1) Stronger gun control laws to minimize armed conflict between civilians and to prevent mass shootings.

2)Stop ignoring the problem of unsafe drinking water and share technologies that we have already implemented to first fix the water issue we have in Flint, MI and then other places.

3) Stricter laws preventing women from being punished for seeking education, denying marriage, etc.

4) Retraining police forces to minimize police brutality 

5) Calming tensions between countries, however easier said than done. 

     I chose International terrorism as a top world problem because many countries are facing this issue and living in fear due to this, therefore in my mind, this goes first. Second would be armed conflict because there are numerous stories day after day in many countries surrounding a mass shooting of civilians. There is usually conflict that is unnecessary and people end up dying for pointless reasons therefore I ranked it second. Third would be unsafe drinking water because it still blows my mind that this is still a problem not only in our world, but right here in our own country, where we can genetically modify food to grow in ridiculous amounts but we cannot even have safe drinking water? Fourth would be the police brutality issue because around the world this is an issue that I feel needs to be addressed more, especially here in the US. Although last, I felt it was very important to rank women's rights because even though our country has made strides toward improving this, not all other countries have and more efforts should be made for women's equality in my opinion.

     My first ranked solution was stronger gun control laws because I felt like this could help two of my top problems: armed conflict and international terrorism. It is also a popular topic here in our country due to mass shootings reaching extremely high number and I feel like this is the most implementable solution on my list.  Second, I felt like fixing the unsafe drinking water with existing technology would be next because it is a shame that right here in our own country we have this issue due to pure negligence. We have the means and technology to fix the issue, yet it was not fixed. This is also a widespread issue around the world that is affecting families and children. Something as simple as water is causing illnesses. The next two, I was not 100% sure as to why I ranked them in this order because I feel like they can be interchanged. I ranked calming tensions last because I felt like out of all of my solutions, this is the hardest to implement because it is not something that happens overnight. Resolving tensions and removing terrorist groups from being a threat is easier said than done, therefore I ranked it last. 

Week 3 Reading Reflection

    As I was reading this chapter, I noticed that this chapter was very heavy in characteristics that one should have and how to deal with ethical crisis. However, one part of this chapter that surprised me or was not something that I was expecting to happen was section that Kuratko wrote about the grief recovery process. Usually when you do hear about grief recovery we do always hear the traditional process: focusing on the particular loss and construct accounts as to why it happened. This "restoration orientation" was a concept that I was surprised to read about. Distracting yourself from the failure and focusing on essentially becoming better. This, in my eyes, should be what the traditional model is all about.
    One part of this chapter that I did find particularly confusing was when the shift changed from ethical dilemmas facing the entrepreneur to ethical dilemmas facing corporate entrepreneurship. I see corporate entrepreneurship as falling under the management category, and I am currently taking Management as a course this semester as well, therefore I see similar themes. I would say my confusion was mainly in the way the wording was, not so much the context of the section.
    There was no section in this chapter that I specifically disagreed with, as most of the information presented about the entrepreneurial mindset was new to me. I did not know that some of these characteristics were classified as being under the entrepreneurial mindset and a few were some that I would say I possess.
    If I were to ask a question to the author I would want to know how exactly this list of 42 characteristics of an entrepreneur was compiled. I want to know if it was based off of a study, survey, research, etc. Outside of that question, the chapter was insightful and I was thrilled to see I possessed these characteristics of an entrepreneurial mindset.

Identifying Local Opportunities

Opportunity #1
Title: Dogs patronize Gainesville restaurants, never pick up tab
Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A88EA81308DD20?p=AWNB

•     This article explained the increasing popularity of restaurants allowing dogs inside their establishments here in Gainesville. However, the problem here is that only 5 businesses here in Gainesville have the proper permits to do so and other businesses taking part in this new trend do not. 
• The problem here is that businesses can face a hefty fine for allowing dogs into the establishment without having a permit to allow dogs. This is an issue due to sanitary conditions and the business owners who are unaware of this permit or who do not have the permit are the ones suffering from this problem.

Opportunity #2

Title: Rock Gym faces unstable ground, buoyed by locals' support 

Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7E65B287302D0?p=AWNB

• This article explained the growing popularity of a local Gainesville gym. The location was growing in membership and popularity and thoughts of expansion were halted due to the location closing last month and continues to remain closed due to much needed repairs that were discovered. The community has responded to this business's attempt to raise funds and have donated money, as well as organized three fundraisers to help the business return back to normal
• The problem here is one of serious misfortune. Rock Gym was a growing business that was looking to continue its growth and has been closed since December due to much needed repairs and now needs help with ongoing finances. The support of the community in this case is extremely wonderful, however the business still faces serious financial troubles outside of the almost $10,000 they have received in donations. 

Opportunity #3

Title: Vellos closes, Buffalo Wild Wings opens

Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A6696306A50108?p=AWNB

• This article discusses the introduction of a new business to the Gainesville area, while a location that has been open for six years has closed its doors. The article also mentions stories about other locations in Gainesville that are either expanding, relocating or completely changing into something else.
• The problem here is what we see happen with most businesses when they initially start up, they eventually fail. In this case, Vellos, is the one suffering from that problem. Originally known as Urban Flats until its parent company went out of business, Vellos faced a similar fate because as mentioned in the article, the business owner says he has the wrong concept in that location.

Opportunity #4

Title: CareerSource executive director resigns to pursue real estate work

Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A598DEF3C49428?p=AWNB

• This article primarily describes the resignation of a the executive director of CareerSource North Central Florida, that will be effective January 29 in pursuit of new career ventures. After the executive's decision to resign to follow more personal life ventures, CareerSource will have someone else step into the position until a permanent replacement is found.
• While it is amazing that the executive director has chosen to follow her own path in life and accomplish a greater goal in her own life, CareerSource is presented with the problem of losing a top manager at the company. They now need to find someone to fill the position because as I have seen in many businesses, without proper top level management, things can get chaotic. 

Opportunity #5

Title: Dunnellon store manager arrested after video camera found in women's restroom

Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15A442A3C029A428?p=AWNB

• This article discusses a case in which a women went to use the restroom at a business and found a fake plant on a trashcan in the bathroom and found a camera inside the plant. When she reported it to authorities, the manager threw the camera plant into the storm drain and was arrested. 
• The problem that took place was that a serious crime was committed. Someone was violated and possibly many more people. Gator Smokes, the business involved in this incident, has to not only deal with the issue of replacing the manager who was arrested, but they now need to attempt to rebuild their business due to the horrible public perception it has now. 

Very Short Interview No. 1

So this week I wondered "Who in the world can I interview that has been an entrepreneur for over 10 years?" and I could not seem to think of anyone. Then it hit me! I used to help out one summer at a beauty supply store in New York City that my father was manager at, and the owner of that beauty supply store is an entrepreneur! Jimmy Mastrangelo, one of the founders of Ray's Beauty Supply in New York City's Midtown. The establishment was one of the most well-known beauty supply stores in the city, with random celebrities appearing to purchase hair products. The business closed down for good in 2013, however there's so much to be learned!

1) What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course?

•  "Well one thing's for sure, you aren't gonna learn how to run a business. That's something you learn on your own because no class can teach that in my eyes. I do think you'll learn how to think like an entrepreneur though, which is a great way to think!"

2) What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?

•  "It means you have passion, drive, motivation. You aren't scared to push boundaries and fight for what you're passionate about. You want to do something new, you want to take that risk of failure for what you love. That's what it's all about. Sometimes it's a hit, sometimes it's a miss. But in the end, that's what it's all about, at least to me."

3) What advice do you have for me while taking this entrepreneurship course?

•  "I say, have an open mind. Take in the information you get and apply it. There's no way you can get the most out of it, I would say, unless you have an open mind."

I was surprised to see how much insight he was able to provide me as far as entrepreneurship and how I should approach the class. I knew that I would understand more about the entrepreneurial mindset, however I didn't think I would get as much information and knowledge from three simple questions as I did. It was definitely a great conversation and I look forward to a later interview at the end of the semester!

World's Biggest Problems

Image by Judy van der Velden, CC BY

https://flic.kr/p/bd6TeP

In 2016, the world we live in is still faced with challenges everyday. Identifying some of these larger challenges are essential if I can list 20 things that bother me in my personal life. So, here is my list of what I personally believe are some of the world's biggest problems.

1) Unsafe drinking water

• This is an issue that has been headlining news all over the world, and most recently right here in our own nation with the lead-contaminated drinking water in Flint, Michigan. Many families and countries live daily with unsafe drinking water conditions and this is negatively affecting their bodies, especially the children.
• I feel like a practical solution, especially for our problem right here in the United States, would be first to stop ignoring the problem. Secondly, I feel like the technologies we already have implemented to keep water safe should be widespread. In 2016, water should not still be a threat to life. 

2) World hunger

• Many third-world countries are faced with the struggle of finding ways to provide meals to their families. Children in Haiti, for example, eat dirt cookies (made from dirt, water and butter) to keep their stomachs full until the next meal comes around. It is a problem that has not been taken serious enough.
• I believe sharing the technology, resources and teachings of agriculture can help at least make a difference in changing world hunger and ending it.

3) Armed Conflict 

• This has become a serious issue, especially with the turmoil in the Middle East, and the mass shootings happening here on our own soil. Innocent people are dying daily due to gun related violence that could be prevented.
• Stronger gun control laws are definitely key into minimizing this issue.

4) Police Brutality

• This is an issue that has become more prevalent in our country over the last few years, however the brutality of police forces around the world are far worse than the tragedy we witness here in our own country. 
• In order to help fix this problem, I feel like changes need to begin within the existing police forces in countries. They need to undergo some serious re-training. But, this problem does become more difficult when the police departments in several countries are directly influenced by higher government decisions.

5) Women's rights

• This issue has led to terrible acts performed against women in several different countries. Women have been mutilated, embarrassed, murdered and are held lower in comparison to their male counterparts. This issue is much more widespread than the inequality that women face here in America.
• This would have to change as far as stricter laws in countries preventing these actions from being carried out against women without punishment.

6) International Terrorism

• We have a huge problem here in our world where every day now it seems that more and more people are fearful of an international terrorist attack. From the bombings in Paris, to even 9/11 which still replays in my mind since I lived in New York when it happened, this is a problem that we face. 
• Ideally calming tensions between countries would be a way to change things, however it is easier said than done.

7) Homelessness rates increasing 

• The number of families without adequate shelter or living conditions in this world are increasing daily. Here in America we have a rising number of families and people becoming homeless and an increase in homeless veterans.
• I feel that instead of ripping down buildings for new Walmart's and big businesses, I feel that more affordable housing be built to help low-income families. Also, I feel like there should be more efforts for shelters to be created. 

8) Illegal drugs

• This is a problem that has taken not only our country by storm, but has affected the would drastically. The sale and use of illegal drugs has become an epidemic and a trade that brings in more money than selling diamonds.
• This is something that can be changed through reducing the availability of these drugs however more and more people are learning how to create new drugs everyday. 

9) Infectious diseases

• Many diseases and illnesses, such as AIDS and even diarrhea, are killing millions of children and families around the world. 
• These countries need better access to healthcare and some education needs to be shared as to how to prevent these things from spreading further. 

10) Climate change (global warming)

• Our climate is definitely an issue and it is affecting us.
• We need to do our best to bring less hazardous toxins into our environment and become more efficient with our resources, but this is not easy.

These are not all of what I feel the world's biggest problems are, however I feel that these are 10 that affect us the most currently. Where can we make a change?

Week 2 Reading Reflection

One thing that stood out the most to me while reading this chapter would be the concept of Gazelles, or a small business with at least 20 percent sales growth every year, for five years, starting with a base of at least $100,000. It was really surprising to see the growth and successes of these smaller firms when compared to larger ones. We usually hear more about smaller firms and businesses failing within the first few years and I think it was pretty awesome how the book recognized the successes of small firms so early in the book. One thing that I was particularly confused about was the dynamic states approach section. I read the section and I analyzed the chart however I am still a bit confused as to what it really means.
This would lead me to want to ask these two questions:

1) Can you explain to me what exactly the dynamic states approach does in a simpler fashion?
-I'd want to ask this not only for clarity but maybe there is just something that I don't quite understand about it.
2) Can you explain the integrative approach a bit better?
-I'd ask this because I have a general overview of what it does however, the chart makes things somewhat confusing for me to understand.

I would not necessarily disagree with anything that is currently in the text that the author wrote, however I would maybe simplify the explanations a bit to prevent confusion when looking at the charts.

My Bug List

For me, these 20 things are what bug me the most:

1) When the 38 drives past my bus stop on Archer road with a "full bus" sign and I left my house an hour before class just to be on time.

• This exists because the 38 is a very popular route, being the only bus that goes onto Old Archer road and drops off at the Hub. However, having the 38T as an option like we did last year would be better.

2) When I tell the Starbucks baristas my name is Bree "like the cheese" and then my drink says Brittany or Marie.

• Maybe not everyone knows about Brie the cheese or cannot hear me clearly when I say my name.

3) When I go to the drive thru at Steak and Shake on 13th Street and order food and they ALWAYS forget the sauce I paid extra for.

• There could be some miscommunication between the kitchen and the cashier and I always end up going inside to get the sauce. 

4) When I am stuck in traffic on 34th Street on my way home from work and the cars will not let me switch into the turning lanes for Archer road.

• People are in a rush to get home and feel that the one extra car in front of them will stop that from happening as soon as possible. 

5) When I run out of skips on Pandora for the hour looking for a song that I want to hear

• Pandora adds variety to my stations so that I don't always hear the same songs I like, but something similar to it.

6) When I am in the middle of something important on my iPhone and it randomly restarts

• Maybe my phone is not up-to-date, or maybe the update caused it?

7) When I clean my room and then decide to look for something to wear and then a volcano of clothing erupts all over my room, defeating the purpose of cleaning.

• I personally set myself up for this because I sometimes do not remember where I place things after I clean. I always end up rearranging things in my room.

8) When I tell people that I am Puerto Rican and I speak fluent Spanish, and they tell me that I am lying.

• Maybe it is a joke, maybe it's pure shock. I'm not sure, but it's true! 

9) When my AUX cord in my car ends up with a shortage and only plays music from one side of the car.

• The quality of the cords may not be that great for me to have to replace them so often.

10) When someone sends me a game request on Facebook 

• Sometimes those requests are sent when other users sign up for things

11) When I miss a phone call and I call back within 5 seconds of the call and the person does not answer

• Maybe they put the phone down, but wow that's fast

12) When people use their phones during dinner dates or dates in general

• We all have other things to worry about outside of a dinner, but getting to know people is great!

13) When I buy clothes, wear them once and then I can never find them again

• I think this ties in with #7, better organization as far as clothes go. LOL

14) When the shower water suddenly goes from the perfect warm temperature to freezing cold in seconds

• Maybe this has something to do with the water heater, or my roommate doing dishes, but it always happens at the worst times.

15) When someone repeats the same song over and over again when you ask them to play music

• I know you may love the song, but can we hear something others will love too?

16) When I drive to the smaller Walmart on Archer road looking for an item and it is always sold out

• Since it is the only Walmart on this side of town (until the new one opens!) more people are probably looking for the same things as me 

17) When people are extra friendly to you because you have something they need. Ex: I have a car, so people are extremely friendly so that they can get rides.

• I completely understand not everyone has reliable transportation, and I do not mind giving rides, but there's no need to lie to me for one.

18) People who tease others

• I think this deals more with the teaser's insecurities that they need to point out issues with others, however teasing and bullying is something I've dealt with, so it bugs me. 

19) When I go to Winn Dixie on 34th Street and there are only two cashiers working and there are at least 8 people waiting in line.

• I have worked in retail before, so I know this has to do with scheduling mainly, but it sure is inconvenient.

20) When I wake up and see how much time I have left until my alarm goes off, but I actually have about 3 minutes until that happens.

• I actually can't explain this one, but I never seem to squeeze those extra three minutes into my sleep. 

Coming up with this list was actually a bit challenging. It was easy trying to find things that annoy me, but when I asked myself "why?" things got a bit challenging. Also, being specific as to what bugs me was somewhat challenging to me as well. Details are much harder to include. However, these all sum up some things that bug me currently, as I'm sure this list will change. LOL!

My Entrepreneurship Story

My Entrepreneurship Story 

   For the most part, my experience with entrepreneurship is minimal. However, the one instance that I can remember, and that I am most proud of, took place my senior year of high school. Myself and the ladies in the photo above were passionate and deeply involved in our choral program in high school. All of us belonged to at least two choirs, all including dance as well. We envisioned a chorale group that would allow us to sing, dance and do more than compete. We wanted a group where we could actually impact our campus and share our music with our number one supporters, our fellow classmates! After a summer filled with planning, auditioning and coordination with the school's music department, Dramatics ShowChoir was formed. It was by far one of the most rewarding feelings to see your hard work actually in place and still in place after graduation. This group sings at sport events at the school, and even sing Christmas songs for classes who sign up, all while receiving credit because this group counted as an elective class. 

     I have chosen to take Principles of Entrepreneurship this semester because as an upcoming graduating senior, I believe it is key learning how to have the mindset of an entrepreneur. This applies not just to my professional life, but applies to the personal goals I want to achieve. I want to enhance my "go-getter" attitude, live by the entrepreneur's mantra and gain knowledge that will help me later in life. I look forward to this semester and everything that it has to offer me. :)

Entrepreneur's Mantra

Breyenne Flynch: Introduction

Hello Everyone!

My name is Breyenne Flynch and I am a fourth year public relations major here at the wonderful University of Florida. I am originally from Brooklyn, New York and I moved to Orlando, Florida in 2008. I received my Associates of Arts from Seminole State College, transferred to the University of Central Florida, however I felt like I wanted more out of my education. Transferring to UF has by far been one of my best decisions. My family is a mixture of vibrant personalities who all know how to face adversity head on.  Ideally, I would ultimately want to find a job in entertainment public relations back home in New York City. It definitely will not be an easy task, but anything is possible if you try hard enough. I haven't done much traveling in my life, but in summer of 2015 I took the trip of a lifetime with the College of Journalism and Communications to Italy for a month-long study abroad. We traveled to cities I have always dreamed of visiting, tried foods I will not find here in America and made memories of a lifetime. This picture above was taken on my last evening in Florence, Italy, a month of memories that I will never forget. This year, my hopes are to travel to Spain after graduation as a reward to myself for the hard work! I am always seeking to learn and try new things. Expanding my mind and my heart will allow me to advance not only in my personal growth but in my growth as a professional as well. 

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Hello everyone!