Assignment 4a

I believe that there is an unmet need regarding recycling bins along University Ave. From Midtown to my house on 10^th street, there is little to no recycling opportunities for pedestrians. Midtown is already not the cleanest place to visit but adding the fact that not only is there trash, but the trash is not properly being disposed is even worse. Almost every corner features a trash can, but almost none feature a recycling bin for people walking or biking home. People already do not recycle enough, which is unfortunate since recycling does so much good for the earth and our environment. I believe that if there were more recycling bins along University Ave. and Midtown people would be more willing to recycle. I am 50% positive there is a need for recycling along University Ave. and Midtown.

#1: Sean-19-year-old male who frequently visits Midtown.

            Q: Do you think University Ave, specifically midtown, is “dirty?”

-       Yes

                          Q: Do you recycle at all?

-       Unfortunately, no I do not recycle at all, but I know I should

Q: Do you think it is important to recycle?

-       I’m sure it’s important, but I don’t really know

Q: Do you feel like there is a need for recycling bins along University Ave?

-       I don’t feel as if there is a need, but I think it would be nice for the environment

Q: If there were recycling bins along University would you use them? How often?

-       I feel that I would use them a some of the times, but probably not every-time

Q: Why do you think there are no recycling bins there now?

-       Maybe the city doesn’t want to pay for them?

Reflection:

     After talking with Sean, I was not at all surprised by his attitude towards recycling and the opportunity it presents towards my need. I assumed that he would not be that interested in recycling, and I believe that speaks more towards people’s attitude towards recycling as a whole. I did find it interesting that he said he would use the recycling if it were offered even tho he himself does not recycle.

#2 Jess- 21-year-old female, rarely visits midtown

Q: Do you think University Ave, specifically midtown, is “dirty?”

-       Yes

                          Q: Do you recycle at all?

-       Yes, I recycle every time I can

Q: Do you think it is important to recycle?

-       It’s very important to recycle because it’s our job to take care of the earth

Q: Do you feel like there is a need for recycling bins along University Ave?

-       Definitely, I think the idea of more recycling bins everywhere is a great idea, if there are more opportunities I believe more people would recycle

                          Q: If there were recycling bins along University would you use them? How often?

-       I would use them every time I walk by them, and I would encourage others to as well

Q: Why do you think there are no recycling bins there now?

-       People don’t view recycling as an issue when they should because it not only affects them, but it affects other people, plants, and animals too.

Reflection:

     Jess seemed very into the idea of placing recycling bins along University Ave. and specifically Midtown. Aa a big proponent of recycling, she seemed very into the idea of making recycling more available to everybody. What surprised me the most was how passionate she seemed about recycling.

#3 Brad- 20-year-old male, often visits Midtown

Q: Do you think University Ave, specifically midtown, is “dirty?”

-       Kind of

                          Q: Do you recycle at all?

-       Yes, everyday

Q: Do you think it is important to recycle?

-       Yes

Q: Do you feel like there is a need for recycling bins along University Ave?

-       Yes

                          Q: If there were recycling bins along University would you use them? How often?

-       Yes, while I am there

Q: Why do you think there are no recycling bins there now?

-       Because the city doesn’t view them as important

Reflection:

            Brad seemed to be very for recycling and was interested in the idea of recycling bins. I feel like brad’s responses point towards an opportunity for recycling bins to be put along University Ave. and in Midtown.

Summarize:

            After interviewing 3 people, I feel like the percentage of my idea working has increased from 50% to roughly 75%. While three people is a small sample size, the turning point for me was Brad’s response. Brad is a close friend of mine, and I had no idea he recycled. If Brad is someone who recycles, then there must be many more people like him who don’t seem to be recyclers, but actually are. Because of Brad, I feel that my opportunity is more accurate than before. I believe that entrepreneurs should adapt their opportunities based on customer feedback but should not make large decisions based off of a few customer reviews. While adapting to fit customer feedback is an important part of successful entrepreneurship, a good entrepreneur will have done their research and will stay firm with their belief that the data points towards a need for their opportunity.

Assignment 3A

The first time I was ever exposed to entrepreneurship was on my family’s vacation one winter when I was 12. Every year, we go to North Carolina to celebrate Christmas with my mom’s parents and her brother and his family.  My uncle had recently just bought his first video game store, and my family was so proud. He eventually saved up and bought another video store, and another one, and after 5 years he owned a lot of the video stores not named blockbuster within 50 miles of his home.  I believe that the best part of this story is how it relates to entrepreneurship, because my uncle had foresight. He was smart enough to do research on his own field of study and was able to predict the downfall of video stores. He knew that movies were going digital, and he got out just before the collapse of video stores. He sold all of his stores, bought a warehouse, opened a company named ChemSource Direct, and started distributing cleaning supplies to planet fitness, local high schools, and other gyms and rec centers in his city. Today, he owns a 10,000 square foot warehouse that he distributes out of. He has used most of his money to buy semi-trucks, and now delivers to almost every planet fitness from South Carolina to Virginia. He went from a college dropout to a very successful business owner, and because of his desire to grow, is an excellent example of an entrepreneur. This has had a huge impact on my life because it has taught me the value of hard work. Because of my uncle, I know that if something were to happen with my schooling, I can always work extremely hard and become an entrepreneur like him.

     I chose the class ENT 3003 because it met a requirement and had great reviews online. Personally, I have little interest in becoming an entrepreneur as I would like to go into coaching men's basketball, so I did not choose to take this class out of a desire to learn its content. It's funny how quickly things change. After two weeks, I have already started to love learning about entrepreneurship. My initial idea and perception of entrepreneurship has changed, and I have enjoyed taking this class. I've found the lectures both insightful to any major, but also entertaining. I am so glad I looked up the reviews of this class online, because without it, I would not have been given the opportunity to learn about an exciting topic that interests me in ways I never expected.