19A

• ·    My name is Iara Dircie and I am a rising fourth-year student at the University of Florida. My undergraduate degrees are in Business Management and Political Science but I am also doing a combined Master’s program in International Business. I am hoping to manage my own company one day and this business concept will assist me in getting to know the life cycle of a business idea.
• ·     The product I am offering to customers is an ignition lock that prohibits intoxicated drivers from turning on the engine of their cars. Upon entering one’s vehicle, the driver would have to use a breathalyzer to determine if they are capable of driving their car. If the driver’s blood alcohol content is below the legal limit, the ignition lock would allow them to turn on the engine. However, if the driver is legally drunk, the ignition lock would turn on and prohibit the vehicle from operating until someone passed the breathalyzer test. There are also ways to turn off the ignition lock at some points during the day but it would be mandatory to have it on during the weekends.
• ·     This product would be sold to car manufacturing companies that could install the product in vehicles before selling them. We would also sell this product to people who already own vehicles. These customers would have to pay for the product itself as well as the installation fees which we hope will be subsidized by organizations advocating for driver safety. This product would be mainly for alcoholics but we also want every person who consumes alcohol to receive an ignition lock.
• ·      Customers should purchase this product to ensure their safety as well as the safety of all their fellow drivers. Statistics show that the highest percentage of car related deaths occur from drunk driving and this ignition lock will help reduce the number as much as possible. Because this is such an important cause to so many people, many organizations that promote safe driving will subsidize the cost of this product, thus making it affordable for all and easy to adapt to. In order to make my customers care more about buying the product, I will focus on marketing the product from an emotional perspective in order to convince consumers of the necessity of this product. By attaching this emotional element, more consumers will feel obligated to buy the ignition lock in order to prevent future heartbreak resulting from alcohol induced car accidents. 
• ·      This product is very different than products that have been created in the past. It offers a service that is so rare to find, safety. By only taking out a minute of their day, our customers can ensure the safety of millions of civilians. Also, I would reach out to numerous sponsors in hopes to reduce the cost of this product significantly so that purchasing this product is not seen as a financial burden to anyone.
• I think that all of these products work nicely with one another because the product that I am offering is something that all customers who own a vehicle can buy and most of them will want to buy it when the realize the positive effects of the ignition lock. For the most part, the biggest reason to buy the product is to create a safer environment and most consumers are determined to realize this goal.
• Although I did not receive too much constructive criticism, the biggest comment I got was to add an emotional element to my marketing in order to persuade the customers to buy my product. If I were to shoot a commercial showing a deadly accident caused by drunk driving and then were to show a different scene as to how this would have been avoided with an ignition lock, it is more likely that viewers will feel an emotional obligation to buy my product. Another point that I got feedback on was the fact that I decided to sell the product straight to car manufacturers. My peer commented on the fact that this was a strategic business move and would bring in more cash flow and popularity to the product.

18A

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 34% of all drunk driving deaths are caused by young adults aged 21-24 while 30% of these accidents are caused people aged 25-34. The vast majority of alcohol related driving deaths are caused by young adults operating these vehicles while intoxicated so I conclude that this age group is the prototypical customer for my ignition lock product that aims to reduce the amount of drunk driving.

More specifically, my avatar is named Maddy and she is a 21 year old sorority girl who loves to go out and party. She is the social chair of her sorority and gets drunk approximately three times a week, even on school nights. She attends the University of Alabama which is a big state school with a huge Greek community. She does not have any kids but is the youngest of four daughters. Her father is a doctor and her mother is a stay-at-home mom. Maddy does not like reading or studying but she studies fashion design and always travels to different countries to explore the clothing of that area.

Maddy’s aunt recently passed away because she was hit by an intoxicated driver who ran a red light and T-boned her car. Although Maddy used to drive after she felt sober enough to leave the club, the incident with her aunt made her question if she truly was sober all of those times she got behind the wheel after a night out. Maddy wants to be sure that she won’t hurt anyone or herself by drunk driving so she is the ideal customer for the ignition lock. Because Maddy is sometimes uncertain as to how sober she is, the ignition lock would breathalyze her and prohibit her from operating a vehicle if she is legally drunk.

I relate to Maddy in many ways. Maddy and I are both in Greek life and love to socialize with our friends, usually at a bar or club where alcohol is heavily involved. However, I usually take an Uber to go home after a night out because I know that drunk driving can cause many accidents. Also, I do not think it is a coincidence that Maddy and I both like to party. We both attend large state universities and are around the same age; most students our age partake in these activities as well.

17A

Here is a link to my elevator pitch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV2q0kEgJSE

For this assignment, I asked my parents and roommates for feedback regarding my first elevator pitch. They all told me that they thought my presentation was done wonderfully but they also told me that there was a lot of room for improvement. I learned that I need to slow down when I speak and not use my hands as much as I normally do because it is distracting. However, my roommates commended me on my use of eye contact as well as my professionalism when presenting my product. My parents mentioned that they saw my personality come out in the elevator pitch which is very important to me. This is because a businesswoman cannot be one-dimensional and I demonstrated just the opposite of that in my video.

In this second time around, I decided to maintain the positive aspects of my first speech in the second elevator pitch. I included the same facts in both and attempted to use the proper amount of eye contact and professionalism like I did last time. However, I did my very best to keep my hands down by my sides for the majority of the video. I also worked hard to slow down my sentences and truly enunciate my words so that my audience could get a better understanding of what I was trying to say.

16A

5 Ways That My Human Capital Is Unique

1.     Charismatic- Being charismatic is not a skill that can be developed but rather it is something that one either has or doesn't. Whenever I meet somebody, I instantly do my best to form a connection with them and this allows them to trust me.

2.     Agreeable- This quality means that I am open to suggestions from all of those around me. I like to consider all possible options and then do my research in order to find the best solution to whatever task is at hand. Furthermore, this means that I take others' thoughts into consideration and do my best to compromise.

3.     Outgoing- In order to be a successful businesswoman, one must make many connections. Due to my outgoing nature, I am not shy and feel completely comfortable approaching anyone and speaking with them about their life experiences.

4.     Tenacious- Once I set my sights on something, I will accomplish whatever the task is regardless of the circumstances. This is crucial to have as someone in the business world because it is important to acknowledge that, many times, your ideas will be rejected but it is imperative to move forward from this downfall and strive to do better.

5.     Optimistic- Having a positive mindset is very important in the business world. As I mentioned previously, there will be many instances in which a business proposal will not go as hoped but it is important to remain optimistic and try again.

Summarizing the Interviews

1.     My friend Jordan mentioned that I am an uplifting friend and then spoke about the importance of a businessperson having that quality. This is because I would be able to encourage customers to buy my services and allow them to feel comfortable doing so. His mother also spoke about how driven and intelligent I am, which are both qualities necessary to be a successful business woman.
2.      Lauren spoke about how I am very good at making connections with other people. This will help me attract more customers in the business world.
3.      Brett talked about how I am a natural leader and the fact that I know how to take control of a room. In regards to managing my own company, it is important that I am innovative and know how to lead meetings as well as run the company itself.
4.      My friend Michelle emphasized the fact that I am constantly busy and know how to handle a hectic lifestyle. This is because I work two jobs and take an average of five classes every semester but still manage to make time for a social life as well. Although it may seem impossible, being able to manage a good work-life balance is crucial in being a good businesswoman.
5.     Finally, Rachel talked about my sense of humor and how kind I am. These qualities are important for a business leader to have because it is necessary to be a person that your customers can relate to and admire.

Comparing My Own Thoughts to Others

• ·        Most of my friends spoke about the fact that I am very passionate and tenacious, which is also how I would describe myself.
• ·        All of the videos mentioned how great of a friend I am which I never truly realized. I am glad they feel this way and hope to continue treating them properly and my future employees and customers the same way.
• ·        A lot of my friends talked about how nice and friendly I am as well as my great sense of humor. I agree with these and see myself as a very charismatic person so I am glad that others also see me in this light.
• ·        I agree with all of the qualities that my friends listed and would not change any of the qualities I stated in my list because I feel they are all accurate and my friends agreed with me. I am so grateful to have amazing peers like them in my life.

15A

• When I interviewed my three people, I discovered that the majority of them were outraged by the fact that I felt drivers needed to purchase a product like the ignition lock to prevent them from driving under the influence. They stated that they would never need to be told not to drink and drive because it is such an obvious concept. However, once I told them that most car deaths are linked to a drunk driver, they acknowledged the fact that some people should purchase this product but not them.
• The third person I interviewed told me that she would want to make it mandatory for every car manufacturer to install an ignition lock in their vehicles prior to selling them.This would sell many ignition locks since all car companies would be forced to purchase the product. However, she realized that this was a little ambitious and recommended a way for the engine to slowly shut down if the car feels the driver is swerving too much or going at too high of a speed.
• All interviewees claimed they would not purchase the ignition lock if it was priced over $250 and two interviewees said they would only buy it if it cost less than $150. This was the most important factor when considering whether or not they wished to buy this product.
• Overall, it is important to note that customers want a cheap product so it would be essential to provide them with cost effective ignition locks. Furthermore, drivers need to be constantly reminded that drunk driving is a real problem that exists and kills dozens of Americans every single day. Once people realize these facts, they will become more aware of their own driving as well as want to ensure the safety of our country so they will be more inclined to buy ignition locks. In order to publicize these facts, I would finance commercials stating the statistics of alcohol related car accidents to show drivers across America how grave of a problem drunk driving truly is.

14A

• Due to the fact that this entrepreneurship class is an online course, it is easy to fall behind very quickly. There are no professors constantly reminding you about your homework that is due the next day simply because you do not have physical contact with them. Therefore, it is critical to focus on time management. Because I am taking this course while studying abroad in Madrid, I wanted to finish most of my assignments earlier rather than later so I would have more free time available to travel across Europe. By the second week, I had already finished over a third of the course and now it is the third week and I am almost halfway done with this class. This is an example of tenaciousness.
• The first week of class, I was staffing a Birthright trip to Israel so I did not have any Wifi connection nor a laptop to complete assignments on. On this trip, I was planning 18 hour long days and leading every single daily activity that we did in the Middle East when it was 90 degrees outside. I was in charge of monitoring 40 college students and ensuring their safety in a restless country. Unfortunately, the task of being a staffer did not allow any extra time for me to work on my assignments so I received zeros on the first two assignments. At that point in time, I wanted to drop this course. However, I emailed the professor and he assured me that there was still hope to receive a good grade in the class so I pushed through and have been doing very well on all of my assignments since then.
• For future students, I would encourage to have a tenacious mindset in the fact that, even if you miss a couple assignments or do not do as well as you had wished on a quiz, do not give up and just try harder for the next assignment. Also, I would recommend buying an agenda and setting a timeline for yourself so that you can physically see which assignments are due and when. Lastly, it is important to have a tenacious mindset as a business person because they are constantly having their ideas rejected. Therefore, I would advise to not get upset about failure, but rather take that failure and turn it into a success through the use of a positive mentality. Being optimistic will assist you in this course as well as in life.

13A

I read The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

1. I was very surprised to find out that the Wright brothers' passion for airplanes began when their dad gave them a toy plane as a gift. That simple toy impacted their lives forever and it is humbling to think about how their gifted minds started thinking about this complex invention at such a young age, which is very admirable. On the contrary, I found out that neither of the brothers ever attended college or even graduated high school but they overcame this adversity. This goes to show that any person can achieve whatever they want to if they set their minds to it, regardless of however many degrees they have or don't have.
2. Because the two brothers worked on the invention of the glider plane together, they used each other in the best way possible. Orville had a certain set of skills that Wilbur lacked and vice versa, so the two would go to the other for assistance when they could not resolve an issue themselves. This goes to show how using your competencies and strategically acquiring a business partner with opposite competencies can allow your business to flourish.
3. Throughout the book, the author would refer to the brothers as a single unit, thus making it difficult to identify each sibling's individual feelings. I appreciate the fact that McCullough did this because it shows the strength and cooperation between the two brothers, but I also wish that he could have taken us a little more deep into each character's thoughts so we could receive a better understanding of their mentality throughout this narrative.
4. Personally, I am terrified of flying on planes. I hate traveling from any distance, especially short distance flights with a lot of turbulence. Going off of that, the first question I would ask the Wright brothers is whether or not they were scared of flying in the first plane ever invented. I would also question how they got the courage and the idea to build their own device that flies. Furthermore, I would ask what they envisioned the future of aviation to be like in 100 years after they first flew their small plane because I am positive that they did not picture the modern aircrafts that we have today.
5. I believe that the Wright brothers valued hard work more than anything else, even an education. This is seen by the fact that neither of the brothers received a high school or college diploma but they were determined to complete a project that they had set their sights on. While I agree that anyone can accomplish anything they please, I believe it is a lot easier to accomplish many of these tasks with a solid education or intensive background knowledge on the subject. I believe that school takes hard work but I also realize that what the Wright brothers achieved also required a lot of effort and, without the proper schooling, this feat was truly a remarkable one.

12A

• I chose college students as my segment. This is due to the fact that binge drinking has become so popular and excessive among college students and many of them are unaware of how intoxicated they get. The first interviewee is named Tori. Tori attends Florida State University and is in a sorority that is known for partying quite heavily. Luis is the second person I interviewed. Luis attends New York University and is a film student there. He has a girlfriend and says he only drinks maybe one glass of wine with dinner every week or so. The last person I interviewed is Celine. Celine attends Florida International University and hates drinking because her friend passed away in a drunk driving accident a few months ago.
• During these interviews, I asked the three college students questions about their alcohol habits and, more specifically, their driving habits after they’ve consumed alcohol. Tori is the only one that admitted to ever drinking and driving but Luis says he has many friends that drink and drive all the time. Then, I told the students a few statistics on the dangers of driving under the influence and asked them if they felt this was an important issue. All three double checked my findings on google and then agreed that it was dangerous to drink and drive. However, all of the students claimed to be safe drivers, even while under the influence.
• The biggest feedback that these students gave me resulted when I asked them if they would be interested in purchasing an ignition lock for their cars. All three said they would but it would have to either be included in the cost of the car when they buy the vehicle or it would have to be priced very cheap. I asked them what “cheap” meant for a college student and the average amount they were willing to pay for this product was $50. Although I would hope to get many sponsors that would subsidize the cost of the ignition lock, I do not know if it is realistic to assume that the price of the product will be less than what college students are willing to pay.
• Overall, I think that college students agree that there is a desperate need to diminish the amount of drunk driving accidents but they are unsure of what is the best solution for this prevalent problem. Although all three students agreed that my product was innovative and useful, none of them would be able to afford the ignition lock realistically.

11A

• ·    My name is Iara Dircie and I am a rising fourth-year student at the University of Florida. My undergraduate degrees are in Business Management and Political Science but I am also doing a combined Master’s program in International Business. I am hoping to manage my own company one day and this business concept will assist me in getting to know the life cycle of a business idea.
• ·     The product I am offering to customers is an ignition lock that prohibits intoxicated drivers from turning on the engine of their cars. Upon entering one’s vehicle, the driver would have to use a breathalyzer to determine if they are capable of driving their car. If the driver’s blood alcohol content is below the legal limit, the ignition lock would allow them to turn on the engine. However, if the driver is legally drunk, the ignition lock would turn on and prohibit the vehicle from operating until someone passed the breathalyzer test. There are also ways to turn off the ignition lock at some points during the day but it would be mandatory to have it on during the weekends.
• ·     This product would be sold to car manufacturing companies that could install the product in vehicles before selling them. We would also sell this product to people who already own vehicles. These customers would have to pay for the product itself as well as the installation fees which we hope will be subsidized by organizations advocating for driver safety. This product would be mainly for alcoholics but we also want every person who consumes alcohol to receive an ignition lock.
• ·      Customers should purchase this product to ensure their safety as well as the safety of all their fellow drivers. Statistics show that the highest percentage of car related deaths occur from drunk driving and this ignition lock will help reduce the number as much as possible. Because this is such an important cause to so many people, many organizations that promote safe driving will subsidize the cost of this product, thus making it affordable for all and easy to adapt to.
• ·      This product is very different than products that have been created in the past. It offers a service that is so rare to find, safety. By only taking out a minute of their day, our customers can ensure the safety of millions of civilians. Also, I would reach out to numerous sponsors in hopes to reduce the cost of this product significantly so that purchasing this product is not seen as a financial burden to anyone.
• ·     All of these elements work very well together. The product only works if customers see the value behind purchasing the ignition lock and the value of the product is made greater once costs are decreased due to sponsors. It will be difficult to gather numerous sponsors to support this new device but I am confident that, once the ball gets rolling, many organizations that attempt to reduce drunk driving will want to donate to our product in hopes of making our roads safer.

10A