Final Reflection

After I read through my blog posts from this semester, I really tried to look at how I grew over the past few months in terms of my entrepreneurial skills. Here is what I found out:

What sticks out to you as your most formative experience?

I think my most formative experience was when I interviewed Collin from New Scooters 4 Less. I found out some really helpful information about not only how to be a better entrepreneur, but how to make a comeback from failure as well. He gave me some great insight and I think that because I was able to hear first hand how the whole entrepreneurial process works, it opened up my mind to a lot of possibilities.

Do you see yourself as an entrepreneur? Do you think you have moved closer to this mindset?

I don't really see myself as an entrepreneur right now, but I am definitely a little closer. Even though I do not want to be an entrepreneur in terms of my career goals, I can still apply a lot of these skills to becoming an entrepreneur for myself. I know how to sell myself because through this class, I was able to understand my skills and strengths a little better.

What is the recommendation you would make to the students who are going to journey down this path in the future?

My advice to students wanting to venture down this path would be to try and be true to yourself and what you believe in. It's really easy to get caught up in money or failure, and we often forget our main mission, which is to contribute to society in some way, whether it be big or small. Don't lose sight of that mission and I promise you'll be successful in pretty much any venture you decide on. In terms of this course, make a schedule! It is really easy to fall behind on things if you're not organized because there are a lot of assignments.

Venture Concept No. 2

1) My Venture Concept

Approximately 40 million adults in the United States today have been diagnosed with some kind of anxiety disorder. Basically anxiety is a mental illness that causes the brain to release adrenaline in the body at random times, which can cause panic attacks. These panic attacks are scary, and often make people feel isolated and alone. Among college students, the diagnoses of anxiety and depression disorders are skyrocketing, mostly due to the increased amounts of stress from school work. There have even been reports of college students whose anxiety developed into schizophrenia. As of right now, people with anxiety are relying on doctors and therapists to manage their illness. This illness will always be in existence, so this opportunity will always be there. In addition, being someone who has been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, I can definitely attest to the fact that there is a surprising lack of services out there dedicated to helping people manage their illness. My business concept centers around this question: What if there was a mobile application that will allow these millions of people all over the country to manage their illness at their fingertips?

My innovation to answer this question is an app called MyCalm. MyCalm is an anxiety-relieving app that is dedicated to helping people with anxiety disorders manage their disease. Upon opening the app, the user encounters a menu with all the options available. Options include: a 5-step calming process, a 24 hour help line, classical music, nature scenes, calming games, and a social media function to allow people with anxiety to connect with others and build a support group. The app is tailored to any kind of help the user needs. Therapists will be on standby on the help line in case the user needs to be talked through a panic attack, the 5-step calming process helps people in the midst of a panic attack, and the other functions provide the user with a more laid-back stress relieving experience. The app will cost 99 cents in the App Store. However, there will be a free trial available for those who would like to try the app first to see how they like it. There will also be advertisements to help with making money as well, with an upgradeable version that will cost $1.99 without advertisements.

MyCalm will help people with anxiety in major ways. Often, people who have anxiety will feel lost because they do not know how to control their thoughts. MyCalm not only provides ways to manage their illness, it provides them with a support group as well; something that they would not normally have otherwise. Customers will switch to this product because there really isn’t another comparable service out there. MyCalm is a simple and organized way for people to manage their illness effectively. Because of this need, I don’t think it would be very hard at all to get people on board with my product. Competitors are slim, and none of them have 24 hour help lines or social media functions, which is a big weakness on their part. Packaging and the business location won’t play a huge role in my venture because it is a service. However, customer support would play a huge role because the services we provide are tailored to people’s specific needs in terms of their illness. Customers will have a chance to submit reviews on the app as well as contact a customer service representative in case the services are not to their liking. My business forming from this app would include coders to provide maintenance on the app, researchers to keep up with trends in mental health, and directors and other leadership positions to implement changes to the app. Numbers of employees could reach pretty high depending on how popular the app would get.

I think my most important resource is my passion. Being someone who has anxiety, I am able to connect on a personal level with my customers. I know exactly what is proven to work and what doesn’t. I know exactly what it feels like to feel alone with your illness, and I want to eliminate this terrible feeling for as many people as I can. This passion fuels my business venture in that I will do whatever it takes to help my target customers in any way that I can.

The next step for the venture would be to add a separate function in the app for doctor use. Here, the doctor can make schedules for breathing exercises, or even keep track of the patient’s progress as they continue to use the app. Making the app compatible with doctors can be a huge help because the doctor can more effectively understand the patient’s day-to-day calming practices.

In five years, I would really like to be reaching at least 1 million users. Through extensive outreach and advertising to doctors and patients alike, I really think I can reach this goal. In the next decade, I would really like to be reaching 5 million or more users. As an entrepreneur, I would like to be running MyCalm at a national level with my app available across all kinds of devices. In the next decade I would even like to have the potential to expand this internationally so I can continue to help people manage their anxiety around the world.

2) Feedback

The feedback I received from my last Venture Concept was pretty positive. They basically said I had a good concept that will definitely help people manage their anxiety, which is exactly what I was aiming for. They also said I might have a little difficulty ensuring 24 hour help, but I think that it would definitely be possible if I use the models that other help lines use, such as the Suicide Hotline. Perhaps the biggest critique I got was on my price. One person said that he wasn't sure if he would spend 99 cents on the app before having a free trial. 

3) How I Changed

I really didn't change my concept a whole lot just because my comments on my last concept were pretty positive. I did add the free trial in there because I thought it was a great idea. I would like to have my customers see how the app would work before they purchase it. Other than that, I really didn't change much. Thanks for all the feedback guys!

Elevator Pitch No. 4

I didn't really change much about my elevator pitch this time because I got good compliments on my last one, so thank you guys very much! With this pitch, I essentially just tried to refine my speech and shorten it a bit. I thought my last pitches were a little long, so I really tried to get this one to a minute, even though I was a few seconds over. I am more confident in my idea now since it is the end of the semester, so I think I was a little bit more comfortable talking about MyCalm than I was in my other pitches.

Week 14 Reading Reflection

The section I found most interesting in the reading was actually at the very beginning in the section talking about how entrepreneurs need to create an innovative environment for their employees. By setting innovation goals, creating a feedback system and giving positive reinforcement, emphasizing individual responsibility, providing rewards and not punishing failures, entrepreneurs can effectively create an environment that would propel their business into the future. I think this tactic is very smart and I wouldn't have thought about it previously.

I didn't really find anything about the reading to be confusing. It seems clear to me that an entrepreneur needs to not only set an appropriate environment in their workplace to foster innovation, they need to plan a long-term strategy to help guide those in the company towards an innovative goal.

If I was able to ask two questions to the author, they would be 1) what circumstances would corporate entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship work best, and 2) what are some tips to creating a freely innovative work environment?

I didn't really disagree with anything in the reading. I agree with the author in that an entrepreneur's innovation doesn't stop after he or she becomes successful. An entrepreneur needs to continue this upward motion of innovation by creating a workplace environment that fosters innovations for the future growth of the company. Social and corporate entrepreneurship are also great strategies to develop in order to ensure the future of the company stays bright.

Google Gold

1) SEO Strategy

My SEO strategy was just to include as many commonly searched words in my posts as possible. For example, in my Idea Napkin posts, I included the words "anxiety," "app," and "relief" as many times as I could. I also googled "anxiety relief" and tried to keep track of the most used words in the top search results. I tried to incorporate these terms into my posts as well. I did not tend to focus on the blog titles for SEO, which I probably should have done.

2) Keywords

Like I said in number 1, I used keywords that I believe to be the most commonly searched terms on Google. I also searched for things such as "calming app" and "stress relief app" and tried to notice the words that those search results were using and tried to include those in my posts as well. At the beginning of the semester, my keywords were more general because my business idea was not as refined. Towards the end of the semester, it became more specific and more frequent.

3) Social Media

Unfortunately, I did not use social media as much as I should have to promote my blog. I did share it on Twitter and got a few people to visit, but most people ignored it. However, I wish I would have shared it on more platforms because social media can be used as a huge driving factor to get viewers of your page. I think people really underestimate the power of social media in this regard. Once you share something, it could reach literally millions of people.

4) Most viral post

My post that received the most views was my Idea Napkin No. 1. I think this was mainly because I tried to use as many commonly searched terms as possible in my post. I tried to tailor it to people searching for stress or anxiety relief tactics, and I think it worked pretty well.

5) Did I make it to the first page of Google?

When searching the terms "anxiety relief" and "stress relief app," I unfortunately did not make it to the first page of Google. However, when I searched the name of my blog I was on the first page. I think if I had tailored my blog post titles a little more to SEO, then I would have made it on the first page with both searches. I think I I would have used social media a little more to my advantage I would have made it as well.

Week 13 Reading Reflection

Something I found surprising about the reading was the section on the Due Diligence Evaluation. I never really thought about the fact that an entrepreneur should lay out everything on paper in detail when considering the acquisition on a venture. I think this is really smart because then an entrepreneur can really look at all the details and figure out their's companies' true worth.

One section that was confusing to me was the section on the adjusted tangible book value. I'm not exactly sure how to conduct this book value assessment and what it means for a company.

If I was able to ask 2 questions to the author, they would be 1) how exactly do you conduct an adjusted tangible book value and 2) what is a price earnings ratio used for?

I pretty much agreed with everything the author said. An entrepreneur really has to take a lot of things into account once they begin their business venture. I never really realized how in-depth and detailed it needed to be as well. I think any entrepreneur needs to really think about this before the decide to begin a venture, because it could make or break you.

Celebrating Failure

1) Tell us about a time this past semester that you failed.

I am taking a Writing Fundamentals class this semester and the first part of the class was all about grammar rules. I thought I knew grammar pretty well because I always seemed to do very well on writing assignments. However, this section of the class turned out to be really hard for me and I failed a few quizzes about certain grammar rules.

2) Tell us what you learned from it.

I was really hard on myself about this and started to feel like I was a really bad writer, which is kind of bad since my major is Journalism. But I did learn that I should pay more attention to the mechanics behind my writing and that I should ALWAYS proofread everything. I also learned that just because some grammar rules are a little difficult, that doesn't mean I am a bad writer and I shouldn't be so hard on myself.

3) Reflect, in general, on what you think about failure.

Failure is essential to success. If you don't find out what doesn't work, then how will you ever find out what does? I tend to be a little hard on myself whenever I experience failure. I immediately start blaming myself and think "why can't I do this right?" However, I should really be thinking "how can I do it better next time?" This class hasn't changed my perspective on failure a whole lot, but I have realized that I need to be better at searching for other opportunities to improve what hasn't worked before. I do think I am a little more likely to take a risk now than I was four months ago, and I hope to continue expanding my horizons and looking for better opportunities.

My Exit Strategy

1) My plan for MyCalm in the future would be to stay with it until I retire. If my company takes off as much as I think it would, I would want to stay committed to it.

2) Because of my passion for helping people manage their anxiety, I would want to stay with it and continue to work help as many people as I can. I wouldn't want to sell MyCalm because I think it would do best if it was run by someone who can connect with customers. Because I have anxiety, I know what works for people and what doesn't, and I can understand their needs.

3) My strategy has definitely influenced other decisions I have made about MyCalm. For example, I have decided to expand it to include doctors who can use the app's "calming log" to check on their patients and see how they are doing in terms of managing their anxiety. This way, it can have a lasting impact on the patient's life. It has also influenced my decision about my opportunity because I have expanded it to not only include people who have anxiety, but to include people with depression disorders as well.

Week 12 Reading Reflection

The section I found particularly interesting in the chapter was the section about flaws entrepreneurs often have in their business venture. The one that stuck out to me the most was the "failure to explicitly communicate the venture's strategy to employees." It is extremely important to let all employees know what the strategy is so that they can form their work to that strategy for the good of the company. Communication is key in any new business venture.

Something that was confusing to me was the section about the entrepreneurial strategy matrix model. It wasn't clear to me exactly how the model works and how it explains entrepreneurial strategy.

If I were to ask two questions to the author, I would ask 1) what are some tips on how to strategize properly, and 2) how does the matrix model explain the entrepreneurial strategy?

There really wasn't anything in the reading that I disagreed with. Starting on any business venture can be a very overwhelming experience. Entrepreneurs often make mistakes by not informing others who are involved or failing to completely grasp everything they need to do. Over all, the reading was very interesting when considering the beginnings of business building.

Venture Concept No. 1

Approximately 40 million adults in the United States today have been diagnosed with some kind of anxiety disorder. Basically anxiety is a mental illness that causes the brain to release adrenaline in the body at random times, which can cause panic attacks. These panic attacks are scary, and often make people feel isolated and alone. Among college students, the diagnoses of anxiety and depression disorders are skyrocketing, mostly due to the increased amounts of stress from school work. There have even been reports of college students whose anxiety developed into schizophrenia. As of right now, people with anxiety are relying on doctors and therapists to manage their illness. This illness will always be in existence, so this opportunity will always be there. In addition, being someone who has been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, I can definitely attest to the fact that there is a surprising lack of services out there dedicated to helping people manage their illness. My business concept centers around this question: What if there was a mobile application that will allow these millions of people all over the country to manage their illness at their fingertips?

My innovation to answer this question is an app called MyCalm. MyCalm is an anxiety-relieving app that is dedicated to helping people with anxiety disorders manage their disease. Upon opening the app, the user encounters a menu with all the options available. Options include: a 5-step calming process, a 24 hour help line, classical music, nature scenes, calming games, and a social media function to allow people with anxiety to connect with others and build a support group. The app is tailored to any kind of help the user needs. Therapists will be on standby on the help line in case the user needs to be talked through a panic attack, the 5-step calming process helps people in the midst of a panic attack, and the other functions provide the user with a more laid-back stress relieving experience. The app will cost 99 cents in the App Store. There will also be advertisements to help with making money as well, with an upgradeable version that will cost $1.99 without advertisements.

MyCalm will help people with anxiety in major ways. Often, people who have anxiety will feel lost because they do not know how to control their thoughts. MyCalm not only provides ways to manage their illness, it provides them with a support group as well; something that they would not normally have otherwise. Customers will switch to this product because there really isn’t another comparable service out there. MyCalm is a simple and organized way for people to manage their illness effectively. Because of this need, I don’t think it would be very hard at all to get people on board with my product. Competitors are slim, and none of them have 24 hour help lines or social media functions, which is a big weakness on their part. Packaging and the business location won’t play a huge role in my venture because it is a service. However, customer support would play a huge role because the services we provide are tailored to people’s specific needs in terms of their illness. Customers will have a chance to submit reviews on the app as well as contact a customer service representative in case the services are not to their liking. My business forming from this app would include coders to provide maintenance on the app, researchers to keep up with trends in mental health, and directors and other leadership positions to implement changes to the app. Numbers of employees could reach pretty high depending on how popular the app would get.

I think my most important resource is my passion. Being someone who has anxiety, I am able to connect on a personal level with my customers. I know exactly what is proven to work and what doesn’t. I know exactly what it feels like to feel alone with your illness, and I want to eliminate this terrible feeling for as many people as I can. This passion fuels my business venture in that I will do whatever it takes to help my target customers in any way that I can.

The next step for the venture would be to add a separate function in the app for doctor use. Here, the doctor can make schedules for breathing exercises, or even keep track of the patient’s progress as they continue to use the app. Making the app compatible with doctors can be a huge help because the doctor can more effectively understand the patient’s day-to-day calming practices.

In five years, I would really like to be reaching at least 1 million users. Through extensive outreach and advertising to doctors and patients alike, I really think I can reach this goal. In the next decade, I would really like to be reaching 5 million or more users. As an entrepreneur, I would like to be running MyCalm at a national level with my app available across all kinds of devices. In the next decade I would even like to have the potential to expand this internationally so I can continue to help people manage their anxiety around the world.

Week 11 Reading Reflection

Something that I found interesting about the reading was the section about the different types of innovation. The different type of innovation are disruptive, radical and architectural. It was interesting thinking about how different kinds of innovations affect the world in different ways. For example, in disruptive innovation, someone who invents something new in the market will disrupt the business of others in that same market. This is something I just never really thought of about innovation.

Something that was confusing to me in the reading was the section on managing trade-offs. Reading this section, I wasn't quite sure how to manage these trade-offs as much as I understood what exactly they were.

If i were to ask two questions to the author, they would be 1) how EXACTLY do you manage the trade-offs you described, and 2) what are some tips for people who want to be able to become more innovative?

Something I disagreed with about the reading was when the author said that only senior leaders in the organization can set the innovation strategy. I think any and all members of an organizations should have the opportunity to be innovative and contribute their ideas on what should be done next. My reasoning is that even the people at the very bottom could have incredible creative abilities. Everyone should be given the chance at being innovative.

Amazon Whisperer

1) Revenue drivers

The main revenue drivers I have for my company include in-app purchases and advertisements. For example, people could pay to upgrade to a version without ads or that has more games available.

2) What's next?

The next thing my customers might want is a log on the app so they can keep track of their favorite calming exercises and their progress.

3) How will that enhance it?

I think that adding an option to log their progress, customers will feel more accomplished when trying to manage their anxiety. Keeping track of calming techniques will also help people figure out what works best for them.

4) Similar Product

Because my product is an app, I went to the Apple App Store instead to find a similar service to mine. Here is the link to an app I found called "Relax: Stress and Anxiety Relief": https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/relax-stress-anxiety-relief/id409665681?mt=8

Here is an image of the app as well:

This service is similar to mine in that it offers calming music and a log for people to track how they manage their anxiety. This app also features mediation and breathing patterns, which mine does not. However, my app includes a help line and a social media function for people to get real-time help. 

5) Customer Reviews 

Over all, the reviews on the app were pretty positive. However, I did find a couple of things that people seemed to want to change. One person said they would like the app to be able to rotate when used on a tablet. Another said that there were some glitches when hooking it up to bluetooth speakers.  Another said the home icon constantly disappears after a day or so. 

6) Changes

I would definitely add a social media function on the app. I think being able to connect with other people who have anxiety is key in managing the illness. Feeling like you are alone is one of the main struggles with people who have anxiety. I would also add in calming games because challenging the mind can also be a big stress relief. 

7) Good addition?

I think this product would make a good addition to my business idea because it seems to have some well-thought-out breathing tactics. I think knowing how to control your breaths is extremely important in relieving anxiety, and this app has gotten it. I would love to incorporate that into my service. 

My Unfair Advantage

Resources in my Venture:

1) Passion

Valuable: My passion is valuable because being someone with anxiety, I have a passion to help others cope with it which fuels my business concept.

Rare: Though having anxiety isn't rare, someone wanting to create a business to help people with anxiety is.

Inimitable: It isn't very inimitable because it's hard to find someone with as much passion about this.

Non-substitutable: It is non-substitutable because you can't replace passion.

2) Large target market

Valuable: Having a large target market is really valuable because it means the longevity of my business venture is very good.

Rare: Having a large target market really isn't that rare, but not many companies specifically target my customers, which are people who have anxiety.

Inimitable: This is pretty inimitable unfortunately.

Non-substitutable: You can't really substitute a large target market for a smaller one with the same idea.

3) Creative idea

Valuable: Having a creative idea is very valuable because people will be intrigued by the idea and want to invest or check it out.

Rare: Creativity isn't necessarily rare, but my specific idea is rare because there is a surprising lack of services out there dedicated to people who have anxiety.

Inimitable: Creativity can never be copied, so this isn't very inimitable.

Non-substitutable: There is not substitute for creativity.

4) Tenacity

Valuable: Tenacity is very valuable because that means that the venturer will stop at nothing to make sure the business is successful.

Rare: Tenacity is kind of rare because it's a skill that some people possess and some people may not.

Inimitable: Since tenacity is a skill, it can't really be copied.

Non-substitutable: You can't really substitute tenacity and hard work with anything else.

5) Experience 

Valuable: My experience in having anxiety is really valuable because I can understand the needs of my customers and tailor my app to them.

Rare: This is kind of rare because not many venturers are also part of the target customer base.

Inimitable: You can't really copy personal experiences.

Non-substitutable: You can't replace you personal experiences with other experiences.

6) Contacts

Valuable: Having contacts in your field is very valuable because they will be able to help you along the way in your venture.

Rare: Sometimes it can be hard to find good contacts that will help you in your venture, so this is kind of rare.

Inimitable: This can be copied because everyone has opportunities to network and establish contacts.

Non-substitutable: You can't really replace the fact that you have great contacts to reach out to for help.

7) Empathy

Valuable: Having empathy for your customers is very valuable because you can understand their needs and how to fix that.

Rare: Though empathy is not a rare quality, companies establishing empathy for their clients can be.

Inimitable: You can't really copy the quality of empathy.

Non-substitutable: Empathy for your customers can never be replaced.

8) Leadership Skills

Valuable: Leadership skills are very valuable in any venture because you have to be able to lead and motivate a large group pf people in order to meet your overall goal.

Rare: Though leadership skills are not rare, some qualities of a good leader are, such as kindness.

Inimitable: Having good leadership skills can be copied, but every leader is different.

Non-substitutable: There is no replacement for good leadership skills.

9) Funding

Valuable: Access to people who want to invest in your company and having access to your own fund is extremely valuable because any venture needs financial capital to get started.

Rare: Funding can sometimes be rare, especially when considering college students because we often don't have enough money to eat that night much less invest in a business idea.

Inimitable: You can't really copy funding, but you can go after the same investors that your competitor did.

Non-Substitutable: You can't ever substitute funding for anything else.

10) Communication/Marketing

Valuable: My skills in communications and marketing is valuable because I know how to specifically target marketing strategies to specific audiences.

Rare: Communication skills are pretty rare, especially in a world where technology is becoming more and more prevalent.

Inimitable: You can't copy communication skills. They are learned.

Non-substitutable: There is no replacement for good communication skills.

Most Important Resource

I think my most important resource is passion. Living with anxiety for 10 years, I definitely know what works and what doesn't to help me cope with it. I know exactly how people feel when they get diagnosed as well as when they need to figure out ways to help cope with the illness. Because I felt so lost for so long, I want to eliminate this feeling for the millions of people around the world who struggle with anxiety. I don't want anyone to feel like they are alone or there is nothing out there that will help them. This passion is what is fueling me to complete this venture. Therefore, it is more important than any other resource that I have.

Elevator Pitch No. 3

Over all, the feedback I received from my Elevator Pitch No. 2 was very positive. One of the main suggestions I received was to make sure my pitch stayed around a minute so that I can keep the viewer's attention. I cut down the pitch by 20 seconds this time by combining sentences and not going into too much detail. I also altered my app so that it won't automatically bring you through the 5-step process of calming down as soon as you tap the app. I figured a lot of people may not even need this function and would like to go straight to the other services available. Another critique I received from not my Elevator Pitch No. 2, but from the comments on my Idea Napkin was to add a 24-hour help line in case the 5-step process does not work in calming the user down. I also added games to the app because I think distracting your brain helps tremendously with stress. So, all in all I made changes to the product itself as well as shortened my pitch to hopefully retain the viewer's attention. Thanks everyone!

My Secret Sauce

1) Describe five ways in which you think you have human capital that is truly unique.

- Tenacity
I have always been the kind of person to not stop until I finish a project, even if it takes me well into the night to complete. I can't stand when I am not able to finish something, sometimes to a fault.

- Attention to detail
Every time I am working on something, I make sure that every detail is exactly like how I envisioned it. For example, I am into graphic design so I am very meticulous when it comes to my images.

- Empathy
I have a pretty fine-tuned ability to understand how someone else feels. I can put myself in their shoes and figure out how to help people based on that.

- Analyzer
I am and have always been an analyzer. I carefully look at all sides of an issue before I make any decision. I always find the need to seek out all possible outcomes before acting.

- Moral compass
I really try my best every day to make the ethical decision, no matter what I am doing. I try very hard to do whats right, even if it has bad repercussions.

2) Interview the five people that know you the best about what makes you different. 

My Mom:
My mom basically reaffirmed what I said in number 1. She told me that I've always been the kind of person to carefully work through problems in order to make the best decision I can. My takeaway would be that she seems to think I am good at carefully going through a process and not caring what other people think about it.
https://soundcloud.com/morgan-johnson-258439955/momrecording

Federico:
Federico, my roommate, said something pretty similar to what my mom said. He said that I have an ability to follow through on a project.
https://soundcloud.com/morgan-johnson-258439955/fed

Xenabeth:
Xena, my other roommate, focused on an emotional ability by saying I am a good listener. This plays into my ability to empathize with others and understand their problems.
https://soundcloud.com/morgan-johnson-258439955/what-makes-morgan-unique-different

Duncan: 
My brother, Duncan,  played into my ability to analyze things in a way that lets me think through problems. I always analyze something before I do anything.
https://soundcloud.com/morgan-johnson-258439955/duncanrecording-1

Arthur:
Arthur, one of my good friends, said I am good to get along with. This helps in any job market because I can work with others easily.
https://soundcloud.com/morgan-johnson-258439955/arthurrecording

3) Reflect

I think everything I said and everything my friends and relatives said was pretty close. Something that I didn't think of before was what Xena said about me being able to listen to people and give good advice that way. That can really help if I ever have a leadership position in the future. Other than that, everything was pretty close. It's good to know that how I view myself is similar t how others view me.

Week 9 Reading Reflection

Something that was especially interesting to me was the section on writing good survey questions. I think when you are trying to write a survey for customers, you need to take into account any kind of misinterpretations there could be out there. You also have to frame your questions in a way that will get people to respond honestly. I never really thought about surveys that much before, but after reading that section I can understand them a little better now.

Something that was confusing to me about the reading was the section on pricing strategies. It wasn't too clear to me how entrepreneurs set prices and for what reasons.

Two questions I would ask the author would be 1) How specifically do entrepreneurs set the prices for their products, and 2) What do you think the best way is to do research on a customer base? (i.e. surveys vs. interviews).

Again, I didn't really disagree with anything the author said. I think doing your research on your potential customers is critical when pursuing a new business venture because you can accurately get an idea for how to format your marketing techniques. For example, if you are creating a business for college students to get cheap textbooks, you need to understand the preferences of students across the board. You need to understand their points of view from that point in their life and consider how that might change over time. Over all, I thought the author did a great job in describing this to readers and it was very easy to understand.

Idea Napkin No. 2

1) Me

My name is Morgan Johnson and I am a second-year Journalism student the University of Florida. Some of my main skills include website writing, graphic design, and professional social media posting. One of my main goals in this world is to make a difference in some way. I am passionate about environmental issues and hope to one day become a communications specialist for an environmental nonprofit. However, I am also passionate about helping people with their stress. Being someone with clinical anxiety, I can definitely understand the pressure that school, work, and other commitments can have on one person. Because there is a surprising lack of services available to people with anxiety, I want to help people understand that they are not alone and there are ways to get better. My idea to create an app for people with anxiety would play into my life by providing me with an opportunity to educate society about this illness as well as help those who have this illness.

2) What am I offering to customers?

My anxiety-relieving app called MyCalm is designed to help those with anxiety manage their panic attacks and build strong connections that will ultimately help them though their illness. Once you open the app, there will be several options for the user, one of which is a 5 step calming process when one is having a panic attack. There is also a 24-hour help line for those who need a real person to talk to. The app also features nature scenes, classical music, and meditation techniques if one is feeling unusually anxious during that time. Game features allow the user to challenge their mind, which can be very therapeutic. The app also features a separate social media function that allows people to connect with others who have anxiety and build a support group. My biggest issue with my anxiety is that I feel like the people who are closest to me still don't fully understand anxiety and how to help. Therefore, I want to provide others with a chance to build supportive relationships through MyCalm.

3) Who am I offering it to?

I am offering this app not only to anyone who may have some kind of anxiety or depression disorder, but to anyone who feels as though their life is being ruled by the stress they bear. Everyone is expected to go to school, have a job, build a family, and worry about finances all the while being happy about it. This is not the reality, especially to those who have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Even those customers who do not have this disorder still expressed to me that they would benefit from some kind of stress-relieving app. Essentially, this app is for everyone because everyone experiences stress in everyday life.

4) Why do they care?

Customers will pay to use my app because there really isn't another app out there with the same kind of services that I am providing. Anxiety is one of the most misunderstood mental illnesses out there, and because of that there has been a surprising lack of services available to people with anxiety who experience panic attacks. MyCalm provides this very opportunity to let people who have an anxiety disorder know that they aren't alone, and help is just a tap away.

5) What are my core competencies?

Even though there are a couple of apps out there that aim to help people relieve stress, MyCalm is created specifically for those who have been diagnosed with some kind of anxiety or depression disorder. No other app has a social media function that allows people with these illnesses to connect with others or a 5-step process that has proven to calm people down in the midst of a panic attack.

I think over all, these elements do fit together pretty well. Because of my background with having an anxiety disorder, I think I am able to connect with people about what they are experiencing. I also know that I can share my best tactics to manage my anxiety with others. Something I may need to work on, however, is expanding my app to cater to those who do not have an anxiety disorder. For example, I may want to include people who are just stressed in general. I can also expand it to include people who knows someone with an anxiety disorder, but may not know much about it and want to learn more. Other than this, I think my intentions and the effects on customers marry very well together because it will provide the assistance that people with anxiety need in order to manage their disorder.

Feedback Memo:
From my first Idea Napkin, over all I received pretty positive comments, so I really didn't change much in my second try. However, something that really stood out to me that I changed was to add a 24 hour help line for those who are really struggling and the 5 step process doesn't work. I really liked this idea because sometimes talking to a real person is the best therapy. 

I also decided to add games to the app because I have found that challenging my brain on a game during times of stress can distract me from my panic and calm me down in the process. 

After talking to customers, I also realized that I need to make my app applicable to anyone who experiences stress, not just people who have anxiety. Though I would essentially like to specifically target those with anxiety, I think expanding it to others would make my app more beneficial on a larger scale. In order to do this, I have changed the app so that when the user opens it, it doesn't automatically bring you through the 5 step process. Instead, it will bring up a menu page with the different options available to the user. I think this is more effective because if someone doesn't necessarily need the 5 step process, they can go straight to whatever function they need. 

Week 8 Reading Reflection

The section that was most interesting and surprising to me in the reading was the highlight box about social lending sites on page 212. I had no idea there were such sites out there specifically designed for individuals to lend money to each other for new business ventures. I think this is a wonderful idea. Often, it can be very difficult to get a loan from the bank because it is ver hard to et them to believe in your idea. They may not see things they way you do or see the possible future implications of the project in the future. These social lending sites can get rid of this by providing the entrepreneur with many options around the world to gain finding for their business venture. This kind of reminds me of crowdfunding sites where charities can get donations from ordinary people. Crowdfunding sites have proven to be extremely popular among the public, so I think these social lending sites would do just as well. 

Something that was confusing to me in the reading was the "Trade Credit" term. The way it is explained in the book was pretty confusing to me. I would like to know exactly how the process works to get trade credit and what specifically it does for the entrepreneur. 

If I were to ask the author two questions, they would be 1) What does trade credit do for the entrepreneur specifically, and 2) What are some tips you would give an entrepreneur who is trying to convince the bank that they can safely loan him money for his business venture?

I didn't really disagree with the author on anything in the reading. I am a Journalism major, so these business terms and processes are sometimes a little confusing to me, however. Over all, I think the author did a good job in describing these processes. It seems like everything he is saying is straight facts about how this system works, so I agree with basically everything he said. 

Half-way Reflection

Here is my reflection of the past two months in this course. It hasn't been easy, but I got through it and I learned so much about how to be a successful entrepreneur!

1) Tenaciousness is a skill.

This course does have a lot of assignments, but they are all geared towards helping us in our journey to fine-tune our entrepreneurship skills. Some techniques I have used to keep up with the course's requirements include making a schedule, writing a to-do list every day, and setting aside time during the day to devote to my assignments. I first make a schedule for the week so that I can plan which assignments I'll work on each day. Then, at the beginning of each day I make a to-do list so I can see exactly what I have to accomplish that day. I set aside a set amount of time to work on it, which really helps me pace myself. I find that this process really helps me in organizing my work load as well as balance other things I have to get done.

2) Tenaciousness is also about attitude

There were a couple of times during this semester when I felt like my work load from all of my classes was really weighing me down, one night especially. I had two assignments due for Entrepreneurship, 2 other exams to study for, work the next morning, and a hurt neck and rib from a car accident I was in recently. I felt like giving up and blowing everything off, but I told myself that if I wanted to fulfill my passion to change the world someday, I would have to start small and get my work done. So I persevered and finished everything I needed to, and still had time to rest and take care of my injuries. I think this was the moment that inspired me to be tenacious throughout the rest of the semester. I realized that every little assignment counts towards my goal, and I would do anything to reach it.

3) Three tips

Three tips I would give about surviving this course and creating a tenacious mentality would be 1) organize your schedule, 2) when you feel like you have too much on your plate, back off for a second and realize your long-term goal, and 3) realize that you are in control of your own work ethic. Organizing a schedule is the first step to becoming tenacious. If you work a little bit every day, you'll eventually reach your goal. The other two tips are a little more difficult to achieve. Realizing that everything you are doing right now contributes to the rest of your life and realizing you are the sole person in control of that can be hard. However, I promise that once you realize this, your tenaciousness and determination will propel you into your bright future.

Week 7 Reading Reflection

Something that really stood out to me in the reading was the section describing consumer habits in the 1960s. During the 60s, it was very surprising to me to learn that consumer habits were basically going in reverse. For example, people with less education were becoming more affluent and therefore demanding better goods. Then, due to lack of creativity in marketing, advertising became boring and monotonous. This dramatically changed in the 70s, which was interesting to me because I don't really know much about the history of advertising.

Something that did confuse me about the reading, though, was why consumer patterns changed so dramatically in the 60s. This doesn't make much sense to me.

Two questions I would ask the author would be 1) Why did consumer patterns change in the 60s and 2) What marketing tactic such as color, music, etc. have the greatest success with consumers?

There wasn't really anything in the reading that I disagreed with. Though I do not have a strong background in marketing, I can definitely understand the logic behind certain marketing tactics in business. A business has to pay special attention to consumer patterns so that they know what is working and what isn't. There is a lot of psychology involved in marketing a product. One has to take into account the tendencies of people's mind and what grabs their attention the best. This article explained very well the process in which businesses study the mind of the consumer and how they can persuade them to buy their product or service in the best way.

Elevator Pitch No. 2

A couple of the main critiques people had about my last pitch was that I was messing with my hair too much and I kept reading off of my notes. I was told that this is distracting, and I definitely agree. I guess I didn't realize it because playing with my hair is a nervous habit and I thought I wasn't being too obvious about reading my notes. However, after I looked back at it I realized it was very distracting from what I was trying to say. This time, I made a conscious effort to not play with my hair and I completely memorized my script.

Another suggestion I received that I thought was a very good point was that there should be a contact line just in case the 5-step process doesn't work in calming the user down. I thought this was a wonderful idea so I adapted it and put it in my service as well as my sales pitch.

Over all, my feedback was very good about my concept and what I am trying to do with my product. Thanks to everyone who gave me such great suggestions! I think everyone can relate in some way to feeling ridiculously stressed, and this app could be expanded to so many more people. I'm hoping to make a difference in the world in some way, and maybe MyCalm will allow me to do that.