If I were to divide my most unique assets and abilities I provide to organizations and coalitions, they would come down to these factors below:
1) I do what I want. In other words, I'm dedicated to the practice of individual understanding.
2) I study what I want. When something interests me I look into it, no matter how weird it may seem or obscure the texts can be. I try to understand what fascinates me.
3) I've done physical labor for money and for volunteering. I understand the conditions that people wouldn't want to put up with and know the limits of what can and cannot be built.
4) I know what people like at a glance. Music taste, extent of literary excitement, etc. I'm usually a good judge of artistic taste and aesthetics, giving me a bit of an edge in terms of marketing and selling ideas to people.
5) I'm usually a decent judge of character. Going past the aesthetics of a person, I usually can tell a personality type from an encounter or two. Selfish, altruistic, religious, etc. I've been known to predict breakups before they happen.
I then contacted 5 close associates and inquired them about myself and the interviews went as such.
1) First old friend of mine groaned at the idea of the conversation but after some tomfoolery and the promise of snacks afterwards he revealed that it was that behavior that was unique about me. I had a genuine excitement in trying to repay people for what they were due. I wanted to pay back those who did me right.
2) The next person I interviewed was someone I met here at UF. We chatted while watching We Bare Bears and she said that I was pretty strange but that meant I understood strange. Strange things often are viewed with disgust or distrust by most people, but she said I didn't have the same initial reaction to them. I guess she meant it as a compliment so I'm taking it as such.
3) My girlfriend came in the room soon after and I probed her for similar information. She said I was really nice, specifically to people who trusted me and put their confidences in me. Makes me useful for making business deals with new companies and employers, I hope.
4) I called a friend from Maryland asked them about my personality and what parts were more admirable than others. He said unequivocally the best and worst part about me was that I would call him at random times to rave to him about a new philosophical or otherwise discovery made in whatever book or TV show I'm enjoying. I guess he implied that he thought of me as someone who was thoughtful, which I thanked him for. Being thoughtful can be helpful, afterall.
5) I called my final friend for the interview about myself and we got to chatting about our old history and events, most of which were pretty reckless adventures involving automobiles and the journey for women. He said that we were both pretty crazy, and that I usually was down to try out new things like going to unknown areas. That was his favorite quality of me, and it's the one that I feel is most essential for entrepreneurship in the modern world.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
BUYER BEHAVIOR
I presented three total strangers with my service and alternative versions of my service and sought to understand how the average shopper selects products. The alternatives to my service varied in price, availability, one even had a design on it whereas the others were without one. What I found to be the most similar characteristic between all three interviewees is that they all definitely directed their attention to the cheapest service at first before one rolled back and picked the one with a design and more availability/hours on run. Still, the other two stuck to their choice of the cheapest service and when asked they simply said they felt the price offered was the most appropriate for the service. This was worrying at first as it seemed that they didn't view the service being offered as necessarily necessary. More of a, how you say, bourgeoisie purchase. One thing they all unanimously agreed on, however, was the preference of an online option rather than using a check or cash-based service. PayPal runs our lives now.
What I've drawn from these interviews is that people are moving more and more towards instant gratification and convenience. The more easily available a product is, the more within reach of their monetary level, and the more fluid its path from destination to arrival, the more likely people will be willing to use the service/product. Post-purchase, however, the harder and more arduous you make the refund service the more likely that they'll simply forget they were paying for your service at all. Good news for the economy, for once.
What I've drawn from these interviews is that people are moving more and more towards instant gratification and convenience. The more easily available a product is, the more within reach of their monetary level, and the more fluid its path from destination to arrival, the more likely people will be willing to use the service/product. Post-purchase, however, the harder and more arduous you make the refund service the more likely that they'll simply forget they were paying for your service at all. Good news for the economy, for once.
Friday, February 22, 2019
DEAR FUTURE STUDENT
Dear future student of this online course,
I know the requirements and assignments of this course can seem quite overwhelming at first but take it from me as a fellow unmotivated college student, you'll make it through. The true key to survival in this course is willpower, self-motivation in a sense. You need to be properly inspired to do anything good in this world, I believe, so I would recommend a daily dose of doing something artistic. Listening to poetry online, reading the Quotations of Mao Tse-Tung, whatever it is you need. Don't think of it as an indulgence away from work but rather a key factor in understanding the world and what problems need to be solved within it. I often spend hours in the library just reading random books to accumulate a wider perspective on life and as a result I find most questions in this course more interesting to me than problematic.
The parts that gave me the biggest trouble were the interviews. I'm a really shy person when it comes down to it, and when faced with having to give interviews I honestly just considered making some crap up and posting it on the blog. What got me out of it, though, was self-reflection. I spent some time just sitting and chain-smoking and thinking about myself and why I am how I am and what I wanted from life and found that deep down I did want to connect with other people. I enjoy talking to them, and even if I didn't I still understand that I live in this world with them and couldn't live without them. Because I continually attempt to self-reflect in my life, I find the drive I need to complete assignments and generally do my best in everything I do.
My three tips to you would be this: look inside yourself, look at the world around you, and look at how you fit into that world. There's an overwhelming sense of connection and family in all the interactions we engage in, and simply put it was enough for me. If it isn't for you then sorry I wasn't much help at all, but that's my honest answer for how I find the motivation to do things. I hope you at least try to consider these things, but more so I hope that your future finds you well.
I know the requirements and assignments of this course can seem quite overwhelming at first but take it from me as a fellow unmotivated college student, you'll make it through. The true key to survival in this course is willpower, self-motivation in a sense. You need to be properly inspired to do anything good in this world, I believe, so I would recommend a daily dose of doing something artistic. Listening to poetry online, reading the Quotations of Mao Tse-Tung, whatever it is you need. Don't think of it as an indulgence away from work but rather a key factor in understanding the world and what problems need to be solved within it. I often spend hours in the library just reading random books to accumulate a wider perspective on life and as a result I find most questions in this course more interesting to me than problematic.
The parts that gave me the biggest trouble were the interviews. I'm a really shy person when it comes down to it, and when faced with having to give interviews I honestly just considered making some crap up and posting it on the blog. What got me out of it, though, was self-reflection. I spent some time just sitting and chain-smoking and thinking about myself and why I am how I am and what I wanted from life and found that deep down I did want to connect with other people. I enjoy talking to them, and even if I didn't I still understand that I live in this world with them and couldn't live without them. Because I continually attempt to self-reflect in my life, I find the drive I need to complete assignments and generally do my best in everything I do.
My three tips to you would be this: look inside yourself, look at the world around you, and look at how you fit into that world. There's an overwhelming sense of connection and family in all the interactions we engage in, and simply put it was enough for me. If it isn't for you then sorry I wasn't much help at all, but that's my honest answer for how I find the motivation to do things. I hope you at least try to consider these things, but more so I hope that your future finds you well.
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
RAY KROC
The other day I read Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald's, authored (at least in part) by Ray Kroc and while finding it morally reprehensible still found a lot of merit in reading it over all. I would have to say what surprised me the most about Ray Kroc is his general unapologetic nature over his entire life. I didn't expect him to be sorry over any of his business practices, but I would be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't have some regret over their treatment of others in their life. Then again, I wouldn't put my regrets in my autobiography. If I were to read this as a fiction novel I would say I admire the sort of manliness that is present in Ray Kroc. He's not so unlike Ernest Hemingway or Frank Chin in his lifelong journey towards independence (albeit through financial means), and like a character trope it can be a comfortable slot to fill one's self in. When I came back to reality, however, many of his qualities that I admire are simultaneously the ones I dislike. It's easy to act like a fiction character when you don't care about the consequences. Generally when Kroc met an obstacle he met it back with confrontation, doing underhanded business practices or openly disparaging and disrespecting the competition on the market.
The competencies I noticed in Kroc were a general self-driven willpower and willingness to do what it takes, as well as enough business-savvy and intellect to know what it takes. You really can't make a franchise like McDonald's without knowing ahead of time what it is you're going to do, who you're going to piss off, and what you might have to do if something gets in your way.
What I found confusing was Kroc's background overall; he presents himself as a hard-working and self-made man, but all I found was an American white male who managed to go unscathed through the Great Depression and then force his way into someone else's business venture.
If I could ask Ray Kroc two things were he still alive, I think they would be "should college be free?" and "your thoughts on Leninism?". I think it would be funny to see his reaction.
To a man like Kroc, I would have to imagine his idea of hard work involved a combination of self-determinism, individualism, and entrepreneurship. My idea of hard work is similar in ways, but ultimately we fight for different causes.
The competencies I noticed in Kroc were a general self-driven willpower and willingness to do what it takes, as well as enough business-savvy and intellect to know what it takes. You really can't make a franchise like McDonald's without knowing ahead of time what it is you're going to do, who you're going to piss off, and what you might have to do if something gets in your way.
What I found confusing was Kroc's background overall; he presents himself as a hard-working and self-made man, but all I found was an American white male who managed to go unscathed through the Great Depression and then force his way into someone else's business venture.
If I could ask Ray Kroc two things were he still alive, I think they would be "should college be free?" and "your thoughts on Leninism?". I think it would be funny to see his reaction.
To a man like Kroc, I would have to imagine his idea of hard work involved a combination of self-determinism, individualism, and entrepreneurship. My idea of hard work is similar in ways, but ultimately we fight for different causes.
Friday, February 15, 2019
SEGMENTING MY MARKET
The segment that I am focusing on in the market is the demographic of 30-50 year old suburban parents, preferably those with younger children but regardless. I went around my neighborhood and interviewed three people who fit this description.
The first interview went rather straightforward. I interviewed a woman of 44 who was interested in my idea and talked with me about their needs regarding my plan. Their biggest concern for animals on the road was usually around the daytime, when children are outside and playing. This is problematic for me as that is also when traffic is at its highest, but we aren't thinking about that stage yet. Luckily they were also most concerned with neighborhood roadkill, where traffic is significantly less of a problem. When I asked about what they would've done at first when presented with this problem, they said they simply would've picked the animal up with gloves themselves if it was near the area their children were. Fair answer, and one that I got a lot. Specifically with the second interview; a younger man in his early thirties also replied that he would've simply googled how to take care of the animal but his need was more concerned with animals in areas where people aren't walking, such as in traffic. Possums carry their young on them (along with other mammals), and the offspring can survive even if the possum dies. He would want a service to check for the offspring and take care of them, at anytime as long as we can get them out of traffic heavy areas. The final adult I managed to get a hold of in my neighborhood also emphasized daytime, specifically the times when young students are going to and from school, as the primary need for the service I was offering. What they also said was that they usually talk to their neighbor or family member to help clean animals up. They're usually small (squirrels or vole) so they've never thought about needing a service for these things.
In summary I would have to say that the need for this demographic/segment of the market is emphasized at times when young children are more likely to be outside as well as when the potential for young animals to be saved is a possibility. With regards to information search I could potentially find a list of many animal diseases that would make any google search of how to solve the issue independently seem not worth the risk and make my business model more viable.
The first interview went rather straightforward. I interviewed a woman of 44 who was interested in my idea and talked with me about their needs regarding my plan. Their biggest concern for animals on the road was usually around the daytime, when children are outside and playing. This is problematic for me as that is also when traffic is at its highest, but we aren't thinking about that stage yet. Luckily they were also most concerned with neighborhood roadkill, where traffic is significantly less of a problem. When I asked about what they would've done at first when presented with this problem, they said they simply would've picked the animal up with gloves themselves if it was near the area their children were. Fair answer, and one that I got a lot. Specifically with the second interview; a younger man in his early thirties also replied that he would've simply googled how to take care of the animal but his need was more concerned with animals in areas where people aren't walking, such as in traffic. Possums carry their young on them (along with other mammals), and the offspring can survive even if the possum dies. He would want a service to check for the offspring and take care of them, at anytime as long as we can get them out of traffic heavy areas. The final adult I managed to get a hold of in my neighborhood also emphasized daytime, specifically the times when young students are going to and from school, as the primary need for the service I was offering. What they also said was that they usually talk to their neighbor or family member to help clean animals up. They're usually small (squirrels or vole) so they've never thought about needing a service for these things.
In summary I would have to say that the need for this demographic/segment of the market is emphasized at times when young children are more likely to be outside as well as when the potential for young animals to be saved is a possibility. With regards to information search I could potentially find a list of many animal diseases that would make any google search of how to solve the issue independently seem not worth the risk and make my business model more viable.
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
MY IDEA NAPKIN (NOT REALLY)
Me: Victor Ellifritt. Entrepreneur. Eagle Scout. Artist. Intellectual. Rebel without a Cause. I'm just a dude who wants to see the smaller things in life be improved for others. This can be something that allows, in my life, me to directly influence the thinking and ethos of my community.
What: I will solve the roadkill problem in Gainesville by offering a service that collects and properly disposes of these corpses.
Who: To be very specific, I am marketing towards middle-class, suburban parents with children and want to give the appearance of being environmentally friendly and progressive.
Why: This demographic will pay for my service because I know how terrifyingly strong the power of conformity and social status can be, especially with regards to causes such as environmentalism. If this can boost them up that popularity totem pole, then they'll throw money at it.
What Makes Me Special: I don't think anyone else cares about this topic, to be honest. I think people just don't know what they want until someone suggests it to them. What I have that allows me to do this is an eye for unseen secrets. I can see the things that people try to ignore and sometimes I can find why they wish to ignore these things.
Overall I feel this proves that my project is a well-rounded and waterproof idea for the most part. I have a specific market and honestly I'm not aiming too high to hit the sun and crash into the ocean in a fiery ball of debt. That said, there are places I could potentially improve. The only thing that sticks out to me is access to necessary material. I have a vehicle, and potentially a workforce to help me out, but there are still unaccounted costs that I would need to factor that I have not yet.
What: I will solve the roadkill problem in Gainesville by offering a service that collects and properly disposes of these corpses.
Who: To be very specific, I am marketing towards middle-class, suburban parents with children and want to give the appearance of being environmentally friendly and progressive.
Why: This demographic will pay for my service because I know how terrifyingly strong the power of conformity and social status can be, especially with regards to causes such as environmentalism. If this can boost them up that popularity totem pole, then they'll throw money at it.
What Makes Me Special: I don't think anyone else cares about this topic, to be honest. I think people just don't know what they want until someone suggests it to them. What I have that allows me to do this is an eye for unseen secrets. I can see the things that people try to ignore and sometimes I can find why they wish to ignore these things.
Overall I feel this proves that my project is a well-rounded and waterproof idea for the most part. I have a specific market and honestly I'm not aiming too high to hit the sun and crash into the ocean in a fiery ball of debt. That said, there are places I could potentially improve. The only thing that sticks out to me is access to necessary material. I have a vehicle, and potentially a workforce to help me out, but there are still unaccounted costs that I would need to factor that I have not yet.
Friday, February 8, 2019
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
TESTING MY HYPOTHESIS AGAIN
In order to get a better look at who is truly impacted by my brilliance and who is to be left in the unfortunate darkness of a bygone era, I conducted more interviews with strangers on the street to get a look into what are the boundaries of my project.
The first person I talked to and told about my ideas pointed out that, as someone who lives on campus, they don't really get a big picture of the roadkill problem. The roads they walk on aren't near forested areas, and the total area they encompass in their life (currently) doesn't expand beyond that at all. Similarly another person I interviewed also mentioned the physical boundaries of my idea. They also asked me to clarify exactly what I wanted to do and, a bit dumbfounded, had to realize that my idea would have to start limited precisely to animals found by people. There's just no way to get every animal that dies in an area to be cleaned and properly dealt with.
The next person I interviewed I asked specifically why is it that there are groups of people who do not care and what they thought separated these groups and they said they thought it was a geographical and movement-based division. People who have cars generally don't care about roadkill and are the ones who cause it, whereas ones who walk to bus stops or in neighborhoods have to deal with seeing these creatures. The person they were with I also talked to and asked them at what point is someone not in the boundary of my idea and they imagined it would be when they don't have to walk or bike anywhere outside of town.
The last person I talked to was on the bus ride home from campus. I asked them if they had a problem with roadkill in Gainesville and they gave me a frank no. It simply didn't bother them the same way it did me. Never to worry, I'll convert them one day. For now, however, I have made this table that analyzes the differences between my hypothesis and what it is not.
INSIDE THE BOUNDARY:
People who walk/bike/live in neighborhoods
Animals killed by vehicles or for other reasons are in areas near people
To preserve the environment and combat disease and lowering tourism rates
OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARY:
People who drive cars or live on campus
Animals killed in forested areas
We aren't trying to be a survey team just yet. Just collecting dead animals
The first person I talked to and told about my ideas pointed out that, as someone who lives on campus, they don't really get a big picture of the roadkill problem. The roads they walk on aren't near forested areas, and the total area they encompass in their life (currently) doesn't expand beyond that at all. Similarly another person I interviewed also mentioned the physical boundaries of my idea. They also asked me to clarify exactly what I wanted to do and, a bit dumbfounded, had to realize that my idea would have to start limited precisely to animals found by people. There's just no way to get every animal that dies in an area to be cleaned and properly dealt with.
The next person I interviewed I asked specifically why is it that there are groups of people who do not care and what they thought separated these groups and they said they thought it was a geographical and movement-based division. People who have cars generally don't care about roadkill and are the ones who cause it, whereas ones who walk to bus stops or in neighborhoods have to deal with seeing these creatures. The person they were with I also talked to and asked them at what point is someone not in the boundary of my idea and they imagined it would be when they don't have to walk or bike anywhere outside of town.
The last person I talked to was on the bus ride home from campus. I asked them if they had a problem with roadkill in Gainesville and they gave me a frank no. It simply didn't bother them the same way it did me. Never to worry, I'll convert them one day. For now, however, I have made this table that analyzes the differences between my hypothesis and what it is not.
INSIDE THE BOUNDARY:
People who walk/bike/live in neighborhoods
Animals killed by vehicles or for other reasons are in areas near people
To preserve the environment and combat disease and lowering tourism rates
OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARY:
People who drive cars or live on campus
Animals killed in forested areas
We aren't trying to be a survey team just yet. Just collecting dead animals
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