Interviewing Customers No. 1

Interviewing Customers No. 1

This exercise was thoroughly challenging for me, as I met some other IA kids who were doing the same project while I was interviewing and they had a lot of fun doing this project... maybe too much fun. 

I am interviewing based on a project that I have wanted to work on for a long time involving sustainable gardening techniques to create a cafe out of abandoned buildings in Gainesville. The end goal is to convert abandoned buildings that are costing the city money into sustainable, "green buildings" & eventually incorporate rooftop gardening and vertical gardening into the project. I think it would be a great way to create social spaces while being environmentally conscious! 

Identifying Local Opportunities

1. Parenting While Distracted: Smartphone Use Could Impact Child Development
• http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2016-01-20/childrens-issues/parenting-while-distracted-smartphone-use-could-impact-child-development/a49937-1#sthash.k7mZmJTD.dpuf
• "Distractions from your smartphone could cause long-term damage to your children, according to new research looking at the impact of fragmented care on brain development."
• Interruptions of parents while bonding with your children may attribute to their arrested development as a form of neglect as people are frequently distracted with their phones and different technologies during times that are naturally used for human connection.
2. Miami doctor suspended after video of her attacking Uber driver goes viral 
• http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/brickell/article55914035.html 
• Fourth-year neurology resident, Anjali Ramkissoon, is on administrative leave after hitting and screaming profanities at an Uber driver in the Brickell area. 
• Apparently there was some kind of misunderstanding between a fourth-year medical student and an Uber driver after the medical student demanded a ride and became violent, throwing supplies and other items out of the Uber driver's window. 
3. Woman bites off fingers of 89-year-old man
• http://www.gainesville.com/article/20160123/ARTICLES/160129852?tc=cr 
• "Linda Kay Swift, 52, of 1201 NW Sixth St., was charged with aggravated battery on a person age 65 or older, according to an arrest report." 
• Apparently unprovoked and without reason, Swift bit off the fingers of another man in the same home as her... my only question is what provoked this?? Apparently Swift provided no statement as to what motivated her to do so. 
4. Massage parlor employee facing prostitution charge
• http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2016/01/24/massage-parlor-employee-facing-prostitution-charge/79262674/ 
• "A 55-year-old woman is facing a prostitution charge after the Leon County Sheriff's Office said she offered to perform a "sexual act" on an undercover detective" 
• That description is a fairly accurate description of what happened... A massouse offered sexual favors to an undercover detective and got busted... pretty self explanatory... 
5. Two dead after speeding through Cocoa stoplight, troopers say
• http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-brevard-traffic-stop-two-dead-20160124-story.html 
• "Two people who sped through Cocoa, away from a cop and through a stoplight, have died.... Two people died in Cocoa early Sunday morning after they sped away from a cop and blew through a red light, troopers say" 
• Two people in a Nissaan Altima died trying to evade a cop in South Florida after being caught for speeding... Really an awful set of circumstances, but seems like pretty instant karma to me.. 

Week 3 Reading Reflection

1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations?
There was not much that surprised me in this reading, but there were several things that I had not previously considered such as the personality types of entrepreneurs and the depth with which the characteristics of entrepreneurs were described.

2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
I found it confusing how some characteristics that I considered to be key qualities of an entrepreneur could also be the most toxic or destructive qualities of entrepreneurs like perfectionism, the overbearing need for control, and optimism to an unrealistic degree. I find that in my life as well, some of the most destructive behaviors that I possess can also be some of the most constructive when used the right way.

3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
What are some of the most dangerous characteristics of an entrepreneurs/how do you change these habits into constructive entrepreneurial behavior?
What characteristics are important to construct a productive team with?

4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
There is not a whole lot about this chapter that I can disagree with the author about, but there were several new opinions and viewpoints that made me reconsider traits and characteristics that I may possess that might work either to help me or to hurt me. Also, this chapter made me think much harder about the types of qualitites that I would consider adding to a constructive team and how I would go about forming that team. It definitely was a chapter that was more informative than reflective for me in that I might be able to continue referring to it in times where I might be looking to form a group of people who have traits that can add quality to a team.

Very Short Interview No. 1

For my first entrepreneurship interview, I interviewed a guy named Tom Evans, a British Entrepreneur that I interned for while living in Madrid, Spain. We were working mostly at Google Campus Madrid on his startup company called Start Ups Made In Spain, which aimed to research and address the Spanish entrepreneurial ecosystem, as it differs greatly from other entrepreneurial ecosystems like the US and UK because of some key cultural/economic distinctions. 
Since college, Tom has been involved in entrepreneurial projects, and went on after college to start up a project through Telefonica's Wayra incubator that is now a full-fledged thriving business before branching off to work on other business ideas. He also is highly involved in entrepreneurial/startup activities in the city of Madrid & helps organize weekly functions to bring entrepreneurs, investors, and other creative and dynamic people together to synergize over coffee and beers on Fridays. 

Here is the VERY short interview that was conducted with him, as he was very short and sweet with his responses: 

• What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?
• It means that you have an idea or you find a problem that annoys you and figure out a way to fix it in a way that you are willing to bet is profitable and to risk your reputation and career and financial stability on that bet and stake all your resources behind it to make your dreams come true.

• What do you think I should learn/what should be taught in an entrepreneurship course?
• How to fail.

• What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur?
• That most people are nice until there is a big pile of money on the table so you cannot embark on a venture with people you cannot fully trust so finding the right people for the journey is so important. Situations and pressure change people.

• What is the best piece of advice you can offer to young entrepreneurs? 
• Right now is the slowest pace of change you will ever encounter and the best time to be an innovator that has ever existed.

Reflecting on this interview, I think that most of Tom's responses were very appropriate and accurate to his experiences. I think that it is always interesting to hear the responses of different people to the same questions coming to the scene with different experiences, and I think that knowing Tom's stories, these responses were very "him". He is a very candid person (which is responsible for some of his biggest successes as well as challenges) and I think it is very refreshing to see from a new perspective, especially since they were not answers I was necessarily expecting!

Thanks, Tom! 

World's Biggest Problems

This is a tough post to write because there are so many of the world's problems that we complain about day to day, but regarding the biggest of the world's problems there are so few really willing to do much past discussing in terms of affirmative action. Here is my list (in no certain order) of some of the world's biggest problems:

1. Corruption- but how do you go about fixing corruption? The definition of corruption is a philosophical flaw that people perceive, the root cause being perception. The funny thing about perception is that what we perceive is completely and utterly subjective, so what one may consider corruption, others might consider just. The fact of the matter, is that no matter what, we deal with people who have differing views and opinions on what is right and what is wrong with the world, and coming to an agreement on what is and is not corruption is much more difficult than it may seem. Solution.... TBA??
2. Poverty- nearly half of the world's population is affected by poverty. The deficits between the rich and the poor in our world is monstrous any way you look at it. Because the majority of the world functions on monetary systems, poverty restricts access to other necessities of life, having a direct effect on people's quality of life, as well as their survival. Research into economic sustainability and job creation can help improve this issue. 
3. Education Systems- education is undoubtedly the key to global innovation and progress. In the areas of environmental, social, and economic sustainability, the first step towards finding a livable equilibrium is educating the global community. In recent years, there have been huge steps made towards providing access to education, but we are still a long way from where we need to be. We need to keep working towards delivering education opportunities and making it available to all people. 
4. Lack of Access to Safe Water- Water is the source of life in just about every aspect; health, agriculture, business processes, industrial environments, etc. The reasons that people are lacking access to safe drinking water are varied from geographical restrictions to political corruption, but regardless, in any situation, a good quality of life cannot be achieved without it. Solution: more research on sustainable solutions & technological innovation. 
5. Gender Equality- How much progress can the world make if 50% of the population is being excluded from progression? Until people realize that they are working at 50% (wo)man power and recognize the full potential of their respective societies, communities will continue to slowly struggle towards progression. Solution: education.
   
6. Renewable Energy- We are living in a world with limited, and diminishing resources. At the rate that the world is using our resources, there is no way that people can continue living with the same habits and expect for resources not to run out. This is a very scary, very real problem that is approaching swiftly and silently. In order to continue living the way we live, our sources of energy must change. 
7. Waste- I suppose this is also a comment on our necessity to find new sustainable solutions because we are literally trashing our planet. The (less than) half of us who live in the first world are responsible for the majority of the waste that affects all of us. We need to find sustainable solutions, change our usage habits, and encourage recycling. 
8. Political Unrest- Turn on the News for 30 seconds and guaranteed, you will be bombarded with information about war, violence, unrest, etc. People are never going to agree 100% on anything, but I absolutely feel that the majority of these things that are streaming into our consciousness are either avoidable, unnecessary, or both. The reasons for the unrest is another discussion entirely. I think the solution to this is better education, but really, this is very broad issue.
9. Discrimination- Discrimination, in any form is not okay, but it is something that we live with and witness every day. Racism, sexism, religious inequality, and any other form of alienation from society is an issue that begins with education (or lack thereof), and solution needs to begin from the bottom, starting with childhood and improving open-minded, unbiased education that discourages hate. 
10. Food Security- This is another issue that comments on lack of existing sustainable solutions, but highlights a huge opportunity for innovation, especially in the area of agriculture and food science. In recent years, this issue has also been improved dramatically, but there is still a lot of work to be done. 

Week 2 Reading Reflection

1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 

Starting off at the very beginning, the opening quote surprised me me:
"Most of what you hear about entrepreneurship, says America’s leading management thinker, is all wrong. It’s not magic; it’s not mysterious; and it has nothing to do with genes. It’s a discipline and, like any discipline, it can be learned." — PETER F. DRUCKER, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

When I began reading, I was automatically expecting some kind of commentary on the mystery and intrigue of entrepreneurship, as other texts seem to talk about it. Instead, from the very beginning, the reading stripped entrepreneurship of the mystery and brought it back down to a realistic, attainable level. This tone continued throughout the rest of the text and was a refreshing take on entrepreneurship. I find a lot of the time, people tend to shy away from the term "entrepreneurship" because of its abstract appearance, but as a whole this reading served to make entrepreneurship a less intimidating concept. 

One thing that I really identified with was the statement that entrepreneurship was a mindset. Through my exposure to entrepreneurship the two recurring lessons that consistently emerged were: 1)Entrepreneurship is a mindset & a way of thinking that turns into a way of life, and 2)Entrepreneurship and Innovation cannot and will not happen without the right people supporting you- the right team is essential.

2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

I understood the content in the sections commenting on the different entrepreneurial schools of thought, but I had questions on how exactly we might be able to use this information to improve our own entrepreneurial ventures. Is there a school of thought that is closest linked to entrepreneurial success, or are there appropriate times to focus on specific theories of entrepreneurship to point us in the right direction? When might those times be? 

3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?

• I worked with international entrepreneurs who came from very traditional education/business culture and were generally intimidated by the idea of entrepreneurship- what is the first step that must be taken in order to "break the cycle" and start thinking/acting like an entrepreneur? 

• Why do you think America is the leading edge of the entrepreneurship/innovation movement in the world/what would it take to spread this kind of progress to other parts of the world?

4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

I think that the opening paragraphs commenting on how entrepreneurs were the "superheroes of business" was a bit of an exaggeration, but I can understand the need for an exaggerated hook at the beginning in order to peak interest and start the chapter off with good energy. Entrepreneurs are undoubtedly the catalysts of change, but it takes many more people and resources than just one entrepreneur to create the perfect formula for innovation and create success in their endeavors. Later on though, I definitely agree with entrepreneurs being described as "agents of change," etc., because the creativity and energy of these people we call entrepreneurs is absolutely necessary to start a movement of innovation, like we are seeing here in the United States. 

I also disagree with the statement debunking the myth that entrepreneurs are doers and not thinkers. I believe they are absolutely both, but the key characteristic of an entrepreneur is someone who is a doer. There are countless people with brilliant ideas, but how many times have we come across people who have mentioned that they had brilliant ideas that other people brought to fruition because they did not act quickly enough, or maybe they did not even act at all? The difference between these undoubtedly creative people and actual entrepreneurs is that these people just thought while the entrepreneurs DID. 

Sofia's Bug List

I'm not typically put in situations where ranting about pet peeves and listing off 20 things that bug me is welcomed/appropriate, so this is a new one for me... But here we go... Under each "bug" is my best stab at the bug's root cause. Enjoy.  

*Disclaimer: these are pet peeves and therefore are things that I clearly feel strong enough to vent about, so I will speak very candidly. Hopefully no one takes offense, and instead will sympathize and share with me the anguish that I felt while writing these. Enjoy.*

1. I came from Madrid & then moved to Gainesville; two of THE worst places for finding street parking- (an old man tried to fight me over a parking spot one time)*
• There is no way to know where free parking spaces are located
2. I hate drips on the outside of my coffee cups/Coffee doesn't stay warm enough long enough
• sloppy pours, and science
3. Paying for college textbooks- especially those that get used for a single week and then are used as paperweights
• Capitalistic institutionalization in America 
4. Searching for things in my purse is impossible and/or dangerous for myself & those around me
• Me. I'm the problem. And also the fact that purses are just really hard to organize
5. Airplane seats are made for fetus-sized people (& why even put a "recliner" function on the chair if it's gonna do it half-assed?!)
• Airlines trying to maximize passenger capacity while minimizing space available for passengers (totally intentional)
6. When my socks bunch up in my shoes & shoe debris 
• The material in socks begins to stretch and sag as you wear them to become more like foot sacks than foot socks
7. Peanut butter... anything peanut butter... the worst is people eating peanut butter around me.. is this even relevant??... I guess people eating smelly food in public places
• Again, I admit. I am the problem. And so are those people who think it's appropriate to eat a double whopper on an airplane.
8. Hair ties and rubber bands that break and turn into dangerous projectiles (I'm just trying to get the mane out of my face)
• Elastic bands wear out after a while and become weak, waiting to snap in the most populated place at the most unexpected moment 
9. Leaving dirty dishes in the sink- that shit smells  
• Dirty roommates and occasionally the absence of convenient dishwashing technology
10. HAIRBALLS IN THE SHOWER- brother has named them Tasmanian Devils* 
• Girls shed. A lot. And in the shower, we don't have a place to put the hairballs that we produce. Really gross, but only kind of our fault. 
11. Saying hello and being ignored & other weird people habits like passive aggressiveness, saying "nevermind" after they've got your attention, and forgetting to put the BBQ sauce in your bag at the drive thru.. 
• Bad human habits & forgetfulness
12. When you've tugged the belt loops on your jeans so many times to maintain control & position of your pants that they give up & snap off #NetflixDiet
• The material of belt loops is not meant to be tugged on & is not made to withstand as much tension-maybe we should have thicker belt loops or I should start being more careful with the way I situate my jeans 
13. When you go to start your car & your battery is dead 
• Inactivity of the battery or draining the battery by leaving lights, etc. on while the car is off
14. Water all over the floor when you get out of the shower/stepping in puddles in socks*
• It takes a while for water to evaporate if it is not absorbed by a towel or your poor, unsuspecting socks
15. Racism/Racial confusion/sexism/ignorance/other racy racist things
• Lack of access to proper education and role models during the formative years (this can sometimes happen as a result of life spent under a rock, or in a cave) 
16. Being cut off while driving
• People who have not been informed that they do indeed have functioning turn signal lights on their vehicles
17. Screaming/out of control children in public places.. I'm pretty sure they have leashes for that?
• Weary parents in public places- we get it, it's not always your fault. Just most of the time. 
18. When the sole of your favorite shoes comes loose.. just hang on a couple more weeks, bae. Payday will come soon enough
• Glue or stitching that wears out in the bottom of the shoes
19. When people finish food but leave the box deceptively intact to make you think that there is still food there. There is no way that was an accident.
• Some people's unhealthy need of social unrest & creation of social dystopia- this is one of the quickest ways to ruin a relationship, people
20. Blisters & pimples. Entirely unnecessary. 
• Stress, makeup, heels, need for exfoliation, & McDonalds

Now that my list is done, I can definitely say that starting this task was not easy. I admit, I had to "phone a friend" for some inspiration on some of these things at first because I do not usually spend much time reflecting daily on things that bother me. I like to consider myself a fairly positive person (sarcastic, definitely, but generally easy going), so I see this task being difficult for me as more of a good sign. It wasn't until I started talking to my brother that I realized that I do indeed have quite the list of "bugs".

One thing that I realized, though, was that the reason this task was so difficult was because these bugs are day to day things that we learn to live around because that is what it takes to be successful in society. I see the point in this exercise though, because what makes a person an entrepreneur is his/her ability to find solutions to existing problems. Rather than attempting to recreate the wheel, they find ways to make the wheel move more efficiently.

Although a large portion of my list is fairly sarcastic, I see a couple of diamonds in the rough that could turn into brilliant business ideas... I'm looking forward to seeing what the next step is! 

Introduction!

Hi, my name is Sofia Ortiz and I am an Innovation Academy sophomore here at UF!
I am a military brat and have moved 13 times in my 19 years, but my current home/where I have spent the most time is Spain. I am basically a great big mix of everything-my mom is German, my dad is Mexican, and both work for the American Air Force, which is the culprit of our ceaseless relocations. As much stress as it can cause, I can honestly say I am now addicted to moving and can no longer picture staying in one place... I guess that goes to say I have stopped fighting the nomadic lifestyle, and just "let it happen" and I am so glad I have:).
One tough part about being a global nomad though, is that when people ask how I picture my life in five or ten years, I haven't the slightest clue how to answer. Right now, I am interested in entrepreneurship and economics (which is why I am majoring in Economics and minoring in Innovation), and am completely open to wherever that might take me-as long as that place is new and exciting!

My Entrepreneurship Story

My exposure to entrepreneurship began in high school with a simple marketing and advertising class. Before this class, I had never imagined myself as an entrepreneur, much less could I picture becoming one. My interest in entrepreneurship really began when I heard about UF's Innovation Academy program for the first time. Through the IA, there is a variety of majors to choose from, while all students share a common minor in Innovation, and attend classes during the spring and summer to leave our fall semesters open for opportunities for "personal innovation" (I like to think of it as entrepreneurial science). The first opportunity that I was offered through IA was the chance to study abroad in Ireland and study the Irish entrepreneurial ecosystem. While there, I really got a taste of what entrepreneurship is how anyone might be able to benefit from making their dreams a reality. Every day we had some type of informative session with international entrepreneurs, start-ups, and huge successful corporations including Google, IBM, and RYANAIR to name a few.

Following that, my semester on campus at UF included two IDS courses that encourage entrepreneurship in action (creativity exercises, prototyping, and pitching). 

After, I moved back to Spain with my family for a semester. While in Madrid, I got the chance to bring my prototype and business ideas to a think tank called ThinkYoung's Entrepreneurship School Madrid 2015 and pitch in front of the directors of Google Campus Madrid. My project won second place in Madrid, which was a nice boost of confidence suggesting that entrepreneurship might be right for me after all.
Through Entrepreneurship School Madrid 2015, I met a variety of amazing people ranging from entrepreneurs, investors, start-up technicians, ambassadors, etc. who were inspiration for me to keep moving forward on my entrepreneurship journey. I attended SouthSummit (similar to the WebSummit in Ireland), and was offered an internship as a translator and PR advisor to a British entrepreneur working in Spain where I worked for the last five months. 

Bottom line: I think I can say I dig entrepreneurship now. 

Aaaand now, I am taking ENT3003 to complete my IA requirements and finish my minor in Innovation!

The Entrepreneur's Mantra

Here is my recording of The Entrepreneur's Mantra... please ignore the awkwardness thumbnail photo... :) 

Test Post!

Just testing to confirm that my blog is up and running!