Halfway Reflection

I have found this course to be very different than I had initially anticipated. It has taught me a lot and given me different points of view on the business world that I had never seen before. One thing that it has taught me is about behavior within the business world. Tenacity is very important as an entrepreneur. However it is not the only important trait. As an entrepreneur, there are a few things you have to be. You have to be tenacious, open minded, and versatile. Being tenacious is probably the most important. You must be respected in the business world if you are to be successful, and being tenacious will help a lot with that. You must be open minded as well. An idea that you might have is probably not going to come out exactly the way you pictured it. There are so many factors to be considered when starting a business that you have to keep an open mind in case things do not go the way you thought they would. Lastly, is is very important to be versatile. As an entrepreneur, you are almost guaranteed to experience failure and rejection. It is very crucial that when your ideas get turned down, you are able to tweak and fix them in an efficient way.

Everyone has those days or moments where they feel hopeless. They might think that they their only option is to give up. However, if you are going to survive in the business world, you can never give up. One time in high school I was sick and missed about 3 or 4 days of classes. I was so behind on work and with finals coming up, I was very stressed. I was debating whether or not I should do both the work and study for finals, or just study and forget the work. I finally decided that I was going to give up on the work and take the bad grade in that rather than the exam, which would still hurt my grade a bunch. Just when I thought my grade was screwed, I decided not to give up on my work. I asked my friends to help me out and they came through, helping me both study for my exam and complete my work.

If I had to give three tips they would be don't care what other people think, network as much as possible, and don't be selfish, but keep an eye out for yourself. I would say don't care what others think because when starting a business, it is likely that you will take a lot of criticism. Let it go in one ear and out the other and continue moving forward. I would tell others to network because it is so important to have connections in the business world. You never know when you might need a hand. Lastly, I tell you to look after yourself while not being selfish because there are a lot of people out to get you in the business world. It can be a crude environment. Therefore, make sure to keep an eye out for yourself and make sure no one is harming you or your business.

Reading Reflection No. 1

Elon Musk

I have always been interested in Elon Musk and the interesting business ventures that he pursues. Something about a billionaire mega-mind scientist fathoms me. When one is that smart and has that much money, there is great potential for technological advancement. After reading his biography, I learned so many things that I had no previous knowledge about. I think the thing that surprised me the most was how, with very little money in his pocket, he was able to work and afford to attend U Penn, an Ivey League school. The thing about Musk that I admire the most is his riskiness. In the 1990s he had a couple start-ups. After selling both of them he was able to acquire over 200 million dollars. He wagered a huge portion of his new profits on space X and Tesla, which both ended up working out very well for him. To be honest, I find that there is not much I don't admire about the man. He takes risks. He is innovative. He helps the people working around him. To me, he seems like a great boss, and even better leader. Musk did encounter adversity in failure. Early in his life he dealt with family issues. His dad was emotionally abusive. These things helped Musk become the person that he is today. He also encountered failure as well. His car company, Tesla, has been inconsistent throughout its existence. Some years making profits, other years losing money. If he could get Tesla over the edge, that would be something great to witness in within the motor vehicle industry. Although I found the reading super interesting, there were parts that I found confusing as well. I kind of said it above in this paragraph, but the part that I found confusing was how he was able to attend U Penn. It said that he was poor with very little financial help from his family. Therefore, how would he be able to afford a great school like U Penn. If I could ask Elon Musk any question, I would ask him what his end goal is. He wants to do all of these amazing things within the science and technological world. What reason does he have though? Does he want to make the world a better place than he left it? Is he in it for the money and fame? Ultimately, Elon Musk is a very hard working and innovative scientist. I think if you were to ask him for his opinion on hard work, he would say something cliche about never giving up and failure is a part of life.

Figuring out buyer behavior

1. Sophomore Student

Do you eat breakfast everyday?

- Not every day but a few times a week, give or take.

Where do you usually go for breakfast?

- Chic-fil-A most of the time to be honest. 

How often do you eat breakfast at a family-style place?

- Almost never. I don't even think there are those types of places around here. 

Do you think students here at UF would like if there were more family-styled breakfast spots in town?

- Oh definitely. Most of the places to get breakfast around here are fast food restaurants, so I think students could really go for a homestyle meal. 

2. UF Professor

Do you eat breakfast everyday?

- Only during the week when I have classes. 

Where do you usually go for breakfast?

- Mostly just the places on campus. There are not that many other options. 

How often do you eat breakfast at a family-style place?

- Not very often at all. I'd have to find one first. 

Do you think you and other staff members at UF would appreciate a family-styled breakfast place?

- Yes I can't see why not. I think a lot of us would enjoy eating a homestyle breakfast, especially with our families on weekends. 

3. 50 year old Gainesville resident (Male)

Do you eat breakfast everyday?

- Yes, of course. Can't start my day without it. 

Where do you usually go for breakfast?

- My wife and I normally just cook it ourselves. 

How often do you eat breakfast at a family-style place?

- Some weekends my family and I will go out to a nice breakfast place. Most of those places are pretty far from where we are on campus though. 

Do you think you would appreciate more homestyle breakfast joints around campus?

- Yes I would. I think a business like that would do well for themselves around a big school like Florida.

Summary/Conclusion

Ultimately, these interviews helped me capture a sense of the buying behavior of my potential customers. It is beginning to look good for my bagel shop, for three out of the four people I interviewed saw this as an unmet need and believed my shop would satisfy it. People will take a homestyle, home cooked meal over fast food any day. That was proved in these interviews. In the final analysis, I believe that my idea has the potential to be a hot spot not only on campus, but eventually in all of Gainesville. Not only is it bringing homestyle breakfast, but it is bringing a different kind of homestyle breakfast that maybe Floridians might not be so familiar with. Bagels and breakfast sandwiches, like the famous porkroll egg and cheese, will be made with dough that is imported from up north, where the best bread is made. 

Idea Napkin

1. I am CJ Cesario. I cook breakfast foods. I have worked in a local bagel shop in my town throughout high school and summers. I specialize in the making of the porkroll egg and cheese. I think my bagel shop on campus would thrive. If we can incorporate it into the UF meal plan as well, I think that will capture even more customers. I see my bagel shop being the go-to place each and every morning of the week for students, professors, residents, and others. 
2. I am offering an array of breakfast choices to my customers. Everyone is tired of eating breakfast foods that come from chain restaurants like iHop, Chick Fil-A, etc. Therefore, I think that imported bagels from my home, New Jersey, and other items like omelets and breakfast sandwiches will satisfy a wide range of customers. 
3. My bagel shop is open to literally anyone. It was originally meant for just those students and professors on campus. However, once I completed my many interviews, I realized that a lot of people would come to a place like mine. I think the majority of the demand will come from students, however, anyone else is welcome. 
4. This will be considered a valuable business to customers because it will be the only homestyle breakfast spot on campus. If we can incorporate it through the UF meal plan, it would be even more valuable because those that cannot afford food outside the meal plan will have a great option at their fingertips. 
5. What sets my shop apart from everyone else is that it is homestyle. Every other place on campus to get breakfast is part of a chain. For example, there is iHop, Chick fil-A, Subway, and others. My product is also very different from others. There are not any other places on campus to go where you can have a solid bagel, omelet, or breakfast sandwich. Therefore, with these items on my menu, it will set us apart from other competition.

I think all these elements really go together. My bagel shop will fill a hole in the food department on campus. It will satisfy a need that so many people have. I think one of the better parts of my idea is that there is great potential for expansion. If my shop does well on campus, it would be ideal to be able to open another one off campus that would be more convenient for local Gainesville residents. Instead of having to go on campus to get some delicious breakfast foods, they can go downtown instead for another great eating experience. 

Elevator Pitch

Testing the Hypothesis Part 2

1. Freshman student on UF meal plan

How often do you eat breakfast during the week?

• I eat it everyday during the week

How often do you eat breakfast at a home styled breakfast place?

• Almost never

Would you appreciate a homestyle breakfast place on campus?

• I’m sure others would but honestly I’m on the meal plan so that I do not have to pay for food with cash or my card all the time, so I don’t think I’d go that often.

2. Sophomore Student on fraternity meal plan

How often do you eat breakfast during the week?

• When I have time in the morning during the week.

How often do you eat breakfast at a home styled breakfast place?

• Not that often at all

Would you appreciate a homestyle breakfast place on campus?

• I mean maybe. I usually just eat whatever breakfast the chef at the fraternity house makes, so I probably would not go that often.

3.  Junior student at UF who is not on a meal plan

How often do you eat breakfast during the week?

• Any day that I have time to cook in the morning during classes.

How often do you eat breakfast at a home styled breakfast place?

• On certain occasions with friends or family.

Would you appreciate a homestyle breakfast place on campus?

• Well I usually buy my food at Publix and cook so I don’t think I would go to a place like that very often.

4. Local Gainesville resident

How often do you eat breakfast during the week?

• Everyday.

How often do you eat breakfast at a home styled breakfast place?

• On weekends with my family.

Would you appreciate a homestyle breakfast place on campus?

• I think many people would. I don’t know how often I would go all the way to campus to eat my breakfast though. I usually just cook my breakfast.

5. UF student on sorority meal plan

How often do you eat breakfast during the week?

• When I have time in the morning before classes

How often do you eat breakfast at a home styled breakfast place?

• Not very often to be honest.

Would you appreciate a homestyle breakfast place on campus?

• I mean I usually just eat whatever breakfast the chef at my sorority house makes, so I probably would not go that often.

INSIDE THE BOUNDARY	OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARY
Who: Students not on the UF meal plan, UF staff members.	Who: Students on the UF meal plan who cannot afford to buy other food, Gainesville residents.
Homestyle breakfast places on campus	Breakfast chain restaurants on campus
Students are tired of eating Chick-fil-A and Subway for breakfast	A homestyle breakfast spot on campus would draw a lot of attention and do well for itself

Solving the Problem

Problem

There is a lack of good classic breakfast places located in the surrounding area of the University of Florida campus. A lot of people in an environment like this eat breakfast every day. They want good family-style breakfast meals, but they have no where to find them.

Solution

Being from New Jersey, I am familiar with some very good breakfast foods. For example, everyone's favorite breakfast sandwich: the Pork Roll Egg and Cheese. I think the lack of good breakfast places can be solved through my idea of opening up a bagel shop that specializes in pork roll egg and cheeses. The bagels would be shipped from Brooklyn, where my favorite bagel is made. The pork roll would be shipped from New Jersey, one of the few states to sell it. I think this business would thrive in a college campus environment, especially down south.

Testing the Hypothesis

Aside from The University of Florida surrounding area lacks good spots to get breakfast from.  

The Who: Students that attend UF and residents that live in the surrounding area.

The What: This area lacks places to go and enjoy a nice breakfast. 

The Why: Restaurant real estate around UF is taken up by chains, with very few family style eateries. 

1. Sophomore Student

Do you eat breakfast everyday?

- Not every day but a few times a week, give or take.

Where do you usually go for breakfast?

- Chic-Fil-A most of the time to be honest. 

How often do you eat breakfast at a family-style place?

- Almost never. I don't even think there are those types of places around here. 

Do you think students here at UF would like if there were more family-styled breakfast spots in town?

- Oh definitely. Most of the places to get breakfast around here are fast food restaurants, so I think students could really go for a homestyle meal. 

2. UF Professor

Do you eat breakfast everyday?

- Only during the week when I have classes. 

Where do you usually go for breakfast?

- Mostly just the places on campus. There are not that many other options. 

How often do you eat breakfast at a family-style place?

- Not very often at all. I'd have to find one first. 

Do you think you and other staff members at UF would appreciate a family-styled breakfast place?

- Yes I can't see why not. I think a lot of us would enjoy eating a homestyle breakfast, especially with our families on weekends. 

3. 50 year old Gainesville resident (Male)

Do you eat breakfast everyday?

- Yes, of course. Can't start my day without it. 

Where do you usually go for breakfast?

- My wife and I normally just cook it ourselves. 

How often do you eat breakfast at a family-style place?

- Some weekends my family and I will go out to a nice breakfast place. Most of those places are pretty far from where we are on campus though. 

Do you think you would appreciate more homestyle breakfast joints around campus?

- Yes I would. I think a business like that would do well for themselves around a big school like Florida. 

4. Freshman student from New Jersey

Do you eat breakfast everyday?

- Not since I got to college really.

What changed after you got to UF?

- Honestly, there just aren't that many places to go and get breakfast.

How often do you eat breakfast at a family-style place?

- Well at home in New Jersey I would go all the time, especially on weekends. I couldn't tell you the name of one family-style place here. 

Do you think you would appreciate more homestyle breakfast joints around campus?

- Oh no doubt. I was so used to having them at home so I could really for a nice breakfast like that. 

Summary: Ultimately, I learned a lot from interviewing these four individuals. First, I learned that I was not the only one who noticed the lack of good breakfast establishments surrounding campus. Second, a lot more people actually eat breakfast than I thought. These things will help me even more when pursuing this opportunity.