Week 4 Reading Reflection

The biggest surprise in this weeks reading was the amount of importance put on different creativity building exercises.  I feel like the reading is really interactive and centered around building the reader into a better innovator.  On the contrary, I was confused by the section "The Nature of the Creative Process".  This section seemed to be lots of theory.  I didn't really understand what the main point of it was.  If I could ask two questions I would ask why these theories were included in the exercise sections.  That way, I could better understand the main point of it.  Second, I would ask which creative finding method is best based off of the authors opinion.  This would help me understand the viewpoint of the writing better.  Last, I think the author was accurate on the information included.

Customer Interviews No. 1

Top 5 World Problems

Top 5 Most serious problems to least serious:

1.  Global Warming

2.  Overpopulation

3.  War militant fighting

4.  Terrorism

5.  Pollution

Top 5 Most plausible to implement to least plausible to implement:

1.  A solution to Global Warming

2.  A solution to Terrorism

3.  A solution to War militant fighting

4.  A solution to pollution

5.  A solution to Overpopulation

Reasoning:

I believe that Global warming is the biggest problem and also the one that is easiest to fix because eliminating or cutting back on the use of cows for food shouldn't be as hard as finding a solution to terrorism because one we can control the use of cows, not all terrorists actions as easily.  Overpopulation is the next biggest issue because nothing else really matters if there isn't enough space to actually exist!  It is the hardest to solve because we can't really seem to find a clear solution to this issue.  War militant fighting is the next biggest issue and also 3rd on the list for most plausible to fix because strong ties between nations could potentially come to a solution over the argument if needed and enough motive to negotiate implemented.  Fourth, terrorism is the next biggest problem because it is growing and becoming an "invisible state" infecting the world.  Terrorism could also be solved as a group effort by many countries if the right motives are in place.  Lastly, pollution is the number five worst problem because it affects the whole world and harms the environment greatly.  It is hard to solve because it is everywhere!

Week 3 Reading Reflection

The biggest surprise to me for this reading was the amount of area they covered regarding "ethics".  I think that is an important tactic however, it was emphasized greatly and I feel it was over used.  Something that I did not understand would be the term loneliness listed underneath of the tab "Sources of Stress".  I think that it can apply but, shouldn't if you are reaching your community correctly.  If I could ask the author two questions I would ask why "loneliness" was included in this category and lastly certain terms seemed to be mixed in.  For example, grief recovery was included in the middle of the reading whereas I think it would be better suited farther towards the end of the article.  Lastly, I disagree with the amount of importance placed on the negatives in the text whereas I think it should be more motivational.

Identifying Local Opportunities

Five Problems:

1.

"What bugs are lurking in your home?"

http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_35d9df74-bf37-11e5-899f-1b7855d8fca6.html

This story talks about the sheer amount of bugs that can be present in a persons home.  It lists statistics as well as an interview with a professional at UF.  The problem is the amount of bugs present in a given persons home. According to the story the general population has the problem.

2.

"Community looks to save rock gym"

http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_c93b077c-bffd-11e5-badc-eb05fe339931.html

The main problem in this story is the removal of a favorite rock gym in downtown Gainesville.  The problem was large cracks to the concrete structure once the carpet had been removed.  Thus, the place was shut down.  The problem affects the citizens that use the rock gym.  The rock gym has the problem.

3.

"SG discusses scooter safety, commission appointments at Senate meeting"

http://www.alligator.org/news/student_government/article_d90b0268-bf2d-11e5-ae7e-b76e1697bda4.html

The main problem regards the safety of scooters on campus.  Scooters on campus are found to be zooming around often in an aggressive manner.  The students who ride scooters at UF are affected because of the dangers they have caused.  The students at UF are affected.

4.

"Wiz Khalifa to perform at UF"

http://www.alligator.org/news/campus/article_30154c20-bb4c-11e5-8151-1fe3066562cc.html

The main problem is pertaining to the amount of money that student government has expended to bring the performer "Wiz Khalifa" to UF.  Students are affected because the money used to bring him to UF has put a large dent in the available funds to SG.  UF students are affected.

5.

"New Roof, new year:  Renovations begin at College of Music"

http://www.alligator.org/news/campus/article_702a3534-bb4a-11e5-a521-13fdd7017942.html

The main problem in this writing regards the slow fixes being done to the College of Music.  Students are complaining about the slow but costly renovation.  The problem is the time used to construct a new room for the building yet, it is taking longer than expected to fix other parts of the building.  This affects the students that go to class in that building.

Very Short Interview No. 1

I chose to interview a patent attorney.  First, Anton is more than just an attorney, he is an innovator himself and hosts many events to encourage entrepreneurship.  I look up to him as a role model.  Everything he does seems to be innovative, even the way he approaches marketing.

What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?

It means I get to benefit society because entrepreneurs like myself address issues.  Being an entrepreneur means you are always on the lookout.

What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course?

You should learn the fundamentals of problem finding and how to build a solution to those problems.  That is essential. Everything sources from that.

What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur? 

I wish innovation had more emphasis placed on it.  Right now the market for teaching young people about entrepreneurship is booming compared to years ago.


Reflection:

I was surprised how positive this interview was, it really was a great time to discuss the importance of innovation and how simple ideas can lead to big plans and turning points in a persons life.  This also gave me insight to his job.

World's Biggest Problems

This is a photo I took in Australia around the time of the Paris Attacks.  

1.  I think one of the biggest world problems is terrorism.  Terrorism causes unnecessary death, destruction and harm to the general public.  I think that it is also a terrible world issue because often it is unexpected.  A possible solution to this problem would be to implement a notification system that can be used when suspicious activity is seen.

2.  Second, I think that global warming is a massive problem.  Global warming is caused by lots of neglect to the environment.  It is something that has grown to be such a enormous problem, I hope we aren't at the point of no return.  A possible solution would be to stop the use of cows as food.  Cows emit way more than half of the carbon dioxide pollution responsible for the destruction of the ozone layer.  I personally think getting rid of the cow industry is a lot easier than getting rid of every automobile we drive.  Getting rid of the cows also will cause less waste.  Cows are natural but, just in excess population.

3.  Another major problem would be the debt we, the United States of America, have gone into.  We owe China trillions of dollars and we are currently not cutting down on the amount of money we owe them.  In fact, each day it gets worse.  I think a simple solution to this would be to watch our spending and stop borrowing as much as we have been.

4.  Fourth, I think that the use of oil is a world problem.  We have used oil for about a hundred years and eventually it is going to run out.  I think that we must find an alternative before it is too late.  An alternative to oil would at least help the transition, to that alternative, before we are completely out of oil.

5.  I believe that pollution is also a major world problem.  Pollution causes the deaths of many animals and humans.  Pollution taints out environment and causes unnecessary problems.  A solution to pollution would be to put stricter bans on this act and also raise fines and enforcement for the issue.

6.  Overpopulation is also another world issue.  Countries like China and India are already feeling the pressures from overpopulation but, once it hits every country, it will be too late.  I think a solution is to implement laws on how many children you can have.  It sounds bad but, overpopulation is a real thing.  If something is not done, we will all die.

7.  I believe that water pollution is a massive issue.  Healthy drinking water is scarce and in danger.  It is amazing to me that healthy freshwater is not respected.  99% of the water on the planet is undrinkable and we still don't respect the 1% that is.  I think a way to solve this problem is to educate the public and also place more emphasize on protecting those sources of clean water.

8.  Next, genetic engineering is a big problem.  The use of GMO's is messing up the way food has been grown for all of time!  I don't think it is a very good idea to "fix" what is not broken.  I think a solution would be for the FDA to do more research and put more bans on this practice.

9.  Poverty is an obvious and clearly major world problem.  We shouldn't have people living in severe pain anywhere.  Lack of food and clean water is just terrible and I think this actually ties into the population problem.  Imagine how much worse this problem will get if we don't control where the world population is going.  A solution would be to decelerate the population growth and then attend to the needs of these people. That way, it will be more feasible to help the portion of the world population in poverty.

10.  Last, war and militant fighting is an issue.  Countries like Russia should not be invading a small land like Syria.  I think we live in a time of communication and need to deal with more things by talking than fighting.  All of this is easier said than done but, we should at least try.

Week 2 Reading Reflection

During the reading this week, the biggest surprise to me was the amount of different myths regarding entrepreneurship.  It seemed that there were a lot of misconceptions regarding the concept.  Innovation has always been pretty natural for me but, I suppose it isn't as widely known as I may have thought.  At first I was confused why luck was included in the text but, I guess a lot of people view entrepreneurship as luck.  If I could ask the author two questions I would ask why more statistics weren't included to prove some of the mythes.  Also, I would ask why more definitions weren't included.  I feel like definitions could also help prove more of a point.  However, I think the author was primarily right. The text seemed to cover the risk and reward aspects as well as different approaches to success.  I would say I agree with what the author said.

Bug List Entrepreneurship

Bug List:

1) Tangled Headphones when trying to take a phone call or listen to music.  This bug exists due to the way headphones are stowed and there high probability of getting tangled.  

2)  Keychain rings are hard to use and often can be a pain to open.  This is due to the nonexistent lip on the keychain which makes sliding keys or objects on very difficult.

3)  Jar lids are often difficult to open and can pose severe challenges for men, women, children and the elderly.  This is because they are too tight which might have to do with the size of the lid, the type of material etc...

4)  The roads in Gainesville (specifically Archer) are very crowded and need to be freed up from the constant traffic jams.  This happens because the streets are too small for the amount of cars being used on that specific road.

5)  Natural Whey Protein powder can be clumpy and a pain to drink.  This is due to the sudden mix with liquid that can cause clumps to form.

6)  Motorcycle chains can be hard to fully lubricate because half of the chain is stowed inside of the bikes gear assembly.  This exists because you have to run the chain through the internal portion of the bike just like its similar counterpart the bicycle.

7)  Printers often run out of ink early despite some ink still being left in the cartridge.  This is exists because cartridges tend to have ink stick on the sides and can lay uneven potentially signaling for a low cartridge warning.

8)  The dishwasher in my apartment complex tends to have trouble washing the dishes fully due to the poor design of the soap holding bay.  This problem exists because the soap is released early and tends to not make it all the way into the cycle towards the back of the machine.

9)  Candles burn down the center and a lot of unused wax is left towards the sides after the life of the candle is expended.  This is a waste of wax and candle life.  This problem exists because candles are often too wide.

10)  The freezer door of the fridge can often open itself after the fridge door is shut.  This is due to the force expended by the closing of the fridge door which inadvertently opens the freezer.

11)  Chairs can be awkward to use up against a flat walled bar area.  This is due to the fact that you cannot pull the chair in close enough because of the rails towards the sides.  

12)  Beer bottles (not twist offs) can be a pain to open because of the absence of a bottle opener.  This is due to the fact that there are no alternatives.

13)  The space underneath the fridge and stove is prone to having things fall underneath it.  The main bug is that there is just enough space for things to slide under.

14)  The Bose speakers in my apartment tend to shake the table.  The main issue with this is the lack of cushion in between the two objects.

15)  When using the heat in a car often cold air is blown before warm air because the car has to get to temperature.  The main bug is you do not want cold air to hit you when it is cold outside.

16)  Table legs can be uneven and cause the table to rock back and forth.  This bug exists because certain table legs are longer than others.

17)  The weights in the gym are often disorganized and thrown in random places.  This is due to the weight rack not having assigned spots for different weights.

18)  My iPhone sometimes falls out of my pocket when I work out.  This is due to it not being attached securely.

19)  My Lifeproof case requires me to unscrew a port to plug in an aux cable.  This is due to the fact that the case is waterproof.

20)  You have to turn a lamp twice to turn it off.  This is due to how the switch is set from factory.  

Review of Bug List:

This list was not too difficult to come up with.  I essentially think of these things all the time so it is not that challenging.  Being an innovator also means being a problem finder. A good way to start is to brainstorm solutions to daily issues.

My Entrepreneurship Story

Ever since my childhood days I have been thinking of solutions to problems and embracing the qualities of an entrepreneur.  To cut right to it, I am now the holder of a United States Utility Patent.  This is not the end however, I am currently entered in the University of Florida's "Big Idea competition" and I attend the class every week despite not even being enrolled in it.  I see the competition as a good way to learn more about writing a business plan and a way to help my propel into the world of prototyping and starting my own business before I even graduate.  Currently I am working to start the business plan and potentially be selected to compete for the grand prize.  In addition, I am enrolled in ENT3003 because I am an Innovation Academy student and would also like to learn everything I can about entrepreneurship.  Here is an image of my ID card from the "Celebration of Innovation event" that I was selected to attend during my freshman year at UF.

Introduction Entrepreneurship UF

Hello!  My name is Ben Anderson and I have lived the majority of my life in Tampa Florida however, I was born in New Jersey.  I'm currently studying Public Relations at the University of Florida.  I love to travel, some of my favorite journeys have been to Australia, Spain, Hawaii and of course great destinations in the USA like the grand canyon, the florida keys and other cool spots in Colorado to snowboard.  My favorite mode of transportation at UF is to ride my motorcycle, a Yamaha R6.  I also love to enjoy the outdoors, take pictures, explore and catch some good times with friends.  Here is a picture of me in Australia which sums up my love for traveling:

Week 2 Entrepreneurship Mantra UF

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