ENT3003 Course Blog

It’s crazy to believe that we are already halfway through the semester. It feels like yesterday that I was pulling teeth trying to come up with a list of 20 things that bug me. From the beginning of this course, I knew that creativity and perseverance were going to be the two main traits that I was going to rely on while I completed the assignments. As the course progressed I noticed that I have also begun to develop a third trait that I wasn’t expecting to develop in this course. That trait was the ability to look critically at things and decipher the best course of action to attack any given situation. Some of the assignments aren’t very straightforward and this can be difficult for some people that don’t see the big picture and can’t find a solution to this problem. I think more than anything this course has made me a better critical thinker which in turn will benefit me in the entrepreneurial world. Oh, there were definitely moments that I struggled with especially early on. That ...

For this first reading reflection, I choose to read the autobiography by Ray Kroc intitled “Grinding it Out”. The focus of the autobiography is how a man named Ray Kroc took a small restaurant and made it into the largest fast-food chain restaurant in the nation. The beginning of the book focuses on Kroc’s humble beginnings and his obsession with business, in particular, the art of making good deals. The character trait of being a master negotiator would go on to be a saving grace for Kroc but it would also be one of his tragic flaws at the same time. He begins to model his personal life and relationships similarly to how he ran his businesses. This would put those who were close to him in a tough position because sometimes his negotiator attitude would be too much for them to handle. One question that I would inquire of Mr. Kroc would be if he had any regrets about employing too much of his business acumen in his personal life? I feel he could have experienced much more happiness dur...

Based on the three interviews I conducted I’ve found that need becomes the most frequent when the customer is aware of their financial situation. They would only find the need necessary if they had awareness about how much they were spending on food when they go to sporting events and concerts. However, as my interviewees continued to talk about the need they began to realize that if they cut back on some of that excess spending that comes with purchasing overpriced food from the typical concessions’ vendors in and around the stadium then they would have more money to spend on other things that would be more beneficial to them in the long run. So, as I began discussing the idea of opening a small food truck that gave good food at an accommodating price their eyes began to widen. Thinking of how much they could save on these events that they frequently attended would not only benefit their financial state but also allow them to attend more concerts/sports games with the money they woul...

1      I am a motivated foodie who is sick and tired of people accepting subpar food as the norm. That comes in every situation, but mainly at sporting event/concerts. I have always wanted to open this business not just for me but for my brother as well. He has Asperger’s Syndrome and I always wanted to do this business with him as a way for us to continue to be close as we get older. 2.       I want to offer my customers high-quality comfort food to at a price that won’t break the bank. I also want this to become a go-to spot for those wanting some good food after a night partying, a great concert, or a huge upset in the Swamp. 3.       I will be offering this to the college kids and fans that attend local concerts and sports events in and around the Gainesville area. The target customer for my food truck will probably be the 18-30 age group. This group is both very adventurous when it comes to trying new things ...

Here is my elevator pitch for more affordable food options at UF sporting events/major concerts

The interviews: As a continuation to the first part of my opportunity, I conducted 5 more interviews of students, fans, and other members of the community to gain a better understanding of the lack of affordable food options at major events around Gainesville. Some interesting findings that I noticed throughout the interview process are that this issue seems to mainly affect students and people who don’t necessarily have an endless amount of free income. Students obviously have a lot of educational expenses with tuition, room and board, books, etc. So, they don’t necessarily have the ability to spend $10-$15 on two small items from concession stands at sports games or food trucks at concerts. While adults with stable jobs are better equipped to accommodate to the increased price since they don’t necessarily have the same quantity of economic constraints that students seem to have. There are a few exceptions to this including members of the elderly age group as they also could share ...

The opportunity I am looking to provide a solution to is the issue of not having an affordable food option for major events such as sporting events, concerts, festivals, etc. The options that these events provide are limited in their quality and lack the variability in the options available. You are either forced to eat the typical game day food like burgers, hot dogs, fried food, etc. Or you are going to be given food that doesn’t meet the minimum quality standards you should expect if you are going to pay as elevated prices as they mark everything up too. My solution to this problem is for myself to open up a small food truck that can be operated near or around other venues that provides high-quality foods that will be enjoyed by the masses at these events. With this secondary option available to students, fans, and everyday people it will allow them to get a good quality meal at a price that doesn’t break the bank.

1.       The opportunity I would like to pursue as a possible entrepreneurial venture, Is the lack of affordable food options that don’t substitute quality for a cheaper price point. Big sporting events and concerts don’t offer the people a cheap alternative to the exacerbated price points offered at these events. ·         The Who: The students and people that attend events around Gainesville ·         The What: The lack of affordable food options ·         The Why: Because with the options available they are either very expensive or the quality is subpar. 2.       Hypothesis Testing ·         Testing the Who: I’m fairly certain that everyone in my sample shares this need. Some may experience this need more than others, but the need is still present regardless. ·   ...