Customer Interviews No. 1

1. The opportunity I thought of would be having a service go to a grocery store and buy your food and deliver it.
2. Anyone who does not like shopping or does not have a mode of transportation will have this problem.
3. The questions I came up with were: How often do you go grocery shopping?  Do you find it difficult/annoying or time-wasting to go to Publix and buy your food?  Would you pay someone to go to Publix and buy your food for you?
4. I spoke with 5 different people at one of my friends parties (he had a big party and I did not know the people).  I videotaped them, but they contacted me Sunday and said that they do not want to posted online drunk (they were fine when I asked them and I assumed they wouldn't care the next day, but you know what happens when you assume).
5. I think the opportunity exists for this service to be made, or at least according to the drunk college kids it does.  The main consensus was that if it was for the right price they would pay someone to go shopping for them.
6. Well I learned a camera attracts a bunch of drunk people and they might mess up your project the next day by not allowing you to post the video.  I know I am the one fully at fault because I should have not interviewed intoxicated people, but that was the most convenient time for me to interview and it is also a great way to talk to girls.  It is also really nerve racking to be recording and interviewing potential customers, it might be easier for me to go to a library and try to ask groups of people the questions next time.

The results of the interviewing questions (each number will be a different person, and I will put a / between each of the answers.  The questions were: Hey how are you, I'm doing a school project where I have to interview people about a potential problem do you mind if I record you and ask you some questions (they all said yes)?  How often do you go grocery shopping?  Do you find it difficult/annoying or time-wasting to go to Publix and buy your food?  Would you pay someone to go to Publix and buy your food for you?

1. About twice a week/ Yes, it is always busy/ If it was cheap
2. Everyday because I live less than a quarter mile from Publix/ No, I just go before 4 or after 7/ There is no need
3. Once a week/ Yes it's busy and I have to get a ride from my friend/ Yes
4. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday or Sunday/ I find it relaxing and I get to take a break from life/ Depending on the price
5. Once a week/ Yes, but I put up with it/ That would be a great idea!!

Top 5 world problems

Top 5 serious problems

1. War/ advancement in war technology 
2. World Hunger
3. Lack of drinking water
4. Overpopulation
5. Destruction of middle class

Top 5 solutions to problems

1. Fixing the middle class through money policy changes or other economic factors.
2. World hunger could be reduced with more effective gmo's.
3. To increase the supply of drinking water, you would have to produce a new way to filter it better.
4. Overpopulation is difficult to stop because there aren't many effective/humane ways to regulate it, but new technologies could reduce this?
5. Stopping war/ advancement in war technology is nearly impossible considering how big of a market it is.

I think war/advancement in war technology is the largest problem because the world could be destroyed or close to it due to all the nuclear weapons.  The next problem I said was world hunger because about 21000 people die daily due to not having enough food.  Lack of drinking water is next because its not a very large issue now, but within our lifetimes it will get more serious.  I said overpopulation was next because having more people on the planet will also make the hunger and lack of drinking water crisis more difficult.  My 5th problem was the destruction of the middle class.  Increasing the gap between the rich and the poor will lead to large society problems.

For the solution list; most of the problems can only be bettered by new technology (world hunger, lack of water, and overpopulation).  Fixing the middle class is do-able and stopping war will be nearly impossible.

Identifying Local Opportunities

1. Senator puts brakes on Campus Carry.  This article describes what could happen in the future with regards to concealed weapons.  It mentions how having guns could be a hindrance to Florida's tourism industry.  The problem presented from this article is that the current laws on concealed weapons is terrible and by updating this one it will change it to just bad.  This problem is for anyone who wants to carry a concealed weapon.  http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2016/01/24/senator-puts-brakes-campus-carry/79277572/
2. Florida leads U.S. in new HIV cases after years of cuts in public health.  The title basically explains the article.  Since Rick Scott has been in office public health cuts have been made and new cases of HIV infections have occurred.  The problem presented is that public health in Florida has decreased and more people are getting HIV.  This is a problem for people who are sexually active.  http://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article56192770.html
3. New breast cancer screening guidelines could be deadly.  This article explains how the USPSTF is going to change the guidelines for breast cancer screening from 40 to 50 years old.  As of now 25% of women diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40 die from it, by pushing the screening age back, more women will die.  This is a problem for women who might get breast cancer.   http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article56347475.html
4. Manning, Broncos scramble to Superbowl in 20-18 win over NE.  This article desribes how the Broncos won over NE.  This is a problem because Manning should be retiring soon, but unfortunately he made his way to the Superbowl again.  This is a problem for NE fans.  http://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article56393185.html
5. Single family home prices soar in Broward County.  This article explains how the prices for homes have gone up and the resales market has grown too.  This is a problem for any potential home buyers in the Broward county area because the prices of houses have increased.  http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/real-estate-news/article56091840.html

World's biggest problems

The worlds biggest problems are (in no particular order):

1. World hunger-Many people around the world die each day due to lack of nutrients.  There is no easy way to fix this problem due to the vast scale of it, but with more technological advances in GMO's there might be a way to feed people.  Or for just 30 cents a day you can help feed a child in need.
2. Uneducated populace-Many people around the world are in very bad situations and do not get the privilege to learn about how the world looks.  Other people in the world have the chance to learn but don't take advantage of it, especially in america.  America is the wealthiest nation in the world, but it is not the "smartest".  Our education system is flawed and out of date.  The best way to fix this problem will be to update our education system.
3. Over population-There is only so many people that can live on the earth at one time due to the amount of resources earth has.  There are around 7 billion people alive on the earth right now.  Advancement in technology as well as a reduction in the rate at which people are being produced will help this problem.
4. Lack of drinking water-Similar to the over population problem, the earth only has a set amount of resources.  Advancement in technology or a way to convert ocean water into drinking water will solve this problem.
5. War/advancement in war technology-War has and will always be a huge problem the world faces.  Before nuclear weapons war wasn't as deadly as it is now.  If the current status stays how it is then war should not be a problem.
6. Diseases -Diseases have always been a very serious thing.  In my life time there has been 2 wide spread dangerous diseases.  There was the bird flu that was very dangerous as well as ebola.  Advances in technology should hopefully keep dangerous diseases from spreading.
7. Climate change-The weather is reportedly getting warmer because of burning fossil fuels.  Once we can find an efficient way to produce energy this wont be a problem anymore. 
8. Homeless population-Many people world wide, as well as in america, are homeless due to many reasons.  Many people just live in a country where they will be lucky to find water to drink everyday let alone find a place to sleep.  Homeless shelters are a band aid for this problem.  I can't think of an effective way to fix this problem that wouldn't have people abusing this to get free housing.
9. Terrorism-Terrorism is a very bad thing, but will happen when people have differing views and one group of people are more drastic.  Terrorism is always potentially a problem and there is no way to really stop it.  All we can do is upgrade security and always be ready for a terrorism attack.
10. Middle class being destroyed-The middle class in America is slowly being destroyed.  The gap between the rich and the poor is growing larger and the middle class is being pushed down.  I am not sure about how to fix this problem either.  I would guess decreasing the money supply and decreasing the national interest rate would help make the American dollar worth more money and that would help the US with oversea exports and imports, but in turn it would also make the US deficit larger.

In conclusion, I think the most important thing for the world right now is for us to focus on advancing technology and education.  There are an infinite amount of things we don't even know are possible yet that will one day help the world.

Bug List

For this post I am going to write what bugs me and then in brackets {} I am going to explain why I think the bug exists

1. The bars at midtown are very crowded during the weekend.  {Probably because everyone wanted to drink during the weekend.}
2. People don't check the bike lane before crossing the street.  {Probably because they have never been hit by a bike traveling fast downhill}
3. Teachers assign assignments in weird vague pages on Canvas and expect us students to know how to find it.  {Teachers probably assumed if they know how to use this technology the students should be able to know}
4. Some teachers don't give rubrics saying "once you have a job they won't give you a rubric" {Because in life there aren't actually rubrics, but you get on the job training and a boss to constantly ask questions to.}
5. When people cut in line (at the bathroom, restaurant or bar). {Probably because they don't care that everyone behind them has been waiting}
6.  When my neighbors play loud music on a Tuesday night/morning at 3 AM. {They are probably drunk and don't care about what their neighbors think}
7. When people shout instead of talking to a person right next to them {The person is probably really excited or is just an annoying jerk}
8. People who when with friends are always on their phone {They probably think something really important is going to happen or they are a jerk}
9. Guys who somehow miss the toilet completely when peeing {they could be drunk}
10. When people don't pick up after their dogs {They are being lazy and a jerk}
11. TV commercials bother me {commercials is how the companies make money}
12. People who drive under the speed limit {They are either lost, texting, bad at driving, old, or drunk}
13. I dislike it when people block entire aisles at the store {They are oblivious to other people around them}
14. I dislike when the McDonalds on 13th is busy and charge me the wrong price for what I order and give me the wrong order in the end. {Its probably a combination of being busy and not having the best employees}
15. Long-boarding on campus is difficult and even dangerous in some places because the bike lanes are so messed up {It costs a lot of money to redo all the bike lanes and they are mostly still rideable}
16. It bugs me when my neighbors leave their trash out in the halls because that clogs up the halls and makes them smell bad {They probably didn't want to smell it and were too lazy to walk down the stairs to throw it all away}
17. It bugs me when people get mad at people in the service industry about things that aren't the persons fault.  Like when I went to Fridays and someone yelled at the waiter for his corn being cold.  {People are very emotional and most people aren't rational}
18. It bugs me when people walk in the bike lane and then don't get out of the way for bikes(especially on campus) {they probably think that the bike can wait for them and they are just oblivious}
19. It bugs me when celebrities get away with things, like how Bruce Jenner got away with manslaughter.  {They probably have enough money to cover things up}
20. It bugs me when teachers assign tedious assignments instead of just telling us their point {They probably have some point to make and think assigning that assignment will help emphasize it}

This assignment was rather easy for me because there are a lot of things that bug me.  After the 5th one I just started listing off everything that bothers me in my day to day life. 

My Entrepreneurship Story

A great entrepreneurship experience I had was when I became an intern at a coffee company called LeVelles Coffee Company.  The company had just started and my boss had very little experience so I got to see how hard it is to actually try to get a product into markets.  My boss had his parents to help back his company and he successfully got his product into Wards and Lucky's Market.  After a year of operating, the company didn't make enough money so he ended up selling it to some people in California.

I enrolled in ENT 3003 because I needed 4 more elective credits and this was the only elective that was 4 credits.  After watching the first lecture I hope that I can become an entrepreneur.

Introduction

Hey my name is Will Mercer.  I am currently a senior at UF and my major is Economics.  After I graduate I plan on getting a job somewhere.  I am willing to work anywhere as long as they speak English.
My friend is in the process of starting a brewery so I would really like to get a job there to help market his beer.  He has made many different types of beer and he always likes to hear my opinion on the taste of them.  His best beer is a banana beer.  He recently bought a building near the Ray's stadium and is in the process of getting all of the equipment and deciding on which beers to produce.

Testing

testing post

Entrepreneur's Mantra