Whats my secret sauce?

1) Describe five ways in which you think you have human capital that is truly unique. What is it about you, exactly, that makes you different? Write this up in a detailed list

1. I think that I have surprised myself when it comes to my abilities. I didn't expect myself to go to college or receive a degree. I also didn't imagine to excel in internships. I have more confidence now. 

2. I have a great ability to listen and soak in other personalities and information they want to share. I enjoy learning about different types of people and what makes them who they are. 

3. I became good at social media. I didn't expect myself to be good at social media or want to do it as a career. However, through the internships that I have worked, my skill set in adobe grew. I also was able to create different types of calendars and campaigns for social media. 

4. I would say that once I put my mind to something, I don't let anything stop me. I have resiliency. 

5. When it comes emotions, I try to think about other people before myself. I do tend to reach a middle ground before anyone else because of this reason.  

2) Interview the five people who know you the best. Ask them what they think makes you different -- remember, focus on your knowledge, skills, abilities, emotions -- in other words, your human capital. Try to stay away from discussing your other types of capital (such as who you know). Record each interview. In your post, please post each interview, as well as a two-three sentence summary of each interview, explaining what your key takeaways are. There is no time limit on these recordings. As long as you cover the information asked for above, that's all you need to do. (Audio recordings are fine. You'll need to use a platform like Soundcloud to host your files.)

https://youtu.be/1MNEK4EAzls

3) Reflect on the differences. How do you see yourself, and how do others see you? Are there differences in how you assess yourself compared to others? What do you think causes these differences? Do you think your interviewees are correct about you? Finally, going back to your list from part 1, would you make any corrections to the list? How? 

I would say that people talked a little bit more highly of me than I thought. I was happily surprised. However, they did capitalize mostly on what I said about myself. I wouldn't say there are differences, but they further explained my qualities. I would say that they are my friends and maybe they have to say these things about me, but I also really appreciate it. I wouldn't make any corrections because I analyzed myself correctly.  

Evaluating Your Customers Evaluate Staff

1) Find three people who would fit that segment and arrange to interview them. Just like last time, these interviews, if conducted properly, should take about 10-15 minutes. Any less, and you won't be able to obtain adequate information. These three people may NOT be the same people you interviewed last time. 

1. Phillip Stekol

2. Aviv Asoulin 

3. Jared Beas

3) Begin with alternative evaluation. In the last case exercise, you determined how customers sought information related to solving their need. The outcome of this step is to produce a set of alternatives. Customers pick from among this set of alternatives. In this step, your job is to figure out how they do their picking. Does price matter the most? Does quality? Does style? Is there more than one factor that is important to your customer segment?

Philip

When buying a product, what do you look at first?

I look at how the product looks and if it is up to standard. 

So, would you say style and quality matters to you?

Yes, they both matter to me. However, I also think about how often I would use the product and if it is just a meaningless purchase.

What would you categorize as meaningless purposes?

If we look at shoes, you can purchase a multitude of black style shoes. However, if you already have a nice black dress shoe, there is no need to buy another just because it looks a little different. 

Does price matter to you?

Sometimes the price matters. I don't normally step out of my comfort zone but I wouldn't say that it necessarily matters to me. I don't even consider products that are too expensive. If I needed the product and it is expensive, then I would think it over. Products such as the iPhone, are always going to be expensive. However, that is a purchase I would follow through with. I take technology seriously. When it comes to fashion, it doesn't matter as much to me. 

Aviv

When buying a product, what do you look at first? 

I check the price tag. I like to stick to a budget. 

How often do you find yourself going outside of your budget? 

Very rarely. It is only on a need basis. For instance, If I need to purchase textbooks for a class, then I would buy the textbook. With that being said, I check Amazon for the cheaper selection. 

Do you look at the style of a product before buying?

Of course! I like to think of myself as a baller on a budget. I still value style, but I don't want to break the bank for clothes or to own the sleekest technology. Sometimes, I even DIY some of my household products. I consider myself pretty savvy. 

Does quality matter to you? And would you consider DIY high-quality products? 

When I do purchase an item, I want the quality to last me for however long it serves its purpose. My DIY inventions have outlasted some of the products I have purchased. So, I would say that DIY can be high-quality. 

Jared

When buying a product, what do you look at first? 

I check out the price tag. I find myself wanting to spend more than I have, so I have to cut myself off. 

Would you say you have had previous problems purchasing products out of your price range?

Yes. Far too often. 

If price didn't matter, what would you look for in a product? 

I am definitely a style type of guy. I like to look nice and I like to have my products working to the best of their ability. 

Do style and quality go hand-in-hand for you?

Yes. From my experience, normally the better looking a product is, the better quality it is. Also, the price comes in effect with style and quality, too. You get what you pay for. 

4) How/where do they buy? Elements of the actual transaction can help characterize your segment. Is your segment more likely to buy online or in a store? Are they more likely to use cash or will they finance the purchase? Etc. If this is a B2B purchase, who's involved in the purchase decision? 

Philip

Do you often buy items in a store or online? Do you like to use your credit card, debit or cash? Do you consult with anyone before buying a product?

It depends on what I buy. If I buy groceries, then I go to a store. If I buy technology, I like to go to the store and check it out in person, but I end up getting a better deal online. I just purchased a bulk amount of ramen on Amazon, so you can practically get anything online. I do like to go to the store to purchase my clothing. Normally, I charge it to my debit card. If I need consulting, I ask a friend. I don't normally need consulting, though. 

Aviv

Do you often buy items in a store or online? Do you like to use your credit card, debit or cash? Do you consult with anyone before buying a product?

I try to be very conscious of my purchases. I find myself looking at products in person before searching online. I can't remember the last time I bought something other than textbooks online. I don't own a credit card, so I use my debit. I don't consult with anyone before purchasing a product. 

Jared

Do you often buy items in a store or online? Do you like to use your credit card, debit or cash? Do you consult with anyone before buying a product?

I love to buy things online. You can get items for such a good deal if you do the research! I honestly rotate between my debit and credit card. Whichever account has money for me to spend. I like to get my friends opinions on the items before I buy them. I tend to not make smart purchases, so its good to get a second opinion. 

5) Post-purchase evaluation. What matters most to your customers when they think back on the 'rightness' of the purchase? What helps them determine the purchase was a good idea? What sorts of things make them think a purchase was a bad idea? 

Philip

Philip likes to look at style to justify the rightness of the purchase. I think he likes to feel good when he buys a product, so style matters the most. He is conscious of the price, but its not a huge issue. 

Aviv

Aviv is very money conscious. He likes to do DIY and find deals before making purchases. Money-smart decisions helps the rightness of his purchases. If the purchase is too pricey, Aviv will more than likely not purchase. 

Jared

Jared loves to spend his money. He values style and quality. It seems like he might have an issue saving his money from my findings. It might not matter to him if the product is too expensive, at least until he has no more money. 

6) Report the findings. Simply summarize your interviews. 

7) Draw conclusions. Based on what you know about this segment and what you learned in your interviews, how would you succinctly describe this segment in terms of alternative evaluation, purchase decision, and post-purchase evaluation? 

I enjoyed learning the different types of views, methods and ideas that people have when buying a product. People go through a decision making process when it comes to spending any type of money on a product, as they should. However, different people value different aspects of the product more before they purchase. 

Halfway Reflection

1) Tenaciousness is a competency. What are the behaviors that you have used (or developed) to keep up with the requirements of this course? 

Since this is my reflection, I have no option other than being honest. I could and should be doing much better in this course. I have had poor behavior to complete this course. I would rate my participation a C at best. In fact, I more than likely will not receive a higher grade than a C in this class. Hopefully, there is extra credit. Hopefully, I get it together! 

2) Tenaciousness is also about attitude. Talk about a moment or two when you felt like "giving up." What pulled you through? Do you feel like you've developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months? What experience or experiences most contributed to this?

For the last two weeks, I have not done any school work. So, I have given up. How will I change this? Well besides beating myself up about it, I am starting to complete the assignments a couple days before instead of last minute. I am pulling through now because I have too. I don't want to retake this class. I would say that this is my first semester with this attitude and my personal life has taken over my professional life. I am rebuilding my tenacious attitude for myself and finishing my summer classes will be a step in the process.

3) Three tips. What are three tips you would offer next semester's student about (1) fostering the skills that support tenacity and (2) developing the 'tenacious mindset'?

I would recommend that you should only take this class if you know that you are in the right mindset. Be ready to discipline yourself. You have to get this work done. Students should also spread out their time and not waste until the last minute to do assignments. Lastly, take notes during lectures because those cupcakes are actually difficult. Developing a tenacious mindset can be challenging. However, our struggles are what makes us! This class can be as difficult or as easy as you want it to be. Choose the easy way. Do the work.    

Idea Napkin

1) You. Who you are. What your talents are. What your skills and experiences are. Also: what are your aspirations? Specifically regarding your business concept, how do you see this business (if you were to start it) playing a role in your life?

I am a junior public relations student. I excel in marketing, public speaking, social media and graphic design.

2) What are you offering to customers? Describe the product or service (in other words, how you'll solve customers' unmet needs). 

I am offering an inclusive playground that raises awareness of mental health and education through games. 

3) Who are you offering it to? Describe, in as much detail as possible, the demographic and psychographic characteristics of your customers. Think especially of this question: what do your customers all have in common?

All types of kids. Kids with autism, kids with adhd, low-income families, everyone with a child.  

4) Why do they care? Your solution is only valuable insofar as customers believe it's valuable to them. Here, explain why customers will actually pay you money to use your product or service. 

My customers should care because the importance of mental health and education cannot be overlooked. My investors should care because it is shaping the future of America. 

5) What are your core competencies? What sets you apart from everyone else? Also: what do you have that nobody else has? 

My invention is set apart from someone else because playgrounds don't think about the psychology and education behind the active play.