My Secret Sauce

My Sauce according to me:

1. I am a passionate person when it comes to things that I truly care for. I will never quit and will put maximum effort into doing things that I love or that mean a lot to me. Whether it be an entertaining class assignment, developing one of my inventions/ideas, or a sport that I enjoy, I do not accept mediocrity and strive for perfection. This quest for perfection can sometimes bite me in the butt however. 
2. I believe myself to be a personable and likable guy. I try to connect to people on a personal and emotional level most of the time so as to break the ice and get past any uncomfortable feelings on both parties. This helps me communicate better with people and I believe it to be a great skill when it comes to sales/marketing. 
3. I like to consider myself a creative and innovative person. By no means does this mean I am artistic and can paint like picasso, or even a 3 year old. Rather, I am creative in my approach to solutions whether it be a tangible problem such as a broken tent or figuring out how to park cars at my house to make the most money on football game days. 
4. I believe to be loving and appreciative of peoples emotions. This allows me to touch them personally and make them conformable whether i am selling something or just talking to them.
5. Lastly I belive myself to be a quick learner. I can find things out for the first time and make you think I have known it for years. I am able to look at information or a situation and be able to quickly assess any problems and come up with a plan to solve it. Whether I have previous knowledge on it or not. 

Interviews:

• Stephen spoke about my ingeniuty and how it helps that I can think outside the box and create solutions on the fly. This correlates to some things I said about myself in that i am creative and innovative. 

• Sofi stated that I am passionate and true to myself when it comes to my work and my personal life. She mentioned some things that I never realized would be strengths when it comes to business but I see how it can. 

• Jose mentioned that I am a likable and comfortable guy to talk to. This correlates to what i said about myself in that i am personable and able to make people comfortable when talking to them. I belive this to be one of my best traits. 

• Andrew mentioned that i am able to multitask and complete assignments quickly and under pressure. He also said I am good at mechanical things and finding efficient solutions to problems, similar to what i said. 

• Alfredo mentioned that I am good at completeing tasks on point and when needed. He also touched on how I am good under pressure and said that I can be efficient with my assignments. 

What I gathered form this assignment is that people are appreciative of my skills and talents and really do notice. I go about my life not really thinking about what people are gathering from my actions. I always care about my reputation and how people view me, but i never tried to ask or find out what it is that others are thinking. I realized that a lot of what I believe to be my strengths are being noticed by others as well. A lot of what I said corelated to my interviews. I asked my close friends and girlfriend to speak about me and it was nice to see that my capabilities as a creative, thoughtful, intelligent, and caring human being are being appreciated and noted. There weren't any particular things said about me that I did not already know. They pretty much helped me feel more comfortable about the fact that I am personable, innovative, and passionate with my work. 

Idea napkin 2

1) I am a third year Marketing and entrepreneurship student excited for the future and eager to succeed. My skills are analytical and creative and I believe are useful for my execution of this business concept. I used to be an engineering student because I was always good at math and science and possessed good problem solving skills. However, my calling was not engineering and I realized that after a few years. Instead I began to focus my talents and energy into marketing and business and found myself taking this course. I believe I have some useful human communication skills and common sense that help me to succeed when it comes to business. The business I would get into with this idea of Emergency Booze would be risky and new to me. I would honestly not see this company as my main stream of income in the future, rather a side project with some potential.

2) I am offering a just in time solution to the problem of having to throw a last minute party or organize a large event in which drinking will be involved. Instead of people having to stay on the phone for large periods of time trying to find a viable place with a liquor license that could support and entertain a large amount of guests, they could call my service and be taken care of immediately. My company would own a fleet of "mobile" bars that are basically old ambulances and school buses transformed into portable bar scenes. These all come with a fully stocked bar and the materials to serve up to 200 guests.

3) My customers care because I am relieving them of plenty of hassle and time that could be spent elsewhere. I am facilitating event planning and catering all at once and adding an augmented benefit in that my portable bars offer a unique experience separate from a typical catering service.

The Twenty Percent

1) The entrepreneur I chose is my friend Alfredo Ramirez, a student at UF, who started his own business a few years ago. I thought it would be cool to have someone my age and living a similar lifestyle to show that anyone can be an entrepreneur at any age or time in their life. He is the founder of ALRAS academics, a tutoring service aimed primarily at high school students. The company also provides help with essays and papers. I conducted the interview over the phone because he is out of town for vacation, so i do not have a recording but i will provide the transcript below. 

• Who do you think your target customers are? Did your view change after some time? 
• "My customers are both high school students and their parents and college students. I originally focused on reaching the high school students themselves through my brother and other connections from my old high school but realized that I needed to target the parents as well who ultimately pay for and overlook the work that I do. I began to target college students recently after expanding my services to include help with research papers, etc."    

• What are your customers unmet needs and how do you address these? 
• "Their unmet needs are simply that they need help with a certain subject or help passing standardized tests like the SAT or ACT. I try to provide the best tutoring by hiring more than capable tutors and tailoring my services to each student's individual needs." 

• Where did/do you acquire your customers? Are they all referrals? Did they find out through your website or social media?  
• "Most of my customers come to me as referrals by parents and students. That is how i started, I spoke to parents from the water polo and swimming teams that i use to be part of and used my brother who's in high school as my scout. I have had some come to me after seeing my website or a post on social media but more than 80% of them are referrals."

• What are your customer's demographics? 
• "Like i said, most are high school students ages 14-18. But i also have some middle school students and college students looking for extra help with editing papers and such. I focused on my home town of Miami so a lot of them are cuban or hispanic and have had experiences similar to mine in terms of academic stress. My old high school was difficult and demanding."   
• What kinds of media do your customers consume? How do you reach them?
• "Being that they are high school and college students, they consume a lot of social media like facebook, twitter, instagram, and snapchat. I assume a lot of them read online newspapers like me and watch a significant amount of TV or netflix."

2) I used my sister who is in high school in Miami to find target customers. They are the right age and go to a private school that is both difficult and demanding. They are all under the stress that comes with taking AP classes and applying to college. The questions I asked were:

• What do you consider to be your academic needs as a high school student who will apply to college soon and needs to balance academics with extracurricular activities? 
• Have you ever used a tutor? Would you be willing to accept help from someone who has been in your same shoes before?
• If you were to look for a tutor, where would you look? Online? On facebook? Or would you rather ask a friend or teacher? 
• What kinds of media do you consume on a daily basis? Social Media? TV? Radio? 
• Has anything bothered you about a tutor in the past? For example: were they too old and could not relate well to you? 

3) I think Alfredo did well to anticipate his customers needs and made sure to tailor his services accordingly, considering his twenty percent are mainly high school students. The customers I interviewed all agreed that school can be demanding and prioritizing work was the biggest need. All of them have used tutors, some with good results while the others did not really benefit from it. The only thing that i could tell him would be to make sure to stay up to date with the material and makes sure his tutors have knowledge of the student's teacher and what he/she is looking for in their students. The interviewees mentioned that some of their tutors did not teach like their teacher wanted them to learn and therefore was not as useful. 

Half-way Reflection

Tenacity, how do I achieve it?

1) The past two months in this course have been challenging not because the material is difficult rather because it has been demanding and requires steady consistency. There are 2-4 assignments every week and the due dates are set up in the middle of the week at what I consider to be a random time of 9:00pm. My thoughts on this are that the professor chose these due dates and times so that we don't try to complete assignments right before the deadline, rather take time to plan ahead and complete them with plenty of time left. In other words, act like a true entrepreneur who manages his/her own time, due dates (in a sense), and stay on top of our work. To keep up with this demand I have tried to imagine as if there are no due dates, instead I try to think that I need to get my work done to improve my business and succeed. To be honest i am still in the process of developing the proper behaviors, I have not been as consistent as I should be. i need to learn to get ahead and do the assignments for me rather than for my professor or the grade. The fact that we grade our own work makes me want to do well and not settle for mediocrity as I am trying to impress myself and make myself proud. I hope to become more consistent and conscience of my work to succeed with a good grade in the class and with a well developed business concept. 

2) I honestly have felt like giving up a few times this semester in regards to this class. these moments have been a result of me undermining the work and leaving it to the last minute. I started to put less effort in my assignments and completed them right before deadlines. This didn't allow me to immerse myself in my business concept and made me focus more on the completion of assignments rather than improvement of my concept and making real progress. I have pulled through because I do not like to accept failure when I realize that the outcome is totally up to me. I began to think that I would drop the course if anything goes wrong but have been noticing that i can do it, and that the work is really not all that much. i have to focus on the fact that i am developing an idea and gaining useful knowledge through unique experiences rather than just receiving a grade. i feel like I have yet to develop the tenacious attitude needed to truly succeed. Until I start to get ahead and immerse myself in my idea, i will continue to do mediocre work and only get by. 

3A) Three tips that I would offer a future student in regards to fostering the proper skills that support tenacity I would say: 

• Learn to be consistent and remain consistent. With due dates, effort put into the assignments, and the like. 
• Be willing to accept criticism and not get fazed by a "no" or negative feedback. 
• Be perseverant and honest with your work. Be true to yourself, try to make yourself proud, and the rest will follow. 

3B) Three tips i would offer to develop a tenacious mindset would be:

• Think about the assignments as tasks needed to improve and develop your concept rather than just a grade. 
• Develop a routine and stick to it. From cleaning your room to doing your work. 
• Don't settle for mediocrity. If you do this, you will see yourself becoming more tenacious in your attempt to do good work. 

Week 8 Reading Reflection

1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 

• What surprised me most about this week's reading was the fact that there are many untold truths in regards to obtaining capital. The author mentions some myths and truths and made sure to explain that even though money is important, it should not stop one from accomplishing business or life goals in general. 

2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

• The reading didn't really confuse me per say. Everything was pretty well explained. I guess the only challenging thing to understand was the section on accounts receivable and loans. I had to think about it for a second but I was able to understand it, especially because I have taken accounting classes before. 

3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?

• If I could ask the author anything, I would ask him questions about the venture myths and how one can succeed in gaining sufficient capital. For example: How did you uncover these myths and why have they become so commonly misconstrued? And, What is the most efficient way of gaining capital for a venture related to liquor? (as that is my idea).

4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

• I don't necessarily agree or disagree with what the author said because I am not very knowledgable on the subject. Therefore i don't really know if something he said was wrong or right. To me he was simply stating facts. 

Idea Napkin No. 1

Emergency Booze.....Wait, what???

  I am a third year marketing student minoring in Entrepreneurship. I recently switched to marketing after studying mechanical engineering for 2 years. I came into college thinking engineering was my calling. I have always excelled in creative solutions to tangible problems whether it be fixing an appliance at home or constructing a tent with no poles. My analytical skills were there but it wasn't my true calling. I started looking into product design and manufacturing through Mechanical engineering and learned about the whole product development stage. This brought light to marketing and product design and led to a realization. My strengths were analytical and creative but I was always good at knowing what people want and how to please them. It can sound like a manipulative and fake trait at first, but I realized there are ethical and useful ways of applying it. After realizing this I switched to Marketing and started to engage in sales/promotion activities. I worked as a promoter for a Gainesville nightlife company and volunteered in fundraising/marketing for a Hispanic Heritage Celebration at UF. These experiences with people, rather than with calculations and mechanisms, evolved my interpersonal skills and gave me experience that I have applied to my current business concept. The idea of a bar is not new. What s new is my delivery of that idea and the medium at which i provide it. This is mainly marketing and problem solving. Two skills that I believe i have. 

  I am offering a just in time solution to the problem of having to cater (alcohol) a last minute party and easing the hassle of having to reserve space at a local hotel ballroom, party room, or other venue with a certified liquor license. You can call our hotline or click online. You can be browsing for party favors, local bars, or catering services and stubble upon our solution. Emergency Booze is not an attempt at hosting a party for you, rather a useful addition to your already existing party. You choose your theme and we will aim to cater to your needs as much as possible. If you would like an immiddeate solution, we have already exisiting themes and layouts. We can operate in private and certain public locations.  

    We aim to provide our service to anyone who has ever experienced a "slow" party or mixer if you will. Or maybe they have family coming to town and haven't made proper preparations. They want to have a large gathering, maybe a BBQ or cocktail party but are unsure whether to guide the masses to a venue with a liquor license or stay home and call a regular catering service. My demographic would not be able to provide the proper stage, equipment, utensils, or drinkware that is neccesary for a catering service to work. "But The service will provide there own equipment at a fee at least". Yes, but it remains your typical waiter service. The drinks are pre-made at a tent and served to you. With Emergency Booze, we provide a themed bar that you can sit down, relax, watch your drink being created, and have that happy hour feeling at. But at home, or at your local music festival, carnival, etc. 

   My customers will pay for the ease, comfort, and preciseness that my service delivers. We will save our customers time and stress in that we are certified, mobile, all inclusive, and customizable. We hope to provide augmented benfits that help us to stand out from regular catering services. perhaps our most attractive features are our pricing options. Our customer can choose to pay based on consumption (calculated based on average liquor pricing per bottle in stores plus a small facilitation fee) if they are not sure about party size or bottle count needed. Our more affordable option provides packages of set number of bottles that are customizable to your need by brand or type. This option accounts for wholesale pricing and is at a discount. 

  We offer certain pricing options and a revolutionary approach to catering that sets us apart from other catering services. We provide a fully stocked, themed, open or close layout bar in which you can sit, relax, and enjoy the proper party/happy hour experience at the comfort of your, your family's, or your friends home. Or at your local hectic music festival or carnival for example. Our uniqueness is in our range of customer base, ease of logistics and cost, and augmented party favors if you will. 

Upon completion of this assessment i realized that my concept is plausible and creative. I was able to target my audience, fine tune ideas on pricing, and truly reflect upon my customer base and service offering. I became more confident about my idea and believe to hold some ground if properly executed and within the right legal boundaries. The kink in my chain that I came across after this exercise was, What truly sets me apart form my competitors? AmI establishing a new and revolutionary service? or am I a silly twist of an already existent concept? Hmmmmm.....

Elevator Pitch No. 1

For my business idea, i chose to address the burden of having to throw a last minute party. Many people feel responsible for welcoming family or friends that have come to visit with a big party but don't really know how to cater. They can hire food catering and buy their favorite liquor, maybe even hire a bartender and waiter. These appear to be more of a formal event with a servant bringing you a rather easy drink to make. With Emergency Booze, the rush to find a suitable place with a liquor license or last minute number crunching and planning to hire a bartender/waiter, is over. Emergency booze will cater to crowds of all ages 21+ looking to throw an exciting party or family get together with a twist. You could have your own bar on your backyard or take your favorite cocktails to your uncles house. This idea will serve to facilitate party favors in terms of alcohol and give an exciting twist to home parties.

Top 5 World Problems

Worlds biggest problems in order of decreasing severity:

1. Terrorism 
2. Dependence on fossil fuels
3. Climate change 
4. Demand for food vs. food production
5. Increasing poverty population

Terrorism to me is the  biggest problem  facing the world today due to the fact that it can do the most damage to the earth in the shortest amount of time. It can affect the economy, political structure, mindset, and lives of people of all nations. The second most pressing issue today is our dependence on fossil fuels. We rely heavily on oil, coal and gas to power our home, manufacture the products we use, and even to make the food we eat. This must be a priority or it will eventually lead to climate change which is next on the list. Climate change is real and cannot be stopped. I put it as third on my list because it is not as pressing as terrorism and lowering our dependence on fossil fuels must be done before tacking other climate change issues. The next is demand for food versus food production. As our population increases, so does demand for food. However, large plots of land are becoming bare due to overgrazing or farming and it is becoming increasingly difficult to cater to the world's food demand. Finally, the increasing poverty population is an issue that can have catastrophic consequences in the long run. Poor populations tend to have large 4-6 children families and have little to no educational background. Therefore they don't contribute much to the developmen my of their country and make the world population and demand for food/water issue worse. They multiply but don't produce. 

The top 5 most implementable solutions in order of decreasing feasibility are:

1. Dependence on fossil fuels
2. Terrorism
3. Demand for food vs food production 
4. Climate change 
5. Increasing poverty population 

I believe the solution for our dependence on fossil fuels is the most feasible and easiest to implement out of all of the above. This is because there are many alternative forms of energy existent and available and many more innovations soon to be realized. There is solar power, wind energy, wave energy, safe nuclear power, etc. the second most feasible is the solution for terrorism. This one is tough because although I don't know the specific solution to terrorism, I feel like that world should and can come together to fight radical extremesism and eliminate it to a certain extent. There will always be extremism but I believe there is a solution to end the type of extremism that kills hundreds and thousands of people and affects global economies and political structures. The solution for the increasing demand for food is tough but can be found with more agricultural research as well as a shift in global conscientiousness. We must learn to not waste so much food and provide to those who don't have. Finally the incresiaing poverty population is a difficult issue to solve due to the fact that some countries might never develop into sustainable economies. It is possible to reach a point where countries can support themselves and their people, but that point seems very far into the future.

Very Short Interview No.1

The entrepreneur I chose for this week's interview is a man that goes by the name of "askamillionaire" on Instagram. Shawn Thomas is a well known entrepreneur and Angel investor with over 400 thousand followers on Instagram. He was able to turn his start-up company from $0 to 20 million dollars in revenue and ultimately sold it for millions. He now spends his time mentoring individuals about entrepreneurship, coaching companies that are struggling, and taking part in philanthropic projects. (Check out his webpage: shawnthomas.com)

The following is a transcript of our interview:

1. What does it mean to be an entrepreneur and what makes you an entrepreneur? (Is it a mindset? Is it being successful? What is an entrepreneur like?)

2. What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course? In other words, What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur?

3. I struggle with the risk involved in being a true entrepreneur and the pressure my family puts on me to have a "secure" job. Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur and was there any pressure to enter into another more secure career?

I was not able to interview Shawn in time for this excercise but I will post this so that I may edit it later with his responses and so that I may follow up with week 14's interview. I did not complete the declaration for this assignment.

World's Biggest Problems

Increasing Poverty Population

1. Population growth is a big reality and dealing with it should be a top priority for world leaders. The large poor class in under-derveloped countries will continue to increase due to the fact that these people tend to have large families (4-6 children). This means more food production, more demand for water, more waste, etc. A solution is to industrialize in and develop the economies of those countries as well as lower the chances of child mortality. 

Climate Change

1. Most of the world's scientists agree that climate change is real and partly caused by human activities. If we are to preserve this earth for later generations and continue to live with high standards of life, climate change must be a priority. Leaders and people of the world need to invest in clean energy and adopt more sustainable living techniques.

Ocean Pollution

1. The oceans are polluted every year with tons and tons of solid and liquid waste that can be toxic to the sea life and natural habitats around it. There are even reports of Islands of trash appearing in the middle of the ocean due to currents. A solution could be to pay closer attention to marine life and beaches when traveling or simply visiting. Countries should adopt programs to manage waste and make sure that ocean clean up crews are ready for any disasters that can arise. 

Terrorism

1. Terrorism is one of the biggest problems facing the world today. It can affect the economy, political structure, mindset, and lives of people of all nations. Thousands of lives have fallen to terrorism and something must be done. I dont know of a specific solution to terrorism but better communication amongst nations, more experienced and qualified leaders, and a unification of the world is what comes to mind. 

Dependance on Fossil Fuels

1. Our depedance on fossil fuels is a huge issue. We are constantly looking for more oil, coal, or gas to burn to as automobile sales increase, demand for electricity increase, and manufacturing increases. This dependance affects the ozone layer due to large greenhouse gas emissions and causes confrontation between countries. A solution is to increase clean energy production and consumption and invest in alternative energy research. There are many relatively unknown inventions scattered across the world that provide cleaner energy. For example: Mechanisms that use wave pressure to create energy in the coast of Brazil. 

 

Wave Energy in Brazil

Water Scarcity

1. As the population of the world increases, demand for water increases. Not only are there more thirsty people but industrial production is increasing as well. Manufacturing takes up a large percentage of the worlds water demand. Companies and governments go to aquifers and other freshwater resources and are starting to dry them out creating desertification of land and robbing local people of their water supply. A solution could be to invest in water de-salination and improve existing techniques to make them more efficient. People could also become more conscience of their water usage.

Demand for Food Vs. Food Production

1. Demand for food has increased dramatically over the years and those in agriculture are looking at any technique to cope with this increase. Farmers are using chemical pesticides and fertilizers and genetically modifying crops to increase crop yield. Large cattle and chicken farms have been created that consist of crammed animals with poor living conditions and no space to roam. A solution could be to continue safe usage of genetically modified foods and chemical fertilizers while coming up with alternative ways to grow food like indoor growing facilities. 

Extreme weather events 

1. With climate change and increasing carbon emissions come more extreme weather events like hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and typhoons. Cities have been wiped out and economies take huge hits due to intense natural disasters. They can come unexpected and cause major damage. Solutions are similar to those for climate change and include investments in natural disaster detection and rescue relief. 

3 Hurricanes Visible at the Same Time

Cyberterrorism

1. Now that most of the world has become digitized and computerized, cyberterrorism has become a real threat. People have their identity stolen every day and bank, email, social media, and other important accounts are hacked. Information on any level can be hacked into and stolen. Whether it be social security numbers and bank accounts or classified documents and emails, it is available at the click of a button, literally. Solutions are to continue investing in cyber-security and make sure that those using the internet have the proper knowledge of privacy and security. 

Agriculture and Irrigation

1. With increasing population and demand for food comes an increase in agriculture and irrigation. Farmers struggle to meet demands and need to water huge fields. They try to do this in the most efficient way possible so as to save water and money. Irrigation accounts for a huge percentage of the world fresh water use. Therefore efficient irrigation is necessary. Solutions are to come up with more efficient watering techniques and more help from the government to food producers. 

Bug List

The following are things that bug me on a regular basis:

1. Waking up feeling as if I did not sleep at all. 
1. Why? I feel as if I wasted my time sleeping if I ultimately wake up feeling groggy and tired.
2. When I have to rush to get somewhere. 
1. Why? This bugs me a lot. It is a result of my own disorganization I know, but having to speed cook or rush in the bathroom are things that frustrate me. I would like to be at peace throughout the day.
3. Faulty kitchen products that delay me.
1. Why? This one ties into my previous bug of "rushing". I get frustrated when a can opener doesn't work properly or the toaster takes too long because it takes time from my schedule. 
4. Bad Customer Service. 
1. This is a big one. I dislike it when I feel disrespected as a customer when I am complaining about a product's performance or treated poorly during a service. I am paying you to be nice... 
5. People with poor manners.
1. I feel as if it is my social duty to treat others with respect. That is, respect their space and respect their peace. Poor manners such as chewing loudly with an open mouth, farting, loud gossip, and the like bother me and infringe upon my peace in a sense.
6. Close minded people.
1. I try to be open to others' ideas and beliefs and use it to enrich my own mind and understand the world better. So when people are close minded and try to shove beliefs and ideas down others' throats, I get annoyed. 
7. People that are very argumentative.
1. As previously stated, I enjoy learning from others which requires conversation and interaction. However, some people tend to turn everything into a heated debate and that truly turns me off.  
8. Those awkward looks in public.
1. It is true that worrying about what others' think is counterproductive and a waste of time. However, getting weird looks in public is not something that most people enjoy.
9. When others lie. 
1. No one likes a liar and no one enjoys being deceived. 
10. Passive agression. 
1. I like to be direct and get bothered when people beat around the bush.
11. When I go to a nice restaurant and something is not right. 
1. Either the utensils or table are dirty or something is missing. If Im paying for good service, I hope to receive it. 
12. Poor taste of food or noticeable disregard by the person making the food. 
1. This is aimed mainly at fast food restaurants that require little work on the part of the "chef". It bugs me when I am served a bacon cheeseburger with one tiny slice of bacon and melted cheese that runs down the side of the burger rather than on top of the patty. 
13. Long lines due to slow cashiers. 
1. I understand that some workers are faster than others and that it is tough work. However, It is clear when a cashier is deliberately putting little effort and slowing up the line. I have places to be and things to do! 
14. Professors that don't put in effort. I can read power points too. 
1. It feels like college is a waste of money when I attend a college course in which the professor simply reads off a boring powerpoint and assigns chapters to read. 
15. Slow drivers....like too slow. 
1. There is a speed limit. And there should be a speed minimum to accompany all limits. Slow drivers bug me because I don't like to waste time and they can sometimes endanger other drivers. 
16. Eating but not feeling satisfied. 
1. This is not a big deal but it bothers me because I have to get up and cook more or spend more money on food. 
17. TRAFFIC.
1. Traffic can really get on my nerves especially when I am in a hurry. It bugs me more when it caused by a crash that could have been avoided. Traffic bothers me simply because it is a waste of time. 
18. Poor weather. 
1. Poor weather gets on my nerves whenever I have something planned for the outdoors. It also bugs me when I wake up excited to have a productive day to then notice that there is practically a hurricane outside. 
19. Having to wait on someone.
1. This ties in with me not enjoying a waste of time. I get bothered when I get late due to someone else. 
20. Regret. 
1. I don't enjoy thinking about my past and wishing I had done something differently. I try to live with no regrets but i feel as if it is inevitable. 

This excersise was very challenging and has made me realize that there are a lot of things that bug me on a regular basis. At first I thought nothing bugged me but quickly realized that there are plenty of things that get on my nerves. It is good to reflect on these things to realize what we take for granted in life and I feel like this excersise will help me with identifying things I need to fix about my life. Perhaps my it is my lifestyle that is allowing these bugs to pop up.

My Entrepreneurship Story

My entrepreneurship story begins with a primetime television show. You probably already know which one I am talking about and might be thinking, "how cliche".

And yes it is.

After watching "Shark Tank" for the first time, I immediately was captivated and fell in love. Seeing ordinary people like myself walk up to multi-millionaires with confidence and come out with a large investment was awesome to me. It personified the American dream to me. It was the culmination of an idea, hard work, creativity, and opportunity to create something beautiful. I started to give my ideas more credit from that day on. No longer did I brush off an idea thinking it was "silly" or not plausible. Rather, I began to write things down on my phone for later reflection and in hopes that one day I would be able to invest serious time and money into the viable ones.

The show was a sort of validation that my dreams could come true if I work hard at it and persevere. It allowed me to be exposed to the entrepreneurial spirit and gave me a glimpse into real life decisions between investors and inventors. If it were not for Shark Tank, I don't know if I would be in this class. I am grateful for the creators of that show for bringing something real and useful to television and inspiring me to fulfill my dreams as an entrepreneur.

I hope you can follow yours,

Enrique Lam :)

Introduction

Hello there,

I'd like to tell you a little about myself.

I was born in Caracas, Venezuela to a family of 4 kids. I lived there till I was 6 years old, then moved to Miami, Florida where I grew up. I attended an all-male jesuit middle and high school and loved to participate in sports like Water Polo and Soccer. My older brother attended the same school while my 3 other sisters attended other catholic schools in the Miami area. I am currently studying Marketing with a minor in Entrepreneurship and hope to get involved in product design and marketing in the future. My older sisters graduated from studies in Hospitality and Law while my older brother studied Finance and Accounting. My goal in life is to reach a financial freedom in which I can pursue my own interests and venture out on my own projects (products/services and/or companies).


I like to have an open mind and learn from other cultures. I have traveled to South America and visited Venezuela and Brazil (my mom is Brazilian) and have been around the Bahamas. However, I have a thirst for traveling that has not even begun to be quenched. I would like to study abroad in Europe and visit countries in both Asia and Africa. I hope I can have these experiences one day and become a better person as a result.


Enrique Lam

Entrepreneur's Mantra

My Aspirations.

Hello,

My name is Enrique Lam and I am currently studying Marketing with a minor in Entrepreneurship. I have hovered between different bachelor's degrees (engineering and business) and have decided to pursue product design and marketing. I think this University provides their students with multiple opportunities to succeed both as a student and young entrepreneur.

With my product design software knowledge and access to the school's 3-D print lab I can create a prototype of my liking. Similarly I can create and develop an app if I wanted to using the Made@UF Lab located in the marston library. I hope to learn how to manage myself, my time, and my work to create an environment in which I can thrive as an entrepreneur. These are the skills I will use one day when I have the financial and leisurely freedom to venture out on my own projects.

These are my aspirations.

Have a nice day.