Assignment 9: Testing the Hypothesis Part 2

For the 5 interviews I sat down with: a 33 year old woman who has been vegetarian for 10 months, a 20 year old man who has been vegan for 3 years, an 18 year old woman how has been vegan for 2 years, a 29 year old woman has has been plant based for 8 months, and a 19 year old man who has been vegan for 5 years. All interviewees should fall into this opportunity because of their dietary restrictions, but they do not express the need for a mobile app to help create an easier grocery shopping experience. They each shared how they easily navigate purchasing groceries with most saying they stick to buying products that they know are safe to eat from researching online or buying products that are certified vegan. They say grocery shopping is made easier by repurchasing the same products and sticking to a limited number of companies. Some expressed using an app to scan new products would be more cumbersome while grocery shopping.

Who: People that have been following a vegan or vegetarian diet for a long time might be comfortable in their purchasing habits and wouldn't be interested in an app that could help expose them to a larger variety of potential food products.

What: I think this need to create an easier grocery shopping experience for vegans and vegetarians differs for people new to the diet or that live in a place with a more limited selection of certified acceptable foods than for people that have been following it for a longer amount of time or live in a city where there are many options available.

Why: I think time and experience are underlying causes for the different needs. The outsiders have become comfortable with their limited options or have developed habits that make grocery shopping quick and easy in comparison to those that do fit inside the boundary.

Inside the boundary	Outside the boundary
Who is in: Vegans or vegetarians that are frustrated with grocery shopping and face difficulties finding acceptable products.	Who is Not: Vegans or vegetarians that are not frustrated with grocery shopping and are comfortable with their current options.
What the Need Is: Want an easier grocery shopping experience by quickly being able to decide if products are acceptable to consume.	What the Need is not: They have developed habits that make grocery shopping easy and do not need an app’s assistance.
Why the Need Exists: Some ingredients can have an animal or a plant source and it is often not clearly labeled which it is derived from.	Alternative explanations: Time and experience has made them efficient at grocery shopping, stick to specific brands they know are safe, aren’t comfortable using an app while grocery shopping.

Assignment 10: Elevator Pitch No. 1

My elevator pitch for a mobile app that would help create an easier grocery shopping experience for consumers that follow a vegan or vegetarian diet.

Assignment 8: Solving The Problem

I chose the opportunity I want to focus on because of my personal experience with this issue. I've followed a vegetarian diet since I was 12 years old and began following a vegan diet in January 2018. I can't tell you how frustrating it is when you decide to pop in real quick to a different Publix that you normally do to pick up an essential ingredient for dinner only to realize they don't carry the same vegan products. It's especially irritating to buy a product you think to yourself, "This HAS to be vegan!" only to get home and realize it isn't because it has an added vitamin that comes from boiled sheep wool. Money and time has been wasted because there isn't a label or access to a clear answer on where the ingredients come from. These personal experiences made me see the opportunity that people following a vegan or vegetarian diet face difficulties at the grocery store because they aren't sure which products they can buy since there are questionable ingredients added to products that you can't find out their sources. 

My solution to this problem would ideally come from establishing a requirement that would mandate manufacturers to label the source of ingredients that could come from either an animal source or a plant source. This clear stating label could come in the form of listing the source in parentheses next to the ingredient or like an ingredient warning you find when a product contains peanuts. This solution would be the easiest for consumers and could benefit non-vegan costumers too. This could be marketed as helping people with food allergies or as making people more mindful of what they are consuming. This solution would be the hardest to enact. My second solution would come in the form of a mobile app. There are some others already on the market, but to be honest, they are not very good. They are glitchy, outdated, or are riddled with intrusive ads that take 15 seconds to load. The app would focus on being up-to-date with the newest products, would get their ingredient lists verified from the manufacturer, and would have a user-friendly interface. The app would work as a combination of a bar-code scanning feature that would tell the user if a certain product is inline with their dietary restrictions and would also offer list articles announcing new vegan products or exciting vegan-related news.

Assignment 7: Testing the Hypothesis Part 1

1) For this assignment, I'd like to focus on the difficulties people that follow a vegan or vegetarian diet face when grocery shopping.

2) People that follow a vegan or vegetarian diet in the United States encounter many difficulties while grocery shopping because they are unable to quickly and reliably gain access to information on if a product contains ingredients that are derived from an animal source as they aren't always labeled.

• The who: People that adhere to the restrictions of a vegan or vegetarian diet that live in the U.S.
• The what: They have difficulties determining if they can purchase and consume a certain product while at the grocery store.
• The why: Determining if a product contains ingredients that are derived from an animal source can be confusing and time consuming because some ingredients can come from either a plant source or an animal source and it isn't always stated on a label.

3) Testing the hypothesis for possible discrepancies.

• Testing the who: While this is an unmet need that directly relates to the experiences of vegans and vegetarians, other shoppers would benefit from knowing the sources of the ingredients in the food products they purchase at the grocery store. This can be for various reasons, like health conscious consumers or people with a allergy or food intolerance. Similarly, not all vegans or vegetarians might face this difficulty to the same degree if they restrict their food purchases to whole fruits and vegetables, products that they can identify all the ingredients of, or those that purchase only certified vegan products. 
• Testing the what: Not all food products contain ingredients with questionable sources. If a product is certified vegan, all ingredients have been verified and do not share equipment with other ingredients that are derived from animal sources so as to avoid cross-contamination. Some shoppers will only buy products that they have researched the ingredients before going to the grocery store or they use an app to verify in-person.
• Testing the why: Not everyone will find this a difficulty as they may simply opt for products that offer a clear explanation of their ingredient sources. They may even prefer to shop at grocery stores that cater to their dietary restrictions, like Whole Foods. Some companies may complain that requiring a label of their ingredient sources could be off putting to other costumers, may cost too much to implement, or may cause more confusion if they change their recipes while older versions are still being sold.

4) For this assignment I interviewed 5 people: 3 that follow a vegan diet, 1 that follows a vegetarian diet, and 1 that identifies as a health-conscious consumer. 

• The first interview was with a 31 year old man that has followed a vegan diet for 3 months. He expressed a great interest in requiring manufacturers to label the sources of their ingredients. He has encountered frustrations while looking for information on if a product is free of animal derived ingredients. He suggested an app could replace a printed label, but worried of its reliability.
• The second interview was with a 29 year old man that has followed a vegan diet for 2 years. He does not encounter much difficulties in the grocery store because he has become aware of which ingredients to stay away from by researching online. He liked the idea of a label for convenience, but doesn't think it's realistic because of cross-contamination issues. 
• The third interview was with a 25 year old woman that has followed a vegan diet for 3 months. She expressed great frustration with grocery shopping as she hasn't yet gained the information on which products to stay away from without needing to look it up online first. She said she wishes there was a larger section in her local Publix grocery store for items that are marketed for vegans.
• The fourth interview was with a 24 year old woman that has followed a vegetarian diet for her entire life. She expressed interest in an easier labeling system to help those new to the dietary restrictions. She also said a clear labeling system may help people become more aware of what they are eating. She typically shops at Whole Foods and doesn't encounter much difficulty with finding products that are suitable, but does think the cost of these items tends to be too high and could be off-putting to potential costumers.
• The fifth interview was with a 55 year old woman that has followed a more health-conscious diet for the past 5 years. She said she does eat animal products, but limits them to only a couple times a week. She expressed disdain for products that have long ingredient lists, especially when they are not easily recognizable. 

5) After conducting the interviews, I now have a better understanding of the difficulties these consumers face and how they are currently dealing with these issues. I also see the potential for this opportunity to impact a larger demographic than I originally thought. The answer to this problem can come in many forms, but the main focus needs to be ease of access and reliability. I think the best solution would still be a requirement for manufacturer's to label their ingredient sources, but in-store solutions may be more practical. 

Assignment 6: Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Opportunity #1 (economic trends) National gas price plans to keep increasing.
(a) Where did you find it? As a daily driver, I've been noticing the rising price of gas myself for a long time. This article explains the yearly average cost of gas price and how it's increasing. https://gasprices.aaa.com/national-gas-price-average-holds-steady-ahead-of-labor-day-weekend/
(b) What leads you to believe that this information suggests an opportunity might exist? I'm pairing this information with my own personal experience. Now that it takes roughly $5 more to fill up my car's gas tank, I'm more choosy on where I purchase my gas from. If I can help it, I go to a gas station that has the lowest advertised price or if there isn't one considerably lower nearby, I go to the gas station that has something else to offer. Since lowering the gas price isn't doable everywhere, I think the unmet need in this situation is a service that can offset the increased price. Similarly to when Wawa has their "$1 any size drink" promotion. The promotion used to work on me, but it doesn't work on everyone. It needs to be more varied or on a rotation to catch someone's attention. 
(c) Who do you think is most likely to be the customer with the opportunity? Someone who drives enough to stop at a gas station frequently and is probably on a stricter budget.
(d) Is the opportunity relatively easy or relatively difficult to exploit, and why do you think so? I think focusing on a promotional service rather than adjusting the actual gas price is a relatively easy way to exploit this opportunity. When gas prices rise, drivers tend to feel helpless because no matter what, they still need gas to go about their daily tasks. By offering a service or product to accompany the gas purchase, not only will it bring in new customers, it creates the opportunity to gain returning customers who will become familiar with the establishment. That way if the price of gas were to decrease elsewhere, customers might still prefer to keep going back to what they are familiar with.

Why did you see the opportunity? I think I saw this opportunity because it isn't unique. I'm building on an already established promotion technique used by popular gas stations, but I am combining it with my own personal experience. When I stopped drinking diet soda, I no longer found Wawa's drink promotion as appealing. This might be the case for a large number of potential customers. If Wawa, or another gas station, were to use a rotation of frequently changing promotions of a variety of products, they could continue to catch the attention of other drivers.

Opportunity #2 (economic trends) Housing shortage is creating a seller's market.
(a) Where did you find it? I've always been interested in real estate and with my brother moving next year, I've been keeping a watchful eye on listing prices in nearby areas. I've noticed a trend of increasing prices in my area. I've also been hearing on the news about the housing shortage driving the cost of houses up and this article explains about how that is impacting housing market all over the nation. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/12/the-housing-shortage-may-be-turning-warning-of-a-price-bubble.html
(b) What leads you to believe that this information suggests an opportunity might exist? Similarly to the first opportunity, I am pairing the information with my own personal experience of looking for places to rent. I've been browsing Zillow.com for years, usually out for fun, but sometimes for actual house hunting when someone I know is looking to move. I've noticed several things over the years: prices are going up and options are getting lean. Zillow is the leader in convenience, but sometimes the information isn't updated fast enough and the price estimates can be way off. Quickly finding a house that meets a renter's requirements is the unmet need in this situation.
(c) Who do you think is most likely to be the customer with the opportunity? Someone who is currently looking for a house and is frustrated with the available search options, but doesn't want to pay for a realtor.
(d) Is the opportunity relatively easy or relatively difficult to exploit, and why do you think so? Time is of the essence when looking for a place to rent. It can be very frustrating spending hours looking at a place only to find out it's already been taken or there is a long wait list. The opportunity I see in this situation could easily be exploited with a notification system that let's you know when something has become available that fits your needs. It could be in the form of a mobile app or a website. It would take in account the area you are looking to live, the features you deem most important, and what the price range you have set. If what the information you entered wasn't feasible, it would tell you which factors need to be readjusted. This would create a more realistic expectation of what is obtainable for the renter.

Why did you see the opportunity? I saw this opportunity because I have spent many hours looking at real estate in different areas and at different price ranges. When a listing has been updated in a few days or even weeks, it can mislead potential renters into wasting their time. 

Opportunity #3 (regulatory changes) FDA puts Juul Pods on notice for underage use.
(a) Where did you find it? The popularity of Juul Pods can be seen all over social media and on the news. I personally know several people who use vape pens. I recently heard on the news of the FDA targeting Juul Labs for underage usage. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/12/health/juul-fda-vaping-ecigarettes.html
(b) What leads you to believe that this information suggests an opportunity might exist? I think the unmet need in this situation is a realistic way to enforce the law and keep Juul Pods out of a teen's possession. We know teen smoking is on the rise because of these devices and their easy access to them. If it continues on the way it is, we are going to see future generations with an increase in smoking-related illnesses. 
(c) Who do you think is most likely to be the customer with the opportunity? Stores that sell vape pens.
(d) Is the opportunity relatively easy or relatively difficult to exploit, and why do you think so? I think the reason why this has even become an issue is because it's so hard to control. Vapes are easier than cigarettes to get a hold of because teens only need to worry about illegally buying the device once, compared to the higher frequency of repurchasing cigarettes. Though difficult, the only thing I could think of that could exploit this opportunity would be to place a higher tax on e-liquid that contains nicotine. Raising the price might put it out of a teen's budget.
Why did you see the opportunity? I saw this opportunity from personally visiting vape shops and seeing how inexpensive it is compared to smoking cigarettes. 

Opportunity #4 (regulatory changes) Affordable Clean Energy rule will allow individual states to set regulations over their coal plants.
(a) Where did you find it? I've heard about this on the news. It's a big deal as it has the potential to create an everlasting negative environmental impact. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/03/how-trump-is-changing-science-environment/
(b) What leads you to believe that this information suggests an opportunity might exist? I believe urgency and common sense is what shows there might be an opportunity here. The unmet need in this situation would be the concern for the protection of the environment. Ambiguous and bias regulations from each state could create an environmental disaster. It doesn't matter if California would uphold strict regulations if West Virginia is going to do enough damage for both states. Something needs to be done to create a unified interest in protecting the environment if we hope for future generations to be able to breathe clean air.
(c) Who do you think is most likely to be the customer with the opportunity? Someone who cares about breathable air, drinkable water, and is a registered voter.
(d) Is the opportunity relatively easy or relatively difficult to exploit, and why do you think so? I would like to think the opportunity would be easy to exploit, but that's obviously not the case considering what we had in place before is literally what we need now. So unfortunately, until more people care and vote in lawmakers that also care, this is going to be a challenge.

Why did you see the opportunity? I saw this opportunity because I love being outdoors. My favorite thing to do is to take my dog on a walk at the beach every Saturday. I appreciate nature and care that I can dip more toes in the water without having to worry about contracting an illness. It's sad to think that may not always be the case if we continue dismantling regulations that are in place to keep our environment protected.

Assignment 5: Identifying Local Opportunities

Opportunity #1

• The title of the article: LIVING UNDER THE WHIM OF STORMS
• The link to the article: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3ASPTB%21Tampa%2BBay%2BTimes%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2018%212018/mody%3A0914%21September%2B14&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/16E6F86CF1FA9228
• A description of the story, in your own words: Each hurricane season, Florida residents dread hearing news of a potential storm. They have to worry not only about their family's safety, but of the possibility of their life being turned upside down in the wake of a substantial storm that could devastate their entire community. 
• A description of the problem presented in the story: Being a peninsula that's exposed to the warm waters that hurricanes favor, Florida is threatened with the possibility of being in the path of destruction when a new storm develops. 
• A description of who has the problem: Florida residents, especially those that live along coastal areas.

Opportunity #2

• The title of the article: MORTGAGE FRAUD ON RISE NATIONALLY
• The link to the article: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=WORLDNEWS&req_dat=0D0CB57BE7FF6D8A&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F16E6F86D3353E098
• A description of the story, in your own words: As the national statistic of mortgage fraud rises, Florida is among the top states ranked in the highest amount of mortgage fraud cases.
• A description of the problem presented in the story: Those looking to purchase a house in Tampa Bay, and therefore need a home loan, are more likely to lie on loan applications in order to secure a more favorable loan. 
• A description of who has the problem: I would say this problem is multifaceted as it impacts the banks, the people committing fraud, the people not committing fraud, and the future economy. For now, I would focus on the banks having to deal with the fraudulent applications.

Opportunity #3

• The title of the article: NATIONAL GROUP BACKS FLA. FELON VOTING RIGHTS
• The link to the article: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=WORLDNEWS&req_dat=0D0CB57BE7FF6D8A&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F16E6F86CF9B7AA50
• A description of the story, in your own words: As voting day approaches, support for Florida's Amendment 4, which would restore a convicted felon's right to vote, continues to grow as it gains national attention.  
• A description of the problem presented in the story: As the currently law stands in Florida, once convicted on a felony charge, you are no longer able to vote in government elections.
• A description of who has the problem: Florida convicted felons that have completed their sentences and want their interests to be represented in government.

Opportunity #4

• The title of the article: REFORMS FOR FLOOD INSURANCE OVERDUE
• The link to the article: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=WORLDNEWS&req_dat=0D0CB57BE7FF6D8A&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F16E6A32D6AB97448
• A description of the story, in your own words: With Hurricane Florence expected to cause massive flood damage to the Eastern coast, Floridians are worried about the effects it will have on the National Flood Insurance Program. 
• A description of the problem presented in the story: Flood Insurance needs to be reformed, but the last time it was attempted it had disastrous results for Floridians.
• A description of who has the problem: Floridians that are Flood Insurance policy holders and are worried about the uncertainty of the future of their coverage.

Opportunity #5

• The title of the article: HUGE SEWER LINE WON'T BE BURIED ON HARBOUR ISLAND
• The link to the article: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=WORLDNEWS&req_dat=0D0CB57BE7FF6D8A&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F16E6A32E09FA0420
• A description of the story, in your own words: Harbour Island residents are pleased that the new sewer line will be installed outside of the residential living area so as to not cause the issues many were fearing would result from the construction. It'll be buried underwater instead.
• A description of the problem presented in the story: The current sewage line is failing and constructing a new sewer line underwater will take longer and cost more than burying it under the residential area.
• A description of who has the problem: Many people are evolved in this problem, mainly Harbour Island residents and city officials. I would focus on city officials as they are the ones concerned with the budget and schedule responsibilities.

Assignment 4: Forming An Opportunity Belief

1. For people that follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, it is sometimes difficult to decipher if a food product is acceptable to consume because the ingredient list is confusing.

2. The unmet need is the easy identification if foods are suitable to consume for people that adhere to a vegan or vegetarian diet. These dietary restrictions go further than not eating products that clearly contain meat, dairy, or eggs. Added ingredients like vitamin D3 and mono and diglycerides can come from an animal source or a plant source. It is typically not clearly listed unless it is a certified vegan product. This is not a new need, but as more people adhere to these dietary restrictions, the need is growing. To meet this need now, they are either purchasing certified vegan/ vegetarian products, are only purchasing products that they can understand their ingredient list, or they research online for the source of questionable ingredients.

3. The prototypical customer would be someone that follows a vegetarian or vegan diet and is frustrated with the vagueness of a product's ingredient list and is interested in an easier grocery shopping experience.

Prototypical customer #1 is a 31 year old man who began following a vegan diet in June 2018. He works full time as an event coordinator and goes grocery shopping about once a week usually on the weekend.

Prototypical customer #2 is a 23 year old man who began following a vegan diet in March 2016. He is a full time college student who studies nutrition and goes grocery shopping about twice a week.

Prototypical customer #3 is a 50 year old woman who began following a vegetarian diet in January 2006. She works full time as a Registered Nurse and goes grocery shopping about twice a week.

4. Iteration #1: The man expressed frustration with purchasing a product that he thought was vegan only to realize later that it was not because of an obscure ingredient. He felt the vague sources of questionable ingredients leads to a wasting money. Having not been a vegan for very long, he felt like he has to look up products frequently while shopping and that is why he tends to stick to certified vegan products or products that he knows the entire ingredient list of. For convenience, he tends to make the same dishes frequently. He wishes there was another solution to this.

Iteration #2: The man has been following a vegan lifestyle long enough to where he feels quite confident shopping for groceries, even when the products are not certified vegan because of his knowledge about questionable ingredients. While he is not as frustrated currently, he was when he first began grocery shopping with the dietary restrictions. He noticed the need immediately, but its intensity has decreased with time. To currently address the need, he relies on his past experiences and knowledge of safe ingredients. From researching online, he knows generally which food brands are safe and which ingredients to look out for by memory. He also sometimes uses an app that scans a product's bar code and runs its ingredient list to check for possible animal products quickly. He expressed irritation with the app's unreliability if the product is new or recently changed its formula.

Iteration #3: The woman did not seem as concerned with this need, but did express the surprise she felt when discovering unassuming products contained animal byproducts that she was not comfortable consuming. She does not experience the need with every grocery trip because she tends to repurchase the same items frequently, but when she looks to buy something new, she experiences the need. This need was more noticeable in the first few months of following the diet, but lessened with time as she became more knowledgeable about brands and their ingredients and as new certified vegetarian products have been released on the market. Whenever she encounters the need, she searches the product on Google to see if it is alright for her to consume and if she can't find the answer, she does not buy the product. She expressed interest in finding a better solution for this.

5. I think the most valuable information I gained from interviewing these prototypical customers is that they all share the common need of wanting a more obvious answer to their dietary questions, but that the level of interest in the need decreases with time. When people find solutions that are just good enough, they tend to keep with the familiar unless something better is presented to them. The solutions that are available in terms of mobile apps or blog posts come in handy, but they are not the most convenient in terms of ease and reliability while at the grocery store. Purchasing only vegan/ vegetarian foods seems like the easiest solution to this need, but quickly limits the types of foods a person can consume, which may be off-putting for people new to the diet. Having companies clearly label the sources of some of their questionable ingredients would clear up any confusion. Similarly to how products have to contain a warning label if they contain peanuts or soy, they could include a label for animal byproducts.

Summarize: I think the majority of my original opportunity is still there, but it may have to take a different form to offer a solution. The need may seem to decrease as time goes by, but it does not disappear. Grocery shopping can always be made a better experience, especially for these customers. If companies want to include this ever growing demographic, they need to make it known if their products are suitable for these costumers to purchase. Of course, they may oppose to the labels if they frequently change their ingredient list, are unaware of the cross-contamination likelihood from other products, or do not want to disclose the source of some of their ingredients in fear of losing other costumers. If this opportunity were to find a solution in a mobile app, it would need to be better than the ones currently on the market, mainly being more reliable and frequently updated to include new products. Deciding whether to adapt or stay firm is always a hard call. It really comes down to how much you believe in your version of the opportunity and your solution to the need. I would say adapting is always best because you are basing your adaption off of prototypical customers and their experiences are very valuable. I think there is a compromise that can be made between adapting and staying firm by focusing on satisfying the core need and tweaking the solution as you see fit.

Assignment 3: Your Entrepreneurship Story

I want to focus on a different aspect for my entrepreneurship story, my failure. That word doesn't scare me anymore, and it shouldn't scare you either. "Every failure is a new opportunity to succeed." I'm not sure if I'm pulling that quote from the depths of my subconscious or if I just created it, so I'll put it into quotation marks just in case.

My entrepreneurship story began on the 20th of February 2014, when I created my first YouTube channel. I spent an entire year consistently making videos, learning what a brand is, and garnering a community that enjoys the content I created. Then it happened. What every person that makes YouTube videos hopes to happen, my videos began to be served in search, attracting a mass amount of attention seemingly overnight. I still remember  the moment I realized my videos were being served to a much larger audience. I was sitting on the couch, responding to comments when I was bombarded with a sudden influx of negative messages from strangers.

I was on the cusp of success, of having my dream career made into a reality. All the hours of dedication and passion were about to pay off. Well, maybe that's exaggerating a bit. I was at the base of the mountain and the welcome gate had just been opened. Then I ruined it. Okay, that sounds dramatic, but it is true. It slipped from my fingertips just as quickly as it had appeared. I hadn't planned for the sudden increase in views and subscribers. I had only been on the platform for a year and didn't truly know what my brand even was or how to carry this amazing opportunity further. This story is pretty predictable because it isn't unique in the world of YouTube. It's more common than not. In a series of critical decisions, I made mistake after mistake. I abruptly changed my content, I was obsessed with the idea of "looking more professional", I passed up valuable opportunities, and I began to doubt myself. I was looking at the competition and their growth trajectory and was quickly feeling like I was falling off, soon to be left behind in their dust. It was a mess. I was a mess. But that's why my favorite saying is, "hindsight is 20/20" because it really is. I could have let this flub up defeat me. I could have fell of the platform that I love so much and never return again. Or I could let my past mistakes and failures shape my future.

I am adamant that I wouldn't know a fraction of what I now know about search engine optimization, brand management, and self confidence if it wasn't for those errors in judgement. One year ago I made the decision to leave behind that dying channel for a plethora of reasons, mainly being a divided audience, an inflated subscriber number from subscriber burn, and YouTube's reformed ad revenue policy. This past summer I made the decision to come back with a new channel, with a new brand strategy, and a new-found confidence in myself. Will I be able to recreate the same amazing opportunity and utilize it to its fullest potential? Hopefully, but maybe not. At least I'll know I gave my passion a genuine try.

I signed up for this course because I want to gain more knowledge on what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Well, not just an entrepreneur, but a successful one. I want to hear the great success stories just as much as I want to hear the stories of the many that have failed. I, more than anyone, know how valuable mistakes can be thanks to the wisdom of time. I hope to leave this class with the ability to look at my past with a new type of scrutiny. I want to pull as much as I can from my life experiences to further figure out what it is that I want for my future and how I can get there. Sometimes all it takes is a new perspective to make a dream obtainable and I think this course can offer that.

Assignment 2: Bug List

1. Bug: The marker keeps falling out of the marker holder attached to the dry-erase board hanging above my computer.
    Why? The marker holder only fits a very specific size of marker. The same company that makes the dry-erase board also makes erasable markers. The size of the holder is made for their markers. This might be to encourage the purchasing of their other products.

2. Bug: The LG portable ac unit in my bedroom has become louder, especially this past summer.
    Why? The ac unit is several years old and the increased noise may be a result of a failing part. This summer has been particularly hot, so the ac has been running for longer hours at a lower temperature, possibly exacerbating the issue.

3. Bug: The low tire pressure alert appeared on the dash of my 2008 Hyundai Accent.
    Why? I hadn't checked the tires since my trip to Orlando in April, well past the recommended maintenance schedule. My brother usually handles any maintenance requirements with my car, but he has been busier with work lately and he hadn't thought to check it before the alert appeared.

4. Bug: The iHeartRadio app on my Google Pixel 2 does not stop playing the last song I listened to once I close out of the app.
   Why? This might be the result of an unintentional programming bug after the recent app update.

5. Bug: My new Google Pixel 2 becomes quite warm to the touch while it is charging.
    Why? The issue has been reported as a consequence of the rapid charging technology that allows for the phone's battery to reach a full charge in a shorter amount time.

6. Bug: A hole has appeared in my pillowcase after removing it from the washing machine.
    Why? The pillowcase was purchased a year ago and had been washed dozens of times, making the fabric increasingly thinner until it eventually ripped from being spun around in the washing machine.

7. Bug: An accumulation of dirty laundry appears in front of our washing machine by the end of the week.
    Why? Doing laundry is viewed as a time-consuming chore. With the busy work schedules of everyone in the house, no one wants to do it after they arrive home from working all day. This results in the task of doing laundry being postponed until the weekend when someone is typically off work and has the free time to complete the chore.

8. Bug: The set of double doors on the pantry in our kitchen do not align perfectly when closed.
    Why? The pantry was purchased from Amazon for a fairly inexpensive price. The price was probably cheaper than the other pantries being sold on the site because it is made with cheaper materials and with a quicker production rate. The lower quality control is probably what allowed for the doors to be built slightly misaligned. 

9. Bug: The deadbolt of the backdoor of our home sometimes sticks and makes the door hard to open.
    Why? Seeing as the deadbolt was installed several years ago, the wear and tear of time may be causing it to become jammed in the door frame or a mechanism inside the lock may have started to fail.

10. Bug: The new strand of lights I installed in my room has a few bulbs that have begun to flicker when turned on.
     Why? This may be the result of a faulty product, indicating that those select few bulbs are close to burning out even though the age of the product is still quite new.

11. Bug: The comforter insert in my duvet cover keeps slipping to one side.
      Why? The fabric used to try the comforter insert to the corners of the duvet cover are flimsy and ripped in one corner.

12. Bug: While driving through the intersection of State Road 54 and US 19, the car radio in my 2008 Hyundai Accent produces static and faintly picks up another station.
     Why? Some security systems or internal radio systems in stores can interfere with car radios. The convenience store at the corner of this intersection may have one of those systems.

13. Bug: The left corner of the accent rug in my kitchen keeps catching on my feet as I walk over it when doing the dishes.
     Why? The traction padding on the underside of the accent rug that is meant to keep it stuck to the floor has worn away from the friction of rubbing against the tile floor. Without the traction, the flimsy material is easily moved when stepped on in a certain manner.

14. Bug: A newly purchased Roku streaming device randomly turns on the Samsung television it is connected to without anyone touching the "on" button of the remote.
     Why? I think this has to do with the Roku remaining on for several minutes after the television is turned off manually. The Roku seems to revert to a sleep mode, rather than truly off. As the Roku and Samsung television are synced to use the same remote, this may conflict with the Samsung television sleep setting and results in the television turning itself back on.

15. Bug: The Roku streaming device interferes with the screen limit on the streaming app DirectTv Now.
      Why? Since the Roku streaming device remains in a sleep mode rather than an off mode for the first few minutes after the television is turned off, the app will also remain running for a few more minutes after turning off the television. The turned off television will be counted towards the screen limit until the app closes and if other devices are simultaneously streaming DirectTv Now on the same account, the max screen limit can be reached.

16. Bug:  The cover of the trashcan in my household's kitchen can sometimes become dirty with sauces from food containers.
      Why? The trashcan lid is the kind that swivels in towards the trashcan. Since force has to be applied to the lid to open the trashcan to place garbage inside, sometimes it scrapes against garbage if it's close to being overfilled. Also, if someone uses the hand holding a used tomato sauce can to open the lid, sauce can drip from the can onto the lid.

17. Bug: A hardened wax ring has formed under a ceramic wax warmer on the wood hutch in my living-room.
     Why? If the dish that is meant to contain the wax pieces is overfilled, melted wax drips over the slightly beveled sides of the dish and lands on the wood underneath where it cools and hardens.

18. Bug: When removing the hair tie from my hair after working out at the gym, it can pull out some hair strands with it.
      Why? The metal clasp that holds the hair tie together has a small gap in it that allows some strands of hair to become stuck in between the cloth and the inner elastic band. The hair strands get caught on the elastic as it is being pulled through the hair.

19. Bug: My bedroom is considerably warmer than the rest of my house, especially in the summer months.
     Why? My room has much less insulation than the other rooms in the house. Nearly an entire wall in my room is comprised of sliding glass doors that are not very energy efficient. 

20. Bug: I am no longer receiving group text messages from certain people after switching from an iPhone 6 to a Google Pixel 2.
      Why? Before switching phones, everyone in the group chat had an iPhone, which made our group chat use the Apple exclusive iMessage service rather than text messages. Once I switched to an Android, the people that did not delete the group chat message log before trying to message me were still sending their messages through iMessage, which an Android user cannot receive.     

     I didn't particularly find this assignment challenging, but I did find it to be quite thought-provoking. Finding these bugs in my daily life didn't take long, but figuring out why they might exist took a considerable amount of attention. The video for this assignment was pretty spot on with the "five layers of why" to figure out the root of an issue. This assignment had me analyzing my life and daily tasks in a way that I hadn't really given much attention to before this week. While everyone has taken notice of encountering a bug before, it's generally a fleeting acknowledgment. Having to question why a bug exists made me stop and really take in account the several layers of how this problem could have arisen. In doing so, it also made me realize several solutions to these bugs, like writing down the day that I last had my car tires checked or purchasing thermal curtains to help insulate my room better. I hope to continue noticing daily bugs and getting better at figuring out practical solutions for them.