Reading Reflection No. 2

Book of Choice: Cognitive Surplus by Clay Shirky

What was the general theme or argument of the book?: Cognitive Surplus seeks to detail the immense role that computers, the Internet, and modern forms of media (social media, etc.) have upon the way that individuals in society spend their free time- in particular, the ability for individuals to use technology and the internet for good (learning, sharing ideas, finding culture, community, and inclusion, and creating new things). It plays a lot on the idea that as a whole, many people in society value belonging and a sense of self (community) over most other things. It also advocates for the view that the internet is a safe haven of sorts, especially in the ever-developing world that we live in, with all of its new views and increasing opportunities for creativity. It is a roaming ground with no real rules, where anything goes and anyone is welcome (within reason, obviously).

How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT3003?: I feel that one of the main underlying themes in this class is that entrepreneurship is not always about being the zero to one, and that often times its more about just having a meaningful impact upon a community and the lives of others (which I was reminded of by Cognitive Surplus). At its core, that’s what entrepreneurship is about- being and making things in the world better. It’s not about making a profit, which is something that I feel gets lost in translation at times, especially with big startup companies that turn public. Everyone wants to be a billionaire, but for all of the wrong reasons. If we were to all just focus on being better people, helping and collaborating with others, and learning and sharing our ideas freely, society as a whole would be a lot better off.

If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?: My exercise would be a thought experiment of sorts. I would have everyone get together and think to themselves: If money were not a worry and you could do anything- what would you devote your life to? I believe that people often times get so caught up in the pursuit of wealth that they end up making themselves miserable. If people were to step back and really consider just what their aspirations are, all things aside, they would have so much more direction in life, and as a whole the world would be a lot better off. The goal would be for everyone to realize just that- that no matter how much money they have or make, or that the world makes, it will never be enough. It is more about how we as people interact, live, share, and coexist as good human beings, being kind and caring to one another.

What was your biggest surprise or ‘aha’ moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?: To be honest, I really wasn’t all too sure what to expect from this book when I first opened it up. I had half anticipated it to be a book about how we as humans are evolving into more cognizant and intelligent beings as society is progressing due to the strains and stresses of modern society (evolution, if you will), but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was something quite different. This book definitely provides a hot take, purporting the Internet and social media to be positive influencers on society (especially in our troubling day and age when so many lies and problems arise due to it). However, it does present a lot of valid viewpoints, and does help to restore my faith in humanity, which is always refreshing- especially at a troubling time in the world, like we are facing right now.

Idea Napkin No 2

You: I'm John Dillon, a computer science major at the University of Florida. Thinking big and trying out new things is what I live for. This has always been a key component of who I am, being the son of a mathematics teacher and an aerospace engineer turned tech executive. For me, it's less about asking what, but more about how and why. I'm an extremely mature individual, being treated as an equal with adults since the age of 17 (the past two years). Whether it was playing golf on the weekends with the men at the country club or getting desk jobs before most people had a part time job, I was doing it and living it. All of this has taught me to jump high, move fast, speak confidently, and think big.

One of my biggest life goals is to be a great father and husband. This aspiration drives me to do most everything I pursue in life, from career to health and fitness to my overall personal development. I'm a big believer in the fact that life is incomplete until one takes that next step, extending their legacy into the next generation with someone they love. This business would allow me to retire early (around the age of 45), breaking away from the 9-5 grind and living my life to its fullest. I have never been a strong proponent of the way that our society treats work (work till you die), and as such I value efficiency and time management. I always want to make the most out of my money and my time, in any and every way. This will allow me to make efficient and strategic decisions both in life and in business.

What are you offering to customers: I am offering an inexpensive, lightweight, cost effective solution to the bagging problem that plagues the fast food/catering / takeout industry. When was the last time that you went to one of these such places (perhaps not now with the Coronavirus!) and had a bag that leaked, ripped... was not what you would have liked? Chances are, every single time! We all know the pain of taking out our Chipotle from the bag when we get home to find that it has leaked all over the bag, into our car... giving that horrific smell of salsa a week later.

My product provides a new solution to the horrible products currently out there. It's customizable and made to order for customers. Anything is possible when you order with us. We can do small, medium, large, XL... handled, zippered, you name it! Not only that, but it's also eco friendly and reusable! Stop throwing away bags, and starting reusing ours. 

From the perspective of a business, this allows for them to have a positive impact on their customers, insuring that they will be coming back for more, time and time again! 

Who are you offering it to?: I'm offering my product to franchised restaurants/ fast food chains that provide catering and takeout as well. These customers typically face very high competition (think McDonalds and Chicfila), and will be willing to do anything to gain a competitive advantage and get market share over their competitors. Their priorities are profit and repeat business. We can help them do that.

Why do they care?: My customers care about my product because they NEED it to survive. Without bags, they wouldn't be able to operate on a considerable portion of their business, increasingly more so in this day and age with problems like viruses. Distancing is the future. Takeout and delivery sales are going to boom, and they need to be ready for the next era in the food business.

What are your core competencies?: I'm willing to act, think, and go out of my way when no one else is willing to. Simply put, I'm like a spartan warrior. No matter what challenge you give me, I will defeat and conquer it head on. I always have, and I always will. I'm extremely adept at seeing the good side of otherwise bad things, and at capitalizing on everything I possibly can. 

I also am realizing that I have a talent with making new connections, especially at such a young age due to my maturity and demeanor. This has allowed me to exploit opportunities in the past, and it's only moreso now. People are impressed with young people who are mature and have drive- they want to help. Using this to my advantage will serve me well as I seek to make more connections so as to expand my circle and grow my social capital, as we have talked a lot about.

Evaluation: I really do truly believe that I have a cohesive plan that works very well. My heart, mind, and actions are all in the right place. Obviously, I need to grow my connections and reach out so as to clear up details with design, manufacturing, planning, patenting, and things of the sort, but that's nothing a little bit of networking can't fix! Aside from this, I really think I have a winner. Now I just have to execute on my plan.

Feedback Memo: I didn't receive much feedback at all, but here were two main changes I made:

I focused more on trying to be shorter and concise (like a napkin) while putting the reader in the shoes of the customer. I felt that my post before was too long and was getting off topic.

I tried to frame things more on my competitive advantage with this product, and how I can use it to help my clients and to win business for them. Essentially, realizing the full impact and potential of my product.

Elevator Pitch No. 2

Link to my Elevator Pitch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0ZYgJxn84A

Reflection:

Unfortunately, I didn't receive any negative or constructive feedback. Everything that I got was positive- people picking out things I did that they liked, and how they would use it in their pitches. This was a nice confidence boost, but not very good from a learning perspective. I did what I could to make it smoother and more refined to my market segment, but beyond that, I'd like to ask Dr./Prof. Pryor for more input.

Create a Customer Avatar

Segment: Catering Managers/Directors

                My customer is a 29-year-old well to do woman who drives a white Toyota Solara and is a catering director at a prominent fast-food/restaurant chain. She doesn’t have any kids, but she does have one dog. Playing with it is how she usually passes her time if she is not busy working or taking business calls. She is single and doesn’t have a significant other. She abhors both reading and politics and stays far away from both. She dares not touch vegetables, but she loves fruits and is an avid red meat eater. Although she is young at 29, she feels more like 40. She has a lot of friends and is a very outgoing individual. She can talk up a storm with most anyone that she meets, be it in a meeting or out on the streets.

                I have almost nothing in common with my customer avatar. I believe that this stems from the fact that my field of interest and my character traits are so wildly different. While she is very extroverted, I tend to be much more introverted and reserved. I enjoy talking, but only if it is meaningful and genuine. I enjoy hobbies like working out, reading books, and watching movies, none of which she does. The only thing that we really have in common is our love for dogs! But then again- who doesn’t love a cute dog?

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Segment: Delivery / Catering Orders

Interview 1: Felipe’s Taqueria Restaurant Manager (33M)

                For him and his restaurant, when they carry out catering orders, quality and style matter the most. He needs a bag that displays the Felipe’s colors and logo while still retaining heat, keeping the food warm for all of the customers/individuals at the event. At a big event, the last thing that he needs is for the food to be cold and customers to be unhappy. He relies a lot on repeat customers, many of which are local Gainesville businesses as well as the University and many of its organizations. He really doesn’t care a whole lot about price- he just needs the right tool (bag) for the job.

                He purchases all of his bags via a B2B distributor that he has been working with for years. All of the purchases are via e-commerce, and they are done in cash (no financing). In order to make the purchases, he has to get authority from higher ups, but otherwise it is at his discretion.

                He determines how effective a product is/was based on customer feedback and experience. If he doesn’t get any complaints and the food stays warm and well at events, then he is happy with the product. If not, then he is unhappy. His metric for it is very plain and simple. He has had times were he has nearly lost customers over bad bags and them not living up to what he thought, and as such he is very cognizant of the role they play.

Interview 2: Piesanos General Manager (28F)

                For her and her restaurant, catering orders and delivery compromise a major portion of their sales. As such, it is one of their main focuses at the restaurant. She needs bags that can represent Piesanos outside of the restaurant via their logo, but also high-quality ones that will not break and will leave a positive, lasting impression on her customers and clients. As such, the quality and style of the bags are what matter most to her. While price is obviously still important, it is one of the things she considers the least so long as the price is reasonable. She needs a great product with a decent price. They make their money on food sales, not by skimping on their bags and accompanying utensils/ accessories.

                She purchases all of her bags in cash via an online ecommerce platform that does B2B transactions. She isn’t particularly happy with their customer service or the time to production, but she doesn’t want to take the hassle of switching just yet. She has to talk to higher ups about the purchase, but she has a majority of the say.

                She determines the quality of a product based upon customer feedback almost entirely. She believes that you can’t really get a good sense of how a product performs unless you get it out there and test it- there is a lot of trial and error, but the risks are high as she can’t lose customers over their bags breaking repeatedly, not keeping food warm, etc. If she gets bad feedback, she knows they are bad. If she gets good feedback, she knows they are good. It is rather simple.

Interview 3: McAlister’s Deli General Manager (29M)

                For him and his restaurant, catering comprises a considerable portion of the restaurant’s revenue (with delivery and in-restaurant sales just behind). As such, a considerable amount of time is spent trying to create the best customer experience for these individuals, from the food offered to even the bags, drinks, and utensils. A lot of though and planning goes into this. When he needs bags for a catering event, he always emphasizes quality (and branding, of course) over everything. Price matters, obviously, but it takes a back-seat role in the decision-making process. If he can find a bag that is high quality, has good branding, and is reasonable, he will jump on it in a heartbeat. The only problem with this is that he has yet to find any such bag that meets these standards. Bags he finds are either way too low quality, or way too exuberantly priced for him to make good profit margins. He has been switching back and forth, trying to find what works best for fear of losing customers over a sub optimal solution.

                He purchases all of his bags in cash via an online B2B ecommerce site that specializes in restaurant supplies. He has been using them for the last year and isn’t all too happy. He is considering switching to a new provider. He has to consult with higher ups to make decisions but has a good deal of say in the process of choosing.

                His evaluation of whether or not a bag is good or bad relies upon how it performs in a real-life situation (i.e. customers ordering). If he gets good feedback, it lets him know that the bags he used can be counted on. If he gets negative feedback, then he knows he needs to find a new bag, ASAP. The only problem he has encountered is that he has not found a bag or provider that produces consistent, reliable results. Some customers have bad experiences, while others have great ones. This leads him to believe that the quality of even the high-end bags he has purchased are still lacking.

Summary:

                All of my customers order via online B2B sites and pay in cash. Their highest priorities are quality and branding, but price still plays a lesser role. They care about customer feedback and experience above all else. They need to get customers to come back for more orders.

Conclusion:

                My segment spends a good bit of time on alternative evaluation due to the high stakes nature of it (losing or keeping customers, lower or higher profits). As such, they are always looking for new solutions and are very receptive of new ideas in this area. They make their purchases online, in cash, and care mostly about quality and branding (but also price). They need approval from higher up but make a good deal of the calls and decisions after that. The end all be all for them is customer feedback.

                One thing that I realized from this is that in order to find potential clients, I may be able to search through restaurant reviews online that make note of low-quality bags, and then target those restaurants as potential clients as a way to vet out who may and may not be a potential customer for my product.

What's Your Secret Sauce?

What makes me ME:

1.       I have an uncanny ability to think outside of the box and propose new solutions. This is one thing that was drilled into my head from an early age, being the son of an engineer and a math teacher and a computer scientist myself. Whether it is with solving a math problem or trying to figure out how to make my daily routine and schedule more efficient, problem-solving and efficiency are at my core.

2.       Empathy is one of my strongest characteristics. Whenever someone is describing a situation to me, I’m always quick to put myself in their shoes and to see things from their point of view, so as to gain knowledge about whatever they are talking about and to help however I can. This provides me with the power of perspective.

3.       Curiosity is also one of my strongest character traits. No matter what I’m thinking about, I’m always asking: why, how, and why not? I care a lot less about learning what things are, and more about why they exist and how they contribute to things. Reasoning is priceless.

4.       My drive and work ethic have always served me well in life: whether it was with playing golf at an elite tier in high-school (opportunity to play NCAA Division 1) or with being in the top of my class both in high-school and college, my tenacity and commitment to excellence and doing my best has always had a prominent presence.

5.       My confidence has always been a major component of who I am and what I stand to do in life. I’ve faced a good deal of adversity, whether it be personally, emotionally, or academically, and despite it all I’ve never once given up or thrown in the towel. No matter how low I may have felt, I always showed up and gave 100%, 100% of the time. Showing up and doing the work is in my blood.

Interviews hosted on Soundcloud at:

https://soundcloud.com/john-dillon-iii/sets/ent3003-16a

Interview 1 Summary:

                My key takeaways from this interview with my dad were that it is very apparent to those around me that I take my education and knowledge extremely seriously. In addition to this, I’m always relentlessly pursuing new things. In addition, being humble while still staying confident is one of my key traits.

Interview 2 Summary:

                My key takeaways from this interview with my brother were that the time I give to others is very apparent to them, and not just to myself. I’m always trying to impact those around me in a positive manner. This shows the generous person that I am.

Interview 3 Summary:

My key takeaways from this interview with my girlfriend were that I am a very genuine, down to earth person who is always quick to be there for others. My work ethic is also insane, and I stay humble despite of it. I’m always willing to teach new things to others and to share my passions with them.

Interview 4 Summary:

My key takeaways from this interview with my sister were that I am very free and giving with my time to those I love. This could simply be just spending time with them or going out of my way to help them resolve a problem or to learn something.

Interview 5 Summary:

My key takeaways from this interview with my mom were that I have an insanely strong work ethic, especially relative to my age. I treat everything with a perspective of “how can I improve?”. In addition, I am always setting goals to help keep myself accountable and moving forward. I also am a very emotional and caring person, and I keep other emotions in mind all of the time.

Reflection:

                In general, I would honestly have to say that the view I have of myself and the view that other have of me align very closely with one another. My work ethic, dedication, problem solving skills, empathy and confidence are at the head of who I am, and both sides saw this. However, the one difference I noticed was that those around me noted how humble and down to earth I am despite my accomplishments and how successful I am. I believe that I didn’t initially think of this due to the fact that as being a humble person, I’m very quick and apt to undersell myself when I talk about myself. As such, I didn’t want to note that as one of my best qualities.

                Other than that, I really do agree with and believes that all of my interviews were very correct. I am very close to all of them, and they know me as a person very well. If I could make one correction to the list I made, I wouldn’t remove anything, but I would add another number about how I am humble and how it makes me unique.