30A – Final Reflection

The most formative experience I had was the Bug List assignment we had to do in the beginning of the semester.  I remember having hated this assignment because it was difficult to come up with 20 things that bug me.  However, I think this is a great assignment to get ones mind working in an entrepreneurship type of way.  This is what makes someone think outside the box and try to identify the needs of yourself, which in many cases are the needs of others as well.  I was joyous with having thought of an idea and building on it week after week.  I never thought to get feedback from people outside of my circle and knowing that I have support from random people as well as people within my community is a great feeling. 

Although I don't see myself as an entrepreneur yet, I do know that I have developed a perspective different than when I started the class.  I see things in different point of views and seek to find better ways in which people of all ages,cultures, and classes would like to benefit from a service.  I've learned that one idea may lead to another and changes are willing to happen.  Adaptation to change is key to staying on track and change is not always a bad thing.  I am a very competitive person so I've also learned how to use this as an advantage and fuel for overcoming obstacles and failure. 

For this class, I recommend students to stay on top of their assignments and dedicate time on a weekly basis to watch the lectures.  Each assignment is worth a small point but at the end of the semester, these points add up and can be hard to get back up if one falls behind.  I would also encourage the students to really do the assignments as they are set up because it forces one to go outside their comfort zones and actually into the real world situations.  By doing the assignments we must actually do real life scenarios of what small business owners had to do when they first started.  Many people want to start their own business and don't know how to go about it, and these assignments are really the early development and steps that will help a students mindset. 

In entrepreneurship, one will be faced with many obstacles before finally reaching the finish line.  Stay focused, stay driven!

29! - Venture Concept No. 2

 CAR WASH TO-GO

Opportunity
The opportunity exists in the fact that many people in the state of Florida own or lease their own vehicles.  Although many people do use public transportation, Uber, or use their bicycles, I think for the most part many people have their own cars.  For example, there are 3 adults living in my house and there are 4 vehicles (one is used for work only).  If you are like us, you like to drive in a somewhat clean car.  Three (possibly 4) cars need to be washed on a bi-weekly or monthly basis, and this is just one household.  If I count up all the cars on just my street, we are talking about 60 cars on my street alone.  There is big opportunity for a mobile / auto detailing company to profit from all these cars.  Some people do like to clean their own cars but for a service that can be done anywhere, I think many people would love to take advantage of such a service at their disposal.  Unlike metropolitan cities where much of public transportation is used, here in Florida there are many cars that can utilize such a service.  I think a big customer base would be the elderly population as some cannot work outside and physically may be unable to wash their own cars.  The elderly population is big here in Florida as well since many of them like the warm weather and some come down to retire.  There is even an influx of people who come spend the winter days (snowbirds) down here in the warmer weather compared to being in the snow.  It is great because it doesn't snow in Florida so there really are no days off unless we get some rain which in some cases, services can still be done under garages.  Another prospective customer would be business people.  Many people just don't have the time to clean it themselves but they have the money, and don't mind spending money for someone to wash their cars.  I personally don't like waiting and know many other people who don't like waiting, so even a mother of 4 children might want to get her minivan cleaned her daughters gymnastics class.  There are a wide variety of people who would be extremely happy by this service and I believe there is great potential for it.  I would have to look into downtown areas where they have parking garages for several companies.  There are hundreds of cars here that people park daily to go to work.  As a classmate mentioned, this would be a great help in washing and drying vehicles since I would not have to be out in the scorching Florida sun.

Innovation
There are many ideas my business would implement that I haven't seen done yet.  First, I would create an app that works for both iPhone and Androids that will enable a customer to choose the services they want and choose a date and time for when they want it to be done.  The will also be able to pay by the app in a variety of different ways including credit card, pay pal, cash app, venmo, bit coin and debit card or gift cards.  This way, a customer will never have to pick up the phone and make an appointment but they can directly do it from wherever they are in about 2 minutes time.  My price point will start out at $50 for a standard wash of exterior and interior, and while this may seem above average price, I will assure my customers of great quality and also inform them that the soaps I use are also environmentally friendly.  They will not have to worry about their family breathing in any toxins as the interior cleaners will ALL be harmless.  Neither will they have to worry about any chemicals being spilled into the streets and into our drains because the products I use will be harmless to our environment as well.  As customers request different services such as polish or wax, the prices will go up accordingly to the size of their vehicle and the difficulty of the service.  The other additional charge will be to charge for gas expenses if they prefer that we travel to them and do the service and this will be done by the mileage to their location.  This price will vary as so do the costs of gasoline.

Venture Concept
Many people today are very conscious about our environment.  We are starting to be aware of what's in our food, what is wrong with our crops, animal cruelty, and environmental problems like global warming.  By combining the customer base with my innovation of using Eco-friendly products, I believe to reach out and connect to many people who want to see a better world.  This is a big trend that I've seen growing over the years and wish to connect with these type of people.  Everything is now done through apps as well.  Kids as early as age 5 are already owning smart phones so it's nothing new that within a few years apps and technology will be pretty much everywhere.  By taking advantage of this boom it will only allow more people to find what they need in less time and less stress and easily do it within the palm of their hands.  I've actually seen more elderly people also using more and more of their smart phones.  Of course a 10 year old will grasp the concept much easier, than someone older with less knowledge of technology but in some years I think we will all be caught up and able to use apps such as these.  I received feedback about using the environmental products to clean cars that are more eco-friendly and seemed to have a great response to it.   I think the people who are more aware of our environment would enjoy this service. 

I think the application will be a differentiator in this business.  Not only will it give an edge to competitors but it will also make it much more convenient for the customers.  Making things easier and less stressful is always the goal in mind.  My first step will be to talk to some computer programmers and application builders to see how much work will need to be put in to develop such an application and how soon it can be ready for use by the public.  I will want to utilize it myself to make sure all the bugs are fixed and to make it as user friendly as possible.  I wouldn't want people to get it and delete the app because it wouldn't work as intended so it will take a lot of trial and error and beta testing before actually launching.  However, in the long run I believe many people will take advantage of it and find it useful.  Based on some feedback I received in class, one of my classmates stated that if the app is very user friendly then it would still be a good idea for elderly people.  She says she would definitely use the app because she hardly has any time on the weekends or after work because the ones near her are usually too packed.

27A - Reading Reflection No. 3

Grinding it out: The Making of McDonald's. Ray Kroc

Ray Kroc is an amazing man with an incredible journey.  When you read this book you will be amazed at how he started off in the industry.  What surprised me the most is that he began as a door to dopr salesman.  He wasnt the person you would think has all this fortune in the name of McDonalds.  I admire him for the fact that he noticed something great and he was able to broaden its horizons.  When he saw the McDonalds brothers selling hamburgers out of their storefront, he immediately saw the quickness and the satisfaction of their customers.  By seeing this, he knew it could be much more than what the business was currently at.  

An aha moment for me was the fact that Ray Kroc pretty much took credit for all of what the McDonald brothers had established.  Although, he did offer to try new things, he kind of took advantage of the fact that he knew other people with a better idea to make this a worldwide phenomenon.

A good exercise for this class relating to the book would be to try and find a small business in the United States and think of ideas of how this can be expanded and possibly blown up to a greater proportion.  This can be done as a group activity where each participant would be finding ideas while the other classmates find ways on how to make it bigger.


This book connects to the class in the way of learning needs/wants of the customer.  Seeing opportunities that others may not see and taking advantage of those opportunities is also something that we have done exercises to try and figure out so far in class.  Expanding your social network is something Ray Kroc did to learn about the idea of expandong McDonalds.  He found the idea about buying the land of where the restaurants were built on by networking with someone in the real estate business before he even knew anything about how that indistty worked.

28A – Your Exit Strategy

My exit strategy for this business venture would be to keep the business.  If everything is going well and I am making profit, I wouldn't want to sell it but instead hire more people to do the rounds and buy more trucks and equipment so I wouldn't have to do much of the labor anymore.  I do have a son and would want him to have a job in the future.  Having him start at the bottom from a young age and then teaching him about the business and other side of it would be a great learning experience for him as well.  I think I would always be aware of the competition though, and make sure I am keeping competitive prices along with great quality but always trying new products new technology and new marketing strategies will have to be implemented for the future. 

I wouldn't want to sell it unless I had another business venture already in the works with possibly better profits and benefits involved.  I have seen many small business owners sell their business and customers and then end up regretting it a few years down the road, so I definitely wouldn't want to make that same mistake.  My exit strategy has helped me make some decision in purchasing high quality equipment because it is something I plan to keep in the long term.  I don't want to buy used products and then sell it within a few years but at the same time I want to make sure I am getting the best for my money and equipment that will last me a good amount of time.

26A – Celebrating Failure

I play soccer in an adult league in my city in South Florida.  My friend and I are on two separate teams to keep it competitive.  I play on the field and he plays goalkeeper, so one day he makes a friendly bet that I won't score on him on an upcoming tournament.  With my competitive nature of course I accept the bet and the trash talking begins.  In out first two games against his team, I am focusing so hard on trying to score on him.  I hit the post twice in one game and he blocks all of my other shots.  My other teammates are able to score but of course, I'm not.  After two games and not being able to score a goal, I begin to get anxious and upset.  I was playing the forwards position which should be the one who scores most of the goals and still unable.  For the third an final game, I move back into the defender position and I tell myself it's alright.  In my mind I think, don't let this little friendly bet get to you and I really stop stressing it and just have fun.  By the end of the first half I still have no goal but I notice I'm not as focused on trying to score and more about just having fun and playing good in defense.  My goalkeeper friend of course comes up and continues to trash talk in a friendly way, rubbing it in my face that I still need a goal to win.  As the game continues into the second half, my team earns a free kick and I decide to try my chance.  At this point, I want to score but I've accepted that even if I don't it's OK and don't let myself get anxious again as in previous games.  I kick the ball perfectly and it lands in the back of the net just how I visioned it in my mind.  I scored the goal and won the bet and also have the game winning goal. 

Once I decided not to focus on something so much it became evident that I was more relaxed and felt better.  Sometimes you can get so caught up in doing something that you just need to take a step back to move forward.  I accept failure as a good thing, and try more to learn from my mistakes or try to see what I'm doing wrong, even if it is all mental.  Failure can be a good thing so long as one realizes why they are failing and correct those issues.  I will definitely take a risk because like the saying goes, "we learn from our mistakes."

25A – What’s Next?

Existing Market

Upon interviewing 3 people in my existing market, they all thought the environmentally friendly / Eco-friendly products was an awesome idea.  One of the people told me to start a whole different business which would help propel this business into a better idea but do less of the manual labor, which I thought was a great idea since he is a business owner himself and knows the ins and outs of one.  In terms of growing for the market, I given an idea to also put flyers on peoples doors.  These flyers aren't too hard or expensive to make and she actually knows someone who owns a print shop that could possibly do it for a discounted price.  The flyers would be the ones that would get put in peoples mailboxes or put on the door handles of apartments and town homes. My last piece of advice was to also create free ads on Craigslist.  Many people go on Craigslist to look for services and why not advertise here as well?  I will take all of these into account and definitely move forward with these as I think they are all phenomenal pieces of advice and good strategies.

New Market

I interviewed two people who also aren't in my market.  One of whom washes his car every single weekend like clockwork at 7am.  He has 4 cars in total and barely ever lets anyone drive his cars beside him.  To be honest he has been married for about 7 years and I've only seen his wife drive his car once to get food.  I didn't get much positive feedback but to go knock door to door and ask if people would like a car wash.  I don't really want to do this but imagine if it comes down to it, I will have to. However, he did then state that it could be a possibility to enter the market of B2B since people sometimes are difficult to get as customers, I could go to a car dealership and ask to wash their cars on the lot on a regular basis for a fixed price.  Many of these cars aren't driven unless by test drives so they really don't get too dirty.  This would mean the cars could be easier and quicker to wash.  The next person I spoke to also didn't believe in paying 50 dollars for such service and she is happy with just spraying the car with water to take any dirt off of it.  She did have a good idea of going to businesses and offering some sort of package deal to businesses and maybe even at a discounted price and have all employees of a company at the same location get car washes for lower prices, so long as their is a minimum quantity scheduled for that date.  Think of it as when ordering things in bulk.  If you order one calculator for example, it may cost $20 each.  If you order 50 calculators though, you can get wholesale prices and have them come out to $10 each.  The same idea applies and I think both of the above are great ideas to think about.  This market would also be B2B as I would work with a company to get a contract per month and they would supply it for their employees.  Even though it would be tough to convince a company to do this, I think it would have to be a company that offers company cars to it's employees and therefor would want the cars to be clean on the road.

24A – Venture Concept No. 1

 CAR WASH TO-GO

Opportunity
The opportunity exists in the fact that many people in the state of Florida own or lease their own vehicles.  Although many people do use public transportation, Uber, or use their bicycles, I think for the most part many people have their own cars.  For example, there are 3 adults living in my house and there are 4 vehicles (one is used for work only).  If you are like us, you like to drive in a somewhat clean car.  Three (possibly 4) cars need to be washed on a bi-weekly or monthly basis, and this is just one household.  If I count up all the cars on just my street, we are talking about 60 cars on my street alone.  There is big opportunity for a mobile / auto detailing company to profit from all these cars.  Some people do like to clean their own cars but for a service that can be done anywhere, I think many people would love to take advantage of such a service at their disposal.  Unlike metropolitan cities where much of public transportation is used, here in Florida there are many cars that can utilize such a service.  I think a big customer base would be the elderly population as some cannot work outside and physically may be unable to wash their own cars.  The elderly population is big here in Florida as well since many of them like the warm weather and some come down to retire.  There is even an influx of people who come spend the winter days (snowbirds) down here in the warmer weather compared to being in the snow.  It is great because it doesn't snow in Florida so there really are no days off unless we get some rain which in some cases, services can still be done under garages.  Another prospective customer would be business people.  Many people just don't have the time to clean it themselves but they have the money, and don't mind spending money for someone to wash their cars.  I personally don't like waiting and know many other people who don't like waiting, so even a mother of 4 children might want to get her minivan cleaned her daughters gymnastics class.  There are a wide variety of people who would be extremely happy by this service and I believe there is great potential for it.

Innovation
There are many ideas my business would implement that I haven't seen done yet.  First, I would create an app that works for both iPhone and Androids that will enable a customer to choose the services they want and choose a date and time for when they want it to be done.  The will also be able to pay by the app in a variety of different ways including credit card, pay pal, cash app, venmo, bit coin and debit card or gift cards.  This way, a customer will never have to pick up the phone and make an appointment but they can directly do it from wherever they are in about 2 minutes time.  My price point will start out at $50 for a standard wash of exterior and interior, and while this may seem above average price, I will assure my customers of great quality and also inform them that the soaps I use are also environmentally friendly.  They will not have to worry about their family breathing in any toxins as the interior cleaners will ALL be harmless.  Neither will they have to worry about any chemicals being spilled into the streets and into our drains because the products I use will be harmless to our environment as well.  As customers request different services such as polish or wax, the prices will go up accordingly to the size of their vehicle and the difficulty of the service.  The other additional charge will be to charge for gas expenses if they prefer that we travel to them and do the service and this will be done by the mileage to their location.  This price will vary as so do the costs of gasoline.

Venture Concept
Many people today are very conscious about our environment.  We are starting to be aware of what's in our food, what is wrong with our crops, animal cruelty, and environmental problems like global warming.  By combining the customer base with my innovation of using Eco-friendly products, I believe to reach out and connect to many people who want to see a better world.  This is a big trend that I've seen growing over the years and wish to connect with these type of people.  Everything is now done through apps as well.  Kids as early as age 5 are already owning smart phones so it's nothing new that within a few years apps and technology will be pretty much everywhere.  By taking advantage of this boom it will only allow more people to find what they need in less time and less stress and easily do it within the palm of their hands.  I've actually seen more elderly people also using more and more of their smart phones.  Of course a 10 year old will grasp the concept much easier, than someone older with less knowledge of technology but in some years I think we will all be caught up and able to use apps such as these.

I think the application will be a differentiator in this business.  Not only will it give an edge to competitors but it will also make it much more convenient for the customers.  Making things easier and less stressful is always the goal in mind.  My first step will be to talk to some computer programmers and application builders to see how much work will need to be put in to develop such an application and how soon it can be ready for use by the public.  I will want to utilize it myself to make sure all the bugs are fixed and to make it as user friendly as possible.  I wouldn't want people to get it and delete the app because it wouldn't work as intended so it will take a lot of trial and error and beta testing before actually launching.  However, in the long run I believe many people will take advantage of it and find it useful.

23A – Your Venture’s Unfair Advantage

• A large group of people who are into the car scene. - For me this is valuable because if I am able to wash and detail some of their cars for shows, the word of mouth will spread around to many other people.  It's rare because it is a niche that only select people are in but are very loyal when it comes to their cars.  

• Support of friends and family- This is valuable because I have a good support group willing to help me out in any way I need.  They can also help tell more people if they believe in the quality of my services.  It's not something that everyone can say they have support from.
• A car that I keep in good condition, for self marketing. - Valuable because it promotes when I drive.  Some people ask how I keep my car so shiny or so clean and then I can offer with some product or service.  It's rare because many people do not wash their cars or don't take the time to apply wax or shine not knowing that others may see this and want their car like this as well.
• A large number of followers on social media.- This is valuable because I can put some pictures and videos on social media and show off before and after pictures of services done.  Rare because not many people use social media so it gets ahead of the competition.  Not everyone likes to post on social media either but it can be helpful for a business.
• Friends in the business who also can offer tips and advice. - Rare because in starting a business it can be difficult to know which steps to take.  I know people who can offer me certain strategies and techniques to improve.  Not all business owners have this advantage and sometimes have to learn mostly by mistakes.
• Large supply of videos to use for helpful ideas. - Rare because not every business has videos and tutorials on how to do certain things.  With detailing, many people record their techniques and products for others to imitate and use.  Invaluable because this is like having free lessons just by watching videos.  It helps a lot for things like this.
• Investors willing to help if they like the idea. - Rare because I have the chance to pitch ideas to people who would be willing to invest once the business grows.  Invaluable because its a big help for a business especially one in need of money but doesn't want to take out loans.  Could help business grow and improve.
• Good environment to work in. - Rare because in Florida there is no snow which can cause slower seasons.  Working conditions can be year round and this is invaluable because one cannot afford to lose weeks or months of work due to the weather.  Here in Florida in can never be too cold and the heat can always be covered by a tent of some sort or garage.
• Stable plan in mind for when business gets steady. - People going into business sometimes do not have plans or strategies so it helps to be ahead of the game.  It is valuable because its good to have a back up plan in case things go wrong and also necessary to stay organized. 
• Great customer service skills and dealing with people.  - Rare because many people aren't good at interacting with customers.  They feel like this is the worst part of a job but in reality it is where people can earn your trust and where you can gain their loyalty.  Valuable because loyal customers are the best customers especially if they can refer more work to you.  

I think the large amount of videos and tips I can find online is the best resource for me.  There are many things I still do not know how to do but the best part is that I can watch a video and then try it out on my own car or someone else's car for little to no cost.  This is a great way to learn which products work better and which techniques are the best to get the best quality to give to my customers.

21A – Reading Reflection No. 2

Inbound Marketing, Brian Halligan

The theme of this book explains how you can market your product / business and maximize the amount of followers you have.  Followers doesn't exactly mean on social media such as Instagram and Facebook, but how many people actually like your service and keep up with anything new you might have come out with.  With the immense amount of competition in today's businesses, this book describes different methods to reach out to consumers. 

This book connects to what we currently learn in class because it helps mold the big picture of starting a business.  With good content on how to do certain things like creating a blog, and creating great content for the online community.  This book focuses mainly on just marketing which is a key factor in business.  If the ENT3003 and some good marketing skills are combined,  there may be success in the start of a business.

A good exercise for this class based on this book would be to create a website.  This would take some time, so the exercise would be to add to a portion of the website each week and have a final website ready and complete by the end of the class.  In today's world we are seeing much of the shopping done online and much of the research done online as well.  People are definitely going to the internet to find what they need and it is vital that any business, big or small have some sort of website for consumers to see. 

An 'aha' moment for me was the section about the Grateful Dead and how they used a different method than other rock bands at the time to attract the media and their fans.  While other bands were trying to get people to their concerts to promote their albumbs, The Grateful Dead wanted their fans to just go to their concerts for an experience of a lifetime.  Their music was like no other with styles of bluegrass and jazz incorporated and their concerts were described as some of the best in terms of music and the shows with effects and lights.  This concert experience was what they wanted their fans to have and how to pull them into their fanbase.  So even though some companies may advertise in only one way, it doesn't mean that other methods won't work and could surpass the original ways. 

20A – Growing Your Social Capital

Jimbo Balaam
1. He is an auto detailer who has a podcast on how to wash and detail cars.  He has a youtube channel as well as an Instagram account that he shows tips and techniques on detailing as well as does reviews on products and equipment.

2.  Domain expert because he has been in the business for quite a while now and has a good amount of followers on his podcasts as well.  Even though he is in a different state than I am, he has great knowledge and experience.

3.  I used to youtube search for reviews on certain soaps and products for auto detailing when I stumbled upon his channel.  On one of his videos I reached out by comment and asked him some questions about how to price my services. 

4.  He did me the favor and explained the pricing he has for memberships as well as single time washes and he told me what he thinks is the best price range to start off with.  As an exchange I subscribed to his channel and helped him add to his follower count. 

5.  I think he has a vast amount of knowledge on products and techniques that have worked for him in the past.  His videos are very helpful for when I am trying to learn a new skill in the auto detailing business such as headlight restoration. 

Richard Silva
1.  Richard has his own mobile car wash van that he uses to perform mobile washes and detailing.  He is 32 years old and he goes to the country club where I work where he has his regular clientele.

2.  He is a market expert because he is in the same area as I am.  He goes to various country clubs around the area and mostly targets the older population.  He also makes house visits to his regular clients if there is a day they are not at the club.

3.  During my time working at the country club, I saw him and approached him about the business.  It was during the time I was there when I saw him finish one of his washes so I asked him a little about how he finds customers.

4.  He told me about his business but he doesn't want to expand and get more employees and vans.  He explained that he is happy with his regular clientele and doesn't have to work such long days.  He also explained that he focuses just on these kind of customers unless he gets referrals for others.  In exchange I told him I would spread the word around the country club if any of the members would like to receive a car wash/ detail.

5.  Richard is a great contact to have in case I ever need help in anything with the business.  He made it clear that his regular customers are pretty loyal to him so he didn't mind sharing information with me.  He also would be willing to show me some of his techniques if I need help such as wax and polishing. 

Chemical Guys
1.  This is a company which sells many car cleaning products from waxes to buffers and shampoos and even buckets.  Pretty much anything you need for a car detail / wash they have.

2.  Supplier because they supply products to many people over the United States and maybe even overseas for cleaning products to use on vehicles. 

3.  I made a search for cleaning products online and saw their website.  I had also heard from a friend that their products are top quality so I decided to give them a try and check them out.   I made an order and also called and talk to one of the representatives who was very helpful in letting me know which product was right for what I needed. 

4.  I asked for some samples to try out on my own vehicle and in exchange I tagged their account on social media after using their products and writing a good review for them. 

5.  They are a great company to know because they are always coming out with new products and they even just launched some "green" products which is where I want to start heading with my business.  I hope they can make some new "green" products so I can market an environmentally clean detailing company.

I will now know that I can network anyone that is willing to help me out, but in exchange for something.  It doesn't have to be anything quite hard but something as simple as writing a review can go a long way for a company.  It's great to know different people as well that can help out even if they are in other parts of the country or world even. 

19A – Idea Napkin No. 2

I am 28 years old and I have great skills in speaking with customers.  I've always had jobs where I must speak to customers and more often than not, customers leave feeling satisfied and happy.  I've been asked to speak with people in cases where they are unhappy with something or upset, and I have resolved the situations numerous times.  I enjoy playing team sports, which I feel like has helped me become a good team player in the workplace as well and has even given me some leadership skills.  I'm also bilingual, which is a big help living in South Florida as there is a large hispanic population.  I have always liked to keep my car clean and running well.  Since my first car to my current one, neighbors and friends have always noticed that I tend to keep my vehicle in good condition.  My goal is to have my business take off eventually where I can have a couple locations around the county and hire more people as well for my car wash business.  I would still work as well but have more locations set up for some passive income.  There is a lot to learn in this business but little by little I feel like I can pick up a new skill as weeks go by. 

I'm offering customers a car wash / detail service.  However, it's a service which they can use without having to wait.  Whenever people spend their leisure time eating or watching a movie, or even shopping, they can come back to a clean car to drive.  This will help people enjoy their days without wasting any time throughout their days.  Many people feel as though they can do something more productive during this time like make money or spend time with family and friends. 

My prospective customers would be the older population that cannot themselves clean their own cars.  It would need to be people in the middle class at least, for the ones who earn less income probably wouldn't be willing to pay for such service.  People who also live busy lives and just can't find time to wash it themselves or take it to a car wash would also be potential customers.  So, business owners and other entrepreneurs as well and even parents with kids.  I have a 5 year old myself and know that it can be hard to spend time with kids when having to do so many other errands.  The prospective customer is quite larger than I expected, so long as they admire their cars. 

Customers will pay me money to use my service because its convenient.  Many people consider their time as a precious asset.  Time wasted is time you can never get back.  Whether it's people with children that want to spend as much time with them as possible or business owners that need more time to help their business grow.  These people cannot afford to waste time waiting for a service if there is a better one that is more convenient for them.  For this reason, I believe customers would be willing pay for a quality service in which they trust and feel like they are paying for a service as well as paying for time not lost while waiting for such service to be completed.

People skills will definitely set me apart from competition.  Many people like to get their services done and not speak to anyone but others love to speak to someone who can give a little feedback on their vehicles and how to keep them clean themselves.  Car enthusiasts will want to know which products are being used and I intend to even offer green washes which use environmentally friendly soaps, cloths, and equipment.  Such as shampoos and wax that won't hurt our environment as much as other chemicals.  As well as, electric machines instead of gas, and even recyclable products such as microfiber towels.  I've yet to see any car detailing or washes in my area that advertise the use of environmentally friendly products.  I think this is a good way to attract even more people from a certain niche that can be a valuable thing for this business.

I think all my elements can fit together to form a great service for people.  If there is any weakness, its with the experience.  I've always kept my car clean but when it comes to scratches and dents on paint, I still need more practice with this.  I've seen videos on how other professionals do this and it's something I need to try and learn so that I can offer add-on services to customers for even better profits. I could also reach out to other service professionals and see what they price their customers for such services.  I do not want to under charge people and then cut my profits. 

The feedback I received is that I actually have a bigger customer base than I thought.  I've added more prospective customers to my idea which is really great to expand the business.  Another thing is the positiveness on having people skills and how customer service really is something people like to be treated with as a paying customer.  I got positive feedback on how people really see time as an asset so this is definitely I want to market to customers, and let them know that this service can be done without losing any of their valuable time.

17A – Elevator Pitch No. 2

https://youtu.be/RWbwf17Yz0g

 

18A – Create a Customer Avatar

My prototypical customer is an older woman by the name of Phyllis.  She currently stays active by playing golf and tennis mornings at her country club, and also comes in the afternoon to play Mahjong with her friends from the country club.  She has three kids, all of which have moved to different states and have kids of their own.  He husband still lives with her and also plays golf with his buddies at the country club.  They are both retired lawyers and although they stay active, they do not like to wash their own cars.  Years ago, their children did it for them but they have since moved away and can no longer do it for them.  Phyllis drives a silver Lexus SUV that is only about 4 years old and is well taken care of.  She still enjoys grabbing a cocktail at the bar with some of her friends on Thursdays.  Her favorite drink is a Martini. 

Phyllis and I both have one thing in common.  That is to keep our cars in good condition.  She once scratched her car against a column in the parking lot, but she got it fixed within a week.  I don't think this is a coincidence because if people tend to take care of their cars then they must want it to be clean as well.  I personally do not like driving my car if it is dirty.

15A – Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Mariana-  During her interview she said that price and quality are the two main factors of her car wash choice.  I told her different styles of washes can be done as well.  For example, hand washes do not leave as many swirl marks and scratches and are better for the paint in the long run.  However, she stated that her car is leased so she doesn't really worry about that.  She also stated that first impressions are very important so this will help her decide on if she wants to stay with that service or look elsewhere.  Since this service is in person she will pay cash or use other methods like CashApp, Venmo, or PayPal.

Michelle- She stated that price,convenience, and quality all play a distinctive role in choosing her location to do a car wash.  Since she also leases her car, she stated that style of wash isn't a big deal or factor so long as it looks good on the outside and feels and smells good on the inside.  One of the biggest things I took from our interview is that, she stated that she likes to use environmentally friendly products.  For instance air fresheners that won't harm her breathing and other chemicals that won't harm our land. She stated, she hasn't found a convenient Eco-friendly place yet but would be very willing to use one for similar price and quality.  So far her needs have been satisfied but would be willing to seek Eco-friendly service as alternative, and she would also pay cash, card or one of the payment apps in person.  Michelle says the quality of the inside is more important for her.  If it is clean and smells and feels good while driving this is how she bases it on if the right choice was made, more so than the quality of the outside.

Oscar-  Oscar says the quality is the most important factor for him.  He would be willing to pay a little more for a hand wash because he's experienced his paint messing up from machine washes and swirl marks which he had to spend more money to fix.  He also owns his car, so he wants to make sure it lasts him a while unlike leasing a car.  He used to wash his own car but he has since gotten a new job and also moved into an apartment which makes it more difficult to do.  He has a place he goes to but is out of the way, so he has to spend more time and gas to get there.  A good alternative would be if he didn't have to travel far to one or at all and if the quality is equal or superior he also wouldn't mind paying a little extra for the service.  He rarely has cash, but would pay with debit or also one of the payment apps since this is a service done in person.  He says a few days or week after the wash, he noticed different places often determine how long the car can stay clean for.  He uses this as a way of determining he made the right purchase.

Based on the interviews.  Most young people today are using payment methods like CashApp, Venmo, and PayPal.  Most people do not have cash most of the time so payment by card will have to be an option as well and something work looking at in more detail.  The Eco-friendly perspective is also one worth experimenting with as it definitely would be better to use safer soaps so long as the quality is equal or superior. Lastly, making sure the wash lasts for a good amount of time is something worth looking at. Whether its sprays they can use to wash off any marks afterward or cloths they can use to quickly wipe off dirt.  It might be a good idea to give these to clients every month or two as a free gift.

14A – Halfway Reflection

1.  To keep up with this course you definitely have to plan ahead.  Many of the assignments are not just assignments you can do right after watching the lectures.  My game plan has been to start ahead, then finish it as the week progresses.  I tend to start my blog early and then continue to add little by little until the due date.  Some assignments may require interviews and questionnaires with people so it's not always something you can cram into a few hours.

2.  A few months ago I participated in 15k run.  I was with 3 other friends who were in much better shape than me.  We started and i kept the pace with them.  But after the halfway mark , my body got really fatigued and I had to walk. About 3km before the end, I noticed a sharp pain in my foot due to my shoes being worn out.  Every step I took hurt more and more.  At one point I sat down for a few minutes and adjusted my shoe.  I rememebered that when I started , I told myself I had to finish no matter what. So i walked thru the pain and felt very accomplished after the fact.  During the last two months I've had the tenacious additude somewhat.  Mainly because I really want to start my own business and sometimes that means having to get out your comfort zone.  This attitude is necessary.

3.  Rememeber your goals and reasons you started this class and focus on how you will feel at the finish line.  This sense of accomplishement is enough to keep you tenacious!  Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone.  Take chances, and really do the assignments.  Speak up in class and in discussions because peers may also have great feedback and support. Last but not least, remember that all entrepreneurs had to start somewhere.  Not everyone was born rich and successful. 

13A – Reading Reflection No. 1

I chose to read about Phil Knight, the creator of Nike.  I was surprised that even with an MBA from Stanford, which is a pretty well known school.  He had to sell encyclopedias door to door with one of his friends and he was also very timid in doing this.  I would've expected him to have great confidence and to be an excellent salesman with the training and education he received.

In the beginning I didn't admire how he didn't have confidence in himself, it seemed like he wanted to be successful after graduating but didn't really think he could become much. However, I admired his sense of determination.  He had his "Crazy Idea" regarding his design for shoes, and he stuck with it.  In his mind he had a vision that kind of just popped into his head and he never let that get away from him.  As a young man without any kind of idea of what he was doing, he took the risk and ventured out to what would become the great brand of Nike. 

Knight, wasn't dealt the best of hands. 

• He started selling encyclopedias door to door after graduating college.  
• He then became an accountant for some time before actually getting his first sample of shoes from overseas.  
• He stayed hungry and determined.  
• He never took his main focus off his idea and it proved to be a great idea after all.  
• He was definitely competent as a negotiator and thinking quick on his feet.  

I didn't really understand how he got the meeting with the factory in Japan.  It was confusing to me how that meting came to be.  I would ask Phil if there was ever a moment when he felt like giving up and why.  I'd also ask how he gained the courage to compete against a brand such as Adidas at the time. 

I think Knight believed in his vision and then having others do the work for him as he negotiated the rest.  This is where my mindset is different and where I have to work on.  I've always thought about doing the work myself and working hard and doing good quality work but all the labor on my own.

12A – Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

In my interviews which I conducted I realized and made new discoveries in regards to my business.  People usually don't go out looking for car wash and detailing places.  Many of them actually see photos while scrolling thru their social media accounts such as Instagram and Facebook. Many other people also use word of mouth.  By making sure each client is happy and satisfied with my service, they can tell their family and friends to help build my clientele.  People also generally want their vehicles cleaned before the weekend as this is usually when they go out or use the car for trips.  People say they realize they need one , once they see their car is dirty but still usually wait until the weekend to have it cleaned.

11A - Idea Napkin No. 1

I am 28 years old and I have great skills in speaking with customers.  I've always had jobs where I must speak to customers and more often than not, customers leave feeling satisfied and happy.  I've been asked to speak with people in cases where they are unhappy with something or upset, and I have resolved the situations numerous times.  I'm also bilingual, which is a big help living in South Florida as there is a large hispanic population.  I have always liked to keep my car clean and running well.  Since my first car to my current one, neighbors and friends have always noticed that tend to keep my vehicle in good condition.  My goal is to have my business take off eventually where I can have a couple locations around the county and hire more people as well for my car wash business.  I would still work as well but have more locations set up for some passive income. 

I'm offering customers a car wash / detail service.  However, it's a service which they can use without having to wait.  Whenever people spend their leisure time eating or watching a movie, or even shopping, they can come back to a clean car to drive.  This will help people enjoy their days without wasting any time throughout their days. 

My prospective customers would be the older population that cannot themselves clean their own cars.  It would need to be people in the middle class at least, for the ones who earn less income probably wouldn't be willing to pay for such service.  People who also live busy lives and just can't find time to wash it themselves or take it to a car wash would also be potential customers.  So, business owners and other entrepreneurs as well.

Customers will pay me money to use my service because its convenient.  Many people consider their time as a precious asset.  Time wasted is time you can never get back.  Whether it's people with children that want to spend as much time with them as possible or business owners that need more time to help their business grow.  These people cannot afford to waste time waiting for a service if there is a better one that is more convenient for them. 

People skills will definitely set me apart from competition.  Many people like to get their services done and not speak to anyone but others love to speak to someone who can give a little feedback on their vehicles and how to keep them clean themselves.  Car enthusiasts will want to know which products are being used and I intend to even offer green washes which use environmentally friendly soaps, cloths, and equipment.  Such as shampoos and wax that won't hurt our environment as much as other chemicals.  As well as, electric machines instead of gas, and even recyclable products such as microfiber towels. 

I think all my elements can fit together to form a great service for people.  If there is any weakness, its with the experience.  I've always kept my car clean but when it comes to scratches and dents on paint, I still need more practice with this.  I've seen videos on how other professionals do this and it's something I need to try and learn so that I can offer add-on services to customers for even better profits.

10A - Elevator Pitch

https://youtu.be/uHKgVEmYjh0https://youtu.be/uHKgVEmYjh0

9A – Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Pierre - I was at the gas station putting gasoline in my car and went inside to buy something to drink as well.  When I was about to pay, the cashier asked me if I would like to purchase a car was as well as there was a man washing cars behind the building.  I politely declined.  I walked around the back and saw the man had no business.  I asked the man if he would like me to wash his van.  I could see it was actually scratched and dirty.  He was confused and it took a little bit of time to realize I didn't want my car washed but actually wanted to clean his van.  He laughed about it and said no he washes his own but then also declined for me to want to fix scratches and clean his car. 

Melvin - Melvin is my neighbor who enjoys working on his car.  Every Saturday morning he is awake at 6am either washing his car or working under the hood of the car.  He also started a new job which he needs to work weekends as well.  I noticed his car hadn't been cleaned in awhile so I offered to do it for him.  He laughed at me as well, and said he can do it himself but he just needs the time.  He enjoys cleaning his car and he uses it as a way to escape his daily life in sort of meditation.

Joe - A friend of mine who recently started a new job at a Infiniti dealership.  He owns an Infiniti as well and although he said he would love to help me out, he stated that he gets free car washes at his job.  They don't detail it but for a discounted price he can also have it detailed or use some of the products and do it himself.  He also says he doesn't have the extra money to spend on car washes.

Some guy - He is an older gentleman who drives an old car which has the hood and roof rusting away.  I met him at the building where I do valet parking at.  This turned out worse than I imagined because he didn't want to valet park his car but he wanted to self park instead.  I directed him to self parking and when he walked by me to enter the building, I greeted him again and asked if he wanted a car wash.  He stopped sharply and stared at me for about 5 seconds before cursing at me.  I apologized and let him know that I was asking many people, not just him.  He screamed at me saying,"No I don't want my car washed".  Again politely I asked why and he answered because his car is a piece of s*#t that he cares nothing about.  I believe he thought I was making fun of him and even while inside the building I could hear him talking angrily towards the elevator.

Ellen - She is a very nice middle aged woman.  She drives a sports car and it is in very good condition.  I complimented her car and asked her if she wanted a car wash but declined as she told me she has someone that comes to her home and does it already for her.  She seems satisfied with her work and also seems loyal in not letting anyone else wash / detail the car. 

Inside the boundary	Outside the boundary
Who is In- People with vehicles	Who is Not- People who clean their own cars, have someone do it for them already, or don't like their cars cleaned.
What the Need Is- Clean car	What the Need Is Not- Not for people who don't care if their car is clean or not.
Why the Need Exists- Not everyone likes to clean their cars.	Alternative Explanations- Some people already have people who clean their cars, others don't want their cars cleaned and others do not have the money to spend for this service.

8A – Solving The Problem

The service I would offer my customers would be a car wash / detailing service in the same parking garage where they already self park or valet park.  I would need to close off maybe 5 parking spots and have my equipment available as well as a water hook up or even a large tank that holds plenty of water for multiple car washes.  By the responses I received, I'm sure that if people see an actual spot dedicated to doing this, they would come up to me and ask for more details.  For other customers I would even offer to sell the soap or any other products that I could also make small profits from.  So even people that do not want me to service their vehicle can still ask for suggestions or for products for specific cleaning.  This would require me to talk to the building manager and see if I can set up a spot for this.

7A – Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

Car Wash / Detailing

I would like to try to set up a car wash in a garage where I already work part time as a valet parking attendant.  My customers would be people who valet their cars in the morning for work in a 9 story building.  These are professionals from lawyers to Realtors, business owners and even people working in the call centers.   Since they are leaving their cars for at least 5 hours, I believe they would not mind going home with a fresh, clean car.  Not many people have time to do it themselves or they may not like having it done in the drive-thru washes.  This may be a great alternative for those since , they are not having to travel elsewhere but already at work.

Patrick- Patrick is in his early 30's and owns two businesses in the building.  He is constantly working even on nights and weekends and doesn't own a home or even have space to wash his own building.  The apartments he is at just has a garage.  He would be more than willing to pay to keep his BMW cleaned inside and out and would be fantastic as he could keep it the garage.  He even advised that he could bring his other vehicle in on a different occasion just to have them both clean.

Samantha-  She is in her late 20's and doesn't care much for her car.  She says she lives in a home with her brother and usually makes him wash it for her for free.  However, sometimes he takes weeks to wash it after she asks.  She did also state that since it's already at work, on a good week for her; she wouldn't mind having a regular interior/exterior wash.

Juan- Mid 50's and just got a new car.  He is trying to protect the paint on his car and he must go to the drive-thru washes.  He usually vacuums it himself and cleans the inside himself as well.  I informed him that the drive-thru washes after some time can actually damage the paint and he said he would be wiling to pay someone to hand wash the exterior.  If he likes it , would potentially also be a repeat customer only for the exterior since he does enjoy cleaning the inside of the vehicle himself.  He also lives in an apartment where he cannot wash his own,  and gets frustrated that he has to park outside.  Sometimes it rains or he gets bird droppings on car right after getting his car washed.

Noel-  Mid 60's and has an older car.  He doesn't wash his car as it is old and beat down. (his words)  He wouldn't pay anyone to wash it because he doesn't need the extra expense and does not make too much money as it is.  He says if he had the money he would help me out but for now the best way he can help me out is to refer more people, he is the janitor in the building and has relationships with others as well in the offices.

Rebecca- Mid 20's and drives a Mustang.  She is a car enthusiast who works long hours at the office.  She likes washing her own car and even works on her own car so says most likely she wouldn't want to us the service.  However, some weekends she must also work and it would be very helpful for her to get the car waxed since she goes to many car meets and events.  Although she doesn't earn much at her job it would also depend highly on the cost of the service she receives. 

I didn't know that so many people lived in apartment building which don't allow self washing or don't provide water to do it.  I was also amazed at how many people said they would definitely use the service if it was available and so convenient for them. 

6A – Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

ECONOMIC

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/article225068545.html

More technology firms are looking at Miami as a city to home the hubs for their companies.  This will add to the companies already in place , which is mostly financial institutions, real estate, and law and professional services.  This will attract much more people to the already populated city.

Their is opportunity for new business to cater to the rise in population.  New modes of transportation among the already busy city should definitely take place.  New cafes and restaurants near these buildings will also be needed to satisfy the employees of these major companies.  Even all around services to people and buildings such as office cleaning could see a major rise in demand.

The only difficulty here will be the high rents for some businesses to establish themselves in these areas.  Another difficulty will be the competition as these are already in place.  Many new business will be looking to take the top spots along with trendy new innovations.

I see this opportunity because of the high attraction Miami has towards me.  Since moving to South Florida a few months go I have seen the trendiness of everything as well as the large diversity in people and culture.  Many people complain about traffic and population but I must also see the good things to come from these events.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article224745985.html

The government shutdown has caused many federal workers to not get paid for the last month.  Many of these workers have had to find second jobs or simply have not gotten any money for the past month.  For this reason, inspections have slowed down due to a decrease in workers and job effort for the ones still there.

This is an opportunity for many local farmers and florists because they will likely have an influx of customers due to many big businesses having their imports from other countries backed up and delayed.  This will also cause business to increase their costs due to spoilage of flowers , plants , and produce.

For the established businesses who grow their own products here in the US , it shouldn't be too difficult to exploit.  They would just have to try and increase the amount they grow to keep up with the high demand.

I see the opportunity because as their are problems within the government shutdown, there are also ways to battle these problems with opportunity.  Instead of finding more ways to complain about the shutdown, there are solutions we can do to make it better.

REGULATORY

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/ct-trump-government-shutdown-20190125-story.html

President Trump wants his wall to be built, and he is adamant about it.  He's already caused the longest government shutdown and has already mentioned a "powerful alternative".  This leads me to suggest that some day, the wall will be built.

Construction companies and builders will most likely be the customers if the walls is funded down the road.

Once the wall is funded, it will be easy to exploit since someone has to build the wall.  I believe the harder part is actually getting the funds for it, which has gone a lot further than many people thought.

Not that I agree with the building of the wall, as I feel that this money could be used on more parks and recreation I still see the opportunity that there is to conform with the president's decisions.  The more you look at it, the more you can see the opportunities that open up.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article225010105.html 

The legal age to buy tobacco has been raised from 18 to 21 in the county of Alachua.  This will be the first county in Florida to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products.

The increased popularity in vaping and e-cigarettes leads me to believe that an opportunity exists for certain businesses.

The prototypical customer would be people under 21 and over 18 years of age.  Since the legal age to buy tobacco has been raised to 21, the people between 18 and 21 would start to buy more vapes as an alternative.  Thus, creating opportunities to vape shops and anyone selling vapes.

I see this because of the experience I've also had with vaping.  It's much less bothersome than smoking tobacco and I've seen the rise in activity within my circle as well.  I think it's a better alternative than tobacco and although I haven't researched much, also a healthier alternative.

5A – Identifying Local Opportunities

Scooter ban coming to Fort Lauderdale beach during Spring Break

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-ne-scooters-spring-break-lauderdale-20190122-story.html 

Scooter renting has become a popular activity in the are of Fort Lauderdale.  For people new to the area, its very easy to just go on an app and rent one.  They are directed to the nearest scooter and  they can take it anywhere they'd like.  After reaching their destination they can simply just drop it off anywhere.  

The problem with this, is that many time people leave them in the middle of the sidewalk or street, which can make it inconvenient for pedestrians or drivers to get around them.  Others have also complained about people driving these scooters too fast or recklessly.  For this reason, the city plans to ban these for Spring Break since such an influx of people will be in the area.

This will be a problem for responsible riders, who won't be able to get around by the use of scooter rentals.  They will have to Uber, rent cars, or find other means of transportation which will populate the roads even more.

More chilly weather and storms heading for South Florida

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/fl-ne-hot-and-cold-weather-20190123-story.html 

Colder weather has been seen by residents and tourists alike in South Florida recently and it has lasted longer than usual.  Usually a month or a few weeks will go by with cold fronts and then back to warm, sunny skies in South Florida.  According to the article however, we should be expecting more cold fronts and possible showers and thunderstorms.

The problem is for the people who have traveled down to South Florida to try and escape the brutal cold weather from northern cities and states.  Although warmer than northern states, its not the warm, sunny weather that they were expecting.

The problem with this is for the snowbirds who have come down to experience warm weather.

Window Sign Short List. Comply or Get Cited

http://margatenews.net/window-sign-short-list-comply-or-get-cited-p886-192.htm 

Signage codes were put into place in 1990 in the city of Margate.  Over the years however, it seemed that the laws were not being upheld and nobody was getting punished for it. New laws have since passed to fix this issue.

Many business owners will need to replace their signs due to a new law passing and proper signage must be up to code.  

This problem is for any business owner in the city who doesn't have the proper signage.  It can also affect resident if they rely on these signs that must be taken down.

Teen accused of setting his mom on fire and beating her with bat

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/davie/fl-ne-davie-attempted-murder-mother-20190124-story.html 

This story is of a 17 year old boy who made a weapon out of alcohol, a bottle, rag, and set it on fire to create an explosion of fire, otherwise known as a Molotov cocktail.  He not only made this but threw it at his mother while she was asleep causing her severe burns and cuts due to the glass.  If that wasn't enough he also beat her with a baseball bat, all because his mom caught him using social media and sneaking out at night.  

The problem is that people , especially kids and teenagers would do harm to their parents for such petty things.  The first time I heard of the Molotov cocktail was from a video game.  These are video games that are supposed to be for mature audiences and not to be used in real life.  

This is a problem for our society as a whole.  For some reason there are more mass shootings and acts of violent crime such as these occurring more than anywhere else in the world.  It is not normal for a child to want to kill his parents because of being punished for wrongdoings.  Unlike games, people do not come back to life after killing them and these are serious crimes.  

Eight deputies heard gunfire at Stoneman Douglas but didn't rush in. Here are the consequences so far.

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/parkland/florida-school-shooting/fl-ne-cb-eight-broward-parkland-deputies-20190123-story.html

 The article above describes how 8 different deputies were near a high school shooting but failed to act in a timely manner.  Instead, many claim they didn't know where the shots were coming from or they took cover for a very long time while the shooter was still firing off inside the school.  It describes what has happened to their careers since the shooting in which many of them were transferred to different cities, retired, or are currently under investigation.

The problem is that crime can happen anywhere.  Many of these officers were veterans and sought to work in the city because of such a low crime rate.  They may have figured they wouldn't get too many calls about having to deal with crime , especially not a high school shooter.  Deputies, especially ones trying to keep our youth safe should be much more trained and ready for the worst to happen at any given moment.

This is a problem for parents, teachers, students, and the police force itself.  If these deputies are scared to apprehend a shooter who is killing our children in the school, then how can we feel safe taking our children back to school?  Knowing there is always an officer on campus should be enough safety a parent needs in cases like these.  We are expecting to drop our kids off and pick them up every single day. 

4A – Forming An Opportunity Belief

I believe senior citizens cannot hand wash their own cars anymore and need people to do it for them.

The unmet need is that the older population can no longer hand wash their cars.  This need is because the older generation have cars as well and need their cars cleaned but cannot do so themselves.  Many times they take them to the drive thru car washes. 

However, these drive thru car washes often leave scratches and swirl marks on the vehicles and don't leave them as clean as a hand wash.  They also sometimes can't physically vacuum or clean the inside due to their physique. I feel there is a high percentage that this opportunity exists, especially in 55 and over communities and apartment complexes.

During the weekend, I spent some time at the country club near my home.  It's here where I spoke to an older gentleman about my idea.  He currently drives a 2015 Cadillac, and loves to have it sparkling clean.  Often times he gets the car waxed and detailed , as well as a good deep clean for the inside of vehicle.  He stated that many years ago, he would take care of his car himself but as the years passed, he finds it very difficult to wash it himself now.  He noticed the need about 5 years ago when his son moved to California.  He would help wash his car on his spare time.  Now he currently takes it to a gas station where he waits about an hour for people to clean the exterior and interior of his Cadillac.  He is satisfied with the work they do but says he doesn't like to wait for them to be done.  He would much rather be playing golf.  He notices the need for someone to come to him, while he waits for his wash and thinks it would be a great idea for the car wash to come to him.

I realized that looking for the customers in this age range is a great idea because many of them are willing to pay for the job.  They also find it very difficult to do this job themselves.

After speaking with 2 of his friends, I realized that they all have the same need.  One of his buddies says he had a man coming to wash his car, but it was too pricey so he ended up not continuing the service.

The opportunity is there and narrowing down the customer base is a huge plus, but also tweaking some prices may definitely happen.  However, I think feedback is great but, some things like pricing can't be too flexible.  

3A – Your Entrepreneurship Story

I've been known to wash my car very often.  I do this in my driveway, so pretty much all my neighbors have seen me at least once washing my car.  A couple times people have jokingly drove by and said good morning and asked me to wash their cars.  Thinking they were just joking we laughed it off and they kept driving.  I needed a little extra money one year so whenever people asked , I asked if they were serious.  Some of them were so I would walk to their house with my chemicals and wash their cars for them.

The reason I joined this class is because I've always wanted to start my own business.  I've done landscaping and car washes in the neighborhood and felt that there was a lot of competition to take it to the next level.  I'm hoping this class can teach me how to look for opportunities that are no so commonly seen or take owning my business from a different perspective.

2A - Bug List

1.  The window blinds always let in light through the cracks of each one, or by the wall.
It's not one whole piece but several different pieces of wood which have cracks.

2.  My hot water takes a minute before it actually changes from cold to hot.
I suppose the hot water heater tank doesn't begin working until it senses someone needs hot water.

3.  The dew on my car windows in the morning force me to open the window and let in the cold air, but its the only way I can see outside.
Humidity in South Florida in the morning.

4.  My chair hits the underside of my desk and makes the arm rest tear apart which makes for uncomfortable arm rest.
The chairs armrests are too high for the desk.

5.  My job is headquartered in Greece and many times I get emails in the Greek language with symbols I can't even make out.
This is the language they speak and communicate through many times.

6.  The only assigned parking spots at work are under trees, many times my car has bird or animal droppings.
These animals seem to love to do their business on clean cars.

7. New car stickers always leave that glue on the glass of a car.
The heat from south Florida must melt the glue from these stickers.

8.  Finding new dog feces in my lawn.
People don't have the decency to pick up after their pets.

9.  Having to use high beams in my neighborhood at night.
 because not enough streetlights.

10.  Needles to inflate balls are made so fragile, they always break.
They are made fragile

11.  When gated communities, leave the gate open at all times.
The gate probably does not work.

12.  People driving on the left lane on the street and going under the speed limit.
They must be texting and driving, or don't know about the "fast lane"

13.  Alarm going off in a store after u just purchased it.
cashiers, didn't do their job properly or the detector is messed up

14.  Packaging for items being so difficult to open without tools.
such hard plastic is used to seal the product.

15.  Restaurants having only one restroom.
they can only afford to have one.

16.  Food delivered cold to home.
delivery drivers have so many orders, so last one gets cold.

17.  Calling customer service , but having extreme difficulty due to accents.
These calls are now outsourced to different countries.

18.  One small thread on clothes being out gets pulled and end up being 20 ft long.
The way the fabric is sewn on.

19.  Have to wait 15 minutes to cross the street during rush hour.
 Traffic lights that change to red in about 5 seconds

20. Having to take out keys from pocket to open door.
I need a new wireless lock.

A few of these were difficult just because I couldn't think of all the day to day struggles I have.  Also, sometimes i only focus on the ones that really bother me.  Throughout the day, I realized there were more small things that irk me.  Overall not too time consuming.

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