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.