Week 4 Reading Reflection

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

I was surprised that the author discussed common idea killer phrases. I did not expect this to be included in the chapter, but I feel that this is extremely important to understand from a leadership perspective. 

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

I was rather confused at HOW the author came up with the list of idea killer phrases. Was this taken from research of an office? Simply made up from phrases in his own mind that are used?

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

I would ask the author:
1) How would a mindless activity like painting the house help me to incubate an idea more than sitting at a desk and mulling it over on paper or talking about it with close friends and family?
2) How was it discovered which side of the brain works to do certain acivities?  

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

No, I felt like the author was very straightforward with what he discussed. No disagreements. 

Customer Interviews No. 1

1) Find an opportunity: As I began this assignment, I was considering what real problem I want to solve in the world. I thought about my passion for healthy eating and I wanted to find out what others thought about it too. Currently there are few options on campus that provide healthy, organic, locally grown products for students to have access to. I wanted to find out if providing them with healthier options would be something they want.

2) Figure out who might have the unmet need: College students are at a point in life where they can begin to create habits that they will carry with them for years. Living a heathy lifestyle is on the minds of many college students, but they often do not have the opportunities to eat the healthiest food in the dining halls and around campus. 

3) Come up with a list of questions: This was the easiest part of the assignment for me. I knew what I wanted to find out, so creating a flow of questions that led to my desired answers was very easy. 

4) Go talk to customers: I felt that this was somewhat awkward, as many of the people that I interviewed were on their way to study and were in a hurry. No one turned down the interview even after I explained what I would be asking them about. I think this is because we are all college students and have all had to do projects like this. 

5) Tell us what you learned about the opportunity: It seems as if my opportunity is certainly needed around campus. I got great feedback of students wanting it, but the main concern was the price point. 

Ranking World Problems

1. Disconnected Global Population: Our world is obviously separated physically. Oceans, mountains, and rivers create divides that spawns a separation between others. Because of this, we often forget our neighbors are truly struggling to survive just around the corner. An American struggle is that we disconnect the struggle of others to our own story. We assume that everyone lives as we do.
2. Global Terrorism: Every year, thousands of people die from global terrorist attacks. These terrorists often fight in defense of their religion or government. America and Paris, France have been recent targets for terrorism recently.
3. Convenience Food: Our world has been plagued with becoming addicted to a fast paced lifestyle. We desire that our food would match the pace of our lives, so fast food was created. This food is terrible for our bodies, often containing contaminants that have been linked to hundreds of health problems.
4. Religious Divide: Google quotes that there are known to be nearly 4,200 religions worldwide. Difference in culture and religion tends to create a division between people, often causing war or persecution.
5. Global Stagnation: The movie Wall-E is an example of what could come to be our reality. The recent invention of the hoverboard and other inventions that eliminate the need to exercise will ultimately lead us down a path of complete stagnation.

I really do believe that our disconnected population is the cause of so many of our wars and problems. If we truly did understand each other's culture, we would be more understanding when our ideals do not line up. The fast food issue is certainly plaguing our generation, but the global terrorism threat is an immediate threat that affects the well being and current state of our nation. 

Rank Ordered Solutions

1. -We need to encourage teens and adults alike to get active. Using social media and popular culture to encourage active lifestyles will be necessary to turn the tide in global stagnation.
2. -Spreading awareness of what fast food leads to, and educating our population of the advantages of healthy eating would be a direct way of solving this issue. We need to transition away from processed convenience foods and move back towards home cooked, healthy ingredients
3. -A solution would be for the world to ban together and eliminate the groups that are creating this mass terror. They are not bringing joy, prosperity, or love to the world, so they should have no place in continuing what they are doing.
4. - A solution would be to help make the world aware of the reality that is in other countries. Helping to create travel opportunities for community leaders to experience other cultures would help close the invisible barrier between cultures.
5. -We would need to becoming more accepting of other’s views to help solve the tensions between religions.

Encouraging Americans to become more active is certainly simpler than trying to solve religious differences throughout the world. Humans will always have differentiated options on a wide variety of issues, but simply spreading awareness of what fast food does to us is surely a rather easy solution to implement. Sending Americans international would be great to do, but making it happen is not practical as flights are extremely expensive and sending millions of Americans is simply NOT feasible. 

Week 3 Reading Reflection

The part that I was most surprised about in the chapter three reading is the mention of psychic risk in entrepreneurs. I knew that one can certainly be stressed when revenues are low and employees cause grief, but I never thought that the on the job stress could cause sever psychological issues. The book states that loneliness, immersion in business, people problems, and the need to achieve are the causes for many of these issues. I expected the reasons listed, but not the extent to which they affect people. 

To be honest, I did not find anything in the text that confused me or left me lingering with questions. I felt that the book was clear and concise when describing the basic psychological aspects of entrepreneurship. 

I would as the author, "How did you discover that networking was a successful strategy for stress relief?" And, "How would you classify type B personalities in terms of successful, efficient leaders?". 

I don't disagree with anything the author discussed. I felt that the information was basically things that I have studied throughout my other business and psychology classes. I believe that type B personalities can still become high level leaders, but in their own way. 

Identifying Local Opportunities

Civil rights activist Nikki Giovanni talks about voting and equality

The article discussed talks about Nikki Giovanni coming to share with the Florida student body about her views on civil rights and defending what is important to them. 

The problem that Ms. Giovanni presented is much larger than what is happening around the Gainesville community. Racial equality is a nationwide issue that is a pressing topic with the upcoming presidential election. How will the next president influence the direction of complete racial equality? Who will be the next MLK Jr. to stand up for equality for the LGBT community as a whole?
 

We as Americans have this problem.

http://www.alligator.org/news/campus/article_b19a6872-bf37-11e5-95fe-33fe5e3e8a4d.html

Community looks to save rock gym

Gainesville students love adventure. This article talks about the closing of one of student's favorite places to expend some extra energy; The Rock Gym. Unfortunately, damages were found in the floor of the facility, and a $100,000 goal has been set before the gym can repair the damage and reopen to the public. 

The problem is that there is a very select population of students that support the Rock Gym and rallying $100,000 is not an easy task. So far they have raised nearly $10,000 for the business, but this means there is a long road ahead for this unique adventure facility. 

We as UF students are experiencing this problem. 

http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_c93b077c-bffd-11e5-badc-eb05fe339931.html

University investigating death of UF freshman, no foul play suspected

This article talks about a student who was found dead in his car outside of a local Florida dorm facility. No evidence of foul play was found, but they are assuming that either natural causes or potential suicide was involved in his passing. 

The problem is that there are hundreds of students who contemplate self hard due to the lifestyle that college presents. Students are away from home for the first time, potentially spending much time alone, exiled from their past friends, and often stressed from the workload of the curriculum. 

We as UF students are experiencing this problem. 

http://www.alligator.org/news/crime/article_3a9e3f9c-ba86-11e5-b406-b7171b8c1b11.html

Donald Trump trouncing GOP opponents in Florida poll

This article is essentially updating the public on current standings of the national presidential race. 

The problem that we are facing revolves around our live and affinity for entertainment. Americans love to laugh, smile, and have something to talk about at the water cooler. The problem arises when we forget the difference between entertainment, and our national health as a country. Without becoming too politically biased, I believe that we need to remember how much power we give the President and how crucial our next president will be in terms of the terrorist threats and energy crisis that we are facing. 

We as Americans have this problem.

http://www.news-press.com/story/news/politics/2016/01/20/donald-trump-trouncing-gop-opponents-florida-poll/79053970/

Nightmare on First Street: Fatal shooting at ZombiCon

This article discusses the tradegy that befell Fort Myers' annual tradition zombie-con last Halloween. During the event, an armed man began firing outside of a pizza shop in the downtown area. Police were not able to locate the man. The event has been eradicated from annual plans for the foreseeable future. 

The problem that we face here is that a single man's recklessness has effected nearly 20,000 individuals that attended the event. This was a great celebration and a tradition that brought commerce and tourism to Fort Myers from zombie lovers from all across the state. 

Any and all of the loved ones of the victim and all of the zombie lovers who made the pilgrimage for the festival are effected. 

http://www.news-press.com/story/news/2015/10/18/least-1-shot-zombicon/74163952/

Very Short Interview #1

I interviewed Bruce Richard in Fort Myers, Florida. He said the following after I began with the questions:

• What should my expectations be in this course?
• BR: You should expect some sort of self-run projects that assist in your understanding of what it feels like to run your own business. Expect to learn from experts in the field who may come and speak to your class.
• What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?
• BR: An entrepreneur is someone who sees the world through a different lens. They see opportunity behind every door and take the time to explore even the smallest possibility for success. They view opposition as a sign that what they are doing has great potential for greatness.
• What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course?
• BR: I think that the fear of failure should be resolved somehow throughout the course. If you can wrestle down that fear through group projects or experiential assignments, entrepreneurship can become exciting and nothing but a blank canvas to paint your dreams on.
• What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur?
• BR: I wish that I had been taught that failure is okay. Failure is the way that we grow most efficiently. Our business had valleys where nothing seemed to be going right, where everything we tried to do failed, but it was through that failure that we found the key to build the business that has supported my family for decades.

Bruce is an entrepreneur that started an art business with his wife. They have traveled the country for nearly two decades selling their art as well as opening up their own store on Sanibel Island.

Personally, I was amazed at how much failure it took before Bruce found success. They needed to build clientele that would help support and follow the success of the art for years. Flash forward nearly 20 years, their family is well off and the art is selling like crazy. This is something that is very applicable to my life as I want to go down a path seldom traveled. Starting from the ground up is often scary, but Bruce encouraged me that there is little more rewarding in life than watching something you created grow.

World's Biggest Problems

1. Overpopulation: Our world population is multiplying exponentially. We have nearly 7.5 billion humans roaming our planet that are constantly using resources and developing land. The main issue that we are facing is that not all of the resources that we currently use are readily renewable resources. Oil, usable water, trees, and clean atmosphere levels are depleting faster than we can replenish them.
1. A simple solution is not necessarily an easy one, but I believe that creating ways that we can avoid using the remaining resources before they run out is a way to solve our current situation. Converting to completely digital paper or using another material for writing, going 100% electric power, and finding a way to minimize current emissions will be essential to our survival.
2. Disconnected Global Population: Our world is obviously separated physically. Oceans, mountains, and rivers create divides that spawns a separation between others. Because of this, we often forget our neighbors are truly struggling to survive just around the corner. An American struggle is that we disconnect the struggle of others to our own story. We assume that everyone lives as we do.
1. A solution would be to help make the world aware of the reality that is in other countries. Helping to create travel opportunities for community leaders to experience other cultures would help close the invisible barrier between cultures.
3. Vast Financial Gap: Most countries have a vast gap between the upper and lower class. The top politicians and businessmen and women are very disconnected from the middle and lower classes. Their lifestyles differ entirely, often giving little thought to the concerns of others.
1. This would be a very difficult problem to solve due to the idea that these high class individuals hold much of the power to make decisions in every country. If these men and women with much wealth would lower their standard of living even a marginal percentage, thousands, if not millions, of others would benefit and live happier lives.
4. Global Terrorism: Every year, thousands of people die from global terrorist attacks. These terrorists often fight in defense of their religion or government. America and Paris, France have been recent targets for terrorism recently.
1. A solution would be for the world to ban together and eliminate the groups that are creating this mass terror. They are not bringing joy, prosperity, or love to the world, so they should have no place in continuing what they are doing.
5. Convenience Food: Our world has been plagued with becoming addicted to a fast paced lifestyle. We desire that our food would match the pace of our lives, so fast food was created. This food is terrible for our bodies, often containing contaminants that have been linked to hundreds of health problems.
1. Spreading awareness of what fast food leads to, and educating our population of the advantages of healthy eating would be a direct way of solving this issue. We need to transition away from processed convenience foods and move back towards home cooked, healthy ingredients.
6. Religious Divide: Google quotes that there are known to be nearly 4,200 religions worldwide. Difference in culture and religion tends to create a division between people, often causing war or persecution.
1. We would need to becoming more accepting of other’s views to help solve the tensions between religions.
7. Rapid Climate Change: Glaciers and the polar ice caps have been melting at an alarming rate, raising the sea level and causing an imbalance in the force… I mean the environment.
1. Minimizing our carbon footprint and moving to a fully electric/solar car would help to solve this issue.
8. Species Elimination:We can think of many species that have been endangered or even have become extinct in our lifetimes. This is often due to over foresting the habitats of many animals.
1. Taking special note of which species reside in protected areas and more efficiently using the resources that we have will help to eliminate deforestation across the globe that will in turn help to save species that find their home there.
9. Global Stagnation: The movie Wall-E is an example of what could come to be our reality. The recent invention of the hoverboard and other inventions that eliminate the need to exercise will ultimately lead us down a path of complete stagnation.
1. We need to encourage teens and adults alike to get active. Using social media and popular culture to encourage active lifestyles will be necessary to turn the tide in global stagnation.
10. Technological Dependence: A very common sight is to see three young adults sitting together at dinner, all completely disconnected from each other, but connected to their cell  phones or tablets.
1. Listening skills, map reading skills, basic mathematics, and face-to-face communication skills are often lost when you can completely depend on your cell phone or tablet. We need to reinforce the importance of quality interaction. A great solution would be having to turn off your phone in restaurants or putting all of the devices in a basket when walking in a household for a dinner.

Week 2 Reading Reflection

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

I was blown away when the author discussed the Global Entrepreurship Monitor. I knew that entrepreneurship was a global idea, but I had no prior knowledge that something such as this existed. Having a mechanism to analyze the business startups around the world is a great tool that will help to drive the entrepreneurial mindset for years to come. 

I was also very surprised at some of the vocabulary used to describe entrepreneurs. The term gazelle, a firm with at least 20% sales growth in a given year starting at a base of $100,000, is a rather humorous term that i found quite creative.
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2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

The only confusing idea throughout the reading was the contrast between micro and macro views of entrepreneurship. I understand what the words micro and macro signify, but I am lost to how the author placed each of the six views into each of these categories.
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3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask?

First, I would ask where the University of Florida is on the list of best ranking entrepreneurship programs is. 

Why?

Because Florida is on the rise to preeminence and I am looking forward to the day that we are leaders in the educational sphere of influence. 

Second, I would ask how the author views the importance of entrepreneurial management in a very established corporations such as Ford or Apple in order to further create new ventures from within. 

Why?

There is no one sole correct way to lead within an organization. Authoritative, democratic, laissez-faire, entrepreneurial management, all are feasible options; my question pertains to how entrepreneurial is best used within a large fortune 500.
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4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

This chapter was full of basic facts regarding Entrepreneurship. I did not disagree with anything that the author discussed. I was impressed at the lack of bias form the author. I look forward to reading more regarding the author's thoughts on entrepreneurship across the States. 

Bug List

Things that just really grind my gears:

1. Chick-Fil-A being closed on Sundays

• The Bible talks about taking the 7th day as rest, and this gives employees the option of attending church, but I still crave CFA more on Sunday than any other day.

2. Dunkin' Donuts coffee never tastes the same to me even though I always order the same drink.

• Different employees have the discretion of adding more or less of sugar or milk, so there is little consistency. 

3. Most bottled water is actually acidic in nature.

• If I am going to pay $2 for bottled water, please give me something that is alkaline and healthy for my body to consume. It is much cheaper for them to process water at a less optimal level, therefore maximizing their profit margins.

4. Hateful Christians that parade through Turlington Plaza preaching terrible lies.

• They believe that their interpretation of the Bible is the only correct one, and that by telling college students how sinful they are, they will turn to Christ for forgiveness. 

5. The is never enough scooter parking next to Library West.

• Administration does not want to take away walking space to create room for more scooters to park. 

6. Companies are tow happy here in Gainesville.

• Instead of leaving a warning about being in an incorrect location, towing companies assume the worst in order to make a profit. My scooter was towed when the company simply could have moved it three feet over to a correct spot. Instead, the company moved it farther to put it on their truck and then charge me $100 to recollect it. PROFIT PROFIT PROFIT.

7. Some general education classes at UF are unnecessarily difficult (weed out classes). 

• Florida wants to ensure that students are committed to working hard in their studies, but some classes average 20%-30% on exams. This is considered normal, but students are not comprehending the material well enough to score well at all. This ends up being what professors strive for. 

8. People do not consider Ultimate Frisbee to be an actual sport.

• This is due to the fact that it is a new and rising sport, not quite receiving the ESPN time that it deserves. 

9. How most every food nowadays is processed and filled with toxins.

• It is much easier and cost effective to process food and cover them with toxins in order to reduce the turnover of crops and resources. 

10. How expensive drones are.

• I love to fly drones, but they break so easily! They are costly now because of the demand and hype of the product. Many have parts included in the drone are expensive and the companies are still experimenting to decrease labor costs and overhead associated with the drones. 

11. How expensive it is to learn how to fly.

• You are leaning how to pilot an aircraft that may cost between $50,000 and $500,000. The fuel and parts associated with aircraft are also very expensive.  

12. The culture surrounding alcohol across the United States. 

• Culture has created a monster when it comes to drinking alcohol. In other countries, alcohol is just another beverage that you can enjoy casually in moderation. America has birthed the idea that binge drinking is fun and leads to great memories and friends. This is far from the truth. 

13. Social media profiles often clash with the reality of individual's off screen lives.

• People often have a lack of confidence in themselves, so they create a false persona of what their lives are like by showing the world only a snapshot of an exaggerated reality.

14. When others respond to the question, "How are you?" with only, "Good." 

• It is much simpler to give a generic answer than going in to depth of describing what may actually be going on in someone's life. 

15. The secret menu at Tropical Smoothie Cafe is only the same at the Archer road location.

•  It would be difficult to extend the secret menu to every location throughout the United States. They would have to triple the size of the menu and increase training time of the smoothie makers. 

16. Others very rarely give the benefit of the doubt. 

• It is often hard to think the best of others before assuming the worst about someone. Gossip is easier than confrontation. 

17. The paradox that jobs require prior experience but often won't hire students or new workers to help them attain this experience. 

• Companies often strive to avoid employment turnover and inexperienced workers that may create a negative experience for a customer. 

18. Americans complain about unemployment but will not work labor intensive jobs.

• Americans want work that is comfortable and easy. They will give up the opportunity to work even when they are in desperate need of money simply because the job is too strenuous for them. 

19. The government can track and spy on us whenever they desire through our smart devices. 

• This is to protect national security, but that does not mean that I enjoy the idea. It steals the peace of mind of those of us who never break the law or threaten this great nation. 

20. How expensive health care is and how the government discredits the cure for cancer existing. 

• Money is the driver for most everything medical related. Why many students strive for medical school, and why government covers up the natural cures for cancer (Gearson Therapy, look it up). We should be able to go to the hospital to ensure that we are healthy, but the system is so expensive that many often avoid any interaction in fear of having to take out a loan just to walk into the waiting room.

I did not feel that this activity was too difficult. It took me roughly an hour to complete. I struggled towards the middle to come up with creative things that truly bug me. The solutions were quite easy to come up with as well; I have previously contemplated each one of these topics so this activity was more memory retrieval than discovering new things that bug me. 

Entrepreneur's Mantra

My Entrepreneurship Story

My story is not necessarily about a business entrepreneurship venture, but rather one of a more fulfilling origin. When I turned 15, I began to serve at my local church in Fort Myers called Next Level Church. I fell in love with the people, the clan culture and the professionalism of the entire organization. Flash forward a few years into my time there, I was asked to be the best man of one of the high level leaders at the church. This would be the man that I would share my first entrepreneurship venture of sorts with.

Our church was growing very rapidly in 2012 and 2013. We were rated the fastest growing church in America by a nation-wide survey. This being the case, our church built a second facility to house a new church. This meant new staff, new student ministry, and new congregation. I was asked to be a part of the launch team of the youth group as a second in command to none other than the man whom I was the best man. This meant that I would be responsible for creating systems, standard operating procedures, team structures, recruit students to serve, and help market the youth group to many high schools around the city. We truly started from ground zero; we had a blank canvas to paint whatever we felt the Lord wanted. 

To save you some of the gory details, we ended up launching with well over 40 students ready to serve on the first week of the new campus. Our hard work paid off, and the church is flourishing now more than ever. My best friend and I were able to lay the foundation of something so much bigger than ourselves.

Stories such as this are why I am taking this class. I want to hone in on my ability to lead when opportunities such as this arise in my future. This entrepreneurial mindset is so relevant in our day and age. Every mega-corporation began as a small start-up venture somewhere along the road. It took dedication from hundreds of individuals that believed in the dream, stuck to the plan, and stuck their nose to the grind to make the possible a reality. I believe that I am someone who has the potential to be in the midst of a small beginning of a big organization one day. I am hoping that this class helps me to realize my potential and prepare me for that day that is surely to come like a thief in the night.

Introduction

My name is Travis McAfee. Though I was born near one of the most beautiful beaches in Florida, I am certainly not a beach bum in the slightest. I was born in Cape Coral, Florida, but then relocated to Fort Myers when I turned nine. I was a star student my whole life; excelling in academics, sports, and the arts. My parents told me that they knew they had a good one when I was born. This was their reasoning whenever I would ask why I don't have any siblings, but who knows the real reason. My mother is a sculpting artist, and has been for the last 21 years. At the root of her art, she is a true entrepreneur, cutting her own path along the road to success. My father spends every week day remodeling beautiful multi-million dollar island homes on Sanibel and Captiva Island.

At the University of Florida, I am very involved around campus. I am a brother of Kappa Phi Epsilon Fraternity, a member of the Florida Cicerones, and I played on the club ultimate frisbee team as well. 

I am currently a third year General Business major with a specialization in Leadership Development, a minor in both Spanish and Leadership. I want to accomplish many things in my time on this side of heaven. I don't necessarily have a dream career, but rather, a bucket list of things that I want to accomplish through various careers.


1) Help lead within a clan-cultured technology company (Google, Apple, Gartner, etc.)

2) Become a Professional Pilot.

3) Go on tour with a band/Work in musical talent acquisition

4) Go into full-time ministry either as a Pastor or as a missionary.

These dreams that run through my head all began during my younger years as very subtle experiences, but have recently flourished into full fledged, achievable destinations that are nearly at my finger tips as I draw closer to graduation.

I have traveled far and wide in my years. I have gone to the far reaches of northern Minnesota, to the southern coasts of Louisiana, to the snow-studded mountain tops of Utah, to the beautiful falls in Niagara. Oh wait... I did not even mention the cliffs of western Ireland and the topless beaches of Barcelona. I have seen castles as old as the myths and legends themselves, and I have explored the streets of towns that Leonardo Da Vinci himself paraded through. Traveling is an integral part of who I have become; I know that I will visit the far corners of the world before my time comes to leave this beautiful Earth.

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