Xavier Ansley-Black

When it comes to this course the thing I enjoyed the most and the thing I am most proud of go hand in hand. It would have to be the elevator pitch video. I did not realize how much actually goes into the pitch. Also, challenging my mind to be creative with it has helped me grow. Since the beginning of the semester, I have grown. I did not believe in myself that I could have an idea and capitalize on it. However, going through this course made me realize that I have the capability to configure a business venture from start to finish. For those who choose to take this course in the future, I recommend really thinking in depth and in advance when doing the assignments. Your business venture could be only confined to these tasks, but at least you are able to grow mentally if the time is put in.

Opportunity: The biggest opportunity that I identified is the need for transportation to get across campus where mopeds and buses do not have access to. Most people have this need because parking for scooters are typically further away from buildings or the roads are not even close to the actual classroom lecture halls. These same classrooms and lecture halls are places that faculty have their meetings, so they encounter the same struggles that students do. Therefore, the most likely potential customer will be students and also the faculty on campus. There is opportunity to take advantage of visitors to the campus as well because they will see the convenience and feel the excitement when riding one. College campuses are growing, and if it is taken advantage of on one campus, then it can be on other campuses too. The main target, students, will be loyal to this product because majority go to the downtown area of their hometowns and are able to ride these scooters. With that being ...

1. For my exit strategy, I have decided that I will get my business patent and keep it going. I will then pass it down to my children and keep it running in the family as a source of revenue. I believe that this business can be effective for many years to come, and the company can even grow in ideas and resources. 2. I chose this strategy because I want to help create generational wealth in my family. I do not want a constant cycle of having to reinvent the wheel. Instead of trying to come up with something brand new, the money and resources will already be there. This way the company can just grow expeditiously. 3. If I want to pass something down, I do not want to do a half decent job. That will only create more work because then my children would have to fix my mistakes. Therefore, this strategy has allowed myself to focus in on executing properly. This will benefit in the long run.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck 1.        What was the general theme of the book? The general theme is to have a mindset that is fixed and also keeping an open mind to fulfill one’s potential in life. 2.       How did the book in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT3003? There was a part in the book that focused on corrective criticism and how people respond to the failure that occurs is crucial. Even in the class, we discuss learning from our failures for growth. So, this book reinforces what we are already being taught. 3.       If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve? I would have students lay out a short-term goal and a long-term goal. Typically, long term goals are more difficult and aligns with an individual’s calling, and short-term goals can be more widespread. I a...

1.       Tell us about a time this past semester that you failed. Throughout this semester, I have failed at studying for exams without it being at the last minute. I am taking a statistics class, and there are only three exams. The first exam I was all fired up and doing so many extracurricular things that I ended up cramming for the exam. It resulted in me getting a D. The second exam I thought I had learned my lesson, but here I was doing the same thing that I had done previously. However, I received a higher grade the second time. 2.       Tell us what you learned from it. I learned that it does not matter what else is going on, I need to be ahead on my school work. My social life should not come ahead of academics because it only makes my life stressful in the long run. 3.       Reflect If I truly push myself and put in the work, then I will be more successful and stress free. My freshman yea...

Existing Market Step 1: When it comes to products and services, my next move would be to conduct a trial and advertise. Step 2: I interviewed three customers, and they all gave similar feedback. They believe that the word needs to get out and create some buzz for the scooters. Step 3: Based on the feedback and my own expectations, the future seems to be bright and successful. It is something that will continue to grow and become bigger and bigger. It can even reach other college campuses. My customers think that there are a lot of ways to advertise. One interviewee believed that partnering with the university’s social media accounts on Instagram and twitter would make it easier to reach out. That would be something to help gain a following and convince people to buy in. New Market Step 1: A radically different market would have to be a corporation’s job site. It would be different age groups, safety precautions, budgeting, etc. to get around. Step 2: My ve...

Opportunity: The biggest opportunity that I identified is the need for transportation to get across campus where mopeds and buses do not have access to. Most people have this need because parking for scooters are typically further away from buildings or the roads are not even close to the actual classroom lecture halls. These same classrooms and lecture halls are places that faculty have their meetings, so they encounter the same struggles that students do. Therefore, the most likely potential customer will be students and also the faculty on campus. There is opportunity to take advantage of visitors to the campus as well because they will see the convenience and feel the excitement when riding one. College campuses are growing, and if it is taken advantage of on one campus, then it can be on other campuses too. The main target, students, will be loyal to this product because majority go to the downtown area of their hometowns and are able to ride these scooters. With that being sa...

1. Current employment V- My segment focuses closely with students and faculty because I work with sororities and fraternities on campus. It is beneficial to be in contact with your exact target group. R- I do believe it is rare for someone to be in my position- being in constant reach of my particular target because my staff only has 3 people. I- It depends on the situation. N- Yes. Peers, chance encounters, advertisements, social media. 2. Long-term knowledge of the segment V- Having background knowledge and first hand experience with this segment provides a jump start on truly understanding the audience. R- Not necessarily "rare" because every big city has this opportunity. I- Not difficult, as "long-term" can accomplish in a year N- You could do extensive research in a short amount of time in order to gain a sufficient amount of evidence to support your opportunity. It is not something for long term. 3.   Friends with app development capabil...

https://youtu.be/MNMwfMg1nLU The feedback that I was given after my first elevator pitch is that my idea was good, and it could be beneficial to my target audience. Also, my electric scooters on campus idea is similar to systems that Uber and Lime provide in big cities, and it was mentioned how they are successful there. On the other hand, it was stated that I did not mention anything about the price of the service or if it simply would be something expensive or relatively affordable. My second elevator pitch said I did a good job with incorporating the feedback, so I stuck with the key points and tried to build on what I did for the second one. With this feedback, I first decided to stand up instead of sitting down because I felt it would make the video flow better. However, I did not like the feeling I was getting. So, I liked it better when I was sitting centered at my desk.  In addition, I cut down more on the setting the scene intro scenario, and this allows me to s...

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams 1) What was the general theme or argument of the book? The general theme is basically keeping working hard consistently even if setbacks do come up. We are programmed as people to want more in life always and we have to use what we have in order to achieve more. 2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003? It gave me some good insight that it is okay if we do not always get what we want. On the other hand, you will still be successful if you are being consistent and working hard. 3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve? The exercise I would design for this class would be sort of a reflection forum. It will challenge students minds by looking deeper into the failures that they have. With these failures, I want them to analyze how that in life put them in the place they are...

Domain Expert: For this I made a connection with a guy name Ben and he is a current driver for Uber. I called Uber and was able to find Ben by requesting some sort of administration in my area. Ben is able to offer me advice on providing transportation service to consumers. He has given me advice on how price can impact my consumers. This will benefit the business because it allows a connection that can help give advice on altering price as consumer demand and ideology changes. Expert on Market: For this I made a connection with a guy name Chris and he works for Lyft who provides electric scooters to downtown Miami. I met him by going downtown and waiting for the business to come by and check on the scooters. For me, his favor is to help me understand the benefit of how far apart to place the scooters and how many to put in each location. This will enhance my business opportunity by allowing me the ability to effect a wide range of people. Important Supplier: A connection has bee...

Me: My talents are within my work ethic. I will go to great lengths to see what I contribute to succeed. I aspire to be successful. It does not matter specifically what the goal is, I want to accomplish it. When it comes to my scooter business, I want it to be successful. It will be related to my name but in the future I only want people to benefit from it. I don’t need recognition for it. What are you offering to customers?  I am offering a service that will provide a form of transportation to the people who are on the University of Florida campus. The campus already has bus systems but there are long ranges on campus where the bus system does not reach. I witness people on the campus speed walking or even jogging across campus when running late, but this scooter can help them. Who are you offering it to?  This service is being offered to a wide range of people. There are young students who are 18-23 typically on the campus. Also it will be of assistance to the older fa...

https://youtu.be/BFQ7k60xeaI The feedback that I was given after my first elevator pitch is that my idea was good, and it could be beneficial to my target audience. Also, my electric scooters on campus idea is similar to systems that Uber and Lime provide in big cities, and it was mentioned how they are successful there. On the other hand, it was stated that I did not mention anything about the price of the service or if it simply would be something expensive or relatively affordable. With this feedback, I first decided to stand up instead of sitting down because I felt it would make the video flow better. In addition, I cut down more on the setting the scene intro scenario, and this allows me to speak more on the wider range of people that could benefit. I took communicating the price as a big piece of feedback, so I mentioned in the pitch that it would be affordable.

My customers can be anyone but being on a college campus where students are the majority, the bulk of my customers will be young adults between the ages of 18-23. Some of them may have cars and also some may have mopeds. The types and quality of their means of transportation would depend on their financial status. When creating my avatars, I tried to come up with a couple that appears to be young to represent the student body. When it comes to relatability, I too am a student that is 20 years old and my car is not new, yet it gets me to my destinations. This is not a coincidence because the majority of college students are around my age and their cars often are not the latest models. When it comes to finances, it is very helpful that I am able to have my own transportation, but with the lack of funds, it is good that I do not have a vehicle that requires high maintenance.

Five Things That Make Me Unique: 1.      I am a dependable person and I will get things done. 2.      One thing I am good at is trying to hear out every side of situations and opportunities. 3.      My background is very diverse, so I am able to relate to a majority of different people. 4.      I have always been a person that is a go-getter and am relentless to get things done. 5.      I am good at being able to plan and prioritize when it comes to tasks and work that needs to be done. Interviews: Link to Interviews 1.      Jay is my mentee who sees me as an older role model. He believes that I have a good ability to brainstorm ideas. 2.      Jelani is in my mentorship family. If you ask him, he thinks I am good at networking with the people that are around me. 3.      Gary has been one of my close fri...

Interviews:  For this assignment, I interviewed three students that are members of my fraternity at the University of Florida. Begin with alternative evaluation:  When it comes to evaluating their alternatives, the majority of the time the deciding factor will have to be the cost of the service. Since they do not make much money from their minimum wage jobs, their budgets do not allow to be dedicated to many extra things. Also, convenience is an important factor. They do not want to spend money on something that is not efficient for them. How/where do they buy:  The segment is more like to use services that are accessible online and through their phones. More people are using debit and credit cards instead of cash, so any system that has the ability to link a bank account will be what the segment benefits from the most. Post-purchase evaluation:  Whether the product is fast and at a reasonable price is what will matter the most. If the purchase did not b...

Tenaciousness is a competency This course is all about challenging your ability to prioritize and being able to be disciplined. Each assignment has multiple parts, so it has been crucial for me to learn to start earlier with my assignments so I can allocate the proper amount of time to put into my work. Over the first two months, this course has improved my time management. Tenaciousness is also about attitude When it comes to giving up, my second- and third-week completing assignments for this course was a trying time for myself. I had other obligations to be fulfilling also and I found it hard to keep up. However, this time allowed me to really focus in on that time management improvement to get me through that challenge. Tips Here are a few tips from my personal experience that can help get you through the course: 1.      Start your assignments early and remember they are due at 12pm and not 11:59pm. 2.      Fo...

For the reading, I chose to read Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life by Lisa Chaney. I love fashion, clothes, and shopping so the choice was not hard for me. As I was reading the article, I was surprised by her struggles to work her way to the top of the fashion industry. Of course, everyone has to start somewhere, but since I am accustomed to her brand being at the top, it is interesting to read about the journey to get there. I admire the strength and persistence that she has in order to keep pushing. However, I do not admire that business and pleasure had to be mixed in order for her to move up the industry. At the time, she was battling a struggle to get into an industry dominated by men, and her childhood added onto her adversities. When it comes to competencies, Chanel’s determination and being able to be resourceful was great. Her rags to riches story were made possible by her being able to utilize her skills. On the other hand, I was confused about why she was secretive abou...

Buyer Behavior ·       Pick a Segment: For my choice in segment, I decided to pick people who are students of large college campuses in order to get a grasp of the need for my business idea. Since students and young people are the majority of the people who will be using the service, they were my main focus in a segment. ·       Interview, Need Summaries, and Information Searches o    Interview 1: My first of the series of interviews was with a graduate student who also attended the University of Florida as an undergraduate. His summary was exactly what I had in mind. His need comes into play on a day to day basis because every semester he faces the struggle of having to get from one class to another within 15 minutes, but the classes are on opposing sides of the campus. His google searches are for looking up “uber or lyft ride”. o    Interview 2: The second interview I conducted was for a student who...

1.      Me: My name is Xavier Ansley-Black, and I am a 3rd-year Information Systems Major at the University of Florida. My talents are being able to dive into and dissect what the bigger picture is when it comes to accomplishing tasks. At the same time, I love to assist people with the problems I am traveling to solve. My problem-solving tactics always incorporate others, and when it comes to my business concept, I feel my scooter business will help make their lives easier on a day to day basis. 2.      What I am offering: I am offering a scooter service for a small fee that will allow people on the University of Florida campus to have a convenient way of traveling across campus. Customers will be able to have a service that will not cost them hundreds or thousands of dollars to use as opposed to purchasing a Moped to get around campus. 3.      Who am I offering this service to: Any person that is on the UF campus i...

https://youtu.be/eUHceGBTYK0

Who :  Students, faculty, and visitors to campus that feel as if the electric scooters are not necessary, they would rather walk or wait on-campus buses.  These people fall outside this boundary because they would be in the category of people who could benefit from this service but would not utilize it. What : This need differs from another need due to comfort, affordability, and necessity.  The thirst is not the same as the hunger because priorities for each individual are rarely ever the same. Why : The cause of the outsiders' need that differentiates them from people inside the boundary of this opportunity is their inability to afford to rent scooters or the feeling that electric scooters are not needed. Interview #1 T’Kia, Graduate Student at the University of Florida T’Kia first started at the university as an undergraduate and she took the bus everywhere. As she progressed throughout college, she took the bus around campus less and less because she learned how to...