Growing My Social Capital

Domain Expert:

1. Financial Consultant- This contact is an expert in studying the market and knows a lot about which companies/ideas work and which don’t in order to help his clients. He’s based in Charolette, North Carolina. 

2. Domain Expert. This contact knows a great deal about stocks, investments, and other information that was valuable about the market. 

3. This contact is a friend of my older brother and I contacted him by FaceTime after my brother sent me his number. 

4. He talked to me a great deal about how to present the product. He suggested having a line of products, because people are more likely to buy and invest in a company/product that seems established. He was a great resource because he is only a few years older than I am so he spoke in a way that was easy for me to understand. He did me the favor of putting in the time and effort to talk to me and the return expectation is a continued friendship with my brother and myself.

5. Including this person in my network is a great way to enhance my ability to exploit an opportunity. He knows so much about the market and companies and can even help me handle my personal finances. 

Market Expert: 

1. This contact is an Environmental Science Researcher/Graduate Student at Duke University. 

2. Market Expert: This contact knows so much about the field of renewable energy and has spent the past couple of years research the best methods for people to switch to renewable energy. 

3. This contact is a friend of my older brother and I also contacted her by FaceTime after my brother sent me her number. 

4. I found this contact extremely helpful and interesting. This was an amazing conversation because I got to talk to someone who cares about the same things as me AND is so knowledgeable about them. She talked to me about how this is a great idea, and how she would definitely buy one. She said if it really does happen she could help me with the actual design of the phone and wiring. So cool! She did me the favor of putting in the time and effort to talk to me and the return expectation is a continued friendship with my brother and myself.

5. Including this person in my network is a great way to enhance my ability to exploit an opportunity and I got to ask really cool questions. She knows so much about renewable energy and the market behind it, she was a huge help.

Supplier

1, Phone Case Salesman- This is the manager at a phone repair and case store in Boca Raton, Florida.

2. Industry Supplier: This contact knows what types of phoneeases sell and which demographics buy which cases.

3. This contact is a salesman in the plaza closest to my house. I called the store and asked to speak to the manager.

4. I shared my idea with the manager and he said if we could get it down to a reasonable price, he would consider selling it in his store. He also said if it came in different designs, such as solid colors, glitter, and some with pictures on them, he thinks all different kinds of people would buy it. He did me a favor, potentially with the intent of me to continue being a customer, but probably was just trying to be kind. 

5. Including this person in my network allows me to get in contact with a potential distributor. It was really insightful in helping me plan the selling of my phone case.

Reflection: 

This exercise put me in contact with some really cool contacts. By asking my brother, I got two contacts already, which was awesome. I will definitely be using these contacts in the future in my research and/or other ventures. I was really thankful that each of these people were willing to talk to me and answer my questions. It is nice to think that people are willing to do that, especially with the current state of the world. 

Idea Napkin No. 2

Idea Napkin No. 1

1. Who I Am- My name is Nicole Kone and I am a sophomore at the University of Florida. I am an Economics and Sustainability Studies double major. I believe my strengths to be my charisma and my sense of humor. I usually can make people laugh quite easily, which makes people tend to feel as though they connect with me early on. My aspirations are to help save the world, become an environmental lawyer, and make a difference in the fight against climate change. My aspirations and my expertise increase my human capital, my dream occupation is related to my product, which is really cool! I see the solar powered phone charging case playing a role in my life by being a step in the right direction of making changes that will help the environment. 

2. What I Am Offering To My Customers- My product will satisfy the unmet need of an easy transition into renewable energy in everyday life. My expertise and passion are also being offered to help convince my customers to care more about the environment! The case will be affordable and customizable, making it an appealing product on its own. I am providing customers a phone case they will already want, that also helps save the world. 

3. Who I’m Offering To- My customers will be people who have phones, want a phone case, and especially those who want to help the environment. While I think that environmentalists and people already make a conscious effort will already buy this case, the case’s customizability and affordability will be a huge draw for customers who are just in the market for a new case. 

4. Why They Care- The truth is, for my product, customers do not need to care about the environment. Those who care about protecting their phone, or having a portable charger will be on board to buy my product by themselves. The charging capabilities and design of the case in itself will encourage people to spend their money on the case. The added plus is helping the environment, which may also be the draw for other people. 

5. My Core Competencies- What sets me apart from everyone else is my background in both economics and sustainability. For that reason, my knowledge and planning for my product is specifically geared to help the environment AND generate income. 

I truly believe all of these elements fit well together. With my desire to help save the world, the amount of potential customers, my unique product, and my unique background all fit together in a way that makes me believe in my product and pitch. I believe that no part of my business concept is weak because I truly do not believe that there are people actively working against the environment. 

Feedback Reflection:

My comments were all positive, so I did not change much about my idea napkin.My revisions were based around the comments that were all revolving around my major, expertise, and aspirations. Therefore, I changed a few things in part 1 and 2 of the idea napkin. I really appreciated all of the feedback. Thanks to everyone who commented!

Customer Avatar

This is Jenny, a senior Sustainability Studies major at the University of Florida. She is currently deciding between a job at an environmental consulting firm, and working for a nonprofit to save the rainforests. Her favorite color is orange and her favorite hobby is to watch the sun rise and set at Paynes Prairie. She manages a 4.0 GPA while being involved in about a dozen clubs on campus and keeping up with her busy social life. She drives a white Prius and loves to blast Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber while carpooling with her friends. Since her parents are both strong advocates for the environment, she has grown up loving our planet and working to protect it; it is a key part of who seh is as a person. Also, Jenny heavily advocates for any political candidate who makes environmental issues a leading part of their platform; she is even considering running for office one day. Jenny likes to dress cute for her daily life, especially when she has class, but also loves to rep the organizations she's apart of. She is always informed with what is going on, but never forces news on anyone that doesn't want to hear it. She is the perfect amount of passionate, not overbearing but makes you believe in what she's doing.

Jenny would identify herself as a "tree hugger" but others often think of her as a "cool" girl.

I feel as though I see a lot of myself in the avatar I created. I am passionate, definitely a tree hugger, and Taylor Swift's music is my guilty pleasure. I do believe that I can be pushy when it comes to the things I believe in, unlike Jenny. The reason I picked the product that I did, a solar-powered phone case, is because I truly believe it is something I would use and advocate for. For that reason, it makes sense that the person I envision using my product is similar to me in most ways.

Elevator Pitch No. 2

My Elevator Pitch No. 2: https://youtu.be/5SOheemddEM

While all of my comments were positive, I critiqued my own elevator pitch. I didn’t like my previous hook, as it did not truly capture the audience’s attention. I also amped up my energy level to make myself seem even more passionate and excited about my proposal. Lastly, I removed all of the larger vocabulary to make my proposal feel more personable and less preachy. I really feel as though these small changes made my elevator pitch infinitely better. 

My Secret Sauce

1) Describe five ways in which you think you have human capital that is truly unique.

- Humor. I am easily the funniest person I know. I know this sounds like I’m being cocky, but I even won the Class Clown superlative at my high school. I love to make light in stressful situations and make people smile and laugh.

-Approachability. I am a 5’2” and very petite with a smile on my face at all times. My bubbly personality always makes me seem easy to talk to, even when I don’t necessarily want to talk to anyone.

- Communication. I believe I am an excellent communicator. I work very hard to be clear and descriptive when I explain things that I care about.

- Leadership. I am someone who stands for the things I believe it and rarely follows other around. I like to do things my own way yet know how to compromise when I have to.

- Hard working. I always do the things that I have to do quickly, usually beforehand and effectively. I love hard work and have always gotten bored when things get too easy. 

Interviews

1. My boyfriend: https://soundcloud.com/nikkikone/timmy-m4a My boyfriend says that I am very pragmatic and can mitigate problems in an effective way. We have been dating for over a year and a half and he has seen my ability to deal with hard situations in a way that makes things seem easier and less serious. 

2. My mom: https://soundcloud.com/nikkikone/mom-m4a My mom said that I am a hard worker and I always find a way to get things done while still smiling. I believe this to be true about myself.

3. Sara (my friend): https://soundcloud.com/nikkikone/sara-m4a My friend Sara says that I know a lot of information, yet never make people feel bad about not knowing things when I explain them. I believe this has to do with my communication skills and approachability.

4. My brother: https://soundcloud.com/nikkikone/zack-m4a My brother says I can find the humor in any situation and I always keep the room light. I think this has to do with my sense of humor and positive attitude. 

5. My little and bestie: https://soundcloud.com/nikkikone/alex-m4a My little says that I know information about many different things and I have really specific ways of speaking and mannerisms. I think this comes from my leadership abilities and my unwillingness to change parts of myself for others. 

Reflecting on the differences:

I think there are many similarities and differences between what I and others anticipated as my “secret sauce.” My friends seemed impressed by my knowledge of random things, which is something I didn’t mention. I think the reason for  this discrepancy is that the knowledge I have is just the things that I know, but to them it is useful help that is presented in a friendly and nice way. Many of the things that people said were the same as what I said, which is honestly pretty cool. I really enjoyed this assignment and being validated in the characteristics I value in myself. 

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Each of my interviews were college sophomores of both genders.

The first student I interviewed was a male sophomore who I sat next to on the bus to my 9:35 class. I asked him how he feels about the environment and he told me he was actually a sustainability studies major. I explained my idea to him and he said that he would definitely be interested in purchasing it if it came to be. He said if I could make it stylish and affordable that would be the best way to get others, who may not care as much about the environment to make the purchase as well.

The second person I interviewed was a male in my class that I do not normally sit next to. He essentially said that if the case was “cool” and not “really expensive” he would be interested in buying it, but wouldn’t necessarily give up the case he has now. I understand this but I think that once the case people already have breaks, they would be likely to buy my product as a replacement. Who wouldn’t want a portable charger attached to their case?

My third interview was a female student who I met at a sorority event. I asked her what the most important part of buying something new is. She said she thinks about the convenience and style it adds to her daily life. For this reason, I think that she would be an ideal candidate for a stylish, portable charging case.

Through these interviews, I learned that as long as my product is as cute and affordable as I envisioned it to be, it will be a great success amongst students. I also learned that students place much more of an emphasis on their shopping wants and needs than I had previously expected, meaning that my product will most likely have great sales in this demographic.