Gonzalo's Blog: January 2019

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Testing the Hypothesis Part 1

The opportunity that I want to expand upon is the same one I have talked about before and that is how alarm clocks disrupt your sleep in a startling way.

The Who: Everyone who needs to wake up at a specific time

The What: Alarm clocks

The Why: There has not been a better way to wake someone up yet

Testing the who: Not everyone needs to wake up at a specific time and some do not mind alarm clocks.

Testing the what: Alarm clocks

Testing the why: in an article by "ABC news" explains how alarm clocks are bad for your heart. Increasing blood pressure and heart rate, as well as stress by giving you an adrenaline rush.

Interview #1:

The first person I spoke with was very supportive of this opportunity. In fact, it was not very helpful since he didn't challenge anything I said. He hates alarm clocks just as much as I do and was not surprised to learn that they are bad for your heart since they startle you awake.

Interview #2:

This person was a great help. She does not like alarm clocks but knows they are necessary since she is a deep sleeper. She thinks nothing else would wake her so even if there was a way to wake up without noise, she would not use it. This causes me to think that not everyone would be willing to try a new method of waking up in the morning.

Interview #3:

I was very shocked to hear that my third interviewee has been waking up to natural light every day. He has been doing this for a long time and said it took some time to get used to. He likes it because it wakes him up extremely early and it allows him to make the most of his day. I might have to try this.

Interview #4:

This person has been using a silent alarm for a while now. He bought an apple watch a year ago and does not mind sleeping with it, so he uses its vibrating alarm to wake up. I have tried this, but it is very uncomfortable. Although this solves the what it does not do it for everyone.

Interview#5:

My last interview took an interesting turn. Since she did not like alarm clocks, she changed the alarm to a song. The song starts with a mellow tone and then picks up enough to wake her up. This could be the solution for the abrupt part of the problem. The only challenge would be for people that are heavy sleepers and do not wake up so easily.

Friday, January 25, 2019

Identifying Local Opportunities

Parent, could your teens be 'Julling'?

https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0125%21January%2B25&f=advanced&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/1712DC386D0E0308

The article begins my stating multiple facts such as the increase in the amount of e-cigarette uses and that one in five high schoolers have vaped in the past month. Studies are being done to determine if these corporation are in fact targeting teens. The mango flavor pods have been removed from stores to comply with regulations. Toward the end of the article it informs parents on what they should do to prevent their teens from smoking and if they are how to help them stop.

The problem presented in the story is the rise in nicotine addiction in teens. Vaping has become 'cool' so it is what people will do to fit in. There is an opportunity here for someone to discover a way to help either quite this habit or make it known just how damaging it is to smoke nicotine. This is the modern cigarette and the next 'jule' is on its way.

It is mostly high schoolers and millennials that have this problem. Mainly because it is in style to smoke these things. It has also become a problem for parents as their underage kids are consuming these products.

"Drugs - selling, holding, prescribing - cost these medical professionals their licenses"

https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529&sort=YMD_date%3AD&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=problem&docref=news/171287D8A9B9EA50

The article talks about a couple of doctors that got caught selling and prescribing drugs to civilians that used them for recreational purposes. The DEA caught them and it has become a rising problem and that the Florida Department of Health has had to remove licenses because of it.

The problem here is the influence these pharmaceutical companies have over doctors. They push for doctors to prescribe these pills and it gets some people addicted to them. Then to make extra cash these doctors or nurses can sell these pills themselves because the pharmaceutical companies will practically pay them to do so.

The people that suffer from these problems are those who have addictive personalities and have been prescribe highly addictive drugs. It is also a problem for the DEA since their job is to prevent the illegal selling of drugs.

"Even out at sea, the air on cruise ships may be dirtier than you think, study shows"

An associate professor at John Hopkins did a study on the air quality in a carnival cruise ship and found that the air particles where similar to those of Beijing, China. People think that because they are out in the middle of the sea that the wind disperses these toxins but even though that might be slightly true, people are still exposed to these fumes. Carnival denied the claims and called them ridiculous. These particles are so small that they can enter the blood stream and even the brain. It poses a very serious concern for those who travel on cruise ships.

The problem here is that cruise ships are not as eco-friendly as people might think. This is a big issue because there are hundreds of cruise ships travel the world constantly. They build bigger ones every year. If they are not monitored or they don’t start using more ecofriendly engines this can cause a huge problem for the environment in the future.

Everyone on earth is affected by this problem but the people affected most are those who take cruises frequently.

"Shop for electricity? Florida voters could decide in 2020."

A group called Citizens for Energy Choices has developed a petition to have Florida supreme court decide on whether or not to allow the increase of competition in Florida energy market. The petition does not ask for there to deregulate the market but to allow for competitors to join it. Big energy companies claim that deregulating the market will cause harm to the consumer since that’s what the past has shown in other state, but this is not the intention of the citizens.

There is a problem when it comes to choosing an electricity provider as there is not choice at all. GRU for example charges an absurd amount for electricity bills and there is nothing the consumer can do since it is either pay them or not have any power in your home.

Everyone in Florida faces this problem so it is important for everyone to be aware and to go vote.

"Sea-level ride is not just for the waterfront"

https://infoweb-newsbank-com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529&sort=YMD_date%3AD&page=2&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=problem&docref=news/1710AA6D432BA928

The article talks about how the rising sea levels will not just affect the beach front properties but all of Florida. There has already been reports of septic tanks overflooding in people back yards as west as Kendall. If this trend continues all of Florida home owners can expect to have their properties ruined even worse lose their homes.

The problem here is the rising sea-level. Due to global warming the ice caps are melting causing the seas to rise. If this continues it can be possible that all of Florida will be under water. To be exact any cities near water can disappear. It is up to use to speak with our representatives and people in power so that we can resolve this issue.

The whole world is affected by this problem as if cities are lost then everyone will be affected.

Friday, January 18, 2019

Forming an Opportunity Belief

Something that really stuck with me from the Bug assignment was my bug about alarm clocks. I personally do not like waking up to a loud noise and from everyone I have talked to on the matter do not like it either.

There has to be a better way to wake up in the morning without being startled awake. This is something everyone does. If you need to wake up at a certain time, then you use an alarm clock. This device has been around since the 1800s and although it has advanced it has a long way to go. Right now the only advancement made has been to put silent alarms on smartwatches but it is very unconvertible to sleep with one on. I am 98% sure this opportunity exists.

A prototypical customer is anyone that needs to wake up in the morning or at a specific time.

The first person I talked to understood that there was a need for a better method of waking up but did not think the problem was worth taking on. He has been using alarm clocks since high school when his parents stopped waking him up for school. When I asked if he had any ideas on the matter he stated that alarm clocks do not bother him that much.

The second person I talked to realized she hated alarms clocks in high school. She used to use them every day for work and school. Like my other friend, her need for alarm clocks came when her parents stopped waking her up in the morning. She decided to stop using them and now sleep with her smartwatch on. She is happy with it. Said she hasn't used an alarm clock in months and loves waking up now.

The last person I talked to does not really use alarms. He has picked afternoon classes and does not have a job so he just wakes up whenever he wants to. He did not use them in high school either because his parents would wake him up. He has used them in the past for certain events but never on a constant basis.

I learned a lot about my conversations with these three individuals. I still think it is a fixable problem even though one did not think so and there has to be a better fix than wearing a smartwatch. I also learned this doesn't affect everyone since the last person I spoke with didn't even use alarms.

I think my opportunity is still there. It might not be for everyone but then again nothing really is. I think my conversations enforced my opportunity if anything. I think entrepreneurs should adapt but to a certain extent. You can't please everyone so if you try you'll just fail. One person can't see a problem from every angle on his own but if he listens to other he can.

Thursday, January 17, 2019

My Entrepreneurship Story

In middle school, I took a class where for the final project the class had to come up with a product to sell to the rest of the school. We came up with rainbow slinkies. After we came up with the product we had to sell it during lunch and after school. It was a great experience working as a group and getting to market and sell a product. At the end of the school year, all the money we made would be put into a party and the remainder would be donated.

I took this class because I always looked up to entrepreneurs and needed a business elective. I currently don't have any expectations from this class so as long as I leave with something I will be happy.

Bug

Getting put on hold with customer service bugs me. It exists because big companies have to many customers to answer all questions right away.
Slow internet bugs me. It exists because companies want you to pay more money for faster internet to make more money.
It bugs me when an elevator is broken. This happens when the building does not maintain their elevators so they break down.
Getting cold called bothers me. It exists because it's a cheap way or reaching multiple people in a fast manner.
Having a low battery on my phone bugs me. It exists because over time phone batteries deplete and needs to be changed or recharged.
Overplayed commercials bother me. Companies want to get the most exposure so they pay to have their commercials played constantly.
Alarm clocks bug me. They exist to wake people up at specific times.
People that chew with their both open bugs me. Some people are raised differently and were never told not to do this.
It bugs me when there is a lot of people at the gym. Every year people make a new year resolution to go to the gym so a lot of people go.
Cold weather bugs me. This time of year the northern hemisphere is farther away from the sun so the climate gets colder.
Car alarms in the morning bug me. Sometimes people set off car alarms and the owner isn't close enough to shut it off.
Melted ice cream bugs me. Ice cream needs to be at a certain temperature and when it hot it melts.
Warm bear bugs me. Sometimes I'll leave a beer out and forget to drink it and it'll get warm because it has been sitting at room temperature.
Waiting in line bugs me. When a lot of people want to go to the same place and it has a limit a line forms.
It bugs me when I can't find parking. When there is not enough space or too many people go somewhere it is hard to find parking.
It bugs me when people use all the hot water in the shower. There is a limit to how much hot water a tank can hold.
It bugs me when I cut myself shaving. This happens when I have a pimple on my face or I accidentally go sideways with the razer instead of up and down.
It bugs me when my laundry comes out of the dryer moist and not dry. This happens when it was not in there for a long enough time.
Getting sick bugs me. This happens when other people who are sick spread their germs and I become in contact with them.
It bugs me when my food falls apart. This happens when it is not prepared properly.

I found this assignment somewhat challenging but what I like about it most is that even though there are a lot of things that bug me, there are multiple solutions to these problems.

Monday, January 14, 2019

First Post

This is my first post