Assignment 6A

Economic Trend 1

            Source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/deutsche-banks-u-s-operations-deemed-troubled-by-fed-1527768310

            Why it might exist: I think an opportunity might exist because many people who work at Deutsche Bank are going to lose their jobs

            Prototypical Customer: The prototypical customer would be the bankers who have lost their jobs

            Exploitable?: I think it is completely exploitable because these people have experience and can easily take advantage of their past to help them succeed in the future

            Why did I see it?: I saw this because I am interested in investment banking and follow the news related to it. Others might not see it but people who are in a similar situation as my own or currently work for banks would probably see it too.

Economic Trend 2

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/markets/2018/05/31/time-switch-investments-treasury-yields-outperforming-us-equities/658301002/

            Why it might exist: An opportunity might exist here because this is a situation that we don’t see very often. Treasury bonds are returning more than the market’s dividends and there has to be a way to exploit this.

            Prototypical Customer: I think the people who could take advantage of this would have to be stock traders or market analysts.

            Exploitable?: I personally am not sure how to exploit it so I can’t say for sure, but I assume that there are people who know how to exploit this opportunity.

            Why did I see it?: I saw it only because I was working on this assignment and clicked on an article that I usually wouldn’t

Regulatory Trend 1

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/us-europe-tries-strain-over-trumps-trade-war-online-privacy-dispute/2018/05/30/7da8808e-6422-11e8-a69c-b944de66d9e7_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.0146613a6b51

            Why it might exist: I think an opportunity might be growing since there will be new trade restrictions on steel and aluminum. This is could create a shortage and increased demand for steel and aluminum in the US.

            Prototypical Customer: I think the people who would most likely take advantage of this opportunity would be steel and aluminum manufactures in the United States, or in countries that the trade regulations will not affect.

            Exploitable?: If the tarrifs do go through, then it will completely be exploitable for profit.

            Why did I see it?: I saw this simply by reading the front page of the Washington post, which I do most mornings so I think most people who understand supply and demand and also read the paper could see it as well.

Regulatory Trend 2

Source: http://money.cnn.com/2018/05/31/news/companies/sports-betting-delaware-sportspick/index.html

            Why it might exist: The opportunity exists because of a supreme court ruling that legalized sports betting. Now there will be a need for legal bookmakers and betting operations that did not legally exist before.

            Prototypical Customer: I think the people who can take advantage of the opportunity would be anyone who knows how to run a book. Also the customers will be sports fans everywhere.

            Exploitable?: This is completely exploitable. All you have to do is set up a book and start getting regular clients.

            Why did I see it?: I dabble in gambling myself so I have been following the news about it since the supreme court ruling. This is a pretty obvious opportunity though, so I think a lot of people will see it.

Assignment 5A

1: Mosquitoes bring health risks after rain – Stephen Hudack

Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16C1F7A89CC26188?p=WORLDNEWS

Story: This article explains that mosquito eggs are laid in standing water and then hatch after being rained on again. It then goes on to explain the diseases that can be spread by mosquitos and the potential effects that they have on humans. It mentions the amount of Zika cases that have been recorded in the past year in Florida and also tells us that some horses have just been diagnosed with diseases that are transmitted by mosquitos. It also explains how the state fights mosquito borne illnesses with mosquito fish that eat mosquito eggs.

Problem: The main problem in this article is that we are going to be exposed to a very increased amount of mosquitos after the rain that we have been having and the potential health effects that we could experience because of it.

Who: The people who will experience these problems are local Floridians who have had heavy rain in their respective areas.

2: Florida under tropical storm warning for Alberto - As it moves north, Orlando area in flood watch – Roger Simmons and Michael Williams

Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16C2A21FA3B94B50?p=WORLDNEWS

Story: The article tracks the movement of Tropical Storm Alberto and its expected landfall in northwest Florida. The article contained an interview of an individual in Orlando who had already started preparing for the storm by getting food and water for a few days. It also explains that there could be potential damage to the community from the storm.

Problem: Tropical storms and hurricanes can cause devastating damage to homes and communities that are in their paths

Who: Pretty much everyone in Florida is affected by hurricanes and tropical storms throughout their lifetimes. This storm in particular could affect people on the west coast of Florida.

3: Rainy days mean more encounters with snakes – Roger Simmons

Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16C24D90CF478790?p=WORLDNEWS

Story: This article interviews a local snake expert, Bob Cross, who explains that the rain we have been having causes snakes, that usually keep to themselves in wooded areas, to come out to higher, drier ground. He then explains that the main threat would be from venomous snakes like cottonmouths and pygmy rattlesnakes but other snakes like black racers will come out as well.

Problem: Venomous snakes that usually do not bother us will come out more and could potentially hurt people or their pets.

Who: Anyone living in areas that have snakes that live nearby can be affected by this issue.

4: In a decade, over 1,200 youth die from gunfire - In state, black children died 7 times more often than white kids – Erika Pesantes and Ben Crandwell

Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16C2F41E1700DEC8?p=WORLDNEWS

Story: This article explains the issue of gun violence and how it affects our state’s youth. It breaks down youth gun deaths in Florida on demographics based on race and location. It then gives different heartbreaking stories of specific children who were victims of gun violence in Florida.

Problem: The problem that our community face is that we are losing our youth to gun violence that can be stopped.

Who: Anyone in the entire state can be affected by this. Parents, sibling, friends, and anyone who knows a victim is affected by the violence.

5: How keyless ignition could kill you – Chicago Tribune

Link:  http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16C1518D343D94B8?p=WORLDNEWS

Story: This article explains that there is a health risk created by cars with keyless ignitions. When a driver parks and gets out of the car, they can forget to turn the car off. If this happens in an enclosed area, like a garage, then the results could be deadly.

Problem: The problem at hand is the potential health effects that these cars can cause.

Who: Anyone who owns a car with this feature or lives in a household that has one of these cars is at risk of being exposed to this problem.

Assignment 4A

I believe that there is an unmet need for something to solve the problem of burning your mouth on coffee or hot tea. Anyone who enjoys drinking hot drinks but doesn’t have time to let it cool down and cannot tolerate such intense heat has this problem. The need exists because the best temperature to brew coffee at is 192 degrees Fahrenheit. I am not sure about the temperature for tea but I would guess it is similar to coffee. I think the general way that people deal with this need now is by either waiting for their drink to cool or by putting ice in it, which dilutes the flavor of the drink. I think that a mug or cup could be created that regulates the temperature of the drink quickly before you take that first sip, leaving your taste buds scolded for some time. I am about 47% sure that this opportunity exists.

Customer 1: Middle aged woman, not an avid hot drink drinker

·      How often do you drink hot drinks such as coffee or tea?

o   Probably about 2 times per week

·      Do you ever burn your mouth on these drinks and if so, how frequently does it happen?

o   Yes, this happens every time that I drink hot tea

·      How long have you been burning your mouth on hot drinks?

o   I’ve been burning my mouth for as long as I can remember

·      When did you become aware of the need to fix this?

o   When I scorched my tongue

·      How do you currently prevent your mouth from being burnt?

o   Cool the drink with ice cubes

·      How satisfied are you with this solution?

o   Not very satisfied

·      Would you use a cup or mug that can regulate the control of the temperature before you drink it?

o   Sure

Reflection: She is probably not a prototypical customer since she doesn’t drink hot drinks very often. I was happy though that even though she doesn’t drink hot drinks often, she still experiences the negative effects that prompt my opportunity.

Customer 2: Early 20’s male, drinks coffee every morning

·      How often do you drink hot drinks such as coffee or tea?

o   Every morning

·      Do you ever burn your mouth on these drinks and if so, how frequently does it happen?

o   Yes I do. This happens to me every day.

·      How long have you been burning your mouth on hot drinks?

o   Since I was about 14 years old

·      When did you become aware of the need to fix this?

o   I have never realized that this was a problem in the first place

·      How do you currently prevent your mouth from being burnt?

o   Waiting for a while for it to cool off

·      How satisfied are you with this solution?

o   I am not very satisfied because it slows down my morning

·      Would you use a cup or mug that can regulate the control of the temperature before you drink it?

o   Yes, I would.

Reflection: He would be considered a prototypical customer. He has been experiencing the problem of burning his mouth since he started drinking coffee and has never found a solution that is satisfactory. This shows me that the idea of a cup that regulates temperature could be a possibility.

Customer 3: Early 20’s male,

·      How often do you drink hot drinks such as coffee or tea?

o   4 times a week

·      Do you ever burn your mouth on these drinks and if so, how frequently does it happen?

o   About 1 out of every 5 times I drink hot drinks

·      How long have you been burning your mouth on hot drinks?

o   Since I started drinking them

·      When did you become aware of the need to fix this?

o   I haven’t thought it needed to be fixed

·      How do you currently prevent your mouth from being burnt?

o   I either put ice in my drink or I wait for it to cool down

·      How satisfied are you with this solution?

o   I think it’s not a huge deal to have to do this. It doesn’t cause any problems for me so I am fine putting ice in my drinks.

·      Would you use a cup or mug that can regulate the control of the temperature before you drink it?

o   Depending on the cost, I might. But if it was significantly more expensive than other reusable coffe mugs and cups then I would not.

Reflection: This interview definitely made me less optimistic about my idea. It showed me that even if there is a problem, people might not want to spend money to fix it so this opportunity might not be realistic.

Summary: I think that my original estimate of 47% would probably increase to around 55%. After the first two interviews I would have said 75% but after the third I would bring it down. After the interviews, my thoughts on the opportunity are definitely more accurate because I got feedback from people who would potentially buy it. I think that entrepreneurs have to adapt their ideas. This might make them feel a little worse since their original idea isn’t going to be implemented but they would forget about that after making some money from the ending idea.