Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Economic
1.  Baby Boomers aren't leaving work yet

•  https://nypost.com/2018/06/04/baby-boomers-are-refusing-to-leave-the-workforce/
• People born from 1946-1964, also known as Baby boomers, are not quitting from the work force just yet. There are several factors why this is happening; interest rates for retirement today, people are now healthier, or possibly the fear of another Great recession. Nonetheless  i see an opportunity that would give people in this category like an extra benefits package or unique health care.
• customers would be people from the age of  High 40's to high 70's 
• I personally know someone who is around that age who is still working and I'm just impressed with the drive that they have. I wish I had that. I want people like that to be given something in return for the work that they do.

2.Americans stopped buying homes in 2018, mortgage lenders are getting crushed, and an economic storm could be brewing

• https://www.businessinsider.com/falling-home-sales-could-signal-us-recession-2019-1
•  I see an opportunity for those who wish not to buy a home for so much. The main reason is that mortgage rates increased, convincing prospective homebuyers that the market had become unfavorably expensive. So perhaps an alternative form of home or a new way to buy a home of you choice but a cheaper cost
•  Customers would be those who really don't want to spend too much to buy a house or people who would just like to have a roof over their heads.
•  I saw an opportunity in this because I've seen how ridiculous how much some of these house cost, with millennial's settling  for just small living space because of debt or a low income I'm surprised the real estate market hasn't changed the way they should look at things.

Regulatory


3. City OKs plastic bag, Styrofoam ban

•  https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190117/city-oks-plastic-bag-styrofoam-ban
•  The city of Gainesville, FL has recently OK'd a ban on plastic bags and Styrofoam containers starting on August 1st. The ban is intended to limit the use of containers that are harmful to the environment, while encouraging merchants to offer more recyclable substitutes. I think an opportunity exists to create a common replacement container, like recycled paper or carboard or totes and make it the new norm. 
•  Customers would be anyone in the Gainesville area
•  I saw an opportunity here because living on campus I've seen plenty of people recycle their trash and reusing items, so taking it to the next level was bound to happen eventually. So find a way to make the change more natural for not only the person, but also the community and environment as well.

4. Trump signs bill to reopen the government after record shutdown

•  https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/25/politics/congress-reopens-government-shutdown/index.html
•  The White House announced late Friday that Trump had signed the measure, a three-week stopgap bill that will reopen shuttered parts of the government. The opportunity I see would be allowing the government agencies that were effected by the shutdown to figure out a plan if the shutdown comes back and to give pay back to gov workers so they wouldn't have to take out a loan for a pay just yet.
•  customers: Government and Federal Workers (FDA, FBI, TSA, etc)
• I saw this opportunity because I read about all the rippling effects this shutdown had on the country. Less food inspection, Law enforcement working without pay, and Inspections of chemical factories by the EPA are slowed to a stop. It's a mess

Local Opportunities

1.Parents, could your teen be ‘Juuling'?
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0125%21January%2B25&sort=YMD_date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&format=text&val-base-0=issue&fld-base-0=alltext&docref=news/1712DC386D0E0308

The article goes over how more teens now are vaping and juuling in school and in life. So much so that the Fda had to propose new measures against the ecig or flavored nicotine products. Even though it is a substitute for smoking, it like going from drinking rum to scotch, not that much difference. The problem effects young adults and teens who become addicted and their parents who are worried for their health.

2.Shop for electricity? Florida voters could decide in 2020.
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0124%21January%2B24&sort=YMD_date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&format=text&val-base-0=issue&fld-base-0=alltext&docref=news/171287D88C785E18

The article goes over how that there is a petition that could change the way that Florida's electrical utility works. In a sense it would allow Florida to be deregulated and allow for choice in the electrical market. The problem is that with a choice market that it would lead either to increased costs in competition or an unsure market. People who would have this problem would be citizens of Florida


3.Mega-development would threaten the Florida panther's very survival
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2019%212019/mody%3A0123%21January%2B23&sort=YMD_date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&format=text&val-base-0=problem&fld-base-0=alltext&docref=news/17124FD4F73C6950

The article goes over how some large landowners want to place a large mega development smack dab in the panther most important remaining  habitat. The Florida panther is considered among the most endangered animals. The problem is that it would severely risk losing the species entirely 

4.Shutdown is costing our economy billions. But the cost in lost faith in our democracy is incalculable.

https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2019%212019&sort=YMD_date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&format=text&val-base-0=problem&fld-base-0=alltext&docref=news/17124FD477B8ADD0

The article goes over how the shutdown is not only the longest in US history, but is also causing its citizens to lose confidence in the government, and what a big role it used to hold in building America where it is now. The problem is held not only with us the citizens, but government workers as well.   

5.Protein bars sold at Publix recalled nationwide after allergic reactions reported
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AMIHB%21Miami%2BHerald%252C%2BThe%2B%2528FL%2529/year%3A2019%212019&sort=YMD_date%3AD&page=3&maxresults=20&f=advanced&format=text&val-base-0=problem&fld-base-0=alltext&fld-nav-0=YMD_date&val-nav-0=past%2030%20days&docref=news/17100134FB440328

The article entails about how Publix had a nationwide recall of some protein bars because customers were having an allergic reaction to it. The bar possibly had an undeclared peanut ingredient.The RXBAR recalled several of there flavors. So the people who had the problem were those with peanut allergy.

Opportunity

I have a belief  that an opportunity exists in regards to the price of college textbooks not just at the University of Florida, but at most universities. The potential solution involves program in which textbooks are distributed online for open and equal use among students. For those offline the book would be include with the course they payed for. Decreasing the amount of textbook cost immensely.

 Students aleready have to pay large amount for tuition, housing, and food, but just when you think your OK, you need to buy a textbook. The national average for college textbooks is about $153 and the amount and the course of a year, the average college student spends more than $1,200 on books and materials. The main reasoning for this is that the main costs of the books comes from the book publishers or faculty control. You see publishers don't make money when too many used books are in circulation. They will often release new editions or variations every few years in order to make the used books obsolete and make us by the new one for the curriculum. The other factor is faculty control, highschool textbooks are often chosen by a department, county, or state legislature. However in college it is the professor that chooses the book or specific editions that only some publishers have. That means they’re able to drive up prices with no fear.
There was a policy that was almost put into effect similar to this back in 2014. It was called the "Affordable College Textbooks Act", the policy would create open textbooks which would be able to be accessed freely online, or buy a physical copy for low as $20. With the expenses students already have to pay for a little slack wouldn't hurt, we already owe 1.5 trillion in student loan debt anyway.

Prototypical Customer: College students of varying colleges, grades, and ages
Questions:
1. How do you feel about the prices of student textbooks nowadays
2. Do you think that textbooks should be included with the course you taking and why
3. How much would you say you spent already on textbooks or textbook material in college already.
4. Do you believe that this a fair price for the given specific material.
5. Do you normally obtain your textbooks normally by buying them or is there some other manner of obtaining the given material
6. Are you fine with this?

Interview 1 UF College Student -20 (old roommate)

•  "I feel like there are very over expensive"
•  "Yes, i think it is absurd that i have to pay 600 for a course the have to pay another 170 for the book for the class i'm taking"
•  "Around 600 to 700 dollars"
•  "Not at all, still seems like too much even base off of subject
•  "If it's not required i'll go off of the teachers PowerPoint and if it is absolutely needed then i usually look online for a free or cheaper alternative first"
•  "No i wish i didn't have to jump through all the hoops to get the material

Interview 2 UF College Student (new roommate)

•  "Too high an not formal for a lot of students"
•  "Yes, if your paying for the course it should come with"
•  "I'd say roughly a $1000"
•  "sometimes, but they should be subsidized by the state or something"
•  "I usually use the rent program at the University, it's cheaper but still pricey"
•  "I think they should have a program in which you could pickup your book from the store as apposed to finding having to look for the book and then buy it." 

Interview 3 My Mom (University of Pennsylvania 1986-1990)

•  "Feel like they are very high but there are more options today to get used or rent in previous years"
• "Yes, and any materials and lab fees built into the cost of the class 
•  "$400/year , $250/semester
•  "Thought it was overpriced even back then"
•  "Bought most new, but you could buy some used via campus bookstore, which i did when i could"
•  "Would have preferred to be able to get all used books or ideally that they could come included and were passed out us."

  Reflection: In after interview all these people it solidified my thinking that students think this is a issue, even people who graduated college years earlier thought and still think books are overpriced. What surprised me that even with option to get used or online, books still remained overpriced and no one has made really a clear cut way to fix it.

Summary: My original opportunity still pretty much the same, but may require some tweaking to take consideration of different subjects and the material covered, also accessibility for students. My opportunity seems to have a bit of more detail, but is still a little vague in some areas. I think entrepreneurs should shape their idea around feedback, adhering to the customer, but stay true to its roots and not have it change completely. You don't have to lose your idea completely, monitoring and using feedback ensures you can adjust to keep customers happy, make sure that they are heard too.

Entrepreneurship Story

The one time i can think of is back when i was doing the innovation in creativity class, we went to a meeting with certain people whose focus was in innovating the career and jobs. The one I most remember was this woman, I can't remember her name, but she made a career in medical design. Basically she would go into hospitals and make the place less stressful with art and beautification. I amazed me that she was able to make a career out of such a simple concept and some of the art in some of these hospitals are actually very pretty.

To be completely honest I'm taking this class because it was the next one down the line, but out of this class i can expect that i will learn more about the business of being and entrepreneur and the nitty-gritty of the process. Possibly learn of a more effective way to deal with certain problems in my life.

Bug List

1. The high prices of textbooks at the UF bookstore
- the high prices are probably because of the school itself or the cost to acquire the books in the first place
2. finding Decent Parking Locations around campus for car with my current parking pass
- probably done to encourage walking or to save space for faculty parking
3. getting in contact with an adviser about classes
- this is probably because of the multitude of students on campus all trying to speak about their classes as well
4. That we can't use any form of calculator on a calculus exam (not even the simple ones)
- probably wants the students to know it by hand and mind
5. The showers of the dorms I've lived in can't seem to get any hotter than room temperature
- providing hot water for every student dorm on campus might be quite costly
6. The expensive fee i have to pay in order to fix my car's ac. (part cost about 150, but wants me to pay 900 for labor costs)
- Labor costs are probably high because it is a very technical process and requires time and skills others do not possess
7. One peeve i have is when people give out spoilers for movies that just came out.
- They probably just can't contain their excitement of how good the movie was.
8. Not having any Coca Cola products anywhere for sale on campus.
- This is possibly because UF thought Pepsi products would be a less expensive alternative
9. I hate it how highshool classes really don't teach any real life skills, "like i want to learn how to do taxes, no let me teach you how to find area of a pyramid and read Othello.
-Schools possibly have to have some system to base their curriculum off of and some schools may vary among others
10. doing financial aid seems very complicated and tedious to do
- This might be do to the fact that it is borrowing money from the government to use and then will eventually have to pay back
11. I'd say the homeless population around campus is a little bit of an annoyance.
- This is probably do to the fact it is an area that not only provides constant traffic of people but possibly the large amount of homeless population already in Gainesville
12.The Internet and WiFi at UF seems choppy and slow in a good deal of places
-this is probably due to the amount of students or the type of internet provided
13. One problem that i have is when i put dishes in my dishwasher at home and when there done they aren't completely dry
- due possibly because of type of washer that my house uses
14. I think a good deal of people are a bit too sensitive nowadays 
- due to the changing times, nurture, and new issues that keep popping up
15. It bugs me that movie companies keep making remaking old franchises or making sequels to movies that didn't even make them in the first place.
- movie companies probably think they know their audience and just want to gain some extra dough.
16. People who don't turn their turn signals when their going across 2-4 lanes of traffic
- maybe their in a rush, maybe they just forgot, maybe they just suck
17. Unclean Public restrooms
- their public restrooms and some people don't feel like their responsible to clean up
18. I hate it when you using your head phones then one just stops working
- probably due to wear an tear or extended use of said headphones
19. The people who don't do equal work on a project
- exists because of laziness, forgetfulness, or thinking that their small amount was enough
20. It bugs me that in the summer semester that all of the places to get food on campus close early or have times in which they can't serve food at all.
- probably due to the few amount of students that are here during the summer or shortage of staff

reflection
I'd say the biggest challenge with the list was coming up with the problems, we deal with either so many we can't remember them or are just used to them by no that they become unnoticeable. Even only thinking of 20 was still hard.

First Post

This is just a test for my first post. I don't know if i have to i have to get to the 150 word limit now on this first one. So I'm just gonna let be.

-Trevor Bork