24A – Venture Concept No. 1
Putting it all together
Through the process of my business journey I have had to identify multiple opportunities and using innovation to uncover my venture purpose.
The first step in my venture was identifying my opportunity in the community. I realized that the workers at the University of Florida, in particular the custodians, was not given appreciation for being the source of cleanliness around our school. Then, it lead to the fact that not much was being done to support them on the burden of cleaning large areas. The custodians then became the "need" in my product, and the school became the customer, because they're responsible for these workers accommodations. The next, question I had to ask myself was "Where do custodians feel burdened and not appreciated the most on campus?" My answer was the library. It is the most populated area, that get the most traffic, and where staff and students all go. The cleanliness of the library is one place on campus that can carry the most germs, and needs to be tended the most by custodians. So another question that I had to ask was "Why was the custodians not able to clean the library to our liking, and why was that area not being focused on?" I figured out that most of the time is dedicated to cleaning up trash behind students, which a leads to an unclean library and stressed custodians. This opportunity is at an all time high because the staff is starting to notice the uncleanliness of the library, so much they made a sign, and asked security to stop students with food items that are prohibited.
This was my time to be innovative by figuring out how I can help everyone in the process, while still keeping the main focus in view. I understood that students are not reliable to care because they're not paying attention to how much it is affecting them, until it is made evident. Students did not notice how much their bad habits were affecting them until they were being prohibited to bring in certain food items. I had conjure up a product that was not so much different from the system that it could not be implemented into the time the custodians had to clean. So I came up with the product SimpleThrow. The service is based still on the students dynamic, but will make it more sufficient and easy for the custodians to collect. The product is a electronic waste bin connected in the middle of the table, that will have a deodorant filter within, to contract odor. When the custodians go to dump the trash their will be a button that they push that will slide the trash into their bin emptying the waste. The trash will be powered by solar panels to cut down on costs. Students won't have to move from their seats , and custodians will be able to collect the trash quickly and easily. The marginal cost for each table would be less than two hundred dollars with using recycled material, and solar panels.
This venture concept would solve the problem of this overbearing burden on the custodians to keep up with large workloads in the libraries on campus. This also solves the efficiency of cleaning places such as the restrooms that need constant attention. Students would like to attend the library more often for studying and food restrictions would not be so harsh. Some vulnerabilities that I would encounter is installing my product within every table, and people that don't believe their is a problem in the first place. I would support my business by having organizations on campus that supports 'clean up' help me with the upkeep. Within the venture their are multiple roles because their are multiple people involved. The custodians will have to show results that the system works, and if this is truly the problem that they're having. The organization that chooses to sponsor needs to keep ways to improve the system over time, and the students have to actually make an effort to use the system.
When I am done with this venture I want to move on from it, and go on to a different project probably working on a system that keeps the restrooms smelling fresh. This business venture has helped me become mature in my business decisions such as, the organizations I can partner with, what companies supply has the best material, and helped me identify what my passion really is. I have also learned that with creating new products you have to make your customers realize that their is a problem, and that is something that I am going to take with me on my next project.
The first step in my venture was identifying my opportunity in the community. I realized that the workers at the University of Florida, in particular the custodians, was not given appreciation for being the source of cleanliness around our school. Then, it lead to the fact that not much was being done to support them on the burden of cleaning large areas. The custodians then became the "need" in my product, and the school became the customer, because they're responsible for these workers accommodations. The next, question I had to ask myself was "Where do custodians feel burdened and not appreciated the most on campus?" My answer was the library. It is the most populated area, that get the most traffic, and where staff and students all go. The cleanliness of the library is one place on campus that can carry the most germs, and needs to be tended the most by custodians. So another question that I had to ask was "Why was the custodians not able to clean the library to our liking, and why was that area not being focused on?" I figured out that most of the time is dedicated to cleaning up trash behind students, which a leads to an unclean library and stressed custodians. This opportunity is at an all time high because the staff is starting to notice the uncleanliness of the library, so much they made a sign, and asked security to stop students with food items that are prohibited.
This was my time to be innovative by figuring out how I can help everyone in the process, while still keeping the main focus in view. I understood that students are not reliable to care because they're not paying attention to how much it is affecting them, until it is made evident. Students did not notice how much their bad habits were affecting them until they were being prohibited to bring in certain food items. I had conjure up a product that was not so much different from the system that it could not be implemented into the time the custodians had to clean. So I came up with the product SimpleThrow. The service is based still on the students dynamic, but will make it more sufficient and easy for the custodians to collect. The product is a electronic waste bin connected in the middle of the table, that will have a deodorant filter within, to contract odor. When the custodians go to dump the trash their will be a button that they push that will slide the trash into their bin emptying the waste. The trash will be powered by solar panels to cut down on costs. Students won't have to move from their seats , and custodians will be able to collect the trash quickly and easily. The marginal cost for each table would be less than two hundred dollars with using recycled material, and solar panels.
This venture concept would solve the problem of this overbearing burden on the custodians to keep up with large workloads in the libraries on campus. This also solves the efficiency of cleaning places such as the restrooms that need constant attention. Students would like to attend the library more often for studying and food restrictions would not be so harsh. Some vulnerabilities that I would encounter is installing my product within every table, and people that don't believe their is a problem in the first place. I would support my business by having organizations on campus that supports 'clean up' help me with the upkeep. Within the venture their are multiple roles because their are multiple people involved. The custodians will have to show results that the system works, and if this is truly the problem that they're having. The organization that chooses to sponsor needs to keep ways to improve the system over time, and the students have to actually make an effort to use the system.
When I am done with this venture I want to move on from it, and go on to a different project probably working on a system that keeps the restrooms smelling fresh. This business venture has helped me become mature in my business decisions such as, the organizations I can partner with, what companies supply has the best material, and helped me identify what my passion really is. I have also learned that with creating new products you have to make your customers realize that their is a problem, and that is something that I am going to take with me on my next project.
Hello Kyra,
ReplyDeleteYou did a good job of explaining your venture concept. I think that your product is very interesting, and you did a great job describing it. You were able to effectively paint a detailed picture in the reader’s mind. My feedback would be to go into greater detail for questions the assignment is asking. I was not able to find your answer to the question involving the role various items, such as packaging and price points, play in defining your business concept.
Kyra,
ReplyDeleteI like the point that you made about students and how they basically don't realize how good they have it until they lose it in terms of food privileges in the libraries. Your product is catered towards both parties involved which gives you a better likely hood of becoming successful. I think that you explained everything really well and came across as clear and concise.