Week 4 Reading Reflection

Week 4 Reading Reflection

I found this weeks reading to be very interesting, I feel as if being an entrepreneur has always had some sort of stigma attached to it, because it doesn't follow a clear career path to success. But it was reassuring to read that there is a need for entreprenual thinking in our economy. People with this mindset can channel it other creative pursuits and cause innovation to occur.

One part I found confusing was what truly made up a creative climate, and to what degree a creative climate truly influences ideas.

Two questions I would ask if I had the chance would be: How do you create a proper creative climate, and the extant that a creative climate influences the ideas? and Is there a set of standards that makes a creative climate or does it matter on the person themselves?

I felt this chapter was pretty straightforward and there wasn't really anything I disagreed with this week.

Top 5 World's Biggest Problems Week 4

Top 5 World's Biggest Problems Week 4

Biggest Problems

1. World hunger. While there is enough food produced to feed the population, the wealth and development disparities among nations have left many without the means to obtain food.

2. Economic crisis. Whether it be the terribly handled housing market or the terribly handled pension and healthcare funds, people have left the world’s economy in shambles.

3. Lack of drinking water. Many don’t like to think about it, but the world will face issues with the amount of fresh water available.

4. World population is growing faster then the number of resources available to sustain it.

5. Reliance on non-renewable energy sources. The world over has grown to depend on non-renewable energy sources, such as fossil fuels, to power most everything in our lives. But one day they will run out.

Best Solutions

1. Investing more time and money into creating and better utilizing sustainable, renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind.

2. Nations must invest more into the research and development of desalination plants, in order to start producing more drinkable water.

3. Nations have to devote more the production of green energy, and people must begin to treat the earth with more respect.

4. The federal government and states must recognize this problem and provide more funding to universities for scholarships, as to make schooling more affordable.

5. A reduction on the corn subsidy which takes a large amount of fertile away from other food production, as well as a reduction of meat production which takes up an even greater amount of fertile land.

Reasoning

I chose world hunger as my top world problem. I’ve chosen this as my top problem one because it is a terrible tragedy that people, even in our own country, go to bed hungry. Also I chose this as my top problem because I feel like it is one problem that can be pretty easily ratified. As for my solutions I chose my solution for ending our reliance on non renewable. I chose this as my top solution because I think its one solution that can be realistically carried out. We already have many renewable energy sources, but we just need to invest more money into implementing and developing them.

Week 3 Reading Reflection

Week 3 Reading Reflection

The part of the reading that stood out most me was the stress and phycological tolls that being an entrepreneur and starting your own business can have. While one does gain freedom they also put so much up for risk. I found it interesting to think that someone can become so involved with their business that they neglect other aspects of their life.

One part of the reading I found somewhat confusing was the ways the author talks about relieving stress as an entrepreneur. While things such as exercising and finding joys outside of your company make sense to me as ways to relieve stress, something such as networking seems to me as another stress of the job.

If I was able to ask the author two questions, I would like to ask if it is possible to take what he considers the "self destructive characteristics" of an entrepreneur and use them as a positive. Another question I'd like to ask would be to find out which of the risks he feels drives an entrepreneur more than the others.

Finally I really didn't feel as if there was anything within this reading that I would disagree with.

Identifying Local Opportunities – Week 3

Identifying Local Opportunities – Week 3

1. Single-family home prices soar in Broward County

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=15A8E3CB121D96A8&d_place=MIHB&f_issue=2016-01-22&f_publisher=

While in the past month single-family home sales have faired well in Broward County, condo sales have been falling off. Though with the rise in sales has come a rise in the median price for single-family homes. The median price has raised 7 percent over the past year to $305,000. This rise is partly in due to the lower supply of homes available for sale in the county.

-This problem most affects first time homebuyers in Broward County. It also affects foreign buyers looking to buy in Broward County as the dollars strength continues to rise.

2. Climate change could cost jobs in South Florida, says White House adviser

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=15A83B09F3219D68&d_place=MIHB&f_issue=2016-01-20&f_publisher=

South Florida has just experienced its hottest year on record, and with that there is a new discussion of how global warming will affect South Florida’s economy in the near future. Many are worried that flooding and coastal erosion could threaten real estate and tourist sectors within the state, as well as threaten the ability to import and export goods to the region.

- This is a problem for all those who work and live in South Florida. Threats to the tourism economy threaten what makes up a large part of South Florida economy. Threats to the real estate market threaten to raise housing prices in the area.

3. Miami-Dade’s unemployment rate inches up in December amid Latin American woes

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article56044690.html

Unemployment rose slightly in Miami-Dade County to 6.1 percent, up from 6 percent last month. This is the third month that the unemployment rate rose. The strengthening dollar has caused a slowdown for Miami’s tourism and retail sector because it has taken a toll on the purchasing power of Latin American visitors.

-This is a problem for those looking employment in Miami-Dade county, especially for those that looking for a first time job.

4. Broward seeks $34 million for airport construction delays

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=15A6953166F3E898&d_place=MIHB&f_issue=2016-01-15&f_publisher=

Broward County has filed a notice to one of the major contractors of its new Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport expansion project. Broward County is claiming 34 million dollars in damages against the offices of Tutor Perini Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Venture.

-This is a problem for the offices of Tutor Perini Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Venture, as they will have pay for at least some of the damages. But this is also a problem for Broward County as the delays upset the residents of Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, as they have to deal with the construction.

5. High winds knock out power for thousands in Miami-Dade, Broward

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=15A9383197E67820&d_place=MIHB&f_issue=2016-01-23&f_publisher=

Nearly 5,000 Florida Power and Light customers were left without after high-speed winds knocked out lines in South Florida.

-This is a problem for those that have lost power, but is also a problem for FP&L due to the increased funds they will have to spend to repair the lines.

Very Short Interview No. 1 Week 3

Short Interview Week 3

The entrepreneur I’m interviewing is a friend of my father. He has own a wide range of businesses since the 1970’s. These include restaurants, nightclubs, two amusement parks, a waterpark, and an aquarium, along with a handful of smaller businesses. He still owns and operates many of these businesses today.

Questions

1. What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?

-“An entrepreneur is someone who can go out and make the world work for them. They are able to see opportunities and our able to make those opportunities something they are able to profit off of. They are risky and able to deal failure and keep going cause they believe in themselves and their ideas.”

2. What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship class?

-“You should try and learn a self confidence in yourself. You should also learn to look at the world in a different way, to no longer be afraid of it but ready to conquer it.”

3. What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur?

-“I wish I was taught that you are going to fail, and that even though you failed it doesn’t mean what you did was wrong, that there are many factors at play. All you can do is try to use each experience with adapting for future situations and when you find success you the money you make to make more money for you.”

I guess looking back on the interview what surprised me the most was the amount of businesses that this man opened that eventually failed. Also it was eye opening that to become truly successful is the ability to take your success and parlay that into more success. Making your money make more money for you.

World's Biggest Problems Week 3

Week 3

1. World population is growing faster then the number of resources available to sustain it.

-Limiting the number of children per household worldwide. While it may not be a popular, it has been shown to be a viable option in countries.

2. Reliance on non-renewable energy sources. The world over has grown to depend on non-renewable energy sources, such as fossil fuels, to power most everything in our lives. But one day they will run out.

-Investing more time and money into creating and better utilizing sustainable, renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind.

3.Threat of nuclear war and spreading of countries with nuclear capability. Not since the Cold War has there been such a threat of a nuclear war outbreak. Especially now with unpredictable nations such as North Korea successfully testing nuclear weapons.

-Having world powers, such as the UN, putting stronger watch on unpredictable countries nuclear affairs. As well as having the world leaders in nuclear weapons, America and Russia, make new pledges to reduce their own nuclear stocks.

4. The rising costs of college degrees, leaving most students who attend college with vast amounts of debts when they graduate. Especially in this day and age when a college degree is more important then ever to finding a career it is becoming more important to lower costs before the debt leads to economic trouble for the whole country.

-The federal government and states must recognize this problem and provide more funding to universities for scholarships, as to make schooling more affordable.

5. Wealth disparity. Whether it is among classes within a single country or between two separate countries, there is a vast disparity between the top classes who live luxury lives and those who are living life without the basic necessities.

-A bigger emphasis on those in the highest classes to provide support to organization and charities they provide relief to those in need.

6. World hunger. While there is enough food produced to feed the population, the wealth and development disparities among nations have left many without the means to obtain food.

-A reduction on the corn subsidy which takes a large amount of fertile away from other food production, as well as a reduction of meat production which takes up an even greater amount of fertile land.

7. Lack of drinking water. Many don’t like to think about it, but the world will face issues with the amount of fresh water available.

-Nations must invest more into the research and development of desalination plants, in order to start producing more drinkable water.

8. Climate change. Our world’s reliance on fossil fuels has lead to an imbalance of ecosystems. Problem stemming from global warming have been affecting nature and agricultural production.

-Nations have to devote more the production of green energy, and people must begin to treat the earth with more respect.

9. Economic crisis. Whether it be the terribly handled housing market or the terribly handled pension and healthcare funds, people have left the world’s economy in shambles.

            -People with have to get used to the fact of working longer, and learn a new

importance on saving. Governments will have to watch over big corporation better as to not let them create financial crises like the one in 2008.

10. Radical terrorism. All over the world radical terrorist groups have been forming with really no other goal then causing chaos, and they are putting innocent people in danger.

-When foreign nations intervene in countries within the Middle East they have had a historical tendency to install governments that benefit them the most, instead of governments that promote peace. Foreign nations must help get people in power that can properly run a country and bring peace even if it doesn’t completely fit their objectives.

Week 2 Reading Reflection

Week 2 Reading Reflection

The biggest surprise I got from this weeks reading is that the commonly perceived notion that most entrepreneurial ventures fail is in fact a myth. Especially today it seems very difficult to launch a new venture, as there is so much already out there and so many resources that new markets become flooded so fast. Which is why to read that between 1977 and 1993 only 18 percent of businesses actually failed, was surprising to me. Though when reading about the corridor principle things become more believable, as all ventures lead to more opportunities.

One part of the reading that I felt wasn't totally clear was the part on the "Entrepreneurial Assessment Approach". I feel as if the reading did not provide a clear understanding of what the entrepreneurial assessment approach revealed about entrepreneurial ventures.

If I were able to ask the author two questions about the reading I would like to know which are of the macro school of thought has the biggest impact on entrepreneurial ventures and what factors he felt most helped mold entrepreneurs.

I think one thing that I disagree with the author about is that entrepreneurs are made and not born. While I do think that aspects of entrepreneurship can be taught, I still feel that their our certain type of people that are born with the necessary trait to utilize what can be taught in the most efficient fashion, and in turn become the most successful entrepreneurs.

Bug List Week 2

Bug List Week 2

1. When the fries at McDonald’s are either to soggy or not salty enough.

            The restaurants are either too slow so the fries get soggy, or the restaurants are too busy and don’t pay proper attention to the fries.

2. It bugs me when I buy something/ sign up for something on a website and proceed to get overwhelmed by emails they send me.

            Websites want to stay relevant in your mind and sending emails is an easy way.

3. That textbooks for college classes are so expensive and teachers always make you buy new editions that are even more expensive.

            Teachers can make a great deal of money by writing a book, and with the large resale market they must keep updating editions.

4. That cellphone companies, such as Verizon and At&t, charge so much for data.

            Now that calls and texts can me made over the internet the true money lies in providing data.

5. That the older a cellphone gets the slower it gets and the less battery it holds.

            Batteries decay and software updates slow down phones.

6. That the majority of college courses have become exam based and don’t require students to retain any knowledge.

            Many professors have sentient with their teachings, and exam based classes are the easiest for them.

7. People take jobs in service industries but they themselves are not people persons, nor considerate of people.

            People are unhappy with their jobs and don’t take into consideration respect for others.

8. That countries that use the euro have far too many denominations of coins they use.

            A historical flaw.

9. That America still uses the penny.

            Bureaucracy is slow to change.

10. Sponsored content.

            Everything today is about making money; companies have had to become more creative with introducing new products to people.

11. Social media.

            People strive for a connection and a sense of importance in this crazy world.

12. When you’re having a conversation with people and one isn’t fully tuned in and brings up a fact/topic that you just discussed a few minutes ago as if it was never said.

            People become to involved with technology they aren’t even aware of what’s happening around them.

13. When others are the reason that I am late for things.

            I enjoy doing things with other people, but they don’t share the same respect for punctuality as I do.

14. The traffic in south Florida that takes place on I-95.

            The large number of people who work in Miami and Fort Lauderdale cannot afford rent in those areas, and live in the suburbs in surrounding areas.

15. That most all food in America has become genetically modified.

            As the population grew and farming became big business, companies needed to be able to produce more at a cheaper cost.

16.  That most every movie that is released these days is just a remake of some older movie.

            Movies cost a lot to make and companies expect a big return, this makes them go down the safe path and use ideas they know worked in the past.

17. That most cities have taken away money from taken away funding from public water works making tap water pretty much undrinkable.

            Bottled water became big business.

18. That high fructose corn syrup is used in most food products.

            Because corn subsidies make it such a cheap option to use.

19. That because lobbying is allowed the country can pretty much be bought.

            Campaigns are popularity contests for the most part and good publicity takes a lot of money.

20. That news channels for the most part don’t report pertinent news.

            It’s all about ratings, so they put on whatever brings in the most viewers.

Upon writing my “Bug List” I didn’t find it that hard to come up with twenty things that bug me, and as I got further down my list I started to realize I’m in my anti big business/government phase. (Though not really because I do realize the importance of many of these evils.)