Venture Concept No. 2

(1)

Opportunity
My opportunity is a food truck that goes around campus at night, after the on campus food places are closed, and gives students the food that those places throw out at the end of the night. With doing this, we allow students a little extra food at the end of the day, whether it be something from Panda Express, Chick-Fil-A, or Starbucks.

1. Students have the need. Most students dont hold a job, or are on a strict budget. With little costs, this food truck will give to students, without them needing to pay a lot more money for it.

2. The nature of this need is simple. We all love food. So why dont we take the excess waste that we throw out in places like Starbucks, and give to the students who want food?

• The forces or changes in the environment that is created  this opportunity is my realization on how much Starbucks throws out at the end of the night. Restaurants generate so much waste, and what is the point in throwing it away? Reducing waste is very important in this day and age, especially with global warming becoming a prominent issue in todays society. 
• The market is defined geographically by our campus, and demographically by the students who go to our school.
• Customers are satisfying their needs by buying meal plans, or getting jobs, or finding other ways to have an income. Either way, we all enjoy an extra snack late at night, or after going out to Mid Town, or just in general. 
• This opportunity can be expanded upon in many ways. Panera for example will give their food to food shelters at the end of the day. More food places should adopt this policy.
• This window of opportunity can be open for as long as humans are alive, unless we find a insanely cheap way to produce food for those in need. 

Innovation

My food truck is simple, and alike any other typical food truck. The catch would be, we wouldn't be necessarily cooking food on the truck.  Essentially like Meals-on-Wheels, we would be obtaining food from stores closed at the end of the night, like Starbucks, and sending it to students on campus who would like a little extra snack for the next day. The prices would be quite low, much under 10$, and would vary on what foods we will be giving to students.

Venture Concept
My innovation will help solve the opportunity I see because I believe it will give students to not worry about spending too much money on food on a daily basis. I know how much I can spend in a day, or even a week, and I know students struggle with paying rent or paying tuition. It is hard learning how to balance your life, your needs, and the finances we must pay for, like rent.

• I think most students would find it intriguing there is another opportunity to get food from places. Starbucks is a popular place, and our pastries, sandwiches, and drinks can be quite pricey. That is why I would believe selling waste at the end of the night, with little cost, would be a reason for students to want to use the food truck for extra snacks or meals.
• Competitors would be other places on campus doing similar things, or even the hesitation on receiving food that is marked "waste" for on campus food places. Relatively, waste for Starbucks is pastries and sandwiches that have a set expiration date for Starbucks standards. However, that does not mean the food goes bad within that night. The food i can take home from Starbucks can last me a week, depending on the food item. Of course, there would need to be regulations to sort out in this ordeal, but other than that, the food is safe to consume after Starbucks set standard of when it should be thrown out.
• A lot of Starbucks waste comes packaged, and with distribution, the food truck would be delivering to students. Students will have to sign up for a desired product, or a food from a desired food place, and we will distribute it to the dorms on campus. The fee would be a sort of subscription, so students can get a certain amount of food per week.
• I would hire employees to help run the food truck, and create an app so students can log on and register for a subscription of food.

Three Minor Elements

1) My most important resource is my job experience. I have a decent background in being an employee in a large company. As being an employee, and a Supervisor at Starbucks, I know the ins and outs in running the store. There would be nights at Starbucks where we would throw out hundreds of dollars in food. It would be heartbreaking, because that food could be put to good use. I would make it hard for companies to copy my success by allowing students to receive this food at low prices, without having my company go bankrupt. Not too sure how I can accomplish this. Perhaps based off a volunteering type of food truck.

2) The next step for me is seeing if this idea can be expanded. If companies are willing to pair with the food truck to help bring food to those in need. The next step for this venture would be seeing if it is truly possible to portray this idea to students, and seeing the feedback, and executing the idea.

3) If possible, I would pursue this idea and turn it into something important. If anyone would like to accompany me in this idea, I would be more than willing to help this idea flourish.  However, I know there are companies that would be against us using their food for students need, because it is their food, and their production. 

In all, I believe this idea can be important in the lives of many students in need, and I would hope it could some how become possible in the future. 

(2) & (3)
My feedback was positive, and I believe I can put together more information because of it. I think If i were to continue my project, I would expand it to more than a food truck, and make it it a food and pantry option for students, like the one we have on campus. I think the project can be combined into an organization, or adopted by a company (like star
bucks) to bring a bigger impact on things.

Final Reflection

1) This class was a bit of a doozy, in many ways, but I enjoyed it. It taught me a lot about how to be an entrepreneur, and how to step out of my comfort zone.

2) Creating this project (my "food" truck) will be something I will remember. I hope another student with a shared interest in my own can actually continue the idea, or build on it in the future. I think implementing ways students can receive food for low costs is very important.

3) I could see myself as an entrepreneur, but i know i still got a long way to go. I hope to keep learning and achieving.

4) I think students entering this class should keep an open mind, and try to find the fun in this class. If you take the little extra time to complete your blog, you will be satisfied with your work.

Your Exit Strategy

1) I intend to sell the Food Truck to students who are willing to continue the legacy, and want to continue giving food to students for little prices.

2) I have selected this, because i could not follow and keep up with my food truck after college. The food truck does not fit in my criteria of careers I want to follow for the next 5,10,20 years.

3) I think my exit strategy is basic, because to me its like a school project. It will last for however long I am in college, and then other students can take up the opportunity. Since starting at the university of Florida, I always believed students need more opportunities to get food for little or no prices. This is a solution that all students can see, even after i graduate.

Reading Reflection No. 3

For the third reading reflection, I read Grinding it Out, The Making of Mcdonald's by Ray Kroc


1. What surprised me the most about Richard McDonald was his tenacity. I admired his drive to create a way people can enjoy fast food. I least admired how McDonalds has become an empire of a company. The entrepreneur encountered some failures, that is why Ray Kroc came in to modernize the McDonald's business.

2. Some competencies i noticed the McDonalds' exhibited was creativity, and the drive to make other people's lives better.

3) I was confused on how the family came up with the idea.

4)
-What would you have done differently?
-Are you content with the outcome?

5) I believe the McDonald's definition of hard work is trial and error.

Celebrating Failure

The most "memorable" time i failed something was my freshman year, when i failed Programming 1. The reason I failed the class because i underestimated the class' intensity, and I thought I would enjoy the class. However, I quickly learned that coding is not my forte, and the class pushed me into a sort of existential crisis of what I wanted to do with my life.

From failing programming 1, I learned I did not have a passion for sitting hours on end trying to figure out code for a project. I enjoy talking to people more, and interacting with humans.

I always take risks, and since entering college, I have taken many risks. I hope to keep learning and growing from failure, so I can shape who i am. Of course, i hope i can keep meeting my goals, and excel in the future as well.

What’s Next?

Existing Market

The future for my venture will consist of finding new ways to donate food to those in need. I would expand my venture outward, to Alachua county, and to shelters who are in need of extra food. I will ask bigger food companies, and grocery stores, of how I can use food waste to execute this idea.

New Market

In the new market, it would be difficult finding buyers to buy food waste, when they dont necessarily want "wasted" food. Perhaps i will try offering them to donate food, or have them help out on the food truck, rather than them being the buyers in the situation.

Venture Concept No. 1

Opportunity
My opportunity is a food truck that goes around campus at night, after the on campus food places are closed, and gives students the food that those places throw out at the end of the night. With doing this, we allow students a little extra food at the end of the day, whether it be something from Panda Express, Chick-Fil-A, or Starbucks.

1. Students have the need. Most students dont hold a job, or are on a strict budget. With little costs, this food truck will give to students, without them needing to pay a lot more money for it.

2. The nature of this need is simple. We all love food. So why dont we take the excess waste that we throw out in places like Starbucks, and give to the students who want food?

• The forces or changes in the environment that is created  this opportunity is my realization on how much Starbucks throws out at the end of the night. Restaurants generate so much waste, and what is the point in throwing it away? Reducing waste is very important in this day and age, especially with global warming becoming a prominent issue in todays society. 
• The market is defined geographically by our campus, and demographically by the students who go to our school.
• Customers are satisfying their needs by buying meal plans, or getting jobs, or finding other ways to have an income. Either way, we all enjoy an extra snack late at night, or after going out to Mid Town, or just in general. 
• This opportunity can be expanded upon in many ways. Panera for example will give their food to food shelters at the end of the day. More food places should adopt this policy.
• This window of opportunity can be open for as long as humans are alive, unless we find a insanely cheap way to produce food for those in need. 

Innovation

My food truck is simple, and alike any other typical food truck. The catch would be, we wouldn't be necessarily cooking food on the truck.  Essentially like Meals-on-Wheels, we would be obtaining food from stores closed at the end of the night, like Starbucks, and sending it to students on campus who would like a little extra snack for the next day. The prices would be quite low, much under 10$, and would vary on what foods we will be giving to students.

Venture Concept
My innovation will help solve the opportunity I see because I believe it will give students to not worry about spending too much money on food on a daily basis. I know how much I can spend in a day, or even a week, and I know students struggle with paying rent or paying tuition. It is hard learning how to balance your life, your needs, and the finances we must pay for, like rent.

• I think most students would find it intriguing there is another opportunity to get food from places. Starbucks is a popular place, and our pastries, sandwiches, and drinks can be quite pricey. That is why I would believe selling waste at the end of the night, with little cost, would be a reason for students to want to use the food truck for extra snacks or meals.
• Competitors would be other places on campus doing similar things, or even the hesitation on receiving food that is marked "waste" for on campus food places. Relatively, waste for Starbucks is pastries and sandwiches that have a set expiration date for Starbucks standards. However, that does not mean the food goes bad within that night. The food i can take home from Starbucks can last me a week, depending on the food item. Of course, there would need to be regulations to sort out in this ordeal, but other than that, the food is safe to consume after Starbucks set standard of when it should be thrown out.
• A lot of Starbucks waste comes packaged, and with distribution, the food truck would be delivering to students. Students will have to sign up for a desired product, or a food from a desired food place, and we will distribute it to the dorms on campus. The fee would be a sort of subscription, so students can get a certain amount of food per week.
• I would hire employees to help run the food truck, and create an app so students can log on and register for a subscription of food.

Three Minor Elements

1) My most important resource is my job experience. I have a decent background in being an employee in a large company. As being an employee, and a Supervisor at Starbucks, I know the ins and outs in running the store. There would be nights at Starbucks where we would throw out hundreds of dollars in food. It would be heartbreaking, because that food could be put to good use. I would make it hard for companies to copy my success by allowing students to receive this food at low prices, without having my company go bankrupt. Not too sure how I can accomplish this. Perhaps based off a volunteering type of food truck.

2) The next step for me is seeing if this idea can be expanded. If companies are willing to pair with the food truck to help bring food to those in need. The next step for this venture would be seeing if it is truly possible to portray this idea to students, and seeing the feedback, and executing the idea.

3) If possible, I would pursue this idea and turn it into something important. If anyone would like to accompany me in this idea, I would be more than willing to help this idea flourish.  However, I know there are companies that would be against us using their food for students need, because it is their food, and their production. 

In all, I believe this idea can be important in the lives of many students in need, and I would hope it could some how become possible in the future.