7A- Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

Ice packs Getting Warm to Quickly

Ice packs are not staying cold throughout the whole day for your food and water.

            The who: People that use ice packs for their lunches throughout the day.

            The what: Ice packs aren’t staying cold long enough for food and drinks.

            The why: Hot temperatures cause ice packs to not stay cold for long.

Testing the who:

Not only is it affecting people who use ice packs for their lunches, it affects anyone that needs to keep something cold. This can also include transportation of health-related equipment (such as organs and certain medicines).

Testing the what: 

All ice packs become warm after a lengthy exposure to the heat. Just like with ice, they will unfreeze. The only time ice packs will stay cold all day is with cold temperatures.

Testing the why: 

This and ice are the only way someone can keep their food and drinks cold. Hardly anyone uses ice, because when it melts it gets into their food or leaks. Why can’t someone just drive somewhere and get food instead of bringing a lunchbox? Of course, someone can go to the store and get cold food, but some people don’t have access to a store while they are at work or out and about. Also, driving to get food can affect a person’s lunch break and he or she might be late coming back.

            Interview #1

This interview was conducted with a female who works full time at her job. She works indoor at her job. She uses ice packs every day for her job. She said that her ice packs stayed cold throughout the day, but when she kept her lunch box in her car, her ice packs got warm quickly.

She thought that having a way to keep her food continuously cold all day would be awesome.

            Interview #2

This interview was conducted with a male who works both indoors and outdoors. He explained that the ice packs stayed cold depending on the temperature. He said that when it is really hot outside, his ice packs seem to get warm. He said that the more and bigger his ice packs were, the better his ice packs were to help keep his food colder.

            Interview #3

This interview was conducted with a female who works outside. She said that her ice packs don’t stay warm in the summertime. She said that she had even put ice with her ice packs to try to keep them cold all day. It helped a little. I asked her how long she usually works outside for in a day and she said anywhere between 8-12 hours.

            Interview #4

This interview was conducted with a female who goes to school for about 8 hours a day and brings a lunchbox. She does not use ice packs for her lunchbox. She said that they are a hassle and she kept forgetting to put them in her lunchbox.  She said that she was never worried about her ice packs not being cold for her during school, she was just having a problem remembering to pack them with her lunch. So, she just takes her lunch without anything to keep her lunch cold. She said that she just packs chips and snacks that do not need to be refrigerated and she brings a couple waters that aren’t cold. At first, she said it was irritating to drink warm waters, but she got used to it. 

            Interview #5

This interview was conducted with a female who works both indoors and outdoors. She said that the only time she uses ice packs is when she packs her lunch. She does not feel like her ice packs stay cold the whole time and that is part of the reason she doesn’t really pack her lunch. She said she has time to go get food, because there is a burger place right beside her job. The other place she works is an outside concession stand and she just makes herself food when she is hungry.

Given your interviews, what do you know about the opportunity that you didn’t know before?

            I have realized that most of the people who have a problem with ice packs not staying cold is when they are working outside. The one person who doesn’t have a problem with her ice packs staying cold, has a problem with remember to put her ice packs in with her lunch. 

            I think a better opportunity would be towards people who work outside that carries a lunchbox, rather than anyone who carries a lunchbox.

6A- Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regularity Trends

Economic Trend: “Climate Change is Causing More Natural Disasters”

Source: https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666

Opportunity Belief: Due to global warming, it is creating unpredictable weather which is creating more natural disasters (such as wildfires and floods). It is harder for farmers to produce certain crops. Therefore, farmers are having to raise prices.

Prototypical Customer: I think the prototypical customers are farmers and their customers.

            I think this opportunity would be both easy and hard to exploit. Global warming affects pretty much everyone due to everyone relying on crops for a source of food. So, the opportunity is there. It is just the matter of how the execute the opportunity.

            I saw this opportunity after seeing floods and wildfires destroy towns. If they are destroying towns, then they are definitely destroying our crops. This is the reason prices of crops can fluctuate.

Economic Trend: “Oil and Gas”

Source: https://www.thebalance.com/us-economic-outlook-3305669

Opportunity Belief: The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts oil prices to keep escalating in price. They predict in 2050, Oil prices will almost double what they are now.

Prototypical Customer: Anyone that uses oil.

            I think the opportunity would be easy to exploit. The reason is because so much stuff runs on oil.

            I saw this opportunity after seeing gas prices continually going up. They may go down a couple cents, but then they go back up double than what they went down to.

Regulatory Changes: “Cyber Security and Data Privacy”

Source: https://riskandinsurance.com/4-legal-trends-to-watch/

Opportunity Belief: There are so much more hacking and data breaches now due to way more data on the Internet than ever before. From punching in our credit cards for an online purchase to giving away our social security number to see if we ‘qualify’ for some insurance. There are different ways that hackers can get someone’s personal information.

Prototypical Customer: Anyone that puts their personal data on the web.

            I think the opportunity would be easy to exploit. Everyone uses the Internet and having an extra security feature would be beneficial to everyone.

            I saw this opportunity after getting some of my credit cards hacked through not very trusty websites.

Regulatory Changes: OSHA Electronic Reporting of Injury and Illness Data

Source: http://www.riskonnectclearsight.com/regulatory-changes-2017/

Opportunity Belief: OSHA requires employers to submit data and forms electronically now. Employer are having to upload files and send files in electronically.

Prototypical Customer: Anyone who needs to submit forms into OSHA.

            I think the opportunity would be easy to exploit, because these forms are very important.

            I am sure employers have punched in information wrong and the opportunity exists where they put in the information.

5A - Identifying Local Opportunities

* I am from Knoxville, TN. Therefore, I used my local Knoxville News Sentinel and WATE News for identifying local opportunities.

“Why can’t Knoxville’s Fort Kid playground be saved”by Ryan Wilusz of the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Link:https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/2019/05/24/why-cant-knoxville-fort-kid-playground-downtown-be-saved-renovation-demolished-closed/1207862001/

Story: In Knoxville, there is a huge playground that was built years ago from Volunteers to give kids something to play on. The playground and the retaining wall are all made of wood. Recently the Health Department shut the playground down due to health issues that could happen due to the rotting rotting retaining wall near the playground. The city has estimated the cost of replacing the wall to be around $750,000. They can also build a grassy slope for way cheaper instead, but that would consist of having to tear down a big portion of the playground. 

Problem:The problem that is presented is the significant cost of replacing the retaining wall.

Who’s Affected: The kids and parents who go to the playground.

“Two killed in crash ID’d as former Gibbs football player, Pigeon Forge basketball star” by Travis Dorman of the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Link: https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2019/05/22/north-knox-county-crash-cameron-smith-bryce-collier/1197204001/

Story: Two former high school athletes died from a deadly crash Wednesday morning. The car ran off the road and hit a tree. Neither one of them were wearing their seat belt.

Problem: Two young adults died due to a fatal car crash from not wearing their seat belts.

Who’s Affected: Anyone who drives without putting their seat belt on.

“Parking rates are going up at McGhee Tyson Airport- but more parking is on the way, too”by Monica Kast of the News Sentinel.

Link: https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/2019/05/24/knoxville-mcghee-tyson-airport-parking-rates/1210666001/

Story: Prices are going up $2 a day for parking at McGhee Tyson Airport. The airport is raising prices so that they can raise funds for new parking and more security checkpoints.

Problem: Parking prices are going up by $2.

Who’s Affected: Anyone who needs to park their car at the airport.

“Search underway for driver in fatal hit- and- run crash on Chapman Highway” by Hayes Hickman of the Knoxville News Sentinel. 

Link:https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/crime/2019/05/23/driver-fatal-hit-and-run-crash-chapman-highway/1206641001/

Story: A pedestrian was hit by 4 drivers. The first driver never stopped after hitting the pedestrian. The other 3 drivers that hit him all stopped.

Problem: The first car hit a pedestrian and never stopped. This could have also been the reason that the other 3 driver hit the pedestrian right after.

Who’s Affected:The pedestrian that got hit and all four drivers.

“Knoxville police share precautions for homeowners ahead of summer vacation season” by Laura Halm of WATE local news.

Link: https://www.wate.com/news/local-news/knoxville-police-share-precautions-for-homeowners-ahead-of-summer-vacation-season/2025068256

Story: Knoxville police are warning homeowners to take extra precautions before leaving for vacation. These extra precautions are hiding valuables from plain sight if someone were to look in the window, make sure all windows and doors are locked, etc. Knoxville police are even offering to come out and check to make sure your home is secure and make recommendations in securing your home even more.

Problem: Police are worried about burglaries occurring at someone’s house when they are on vacation.

Who’s Affected: The police, because they are having to find the burglar. The homeowner, because their house has been burglarized.

4A- Forming an Opportunity Belief

I drink coffee every day. It wakes me up and gets my day going. I am also someone who never gets their daily vitamins. Vitamins is an essential part in receiving necessary nutrients that your body needs. A lot of people (like myself) do not get their every day vitamins that their body needs. I thought about how I could combine these vitamins with an everyday drink that a lot of people drink in the morning. Then, I thought what if you combine coffee drinking and your daily vitamins together? Right after someone makes their coffee, they pour a non-flavor daily vitamin pack in their coffee. When they drink their coffee, they are also receiving all their daily needed vitamins. This would allow people to still get to be able to enjoy their drinks, while getting their adequate dose of daily vitamins.

#1: Early 50’s Employed Female

·     Are you a coffee drinker?

-      “Yes.”

·     Why do you drink coffee?

-      “Because I am addicted to it and I get bad headaches if I don’t drink any.”

·     How often do you drink coffee?

-      “I drink 4 cups of coffee a day.”

·     Do you take multivitamins?

-      “No.”

·     Why don’t you take multivitamins?

-      “I don’t like swallowing pills.”

·     Do you think you receive an adequate amount of vitamins through the foods you consume each day?

-      “Yes, I do. I eat a pretty good diet.”

·     Would you consider taking multivitamins if you had an option to mix it in your coffee if your coffee still tasted the same?

-      “Yes, I would consider it. I had liquid vitamins one time and it tasted pretty good, but it was expensive.”

REFLECTION: Individuals who are concerned about their health and eat healthier are more likely to mix multivitamins into their coffee. These individuals are also coffee drinkers.

#2: Early 20’s Female College Student

·     Are you a coffee drinker?

-      “Yes.”

·     Why do you drink coffee?

-      “Because uhm.. the taste of it.”

·     How often do you drink coffee?

-      “Once or twice a month.”

·     Do you take multivitamins?

-      “No, I don’t.”

·     Why don’t you take multivitamins?

-      “They taste disgusting.”

·     Do you think you receive an adequate amount of vitamins through the foods you consume each day?

-      “No.”

·     Would you consider taking multivitamins if you had an option to mix it in your coffee if your coffee still tasted the same?

-      “No, I wouldn’t.”

REFLECTION: Individuals who don’t drink coffee and don’t care to take multivitamins will not care to mix multivitamins into coffee.

#3: Early 20’s Employed Female

·     Are you a coffee drinker?

-      “No; I only drink it when I need it.”

·     Why do you drink coffee?

-      “I will drink coffee if I didn’t get enough sleep the night before and I am still tired.”

·     How often do you drink coffee?

-      “Maybe once a month.”

·     Do you take multivitamins?

-      “No.”

·     Why don’t you take multivitamins?

-      I really haven’t bought any. I really should, though.”

·     Do you think you receive an adequate amount of vitamins through the foods you consume each day?

-      “Probably not.”

·     Would you consider taking multivitamins if you had an option to mix it in your coffee if your coffee still tasted the same?

-      “No; I rather take a pill or a gummy”.

REFLECTION: Individuals who hardly drink coffee would not care about mixing multivitamins into coffee.

SUMMARY:

My opportunity is still there, but I do not have as big as an audience as I thought I would. I believe my opportunity is more accurate now after interviewing people. I realized that not all people drink coffee like I do. This means that a lot of people won't see as big of a need for this product. I think that all entrepreneurs should ‘adapt’ their opportunities based on customer feedback, because customers are the ones that will be wanting and using the products.