16A: What's Your Secret Sauce?

My human capital that I believe to be unique…

1. Being raised in a Korean-American home has allowed me to be more culturally aware of traditions, differences and taboos in different societal circles. Being close to 2 different cultures helped me to associate with different types of people and widen my understanding of different backgrounds. 

2. My many passions are what sparks my everyday motives. Most people like to tune into a single interest that they hone over the years, which I’ve always admired, but I constantly find myself getting interested in new things and can’t single one out. Whether it be books, baking, cinematography, painting or collecting, I always find new outlets that interest me and I feel as though it helps me get my creative juices flowing.

3. I’ve moved around several times growing up, and although I’ve spent the majority of my life in Florida, I’ve also been in Colorado, Texas, Georgia and Texas again. It’s definitely a different route than having the “childhood home” portrayed in many narratives, but experiencing multiple cities and states contributed to my curiosity of different state cultures and trends. 

4. I have an early bird mentality that I didn’t purposely choose--my body just wakes up at 7 a.m. every morning despite my desire to sleep in. I do sometimes wish I could get a few extra hours of sleep, but it’s proven to be a useful tool in productivity. I realize that this isn’t the typical time clock for college students who get the most done in the late hours, but I find myself checking out at night and prefer to get things done early in the day, which has actually allowed me to take advantage of opportunities like early meetings and interviews. 

5. Keen observation is something that runs in my family, and I’d like to say I’m pretty sensitive to other people’s current emotions and thought processes. As an entrepreneur, I believe this will help me

What some of my closest friends say…

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The differences...

Although most of what my friends had to say about me aligned with what I reflected on myself, some key differences I noticed were in the emotional factors. One friend noted that it takes a while for me to open up to people, which is definitely something I should work on as an entrepreneur. I believe it's essential to form a connection with someone right off the bat in the business world, so I'm glad my friend pointed that out. On the other hand, a friend who I took Reporting with pointed out my ability to communicate with strangers, which seemed a bit contradictory to what the previous friend said, but is nonetheless a difference from my original reflection. I would agree more with the first comment just because I do believe it takes a bit for me to warm up to people, but talking to strangers is no burden when I have to. If I had to go back and change anything from my list, I would change my third human capital to something that more closely reflects my emotional connection to others. 

15A: Figuring Out Buyer Behavior Part 2

Previously, I stated that my segment consists of “People who are uncomfortable wearing face masks in public and seek a more natural option. Ideally, this segment would care about health and safety issues and could even include protestors, as the last exercise unraveled the need for those attending demonstrations to have protection because they’re packed so close to other people.” For my interviews, I chose to talk to 3 people who _____.

For my first interview, I spoke with a recent UF grad who now works as a RN BSN at Tampa General Hospital. Since wearing masks for hours upon hours is now part of her daily routine, I asked her how she’d feel about flesh-toned masks that provide safety measures that align with CDC guidelines while being completely breathable. She said it seemed too good to be true, which made me rethink the plausibility of my business idea objectively rather than idealistically, but overall showed much interest. Due to the high-risk nature of her job, she doesn’t consider price a big obstacle when picking their product but heavily relies on durability and efficiency. N95 masks are the go-to for both her and her colleagues, so not much thought is put into experimenting with other brands--unless the hospital runs an all-time low. This nurse’s protective gear is provided by the hospital, making it a B2B purchase, and usually isn’t involved in the transaction. When thinking back on the “rightness” of the purchase, my interviewee says that she judges based on how healthy her patients are after she interacts with them. Her ultimate mission is to keep them safe, and right now durable masks seem to be the best way to prevent passing on the virus to susceptible patients. 

Although I stated that those in my segment would be protestors who attend the rallies popping up all over our nation currently, a broader view of that would be someone who’s in close proximity to many people--no matter the occasion. Therefore, I chose to interview a friend who plans on going to Walt Disney World in mid-June when they reopen. This interviewee is an avid theme park goer and has an annual pass to Disney World, so I wanted to explore her thoughts on the new safety measures the company has ordered upon their reopening. Since facial coverings will be mandatory, I asked my friend what kind of facial covering she’d be most comfortable with, and she said that anything that coordinates with her outfit would work. After introducing the skin-toned masks to her, she seemed really eager because she wouldn’t have to worry about coordinating, but one interesting aspect she brought up was that nude masks would be a lot cooler for the summer than black masks which soak up heat. My segment would most likely purchase these masks in person, especially if they’re displayed inside a theme park store. It seems as though the main thing that determines whether the purchase was a good idea or not is the mask’s effect on fully enjoying a day at the theme park.

Lastly, I spoke with a current UF student who’s preparing to return back to campus in the fall and needs to start planning out his mask supply now. I asked this interviewee how he feels about in-person classes and large gatherings like football games, and he said that if UF decides to hold them, he’ll trust the University’s safety guidelines because they’ve probably put a lot more thought into it than he has. He didn’t really seem to show high concern for the protective makeup of the mask, but definitely wanted something that would easily blend in and be inconspicuous on his face--especially if he’d need to be wearing it every day. He went on to elaborate on how he can’t help but to feel a bit uncomfortable wearing masks in public even if he knows that everyone else is. This feeling was heightened after seeing a post on social media about “ridiculous” types of masks and being aware that people snap photos of others outside. If he were to buy skin-toned masks, he would buy them online based on his high online activity and a post-purchase event that would make him believe his purchase was a bad idea would be backlash about his choice posted on social media or any crude comments regarding his purchase. 

Apart from the nurse who works as a healthcare professional, I gathered that the majority of individuals have less concern for the effectiveness and safety of their facial masks than the actual look of it. I connected this to the highly visual age that we’re living in, specifically the impact that social media has on our culture and the emphasis put on how we present ourselves to society. It was really interesting to discover a new benefit of the flesh-colored mask that even I hadn’t thought of, which was its benefit in the summer of not soaking in heat like black fabric. The major post-purchase evaluation, apart from those working in the medical field, seems to be whether the product elevated or hindered their ability to enjoy themselves outside.

14A: Halfway Reflection

To keep up with this entrepreneurship course, I had to tap into the depths of my creativity. While there are so many challenges that need solving in our society, figuring out a business model to focus on one was a bit more challenging than I’d expected.  I found myself surrounded by pressing issues, and establishing an idea and tactics required a lot of innovative thinking. I also discovered that socialization and networking is a huge factor that I practiced much of these past couple of months. It’s crucial that I communicate with people about my idea and goal, especially because these people are the backbone of the product and are the ones who will ultimately be exposed to it most. Interviewing and listening to a wide range of individuals definitely got me networking in broader ranges.

My first obstacle came in the form of doubt that anyone would use my product. I was eager about the idea and determined to create something that would benefit many, but talking to some individuals who didn’t express strong interest definitely discouraged me at times. This was hard to overcome, especially in the beginning, because it seemed enticing to throw away the idea and start with something that would be more “revolutionary.” Pressing on, however, allowed me to encounter new groups of people who not only wanted the product but expressed a need for it. This refueled my motivation--especially after talking to a friend who has several immunocompromised siblings and would find great use for protective masks that are skin-toned.

To the next semester’s students who are embarking on a new entrepreneurial journey, I’d say that constantly thinking about the world and what it needs is going to be an invaluable tool. Don’t zone out, don’t slumber and don’t stay complacent with the way things are. Open your eyes and think about what’s happening and what people need--then you’ll have a platform to create something that will not only be fulfilling to you but help people who have a need. Secondly, don’t expect to please everyone. If one person, or multiple people, reject your idea or show indifference, it doesn’t mean your idea sucks. One product can’t possibly satisfy the needs of every single person, so you’ll have to target a niche and focus on that segment instead of trying to deliver to every single person you meet. Lastly, believe that your idea is worth it and push it. Your product can only be as good as you think it is, so don’t downplay it or show signs of timidness when presenting it. Have faith in what you devised!

13A: Reading Reflection

For my entrepreneur autobiography, I read Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald’s by Ray Kroc.

1. What surprised you the most?

1. I was shocked to find out that this iconic tycoon started off his career by playing piano part time to support his wife and daughter alongside selling $0.35 cups for 17 years. This was such a humble beginning and stark contrast to the empire that Ray Kroc soon built. 

2. What about the entrepreneur did you most admire?

1. Ray Kroc is described to be a “modern day commercial legend.” I admired his abiding loyalty to his associates as described in the book because I firmly believe that internal relationships are vital to the outer wellbeing of a company. Without secure bonds between associates, success is futile and meaningless.

3. What about the entrepreneur did you least admire?

1. I guess I least admired the narrator’s refusal to add basically any negative traits about himself. This became apparent to me when he spent nearly a whole chapter explaining his piano skills that seemed to come off as just another bullet in his resume that would be used to boost his reputation and skillset. He even went on to say his school was just too slow for him, which came off as a bit snarky, especially since education is such a valuable opportunity that not everyone is fortunate enough to have. 

4. Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it?

1. The entrepreneur’s adversity seems to lie in his early career, when he partook in menial, low-paying jobs before getting his big break. Despite these obstacles, he managed to act on any and every form of opportunity that came his way and make the most of it, eventually allowing him to be a part of an empire. 

5. What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? 

1. Kroc explains the necessity to find opportunities in every single facet of life, which is exactly what he did when he first came across the Multimixer milkshake machine. His ability to have a sharp eye for any form of opportunity and to diligently act on it seems to be his core competency. 

6. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

1. I was confused as to how Kroc just walked into a McDonald’s one day and introduced himself to the McDonalds brothers, who schedule a dinner meeting with him that day to explain the functions of their business. How were they so willing and why did they share what they know to a complete stranger? 

7. If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why?

1. I would like to ask Kroc, “What did it feel like the first time you had a McDonald’s hamburger?” because the book so vividly described the hype surrounding the restaurant and the long lines waited to get one’s hands on a McDonald’s burger. I’d also ask, “If you could see the changes from the original McDonalds and McDonalds franchise now, how do they make you feel and what’s the most shocking change? Do you approve of these changes?”

8. For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion?

9. a. Kroc is infatuated with hard work to the point where he disagrees with the statement “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” because he believes that work is play. He spent his entire life grinding and working yet never seemed to complain about it because it was just a part of his lifestyle. I admire this view yet think that balance should be used instead of mixing work and play into one category.

12A: Figuring Out Buyer Behavior

My segment consists of people who are uncomfortable wearing face masks in public and seek a more natural option. Ideally, this segment would care about health and safety issues and could even include protestors, as the last exercise unraveled the need for those attending demonstrations to have protection because they’re packed so close to other people.

For my first interview, I talked with a local volunteer who shops and delivers groceries to the elderly in her vicinity. This is an unpaid job, but tips are often received and the main purpose is to help individuals who have a higher risk for contracting the coronavirus. Because this individual leaves her house so regularly and goes out in public often, many masks are needed. At first, she was hesitant to wear them because she believed her immune system was strong enough, but then she realized that delivering groceries to the elderly without covering her face would be insensitive towards them. That’s when she started looking into purchasing masks online, where she saw an array of leopard print, monogrammed and quoted masks that seemed too flashy for her. She already didn’t want to wear them in public, but walking around with such bold designs thwarted her even more. I learned that while many businesses and individuals make homemade masks with unique designs and fabrics, there’s still an unreached market of people who want simple, subtle protection. 

Next, I talked with a 22-year-old woman who attended a Black Lives Matter protest in Coral Springs, FL. My first question was whether or not she wore a face mask, to which she answered yes. When I asked her what kind she wore, she wasn’t really sure--which made me believe that she’d be a customer who didn’t have strict criteria regarding the scientific makeup of the masks. I asked her if she felt the need for a sturdier, thicker mask in the middle of the protest based on the number of people surrounding her, and she said that while she didn’t consider that at the time, it would definitely be a good idea next time around. After chatting with her more, I discovered that, for obvious reasons, the main priority for marchers is not safety from the virus. While the majority of the people were covering their noses and mouths with one type of fabric or another, their minds were set on a different focal point. Based on the spike of coronavirus infections after states reopening and ongoing protests, I concluded that it’s critical to form masks that are not only appealing visually but completely effective in protecting the user. 

Finally, I interviewed my friend who does freelance modeling. I was curious as to whether the requirements of some facilities that all entrants wear masks would affect her modeling in any way, especially if she needs to go to a variety of different places to get good shots. She told me that lately, she’s been sticking to body photos only, where her fashion is the main focus. She still needs to take profiles, headshots and full body pictures, and expressed interest in my idea of a flesh-toned mask to mix into one’s skin color. When I asked her how she’s faring with the mask requirements, she said she tries to stick to outdoor photo shoots where she can remove her mask for a few moments, but in places where they’re required, she tries to match them to her outfit. This happens by scouring online for hours looking for complementary colors to the clothing she’s scheduled to wear, or by using leftover fabric from one of her thrifted items and creating a complete matching set. I found it interesting how a profession that I previously hadn’t considered to be heavily impacted by COVID-19 actually very much was.

To conclude, I discovered upon completing all my interviews that everyone I interviewed has already established a need for face masks. Since no one has thought about the potential availability for a skin-toned mask, they haven’t established that specific need yet. However, much interest was expressed. In terms of information search, I learned that these individuals have already done their own search for different things, ranging from the color and style of the mask to the actual availability online. No one seems to have done specific searching for the makeup/components of the masks and its effectiveness.

11A: Idea Napkin

• Who Am I? I am a current journalism student who aspires to not only write about change but create it in a form of entrepreneurship as well. When my reporting professors asked me what I want to write about, I said that race and racial issues are my main interest, and that’s pushed me to consider race relations in many of my daily actions. Recently, our nation (and our world’s) most notable phenomenon was the coronavirus outbreak, and I distinctly remember the attacks on Asian Americans in the U.S. for wearing masks at the beginning of the pandemic. If I could formulate a way in which facial coverings, which are recommended by the CDC, to become more normalized, I believe it would greatly flatten the curve and prevent more unnecessary infections.

• What Am I Offering To Customers? I’m offering a range of skin-colored masks that will meld into any individual’s face color to make a more natural, less-flashy form of protection for everyday use. These masks will align with CDC guidelines on mask requirements and offer a breathable, nonrestrictive covering.

• Who Am I Offering It To? Essentially, I find everyone a potential customer based on the breadth of the pandemic--millions have been affected and no one is truly exempt. If I had to tune into a narrower demographic, however, I’d focus on essential workers and healthcare professionals because they’re on the frontlines every day. In more recent news, protests and demonstrations have increased where people are in very close proximity to one another, so I’d cater towards them as well. Ultimately, my goal is to get people who don’t want to wear masks to try these. 

• Why Do They Care? It’s difficult to force someone to care about a issue if they don’t find urgent, but I’d like to get my message across to potential consumers about the necessity to cover our noses and mouths not only to protect ourselves from contracting the highly infectious virus--but to prevent spreading it to others who are at high risk.

• What Are My Core Competencies? I have yet to find a mask that blends in with the color of one’s face, and that’s my distinctive factor because the whole point is to provide a less conspicuous facial cover in order to get people more willing to walk out with them. 

Overall, my entire business model is built on the distinction of flesh-toned masks as opposed to the standard white, black or blue ones. Because that’s the focal point, I’d like to think that most elements of my model are in tune with the main objective. However, there are outliers that I’ve noticed, like catering towards essential workers and healthcare professionals who don’t care about the color of their mask but worry about its protective abilities due to the high risk nature of their jobs. I’d like to concentrate my efforts on both the safety and the visual appearances of the masks, instead of leaning more heavily towards the visual factor.

10A: Elevator Pitch Part 1

9A: Testing The Hypothesis Part 2

It was more difficult to find people who fell outside of my boundary discussed in Part 1, but after thinking beyond the constraints I’ve put my opportunity in, I realized that there existed a great bunch of individuals who have a whole different set of viewpoints and personal needs.

When previously my “who” was individuals who are at risk for contracting the coronavirus but don’t want to wear masks, my new group of “whos” falling outside of this boundary are those who have developed antibodies but still wear masks. This group is far less common, especially with the controversy surrounding the validity of serology tests.

The need I have identified was the necessity of facial masks in public places due to people being more highly exposed to the virus without them. However, this need is not the same as the need for a COVID-19 vaccine or a need for testing kits available to all civilians. All of these needs have been expressed to be in high demand based on the interviews I've conducted.

Inside the boundary, my overarching “why” was that people refuse to wear masks due to discomfort or indifference towards the coronavirus. The underlying cause of outsiders’ needs, however, seems to be that those who’ve developed “immunity” towards the virus still cover their faces in hopes of not contracting the virus a second time or not spreading it to others in their asymptomatic states.

INSIDE THE BOUNDARY	OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARY
Who Is In: individuals who are at risk for contracting the coronavirus but don’t want to wear masks	Who Is Not: those who have developed antibodies but still wear masks
What The Need Is: the necessity of facial masks in public places due to people being more dangerously exposed to the virus without them	What The Need Is Not: the need for a COVID-19 vaccine; the need for testing kits available to all civilians
Why The Need Exists: people refuse to wear masks due to discomfort or indifference towards the coronavirus	Alternative Explanations: those who’ve developed “immunity” towards the virus still cover their faces in hopes of not contracting the virus a second time or not spreading it to others in their asymptomatic states

8A: Solving The Problem

I’ve selected the opportunity of individuals unwilling to wear facial coverings in the midst of a pandemic and wanted to come up with a solution to get a wide range of face masks that are both breathable, CDC approved and non-conspicuous so that even the most resistant people would be able to wear them. 

I’ve learned that people find face masks too over-the-top for day-to-day wear, and many people find it to be too prominent on one’s face. Because the vast majority of face masks on the market today are either white, black or blue in the case of medical masks, I wanted to create a skin-toned mask in a variety of different shades to blend in to any individual’s flesh tone regardless of their ethnicity. This way, I feel as though people won’t feel like they’re drawing too much attention to themselves--despite the fact that most people are wearing masks in public.

Another thing I’ve learned upon completing my interviews last week was that people feel physical discomfort wearing the masks and have anxiety triggered in some cases. I’d like to formulate a mask that’s breathable without being too thin for particles to seep through by studying and abiding by CDC guidelines on the most effective facial coverings. This step could take place independently, or by partnering with a mask manufacturer like 3M or Honeywell.

Finally, these masks would be distributed online by combining the advertising and marketing resources of the manufacturer partner or by endeavoring in social media reach. I'd like to create a website where all the masks are displayed through photos and information on its effectiveness, all while keeping prices as close to production costs as possible to ensure that the maximum amount of people can and will wear them.