Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

1. Opportunity 
1. The opportunity I would like to pursue is enhancing the participation of junior golfers at local golf courses to grow the game of golf. Golf courses could give special lower rates like they do now, but include other incentives to make the game of golf more fun and enjoyable. 
2. The What, The Who, The Why- 5 Interviews
1. Christian Bosso- UWF College Golfer   https://soundcloud.com/david-mccaskill-210502474/20160528-221228a
1. Who-Junior Golfers around the region.
2. What-Enahcning the abilities of junior golfers in our local communities
3. Why- Golf needs to grow, and the only way to do that is by getting more kids involved in the game
2. Parker Remig-Emory College Golfer    https://soundcloud.com/david-mccaskill-210502474/test-hypothesis2
1. Who-Families of Junior golfers, as well as junior golfers themselves
2. What-Making sure that kids like golf and stay with it.
3. Why-Junior golfers are key in growing the game
3. Peter Joe Calegerro     https://soundcloud.com/david-mccaskill-210502474/20160521-163129a
1. Who-Golf Courses can benefit
2. What- Golf courses could get more memberships by enhancing and welcoming junior golfers.
3. Why-Growing the amount of people on the golf courses and growing junior golf
4. Daniel Schaz-https://soundcloud.com/david-mccaskill-210502474/testing-hypothesis4
1. Who-Junior golfers
2. What-Making junior golf more completive so they can develop a mental game
3. Why-Growing the game of golf is important. Junior golfers will eventually grow to become the new professionals of the game. 
5. Izy Carrithers- 5th audio recording had audio issues. 
1. Who- People like her brother who players junior golf
2. What-Local golf courses as well as junior golfers and parents
3. Why-Golf is fun, but a lot of kids don't really know how to keep their kids involved 

My Solution

My solution to make more junior golfers interested in the game, as well as keeping with it and also developing their skills not only as players but as young men and women has a variety of factors. I believe that we need to change the way golf courses look at the junior golf industry, and offer them deals on memberships and lessons with the PGA instructor. I think there should be more clinics given to young people, and we should also create golf games that keep them interested. The combination of lower prices, and more activities will help junior golfer stay in the game longer, and grow the economy of golf courses.

Looking for Opportunity

Economic Trends

1. The Economic Report on Climate Change- Environmental efforts can help the economy.
1. http://2014.newclimateeconomy.report/economics-of-change/
2. I believe that an opportunity exists by spreading the word on environmental conservation, and how spreading multiple uses of low carbon policies could offset the costs of climate action.
3. The customer could be students entering in fields pertaining to the environment.
4. I believe it could be relatively easy to spread knowledge around about this report, however it might be more difficult to get everyone on board in implementing proposals. 
2. The Economic Impact on Illegal Immigration- Taking out political views, are immigrants affecting the economy positively or negatively?
1. http://www.umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects07/global/economicimpact.html 
2. I believe an opportunity exists by enhancing the viewpoints of businessmen to business leaders to become educated on illegal immigrants and how it really affects our economy. This would maybe help businessmen and women figure out ways to save money while hiring legal American workers.
3. Businesses would be the primary customer here.
4. I believe it would be extremely difficult to implement changes to systems such as this one as Americans are split by political views. Though nobody wants illegal immigrants in the US, we struggle with policies of regulation on this matter.

Regulatory Trends

1. Apple iPhone Will Have Full Glass Casing
1. http://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2016/05/27/apple-news-digest-glass-iphone-8-leak-prototype-ios-10/#6bd06ae33cce
2. I believe an opportunity exists here because people either want luxury, or they want protection. I think if people were to buy this new product, protective case manufactures would be allowed to provide more competition to customers.
3. People with iPhones would be the primary customer.
4. This would be hard to implement, due to the fact that people will NEED cases for this fragile iPhone. This may prompt manufactures to hike up prices as customers will be willing to protect their phones at all costs. However, if more case manufactures enter the market, it could drive down prices allowing more opportunities for customers with iPhones.
2. Regulatory Changes in Retirement Plans
1. http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7671-regulatory-issues-changes.html
2. The opportunity exists by allowing more competition in retirement plans across the board, which would in term help customers who need it.Though it will be scrutinized for a lack of selection, allowing more products on the market would eventually help customers.
3. People who are in need for retirement plans would be the primary customer. 
4. This would be a very hard opportunity to go after, as regulatory changes such as this one usually drive customers and workers crazy. It would be difficult to get the customer to agree to the new terms of a selective plan. 

-Dave

Forming an Opportunity Belief

My Beginning Point
       Every day, I work and play at the Mark Bostick Golf Course. The university golf club that hosts the Florida Gators Varsity golf team. I feel like there is an opportunity to make the course better particularly in the summer months and rainy seasons. This is due to the problems with water drainage throughout the course.

Describe your belief
     The unmet needs for the issue is the fact that the golf course is losing business, and the customer is losing the opportunity to play golf at the Mark Bostick due to the course flooding frequently. The need would be directed to the Employees of the golf course, as well s the customers and players that play the course during the rainy months. The need has existed at the Mark Bostic Golf Course since before I attended the University of Florida. Right now, there is not much that maintenance is doing to solve this problem. I believe that this opportunity if extremely feasible if many of the members complain to management to get this issue fixed.

Iteration 1- Peter Matthews- Avid Golfer at the Mark Bostick
                  https://soundcloud.com/david-mccaskill-210502474/iteration-1
        Peter is an avid golfer at the Mark Bostick Golf Course, and share a lot of similar view points about this need as I do.

Reflection 1:
      Peter plays about 5 times a week at the Mark Bostick, including hitting range balls daily. When the storms come in, the range is almost instantly flooded, and closed for a few days. This is costing Peter money as well, because he pays a semester membership that allows him to hit range balls whenever he pleases. It is reason like this one that the maintenance crew and management need to come together and have a serious discussion.

Iteration 2 - Adam Jones, pro shop manager - Mark Bostick Golf Course
                  https://soundcloud.com/david-mccaskill-210502474/iteration-2
        Adam is an employee at the Mark Bostick Golf Course, as well as a regular player. He notices these issues during the summer and offers some insight into why it got this way. He's been playing at the Mark Bostick for over 6 years.

Reflection 2:
       Adam would know better than anyone that this issue has cost the course money. He adds that it is extremely frustrating that a few holes on the course essentially go underwater when a heavy storm comes through. This loses customers over the summer more than any other issue. He doesn't think that it would be a quick fix, and he believes the course isn't willing to spend that much money.

Iteration 3 - Sydney Burrah
                 https://soundcloud.com/david-mccaskill-210502474/iteration-3
        Sydney is an employee in the Snack Bar at the Mark Bostick Golf Course, and her father works for the maintenance crew. She offers some insight on why the crew can't fix the drainage as easily as we think it might be.

Reflection 3:
       She had some great points on how the soil doesn't drain as well as other courses. She made another great point that Gainesville is pretty much in a swamp land, and that the entire city floods when there is a heavy downpour. She does believe that the maintenance crew could do more in fixing this issue, but she added off the recording that since they replaced the putting greens they have been more distracted about that aspect of the course.

Summary: 
       As I continued to dive into figuring out ways to satisfy my needs, I realized that the Mark Bostick may have much larger things to worry about than the occasional flood on the course. However, I do still believe they could do something about the drainage, which might cost a substantial amount of money. They would have to take a risk, in that this fix would bring more money to the course so that their spending would be compensated.

-Dave

Identifying Local Opportunities

Article 1:

• Transgender Bathroom 'Confusion' the least of the least of Northwest Florida's Problems
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CFC486B0BA4610?p=AWNB
• The story is referring to the recent destigmatization of the LGBT community involving the new transgender bathroom amendments bill. The article talks about how politicians should be more worried about other problems that are more important in todays society. 
• The problem is that people are too focused on the transgender rights movement rather than more prominent issues in America. According to the article the more important issues are the economy, jobs, guns, and car accidents.
• The people that have the problem is the Northwest Florida region in general. This stems from the politicians, to the people in the LGBT community. Everyone in the area can be effected due to the lack of thought on other issues in the community, therefore everyone has the same problem. 

Article 2:

• In Search for Bigger Butts, Women Find South Florida Death Trap
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF1BC701EB9B90?p=AWNB
• The story involved women that receive plastic surgery, that eventually got clots due to that particular surgery, and either get very sick, or possibly die. This is a growing issue among women who want to "enhance" their figure.
• The problem is obvious, and it is that women are not safe after the surgery, and can get serious problems by a surgery that is completely voluntary.
• The people who are effected by this are mostly women.

Article 3:

• Sex Education, Contraception are Keys to Preventing Teenage Pregnancy
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CEC795CF6ED9F8?p=AWNB
• The article talks about how teenage pregnancy has improved over the years, and how teenagers are making better choices about sex regardless of what the vast majority of negative media involving millennial's tends to cover.
• The problem is that the vast majority of these teenage pregnancies are unplanned. Far more than what they used to be. This is due to the fact that most teenagers today don't expect to have children until their twenties.
• The problem effects teenagers engaged in sexual activity.

Article 4:

• All Children in Vehicles Should Wear Seat Belts or be in Carseats
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CFC485A7B24EC8?p=AWNB
• This story involves the importance of wearing a seatbelt and also having a reliable carseat in a vehicle. The article talks about how almost 88% of people wear their seatbelt, yet there are still parents that continue to put their children at risk in regards to being in a vehicle. 
• The problem is that about 10,000 people still are killed because they don't wear seatbelt. A lot of these deaths are unfortunatley children, who either don't wear seat belts or have faulty car seats.
• The people effected by this are children and their families .

Article 5

• Breakdown in 100 Year Old Pipeline Leaves Cienfuegos Without Water
• http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CEC778F13A1CA0?p=AWNB
• This story involves the importance of the underground piping in cities. Without these pipes, there would be no water in certain neighborhoods, which can prove to be detrimental to certain families.
• The problem is that these pipes become too old, and they become damaged which then causes more problems. These problems need to be fixed, as people can become sick and infected by dirty water.
• The people that are effected are the neighborhood families in this certain area. 

-Dave

Bug List

1. People on the interstate go far above the speed limit than any other highway or street.
1. There aren't as many turns and people feel they can get away with going faster.
2. Florida requires us to pay for summer classes "out of pocket" with no Bright Futures.
1. May teach students the value of an education, though scholarships are well earned. 
3. 2 Liter Coke Bottles are sometimes the same price as Cokes from a vending machine.
1. This is a good marketing tactic, showing that Coke can be bought in different shapes and sizes for different prices.
4. It sometimes takes way too long for a new season of my favorite show to come on Netflix.
1. Creating suspense and impatience makes the customer want to watch Netflix more.
5. I tend to buy more music on albums and CD's whereas everyone else seems to download them illegally.
1. People obviously want to save money, but how aren't music producers concerned about losing money?
6. For some reason, no matter what, I always seem to misplace the TV remote.
1. I usually tend to grab the TV remote without thinking about it, sometimes putting it in places like THE FREEZER. I have no explanation for this.
7. For some reason, no matter what, I always seem to misplace my keys.
1. From number 6 and 7, I now realize I am simply bad at keeping up with these two items.
8. It bugs me when people don't appreciate well made movies.
1. Working at a movie theater for 3 years has allowed me to move past certain features of a movie that some people may not find appealing. 
9. It bugs me when people waste a lot of their day by sleeping in until past noon rather than making the most of the day.
1. Not saying that it is not okay to do this sometimes, but don't make it a habit. The reasoning for making it a habit to sleep past noon is simply because it may be hard for someone to get themselves out of that cozy, warm, soft mattress into the now 10,000 degree weather.
10. The Wifi in my dorm room specifically was the only one that didn't receive Wifi last year.
1. I was simply to far away from the router, which was very annoying considering my last Data and Cell Phone bill.
11. People that park directly in the middle of two parking spaces, or are too close for anyone to squeeze in between two cars is frustrating especially on campus. 
1. People are probably just in a rush and they don't realize what they have done. 
12. Studying in the basement floor in the Marston Library makes no sense to me, as it is way to loud.
1. Ive gone more times to the basement floor of the library to socialize than to study, which is probably what most everyone does anyway. If most people share my thought process of this floor then that is probably the reason. 
13. Golf announcers frequently criticize professional golfers for bad swings and decisions, not knowing the other factors that may influence a round of golf.
1. This is simply their job, though they do cross the line too much, as professional golfers have stated in interviews. 
14. Wearing sunglasses inside, or when its not even bright outside.
1. Sunglasses may be stylish to some, and they prefer to wear them all of the time.
15. When people make it a habit to be late or not on time to anything.
1. Ive asked one of my friends who is always late, and he says that he feels like being late has never become a big deal, though it feels that way to me. I guess people do not feel rushed to be on time, or they don't feel that it is important. 
16. Clothes tags that are really prominent in clothing, frequently sticking out and causing annoyances.
1. Tags are important to disclose information about the product, some companies may just not have adopted a sleeker design for the tag. 
17. People that ride your bumper expecting that it will make you go faster.
1. People may be having a bad day and may not have patience for slower driving, or they may be in a rush to get somewhere.
18. On the interstate, people that only drive in the "passing lane" and are going far slower than everyone else, and then don't move over to the right to let you pass them. 
1. People may be distracted and are not paying attention to how fast they are going, or their surroundings.
19. Couples that show far too much PDA.
1. Coupes may be so enamored with each other that they forget to "get a room". This is typical in the "honeymoon" stage of the relationship.
20. Places that don't recycle, or that do recycle but they don't enforce it. I good example would be my apartment complex, which has recycle cans outside next to all the trash cans. People often throw their trash in these recycle cans.
1. There are two reasons. Either people are too lazy to put their trash in an already full trash can, or find another trash can to throw away their waste, or at night people cannot tell the difference between the cans because they are similar dark color. 

Reflection

       I actually found it more difficult to think of the first few "bugs" of my life than the middle to last points. Once a began thinking about my pet peeves, I was able to go throughout the day and observe some of the things that annoyed me. Though I will admit, the last two "bugs" were probably the most challenging to think of. It was very interesting to figure out what bugged me, and how I was able to instantly think of a reason to justify that annoyance from another point of view. This exercise allows us to be far less one dimensional, and take into account other peoples perspectives.

-Dave

My Entrepreneurship Story

         My Entrepreneurship story is going to be explained through a past memory and idea I had in Middle School. We were in a class called "Futures" which talked about how technology is developing and how it will change our lives when we become adults. One of the projects we had to complete was a concept project where we designed a future technological product that could impact society. I came up with an idea that our desks had giant computer touch screens, where we can use styluses to write on worksheets, electronic lined paper for essays writing, and taking exams. They would also have built in keyboards so we could type when the teacher asked us to (back when we rarely typed papers). Using this student desk touchscreen, there would be a big red button in the corner of the screen where when the student is done with their work, they would press it and their assignment would go directly to the teacher to grade. When I presented this idea, my teacher loved it,saying that it would be great for her to not have hundreds of physical papers and tests to grade. I still believe that technology can really influence the way we teach our future generations.

        I have enrolled in this class so that I can fully understand what Entrepreneurship means, and also understand what my mindset should be when I go into the Management and Business fields. Entrepreneurs are fearless business people, taking risks and discovering themselves with every decision they make. I believe having a mindset like this could help anyone going into any field, and I am excited to be taking this course to learn this way of thinking.

-Dave

Test Post

Hello all! This is a test post for my new blog to discuss Principles of Entrepreneurship. 

-Dave