Testing the Hypothesis, Part II - Assignment 9A

Who: Though my solution to a real problem exists, there were a few people I interviewed that did not seem to think that they needed the solution. There was even one who did not think my problem could be considered an opportunity. Still another does not even wear makeup to begin with. It is people such as these who exist outside my opportunity.

What: The boundaries for the opportunity would be those who do not wear waterproof mascara, or those who do not wear makeup at all. Though they a couple of my prototypical customers listened to my concerns when it comes to the waterproof mascara market, they still insisted that the solution was not necessary.

Why: As I mentioned before, a couple of the people I interviewed were outside the boundaries of my solution. It is because they have no need for my waterproof overcoat. They instead would rather buy a full tube of waterproof mascara and use that every day. Another person does not wear makeup to begin with, making it obvious that she existed outside the opportunity before I even began inquiring about her experience with waterproof mascara.

Inside the Boundary	Outside the Boundary
Who: Women who need to use waterproof mascara every so often, but not every day.	Who: Women who wear waterproof mascara often or those who do not wear makeup to begin with.
What: A waterproof overcoat that will allow customers the option to wear it on the occasions in which they need it.	What: Not having a need for waterproof mascara at all, therefore not needing the overcoat either.
Why: They do not want to purchase a whole tube of waterproof mascara, only to end up wasting more than half of it.	Why: They do not need to buy another product that they will not use at all.

Solving the Problem- Assignment 8A

As discussed in prior blog posts, I believe there is an opportunity out there in the makeup industry. The product that would resolve the problem of wasting almost an entire tube of waterproof mascara because you only need use it once or twice before the whole tube is no longer good. The product I am suggesting is a waterproof overcoat to put over your everyday mascara. The customer would be able to purchase the product and could use it on those rare occasions when they know it is needed. My product would also last longer than the average tube of mascara so that purchasing the tube of overcoat would be a better alternative to purchasing a tube of waterproof mascara. Though not all the consumers I interviewed believed that it was a dire need, they each said they would be interested in trying my potential product, giving me the momentum I desired to push forward with my answer to this problem.

Testing the Hypothesis Part I- Assignment 7A

Opportunity: Consumers who need waterproof mascara waste many tubes of the product because they have no efficient way of removing the product after use.

The Who: People who need to wear waterproof mascara

The What: They are forced to waste money on waterproof mascara when they end up wasting almost a whole tube.

The Why: They need the waterproof product for a specific event, but then are stuck with the rest of the tube afterwards.

Testing the Who:

People who need to use waterproof mascara but do not want to buy a whole tube when they know they will never wear it again before it expires.

Testing the What:

Mascara is a slightly expensive product, especially for customers on a budget, and when consumers are forced to buy waterproof for one occasion- such as a wedding or funeral, they end up wasting the rest of the tube.

Testing the Why:

Customers do not want to waste their money on full tubes of waterproof mascara- they need a product that won’t waste their hard-earned money.

Hypothetical Consumers:

Emily Eshelman, Rebekah Trott, Ilene Brown, Gena Schroeder, Erin Smith

Summary:

After interviewing these potential customers and discussing their use of waterproof products out on the market, I found that there is a good chance that this opportunity does exist. These consumers all expressed that some time or another they have needed to purchase a tube of waterproof mascara. They all had various reasons, whether it be for a wedding, funeral, or even by mistake. But each of them also expressed how rarely they use the waterproof product. One said it was because of how difficult it is to get off after using. Another expressed how she just prefers her regular mascara more. Reasons aside, it was clear to me that these women at one time or another had wasted her money on a tube of waterproof mascara because they did not use it before it expired. After evaluation, I do believe the opportunity is out there.

Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends- Assignment 6A

Two Opportunities related to Economic Changes

1. Baby Boomers aren't retiring

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

This seems to be common knowledge among many people, but it is something that keeps coming up in my life. In almost all of my classes it has been mentioned that as advances in healthcare continue to increase, the longer people are continuing to work. This means that it will start to take longer for people to make it to those higher positions in a company because the older generation isn’t planning to step down anytime soon. This could result in up and coming college graduates having to work in lower paying jobs and maybe even in multiple occupations before they can get their dream job in the career they truly want. I believe there is a need for some sort of balance in the working world- either making the older generation step down after a certain amount of years, or having more positions available for those who have worked hard to get the degree in order to work at said company.

This opportunity jumps out to me because I will be entering the workforce in a couple years and it makes me nervous that there won’t be jobs available in the career I want because of this very reason.

2. Unconventional financial and investment strategies

https://www.godaddy.com/garage/smallbusiness/manage/6-business-development-trends-expected-to-thrive-in-2017/

As more and more entrepreneurs are rising up, there seems to be new trends in raising the money to start these small businesses. Since all they have is an idea and the clothes on their backs, these up and coming entrepreneurs are finding their own ways to raise the money needed to start their business or sell their products. They look to the people for the money. And not just through organizations like Kickstarter, but through other creative ways, “venture capital, private equity, hedge funds, real estate investment trusts, commodities and real assets, such as precious metals, rare coins, wine and art.” People are learning that there is a need for their product, and why not get customers on board beforehand? That way they really anticipate when the product finally does come out.

I saw the opportunity for those with money to reach out to those without the funds to help those with products that they believe will change the world. This comes from my own belief that people who are successful should help those who are trying to be- whether it be financially or in just giving advice.

Two Opportunities related to Regulatory Changes

1. More ethnic diversity in the restaurant scene

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/29/dining/restaurant-wish-list-pete-wells.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FEconomic%20Conditions%20and%20Trends&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=collection

As new restaurants are continually opening, they seem to carry the same basic set up- a highly skilled chef who has enough money to open a restaurant that will become an immediate success because he has already done so well in the food industry. What we overlook when we enter these restaurants is the lack of color in these places besides the wait staff. Now not all of these people dream of owning their own restaurant, but some of them do. They have been cooking and trying new recipes out and tweaking them to make them unique for the day when they have earned enough money to open their own place. But that’s just it, raising the finances needed to open their own place is the hardest endeavor they will have to accomplish.

As I read this article, I saw the opportunity for big companies to take a risk on these dreamers and provide funding for them to research deeper into their cultural heritage in order to better understand the cuisine and in turn start their own restaurant with that knowledge. I believe that if these businesses were exposed to the need of more ethnic and diverse restaurant owners in the industry, they would get on board with funding those who are working hard to do just that. It might be hard to reach the owners or people in charge of these big companies and in turn might make it harder to exploit such opportunities. However, I saw this article in the New York Times and will probably be read by millions of people, so maybe the exposure will help get the attention of the right people.

I think this got my attention because I worked in the food industry for several years with people who started their business from the ground up and are very successful. This probably is why the opportunity caught my eye in the first place.

2. Backyard Chickens with Salmonella

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/04/health/backyard-chickens-carry-a-hidden-risk-salmonella.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&action=click&contentCollection=health&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=38&pgtype=sectionfront

I also found this article in the New York Times. It caught my eye that there is a need to warn local chicken owners that their feathered friends may not be the best pets to have. As the trend of owning chickens has continued to rise, so have cases of salmonella. More and more people are wanting to know where their food is coming from and in turn are getting chickens and ducks to satisfy that desire. However, with this growing movement it is important to also look at ways to keep these consumers aware of the health risks that go along with eating the eggs these chickens and ducks produce. I think there is a need for an organization to make poultry owners aware of the risks before they decide to get the birds. Maybe a class they must take before they can take them home in order for them to be properly informed and educated.

So many of my husband’s family raise chickens and eat their eggs, and this makes me worry for them. I understand the idea behind knowing exactly where your food is coming from, but at what cost?

Identifying Local Opportunities- Assignment 5A

1. Tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to play lottery

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/166BAC6F40376F68?p=WORLDNEWS

This article talks about the lottery and how it draws people in as they “harmlessly” spend a dollar or two on a ticket. The writer of the column goes on to say how one-third of people who purchase lottery tickets are the some of the poorest people in America. People who are receiving money from the government through various benefits programs and then spend them on things such as the lottery instead of their essential needs like food and hygiene products. All the while buying into the idea that it is helping their kids’ education since the a percentage of the earnings do go to state colleges.

The problem is people are spending money on lottery tickets- that are more than likely not winning ones instead of buying the essential items needed to take care of themselves or their family.

People who play the lottery consistently have this problem- whether it be the poor of America or just those with the need to waste money.

2. Is it punishment, or education?

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/166AE7D487598BC8?p=WORLDNEWS

This article is from my hometown newspaper, as is the one above. This article is questioning whether or not starting school before Labor Day is really a good idea, with the author believing it is not. The writer did not grow up in Florida and never started school before Labor Day growing up. He believes that it is pointless to try and establish a schedule for three weeks only to have a three day weekend come and have the scheduling adjustment get “thrown out the window.”

The problem seems to be the author not understanding the idea that Florida schools have a requirement that students must attend school for a certain amount of days each school year, and that teachers and students alike do not want to be going to school till the middle of June. In turn, the author is making the idea of school starting so soon a problem in the eyes of the community.

People who have not talked to teachers or anyone who works in the school have this problem. They are ill informed in these subject areas and just assume that because they grew up going to school after Labor Day, everyone wants this. This sheds a bad light on the local school system as a whole and makes the author and those he has convinced of his opinion, sound ignorant.

*If this sounds a little personal, it is. My family members are heavily involved in this school system and there are too many people who are not and who do not know what they are talking about that are allowed to write articles about their opinion on how the County Schools are run.

3. Fighting the scammers

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/1664C18C9CE51458?p=WORLDNEWS

This also comes from my local newspaper back home, where the Highlands County Sheriff's Office has been working hard to catch and stop “skimmers” that have been found on gas pumps around the County. According to the article there have been devices found on the credit/debit card swiper at the pumps that allow hackers to receive the card information instead of the gas pump. The local sheriff’s deputies have already caught some suspects but are encouraging residents to be aware of the signs of a compromised gas pump.

The problem are scammers who are trying to steal credit card information at gas stations in order to hack into customers’ accounts.

Those who use these compromised pumps and slide their cards at these pumps are the ones who may face being scammed.

4. SNOOTY'S DEATH 'PREVENTABLE,' MUSEUM SAYS

http://go.galegroup.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T004&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&currentPosition=2&docId=GALE%7CA502681854&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=GPS&contentSet=GALE%7CA502681854&searchId=R2&userGroupName=gain40375&inPS=true

Snooty was the oldest living manatee in captivity in Bradenton’s South Florida Museum until recently. Snooty passed away when he became trapped in a corridor in his tank. New investigations reveal that it was because of a broken underwater panel in his tank that resulted in his death when he swam through and became trapped. The article stated that workers knew about the broken panel for a week before the manatee’s passing.

The problem in the article was a panel that needed repaired and no one saw it as a priority to be fixed right away. In turn the beloved manatee is no longer with us, but his death could have been prevented.

The museum and the entire county have the sorrow of their beloved Snooty’s death to live with, but the museum itself has some faulty workers they should probably examine to make sure they are working their hardest to care for the other aspects in the museum.   

5. PACKED ROADS, COSTLY FILLUPS FOR THE HOLIDAY

http://go.galegroup.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T004&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&currentPosition=12&docId=GALE%7CA502681856&docType=Brief+article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=GPS&contentSet=GALE%7CA502681856&searchId=R2&userGroupName=gain40375&inPS=true

As the Labor Day holiday approached this year, the gas prices rose and the roads were full. Gas had to do with the effects that hurricane Harvey had on various oil refineries located in Texas that provide fuel to almost 14% of the nation. Not only that, but many people were expected to travel this weekend as it is considered to be the last holiday season in the summer.

The rising gas prices and the crowded roads seemed to be the problem in this article.

Those who were planning to travel this weekend or planned to fill up their gas tanks were the ones who faced this problem.

Forming an Opportunity Belief- Assignment 4A

One of the worst but essential things a woman carries in her make up bag is waterproof mascara. It becomes necessary when attending weddings or watching sad movies, but at the end of the day it is impossible to take off. Not only that, but then we women are stuck with the whole tube, which only carries a shelf life of 3-4 months. I do not know anyone who really uses any kind of mascara that quickly, let alone waterproof. Women everywhere keep a tube handy for such events and at the end of the day they face the horror of trying to take it off- normally with no avail. Right now we women try almost every makeup remover product to get the waterproof mascara off and eventually give up, hoping it will eventually wear off.

This being said, I believe there is a solution. Instead of having to buy a whole tube of waterproof mascara, what if there was a tube of a waterproof “overcoat” if you will. An entirely separate tube of a waterproof product that you put over your mascara that makes it waterproof. You can apply it only when you need it when attending those weddings or pool parties. This overcoat would also carry a longer shelf life so you would not have to throw it away after a couple months- which can save some money along the way! I would say 80% of women face this problem and it needs to be addressed!

Customer #1: Rebekah Trott- Receptionist

What is the nature of the need?

-Spend so much money on a tube of waterproof mascara, that you only use every once in awhile, and then you throw away more than a half-used tube

When did you become aware of the need -- that is, do you experience your need all the time or only sometimes?

-Only sometimes. When I need to wear it to weddings.

How long have you had the need? When did you first become aware of your need? Why?

-For a while I have noticed how painful the process is of getting waterproof mascara off, but when I got married in March and I bought a tube and only used once since then for another wedding- if I had an overcoat I wouldn’t have to waste money and makeup.

How are you currently addressing your need? How satisfied are you with this solution?

-Not buying waterproof mascara. I’d rather have an overcoat that would last longer

Customer #2: Emily Eshelman- Elementary school teacher

What is the nature of the need?

-I like my normal mascara too much to put myself through the misery of wearing waterproof mascara

When did you become aware of the need -- that is, do you experience your need all the time or only sometimes?

-Sometimes. When I know I may cry or get wet

How long have you had the need? When did you first become aware of your need? Why?

-Probably about 6 months ago. Lots of weddings I have been in make me think I need waterproof mascara but know it would be terrible to get off, so I don’t

How are you currently addressing your need? How satisfied are you with this solution?

-I don’t ever wear waterproof mascara, I would definitely use the mascara overcoat

Customer #3: Ilene Eshelman- High School Assistant Principal

What is the nature of the need?

-Not a pressing need, based more on convenience. I do not usually buy waterproof mascara on purpose.

When did you become aware of the need -- that is, do you experience your need all the time or only sometimes?

-Only sometimes. When I use waterproof mascara. I bought some for my daughter’s wedding and used it again for a funeral.

How long have you had the need? When did you first become aware of your need? Why?

-I bought it one time by mistake and didn't know it was waterproof. I washed my face that day after wearing it and was confused what was on my face the next morning. It didn’t come off that night.

How are you currently addressing your need? How satisfied are you with this solution?

-I do not normally use it, but when I have to I make sure I am intentional in taking off it with make up remover. I would love to try an overcoat that can be used when I need it!

Summary

I think there is still an opportunity to develop a waterproof overcoat to put over regular mascara. It may not be a matter of life and death if it is not invented, but I believe there are women out there who would choose an overcoat over waterproof mascara any day. It is the same opportunity because there are potential clients in three different ladies from three different walks of life. I believe that if it could be improved though I would adapt to the changes if it meant ladies would see the need more easily. If the customers’ feedback for a product is overwhelmingly negative, maybe adapting that opportunity to something the customer would actually use is necessary.