16A- What's Your Secret Sauce?

1. Emotional Intelligence: I have a the ability to understand my own and others' emotions which I believe is extremely valuable. When training players this allows me to push them to do their absolute best and find what motivates them and what does not. 

2. Obsession With Improvement: I think improvement is one my favorite things in the world to experience and to witness. I have always been this way which has led me to outwork my peers in what I am passionate about. This also is very beneficial as a basketball trainer because I truly want my players to get better.

3. Problem-Solving Skills: I do a good job of analyzing problems and coming up with many different solutions. My friends often come to me with their problems because they know I'll be able to help.

4. Connections: I do a good job of making a connect and creating a relationship with people I just met. I attribute this to my ability to get along with almost anyone and my emotional intelligence. I was able to get two internships over the last year by speaking on the phone to owner for less than 15 minutes.

5. Straight Forwardness: I am a very straightforward person and I think very logically. This allows me to simplify situations which makes it easier for me and those around me to understand what is going on and what the best course of action is.

Interview 1: Terrance Singleton (Former coach and current boss)

Coach Singleton said what separates me, and has since I was a player, was my brain. He said my decision-making has always separated me from my peers. He also said my passion and loyalty separates me from others. I have worked for him at his basketball camps every summer since my freshman year of high school which he attributes towards my passion for basketball and loyalty towards him. 

Interview 2: Margaret Alfano (Former boss)

Margaret said what makes me difference is my patience. While working for her, I was largely in a customer-service role which had me dealing with some not so easy-going people. She said she always admired how patient I was when a resident was unjustifiably yelling at me because they did not get their way. She also said that she appreciated my loyalty towards her and the company. 

Interview 3: Aaron Oppelt (Friend)

Aaron said what makes me different is my time-management skills. He said my ability to get multiple tasks done to try to achieve a goal is something that he wants to get better at because of what he has seen me do. He also said my "realness" separates me from others. He explained that I will always be honest with him and others even if it may temporarily hurt to hear. He said what really separates me with this is my ability to pick and choose when to do this to make sure it is always in the person's best interest. 

Interview 4: Manny Torres (Former boss and coworker)

Manny said the one thing that separates me from others is my dedication/commitment. He believes this is one of his own best traits which is why he thinks that he noticed it in me so quickly. He mentioned my willingness to work odd hours really showed him my dedication towards my work.

Interview 5: Taylor Morrow (Sister)

Taylor said my maturity separates me from others. She further explained this by saying I have always acted older than my age in regards to my communication with others and my long-term focus. She said that I have always been able to get along with and have conversations with anyone regardless of age. She also she admires my ability to make decisions based on the long-term consequences. This long-term focus she believes is due to the fact that I am so goal-orientated and love to achieve my goals. 

Reflection: 

After interviewing five people close to me, I realize that I view myself very similarly to the way they view me. Patience and maturity were both mentioned by my interviewees, and I believe this is due to my emotional intelligence that I listed. My ability to get along with others is also similar to communication. The one thing I disagree with his my time-management skills that Aaron mentioned. I tend to procrastinate a lot but I always make sure to get the job done. This is usually right before my deadline because it forces me to do it. I believe most traits that the interviewees mentioned fall under the traits listed. The one trait that I would add is my dedication/commitment towards my work. However, this could also be because of obsession with improvement. 

15A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

1. For this assignment I interviewed three junior varsity basketball players at Bartram Trail High School.

3. In the previous assignment I determined that most of the potential customers use their coaches as their main source for information search. After interviewing these three players I can confirm that this is true. The two boys basketball players I interviewed said they have actually reached out to their coach looking for training and he recommended them to one individual. I asked them what they would search for in a trainer if their coach recommended multiple individuals. They both said they would choose the trainer with the best proven results of developing players. Price was not an important factor for them. The other player I interviewed said she would look for a trainer that mainly focuses on replicating game actions during training sessions. Price was not a factor for her either. 

4. For my younger potential customers, their parents are the ones making the final purchase decision. I think most parents would prefer to pay directly before or after the training session. All purchases would be completed online because my service is an online training program.

5. The customers reflection on their purchase will depend on the results they see as a player. It does not really matter how much they enjoy the training program or how difficult it is. It will only be considered a good purchase decision if they have a better season then they did before training or they make a team that they could not before. The purchase will be considered a bad idea if they do not see any significant improvements in their next season.

6. Two of the three players I interviewed had a trainer they were working with before the pandemic began. Since then, only of them has been able to continue working out with their trainer. Both players are satisfied with their purchase because they both got a lot of playing time this past season, which they attribute to the training. The third player had a "solid" first season playing junior varsity basketball and does not see a need for a trainer. When potentially deciding on a trainer, none of them believed price was important. I believe this is because they are not the ones paying for the service. 

7. My segment does not often have alternative options because most coaches have a preferred trainer they want their players to train with. Those that are faced with multiple options look for trainers that have high-level clients and have seen improvement in their game. This also simplifies the purchase decision because of the low supply of training. If the players want to improve their game, they almost feel like they have to try training with the trainer their coach recommended. The post-purchase evaluation is completely results-orientated related to their success on their teams. If the players get more playing time or play significantly better, they will usually consider the training a good purchase and will continue to use it. 

14A- Halfway Reflection

This class surprisingly is one of the most time consuming classes I've taken at UF, but I think this adequately reflects the entrepreneurial lifestyle. To keep up with the requirements of this course I had to set a strict schedule for when I will watch the class videos, take notes, begin the assignments, and finish the assignments. Putting time away specifically for the class has helped me stay consistent throughout this semester.

I recently returned to work and have been working 30-40 hours a week. This along with the time demands of my classes has been exhausting. There have been times that I wanted to give up and skip my schoolwork all together. I never stopped though because I have high expectations for myself and have always worked hard in what I do. I can't control everything in life but I can always control my effort. This tenacity comes from playing sports growing up and always wanting to be the best at them. I wouldn't let anything stand in my way from being successful in my sports. 

One tip I would offer next semester's student is to create a schedule for your classwork. The more punctual you are the easier I believe it is to hold yourself accountable. Self accountability is very important skill in developing a tenacious mindset. 

Another tip I would offer is to get ahead. If you do more than you are expected to each week then the tenacious mindset almost becomes the new norm for yourself. If you begin used to putting in extra work it will provide huge benefits in this class and in the real world. 

My last tip would be to find their "why." I think it is extremely difficult to develop a tenacious mindset without knowing why you are doing it. If you can discover your "why" and constantly remind yourself of it, it becomes much easier to push through adversity and develop a tenacious mindset. 

12A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

The segment I will be targeting is basketball players seeking long-term development. This means players who are looking to play basketball at the next level. For instance, a middle school basketball player who wants to play basketball throughout high school is part of this segment. A middle school basketball player who plays for fun and is unsure if they will play in high school is not a part of this segment. This segment will be the most profitable and as they will most likely be long-term customers.

I interviewed five high school basketball players at Creekside High School because two of them do not want to play at the next level (college). The threes players who have the unmet need realized they had this need during their first season of varsity basketball. They had some success at this level but did not dominate the way they wanted to and will eventually need to in order to play in college. After the season, two of these players asked their coach where and how they should be trained while the other player just began working out on his own. The coach's opinion holds a lot of weight for these players so whatever the coach says the players will most likely try. The third player, who did not seek his coach's advice, was unaware of how many players around the country train with basketball trainers to develop their game. 

I then asked each player what they would look for when finding a trainer. Each player first said the most important thing about a trainer is knowing that they played basketball at a high level. This appeared to give them the most confidence that the training is worth partaking in. The next most important thing for two of the players was who the trainer currently trains. It mattered to them if they usually train players around their skill level or even higher. If they usually train players at a lower level, they are hesitant to begin working with them. The one player who did not say this said the next most important thing for him was proven results. He wanted to see proof that a player has taken his game to the next level because of the trainer's workouts. 

Overall, I learned that many players understand they have this need, but do not know what an adequate solution for it would be. Instead of using Google or the internet, they tend to ask people they trust such as coaches, family, and friends. This is somewhat concerning because if word of mouth is their number one source of information for this need, it is difficult to find a consistent marketing approach. Developing relationships with coaches around the country, specifically those where training is scarce, seems to be the best way to reach the players with this unmet need. 

11A- Idea Napkin No. 1

Me: I grew up playing basketball all the time. Every level I played at I had a decent amount of success. Over the last few years I have began training basketball players and coaching at the high school level. I have developed my skills as a teacher in training through training players of all levels. I have trained players from the youth level to the professional level. My business concept would occupy my entire life which is very exciting for me because I love developing my skills and my players' skills.

What am I offering to customers?: I am offering personalized online basketball training through Zoom and FaceTime to dedicated basketball players. This service is much cheaper and more accessible than traditional basketball training. 

Who am I offering it to?: I am offering my service to basketball players of any level that are dedicated to improving their game. Specifically, my target market will be athletes who have the desire to improve their craft without constantly needing outside motivation. Many of the players will be located in rural areas where there is a lack of basketball trainers. 

Why do they care?: The customers will care because I have proven results of developing basketball players. After training with me for an extended period of time, many of my players have experienced their best season. Many basketball players are seeking their best season so my service will help them reach their goals.

What are my core competencies?: What sets me apart from everyone else is the personalized aspect of online training. There are many online training programs but they are all very generalized and do not take into account each player and their specific needs. Also, the personalized aspect of the online training allows me to make sure every player is challenged to enhance their development. 

10A- Elevator Pitch No. 1

9A- Testing the Hypothesis Part 2

Who: I am not sure there are many players similar to the prototypical customer for online basketball training that do not share this need. The only people I was able to find are the players who train with a trainer in person or are able to find enough free knowledge through YouTube and Instagram. 

What: My proposed service is online basketball training. When the pandemic ends or gyms start to reopen, many players will regain access to their skills trainer to work with in person. In-person training is without a doubt the most valuable form of training for those who can afford it and are located close enough. 

Why: The need of the outsiders is the same as those that are the prototypical customer. The difference is the prototypical customer does not have access to in-person training because of their location or budget. 

	Inside the boundary	Outside the boundary
Who	High-level basketball players who are not located near or cannot afford top trainers.	High-level basketball players who are located  near and can afford top trainers
What	High-level personalized basketball training.	High-level personalized basketball training.
Why	Basketball is evolving along with its skills,  so this knowledge and motivation provided  is necessary to not fall behind.	Basketball is evolving along with its skills, so this knowledge and motivation provided is necessary to not fall behind.

Overall, this assignment was rather difficult finding five high-level players who do not have this unmet need during the pandemic. There were a few players who continued to train with their trainers either at their house or at a local park. One athlete said he was using Instagram content provided by the top trainers in the world to work on his game, however it was not personalized. The distinguishing factor between the people inside the boundary and outside the boundary is access to high-level trainers in person. 

8A- Solving The Problem

The opportunity I have been discussing during this course is basketball training. I found this opportunity to be especially pressing during the current pandemic because many people now do not have access to courts, equipment, or even trainers. Some online training programs do exist, but they tend to work on general skills and often do not account for the player not having all necessary equipment. 

The service I will be proposing is personalized online basketball training. Personalized training means that I will account for the circumstances each player is in to make a training session that they can complete without worrying about not having enough equipment. Some players may only have access to a basketball and a flat surface right now. Personalized training allows me to design a training session that requires nothing except for a basketball and a flat surface. These training sessions will most likely be performed through Zoom, but other video services such as FaceTime could work as well. 

Another part of my online training program would be based off of player types. Prerecorded training sessions could be designed for certain player types. Any player who fits into that mold could purchase the program and use it to get better. For instance, one program would be designed for undersized guards because they have a different need than bigger guards. This would allow me to reach a larger audience because personalized one-on-one training means only one player could be trained at once.

This will still be a viable unmeet need when the pandemic ends (whenever that may be) because of the lack of trainers across the country. Areas such as California and South Florida have an abundance of qualified basketball trainers, but areas up North or in the Midwest typically do not have enough to match the demand. Additionally, many trainers are just basketball coaches looking to make money on the side, so they usually see the game of basketball as a whole and do not notice or learn about the micro-details of skills training. Also, coaches tend to train players to prepare for their team, rather than their long-term development. Basketball skills training should be focused on skill development and player development which is what my online training program would focus on.