19A- Idea Napkin No.2

19A- Idea Napkin No.2

1. My name is Delaney Koponen. I am a senior marketing major with a minor is retail. I have always been passionate for the marketing industry- discovering why consumers buy certain products and what motivates them to do so. I paired that with my interest in retail. This past summer I worked in Atlanta, GA at Newell Brands as a brand marketing intern. Newell owns popular consumer goods brands like Sharpie, Caphlon, Graco, Paper Mate, Elmer's and many more. I think that this product ties in my passion for discovering what consumers want and making everyday tasks that much more simpler.- nothing has changed here!

2. I am offering both companies and individuals a way to make the hand washing process a little quicker and simpler in public places.  For individuals this will allow to lessen frustration of having to get more than one paper towel from the dispenser or being left with wet hands. For companies this will make customers happier customers.- The same product offering as previously

3. I am offering this product to companies and individuals. These companies would be any business that offers a public restroom. These individuals demographic would mostly contain those who prefer to be cleanly and save the environment. All my customers have in common that they would be using a public restroom at least once if not many more times in their life.- I think that this is very similar but has changed slightly in that I would obviously be targeting business owners to purchase the product but consumers to encourage the product

4. Customers care about this product because it would make their daily lives just a little bit easier. It would not cost individuals using the restroom money but it would cost a small amount of money to those that own the business.- The same

5. I have never used a automatic paper towel dispenser and been satisfied with the amount of paper towel that comes out with the first swipe. This product would be different because it has not been done before.- The same but I forgot to mention its appeal to protecting the environment from unnecessary waste.

I think that all of these elements fit very well together. I think the aspect of my business concept that is weaker is appealing to business’. This is probably the last concern for business’ so I feel they might not take this as a priority to becoming a profitable business.

Feedback memo- I had very positive feedback from my peer reviews. No one really said anything that would negatively impact my product. Therefore, I take this as I am on the right track! This product would definitely require some testing and promotion.

18A - Create a Customer Avatar

18A - Create a Customer Avatar

This is my customer avatar. She is a middle age women, who works hard to support her family. She drives a minivan and takes her two kids to soccer and dance practice. She’s always in a hurry and always on time.

I don’t have a lot in common with the avatar except that I will probably be her one day and this customer would be very similar to my mother. The only coincidence would be is that the avatar I created is exactly what my mom looks like.

17A- Elevator Pitch No.2

17A- Elevator Pitch No.2

Link: https://youtu.be/IuP87LM2wjY

Reflection on Feedback: Unfortunately I was unable to upload a first elevator pitch because my laptop was broken and was in the middle of getting fixed. I know, bad planning because I did do this last minute. But I am planning ahead this week.

What has changed based on feedback: I am doing this much more ahead of time this week!

Assignment 16A- What’s Your Secret Sauce

Assignment 16A- What’s Your Secret Sauce

Five ways in which I think I have Human Capital

1. Drive- I have the drive to succeed in everything I do.
2. Hard Work- I always try my hardest no matter the circumstance
3. Leadership- I strive to be not only a leader but also a follower.
4. Empathy- I am aware of others emotions.
5. Sociability- I love meeting new people and socializing.

Interviews: https://youtu.be/py_5kfL3swA

Reflection: I think that my view compared to others is pretty similar. The most I feel that people commented on was my work ethic and drive. That is nice to hear that my hard work is noticed. I think that some differences would be that sometimes I am not very vocal about my own thoughts so people don’t actually know how empathetic I really am. I would not make any corrections to the list.

Assignment 13A- Reading Reflection

Assignment 13A- Reading Reflection

I read Coco Chanel by Lisa Chaney

• What surprised you the most?
• I was surprised by how hard of a childhood Coco Chanel had. I did not realize she had such a rough upbringing and she didn’t even speak her country's language until she was a teenager. I was also unaware that she was was a mistress and muse to famous artists such as Picasso, Dali and Stravinsky. I also was very surprised to hear that Coco Chanel was considered a Nazi spy.
• What about the entrepreneur did you most admire?
• I admire Coco Chanel's tenacity. Although she had a rough upbringing she strove to be something more that what she was destined to be. Her determination is evident throughout her life.
• What about the entrepreneur did you least admire?
• I least admired Coco Chanel’s thought that she could never find love besides that of growing her empire. Although, I do understand it was an extremely hard time for a woman to make a name in the industry. I would have hoped that Coco Chanel didn’t think she needed to have affairs with high up men in order to move up in the fashion world.
• Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it?
• Absolutely, as discussed before Coco Chanel had a rough upbringing. In the era she was born it was a man’s world and she defied odds and opened up her own fashion line for women made by a women.

What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited?

• I noticed that Coco Chanel was smart but still kept to her own signature throughout her life. In a man’s world she used her drive and confidence to bring women clothing that actually was stylish and comfortable.

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

• There is a large gap in what happened during Coco Chanel’s early teenage years and it seems she did not want to talk much about them. I wonder if she does not want people to think about how lost she was during those years before discovering herself.

4) If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why?

• What made you fall in love with fashion and decide to pursue it?
• Do you have any regrets?

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

• I think that Coco Chanel has a very good opinion of hard work. In all aspects of her life she was a hard worker from her personal life to her career, she took steps to always make sure she was on top. I definitely believe I share that opinion but she had much better execution.

Assignment 15A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior #2

Assignment 15A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior #2

After I conducted my interviews, I found that I had realized some different aspects of the opportunity for my product that I hadn’t thought of before. My interviews definitely gave me a different view of what customers would want and what business’ would want.

Customers would seem to want a product that would quickly and efficiently dry off their hands. Those that I interviewed said that they agree that having to use multiple paper towels to dry off hand can get very irritating. All of the people understood that this would be more geared for business rather than in your home, but some thought that would be useful as well.

From a business perspective some of those I interviewed were skeptical about whether business’ would want to make an investment in this product if it doesn't fully impact their business functions.

From my interviews I have found that overall I need to make sure I appeal to business and make a good argument for why this would be a sound investment. I should further try to conduct an interview with a small business owner and see what their perspective would be on the product.

Assignment 14A- Halfway Reflection

Assignment 14A- Halfway Reflection

1) Tenaciousness is a competency. What are the behaviors that you have used (or developed) to keep up with the requirements of this course?

• I have developed the behavior of promptness. I have found that through this class I need to work on things more ahead of time and try harder not to do things at the last minute. It is especially difficult because everything is due on Fridays for this course and I procrastinate all week to complete the assignments due because I want to be able to do something fun on the start of the weekend instead of homework. Therefore, I have definitely improved my time management skills.

2) Tenaciousness is also about attitude. Talk about a moment or two when you felt like "giving up." What pulled you through? Do you feel like you've developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months? What experience or experiences most contributed to this?

• This past Friday I felt like giving up. I was super stressed because it was homecoming week and I had two exams the following Tuesday that I needed to study for, my laptop broke on the sunday before so I was laptopless for about a week so I needed to purchase another one. This all added onto my stress of being able to have fun at the game because I had friends in town visiting and a desire to do well on my exams.
• I feel like I have developed a less tenacious attitude in the past few months because as a senior my classes are not as hard as they used to be. I have found though through this past week that I need to get it together and get back into my old ways.

3) Three tips. What are three tips you would offer next semester's student about (1) fostering the skills that support tenacity and (2) developing the 'tenacious mindset' ?

1. Work hard
1. Always try your best and work for what you want!
2. Don’t procrastinate
1. It will pay off in the long run to get things done ahead of time
3. Have fun
1. Give yourself time to have fun so you are not always working

Assignment 12A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior #1

Assignment 12A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior #1

I have decided to choose the segment of focusing on young entrepreneurial minds. I feel as though this segment makes sense because those are they type of people I am surrounded by as a business student. All of my interviews consist of young entrepreneurial minds whom are my friends are people I have class with.

It was pretty easy to find people that have this unmet need. Most people don't realize at first but they usually reply to the problem with a "omg yes that annoys me so much I wish someone would change that!" Throughout my interviews I have found that most people recall this unmet need at its peak when they are traveling. This is because when you're traveling especially with a group you don't want to hold anyone up or take a long time in the bathroom. This annoyance occurs when you are in a rush and have to wait on the paper towel to slowly dispense out of the automatic dispenser. If traveling a lot you already feel really dirty and a hand wash could help you to relax but the annoyance of the paper towel holder might turn things around for the worse. When people become aware of this need it usually is just a small annoyance that is easily forgotten. But if it occurs several times in high stress environments it really starts to bother someone. Everyone who I talked to did not take the time to google this problem because it did not affect them that much.

This segment definitely agrees that something should be done about this unmet need although they have not taken the time to figure it out themselves. Although this need is not a necessity whatsoever it could make things a little bit easier.

Assignment 11A- Idea Napkin No.1

Assignment 11A- Idea Napkin No.1

1. My name is Delaney Koponen. I am a senior marketing major with a minor is retail. I have always been passionate for the marketing industry- discovering why consumers buy certain products and what motivates them to do so. I paired that with my interest in retail. This past summer I worked in Atlanta, GA at Newell Brands as a brand marketing intern. Newell owns popular consumer goods brands like Sharpie, Caphlon, Graco, Paper Mate, Elmer's and many more. I think that this product ties in my passion for discovering what consumers want and making everyday tasks that much more simpler.

2. I am offering both companies and individuals a way to make the hand washing process a little quicker and simpler in public places.  For individuals this will allow to lessen frustration of having to get more than one paper towel from the dispenser or being left with wet hands. For companies this will make customers happier customers.

3. I am offering this product to companies and individuals. These companies would be any business that offers a public restroom. These individuals demographic would mostly contain those who prefer to be cleanly and save the environment. All my customers have in common that they would be using a public restroom at least once if not many more times in their life.

4. Customers care about this product because it would make their daily lives just a little bit easier. It would not cost individuals using the restroom money but it would cost a small amount of money to those that own the business.

5. I have never used a automatic paper towel dispenser and been satisfied with the amount of paper towel that comes out with the first swipe. This product would be different because it has not been done before.

I believe all of these elements work well together. I believe my product would require some testing because I can't decide if I should create an entirely new paper towel dispenser with more absorbent paper towels or just modify existing ones.