My Solution

I believe that after thirty years of the same epi-pen, there is a possibility for something more; for something better.

Technological innovation is the basis for my solution for my hypothesis. I want to take technology, and invest in an a new product that administers the epi-pen. This product would take the firm of a 1 inch wide stretchy band that wraps around the thigh. The connector for the band would be an approximately 2 sq. inch plastic (for comfort) sensor that is made to monitor histamine levels in the blood system. The person with a severe allergy could wear this band comfortably in everyday situations, with practically no interruption to their life. It would be like putting on an undergarment or make-up. In a dire situation, after interaction with their allergen, the sensor will immediately administer a few (depending on what I learn from further investigation) intramuscular needles that are practically undetectable in pain. These needles will administer just as much epinephrine as the one, large needle that an epi-pen administers, without the pain. 

This solution could change the lives of millions of people, beginning with young children, who are typically less responsible with having their epi-pen on them at all times. It would rid the burden of the people around them who may necessarily have to learn how to safely administer a large needle to an allergy victim otherwise. 

People always say, "If it's not broken, don't fix it." But that wasn't the mindset that Steve Jobs had when he created the iPhone. It wasn't about the necessity, it was about the application. He believed in something more than Motorola flip-phones. He believed in improvin the quality of life. I believe this technology could do just that.

Testing the Opportunity Hypothesis: Part 1

1. Hypothesis:
Victims to life-threatening allergies are unable to properly function in a world where any minute they could go into anaphylactic shock because epi-pens are not an efficient drug to carry around 24/7.

2 & 3. Who, What, Why and Explanations

The Who: 
People who have life-threatening allergies

This need is pretty secluded to this "who" group. Epinephrine, as I've learned is the only drug that can immediately prevent a deathly situation when an allergy victim interacts with that allergen. Epi-pens aren't used or prescribed to any other cause group with any other purpose.

The What: 
They are unable to function properly in everyday scenarios that may contribute to their death

Depending on the severity of the allergy, epi-pens may or may not be required to be carried around all the time. Allergies range from food, to venom, to pollen. However, the need for this one drug has remained consistent. When unavailable, an introduction to an individual's allergen could prevent them from functioning in every day situations, such as going for a walk, being near water, being outside in general, going to restaurants, etc. This is so preventative to the victim that it may cause major distress, anxiety and unhappiness in someone's life.

The Why:
The only drug that saves people from severe allergies is epinephrine, which is carried around in a huge, bulky needle called an epi-pen, that can be easily forgotten, misplaced, or hard to find and administer under dire and stressful situations

Epi-pens are not as easy as they seem. They are enormous, scary needles carried around in a large, though compact case. This case doesn't offer much variation, or ensure its presence near the body of the allergy victim. Not everyone has medical training, and it's not as easy as it seems to firmly press an large needle into yourself or another in need.

I am testing my belief that everyone has this problem with the model of epi-pens. I strongly believe that allergy victims all find epi-pens to be easily misplaced and difficult to administer. I also believe that epi-pens are frustrating to remember, though may not so much be the case for people who fall in the life or death category of the allergy.

4. Interviews

Christina - Mother of Allergy Victim

Kristin - Nurse Practitioner

Melanie - Nurse's Assistant

Evan - Severely Allergic to Bees

Jake - Severely Allergic to Peanut Butter



After my interviews, I realized many things I had not even considered before. Kristin explained to me that, not only is it more dangerous to administer an epi-pen too late, but it is also more expensive. Hospital bills for someone in a worse state than when admitted immediately after the allergic reaction occurs. Money is a huge factor for many people when considering their healthcare options and availability.

Another thing I learned really surprised me about our immune systems. It turns out that people with life threatening allergies aren't actually deficient in anything. Their immune system is actually working harder than the average; so, when something enters the body that it sees as a harm, its reaction becomes anaphylaxis because it goes into absolute shock and tries so hard to get it out. I also learned that bee stings are not the most common death allergy. As a matter of fact, it is a tie between peanuts and shellfish. Also, epi-pens aren't just for life-threatening allergies, but can be used for safety precaution for mild allergies. Finally, epi-pens aren't a save all. Unfortunately for certain severities, it is only a sort of "pause button" until they can receive care at a hospital.

These new facts have changed how exactly I see my potential opportunity. Epi-pens as of now aren't even a cure. Not only can I find a way to improve the efficiency of an epi-pen, but I can potentially find something that is stronger or more effective. I believe this opportunity has been around for a while, and has some incredible potential.

Looking for Opportunity

About a year ago, around this time, I was extremely unhealthy. I took advantage of my college scene, and did what any overly sheltered, church every Sunday, Catholic high school girl would do once she left home: I partied. I went out every chance I could, and I came home at the crack of dawn. I was barely pushing through my classes, and I was miserable.

See the thing they don't tell you about college is that being a party animal isn't like the movies. You don't bounce back and have flawless abs like the girls who dance around in bikinis in Project X. You don't wake up for your 8:30 class prepared for the pop quiz on the book you were supposed to read that week. You don't succeed, and you are not happy. I had gone from being the witty, intelligent, petite girl I had grown to be, to a beer-belly, smile-less, unhealthy college student. I knew I wanted to make a change, and so I did.

I decided not to go home that summer, and re-take the class I had done so poorly in. Everyone was traveling the world, and I lived with a random roommate, practically alone in Gainesville. Somehow, that roommate changed my life. He listened to my dreams, and helped me pursue them. He let me become infatuated about health, fitness and nutrition, and read him article after article about how to be the best version of yourself. I began to write journals while experimenting with exercise and proper nutrition, and eventually began my own blog. By the end of the summer, my body, my mind and my health transformed. Nutrition wasn't just something I needed to achieve anymore, it was something I grew extremely passionate about.

You may be wondering why I'm telling you this story. Well, I went a little out of order, but I believe this passion reflects in my entrepreneurial mind, and my experience is the reason I sought out and found these opportunities. Because I was a customer with an unmet need, I was able to find so many things that I needed to change, specifically the regulator opportunity below; they are as follows:

Regulatory Opportunity #1:

Statement by FierceHealthcare.com

The health care industry, specifically in hospitals, promotes the continuous advancement of innovation and technology. With a smartphone in the hands of the majority of Americans, people are craving speed, always in a rush, and mostly concerned with their opportunity cost of time. With the introduction of new applications, Price Waterhouse Coopers predicts that 2016 is the year that consumers will necessitate smartphone apps to be integrated into their medical care. This kind of application and handheld medical treatment could promote ease of knowledge, quickness, and first-hand (literally) availability of immediate test results. The opportunities in this upcoming technological trend are endless, ranging from creation of the beginning appointment to the post exam or post-op care, depending on the reasons for visits.

http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/10-emerging-healthcare-trends-2016/2015-12-08

The consumers with this opportunity are both the patients and the medical centers. The medical centers could, with this new technology, promote efficiency and relieve themselves of potential wasted time and resources. In the end, this could raise revenue and even marketing success. On the other hand, patients will probably be the most realized consumers, as it is they who may end up deciding their treatment plan based on where these applications are offered, so they can make it easier on themselves.

Regulatory Opportunity #2

The beginning of summer marks a major turning point across the country: high school seniors, like my two sisters, are graduating and preparing for college. This turning point in their life comes at a fantastic time--summer season, Memorial Day Weekend and Fourth of July. Furthermore, it also comes at a time where huge sales are happening, and where they need to get into the technological bind that college practically forces you into. Apple, Inc. knows this, and at the beginning of summer they take advantage of the demand for laptops, and offer recent high school graduates a major discount on their products.

The opportunity here is the availability of sales or marketing tactics that could drive major sales and branding for other brands providing technologically necessary school and work products to students. The consumers here would be recent high school graduates or recent college graduates. Every year, millions of young adults are graduating, so the target market is massive. A decrease in price will drive quantity demanded, but as of now they only have one sales option through Apple. Upon graduating, the requirement for new laptops and specific technology is exceedingly common.

My Apple computer is eight years old. I recently was looking for new ones, and began to compare all of my options. I stumbled upon this opportunity because I noticed the the discount offered to me from Apple as a college student.

Economic Opportunity #1:

Income growth has been steady in the U.S. economy, which has the potential to put more money into the economy for businesses. As a member of a sorority, I often see girls steadily looking for jobs as they enter the real world. This past year, however, I began to notice that every one of my friends was getting a fantastic job, with great salary opportunities. After looking more into it, Forbes.com, specifically declares that my hypothesis is correct. Not only is income growth a trend in the economy, but it is, according to the article below, 1 of 5 to look out for in the year ahead of us.

Income growth for consumers pushes them to potentially spend more. Failing businesses should take this as a huge opportunity to save themselves. With the correct marketing techniques, they could drive this increased spending into sales and push their revenue back up. This opportunity isn't exactly easy, per se, because it is definitely risky. However, businesses could also invest in consulting resources on how to drive in consumers, and promote sales.

I saw this opportunity because I've been very concerned with the income I will be receiving upon graduation next year. Also, because I noticed that my sister's start-up company, which has a very small market, was seeing rises in sales for no apparent reason.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/brucemccain/2016/01/03/five-key-economic-trends-to-watch-in-2016/#55323d0e5f17

Economic Opportunity #2

Because ten-year treasuries are so low, people are investing way more than they have before. This increase in demand is beginning to drive up interest rates because the cost of ten-year treasuries is beginning to rise as well. With this information, investors as consumers should see this as an opportunity to invest right away. With this knowledge, they can get the best prices before they begin to rapidly rise. Students right out of college are huge consumers. This is the time to invest in real estate, because disposable income is very low for this target market and they need to make their purchases as worthwhile and inexpensive as possible. I wouldn't say this opportunity is extremely difficult to exploit, as there are massive amounts of real estate brokers who could help this market. However, the problem is that they are not very aware that these interest rates and loans may be rising.

I think I found this opportunity, mainly because my sister and mother are both brokers and major investors in the stock market. They've trained my brain to look for changes in the economy mostly relative to real estate and return rates. Furthermore, I don't want to move home after college, and I'm already getting e-mails about paying back my college loans. The real world barrier is slowly lifting on my college career, and I need to be aware of my opportunities when I graduate.

Forming an Opportunity Belief

For this project, I was stumped on where to begin. We had just come up with 20 things that bugged us, and branched out into local community issues, but I wasn't sure if any could take me to the finish line.

And then yesterday, after five hours at Oaks Mall looking for a dress to wear to my friend's wedding this weekend, I was furious. Nothing fit me right, not even a size 0. I'm in no way the skinniest or tiniest girl, but with my height barely breaking five feet, I am damn short. Dresses fall off my shoulder or sink down to my calves, pants flow half a foot past my toes, and dress shirts, well, at least they've got the "dress" part down.

Although it took me five failed hours of shopping to realize it, I had an opportunity to save the petite community from the miseries of clothes shopping. The specific unmet need is that there is hardly, if any, clothing available for petite women that fits correctly without needing to pay extra money for alterations. Petite women are forced to be put out of the generalized clothing shape and unable to easily find the style they desire.

In the case of my study, the need is tailored particularly to young adult, professional clothing-seeking women who have petite frames. However, I could say all petite women. For instance, the small-framed lady looking for floor-length dress to bring on vacation in a few days has an unmet need that may not be satisfied in such a small time frame. Furthermore, the young lady who ordered a prom dress online that came too late and had to pay extra for rushed alterations (speaking from experience) has the same need. Dresses and pants in particular seem to offer a standardized length for their brands. The problem is immediately pin-pointed and does exist: women are not standardized, but come in all shapes and sizes, and companies need to address this instead of their one-size-fits-all customary lines.

I decided to head out to wear my problem was clear, the Oaks Mall. I met three young women, and immediately introduced myself and my current opportunity project. After overcoming the uncomfortable awkwardness of an interview by reveling in the fact that each of us had height issues, the three young women and I began to speak.

My interview with Alex went as follows:
After talking to her, I began to question if my original concern was as drastic as I made it seem to be. She only seemed to have issues finding jeans, and when she did she solved it with alterations or just by simply changing her style. Instead, she found herself wearing dresses more often. However, that can be detrimental to certain brands that offer limited selection because they could potentially be losing an entire customer base. So, I still think my original opportunity is out there.

Next I met with Mariela, and then Lexi. I will place their interviews in the stated order, however the interview with both of them went very similar.

The two ladies seemed more in the ball park of the "who" my problem was directed towards. Mariela was a recent graduate who struggled with professional clothes, and Lexi was a young professional who basically always lived in work clothes. Both have had years of trouble finding clothes to fit them, and agreed that other stores are potentially losing a lot of business.

Truthfully, my opportunity belief hasn't changed. Because I am in the category of people I was interviewing, their answers really didn't surprise me. I felt that what they said was exactly what I believed, and that I have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of women like myself.

Identifying Local Opportunities

1. "Can the US Ban Muslims?"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CEB1CD6BAA2190?p=AWNB

In this article from the San Diego Examiner, the author reintroduces Donald Trump's absurd statement that would ban all Muslims from entering the United States upon his election as president. This statement followed the recent election of Sadiq Khan, a Muslim, as London mayor, who Trump received strong criticism from. Although Trump is nowhere near elected as president, and his statements are merely just words, they have caught the attention of political leaders such as Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani, and also elite educators from Harvard and Cornell. The backing of Trump is completely split, with Cornell professors and Giuliani justifying presidential decisions, and Clinton and Harvard professors claiming him to be outrageous.

The problem here is for current Muslim-Americans. Though still a minority, they consist of a major population, and a ban on those of the same ethnicity is completely degrading and offensive to them. With this kind of government ban, Muslims may protest and speak out against the decision, which could eventually wreak havoc on American communities and economies.

2. "Transgender Bathroom 'Confusion" the Least of the Northeast Florida's Problems"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CFC486B0BA4610?p=AWNB

The author introduces her piece by describing Northern Florida as a place that is so conservative that almost every political discussion ends in the support of Donald Trump, and every discussion that follows is about transgender bathrooms. Although Jacksonville is the 12th fastest growing city in the nation, it is still behind on the upkeep and modernization within its community and to its own people. However, with its increase in overcrowding and tight hold on Bible ethics, it is the LGBT community that is suffering from lack of change. Republican Mayor Lenny Curry finalized a recent meeting with the same decision that this particular community does not have the right to any anti-discrimination protection laws. The author concludes that it is time for this area of Florida to wake up and face the future, because there is more to be discussed than bathroom issues.

It is clear that the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender community is being directly targeted here, and completely unfairly. With laws being passed across the country recognizing their freedom not only as accepted but completely normal, this area of Florida is pushing very sensitive limits not only to the community but to the Supreme Court.

3. "Wrong Dates on my AirBnb Rental, How About a Full Refund?"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CDCA49155B0698?p=AWNB

The story described here is between Michele Palanzo, an unsatisfied customer, and Christopher Elliott, a travel author for Nat Geo Travel Magazine. Palanzo crossed into uncharted AirBnb territory by asking her renter to push her upcoming travel dates a few days back. After confirming it was okay, Palanzo moved all her plans just to find out that the renter decided she no longer would push the dates because those dates were just booked. Because nothing could work out anymore, Palanzo canceled and attempted to get a refun, but only received half. Elliott responds to her story claiming that her circumstances are extenuating, considering the renter had a written response claiming she would change the dates, and she should have fought her case and received her full refund, and the renter's actions should be illegal.

AirBnb has a big problem here. Their company faces circumstances that they have not defined correctly in their policy. Because of this, customers can potentially lose a lot of money or have ruined vacations. Furthermore, the company itself could cause itself a lot of bad rep for not clarifying what needs to be made understood in such circumstances, or they could lose money in a law suit.

4."Legal Pot Industry Descends on Florida as Voters Consider Medical Marijuana"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CCCD35FA856648?p=AWNB

With medical marijuana soon to come to the countries third most populated state, the marijuana industry has the potential to turn the Florida into one of the largest marijuana markets in the world. However, the introduction of medical marijuana into the state comes with the necessity to change current state laws, which hasn't happened in the past. The article states that the entrance of medical marijuana will not only bring in potentially double of the $4 billion dollars it is estimated to make this year, but it will help millions of medical patients suffering from epilepsy, cancer, and multiple sclerosis. Lawyer John Morgan, however, believes that this effort may still come out with no change, because though Democrats are pushing efforts, Republicans such as Mel Sambler are putting in millions to stop it.

The problem here really stumped me. I'm torn because I want to say the potential candidates for medical marijuana are the ones who have the problem. They do not have medication that is legally prescribed that could potentially help them. However, I think that the economy is another "person" with the problem. This kind of increasing in money flow throughout the economy is incredible for growth stimulation and fluctuation. It is not only motivational but it thrives and creates even more money. To potentially stop this chance because of money pushers who know nothing about medical anything is completely absurd.

5. "Food Allergies Sometimes Fatal, but Epinephrine can be a Life Saver"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CC78C6D0D7A928?p=AWNB

Food allergies are no joke. According to the article, low level symptoms occur in 1 out of every 13 children, but these tiny rashes, hives and itches can quickly turn into life-threatening reactions. The most life-threatening of all reactions is anaphylaxis, the closing of the throat which prevents breathing and circulation. The only current cure is epinephrine, carried around in a large chunky device to be pressed into even children just two years old. Epi-pens are life saving, but they are sometimes not enough. Children need medical identification and to be taught how to use this medication because their lives could be immediately over if not careful. Although trials are being determined, there is not life-saving treatment yet or prevention method.

This article hits close to home, because I've been carrying around epi-pens left and right since I was young. The problem here is that in the worst cases, people have minutes to spare after have an allergic reaction. Anaphylaxis happens almost immediately, and gives you minutes to inject yourself with this enormous needle that you may not have even brought with you. More people need to take into consideration their surroundings, for people can only do so much to protect themselves from the world. The biggest problem group here is simply the food allergen community. Our entire country values two things above all: work and food. These people with food allergies are forced every day to be walking time-bombs constantly needing to carry around an enormous needle in case their death approaches them. I sound dramatic. But I was the girl who had her blood transfused for 9 hours the day before her birthday because I forgot to carry my epi-pen that day. There has to be a better way.

Bug List

Our project was to come up with 20 problems in my every day life. Twenty things that bug me to the point that it deserved to make this list of things that need to be solved. Twenty things.

There are almost 7.5 billion people in the world.

According to wfp.org, 725 million of those people are starving. Their everyday worries consist of finding ways to eat, to protect themselves and to find shelter. After five bugs in my own life, I had to pace back and forth for days, racking my brain and trying to find the last fifteen.

They are as follows:
1. Epi-pens that are extremely clunky (as shown) and make it difficult to run outside or even remember to bring everywhere I walk. This is a bug because I'm deathly allergic to bees but hate to workout in gyms and always have to walk to class. If I get stung by a bee, I will die in just a few minutes. I typically always bring it with me, and my friends are always careful, but it is still just a huge hassle in my everyday life.

2. The gas station pumps at the Shell near my home in Weston has broken pump clips that allow you to maximize your time and do other things while your car fills up. This bugs me particularly because my mom has arthritis and it pains her to sit there and hold the pump.

3. The subways in New York are extremely dangerous, and don't allow enough opportunity for people to get on and off safely before the doors begin to close without sensors to re-open, especially in the case people stick their arm through.

4. I can only go to Southwest Rec after 3:30 because I live off campus and it is hard to get a decal. This is completely frustrating because I pay over $23,000 a year to take classes, much of which goes to athletics and I can't park on my own campus to workout, when there aren't even classes nearby that should warrant necessary decals.

5. Students at UF are continuing to go out and drink underage which makes it bothersome to be out and try to enjoy yourself when you are constantly surrounded by police. This is frustrating because it makes students that can legally drink feel as if they must be on their toes and cannot enjoy themselves without worrying about police force.

6. Beats brand headphones recently released bluetooth wireless headphones that constantly break. Myself as well as three of my friends have gone through many pairs, returning and returning them but still receiving awful quality though we paid a ton of money. I don't have the money to buy many expensive things, so when I do I expect the quality to be what I paid for.

7. There are so few options for healthy snacks on the go, especially at gas stations and rest stops on the turnpike. This bugs me because I am on a ketogenic diet for health purposes and food mainly caters to fast junk food. Furthermore, I travel a lot and instead of investing in healthy food chains I have to invest in coolers to bring my own food which takes a lot of time to prepare and manage when ice melts in my car.

8. Archstone apartments, along with many Trimark properties, are provided with extremely thin and non-insulated walls. Not only does this make cold weather miserable and expensive, but it makes privacy a huge issue. I can hear not just my roommates conversations, but my neighbors clearly speaking in another unit.

9. Teachers are not switching over to eBooks, but require you to bring physical textbooks to class. This is a huge problem, especially for health. People are walking sometimes miles to class while lugging pounds and pounds of textbooks the entire way. This can cause spinal issues and major back problems.

10. Blowdryers are necessities for some girls, yet sharing a dorm makes it so difficult to use them in the morning when your roommate is sleeping. This is a problem because some girls really need to get ready and clean up nicely, especially for early morning meetings. However, your roommate may not even be a friend and could be easily angered or lose much needed sleep when an exam is coming up.

11. Scooter engines are completely exposed at extreme temperatures. I can bet everyone is bugged by this, but especially people on the back of the scooter. It takes just a few inches to move your leg back and get a huge burn, when you're supposed to be safe.

12. Street lights aren't activated by scooters. This is dangerous because you often have to get off your scooter to go press the light and leave your scooter running, and it could be stolen. Also, this usually happens when it is late at night, and sometimes near unsafe areas.

13. Library West has no individual lane parking for scooters. Because of this, scooters are often knocked down in a domino effect, which scratches mine and many other scooters.

14. Bay Island is backed up and wrapped around the parking lot on the weekends, with only one window that you can use to get food and which requires you to park (which is impossible). This bugs me because Bay Island has some of the most delicious coffee that people go out of their way to get, but they have such an inefficient and slow process.

15. Petite options are extremely limited for petite girls. This is my biggest problem because it requires me to spend more than the average girl on clothes because they have to be tailored. Furthermore, it is time inefficient because if ordered online, it requires delivery and then alteration time.

16. Important dates such as drop/add are different for nearby Florida colleges. This is a huge problem for students at home for the summer that want to take classes at FAU or UM and also work a job or internship and unsure of what will be available to them within the time frame after classes at UF are over.

17. Trimark doesn't change the locks when leasing a new apartment. Because of this, there is a chance and unsettling mindset that the previous tenant could have made an extra key.

18. My Sears washer machine ruins all of my clothes. It shrinks expensive things or tears apart shirts and dresses that have strings. It's all clothes that say can safely be washed, and makes me so angry because my landlord nor the company will take responsibility.

19. Southwest Rec provides no organized application for basketball games during recreational hours. This is difficult because my friends go in to play and call "downs" (meaning they have the next game), but people sometimes come and claim the court and say it was theirs.

20. Living on the fourth floor of an apartment and sixth floor of a dorm without an elevator (at 100 pounds) makes it so painful to carry up heavy things or many bags of groceries. This is a huge problem because I'm not a big person that eats out which requires me to get a lot of groceries. I don't have the time or strength to carry up a lot of things on my own.

And that was 20. Twenty things that bugged my everyday life, or that I witnessed cause problems for my friends. This list wasn't easy. It required me to overlook the fact that my problems are so minuscule compared to the rest of the world. Furthermore, it made me really go through the movements of my day to observe moments I wasn't only happy. However, it did provide a lot of time to see potential entrepreneurial opportunities, and I think I've expanded my everyday awareness to the world around me.

My Entrepreneurship Story

When I was ten I wanted to be a fashion designer.

My mom (center) has always been the
biggest role model for my sister and I

My mom, the greatest of all humans (or so she's brainwashed me to believe), was ecstatic. That Christmas, she bought me a mannequin, and a box full of different fabrics, outlines and guides. I went away to work, cutting out different designs, and taking lessons after school from my best friend's mom. The designs were terrible, and nothing actually took the shape of an article of clothing, but my mom treated them like they should've been featured in New York Fashion Week.

I never became a designer. As a matter of fact, I'm an economics major; I'm good at math. And that was okay with my mom, because I was ten and I was creating art and turning my ideas into physical things. She was okay because I was ten and I was being an entrepreneur. And if there is one thing that I've learned since then, it's that being an entrepreneur truly means one thing: you believe you can do anything--some things clearly better than others--if you try.

Somewhere along the way I became scared to try new things or branch out. I stopped taking risks, and I stopped trying to exceed boundaries and test new limits. My mom never did. I watched her work and work, quitting her job as Executive Manager of HP in NYC to create her own company that helps others to do the same. She was somewhat like the Energizer Bunny, she never stopped going.

When college came I grew nauseous at the idea that my future was floating right ahead of me. The feeling was an extension of fear. Fear of the unknown, but mostly the fear of failing. It took me two years of changing majors and stalling one step behind everyone else to realize the potential I had. I was, and I am a dreamer. But at that time it was like I was just asleep. When I woke up, everything changed for me. They say nothing changes over night; I think I did.

My fall semester of junior year I took a business speaking class, and our final grade depended on a group project that was to figure out a business plan to not only save, but improve, a failing company. I firmly believe I emerged as the "Gunther" of my group (as my favorite show, Grey's Anatomy, calls it--the emerging leader when a group of peers comes together to solve a challenge). My group was chosen to compete in the final competition, where the resulting winners would travel to Australia to compete once more.

My group didn't fly to Australia, and our plan was never sent off to the company we fixed, but the lessons I learned in that class were irreplaceable. I created ideas. I solved problems. I spoke in front of an audience and presented them with full power of persuasion. I wasn't just a student in that class, I was a professional. And after creating the solution to a company I'd never heard of, in an industry I know nothing about, I felt like I could take on any challenge.

I enrolled in Entrepreneurship, an elective choice among many, because I believe it will offer me the greatest opportunity to push myself further. Entrepreneurs are known for being go-getters, creators, and opportunists. So far, my college education has given me the knowledge to run a business. Now, I want to learn how to create my own.

First Blog Post

Here is a preview of what is to come on my blog!