The Gainesville Sun recently released an article describing the 5 best opportunities for those seeking to become entrepreneurs. I found this topic incredibly relevant to our course and this assignment in particular. They list opportunities and opportunities are born from unmet needs - both of which happen to be the topics we are assigned to think about today. The 5 opportunities are:
1. Health care:
Problem: we all get sick.
Who has the problem: everyone!
2. Marijuana farming - but only if you live in the 29 states or D.C. where it is legalized. This is a good field for those who enjoy farming; sales are expected to increase over the next few years.
Problem: researchers need more marijuana to learn more about it and health care providers may need it for medicinal use.
Who has the problem: Researchers, health care providers, and those who would like to use marijuana for recreational purposes.
3. E-Commerce - we do live in a digital age where more and more of us prefer to shop from the comfort of our homes. The presence of online shops increases competition which leads to better products at lower prices. Everyone wins! Producers enjoy more sales and consumers enjoy the products at lower prices!
Problem: We all like convenience and speedy services.
Who has the problem: Introverts, those with busy lives, and the lazy.
4. Information technology - again, we live in a digital age and many of us have concerns about hacking. Those who can increase cyber security will do well because it is an increasing need in our world.
Problem: cyber security is a concern for everyone in today's day and age. With the threat of hacking ever-present, we are in need of those who can increase our online security.
Who has the problem: virtually everyone with a computer, phone, tablet, etc. (pun intended)!
5. Other personal care services - from wedding planning to personal accounting to house cleaning, services like these ought to do well because many of us are too busy to plan an entire wedding by ourselves and services like accounting will always be a necessity for businesses and even individuals.
Problem: Many of us are very busy and find it more efficient to hire someone to plan an event in our stead and/or do not understand the world of accounting and therefore need someone to help us out.
Who has the problem: people with busy lives and those in need of specific services.
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2. Headlight on Traffic Safety
This short article directs students who live in Gainesville to a brochure on how to drive safely around the city. The brochure lists tips on how to stay safe while out and about. This is important in our city because there are so many pedestrians, bicyclists, and and drivers.
Problem: Safety is a priority for the police department and they work very hard on and off-campus to keep civilians safe. Education is the best prevention for many disasters.
Who has the problem: everyone. Whether it's civilians who can become endangered due to risky behavior or the UFPD who has to take care of these problems.
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3. Hiring: Lake Wauburg Lifeguard
This is an advertisement put in the paper for the RecSports Center on campus. They are seeking someone with the proper qualifications to fill the position of lifeguard at Lake Wauburg.
Problem: The RecSports Center is in need of a lifeguard in order to ensure the safety of all who go to Lake Wauburg for a good time.
Who has the problem: The RecSports Center because they have an empty lifeguard position and all who go to Lake Wauburg because, should any misfortune befall them, they would be in more danger without an extra set of eyes watching.
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4. Why Smarter Cars Aren't Saving Us Money on Car Insurance
This article takes a look at why newer, safer technology is not reducing our insurance costs. With safer cars comes fewer accidents, right? Perhaps if every single driver traded in their old cars for these newer, more technologically advanced cars, we would see a decrease in insurance costs. But this is not the case. What's happening is this: the economy is doing well and cars as well as gasoline are both normal goods (normal good: when income increases, these goods are used more), so more cars are on the road and when more cars are on the road, there will be more accidents. In addition to this, health care costs and car repair costs are increasing which increases insurance costs. The article states that the average age of a car on the road is 11+ which means more people have older cars than newer cars so the driving hazards still exist and have not gone down.
Problem: Insurance costs are increasing due to more accidents.
Who has the problem: all drivers.
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5. Alachua County officials worried about virus' season
Alachua County School District Supervisor of Health Services Patricia Hughes relays her fears about how the flu virus could negatively affect students as FCAT season rolls around. She tells the Gainesville Sun how Alachua County students did so poorly a few years back because of the virus that the scores were pardoned. She hopes to not relive that this year but worries because of how many students already tested positive for the flu just this month.
Problem: Students are getting sick with the flu and, if it becomes bad enough, they will test poorly on the FCAT which may force the county to pardon the scores as they did almost 10 years ago. This messes up data for the county and for schools.
Who has the problem: All who are affected by the flu - especially students who take the FCAT, and county schools.
This short article directs students who live in Gainesville to a brochure on how to drive safely around the city. The brochure lists tips on how to stay safe while out and about. This is important in our city because there are so many pedestrians, bicyclists, and and drivers.
Problem: Safety is a priority for the police department and they work very hard on and off-campus to keep civilians safe. Education is the best prevention for many disasters.
Who has the problem: everyone. Whether it's civilians who can become endangered due to risky behavior or the UFPD who has to take care of these problems.
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3. Hiring: Lake Wauburg Lifeguard
This is an advertisement put in the paper for the RecSports Center on campus. They are seeking someone with the proper qualifications to fill the position of lifeguard at Lake Wauburg.
Problem: The RecSports Center is in need of a lifeguard in order to ensure the safety of all who go to Lake Wauburg for a good time.
Who has the problem: The RecSports Center because they have an empty lifeguard position and all who go to Lake Wauburg because, should any misfortune befall them, they would be in more danger without an extra set of eyes watching.
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4. Why Smarter Cars Aren't Saving Us Money on Car Insurance
This article takes a look at why newer, safer technology is not reducing our insurance costs. With safer cars comes fewer accidents, right? Perhaps if every single driver traded in their old cars for these newer, more technologically advanced cars, we would see a decrease in insurance costs. But this is not the case. What's happening is this: the economy is doing well and cars as well as gasoline are both normal goods (normal good: when income increases, these goods are used more), so more cars are on the road and when more cars are on the road, there will be more accidents. In addition to this, health care costs and car repair costs are increasing which increases insurance costs. The article states that the average age of a car on the road is 11+ which means more people have older cars than newer cars so the driving hazards still exist and have not gone down.
Problem: Insurance costs are increasing due to more accidents.
Who has the problem: all drivers.
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5. Alachua County officials worried about virus' season
Alachua County School District Supervisor of Health Services Patricia Hughes relays her fears about how the flu virus could negatively affect students as FCAT season rolls around. She tells the Gainesville Sun how Alachua County students did so poorly a few years back because of the virus that the scores were pardoned. She hopes to not relive that this year but worries because of how many students already tested positive for the flu just this month.
Problem: Students are getting sick with the flu and, if it becomes bad enough, they will test poorly on the FCAT which may force the county to pardon the scores as they did almost 10 years ago. This messes up data for the county and for schools.
Who has the problem: All who are affected by the flu - especially students who take the FCAT, and county schools.
Hey Rana!
ReplyDeleteI think it's awesome how you found an article about local opportunities for entrepreneurs, and applied it to this assignment! The examples given from the article are interesting too, but make sense regarding the technology changes that are happening so quickly. You also did a good job distinguishing between the problem itself and who has the problem. These problems locally can definitely be solved through entrepreneurial ideas, and identifying the problem and whose problem it is can help with doing so. Overall, great post!
Rana, great job finding local opportunities for entrepreneurs in Gainesville. I found it unsurprising to see health care leading the field, with marijuana being a close second. Being followed by E-commerce and information technology is interesting but makes sense because of the world we currently live in. These are definitely problems that all, or at least most of us, face.
ReplyDeleteHi, Rana! You made a great list of articles on the local opportunities and who they affect. The second article I feel is useful for college students, especially University of Florida students. When I drive here in Gainesville or on campus I always find a student on their phone while driving or distracted behind the wheel. It’s frustrating as much as it is scary when young adults drive recklessly or do not pay attention behind the wheel.
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