Create a Customer Avatar (ENT3003 Assignment 18A)

Avatar Description:

1. What kind of hobbies does your customer have? Since my customer is an athlete, their hobbies include playing sports and working out to always improve and hone their skills. They also enjoy studying game tape and playbooks to assist them as well. Other than hobbies related to their craft, they enjoy playing video games, listening to music, watching television shows and being on social media.
2. What kind of car do they tend to drive? (What color is it?) Since they are college students with little to no income, and no real need for a car, my customer doesn't have a car; they actually prefer to walk, jog or run to where they need to get to on campus instead anyway, as it is a form of exercise.
3. What TV shows do they watch? My customer tends to watch lots of superhero shows such as Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning and Batwoman to name a few. They also enjoy shows that are specific to their passion of sports of course, such as Ballers, All-American and Hard Knocks. Other shows they show a strong interest in is Power and Empire.
4. Do they have children? Since my customer is only just becoming a legal adult, they don't have any kids. The number one priority is focusing on becoming a better athlete first and foremost anyway, so no time to be trying to settle down and start families yet.
5. Are any of them adopted? There is a very good chance my prototypical customer is adopted, either officially or unofficially, due to their rough upbringing and having to get out of that environment as soon as possible to be able to succeed as an athlete and block out the distractions and drama.
6. What are their favorite books? My customer isn't much of a reader outside of sports articles, playbooks and required materials for their academic courses.
7. Who are their favorite politicians? While my customer is still very young, they don't find much interest in politics.
8. How old are they? (How old do they feel?) My customer is within the ages of 17-23, though they may feel older at times due to the pressure that is upon them to succeed as athletes and get their family out of financial hard times.

Similarities:

1. What do you have in common with the customer avatar? I have a bunch of things in common with my customer avatar, including: being athletic (to an extent), playing video games, watching television shows (and the show selection), coming from a rough neighborhood, and not being a big fan of both politics and reading books. I also share the same sentiment that it is best to settle down and start a family after you succeed or are at least comfortable in your current position individually.
2. If you have anything in common with the avatar, do you think that is a coincidence? Why? I don't think these similarities are a coincidence due to the fact of where we were raised. These types of neighborhoods push you to find solace in sports, superheroes, and focusing on being the best version of you that you can be to help be that hero for your family who wasn't able to make it out.

Elevator Pitch No. 2 (ENT3003 Assignment 17A)

Reflection: The important feedback that stood out to me from my first elevator pitch was to get a better angle, lighting, and to talk with more enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is important because if you don't show an interest and a passion for your own product/service, then you can't really expect anyone else to either. It surprised me to see that I was told I talked about other agencies too much, because I don't think I did. The most wrong feedback was that I was asked what I meant when I said "we" in my last video. This is silly because these assignments are clearly hypothetical pitches to promote our brand, so when I say that I am the CEO of SmashBro Sports and then follow that with the word "we," it's quite obvious that I'm referring to my hypothetical sports agency and not the University of Florida or any other unrelated organization/institution.

Changes: Based on this feedback, I changed what I deemed was important and what I agreed with, such as the angle, lighting, enthusiasm and even trying to talk about my company a bit more even though that caused me to run over 90 seconds.

What's Your Secret Sauce? (ENT3003 Assignment 16A)

1. Five things that make me unique are my:
• Adaptability - I am able to be put in any type of environment and excel, thanks in big part to my time in the Marine Corps.
• Ambition - Coming from a tough background and neighborhood, I've only used that to further push myself and never settle for less because I came from less and I know what it looks like.
• Persistence - I am determined to finish every single I start and/or set my mind to and will not give up easily, if at all.
• Work Ethic - Usually, I work harder and longer than all of my peers, and even those under me and above me as well.
• Attention to Detail - I am quite the perfectionist, and will point out flaws that many aren't able to or just don't care to.
2. Interviews:
• My key takeaway from this interview is that I am a product of my environment. However, it is my choice on how to use that upbringing and that is what will result in the success/failure of the final product (me).
• In this interview, I see that my focus and ability to give honest feedback is a strength. Most people don't seem to handle truth very well, but this person is able to take my advice in and apply it to become a better person and make better decisions.
• This person lists a bunch of different things things that make me stand out from the rest. One of those skills are my impeccable analytical skills.
• In this interview, this person points out my adaptability and ability to succeed in any setting. As they point out, this is extremely important in the business world, as everything is only becoming more global and diverse.
• This last interview actually pointed out a weakness of mine that I am still working on in my procrastination. However, they did say that despite that weakness, I am still able work hard and get it done no matter.
3. The biggest difference I took from this is my open and honest criticism of people and the advice I try to give them. While my intentions are usually never to bash anyone or discourage anyone, I am not one to sugarcoat anything and am usually referred to as an asshole because of it. It is quite a surprise and very refreshing to see that at least some people are able to see through the "tough love" and take it as a positive rather than a negative. Other than that, everything else is on par with how I described myself initially so there is no need to change my list with these further endorsements.

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2 (ENT3003 Assignment 15A)

• The first person I interviewed valued money the most, so the price of the alternative is what matters to them he most when they're deciding. Since they are either not as well off with money or just that strict with the spending of their own than others, they would rather choose an alternative with a decent quality for a cheaper price than the better quality option that's also relatively more expensive. As far as where and how to buy this option, they are aware that it would most likely have to be a business to business deal with their manager's firm or they can simply go directly to an agency if they don't have a well-established manager, or a manager at all for that matter. Since this person values money the most, they determine the purchase to be a good/bad idea based on how much money they get back on their sponsorship deals and such.
• In the second interview, the quality of the product/service is what is valued the most. They are comfortable paying more money in order to get the best quality possible. As far as where and how to buy this option, they are aware that it would most likely have to be a business to business deal with their manager's firm or they can simply go directly to an agency if they don't have a well-established manager, or a manager at all for that matter. This person will determine how well of a decision they made based on their availability and the brands associated, since they value quality the most. As long as the agent isn't doing anything illegal to jeopardize the player's game status, and as long as the player sees sponsorship deals from well-established companies, then that's all that matters.
• A combination of both cost and quality are the factors that were equally important to the third person I interviewed. They didn't necessarily need to get the cheapest option or the one with the best quality, but one that met both needs equally is what this person valued the most. As far as where and how to buy this option, they are aware that it would most likely have to be a business to business deal with their manager's firm or they can simply go directly to an agency if they don't have a well-established manager, or a manager at all for that matter. While this person values a combination of factors, their evaluation will depend on how well both of them align with each other. To determine if it was a good/bad decision, this person will not only weigh their revenue from the deals, but also how well they're being represented as far as the reputation of the companies.

In conclusion, I learned a great deal from these interviews. People value mostly money and/or quality above all else, with little to no regard to style as far as sports agents go. As long as the service reels in the most revenue as possible, and generally from companies with good reputations, while also keeping the players on the field instead of sitting out or going through suspension or anything of that nature due to illegal practices, that's what is most important at the end of the day.

Halfway Reflection (ENT3003 Assignment 14A)

1. A behavior I have used to keep up with the requirements of this course is making sure to manage my time and get the assignments done usually ahead of time. The deadlines for these assignments are unorthodox and can get hectic if not properly paid attention to. On the other hand, they definitely help in getting in a habit to being more proactive.
2. There are plenty of nights where I just felt like I couldn't focus enough or was too tired to get the assignments done. What pulled me through more than anything else was to not think too much into these assignments; they are quite simple once you have a clear and open mind. I feel like I've built a pretty tenacious attitude that fits this belief. When I feel overwhelmed with other things or too tired to do these assignments, I'll simply set my alarm to wake me up in the morning before it is due and get some sleep. Lately, I have even been waking myself up before the alarm and able to get the assignment done much faster with a clear head.
3. Three tips I would give prospective students about fostering the skills that support tenacity and developing the tenacious mindset are:
• Make sure to stay organized and be on top of every single deadline.
• Work ahead to build that proactive skillset while also alleviating the stress of having to get things done at the last minute.
• Don't overthink things! Sometimes, you're only required to give intuitive responses, so there is no need to overdo it.

Reading Reflection No. 1 (ENT3003 Assignment 13A)

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

1. About the entrepreneurs:
• What surprised me the most was that while the Wright brothers were making strides and perfecting motorized flight as early as 1903, both the military and the press showed no interest. Due to the recent failure of Professor Langley, everyone was skeptical on the reports of the brothers' success and didn't bother to do their due diligence. It wasn't until two years later in 1905, that they started getting the recognition and credit that they deserved, thanks in part to Amos I. Root publishing their achievements in his Gleanings in Bee Culture periodical.
• The most admirable trait of the Wright brothers was how they were able to use their own unique personalities to both take on roles as leaders in their own right and work as a team.
• What I admire least about the Wright brothers is that they didn't seem to be too family-oriented. While they were inseparable, and it looks like they had a good connection with their father and younger sister, there is not much mention of their relationship with their two older siblings or their mother before her passing. Furthermore, neither of them were interested in starting a family of their own.
• As mentioned earlier, they faced adversity early on before they were officially recognized. Despite this adversity, they did not let it faze them and instead were continuously looking to make improvements and even sell their invention. The Wright brothers each went through some failures as well. Wilbur had to rebuild a Flyer from scratch in France, pretty much by himself, before giving a demonstration of a lifetime with it and closing a deal that was being stalled for about a year. In that same summer of 1908, back in the United States, Orville broke records in front of some prospective military clients before getting into an accident an severely injuring himself while also killing his passenger. With the help of his sister, he took time off to recover and they also went overseas to join Wilbur in his success, before coming back healthy and finally closing the military deal.
2. The biggest competency that the Wright brothers shared was that they were determined to see their aviation inventions through no matter what. They were only able to fly together once, and it was after they were well established. This was due to a pact that the brothers made to never fly together because if the flight went bad and killed one of them then the other would still be alive to carry on the business plan.
3. What confused me the most about this reading was the lack of an education by the Wright brothers. Seeing how Milton fits the mold of a consummate father who preaches hard work amongst other things, it was quite odd to discover that he encouraged them to skip school if they favored his library of books at home instead. Even more strange, however, is seeing how well that approach worked out.
4. If I were able to ask two questions to the Wright brothers, my first will be why they didn't pursue a family? I can understand if they needed to focus on their work while they were still perfecting their craft, but after that I feel like there was more than enough time to refocus their efforts on continuing their legacy through their family and not just their work. My second question would be why they had a joint bank account? I can relate to having an inseparable sibling in which I share interests and career goals with, but that doesn't entail having to share a bank account with him as well.
5. As I explained earlier, the Wright brothers' idea of hard work is not for the weak-minded; their death pact proves that. I actually feel like I have a similar opinion of working hard and getting things done my any means necessary.

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1 (ENT3003 Assignment 12A)

Segment: My segment focuses on college athletes who have experienced their likeness benefitting everyone else but them financially. As I don't know any current student-athletes, however, the three people I interviewed were former athletes.

Interview 1: This person became aware of their need after graduating and getting a full-time job, but then realizing that there was much more work associated with being an athlete at the collegiate level than there is now in their ensuing career field. Understandably, this person felt like it was too late to seek out assistance in this situation since they didn't necessarily become aware of it until after their playing days were over. They still did their due diligence, however, and are now huge supporters of the upcoming change to allow players to be compensated from their likeness; they do wish they were born a few generations later so they could have taken advantage of this new policy though.

Interview 2: This former athlete is actually still a student but decided to end his playing days and focus on maximizing his other areas of interest after he tore his ACL a few years ago. He became aware of his need as soon as his injury diagnosis came in and forced him to make the tough decision of moving on. For a top-tier athlete with professional talent, to see their life change before their eyes due to an injury is traumatic enough, not to mention there really being no insurance policy or any form of income in place to not only reward them for the work they put in but to also assist them in their transition out of that lifestyle. Research was done, as well as talking to family and friends, and so that is what helped him make the decision to move on to bigger and better things with his life.

Interview 3: This person was aware of their need early on, as they were mostly utilizing their talents in order to assist their family through hard times. Coming from a tough neighborhood and economic background, people find it quite difficult to get out of that lifestyle, and either turn to sports or illegal activities such as drugs. This person chose the good route in sports before realizing that at least in college, there were rules in place that stripped that athlete's immediate value as far as making money as soon as possible and getting his family out of that environment. As a result, this person decided to go with the only other option he ever knew will be able to make quick money. They did their best to work around the system and use their likeness to make money in any way possible, all while not getting caught of course. This is a common problem that is exploited by these student-athletes who feel like they have no other choice.

Conclusion: I learned that while student-athletes all come from different walks of life and don't become aware of their roughly similar needs at the same exact point in their lives, they all still have underwhelming solutions in order to find alternatives to fill that need. This upcoming policy change will give the newer generation of athletes a better ground to build from and will ensure that they don't have to resort to desperate measures if they fall on hard times. My agency will only maximize their newfound benefits and savings as a result of now being able to be compensated accordingly for their likeness.

Idea Napkin No. 1 (ENT3003 Assignment 11A)

1. My name is Jose and I am in my junior year of undergraduate studies, majoring in business administration, with my area of specialization in sport management and a minor in entrepreneurship. I am a former United States Marine who specialized in supply chain management during my four years of active duty service. I aspire to put together all that I have learned, while also constantly taking in new information, and eventually applying that all to the business side of sports. As far as my business concept for the agency goes, it will serve as a starting point that ties in my business skills and experience into the sports world.
2. I am offering an agency that will not only support collegiate athletes in the upcoming "pay for play" era of collegiate sports, but that will also strive to be the agency that specializes solely on this new structure that will be implemented by the NCAA.
3. The target audience of my agency will all have one thing in common: making money off of collegiate sports. On one hand, the NCAA will be looking for an agency to sponsor as the model agency that will strictly enforce their strategy to get the most value out of everyone involved. The student-athletes, however, also will be seeking an agency that will get the most out of their newfound value and help them find a way to capitalize that value with sponsorship deals and other allowed opportunities tailored to their respective likenesses.
4. College sports is and will continue to be a juggernaut in the entertainment industry for years to come. The new structure to pay players can cause a significant decrease in the viewership and interest of these collegiate sports moving forward if it is not executed properly, however. All parties involved share the same sentiment that my agency will in striving to find a happy medium for all and not let any of it affect the play on the field in the process.
5. My agency will be able to confidently say that we know and only deal with the rights and wrongs of the new structure to be implemented by the NCAA shortly. This sets us apart from other agencies because they already represent professionals with totally different language in their deals. This can become a problem in that other agencies who have been working with mostly professionals will now have to change a ton of their strategy in order to properly represent a student-athlete under the NCAA and not get them into trouble financially by mistakenly treating them as professionals and going against the NCAA's strict terms. In that regard, we have the advantage and luxury to tailor our representation to fit the needs of the NCAA as well as its student-athletes.

At the moment, the first aspect of my business concept doesn't necessarily fit with the others. Despite my military experience and interest for sports, I currently don't have the necessary skills and tools that are needed to become an agent and/or run an agency. While I am confident that those skills will come in due time, this is quite clearly the weakest element of my business opportunity so far this early on.