11A

1. Who you are. What your talents are. What your skills and experiences are. Also: what are your aspirations? Specifically regarding your business concept, how do you see this business (if you were to start it) playing a role in your life?

• Hello! My name is Gernise Gregoire and I am a fourth-year public relations major minoring in business management. I recently transferred to UF last year and I have a passion for being the voice of brands, public speaking and being an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace and on campus. I have recently won two awards because of my efforts to improve diversity in the public relations field. I have lots of experience traveling and interacting with people from different cultures. I want to live by my experiences by providing a way from frequent travelers like myself, to save money and never miss a flight again. The new business idea I have plays a significant role in my life because as a voice for brands, I also want to be the voice for travelers. I want people to never have to worry about their next trip!
  
  

2. What are you offering to customers? Describe the product or service (in other words, how you'll solve customers' unmet needs). 

• I am offering individuals who are traveling for business, a product that helps them predict airport security wait time. Throughout the U.S., airport security wait times vary. People plan to leave towns, cities, and countries each day by plane without knowing how long their pre-flight process will take. My "FlyFrenzy" app is the most effective form of missed-flight prevention.
  The FlyFrenzy App will alert users who download the app after booking their flights. They will find out about it right after booking to receive a code with 25%. (That 25% profit will come back to us from our partnering airplane companies). Travelers will be alerted on how long security checkpoints will take four hours before their trip, on the way to their trip, and once they enter their designated airport. 
  My product will also help boost the public image of all participating airports and plane company social responsibilities.
  
  

3. Who are you offering it to? Describe, in as much detail as possible, the demographic and psychographic characteristics of your customers. Think especially of this question: what do your customers all have in common? 

• I am offering it to one main group: individuals who love to travel. With this target audience, my range of people will include Generation Zers and Millenials who are either traveling for business-related purposes or traveling for fun. My audience must also travel by plane frequently. My other subsidiary group would be airport workers and airplane companies such as Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines, American Airlines, Jet Blue, Southwest Airlines, and every airline that exist in the U.S. today. Since my product is an app, it will combine reporting from airport workers who will track security checkpoint times and report them, each airline will play a significant role in acting as partners to offer 25% off to all travelers who download, and travelers will feed off of these opportunities.
  
  
  

4. Why do they care? Your solution is only valuable insofar as customers believe its valuable to them. Here, explain why customers will actually pay you money to use your product or service. 

• Customers will believe my service/product, the FlyFrenzy app, is valuable to them because it will serve as a platform to have a responsibility, save money and never miss a flight again. It will also serve as a platform to stay alerted and updated. As a generation zer, I like to know early on about an event or action prior to diving into it. The same thing goes for knowing how long an airport security line will take before hopping on a plane.
  
  
  

5. What are your core competencies? What sets you apart from everyone else? Also: what do you have that nobody else has?  

• Currently, there are three competitors of apps that provide updates on airport security lines. To my best knowledge, these apps are reliable on travelers themselves who update the app. I believe this is ineffective because travelers cant accurately predict line-hold ups when they are stipping their bags and removing items to go through security. With my app, we will be different and effective. Only workers who control the lines will be able to update the app so incoming travelers understand their accurate line times. I will also encourage workers to provide an in-airport time clock to keep track of each person.
  
  

In addition to these five elements, please spend a paragraph evaluating whether you believe these elements fit together or whether there are aspects of your business concept that are weaker / out-of-joint with the others.  

• I believe that all of these elements work well together. However, I believe what seems to be weak is getting the participation of airport workers to utilize the app themselves and help incoming travelers. This would cause a need for an additional work position in airports across the world. One person would have to be delegated to keep track of how long it takes each person to go through the airport checkpoints and how long of a wait it may be for each our. Being accurate is the weak aspect of this so my job is to come up with how I can make sure workers do their jobs correctly. This designated airport worker can easily be replaced by a technological monitor which monitors checkpoint time and predicts checkpoint time at each hour.

10A

ELEVATOR PITCH
VIDEO LINK: 
https://youtu.be/uGA8MWHEiWw

Imagine booking your flight, packing your bags, and facing an emergency the day of your trip. You could have payed for flight insurance but you didn't. Why? Because it's too expensive. Today I have the ultimate solution to never missing your flight again. My name is Gernise Gregoire and I am the CEO of FlyFrenzy, the free app. In the market today, we have the most effective form of missed-flight prevention right through your cell phone. Just last year, Forbes reported that one out of every seven travelers has missed their flights due to long airport security lines.  Let Flight Frenzy help you fly easy. So how does it work? Our FlyFrenzy App will alert you. Just download it after you book your flight. What's in it for you? You'll know how long security checkpoints will take four hours before your trip, on your way to your trip, and once you enter your designated airport. Our inclusivity agreement with your favorite airlines will give you 25% off just for downloading! That 25% profit comes back to us. So the next time you book your flight, know your security checkpoint time too and never miss a flight again! Thank you. 

9A

• Who: Through my interviews, I found that there are people who should have the unmet need of knowing the predictability for Airport security checkpoints. They currently do not and they fall outside of the market. These are people who seem to not have the money or opportunities to travel.
  Three interviewees are from my hometown, West Palm Beach Florida.
  - My first interviewee stated that she typically used to go on trips with her parents when she was between the age of six and 10. She is currently 31-years-old. She remembers successfully making every flight. She stated that her parents "were great at time management so she never had to worry."
  - My second interviewee found herself confessing that she has never had the money to travel so airport security checkpoints were only something she has seen on television. While she does think it is a great system to keep danger away from traveling, it also does not benefit some travelers. She stated, "people cannot predict what obstacles will come there way prior to boarding a flight."
  - My third interviewee who is a college graduate stated he is against boarding planes. He said, "I believe flying is the safest option when it comes to transportation but I am truly afraid of heights." He has had a family member who passed away from a flight in 2013. He has not gone into detail. This has scarred him to never stepping foot into an airport.
  My other two interviewees are current students at the University of Florida. One studies computer science. He believes "everything is a process including boarding a flight. People must be prepared at security." He simply believes this issue of people blaming airport security for their lateness of missed flights is twisted. People should "have an estimation of what time they need to be at an airport early enough just in case something happens."
  The other student I interviewed studies telecommunications. She believes that if there is an app that helps people figure out ways to estimate airport security-hold ups, she would not purchase it. She strongly believes "people should be responsible and held accountable if they miss a flight or not. Airport security has nothing to do with it unless someone has a gun or something."
  
  
• What: One interviewee brought up a good point: Travelers need to be responsible enough to not miss a flight and not blame airport security.
  
  
• Why: I believe that the need is not different. It's a matter of not being able to predict the right time to go into an airport or the last possible time to go through airport security if someone is running late or is held up.

 

Inside the Boundary Outside the Boundary

Who:	Frequent travelers who are concerned about their past missed flights	Travelers who do not travel by plane often
	College students traveling for spring break and with family	Travelers realizing airport security is not to blame.
	Professionals taking flights each month	Students who don't have enough funds nor opportunities to travel.
What:	Help travelers predict airport security wait time	To completely avoid traveling by plane
	To shift some responsibility to airport workers	To completely take responsibility away from drinker/individual
Why:	Airport security is only for all who use the plane for traveling People need to be responsible for packing correctly & entering the airport on time (The airport is a process) Other people cannot warn incoming travelers about security wait times because they won't always be accurate

8A

My problem is centered on how to improve the predictability of airport security checkpoint time. The two products I have in mind has to do with 

1. An alert app that allows travelers to link their flight information and receive constant alerts on the day of their trip. This app would alert a person four hours prior to their trip and similar to a GPS, it would track a travelers location to help predict how long security checkpoints will take, depending on where they are (How far they are from the airport & how far security is when they arrive at the airport).

With this, travelers will be able to know the average time it will take them to fo through security and make it on time to their flight. The app will give an alert four hours prior, at the time of heading to the airport, and arriving at the airport. Users can turn off the app at any time if they believe they are already early for their flight.  This app represents a service! 

A few versions of this include:

- MyTSA which is the airport security's own app. The only difference is that other passengers log in times and they pretty much update other travelers on their way. It's like having a friend using the same app as you to keep you updated. My app would be offered at the end of every flight booked to inform travelers about this because I had no idea this existed. 

- MiFlight tells you how long the wait is likely to be and provides airport maps. 

2. A simple time clock is another service I would provide to conquer this need for people already inside the airport. The clock would be at bag check-in, in lobbies, at restaurants, and about the actual security checkpoint. This will inform travelers as they are on their way to take their journeys!  

7A

Airport security checkpoint hold-ups

• Opportunity:
• Every day, thousands of Americans who are frequent travelers miss out on opportunities because of missed flights. The reason for this leads back to having to be held up at security checkpoints in airports around the world

  
  

  • The who: American travelers
  • The what: Victims of missed flights and money lost
  • The why: The unpredictability of security checkpoints

    
    

    
    

    Testing the who: Not only do Americans have this need, but people of different nations traveling from different countries go through the same concern. Majority of the "who" includes business executives and Generation Zers. According to Adobe, youth travel is one of the fastest-growing sectors in tourism. 79% of Generation Zers first traveled overseas before the age of 15. (https://www.cmo.com/features/articles/2019/5/15/generation-z-travel.html#gs.3zdftj)
    

    
    

    Testing the what: Forbes revealed that one out of every seven travelers misses a flight because of long airport security lines.  (https://www.forbes.com/sites/garystoller/2018/06/26/one-of-every-seven-travelers-miss-their-flights-because-of-long-airport-security-lines/#1d1940c52e1d) This, however, is unrelated because there are people who miss flights simply because of having a special need, forgetting about a flight and arriving too late to the airport, or having distractions preventing them from arriving at the right time to the airport.

    
    

    Testing the why: People constantly miss flights because of their unpredictability of how long the security checkpoint process will take exactly. Many airports do not show a time clock of how long travelers will have to wait nor do the airports provide a way of predicting the time. Ways to prevent this include installing time clocks inside airports in from of the checkpoints, or launching an app/alert that helps travelers know the average time security checkpoints will take on the day and leading up to their time for a flight
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    
• Interview #1:
• In this interview, I found that a female who is 19 years old and an active college student travels often with her family. She feels like there is a problem in having to predict how long security checkpoints will take. When asked about why she thinks the problem exists she stated it's about people being on time. She has never been late to a flight and has always arrived three hours prior to boarding in order to have ample time. She only travels about twice per year by plane and has witnessed security throwing away her toothpaste that they thought was a weapon. That instance held other people behind her back.
  
  
• Interview #2:
• This interview was conducted with an event management student who feels like this problem exists only with people who are not Type A and are not as organized. She believes it's important for travelers who fully plan out a trip, to also plan out what they will bring in their bags. To do this, she usually puts together a list and does research security check-point restrictions, and what is and is not allowed in luggage to be transported. She also makes sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes to get through security easily. She has never faced this issue but has witnessed people who were unprepared face this issue.
  
  
  
  
• Interview #3:
• This interviewee has three years of experience working for a technology company. His job requires him to travel to speaking engagements with the company's executives because he is as an executive communications manager. He feels like the issue with airport security is that they don't hire kind people and at times their body scanners misinterpret objects people have on or possess. He was traveling back from Mexico and security held him back because on the frames on his lenses made the machine detect illegal material. This held back all other travelers for a few minutes.
  
  
  
  
• Interview #4:
• This interviewee is a 24-year-old communications senior in college. While she believes airport security checkpoints are important, she has never been on an airplane nor in an airport before. From what she has seen, she believes as a person who has nothing to hide, certain checkpoint procedures are a bit excessive after patting someone down.
  
  
  

  
  
• Interview #5:
• This interview was with a father who does not travel much by airplane and mainly by car or train. He chooses the Amtrak train over plane rides because he is provided with a meal and he can choose to bring his car on the Amtrak auto train. He would rather be on a train for hours than to go through a two-hour process with airport security and baggage drop off. He believes the whole airport system is simply too long.
  
  
  
  
• Given your interviews, what do you know about the opportunity that you didn't know before? 
• The interviewees helped me see how people have habits and they like adapting to only their habits. My second interviewee said she is all about staying organized and she believes that organization is the solution to this security checkpoint unpredictability need. Her habit is centered on being prepared for all things
  
  
• Most of my interviewees said they either did not travel often or traveled for a professional reason. This showed me there's a trend in an age range. As people become older they travel more often depending on their job, responsibility, and income.
• I also learned that there's a train system that can take passengers and their car for an affordable price depending on the destination. It is called Amtrak auto train for people who completely want to leave the habit of having to take a plane to get to a destination.

6A

1. Economic Trend: 

Source: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insight-artificial-intelligence-future-growth

- According to Accenture, artificial intelligence could double annual economic growth by 2035

- AI will create new relationships between man and their machines as well as change the nature of work. Because of this, labor productivity will increase up to 40 percent and enable people to have more free time 

- These technologies will enable machines to sense, act and learn human activities 

- This opportunity exists because as time progresses, technology needs to keep up with the demand of a growing world population. People are already getting used to having endless access and guidance because of technology. AI is on the route to take over the world. 

2. Economic Trend: 

Regulatory Changes: Oil and Gas pricing now and by 2050

Source: https://www.thebalance.com/us-economic-outlook-3305669

- The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that from 2019 to 2050, oil prices with an average of $64/barrel in the second half of 2019.

- The U.S. shale oil production reduced oil prices by 25% in 2014 and 2015. It positively affected the economy by lowering the cost of transportation, food, and raw materials for business. It also gave rise to consumers having a more disposable income to spend and caused both companies and families to save instead of spend.

- By 2050, world demand will drive oil prices to the equivalent of $107.94 per barrel. By then, the cheap sources of oil will have been exhausted, making oil production more expensive.

- This opportunity exists in my opinion because, in my experience as an everyday driver and constant purchaser of oil, I not only have to be prepared for high gas prices but also prepared to continue saving. This oil production increase can also affect global climate change tremendously for all generations to come 

3. Regulatory Changes: Employment is on the rise

Source: https://www.thebalance.com/bureau-of-labor-statistics-3305992

- The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported its annual occupational outlook for the next decade

- Total employment is expected to increase by 20.5 million jobs between now and 2020. 

- 88% of all occupations will experience growth and the fastest-growing occupation will rise in health care, social assistance, and construction

- I formed the belief that this opportunity exists because as students and children in my generation, generation Z, increase, we all must understand our opportunity zones. In this case, I would advise students who are looking for a career or still building a career path to study health care, construction or any form of social assistance to gain satisfaction and high demand for their skills.

4. Regulatory Changes:

Source: https://www.thebalance.com/us-economic-outlook-3305669

- According to the Federal Reserve, climate change has the ability to reduce U.S. economic growth by 30% in the next century.

- Federal Reserve Chairs are working to enact a carbon tax to lower the dangerous levels of greenhouse gas emissions   

- I formed the belief that this opportunity exists because climate change will affect everyone. All generations need to stay alert as to how the climate will shift and what can humans do on earth to help prevent it  

5A

5 Opportunities

1. Bahamians booted off Florida-bound evacuation ferry. Feds are blaming ferry company
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article234873727.html
2019's hurricane Dorian caused massive destruction in the Bahamas. Nearly 1,500 hurricane survivors waited in line to board the Freeport port boat at Marsh Harbour Port in Abaco on Friday, September 6 in order to flee from the destruction caused. The boat was heading to Fort Lauderdale, FL. More than 100 evacuees were abruptly kicked off that evening due to documentation issues. 

Problem: In this article, Bahamians who were not able to leave the island had a problem. They were kicked off because of mandatory visa requirements which have not yet been waived by President Donald Trump.

People: President Donald Trump, Bahamians, Visitors, Travelers, Port workers, Boat captain


2. Heading to the Florida Keys? Card Sound Road bridge toll is about to go up
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/florida-keys/article234898842.html
Frequent travelers who are coming from Miami Dade often take Card Sound Road to get there. Tollbooths on the road typically charge $1.50 for two-axle cars and trucks. The road is one of two main roads leading to the Florida Keys and aids frequent travelers in getting from point A to point B. The toll helps fund maintenance costs of the road and fixture repair for five bridges along Card Sound Road. Recently, toll costs were increased to $3.06 per vehicle traveling. 

Problem: In this article, travelers and toll payers have a problem. People will now need more funds to travel to the Florida Keys and the issue calls to question what the timeline will look like for the road's bridges being completed. Will tolls go down? Is there an alternative cheaper route?

People: South Florida residents, tourists, frequent travelers, toll workers

3. UF student reported rape in Jennings Hall, UPD Says
https://www.alligator.org/news/uf-student-reported-she-was-raped-in-jennings-hall-upd/article_03622c12-d41f-11e9-9b96-9fab926c54c5.html
On September 9, one UF student told campus security that she was sexually battered less than a month ago in UF's Jennings Hall. She was hesitant to release the perpetrator's name but told campus police, she once had a personal relationship with the person. Two weeks after the report, UPD arrested Ian Milaski, a resident assistant. He was arrested and charged with battery and false imprisonment then released from Alachua County's jail.  A female student accused him of repeatedly asking for sex and coming into her dorm room while she was asleep. 

Problem: In this article, the UF student who reported she was harmed had a problem. The problem lies with her mentally and physically. Ian also had the problem through committing this and the Alachua County Jail has a problem in dealing with comments from people of other ethnicities. 

People: UF student who reported she was raped, Ian, UF residential department workers, Authorities 

4. "We've had enough"
https://www.alligator.org/news/we-ve-had-enough-students-organize-protest-on-fraternity-drive/article_699fab64-d107-11e9-b2c2-b38c5b626004.html
University of Florida students believes the campus can improve when it comes to safety. Fraternity Row is the only area on campus without blue light emergency phones. On September 17, four female students are partnering with the Gainesville chapter of the National Women's Liberation to protest the lack of lights and lack of action UF's student government has taken. At the end of the Spring 2019 semester, student government failed to pass a resolution to add the blue lights across Fraternity Row. All students involved in organizing the protest are addressing it from a nonpartisan stance.

Problem: In this article, the problem is safety issues at the University of Florida. Females who often walk and use Fraternity Row have no way to report emergencies when walking on the street.

People: Fraternity brothers with houses on the road, student government leaders, four student females, National Women's Liberation

5. Gamestop Lays off 14% of workers, closing up to 200 stores
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20190910/gamestop-lays-off-14-of-workers-closing-up-to-200-stores
GameStop is attempting to increase its efficiency and effectiveness. In order to evolve the video game industry, GameStop executives have taken the steps of closing 180-200 stores as of September 10, 2019. Since 1984, the company has owned over 5,000 stores worldwide. Because of online competitors, GameStop is planning to build a compelling digital strategy to transform the gaming industry. 

Problem: Stores closing, fewer profits for GameStop, the potential for company failure, workers now with no income, more competition, need for innovative thinkers 

People: GameStop stakeholders/employees, GameStop executives, GameStop locations across the world including Florida 

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/florida-keys/article234898842.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article234873727.html#storylink=cpy

4A

I believe there is an unmet need in regards to airport security checkpoint hold-ups. All frequent travelers like business executives and future travelers would find this to be interesting and handy. I believe I could provide an app that allows travelers to link their flight information to my system three hours prior to going through security and one hour prior to going to security. By having two alerts, travelers will be able to know the average time it will take them to go through security and make it on their flight. According to Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/garystoller/2018/06/26/one-of-every-seven-travelers-miss-their-flights-because-of-long-airport-security-lines/#1d1940c52e1d), one out of every seven travelers has missed their flights due to long airport security lines. By concurring this need, the prototypical customer on his/her way to a flight will avoid having to pay for another trip as well as having to miss being at a destination. In 2018 Capitol one conducted a survey that revealed this issue.  

#1: Spontaneous Traveler in college

• How often do you travel?

I travel two or three times per year and that's not enough for me. It is only what I can afford right now. I am 23 now. I would want to travel five or six times per year as I grow older.

• Have you ever missed a flight and if so, why?

I did. I was socializing with my ex-boyfriend when we went to New York. We didn't realize the time was near, By the time we noticed we only had 20 minutes to get to the airport. When we got there they were boarding and we had to wait too long at security for two hours and ended up catching the next flight. Our tickets included coverage so we didn't have to pay for the next flight. 

• How does airport security effect getting to your destination?

Sometimes the people traveling take too long to remove their garments and sometimes it's the petty stuff when security guards want to pat you down. Instead of patting you and letting you go, they make you wait. One time they made me remove my wig to make sure I had nothing and pat it. 

• What factors have made you run late to a flight if it has ever happened? 

Running my mouth, not packing early and not paying attention to the flight. 

• Has airport security hold-ups prevented you from catching your flight? How did you feel?

No, not at all. Now I know to go at least an hour or two early. 

• What is your favorite airport and why? 

Fort Lauderdale airport because the flights are usually cheaper. It is easier to navigate through and Miami's airport is on some bullshit. 

• If you had an app that helped you know your average time you will spend in the airport if you got there at a specific time would you use it and how often?

I would use it, especially if I am running late. 

REFLECTION: Prototypical customers probably do not include many college students because they are often nowhere near financial freedom. There are some college students who either have their own small businesses and can afford to take flights or have relatives who are willing to fund their experiences. Preventing a missed flight can help anyone.

#2: Young black male, corporate worker

• How often do you travel?

At least once per month. If it's not a company trip, it's me linking up with family or friends to just go have fun. 

• Have you ever missed a flight and if so, why?

I never did. I always make sure my flights are on my phone's calendar. Every time I have a trip, I get alerted at least five hours prior.

• How does airport security effect getting to your destination?

It doesn't. I feel like its all about being on time and being responsible. My mom always told me, the bus doesn't wait for you, you wait on the bus. The same thing applies for a flight.

• What factors have made you run late to a flight if it has ever happened? 

I guess I can't answer this.

• Has airport security hold-ups prevented you from catching your flight? How did you feel?

No, and I hope they never do.

• What is your favorite airport and why?:

Definitely the Orlando airport. There's literally trains in the airport that brings you to your flight destination and security check-ins. I feel like all airports should have that to prevent people from having to run too often when they are late.

• If you had an app that helped you know your average time you will spend in the airport if you got there at a specific time would you use it and how often?: I really would use it, to be honest. It would be like a back-up plan if I were to ever be late.

REFLECTION: There are some people who are responsible enough to always be on time for everything and there are other people who don't mind being late and can't help being late. It all depends on what people's routines are.

#3: Mother of two, business owner

• How often do you travel?

Probably twice per year. My job and having two kids kind of holds me back from traveling more often. 

• Have you ever missed a flight and if so, why?

I did miss a flight once. My son, who was four months old at the time, could not stop crying. I was going on a trip to see my brother in New York from Florida. I actually cried cause everyone was staring at me alone with my child who was uncontrollably crying before I could even get to the bag check-in. I wasted a good hour trying to feed him and change him. Your first child is always a learning experience. 

• How does airport security effect getting to your destination?

They take too long. I hate when they throw away unnecessary belongings which makes lines take even more long. 

• What factors have made you run late to a flight if it has ever happened? 

Mainly just my children or forgetting something at my house.

• Has airport security hold-ups prevented you from catching your flight? How did you feel?

Not at all. I try to get to the airport at least three or two hours before boarding. 

• What is your favorite airport and why?:

I really don't have one. 

• If you had an app that helped you know your average time you will spend in the airport if you got there at a specific time would you use it and how often?: I really would. Anything that makes my life easier, I will use.

REFLECTION: Older women often have one main distraction: their kids. Having to worry about other people traveling with you can sometimes make you forget about time passing by and deadlines to reach.

SUMMARY:

I believe the opportunity is present here for sure. Airport security checkpoint hold-ups can truly be avoided if travelers have access to average time expectancies. My interviewees made it clear that it would help them. Whether they have children, usually on time or simply face an emergency, meeting this need would help every traveler.