Friday, October 25, 2019
Customer Avatar
I beleive my customer avatar is a middle aged individual who is relatively out of shape. Perhaps they've always had intentions to get in shape, and had brief stints where they were in shape, but they struggle with consistency and often lose results quickly. They probably have a couple children and a job which occupys the majority of their time, which makes finding gym time difficult.
I beleive I do have something in common with this avatar. A few years ago I was extremely overweight and definitely out of shape, and I found it difficult to overcome this. While I was able too, I feel like this would've been much easier if I had a personal trainer to help me. I don't think this is a coincidence, since my choice to develop this app is definitely partly because of my experience with getting in shape. If most people thought getting in shape was easy, there wouldn't be a need for personal trainers.
I beleive I do have something in common with this avatar. A few years ago I was extremely overweight and definitely out of shape, and I found it difficult to overcome this. While I was able too, I feel like this would've been much easier if I had a personal trainer to help me. I don't think this is a coincidence, since my choice to develop this app is definitely partly because of my experience with getting in shape. If most people thought getting in shape was easy, there wouldn't be a need for personal trainers.
Friday, October 18, 2019
Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2
In these interviews, I looked for how individuals view alternatives to my fitness app that connects individuals to personal trainers. I believe these alternatives are mainly personal trainers offered by gyms, and freelance personal trainers.
The first thing I realized is that price is a very important aspect. Freelance personal trainers charge the most, and the three individuals I interviewed all said that while they may have considered getting a personal trainer, the cost for a freelance one was far too large. As a result, I think its important that since my app is such an informal way of training, and since a lot of the personal trainers on my app would be beginner personal trainers, making sure cost is comparatively low is very important.
Additionally, since the app would be very easy to use, the segment using the app would also be the segment least likely to actually go out and find a freelance personal trainer. However, personal trainers offered by gyms do seem like a larger threat to my business concept. Since these are usually cheaper they are the more likely alternative, however most gyms offer a limited amount of trainers, so if an individual doesn't like theirs I still think my app would have a large audience. The segment who would use my app is most likely to buy online, and pay online.
Ultimately though, the most important component to the success of my app will be if people enjoy their trainers. This is why I've decided to try to make the app as inclusive as possible, and make it clear that this is an app for people trying to get into the fitness world, from training or from more experienced individuals being a trainer. The key to doing so is making sure that the individuals and trainers on the app have a healthy mentality regarding lifestyle and fitness.
In conclusion, while there are some alternatives to this app, I think the way I make the app stand out is through being very hands on and beginner friendly. In doing so I can make sure that people will come back and use the app again.
The first thing I realized is that price is a very important aspect. Freelance personal trainers charge the most, and the three individuals I interviewed all said that while they may have considered getting a personal trainer, the cost for a freelance one was far too large. As a result, I think its important that since my app is such an informal way of training, and since a lot of the personal trainers on my app would be beginner personal trainers, making sure cost is comparatively low is very important.
Additionally, since the app would be very easy to use, the segment using the app would also be the segment least likely to actually go out and find a freelance personal trainer. However, personal trainers offered by gyms do seem like a larger threat to my business concept. Since these are usually cheaper they are the more likely alternative, however most gyms offer a limited amount of trainers, so if an individual doesn't like theirs I still think my app would have a large audience. The segment who would use my app is most likely to buy online, and pay online.
Ultimately though, the most important component to the success of my app will be if people enjoy their trainers. This is why I've decided to try to make the app as inclusive as possible, and make it clear that this is an app for people trying to get into the fitness world, from training or from more experienced individuals being a trainer. The key to doing so is making sure that the individuals and trainers on the app have a healthy mentality regarding lifestyle and fitness.
In conclusion, while there are some alternatives to this app, I think the way I make the app stand out is through being very hands on and beginner friendly. In doing so I can make sure that people will come back and use the app again.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Reading Reflection
1) I was very surprised that Elon Musk was willing to take such a large risk with Spacex and Tesla after already acheiving success with paypal. The fact that he almost went broke after making so much money proves that any real goal requires betting on yourself and taking risks. I most admire Elon's work ethic and ability to think through problems. On the flip side, I believe living a balanced life is crucial and this type of insane drive could lead to personal and family issues, so I would also say this aspect of his drive is a quality which I least admire. He clearly went through failures such as when tesla almost went bankrupt during the recession, but through perseverance and remaining tenacious, he made it through.
2) I noticed Elon recognized a lot of competencies. As previously mentioned, his work ethic is something that can't go unnoticed. Being able to be the CEO of multiple companies, while still working as an engineer shows a lot about not only his work ethic, but his humility. While he is the leader of the company, he's still willing to work on product issues and guide engineers to find the correct design choices.
3) I would say I was confused as to the exact reasoning behind Musk starting spacex. I understand it's something he's passionate about, but it definitely is outrageously ambitious. Its a field nobody had achieved success in, both in terms of establishing a company, and making it profitable. Clearly Musk is smarter than me though, since the plan obviously has worked out.
4) The first question I would ask him is what is the biggest piece of advice he would give to himself 20-30 years ago. I would ask this because I feel it could be useful to many starting entrepeneurs since he would have special insight on how to be successful. Another piece of advice I would ask is how he finds motivation on his off days to pick it back up and still have a productive day. I find that I rely on momentum, and if I have a bad start to my day it could lead to a lack of productivity, and I'm interested to see if it's the same for someone like Musk.
5)I think Musk's view on hard work is that it's a neccessity to be succesful, but it is impossible to work hard without motivation and drive. For this reason, he thinks its key to work for a cause your passionate about, or else that hard work isn't totally worth it for your individual well being.
2) I noticed Elon recognized a lot of competencies. As previously mentioned, his work ethic is something that can't go unnoticed. Being able to be the CEO of multiple companies, while still working as an engineer shows a lot about not only his work ethic, but his humility. While he is the leader of the company, he's still willing to work on product issues and guide engineers to find the correct design choices.
3) I would say I was confused as to the exact reasoning behind Musk starting spacex. I understand it's something he's passionate about, but it definitely is outrageously ambitious. Its a field nobody had achieved success in, both in terms of establishing a company, and making it profitable. Clearly Musk is smarter than me though, since the plan obviously has worked out.
4) The first question I would ask him is what is the biggest piece of advice he would give to himself 20-30 years ago. I would ask this because I feel it could be useful to many starting entrepeneurs since he would have special insight on how to be successful. Another piece of advice I would ask is how he finds motivation on his off days to pick it back up and still have a productive day. I find that I rely on momentum, and if I have a bad start to my day it could lead to a lack of productivity, and I'm interested to see if it's the same for someone like Musk.
5)I think Musk's view on hard work is that it's a neccessity to be succesful, but it is impossible to work hard without motivation and drive. For this reason, he thinks its key to work for a cause your passionate about, or else that hard work isn't totally worth it for your individual well being.
Halfway Reflection
1) I believe being punctual and paying attention to the deadlines is crucial in this class. If you can remember the due dates and get the work done ahead of time, I believe you will be succesful in this course.
2)Even during the first assignment, the bug list, I felt that this class might be too much work for me. With multiple weekly assignments due each week, I wasn't sure if I could keep up with it. However, getting the work done in advance and not waiting until the last minute has been key to making sure I don't give up and get all of my assignments completed on time.
3)The first tip I have is to set reminders on your phone wednesday and thursday, and complete one assignment on each of these days. Waiting until friday morning can be very dangerous. If you don't remember to get the work done as soon as you wake up, you'll likely get a zero. The second tip I have is to look at the assignments on monday to get an idea of how much time you have to dedicate to them. Some assignments can be done quickly, while others take a few hours to eomplete. Just looking at the assignments ahead of time will make sure that you're aware of how to manage your time in order to get the assignments finished. The final advice I have is to work through the assignments carefully and make sure to carefully examine the instructions before submitting. If you post the wrong link or fail to include a specific requirement, it could lead to your post not being given the point. Tenacity is deifnitely required for this tip, but I believe if you work hard you will succeed with it.
Image Source: https://marriagemissions.com/tenacity-marriage/
2)Even during the first assignment, the bug list, I felt that this class might be too much work for me. With multiple weekly assignments due each week, I wasn't sure if I could keep up with it. However, getting the work done in advance and not waiting until the last minute has been key to making sure I don't give up and get all of my assignments completed on time.
3)The first tip I have is to set reminders on your phone wednesday and thursday, and complete one assignment on each of these days. Waiting until friday morning can be very dangerous. If you don't remember to get the work done as soon as you wake up, you'll likely get a zero. The second tip I have is to look at the assignments on monday to get an idea of how much time you have to dedicate to them. Some assignments can be done quickly, while others take a few hours to eomplete. Just looking at the assignments ahead of time will make sure that you're aware of how to manage your time in order to get the assignments finished. The final advice I have is to work through the assignments carefully and make sure to carefully examine the instructions before submitting. If you post the wrong link or fail to include a specific requirement, it could lead to your post not being given the point. Tenacity is deifnitely required for this tip, but I believe if you work hard you will succeed with it.
Image Source: https://marriagemissions.com/tenacity-marriage/
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Figuring Out Buyer Behavior
Demographic- Out of shape people who want to start working out and get in shape, and beginner personal trainers.
1. The first person I interviewed was a friend who used to work out regularly, but busy school and work hours have caused them to get out of shape. They were clearly aware of their needs, and as we talked they said that they would love to get back on track with their personal fitness. When I asked how they would approach solving this problem, they realized that most of their issue was internal. They have experience working out, but they said that it isn't a large priority for them, and that they would get back into it when they had more time at their disposal. I then realized that this wasn't actually my target audience. People who already have some experience working out don't need a personal trainer to get them back on track.
2. The second person I interviewed was a very experienced weightlifter and Tennis coach. As we talked, he became interested with my idea. As someone with a lot of weightlifting experience, he had thought about becoming a personal trainer, but decided he didn't want to pursue it as a full time career, and instead decided to go to medical school. He was interested in my app because it seemed as though he could use my app to use personal training as a hobby/side job. Since the app wouldn't take a long time to set up, he could make an account, list his credentials, and immediately be connected to clientele. I think this is a great target demographic I hadn't thought of. People who aren't pursuing a career as personal trainers could use my app as a side hustle to develop their skills and make money on the side.
3. The third person I interviewed was an out of shape adult. They've always wanted to start working out but haven't found the motivation or drive to start. They also stated that they feel that fitness has a large barrier of entry. It's hard to get into fitness when your starting since theres limited information to work with to develop an effective routine. They thought my app was a great idea, since they could easily find a personal trainer on demand that could motivate them to achieve their goals.
1. The first person I interviewed was a friend who used to work out regularly, but busy school and work hours have caused them to get out of shape. They were clearly aware of their needs, and as we talked they said that they would love to get back on track with their personal fitness. When I asked how they would approach solving this problem, they realized that most of their issue was internal. They have experience working out, but they said that it isn't a large priority for them, and that they would get back into it when they had more time at their disposal. I then realized that this wasn't actually my target audience. People who already have some experience working out don't need a personal trainer to get them back on track.
2. The second person I interviewed was a very experienced weightlifter and Tennis coach. As we talked, he became interested with my idea. As someone with a lot of weightlifting experience, he had thought about becoming a personal trainer, but decided he didn't want to pursue it as a full time career, and instead decided to go to medical school. He was interested in my app because it seemed as though he could use my app to use personal training as a hobby/side job. Since the app wouldn't take a long time to set up, he could make an account, list his credentials, and immediately be connected to clientele. I think this is a great target demographic I hadn't thought of. People who aren't pursuing a career as personal trainers could use my app as a side hustle to develop their skills and make money on the side.
3. The third person I interviewed was an out of shape adult. They've always wanted to start working out but haven't found the motivation or drive to start. They also stated that they feel that fitness has a large barrier of entry. It's hard to get into fitness when your starting since theres limited information to work with to develop an effective routine. They thought my app was a great idea, since they could easily find a personal trainer on demand that could motivate them to achieve their goals.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Idea Napkin
Please describe the following:
1) You.
I am Nick, a student at the University of Florida. I have some experience in technology, I can code in VBA, and I have experience working in an office environment as I did last summer. I believe this helps me with the skill of professionalism and approaching business opportunities. I see this business being a way for me to get started in entrepreneurship and see how well I can do.
2) What are you offering to customers?
I'm offering GitFit, a fitness app that helps users find personal trainers. Trainers pay a monthly fee to advertise on our site, and app users have access to the app for free which helps them find the trainer that best suits them.
3) Who are you offering it to?
I'm offering this to fitness beginners. Those who are already in shape and work out don't need a personal trainer. I'm also offering the advertising portion of the app to personal trainers.
4) Why do they care?
They care because fitness and health are important aspects of everyday life. By making sure that our app and community utilizes positive reinforcement and a strong sense of community, a large amount of beginners will use our app in order to get in shape.
5) What are your core competencies?
What sets GitFit apart from other companies is convenience. It is extremely easy to use for the trainers, since they don't have to advertise themselves, or make their own website. They can simply use our app to find clients. It's also very easy for consumers since they can browse a large amount of trainers rather than just looking at individual trainers offered by their gym or referred by friends. They can also look at reviews of the trainers, making sure they aren't inexperienced or unqualified.
1) You.
I am Nick, a student at the University of Florida. I have some experience in technology, I can code in VBA, and I have experience working in an office environment as I did last summer. I believe this helps me with the skill of professionalism and approaching business opportunities. I see this business being a way for me to get started in entrepreneurship and see how well I can do.
2) What are you offering to customers?
I'm offering GitFit, a fitness app that helps users find personal trainers. Trainers pay a monthly fee to advertise on our site, and app users have access to the app for free which helps them find the trainer that best suits them.
3) Who are you offering it to?
I'm offering this to fitness beginners. Those who are already in shape and work out don't need a personal trainer. I'm also offering the advertising portion of the app to personal trainers.
4) Why do they care?
They care because fitness and health are important aspects of everyday life. By making sure that our app and community utilizes positive reinforcement and a strong sense of community, a large amount of beginners will use our app in order to get in shape.
5) What are your core competencies?
What sets GitFit apart from other companies is convenience. It is extremely easy to use for the trainers, since they don't have to advertise themselves, or make their own website. They can simply use our app to find clients. It's also very easy for consumers since they can browse a large amount of trainers rather than just looking at individual trainers offered by their gym or referred by friends. They can also look at reviews of the trainers, making sure they aren't inexperienced or unqualified.
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