WEEK 3 EOC: Miranda

After watching the British sitcom, Miranda, I found that in this episode, she was trying to open a business. There were things that jumped out at me as far as thigs she did wrong were her choice in associates. Her new business associate is Penny, her mother. Her mother is not interested in being a partner.

The organization’s culture can be shaped according to the business environment and by the way employees, customers, and other stakeholders are treated—an example that is set by the founding entrepreneur (owner). Pg 96

She is more interested in getting her daughter Miranda to lose weight to ultimately get her a husband. I don’t believe we know her mother’s work history but due to the fact that she is her parent, this is a conflict of interest. When going into business you have to be careful not to mix personal relationships with intimate ones. This can cause many headaches. You can imagine that the treatment of employees and workers will be very much blurred because of how the founding entrepreneur chose to staff her company.  

Miranda’s business doesn’t seem to be planned out thoroughly. She lacks essential things such as a business plan. She will have her business repossessed unless she comes up with a good business model (plan). She has no idea what the profit & loss would be for her establishment and she is in need of a manager. She has 36 hours to complete this task.

The next step she needs to take is to advertise on the Internet in search of her manager. She is trying to staff her business last minute. This is also not a smart idea as she is possibly rushing through applications and not calling references. She resorts to asks her friend Stevie to consider filling the position. Stevie declines and informs her she is happy with her current position. In a weird turn of events, her friend Stevie passes as an interested applicant, Patricia Nelson. Miranda conducts an interview with her and is aware it is her friend all along. Stevie gets her on board to open the boutique and they are in business.

Leaders of a company build a particular culture by making the beliefs, values, and behavioral norms explicit and intentional. Pg 97

Although things did come together for Miranda, she took a big gamble going about things the way she did. She seemed to have very little direction or overall knowledge of opening a novelty gift shop. She went on to open successfully from what the episode shared.

Mariotti, Steve. Entrepreneurship: Starting and Operating A Small Business, 4th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions, 2016. [The Art Institutes].

Week 2 EOC: Eating Raoul

While watching a film in class, Eating Raoul, a movie made in 1982, we were able to see many of the steps one should and should not take while opening a business. Some of the most obvious things that came up were things such as the importance of the name you give your business. Does the name you chose allow the potential customers to easily identify the product that you are selling? The movie told us that the protagonists initially wanted to name their restaurant “Chez Bland”, after their last name. However, this was not a good choice. When you think of paying for a service and food, you are most likely not going to want to spend your money at a location that has the word ‘bland’ in it. Another important aspect of attaining a business is the financial side. How are you going to raise the funds necessary to do so? In the movie, Paul and Mary started off in a very conventional manner. They wanted to get a loan from a bank. They soon ran into issues there because the loan officer tried to frisk Mary. They tried to still see this plan through though. They took it a step further and sold some of their existing assets. Paul and Mary had somewhat of an advantage due to the fact that they were already involved in the field they wanted the loan for. Having experience as a nutritionist, Mary would be able to create a healthy and well-proportioned menu. Paul also had experience, as he was a wine merchant. The both of them together would have a good foundation and increase their chances at a successful business.

 At some point, the couple decided to change their business plan based on their circumstances. After they meet Raoul, the neighborhood thief and jack-of-all-trades, they decide to allow him to partner up with them. They expand their capital by an in home business venture. Mary becomes a dominatrix and lures in clients. After they get them in their home, the men, Paul and Raoul, dispose of them. This allows them to generate alternate revenue. They bring in even more cash flow from selling the cadavers to local businesses and also sell the victims cars. This is a smart solution for them because it proves that there are no barriers to entry. They get rid of the evidence as well as continues to bring them closer to their financial goals. It is always a smart idea to have more money than you initially think will be needed to supplement your needs.

Eventually, Paul and Mary dispose of Raoul. This illustrates that no one is indispensable in any field.

“As an entrepreneur, your current and future customers should always be your top priority. Above all, marketing is the way a business tells its customers that it is committed to meeting their needs. Marketing should constantly reinforce your competitive advantage.” Pg 130

You are simply a means to an end. The couple went on to open up their restaurant as they had set out to do. Along the way they made pretty atrocious mistakes, which in the film, served to teach us aspiring entrepreneurs what not to do. On the flip side, there were many basic keys that are great reminders of what one should do.  We should make sure we have a plan ‘A’ and plan ‘B’ in place. Let’s not be caught off guard when we hit a brick wall. They overcame challenges and made their dream come true. The cost was high, but for them, it was worth the risk.

Mariotti, Steve. Entrepreneurship: Starting and Operating A Small Business, 4th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions, 2016. [The Art Institutes].

WEEK 1 EOC: NEW BUSINESS PITCH

Coming up with a new business concept, I decide to use an already existing technology to produce a new service. I have often wished I had someone deliver my morning coffee. For those hectic mornings, you know the ones, when your alarm goes off late AND you can’t seem to find your left shoe AND you can’t possibly fathom sitting in a crowded carline to wait for your overly priced, triple shot latte! Those are the mornings in which my concept would save the day!  

1.        Listen. By listening to others, entrepreneurs get ideas about improving a business or creating a new one. Create one business idea by listening. Describe how you got the idea.

2.        Observe. By constantly keeping their eyes and ears open, entrepreneurs get ideas about how to help society, about what kind of businesses they could start, and about what consumers need. Create a business idea by observing. Describe how you got the idea.

3.        Analyze. When entrepreneurs analyze a problem, they think about what product or service could solve it. Create a business idea by thinking up a solution to a problem. Describe how you arrived at the idea.

The concept is simple; the execution is simple. You would have the ability to prearrange your delivery day, order and pay for your choice of coffee over PayPal, thus decreasing the need for human interaction in the wee hours of the morning. The marketing for this business would mostly start off as word of mouth. I would have to also create a menu which would be posted in a social media medium, such as Facebook. The way I envision this service taking place is pretty basic. I am not looking to reinvent the wheel here.

Entrepreneurship extends beyond the fast-growing technology enterprises that are most commonly associated with it. There are many variations on entrepreneurship, and the opportunities are innumerable. For example, entrepreneurship may include for-profit enterprises that support the missions of not-for-profit organizations, businesses designed for social impact, and ventures that are environmentally oriented.

 I am looking to provide a solution. As I mentioned before, mornings can be chaotic. From personal experience, I can tell you that many times when things start out rough in the mornings, it has the potential to set the tune for the remainder of the day. We often do so much for others and we sink to the bottom of the priority list.

Fulfillment. Successful entrepreneurs are passionate about their businesses. They are excited and fulfilled by their work. Entrepreneurs who are working to reach their full potential are rarely bored, because there is always plenty to do. If one facet of running the business is uninteresting, and they have the income to support it, they can hire someone else for that task.

My service is a good way to enhance your superwoman abilities! Let the Coffee Caravan assist you with your caffeine needs!    

Mariotti, Steve. Entrepreneurship: Starting and Operating A Small Business, 4th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions, 2016. [The Art Institutes].

WEEK 1 EOC: MY VOICE

Hello all and welcome to my blog. I am happy you have joined me. I am an up and coming culinarian in the city of Las Vegas! My name is Irais Estrada and I have a background in many things that may surprise you. I had the privilege of serving in the United States Navy for seven years. During my enlistment, I performed as a conventional engineer aboard the USS Ronald Reagan. Prior to this career option, I was a florist in Chicago, IL. Although I enjoyed these career fields very much, I knew from an early age that culinary was my true passion. I was intrigued by many chefs and their unique renditions on different classical techniques. These days the only other thing that is a higher priority other than my baking career is my family. I have two wonderful daughters, ages five and eight. As a single parent, I strive to give them a strong foundation and teach them many things. One of the most important things I believe I can teach them is to have a strong work ethic. It is crucial they understand that it is perfectly acceptable to have big dreams and goals in life. Most importantly though, to have a clear vision and plan of attack to attain these. I am completely immersed in my craft and my children get to witness this. I often engage in volunteer opportunities and donate my time and talent for great causes. At other times I do freelance work. I love doing so because it allows me to showcase my abilities with few restrictions from my clients. In the near future, I look forward to traveling abroad to some of the culinary meccas. In particular, I would love to visit Italy, France and China. They are so strong and rich in their culinary game It would be a pleasure to experience these lovely places first hand!