Assignment #16- Whats Your Secret Sauce?

My unique human capital-
1.Making the best out of bad situations. Due to a very emotionally challenging past, I try my best to always see the bright side of things. I do believe that everything happens for a reason, although it might be difficult to believe at first. I encourage others to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
2. My door is always open. Being in the military, I have some experiences that not everyone has shared. Whether we are here at home in Jacksonville or deployed overseas, the military can get lonely. I make myself available to not only listen to others but give the best advice I possibly can in ever situation.
3. Problem Solver. I have a very observant but extrovert personality. If a problem arises, I use the skills I have developed over my lifetime to assist people in solving problems. This goes for any personal matter or work matter alike. I enjoy collaborating with others to come up with a solution.
4. Motivator. I feel that in life, everyone deserves a cheerleader. I feel that thanking someone for a favor or telling them great job on a project really goes a long way. I think that this comes from how encouraging comments personally make me feel. I do believe that positive statements make a big difference in people's daily lives and we don't hear it enough.
5. Willing to help. I've been in a few tough situations in which I had to reach out to another person for help. I always lend a hand where I can and offer to help when available. Everyone can use a good friend!

Interviews-
I believe that the people who know me best are my friends and family from back home in New Jersey. Unfortunately, since I did not have means to record a phone call, I used my best judgment to get the best possible feedback. Instead, I interviewed my co-workers since they are the people I spend the most time with. In the military, we truly are a family. Due to work obligations, I had each person write their responses down and then followed up for clarification or explanations. I have provided their responses below.

Conclusion-
The way that I perceive myself and the way others perceive me are surprisingly pretty similar. Most of the feedback that I received from the interviews emphasize my strong leadership skills. As mentioned before, I do try to be there for people and lend a hand. I was happy to hear that my co-workers view that a a leadership role. In addition, my work habits and organizational skills were mentioned. I do pride myself on time management, but I did that on a personal others so its interesting that others pick up on that skill as well. Overall, I was really happy with the feedback I received. I am confident knowing that my co-workers see the best in me and that I have had somewhat of an impact on them. I loved this exercise!

Assignment #15- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Alternatives-
During my interviews, I offered the following alternatives to flying with pets.
a. Don't travel at all.
b. Choose alternative means of travel.
c. Make other arrangements for pets.
I found that the most important factor in the military segment was convenience. Sometimes people are forced to travel with very short notice, so it is a hassle trying to make alternative arrangements. Price was not really a big deal when discussing alternatives, as passengers can already pay a fee to fly their pet along with them in the cabin. It was more the conditions in which the pet would travel. All of my interviewees agreed that it would be the least hassle to be able to fly with a pet comfortably.

How/Where to Buy-
The segment would most likely buy online, as most travel arrangements are made online these days. The airline would have to have notice of pets traveling also, so they could get a head count and cap the total number of pets to ensure everyone fit comfortably in the plane. Everyone that I interviewed said that they usually put airline tickets on a card of some sort, as the purchase is made online. Some people also had a specific credit card that they used for travel, since the card had good benefits. Others simply used their debit card instead, which is basically cash.

Post-Purchase Evaluation- 
What matters most to the potential customers is the overall travel experience. They already had airline preferences for many reasons including travel miles and reliability. If the plane was on time and there were no issues, my interviews all agreed that that is what influenced them in choosing an airline for their next trip.  They would consider their decision a bad idea if their flights were delayed or they had bad customer service. I personally also have preferences due to these factors that hugely impact traveling in general.

Summary- 
I interviewed 3 more co-workers with pets. I asked a similar series of questions and asked them to describe the steps of planning a trip. From there I asked if they would consider the alternatives listed above, and why or why not. I described how I would offer my service in terms of payment and terms. I then asked how my idea could be the most convenient option over the other alternatives.

Conclusion-
In terms of the military segment, it is apparent that alternatives do exist and weigh heavy on customer's decisions. Because this issue already exists, people have arrangements that they feel comfortable using instead of flying with their pet. Ultimately, it would come down to the most convenient option. And of course, one bad experience on an airline with a pet would taint the entire post-purchase evaluation. However, a great travel experience would most likely make the customer return for services again. I find that military members are more willing to flex on plans simply because we travel so often. However, spouses and family might have a different evaluation process.

Assignment #14- Halfway Reflection

1. I have used several behaviors in order to keep up with this class. The first and perhaps most important is time management. Working full time on active duty in the navy, I find myself setting aside dedicated time to watch the lectures and do my blog posts. Anyone that has served knows the motto- you make plans, the navy laughs. It is definitely very difficult to plan around such a busy schedule, so I usually set aside a few hours over the weekend when I don't even have to think about work. In addition, I have also learned to multi-task as well. I usually have the lectures playing while I am working on blog posts or doing things around the house. I have made the lectures my own personal "podcast." I actually really enjoy listening to them!

2. I have definitely felt like giving up one particular time this semester. I had to work late every day and on top of that I had an issue with my air conditioner in my house. Everyone knows that Florida is hot and air conditioning is a must. It was a very stressful week and I just couldn't seem to catch a break. What pulled me through was remembering why I started going back to school in the first place. I have set a goal for myself, and I knew that if I gave up, I would feel even worse than that week did. The struggle was only temporary. I do feel like I developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months. I think the experience that has caused this is the feedback portion of this class. I am usually very shy when it comes to sharing my work, but I now find myself waiting too see people's responses. Being able to branch out has built my confidence in a way, and now makes me more tenacious.

3. a. Be confident. Don't fear how classmates are going to respond to your posts. Instead, use it as an opportunity to branch out. Chances are, you are not the only one with a great thought.
    b. Plan ahead. Make sure you know what assignments are due at the end of each week so you can plan accordingly, Waiting until the last minute really takes away from the overall experience of the class.
   c. Take the time to reflect on feedback. You can either rule out or solidify an idea based on feedback. Before you even publish your post, you are already talking to people and getting opinions. Your classmates can than construct your post even further. Its a two step process that works!

I decided to include one of my favorite quotes to conclude this reflection - Enjoy!

Assignment #13- Reading Reflection No. 1

Since I am very passionate about my job and aviation, I chose to read The Wright Brothers.

1. The Wright brothers were both very smart, bright young men. What surprised me the most about both of them was that they never graduated high school. I feel in the time frame they were growing up, that was the norm. However they relied on their creativity and curiosity to solve many of their problems. What I admire most about them is their unrelenting perseverance to never give up, despite many trials and failures. What I least admired was how dangerous many of their trials actually were in the beginning. I do believe this aspect was perhaps overlooked, but in modern day they would have most likely received push back in several of their tests. Most of the Orville's trials did result in failure. They received much adversity, but they were able to motivate each other to keep trying to improve. Every time they tested their ideas, the plane flew just a little bit longer or a little bit higher. I believe this was the stamina that kept them going and ultimately lead to their success. 
2. The 2 greatest competencies that the brothers exhibited was persistence and commitment. It is very easy to get discourages when plans fail. However, they used each failed flight as an opportunity to figure out what was wrong in order to improve their design. They also took risk, although I do not believe it was really calculated. They knew that they would have to fly a potentially faulty design which came with great risk. However, they let their commitment take over in order to make their ideas worth it. 
3. It was very confusing to understand the brothers' perspective on the plans following their successes. It almost seemed like they did not want their great accomplishment to be preserved. There was much negotiation on donating the Wright Flyer to the Smithsonian. Personally, I would consider that such a great honor but the brothers did not. They did not want people getting the wrong impression of their invention, as several features had been altered from the original model. The brothers were very particular in how they wanted their legacy to live out. 
4. I would ask my questions to both Orville and Wilbur. They were very similar but also very different which I discovered throughout the book. The first question would be "What was the scariest moment you experienced while flying?" As an aviator myself, I have encountered several emergencies in flight. I am curious too see what kept them going and how the overcame their fear, if any. The second question I would ask them is, "Where did you originally envision your plane in 10 years?" It is hard to imagine a world without aviation. Commercial and military alike, we could not do what we do without it. I am curious to see if they ever saw their invention quite literally "taking off" the way it did. 
5. I don't believe I see hard work the way the brothers did. Their innovation was a hobby to them. They enjoyed working on it and were genuinely immersed in their work. There is no doubt that they put hard work into it, I just don't believe they viewed it as such. To me, hard work is not always fun and is often challenging. Hard work is rewarding nonetheless, but I think the brothers had a different perspective on it. 

Reflection: I really enjoyed reading this autobiography. It was just amazing to me how the Wright brothers came up with a concept that we rely on today. They laid the foundation for what I do day in and day out. Many of the conditions of flight that they self-discovered, I spent hour studying and learning about. Curiosity led them to such an immense invention and they enjoyed just about every step of the way. Their story was presented in such a hopeful and proud manner. It was such a great read and I learned so much!

Assignment #12- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior

 Since most of my travel revolves around the military, whether it be for work or leisure, I decided to see if fellow co-workers felt the same way about my potential business idea.

The Segment: military members

The Interviews:
#1-Navy reserve pilot, commercial airline pilot,  pet owner

• It was evident that he definitely shared the same need that I did. Being a pilot, he has heard too many horror stories that of pets traveling in the cargo section of the aircraft. He said he would never put this dog through that high stress environment and would rather drive to his destination if his pet had to come along. 
• In terms of information search, he did not do much because he knew the conditions of traveling with pets on an airline because of his work. However, he did mention looking into kennels to make arrangements or driving depending on the situation. In this particular case, there was not much of search but rather considering alternative solutions. 

#2- Service member, married with no kids, pet owner

•  She did not necessarily share the exact same need because she only traveled in the Florida area. Most of her family lives here so driving with the dogs was not a huge issue. However, she did say that she would consider traveling more is this opportunity existed. 
• For information search, she did mention that she had looked into flying her animals on American Airlines once before, but was not comfortable with the idea of her dogs in the cargo section. That stopped her from ever looking for more information in the future.

#3- Service member, single, pet owner

•  He was very enthusiastic about the idea. Being single, he has the flexibility to travel on his own terms. Much like myself, he never liked leaving his dog behind. He also mentioned that members changing duty stations would love this idea, especially if they were going overseas. 
• Again, information search never really existed. Instead it was alternative options of where to board his dog. However, he believes that this would be a big item across the military and many people would be interested in using the service. 

Conclusion: Only one person that I asked to interview told me that they did not share the need to travel with their pets on an airline. This was a person with a big family, so they did not travel often in the first place. In terms of this segment, I got a lot of positive feedback from military members, as I originally had expected. I believe that people would do more information search if this option became available instead of searching for alternative means.  Overall, I do still believe that the military segment of consumers would be a huge factor in the success of this business.

Assignment #11- Idea Napkin No. 1

• I am currently serving on active duty in the United States Navy. My time in the military has led me to the discovery of my interest interest in business. Although my job as an acoustic operator does not directly relate to my business aspirations, many skills that I use day and and day out strengthen my abilities. My biggest business aspiration would be to have a positive impact on people's lives. I would get much satisfaction on making life even just a little bit easier for others, and that is how it would impact my life as well. 
• I am offering customers an opportunity to travel comfortably with their pets in the cabin of a commercial airline. I am also very passionate about animals, and I always struggle with leaving my fur babies behind. Potential customers would not have to go through the stress of leaving their pet behind. 
• I am offering this service to people who travel often but also have pets. Despite the occasion for travel, I believe that customers should have the option to bring their pets along. Pet-friendly hotels and venues already exists, so arrangements outside of the airline are easy to prepare. 
• Customers care because sometimes traveling can become a very stressful situation when pets are involved. If a customer chooses not to bring their pet along, then they have to find a means of boarding which could be very expensive. If flying is not an option, a person might be forced to drive long distances just to accommodate a pet. 
• My core competencies derive from convenience and comfort. Right now, airlines do not offer passengers the option to fly with your pet inside the cabin, with the exception of service animals. Instead, passengers must make the choice to have their pet fly in the cargo section with luggage. There has been many accidents with pets traveling on airlines which already make people not want to take the risk. 

I believe that these 5 elements go hand in hand with each other. This would be a very unique experience for customers, as nothing like this currently exists. That automatically sets me apart from competitors. In addition, pet-friendly establishments already exist and my business would help them grow as well. If people begin to travel with their pets, those businesses would see an increase in sales as well and would overall help the market. I do believe people would chose to use my service, as it helps alleviate some of the stress that comes along with traveling. If people are as passionate about their animals as I am, this business has great potential. I do believe I could make people's lives just a little better by offering this service. 

Assignment #10- Elevator Pitch No. 1

Hey Everyone-
Here's my pitch. Enjoy!

* Here's the link in case the embedded video doesn't work!
https://youtu.be/jhvj48--VCw

Assignment #9- Testing the Hypothesis Part 2

The Opportunity: A "pet friendly" section of the cabin on commercial airlines.
The Interviews:I conducted interviews with 5 people who had varying lifestyles. My reasoning behind choosing people to interview was to survey other reasons why people don't travel on airlines. For example, I interviewed one of my friends who is a single mother but also a pet owner. She chooses not to fly because her daughter is too young, and could not even imagine trying to take her dog along also. A co-worker of mine also brought up the fact that some people have a fear of flying, and would rather drive to their destination. His wife refuses to get onto an airplane, and that significantly limits their travel options. Two other people that I interviewed were very excited about the idea of flying with their pets. They believed that their dogs were well behaved enough to fly on a shorter flight. My final interview was also very interesting. This person had a fear of dogs, due to an incident that occurred when she was younger. She said she would not feel comfortable boarding an aircraft that had a pet friendly section, even if she wasn't near them in the cabin.
Who: People who do not care to fly or have a fear of flying fall outside my previously set boundaries. Also, single parents with young children or larger families would find alternative means of travel. The simply do not have the need, nor want, to consider flying. It would be very expensive for a large family to travel by air as well, even with a pet.
What: The need to travel with a pet differs when convenience or comfortability is out of the question. When traveling, everyone has their own preferences. Getting kennel care might be the easier option for pet owners.
Why: Not everyone has a need to travel. A person who would not consider flying with their pet most likely has more time and flexibility to get somewhere. The "outsiders" have a bigger stressor to deal with when traveling. Those inside the boundary most likely have to travel often and would much rather bring their pet with them instead of leaving them behind.

                           Inside Boundary                                                        Outside  Boundary 

1. Who ?  frequent travelers, pet owners                     single parents, non-pet owners, non-flyers
2. What?  convenient, comfortable travel with pet     cheaper, easier, less stressful travel
3. Why?   pet owners want to travel with pets             other travel methods, not traveling at all

Assignment #8- Solving the Problem

The problem- Many people consider traveling with pets very difficult and stressful. Sometimes, a pet owner might choose not to travel simply because they do not have arrangements for their pets. It is not easy to fly with pets, as the animals themselves are most often forced to travel in the cargo section of the aircraft, separated from the owner. This is why people choose not to travel or to travel by other means of transportation that is more accommodating to their pets.

The solution- My solution to this problem would be offering travelers the opportunity to fly with their pets comfortably in the cabin. At first, I considered proposing an airline that strictly carried passengers and their pets. But after my initial post about the problem, I found that this would be extremely difficult due to the already existent market and many of the FAA laws and regulations. Instead, I am proposing having a section of a given airline, much like first class, that would have bench like seats to accommodate both passengers and their pets. Of course, an airline would have to bite off on a contract and possibly re-rig several aircraft to make this accommodation. Also, owners would have to show proof that the animal is safe and healthy enough to fly. This additional section would not affect people seated in the regular cabin, and all passengers would be notified when booking that there would be pets on board the aircraft.

The service- I feel that my solution would be a service only and not really a product because airlines generally provide service to their customers. Customers would purchase a ticket at a slightly higher fare to allow them to sit in the designated pet area. The option would be presented much like first class tickets on any given airline. Passengers that buy economy seating would also be advised of the animals in the cabin and all conditions of the flight.