27 A- Reading Reflection No. 3

For my third book, I chose to read Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman. This book falls under the business/entrepreneurship/philosophy category, so I will be following the prompt from our second reading reflection.

1) This book is a psychology book in its entirety, so it makes sense that the themes of the book revolve around the human brain and thought processes. The book focuses on data collected through the author's studies and a big chunk of the book is about the minds impulsiveness which can lead to behavioral fallacies.

2) This book allowed me to understand myself better. I am a very ADD and an impulsive person; I often find myself acting before I have even processed the information at hand. Also, this book focuses on decision making, something that is huge in this course. This class is all about making choices and thinking about the potential impact of those choices. This book enhanced what we are learning in ENT 3003 by allowing me, a student, to understand the impact that certain though processes can have in your life and potential business.

3) If I had to design an exercise for the class based on this book, I would have it involve emotions and development of emotional intelligence (EI). EI is one of the biggest factors in getting hired, as well as decision making. EI can truly never be developed enough. I would have the students think of four emotions, happy, sad, angry, and anxious, then I would have the students list words that they feel when they have these emotions. Next, I would have the students write down a situation that causes these emotions and how they would respond. Finally, I would have them reflect. Though this does not directly involve ENT 3003, it still has benefits about decision making in daily life, which can be translated to the business world. 

4) What surprised most about the book is how competitive the mind is with itself. By competitive I mean that the human brain's two systems (the more fast-acting system 1 and the dilegent and logical system 2) are fighting for mental and physical control of their host. These two systems are responsible for failure and success in their human, so it is beneficial to have a strong understanding of each one.  This differed from my expectations because I thought that the human brain acted like a single unit, not one that competes with itself. After becoming aware of this information, I now know how to be less impulsive when making decisions and how to activate my brain's full potential. Previously, I just would take the easy way out and go with my first. thought.  I am glad this book taught me how to be more self-aware and emotionally intelligent. 

28A- Your Exit Strategy

1) The exit strategy I would chose for my company, Canine Condiments, would be to get the company as successful as possible, work there for several years, and then sell the brand. I would most likely sell the company after ten years or so. Though I plan on selling to a venture capitalist, I would not be opposed to staying with the company. When you become an entrepreneur, your business becomes your baby for several years. That being said, I could see my attachment issues getting in the way and having a difficult time parting with the business.

2) I selected this strategy because I plan on eventually having a children and a family. I would want to sell the company so I could spend time with my family and enjoy life. I am a fan of the FIRE (financially independent retire early) method of investing, so I would live off of 30% of my earnings and invest the rest to get larger returns. The money from investing, plus the capital I gain from selling my business, would ideally be enough for me to retire, invest more, and grow my assets. Though I am a hard worker (and in reality will be working for majority of my lifetime), if I had a successful business, I would totally sell it.

3) I do not think that this exit strategy has influenced other decisions I have made in my concept. Quite honestly, I did not even think about my exit strategy until this assignment. Up until now, I was making decisions based on what I thought would drive sales and expand us into as many markets as possible. I made this business concept on a subject I was passionate about, not wether I was going to sell it long term.

26A- Celebrating Failure

1) This semester I failed consistently at starting a workout routine. At the beginning of quarantine, I was really motivated to get in great physical shape by walking, running, and doing more strength training. For the first two or three weeks I was really on top of working out. I would get 10,000 steps in every day, do ab workouts, and even go run the stadium. As quarantine went on, I noticed myself skipping these workouts. I used excuses to validate to myself that it was okay and I would start again tomorrow. Some examples of excuses I used were, "Oh, the gym is closed so I can't workout," "I have too much homework," and "I would rather rest so I can hit it hard tomorrow." Though I still am trying to work on getting a firm workout routine, I still find myself using these excuses to get out of mentally committing.

2)  From continuously failing to get on a workout routine, I have learned that it is not about the exercising, but about making a commitment to yourself. Of course I can say that there is not enough time in the day to get a workout in, but there is. Once I commit mentally, I will find a way to make time for a workout; even if it is a small one. Now that I am aware of this, I truly want to do better and get on a routine. 

3) I think failure is the driving force behind motivation. Though failure is difficult at times, it only makes me want to try harder to succeed in the future. Emotionally, I handle failure different, depending on the situation. Typically, I will get slightly discouraged at first, process the situation of why I failed, and then mentally prepare for how I can do better. Failure obviously makes me feel like I am not good enough at times, but it really drives my behavior to be stronger in the coming trials. This class has changed my perspective of failure by making me realize how normal it is and how it actually can open your eyes to new perspectives. Compared to a few months ago, I am more likely to take risks because of this class. I also am more comfortable with feedback, as the peers in this class have helped me through tough problems. Finally, this class has helped me acknowledge it is better to try when you are discouraged, rather than not try at all, as effort shows through. 

24 A- Venture Concept No. 1

Let's begin by thoroughly analyzing my potential opportunity. When I got my puppy in May of 2019, I instantly noticed she was not a hefty eater. I tried everything from timing her meals, to adding human-grade food to her meals, but she still struggled to put on weight. Every time I went to the vet they told me she needed to put on weight. After months of cooking fresh meat and veggies for her, she finally got to a good weight. This process was worth it, but expensive. Also, there is an unmet need for those with elderly dogs. As dogs age, they loose their sense of taste and appetite, in turn reducing their overall nutrition intake. Dog owners are the individuals with this unmet need. The forces and changes in the environment that are creating this opportunity are mainly dependent upon the dog's instincts; some dogs have personal issues as to why they are underweight. Geographically, this market is defined by being in more affluent cities and suburbs, assuming these customers are willing to spend a little more on premium products for their pet. Demographically, this market would be young adults who see the benefit of all natural supplements, rather than medicine. 

There is a variety of ways that the market is currently satisfying their need; people are adding wet food to their dogs dry food, cooking fresh meals for their dog, trying several different foods until they find one their dog likes, and using a veterinary recommended product called Nautical (in my experience, my dog did not like it at all). In terms of loyalty, the market typically has to try several of these methods until they find one to suite their dogs preferences, which can be expensive. In a study of 900 dogs, 47% were underweight; this proposes a huge opportunity! And even better, the window for this opportunity is rather open, because there is not a firm solution on the market and people are always going to have dogs as pets.

My idea is to create a product called Canine Condiments that acts as a delicious and high-calorie sauce for dogs' food. My product would be radically innovative because there's not a weight-gain/appetite specific sauce for dogs on the market, so it would be the first of its kind. The product would be similar to a ketchup bottle, come in a variety of flavors for the dogs, and provide human-grade nutrition that is free of fillers/artificial content. You use the sauce by fixing your pet's dry/wet food as usual, and squeezing on 1-2 tablespoons of the condiment, then giving it a quick shake or mix. The dogs will smell a new and delicious addition to their meal and eat it right up. Price wise, I would make the product as affordable as possible, reaching as many dogs as possible. If I get with the right co-packer, the product would cost myself about $3.50 to produce and I would sell it for around $7-8. Compared to other dog treats and food, this is a very affordable price, leading to at least 50% profit margin, and if we sell the right volume, could be profitable long-term. 

Canine Condiments would fix the unmet need of the market by encouraging the pet to eat more, building an appetite in the animal so they get used to eating, and eventually having them eat on their own. In turn, this product would help underweight and elderly dogs maintain health and weight. People would pick my product because it has a specific goal. Though a niche product, I have talked to many people who would purchase my product. There are other out-of-the box alternatives, but Canine Condiments would be the first to reach this specific market. Customers would switch to this new product because when people's pets have health issues, they are willing to pay premium prices to fix it (look at dogs with cancer and treatment prices). That being said, it will be easy to get the customers to switch to this alternative method. Though no direct competitors, alternatives for this market are NutriCal (a high calorie puppy supplement), adding gravy to your pet's food, switching to a different wet/dry food, or cooking meals for your dog. Weaknesses of the competitors is price and effectiveness; it's expensive to try new dogs food. I have tried all alternative methods, and my dog only liked when I cooked for her, which got costly. While defining my business concept, price point and customer experience are most important. Pet owners often pay high prices for products/services, so if I can get price down, more people will buy more frequently. Also the customer experience is major; if the product works, then people will talk about it to their friends and continue to buy. My business would mainly be direct to consumer, online. Starting out, I would have just a few employees, but that number would increase as the company grows. The venture would have a CEO, financial advisor, front-line employees for customer service, and logistical/product packaging employees. 

I think my most important resource would be my financial advisory connection. I do not know much about finances, and I have several close connections in the field that could help me at a reduced cost. The next opportunity I would like to take advantage of would be the potential of going B2B and selling in retail. This would have to happen after much market success research. In five years, I want my product would grow internationally. I want to work with non-profits and donate our products to abused/rescued dogs who are underweight. I hope I could give more opportunities to those who are uneducated, yet highly skilled and share some of my success with others. This first venture helps me achieve my vision of success by giving me a platform and a market who I could establish trust with, and my product could help vets, animal shelters, and the common dog owner. 

25 A- Whats Next?

• Existing Market:
• What's Next?
• Currently, I have only focused on one product for Canine Condiments, which is the high calorie, all-natural food sauces for your pup. As a company, our main focus is weight gain and appetite building for dogs who are in need. In terms of furthering our line of products and services, I could see our company releasing high calorie, tasty, and originally produced treats for their dog. These treats would come in a variety of flavors, and must be kept refrigerated, just like the original sauce recipe. In addition to the treats, I would like to see Canine Condiments come out with a food topper that does not need to be kept cold, so customers can travel with our product. I am envisioning a flake-like substance that is potent in flavor, that can be added to your dogs food; similar in looks to beta fish food. 
• Interviews
• Michelle Jenkins
• "What should we be doing that we aren't planning to do?" Michelle is my mother who originally helped me come up with the idea for Canine Condiments, so I knew she would have insight as to what next steps we should be hypothetically taking. She suggested we focus our efforts in marketing, get as many customers as possible, talk to our co-packer, and get the price per unit down. Getting the price per unit down would make the product cheaper for customers, which is something my mother really focuses on when evaluating products.
• "What do YOU think our customers might want next?" Michelle suggested we come out with a version of each of our products that is a "lite version." She explained that she has two dogs, and if one of them needed to be on the higher calorie version, the other would get jealous. If we had a lite version, then both dogs could enjoy the tasty treat!
• Ruthie Morris
• "What should we be doing that we aren't planning to do?" Ruthie has one, three-year-old dog. After explaining my updated business idea to her, she brought it to my attention that I am missing an opportunity for cat owners. Though it might take some name rebranding, Ruthie explained the she has had a roommate that had a super skinny cat. If Canine condiments offered a catnip or cat treat, then cat owners would have a new opportunity to purchase our products. 
• "What do YOU think our customers might want next?" Ruthie told me that she thinks the customers would want a version of the sauce that is shelf-stable and does not need to be refrigerated. She explained how she stays away from dog products that need to be kept cold because she forgets about them. She brought the idea of making ketchup packet-like versions of the product for on the go.
• Lainey Harris: 
• "What should we be doing that we aren't planning to do?" Lainey has one rescue dog, Bella. In her interview, she told me that she thinks Canine Condiments should start out going to farmers markets in order to test the product, before we just assume the dogs will love it. There is a very large farmers market in Jacksonville called the Riverside Arts Market that is held every Saturday. Lainey suggested we start there because there are several dogs there we can give samples to and owners we can sell the product on. 
• "What do YOU think our customers might want next?" Lainey suggested that our customers might want on line recipes for their owners to cook for their dog. For example, customers would go to our website and look up different protein based recipes that our sauces can be used in. The recipes would have the total nutrition break down for our guests. Though I like this idea, I do not think many people would actually cook for their dogs.
• In terms of growing in our existing market, I think Canine Condiments has the most opportunity for growth by creating a product that is shelf-stable and does not need to be kept cold. Personally, I do not even look at the dog product in the fridge, because I assume it is out of budget. Thought my original idea still could be sold, I think dog owners look for solutions that are right in front of them in the aisle. Also, I know some people (for example, my dad) who would think it is crazy to keep dog food in the fridge. 
• Also, if we create a product that is shelf-stable for a long time, then shipping costs would most likely to go down. When people ship products that are temperature sensitive, then that means it needs to get to the customers as soon as possible. If we had a way to make the sauces room temperature, shipping costs and overall cost of customer would be significantly reduced.

• New Market:
• For majority of this idea, I have been talking about direct to consumer business. I would like to refocus my efforts to B2B. 
• I think my product could create value for retailers in the B2B market because many customers prefer to shop in person rather than online. If I got in contact with retailers, then we could have an exclusive contract so customers would come in to buy my product and then end up sending money at the business as a whole. The retailer I have in mind is Target, as I am currently interning there.
• Interviews
• Alex Noel (Executive Team Leader of General Merchandise, Food, and Beverage at Mandarin Target)
• "What kinds of adaptations tot he product/service mix do YOU think I should make in order to be successful in the B2B market?" Alex talks to a lot of the vendors that come into Target, so he knows what he is looking for. He said he is looking for products that will sell and take up the least amount of shelf space possible, so we can sell as much volume as possible. That being said, I think the package design has much to do with this idea.
• Michelle Crumpler (HR at Mandarin Target)
  
• "What kinds of adaptations tot he product/service mix do YOU think I should make in order to be successful in the B2B market?" Michelle mainly focused on market research of the customer. She said that Target will not just put anything on the self, especially in pets. In order to sell at Target, I need research and proof that there is a need for this product. I could do that by going to farmers markets and getting as many people to try the sauces and give me feedback. I would then take the data to Target and present it in a way that look like the market needs my product. 
• Reflection:
• Though I know there is a market for B2B and my product, it was nice to hear feedback form individuals who are actually in the retail space. Overall, I learned it is more difficult than I thought to get into retailers, especially those as big as Target. After talking to Alex, I realized he talks to vendors all day, so it is already competitive to get shelf space (not to mention expensive for my company and Target). This is why they do not like to supply product unless they are sure it will sell. What surprised me the most is how competitive it is for shelf space in the pet department, not to mention the refrigerated pet department because they only have one cooler on the floor. This made me reconsider the shelf-stability of the product. 
• Though a lot of my expectations and assumptions were correct, there were some that blind sided me. One assumption I had that was correct was that I need ample research to get into the B2B market; it is a long process. One assumption I had that was wrong is that I initially assumed the actual creation of the product would be easy. I failed to acknowledge the regulations and testing costs of getting a product on the shelf. The testing is expensive and a long process because you need to make sure you create a safe product that will not get recalled. After considering this new market, I think it would be more effective and beneficial to stay in the direct to consumer market. Though I am able to take knowledge away from the retail space, I think it is best to start just online, B2C.
  

23 A- Your Venture's Unfair Advantage

• My Resources:
1. Customer service experience
• Valuable- Being able to confidently connect with guests/customers gives a competitive advantage, as guests value their overall experience when evaluating a company.
• Rare- I have over five years of customer service experience, so I have a vast/rare knowledge of on the spot problem solving.
• Imitable- Everyone's specific experience in customer service is different and not imitable.
• Non-substitutable- You can always hire someone with more customer service experience as a substitute, but I think it is best for the lead to possess the most.
2. Financial advisory connections
• Valuable- I essentially have unlimited access to a financial advisor because my family has along history of the business.
• Rare- It is rare to have such close connections to financial advisors.
• Imitable- No, this is not imitable because my dad, grandpa, and uncle are all financial advisors.
• Non-substitutable- A substitute could be contacting a different financial advisor or trying to do it on my own.
3. Prior work in sales
• Valuable- It is important to know how to sell to people and help them solve their problems.
• Rare- My sales knowledge is rare because I took two sales classes, have done sales-focused projects, and have worked in the field for an internship.
• Imitable- It is rather hard to copy someone's personal sales experience.
• Non-substitutable- It is substitutable, because you can hire people with sales experience.
4. Executive retail experience
• Valuable- Yes, because a leadership in retail is vastly different than just working in retail; you learn much about how to run a billion dollar store, manage over 50 people, and the logistics side. All of this is very valuable.
• Rare- This is rare because the specific experience I had only has 4 out of 150 employees as executive. It is a very selective process.
• Imitable- It is hard to copy because, as mentioned before, an executive leadership position is hard to come by.
• Non-substitutable- Though there are similar resources that. can supply the same knowledge, the hands-on experience is hard to replicate.
5. Driven mindset
• Valuable- This is valuable because my drive makes it difficult to deter me when I face obstacles.
• Rare- I think it is rare to be driven, but many people who go to UF are very driven.
• Imitable- It is not very hard to have a driven mindset, in my opinion.
• Non-substitutable- I would not want to work with any individuals who are not driven. 
6. Strong ethics
• Valuable- Having ethics is the key to having longevity of a company.
• Rare- Everyone has ethics, but mine specifically are very strong in the work place, as I was raised to always do the right thing.
• Imitable- Though people can act like they have strong ethics, it really comes down to how true and genuine they are.
• Non-substitutable- There is no substitution for an individual with strong ethics; those with weak ethics will ultimately get caught, and fail.
7. Connections to retailers
• Valuable- Valuable because connections are everything.
• Rare- Yes, it is hard to get in contact with people who have power in retail, especially Target.
• Imitable- Nope.
• Non-substitutable- Yes, it is hard to have the same benefits. 
8. Strong analytical skills
• Valuable- Valuable because they are the hard skills that drive financial success. For example, logistics is all analytics.
• Rare- Rare because some people are very bad with numbers, while it is my strong suite.
• Imitable- Yes, can be imitated as most people at UF are very analytical.
• Non-substitutable- No, because a computer could replace the human knowledge with today's AI. 
9. Much experience working with others
• Valuable- It is valuable because there is not great business where one person did all the work.
• Rare- No, it is honestly pretty common.
• Imitable- It is very hard to copy cooperation if you do not possess it. 
• Non-substitutable- Working with others is non substitutable because you are never going to be able to avoid it, especially as a business man/woman.
10. Patience
• Valuable- Yes, patience is valuable because it means I do not get discouraged easily and can wait to reap the ultimate benefits. 
• Rare- With how much people value instant gratification, patience is very rare in the average person. 
• Imitable- No, you can not imitate patience. 
• Non-substitutable- You could substitute patience with grace, but other than that it is not substitutable. 
• My top resource is my financial advisory connections. My father is a financial advisor, so if I worked with him I would most likely not need to have the typical financial advisor relationship. I recognize this may come across as a privilege, but I would be a fool not to take advantage of this resource. IT is the most important resource because it would save me time, money, and ultimately help me make smart business decisions in the long run. 

20A Growing Your Social Capital

• The industry expert: Michelle Crumpler 
• Background: Michelle is my mentor for my current internship. She is the executive HR leader at the Mandarin, Jacksonville Target. She has worked at target for fourteen years. Essentially, she handles the hiring, coaching, development, etc. of her specific store.
• Slot: Domain expert; Michelle fills this spot by being at the front lines of HR daily, which is a job I would like to do.
• Michelle and I contacted because she is my mentor for my current internship.
• Nature of exchange: Michelle coaches me daily in order to prepare me to take on a full-time HR position once I graduate next spring. The return of the expectation is for her to be an approachable mentor and for me to be a flexible and open-minded learner.
• Including this person in my network will enhance my ability to exploit and opportunity by being able to show me the ropes/basics of hiring and managing people. If I do become an individual with my own business, I will need the knowledge of the management perspective. Also, she would be a great resource if my company got really big, because she could potentially help get it in Target.
• The market expert: Ian Bathurst
• Background: Ian is a fourth year college student at UF. He studied economics and works as a dog sitter/walker with Rover. He also has a dog, so he is very passionate about animals which would help me with my product, Canine Condiments.
• Slot: Market expert
• I met Ian one day at the J. J. Finley park in Gainesville. He and I both had our dogs there and they took a liking to each other. We exchanged information and ended up being great friends and our dogs would get together frequently to play. 
• Nature of exchange: The nature of our exchange is pretty mutual; we both help each other by allowing our dogs to play, get tired, and get exercise in an efficient way.
• Including Ian in my network would enhance my ability to exploit an opportunity, because he could help me get an idea of the dog market in Gainesville (i.e. which owners have dogs who struggle getting food down/maintaining a healthy weight). HE potentially could even advertise with me and leave flyers behind at his clients' houses. He has a great idea of the market!
• The supply expert: Darryl Rutledge
• Background: Darryl is my friend's dad and also a truck driver. He goes up to VA twice a week to help ship supplies for Walmart. He ships mainly soft lines, but he also has done pet supplies in the past. 
• Slot: Supplier
• I connected with Darryl via LinkedIn and having mutual connections. I contacted him through an online message and he was more than happy to help. 
• The favor Darryl did for me was explain in great detail how logistics works. Logistics is not in any real interest for me, so it was nice to hear a new perspective. He did not expect a favor in return.
• Darryl would help me get an in with transportation and suppliers, as they truly are the backbone for moving America and stimulating the economy. 
• Reflect: This experience will shape how I participate in further networking events by giving me confidence in approaching people, as well as being more approachable myself. I personally enjoy networking, so this assignment was fun! Yes, this experience differed from my past networking events by being more remote and not as structured. 

21 A- Reading Reflection No. 2

The book I read was How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams. In general, the book focuses on how to find the small wins in even the largest of failures. Overall, I believe the author and I have similar outlooks and mindsets when it comes to using failure to drive motivation. This book connected with and enhanced what I am learning about in ENT 3003 in several ways. The first being that Adams explains how he has had several failed startups, prior to finding his passion for creating cartoons. The way in which Adams fosters failures to propel forward is inspiring and I could see how I could translate this into my professional career (wether that be starting a business, taking on a management role, or anything in between. Also, Adams suggests that individuals should take on ventures/roles where they feel comfortable taking risks. This reminds me of a sales class I once had, where our professor suggested we do our initial pitches on a subject who will most likely say "no." This way, you get comfortable with failure, a constant theme in Adam's book. If I had to design an exercise for this class based on this book, I would have it revolve around risks and reward. I would have the assignment focus on our product/service we have been working on this semester, and have the students identify three risks they could take in order to improve their idea. Then, I would ask the students to think about one positive and one negative for each risk, this way we can encourage out of the box thinking. Finally, the biggest surprise while reading was how important having a set space to work is for success. This is the case for me, as I cannot do work in my bedroom. I found it interesting that others think like this and like to separate work from pleasure. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and learning further how to foster my losses into small wins.

19A- Idea Napkin No. 2

Idea Napkin:

1) I am a fourth year business student, so I have had much opportunity to discover my professional strengths and opportunities. I am a talented problem solver, runner, and I am a very hard worker. I currently am completing and HR internship with Target, so I am getting much experience with leading and teamwork. I have worked as a waitress for four years, so I am very attentive to customers and I try my best to appease their needs. Aspirations wise, I would love to pursue a HR role out of college; I just love working with people and have really enjoyed my internship experience so far. If I started a business, I would see it becoming my full-time role to maintain and assure success.

2) The unmet need I would like to solve is an all natural way to encourage underweight/elderly dogs to eat their food. By doing so, the dogs would hopefully gain an appetite and start to get excited about eating. I would call my product "Canine Condiments," and they would be a line of human-grade sauces that you can top your dog's food with, giving them more flavor than typical dry food. This product would solve the customers' unmet needs by giving them an affordable and healthy way to encourage their animal to eat.

3) The ideal demographic of my customer would clearly have to have a dog. Ideally, their dog would be underweight or elderly. Also, I would like to get into business with pet stores and vets, in order to have a B2B platform as well ad direct to consumer.

4) My customers would actually pay money to use this product because people love their pets. Pet owners will spend money in order to make their pet happy because they love them. I my product is affordable, the customers would most likely be willing to try it out and see if it works for their specific dog. 

5) What would set us apart from competitors would be our price point and ingredients; I have yet to see a product on the market that is a sauce for their dog's food. We would use all natural ingredients and eco-friendly packaging to appeal to those interested in conservation. Also, we would make our product as affordable as possible. 

I believe that this business could potentially have a large market, and that the elements do fit together rather well. When people see an issue with their pet, they are eager to find a solution; I know this first hand, as I have a one year old dog. I had to deal with a severely underweight dog, and I wish a product like this existed because I would buy it immediately.

I only received one piece of feedback, so this may be a little repetitive. I took away that my work in the service industry would benefit me if I really did want to start my own business. Also, I took away that listening to your ideal customer's needs will make or break you. I incorporated this feedback into this idea napkin by continuing to mention my experience in the service industry (see 1) and thinking from the customer's perspective.

18A- Create a Customer Avatar

• My Customer Avatar
• Gender: Any
• Age: young-middle aged adult
• Hobbies: Outdoorsy, hiking, paddle boarding
• Interests: Natural remedies/ health, an advocate for the environment, sustainability, slightly "granola"
• Type of car: green Subaru Outback
• Favorite TV show: Reality TV shows (Family Feud, Dance Moms, etc.)
• Children: no, but they consider their dog their child
• Books: books about meditation
• Political views: they do not care about politics
• Did they complete college?: Yes, they have a degree in business
• Avatar Icons:

• I for sure have a lot in common with my ideal avatar. Because my product is a product designed for dogs, it was hard to not base myself on some of the avatar's characteristics. For starters, we both have dogs (obviously, or else we would not need the product). Also, I made my avatars have similar qualities to me; I had them enjoy the outdoors and be more on the "natural" side. I do not think this is a coincidence because I would be a customer of my product, so I felt inclined to make my ideal customer similar to myself. I even made them so similar that they have the same colored car as me (I did not notice I did this until after the fact).