4A- Forming an Opportunity

Assignment 4A- Forming an Opportunity Belief 

     Cooking and eating healthy meals is harder than some classes for college students.  It is certainly an unmet need. Numerous students don't know how to cook or simply just don't have the time to prepare home-cooked meals.  I think this need has always existed.  Thinking back on my past two years, as a Freshman I lived in a dorm and didn't have access to a kitchen. As a Sophomore, I lived in a sorority house and was only allowed to use the microwave.  Finally, as a current Junior, I finally have access to a kitchen and the utensils, but now the problem is in regards to time.  It seems as if there is never a happy medium.  To meet this current need, students succumb to eating at healthy restaurants which is expensive, or if they are fortunate and know how to  meal prep in advance.  I am 75% sure this opportunity exists.  

Prototypical Customer: College students who struggle to eat healthy, have a time consuming major, or simply want to cook/ eat better and healthier meals.  

#1:  Michal: I chose to interview Michal because I knew she would challenge my opportunity.  She would be a consumer I would have to persuade to partake in whatever my "solution" would end up being.  

1. Nature of Need:  Eats really healthy, but spends a lot of money on unusual ingredients.  Michal is vegan, has specific needs. 
2. When are you aware of this problem:  She is aware of this problem when she gets rung up at the grocery store.  She frequently is confused in regards to how simple items such as natural sugars, etc, are so expensive. 
3. How long have you had this need:  She doesn't really have the need to eat healthy because she already does.  She has decided she is getting her money's worth with her healthy ingredients and choices.  
4. How are you currently addressing this need: She continues to buy healthy meals and use the time that she has to prepare kale salads, healthy tacos, etc.  Yet, cost is still an issue but not to the point where she has changed her actions. 
5. How satisfied are you with this solution:  She is satisfied in that eating healthy is her main priority, she describes herself as a "health freak".  Yet, she says if she was able to spend less to keep her same habits, she definitely would. 

Reflection:  Students like Michal would probably not be prototypical customers.  She has found a way to eat/ cook healthy, and is content with the money she is spending to do so.  However, interviewing her introduced me to a new variable in regards to the problem:  Cost of healthier foods.  This is something I could look into further to be able to reach more customers such as Michal.  (People who need not necessarily a food solution, but a cost-effective one) 

#2:  Jamie: I chose to interview Jamie because I live with her and am aware of her habits.  She is completely different from Michal, in that she struggles with cooking, and finding the time to because of her time consuming work load and schedule.  

1. Nature of Need:  Jamie wants to eat healthy, but simply is not confident with her cooking skills.  She is also a very picky eater.
2. When are you aware of this problem:  She is aware of this problem when she goes to the grocery store.  She typically buys pre-made and packaged food.  She is unsure of what to buy, because she is unsure she will be able to learn how to cook it.  
3. How long have you had this need:  She has had this need since entering college.  It is difficult not having someone prepare meals for her, and being unaware of how to use certain things in the kitchen. 
4. How are you currently addressing this need:  She tries to eat at her sorority house frequently, which supplies her with viable and healthy options.  However, because she is picky she does not like most of the food on the menu. 
5. How satisfied are you with this solution:  Admittedly, she said she does not think she really has a solution at the moment.  Therefore, she is not satisfied at all. 

Reflection:  Students like Jamie are prototypical customers.  She is unaware of how to cook healthy meals, and simply does not have the time.  She would be open to any solution and was confident in saying so.  She wants to make healthier meals, but was never taught how to make any!  She also introduced me to another variable though. The fact that she is a picky eater.  

#3 Jacob:  I chose to interview Jacob because I wanted a boys perspective on the situation.  

1. Nature of Need:  Jacob wants to eat healthy, but is a Finance major and finds it difficult to find time to prepare healthy meals. 
2. When are you aware of this problem:  He is aware of this problem whenever he is hungry at the library.  He does not have the time to go home and make a healthy meal.  However, conveniently fast food restaurants are located by the libraries and on campus, which he ultimately ends up eating. 
3. How long have you had this need:  Jacob has had this need throughout college, but as a Junior has found it more common.  His major is really picking up with hard classes, and he has to spend a lot of time in the library. 
4. How are you currently addressing this need:  He tries to eat healthy, but rather than cook healthy meals makes sure he gets to the gym to work off the unhealthy food he eats. 
5. How satisfied are you with this solution:  He is not satisfied.  He said if he could find a way to eat better, cut time from the gym, and study as much as he wants to, he would.  

Reflection:  Jacob is a prototypical customer.  He knows how to cook, but simply struggles with time.  He needs healthier meals that he could cook almost instantly, or quicker than it would take him to walk to Chik Fil A for example.  

Summary: After interviewing numerous people, I do believe my opportunity is still there.  However, I do not think I was aware of how many variables are prevalent.  Michal introduced me to money, Jamie to unfamiliarity with cooking, and Jacob to time.  Therefore, finding a solution that would amend to all of their needs would definitely be hard.  But it is still needed, and there is still opportunity. With that being said, I do not think my need is as accurate as when I started this assignment.  I think I need to be more specific in my "opportunity" and zone in on one of the variables my interviewees introduced me to.  I think entrepreneurs should adapt their opportunities to their customers full fledged.  These are the consumers, the people who will ultimately buy your product, ask you questions, give you reviews, etc.  You are seeking an opportunity to fix a need of theirs that is unmet, therefore their feedback is critical.