Assignment 16A- What’s Your Secret Sauce?

Ways I am unique:

1.     Straightforward- I do not mind confrontation and am very blunt. I do not like beating around the bush which can at times come off as harsh, but I ever mean it from a malicious stand point. I am honest, I do not lie just to please people.

2.     Compassionate- To the core, I am very caring and compassionate, especially to the people I love (family, friends). I take the time out to check up on people, bring them food, talk to them for hours if they need me, and I do whatever I can to brighten their day.

3.     Good at communicating- When in a professional or even casual conversation, I try to communicate my feelings very articulately. If I get into an argument, I genuinely try to empathize with the person and understand their perspective. In addition to that, if I feel the conversation getting heated, I do not immediately respond because sometimes when we are angry, we may say things we do not mean. I take a moment to phrase things in a way that doesn’t offend the other person or pour fuel into the fire, while also getting my point across.

4.     Independent- My parents were never home because of work and at one point, they moved to a different state because of work. I was left to raise myself from 8 to when I graduated high school. Large events like graduation, they missed and I had to take on many of the responsibilities that my friends parents helped them with. I learned how to take care of myself, cook/clean, apply to college and figure out FAFSA. I carry these lessons through my life and also learned to never take time with family for granted.

5.     Strong work ethic- I am hardworking and am willing to do anything to get assignments or tasks done. From a young age, my parents instilled this in me. Since my parents were never really around, I was responsible for keeping myself accountable of my grades, scholarships, etc.

Interviews:

1.     Theresa- my childhood friend (since kindergarten)

She is currently in Europe with her church so I could not interview her but she was able to send a video

 Key Takeaways- she focuses on my abilities and my emotional side more because she she knows me more based off of that than versus a professional setting. She knows me inside and out and has been with me through it all, I hold her opinion very high.

 

 2. Arathi- my very close friend of 6 years

She is in Orlando (I am in Gainesville), she couldn’t be interviewed but she sent me an audio recording.
https://soundcloud.com/bichgiang-nguyen/arathi-interview 

 Key Takeaways- She covered my abilities, knowledge, emotions and skills. The longest part being pertaining to emotions. Of all of them, Arathi was the most well rounded when she spoke about me. 

3.     Phu- My sister’s husband

He lives in Philly, I could not interview him but he was able to text me.

“First Bichgiang is smart, if that's not obvious. Bichgiang is one of the caring most compassionate person I’ve known. She is definitely a very mature person for her age. She’s a great cook, dedicated to make the healthiest of foods taste like food that’s made with real ingredients. She’s not a person to give up easily, even after how many times she ran over the cones while learning how to drive. Her outgoing attitude makes up for her small size. She’s very sociable and can get along with just about anyone.”

 Key takeaways- he has not known me for my entire life like many others I included, but for him to think these things about me, it means a lot. He is someone I respect and he has focused on my emotions and work ethic even though he has not seen me in a professional setting. 

4.     Sonya- my sister

She does not live with me and goes to school, I could not interview her but she was able to text me.

 "Growing up as a daughter of immigrant parents, Bichgiang quickly learned hard-work ethic at an early age. Upon emigrating to U.S, she had to learn a new language and also to adapt to a completely different culture. She persevered to overcome any challenges that propelled her to push her intellectual limits while motivated her to adapt and improve. As her sister, I had the opportunity to witness her compassion towards all those around her, as well as her personal growth into a mature, sharp individual. Not only is Bichgiang goal-oriented to accomplish all of her successes in academic, she is also driven to achieve her goals in philanthropic work that she is deeply passionate about. She strongly believes in giving-back to less-privilege, underserved communities and especially those in need. Thus in my opinion, all of Bichgiang’s previously mentioned qualities and achievements have shown her maturity and emotional intellect while very much so proven herself to be a well-rounded individual to the best of her capabilities.” 

Key takeaways- My sister was the most professional of everyone, when she spoke about me. She focused on my emotions, and goes the most in depth  about qualities I have not heard from others (e.g emotional intellect). 

5.     My mom-

She does not speak English so there is no point in me uploading an interview in a different language, but I am able to translate what she said.

“My daughter is independent, I feel bad for not being there for her when she grew up, but I am so proud of the things she accomplished without guidance. She was able to move in to college, move out of apartments, get into a good school and pave her own path. She is very mean, but not in a bad way, she stands her ground in arguments and does not back down. I think she gets it from me, she is blunt and can tell people how she feels without remorse. End of the day, she loves her family deeply and loves to help people. I saw that she donates shoes to people in need and I am proud of the woman she has become.”

Key takeaways- My mom is not the type to talk about feelings or show if she is proud of my sister and I, I am not sure if it is a culture thing or who she is. For her to say the things I never thought she would, it made me emotional. She mentioned notable qualities about me that are common among the other people I talked to. 

Reflect on Differences:

I see myself fairly positively, and so do the people closest to me. There are very few differences in what I said versus what others said, which I think is good. However my sister and closest friend, Theresa did bring up that I focus on self growth which is not something I considered when I list qualities about myself. I think they are all correct bout me, each bringing in a different perspective. For example, my sister listed specific instances and has been there the most of everyone on the list, my mom has seen me grow in a more general sense while my friends see the side of me that talks about school, small day to day instances the most. I would not make any changes to the list of how I am unique because those 5 qualities are what I believe to be the highlights of me as a person. Generally, these same qualities are covered on the people I interviewed which leads me to believe those are the most prominent. I am moved and touched that the people I hold to the highest standard think these things about me.

Assignment 15A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Alternative evaluation:

            For the people I interviewed, getting the most quality without spending an exorbitant amount of money for groceries is what matters most (the most bang for your buck). However, I did notice an exception-  they are willing to pay more if it ensures a higher quality foods/produce, i.e organic, ethically sourced, sustainable (things that mattered to some of the people I interviewed). In this case of grocery alternative evaluation, both quality and price matter.

How/where do they buy:

            The segment is more likely to buy in person (in store) than online. Though there is a wave of online grocery shopping available, I am targeting the people who still enjoy the grocery shopping experience, one where you can feel the produce, smell the fruit, select what you want, the ripeness, etc. They are more likely to use cash or debit/credit card, as these are the most common ways to pay for groceries. Also, this is not a B2B purchase, this is a B2C purchase.

Post-purchase evaluation:

            Things that help them determine if it was a good purchase/about the rightness of the purchase are- the quality of the food, the price (or quality given the price), how much they enjoyed the experience (e.g customer service, availability of products) and possibly if people that matter to them, like the food (e.g if their significant other likes a certain deli meat or if their child likes certain snacks only sold at the store). Conversely, things that make them think the purchase was a bad idea are- the products are too expensive given the quality, poor selection, bad customer service, they do not find products that make the store stand out versus other grocers.

Interviews:

1.     The first interviewee told me that price is the biggest factor when choosing a grocer for her because she doesn’t have that much money to dedicate to grocery shopping after she pays for rent, utilities, etc. She currently goes to Walmart the most since it is the cheapest place, but she would consider another option if it means she can save more. She does not usually get specialty foods, mostly sticking to basics like chicken breast, rice, pasta, frozen peas and broccoli. She does not want to sacrifice quality just because she is looking for the lowest price and what would make her consider that it was a good purchase is the quality she gets for the amount she spends.

2.     The second interviewee believes in spending more if that means he gets better quality foods. He believes in buying ethically sources produce, free range eggs, organic alternative milks and dedicates more money to that because he wants better quality foods for his body. What keeps him going back to a grocer is if they offer everything he needs in one place and if the store has specific products/snacks he likes. Rightness of purchase to him means he feels good about the products he purchased because he bought ethical products. He usually shops at Publix or Trader Joe’s.

3.     The third interviewee values highest quality possible without paying too much. He values both price and quality but balances his purchases by buying organic for certain things he deems as worth spending on. For example, he purchases organic for foods on the “Dirty Dozen” list (foods more likely to contain pesticides, etc.) and saves money where ever else he can so he ca buy those higher quality foods. His usual grocery store is a mix between Publix, Target and Lucky’s Market. Rightness in his purchases comes from his ability to save money where he can and splurging on the organic, no GMO certified produce/products he really enjoys consuming.

Conclusions:

            There are many alternatives to choose from when people go grocery shopping. Each person goes to a specific store for a specific reason. People may choose to purchase from Walmart because it is the cheapest (save money, live better), from Publix because it has a smaller selection with Pub subs /great customer service, etc. Post Purchase evaluation for this segment is based on quality of the products and how much they enjoyed the food after consumption.

Assignment 14A- Halfway Reflection

1.     Tenaciousness is a competency. What are the behaviors that you have used (or developed) to keep up with the requirements of this course? 

With majority of business courses being online, it is often difficult to find the willpower to watch lectures or do coursework since there is no mandatory physical attendance. However, a behavior I have used to keep up with the requirements of this course is prioritization/time management. I have to prioritize assignments and watching lectures over going out with my friends because an grade for a course/education I paid for, is more important than seeing friends. By prioritizing and managing my time, I get the grunt work out of the way and can enjoy time with my friends/family without the constant stress of due dates on my mind.

2.     Tenaciousness is also about attitude. Talk about a moment or two when you felt like "giving up." What pulled you through? Do you feel like you've developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months? What experience or experiences most contributed to this?

During my freshman year summer/beginning my sophomore year, I decided to switch paths from pre-dental to business (the enemy of STEM majors). At the time, I had the weight of doing what my parents wanted me to do versus what I knew I genuinely enjoyed, battling in my head. I felt defeated because I was struggling with Chem 2, but the pressure to make my parents proud made me want to continue on the pre-dent path, where I was clearly unhappy. I decided to switch after volunteering for Shands, realizing dentistry was not where I saw my life going and more importantly, I did not have the passion that could help me through the years of dental school. Afterwards, I felt like my world crumbled because of the fear of failing as a business major, but I got through it when I began to enjoy my classes more and talked with my parents about changing my career path. They were resistant at first, but being able to explain myself to them and how that was their goal for me (not my goal for myself), they have a better understanding of who I want to be and me as an adult, not a teenager. I definitely developed tenacity these past 2 months because I have faced failure from classes (literally), but it is not the end of the world-- you just have to keep pushing.

3.     Three tips. What are three tips you would offer next semester's student about (1) fostering the skills that support tenacity and (2) developing the 'tenacious mindset' ?

I understand every situation is different, every person is different. These are just tips that helped me.

1.     If you face failure or feel defeat (especially since UF loves to weed out students), keep pushing and know it is not the end of the world.

2.     Think about why you failed at something, was it based on circumstances or because you did not do enough? As hard as it is to accept, maybe your failure was because you did not do enough or missed a huge factor of the goal. Learn from it, grow from it. But sometimes, you did do enough, and you also have to accept that as long as you put in your 100%, you should be proud.

3.     Talk to someone who gives you the blunt, harsh truth. That person is my sister, I tell her my situation and she tells me what I could have improved on or just her overall, neutral third person perspective. Often when we face difficulties, it’s hard to remove ourselves from a situation therefore talking to someone that can give you that blunt honesty. Over time, you will learn how to step back from a situation to assess it. 

the image above is one of my first photos as a business gator :)

Assignment 13A- Reading Reflection No. 1

Coco Chanel "An Intimate Life"

1.     To my surprise, the face behind the iconic Chanel brand, was a woman whose mother passed and father was never present in her life as a market trader. Gabrielle was raised by a convent and was taught how to sew by the nuns that raised her- to imagine she may have never gotten into handmaking designs if not for her family circumstances. I admired her ability to grow up without parents (or without the support of her parents), make it through her hardships and create an iconic brand. I also admired her boldness. And confidence in her brand because she would invite people who copied her work, to her shows. She believed this only secured how exclusive her pieces are, and imitation was not an issue. I did not admire her disconnect with her humble beginnings, eventually creating clothes only for the elite. She did revolutionize clothing for women by offering the ability of movement with utilitarian ethic, but she designs for one body type (which if seen in today’s standards, is appalling). The adversity she faced was the lack of family through the developmental years of any person’s life and the death of someone she loved, Arthur “Boy” Capel (inspiration of her notable Chanel “Boy” bag). Gabrielle made the best of her time in the convent, learning useful skills that led to her successful career (as previously mentioned), but she never quite got over the death of her love. Some find it hard to believe there was a time where she was not cold hearted.

2.     “Coco” Chanel exhibited tenacity, a great sense of independence and strong passion for her work. Though some may argue her love affairs were wrong because she used the men to benefit her, her ability to connect with men and utilize them to propel her forward speaks to a level of further thinking, analysis and awareness. This, to an extent, shows how focused she was on her line, to expand it at any cost. Chanel had many “love affairs” as shared in the book (for example, her affair with Stravinsky), in particular, when she used a man’s wealth to set up a comeback for her fashion line. She kept up with duchesses, countesses and other aristocrats, learned from them and later opened a shop that allowed women to embroider the dresses she made. I believe this spoke of her ability to adapt and have a unique take on trends.

3.     I was confused when the author thought Gabrielle Chanel was a horizontal collaborator aka, German spy during World War II. It was a shock to learn about because you would not have expected a girl brought up in a convent, starting a fashion line, would come in contact with the world of spies.

4.     The first question I would ask her is: What was the greatest difficulty you found when your fashion line started becoming very successful and how did you overcome it? I am always intrigued by how a person handles difficulties or the most difficult moment of their career, I would be very interested to hear her thought process. The second question is: What would you have done differently if you knew everything that you knew at the end? I would ask this because some people would say hindsight is 20/20 and they would do nothing differently, but I believe some people have deep regrets they wish they would undo.

5.     I believe her definition of hard work is relentlessly growing. She saw many failures and rejections and heard disheartening news before she truly succeeded. If she were to see how Chanel as a brand has grown to the empire it is today (with the Chanel name meaning little to nothing when she was born), I think she would be amazed. Many stores have been closed, the House of Chanel shut down in 1940 and did not return for many years, but her love for fashion never died. She continued to grow in that time and brought a line with her. Hard work to her is being more than the hardships you face and I share this opinion.

Assignment 12A – Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

 Segment- My segment are moms. My first interviewee is a mom of 2, one boy one girl. My second is a mom with 1 boy and my third is a mom of a little girl, but also looks after her sister’s kids when she’s at work. 

Interview Summary- After the interviews, I learned that my customer’s needs are most salient when they preparing food for their entire family (them, their significant other and children and any other family that may be over) or when their children begin to cry because of hunger. The first mom I talked to (one boy, one girl) said her children are picky and they do not like the same things so sometimes it’s difficult for her to buy foods that overlap, so she usually buys whatever her individual kids like and tries her best to buy what they both like. I discussed with her the ability for her to buy smaller portions of the foods each of her kids like, rather than buying larger portions of each and she showed interest. Though she showed concern of how much time that would take out of her day to portion out what each of her kids want, she did consider that to be better than forcing her kids to eat things they did not like. The second woman I interviewed said her boy is not picky and same with her husband, therefore it is easy for her to buy any food, but I brought up the idea of having prepped ingredients for meals, easily accessible to her and she thought that would be a good reason for her to go to a new grocery store, rather than her usual ones (it will still be hard to complete with larger grocery stores). The third woman said she only has one child, but ends up looking after 3 because she looks after her sister’s children. She feels overwhelmed and it’s hard for her to cook for herself, since her kids pallet isn’t up to the level of sophistication of adults. When she cooks dinner for her family, she keeps it simple and I noticed it would still be difficult to compete with the established stores, but I offered the opportunity of her and her husband taking cooking classes together on the nights they have off. She perked up at the thought of alone time with her husband and some breathing room from all of the chaos. I stressed to all three the environmental benefit of my grocery store concept and they all seemed to like that they are doing good. 

When all 3 become aware of their need to feed their families, they consider grocery stores they already know, in their area. In this case, Publix, Target, Walmart were what all 3 women said they go to most. These are grocery stores they have known since they were growing up and what is most familiar to them, they do not talk to friends and family or search into Google, since they are familiar with the process/locations.

Conclusion/How I would describe the segment-

I learned that people like their patterns of what grocery stores they go to and they usually do not break from that. Especially evident in moms, they like going to stores where they know have exactly what they want, what their kids want and what their significant others want. My concept may not be everyone’s preference, and they still might want to go to their usual spots, however they can use my grocery store concept as a way to supplement their grocery shopping experience. When I mentioned what other benefits my idea has to offer to refute their concerns, they thought it was a good way to draw people away from larger stores, into mine. This segment could also be more drawn if there is an adjusting period from one grocery store to another.

Assignment 11A- Idea Napkin No. 1

1.      You

My name is Bichgiang (bit-young) Nguyen, I have a strong passion for volunteerism and giving back on an international and community level. My skills are organization, leadership, fundraising and customer service as seen in my previous experience as a StateFarm intern and in my current president position in Shoes for Smiles, an organization that works to raise funds and collect shoes for the homeless/children in under-served communities. My aspirations are to work in Corporate Social Responsibility, likely in a large grocery store (e.g Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Target) to reduce food waste or to maximize their community/environmental efforts.

If I were to start this business, I think it would fit perfectly into my aspirations because the framework of my business is to reduce food waste and make consumers more aware. By increasing awareness of what people buy, there is less food waste, therefore less food will be sitting in landfills, emitting greenhouse gasses (which are harmful to our environment).

2.      What are you offering to customers?

We are offering customization of the grocery shopping experience, for consumers to have a better understanding of their diet, their food needs and how to enjoy cooking and grocery shopping again. Food is more than something you eat to satiate hunger, it can be an experience, an opportunity to try new things and we can offer that to consumers while allowing them to control the portions they want for the lifestyle they have.

3.     Who are you offering it to?

 We are offering our service/products to males and females of any race, 18+ years of age, $20,000+ income, who care about environmental efforts and are open to trying new things. They can live up to 10 miles outside of our urban store location.

4.      Why do they care?

The frustration people feel when they buy a loaf of bread, just to only eat a couple of slices and throw out the rest of the loaf- that is the frustration we want to minimize for customers. Gone are the days you go to grocery stores and see something that catches your eye, but you cannot bring yourself to purchase the entire package (in fear you will not like it). Customers also care because they can feel good, knowing the more they custom fit their food needs to the food they buy, the less food will be rotting in a landfill and the less harm they are doing on the planet.

5.     What are your core competencies?

 We offer customization as if you were going to a candy store, combining unique products like Trader Joes, Whole Foods quality, ready meals like Publix and grocery delivery.

I believe these 5 elements fit together well, however it is easy for a competing grocery store to come in and offer the same things we do. It is difficult to offer a new grocery shopping experience when considering the larger, more “well known” grocery stores and all they have to offer. They can simply add on any of what we have to offer, to their existing selection. I would definitely have to consider more of what makes my service/product special and how to maximize that.

Assignment 10A- Elevator Pitch No. 1

Assignment 9A- Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Who-

From my first interview, I learned that the mom of 3 loves to cook and has the qualities of customers I have identified previously, but with 3 kids, she just finds it easier to go to Target or Sam’s Club, since they have things she needs in large quantities, ready for her to grab. The man who dislikes cooking thinks it is too messy, too much work to cook for himself because he would have to wash several dishes. The woman who does not like trying new foods (sticking in her comfort zone) is not a prototypical customer because she does not want to commit to an entire package of a new food, just to not like it and throw it out. She also doesn’t like trying new things since she “already knows” what she liked. The couple that shops at Costco are used to buying in large amounts and try their best to use up the food they buy and they usually eat the same 3 meals every day, for a week (because it is easier to meal prep 3 recipes for the whole week vs. 5 different recipes to alternate). The college student that doesn’t know how to cook eats out and doesn’t consider how much money she would save if she cooked at least 1 meal every day.  In all, I realized all of the people I interviewed, do not think about how much food they throw away weekly because they never think much of it and the effects of it on the planet.

What-

The need to control the quantities of food you buy differs from buying the smallest or largest option available because controlling the exact quantities requires more thought about your own food consumption patterns, rather than settling for what most mainstream grocery stores offer. You have to know that if you are making enough for 3 meals, how much that of each ingredient that requires because your definition varies from someone who eats more/less.

Why-

The underlying cause is because the outsiders are used to settling for whatever options are available in their closest grocery store. People want convenience and do not want to put too much thought into a “mundane” task and a quick solution. Once we get use to the norms of what the stores have to offer, we also get use to throwing away small amounts of food we can’t finish. However, over time that adds up and can cost a considerable amount of money.

Interview 1- a mom of 3 children

Interview 2- a man who dislikes cooking

Interview 3- a woman who does not like going out of her comfort zone

Interview 4- a couple who meal preps and shops at Costco to buy large amounts

Interview 5- a college student that does not know how to cook

Inside The Boundary	Outside The Boundary
Who Is In: -people who live by themselves -environmentally conscious consumers -people who do not like to eat the same meal every day -couples that do not have kids yet, they only have to make enough food for 2 -people who travel a lot and need smaller portions of food for when they are home (because if it is too large of a portion, it will go bad in the time they are gone)	Who Is Not: -people who eat out majority of their meals -people who do not cook/ do not know how to -people who are not aware of their eating habits/patterns (i.e how much you usually eat per meal)
What Is The Need: The need to control the exact amounts of food you buy; to customize the grocery shopping experience	What The Need Is NOT: The need is not to buy food from the solution store without thought, just to throw it out anyway.
Why The Need Exists: It exists because it allows you to tailor your foods/meals to your lifestyle (with the result being to reduce food waste).	Alternative Explanations: -People could still go to Target, Walmart or Costco and just portion out the food once they get home -share their leftover food with friends/family -instead of throwing away leftover produce/veggies, they could compost