Opportunity: My customer base is struggling to find work, the issue behind that struggle lies in their schedule, timing, and needs they possess that keep them from finding a suitable job that they are comfortable with. Publix supermarkets as well as many other retailers and consumer businesses in Gainesville can offer the solution to the customers unmet needs, but the problem lies in the communication between viable applicant and organization they apply for. My business opportunity is supposed to clear the communication channel between business and applicant, the forces behind this opportunity is that more and more people, especially college students need jobs more than ever, and are very healthy, young and applicable to work, but cannot seem to get a call back. This market is found all throughout America, because of the change in the type of people entering college with almost no financial support, and this opportunity is meant for young, busy students, and people in general that need that chance to find a good job. Currently, there is no solution to this problem, customers are currently using outdated applications that do not possess thorough questions and this process is clearly unstable and ends up in hires of unsuitable applicants. The size of how potential this opportunity is, can be questioned. Most people that do not get hired for a job, do not see the person that did get tired, a lot of the time, from my experiences, the person hired was chosen incorrectly and ends up either leaving, or not enjoying their job, but a young college student would be grateful to be in their position. There is potential for success, but that lies on regulation changes with many companies, especially Publix’s hiring process. This window of opportunity is only expected to grow, as young people go out into the real world, with not the strongest financial backing and realize how important a job can be.
Innovation: My business is selling a product and a refined service. For example, Publix uses an outdated method of applying, through a terminal that has not been updated since 2006 and by asking applicants simple questions that are not open ended, so choosing a new employee is almost a random pick because you cannot distinguish one applicants strengths to another’s and my business is reinventing the application process so employers can see their potential hires strengths and weaknesses before they are even hired. Updated terminals are a huge aspect of my businesses. The service being offered is pushing for many companies’ corporate divisions to give college students more opportunities and to change regulatory laws, especially in college towns such as Gainesville to allow more young applicants to be hired. The new terminals and extensive outreach to corporate companies is set to increase more jobs, put those jobs in the right hands, through refined application processes and giving applicants call backs at the very least. Funding for this project will be through fundraising, online, in person and all through the city of Gainesville, this campaign can get recognition as a way of increasing the employment rate throughout Gainesville. Costs for the Research and Development as well creating new applications will be funded privately at first but once fundraising and Go-Fund-Me is up and running, having more money on hand will be easier to work with than our initial investments in the company.
Venture Concept: This product is aimed to help the Gainesville community, I feel that this issue is not discussed enough and switching to our team will be a beneficial service to Gainesville, especially because no one else is considering this opportunity. From my research, this topic is not getting genuine attention, let alone enough to suffice competition. My business consists of a team that develops the new applications, marketing employees and guidance from me and a few others that have long-term experience with employability at many different chains. Paying off these employees will begin through the money invested and eventually the fundraising profit will be taken into account.
Final Points: Our advantage in this company is my experience with Publix, being a previous employee and all the inside information, I have received from the company. As well as the previous employees that are on my team that are going to benefit the organization, having that insider information is really going to be our difference maker.
What’s next for the company? Expanding to more stores
What’s next for me? Minimizing my vision and focusing this issue locally is definitely my future perspective on this topic. My vision is to make an unfair world fair, although that dream is unachievable as a whole, I can assist in giving more college students job.
Summary: Based on feedback I received, I am changing my idea to adapt more organizations. Specifying this product only to Publix is hindering to my future success. My updated terminals for applying to jobs will be in place in more than one companies store. Also fundraising is going to be more publicly advertised, Go-Fund-Me, as well as other ways of raising money.
Revisions: My biggest change to my venture concept was lowering my expectations for this idea. Instead of focusing on advancing and moving as far out as I could, focusing locally is my best move.
