1) Who they are and what their background is.
His name is Josu Gaubeka and he is the owner of La Cuisine, which sells high-end appliances. He started the business as a teenager, so he has extensive knowledge on the industry.
2) Which 'slot' you are filling with each person (i.e., domain expert, market expert, supplier), and how the person fills the spot.
I am filling the market expert slot because he has been in the industry since he was a teenager (30+ years of experience) and knows a lot of how the appliance market works. Not only does he know suppliers, but he knows what customers look for when purchasing new appliances.
3) A description of how you found the person and contacted the person.
He is one of my dad’s friends from high school, so my dad connected me with him.
4) The nature of the exchange you have with the person -- what favor did they do for you? What is the return expectation?
He gave me some insight on how the industry works and explained the importance of building good relationships with suppliers. He did not ask for anything in return, although he could always be a business to have on the app when directing users to potential replacements of appliances.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity?
He could be a business to include on the app when users are given the option to purchase. With enough negotiation, we could have him lower his prices if we provide him with free referrals to new clients.
1) Who they are and what their background is.
His name is Carlos and he is a local handyman for the South Florida area.
2) Which 'slot' you are filling with each person (i.e., domain expert, market expert, supplier), and how the person fills the spot.
He is a supplier as he fixes people’s broken appliances, helps with installations, and deals with any home repairs.
3) A description of how you found the person and contacted the person.
I found him through an organization my dad is a part of at our local church. I was given his phone number and was able to contact him through WhatsApp.
4) The nature of the exchange you have with the person -- what favor did they do for you? What is the return expectation?
He told me about what he does and how he brings in clients. He explained the importance of word of mouth. We talked about him being one of the contacts in the app for potential repairs, which allows for a win-win situation (he gets a job and I get a supplier of the job).
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity?
He can not only be a handyman to include on the app, but he can also refer the app to other contacts he has in this line of work, bringing in more suppliers to the app.
1) Who they are and what their background is.
App developer that works for a company called Chetu.
2) Which 'slot' you are filling with each person (i.e., domain expert, market expert, supplier), and how the person fills the spot.
I am filling the domain expert slot because given the nature of my business idea, I am looking for a contact that will help me develop the actual app. I was looking for someone with experience creating an actual app, which will fill the technical expert requirement in this spot.
3) A description of how you found the person and contacted the person.
I searched the web for app developers and came across this business which connects you to a handful of app developers.
4) The nature of the exchange you have with the person -- what favor did they do for you? What is the return expectation?
They were able to tell me if this app was feasible to create, as well as the potential cost of making it. The return expectation was that I would choose him to develop the app, therefore paying him for his services.
5) How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity?
Having this connection will give me someone to go to when I get to the app developing phase of this business.
Reflection: How will this experience shape how you participate in any future networking events? Did this experience differ from your networking experiences in the past? How?
This experience has made me more comfortable in reaching out to people and having a conversation with them. I’ve noticed that most people will be willing to help you, all you have to do is ask. This did differ a little from other networking experiences because I had a real concept to show and talk about, giving me major talking points to bring up. It also allowed for a mutual collaboration as the concept of the app brings in a win-win situation.
Hey Erick, your reflection speaks volumes regarding on how people really are open to help you just have to be willing to ask. I found this idea to be true myself. Also, your interviewees seem like they can be potentially very helpful in the future and seem like their may be an importance in these connections. Each one had a specific attribute they could potentially help you with, from a potential employee who puts his work on the app from someone who is capable of giving you even better connections.
ReplyDeleteErick,
ReplyDeleteI really like the diversity in your contacts. They seem to be from different parts of the business spectrum. You got a business owner, a repairman, and an app developer as your contacts. I think you covered all the bases and hit the concept of social capital very well. I’d love to know how easy it is to steal app ideas amongst developers. There is some risk in contacting multiple app developers with questions because I don’t think there is anything from preventing them from creating something similar once they hear your idea. You never know, it’s a small world. Some of these people may work for you one day or at least be customers. Many times, it’s the friend of a friend that makes a difference in your personal life. In this case it may be contact of a contact that makes a huge difference in your business career.
Hey Erick,
ReplyDeleteI too really believe that the diversity of your contacts is a huge advantage for you. The nature of contacts is that they have their own connections, so if your connections are not closely related, they too can offer a greater diversity and pass on some of their contacts. At some point you will have a wildly varied and specialized group of people who can help you in almost an idea you set your mind to. Also, I agree with your reflection. To an extent, you can practically force personal relationships with people by just communicating with them and providing favors for one another.
Hey Erick,
ReplyDeleteI really like that we both are beginning to step out of our comfort zone and ask for help when needed. Its great that your dad has contacts and relayed them to you, it seems like he really believes in your product. Finding the perfect app developer is very important, however you should be careful when telling them the extent of your product you wouldn't want them to steal your idea. Great job!