Week 8 Reading Reflection - Funding!

Funding!

1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? I really enjoyed reading about how the peer to peer lending has come about. Crowdsourcing is an interesting animal and I’m really interested to see if it will be something that stays popular or fades with time.

2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you. This week I didn’t find anything difficult to understand.

3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why? I would ask the author whether they feel that those that come up with their own money are more hungry for success than those that are given the funds from elsewhere? I would be curious to hear the professional opinion on this in comparison to my own thoughts.  Also, I would ask the author if they would personally start up any venture by taking on debt financing. I find that debt financing is a nail in the coffin before you ever get started.

4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How? I didn’t feel there was any part of the reading that I strictly disagreed with; however, I would have like a more personal take at times.

My Halfway Reflection

1)   Tenaciousness is a skill. What are the behaviors that you have used (or developed) to keep up with the requirements of this course? I believe keeping on a schedule is what helped the most. Even when you are busy, always make time for your assignments.

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? I have three kids, two jobs and school. I wanted to give up every day because I felt so overwhelmed with the assignments. I kept giving what I could because I need to get through this. I think I have accepted that even with assignments that did not get done, I kept moving forward and didn’t let myself get bogged down. With huge responsibilities, I’ve found that I am extremely busy and can only give my best which leads to forgiving myself when I come in under my own expectations.

3) Three tips. What are three tips you would offer nextsemester's student about (1) fostering the skills that support tenacity and (2) developing the 'tenacious mindset'? It comes down to staying focused and continuing to tell yourself you can complete this. Always keep your schedule in mind. Try to not get hung up on little things and look at the big picture.  

Week 7 Reading Reflection

Week 7

1)    What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 

I found the entire reading very informative and interesting. I think what stood out the most was the author’s insistence that most marketers doing segmentation are approaching things wrong even in current days.

2)    Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

I struggled a little bit trying to understand where the author was coming from at times. During several paragraphs, it almost seemed like he was contradicting himself. I had to go through several passages a second time to grasp his stance.

3)    If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?

I would ask the author why he thinks this is such a hard area for customers if the information is out there. In addition, I would also ask him if he feels that his current evaluation will once again change in the near future due to changing needs of the customers.

4)    Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

I didn’t necessarily disagree with the author, but I did struggle figuring out where he was going in certain parts of his writing. It was something that I just had to go through again.

Week 6 Reading Reflection

Week 6

1)    What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 

I found it interesting that the author chose to point out that the fasting growing industries are always attractive. I agree that this is definitely a common misconception and goes along the lines of things not always being what they seem. It is absolutely evident in my experience that high growth rate does not equal profitability. A very important lesson to remember.

2)    Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

I found the author was very thorough in explanation. There was no part that seemed particularly confusing to me. This was a fantastic read and very informative.

3)    If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?

I would ask the author how long it took for him to summarize the five forces. His writing seems very passionate and well thought out. I would also want to discuss further about leaving a certain business and how to approach the evolution of a person in regards to their strategy.

4)    Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

I definitely didn’t disagree with anything. I found the author to be quite knowledgeable and it was a very insightful read.