Through Economic Trends
Opportunity: There is an opportunity to sell more e-cigarettes to young adults.
(a) where I found it: I found this on an article published by the Tampa Bay Times.
(b) information suggests an
opportunity might exist: Some of the decrease in tobacco use comes as young smokers witch to e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes are less dangerous. Universities bans on smoking and tobacco are working.
(c) prototypical customer: A college student, a 18-25 year old
(d) is the opportunity relatively easy or relatively difficult to
exploit? Why?: The opportunity may become more difficult to exploit only because universities and schools are cracking down on e-cigarette use on its campuses. Many regulators are not even allowing young adults to use those products even though they are less dangerous than using cigarettes. However, there is a growing market of young adults who would still purchase these products. I feel like I found the opportunity in this because usually when a trend stops for one product, another trend rises for another.
Opportunity: There is an opportunity to host workshops about Bitcoin and how to use it.
(a) where I found it: I found this article published by David Ovalle from the Miami Herald.
(b) what leads me to believe that this information suggests an opportunity might exist: From what the article has published, the courts seem to swaying in the favor of professor Charlie Evans, who argues that Bitcoin isn't money so, technically, the unique currency has no grounds to be related to money laundering.
(c) prototypical customer: Young adults entrepreneurs, new investors
(d) is the opportunity relatively easy or relatively difficult to exploit? Why: I believe that this is a relatively easy opportunity to exploit because court cases like these are helping define what Bitcoin is by law. The currency is already extremely popular, but someone would be able to capitalize on disbursing information about Bitcoin through a series of workshops geared toward entrepreneurs and investors in the market. I feel like I saw this opportunity because many college students use Bitcoin to manage small smart-ups.
Though Regulatory Changes
Opportunity: Investors should invest more into oil companies after November 2016.
(a) where I found it: I found this article on reuter.com.
(b) what leads me to believe that this information suggests an opportunity might exist: Trump's campaign has shocked the world, to say the least. The popularity of the businessman-turned-politician has caused quite a bit of controversy, yet he's still in the running of becoming the official Republican nominee in the upcoming presidential election. Many of his proposed policies will benefit corporate America, and this policy would fall under that category.
(c) prototypical customer: natural fuel investors
(d) is the opportunity relatively easy or relatively difficult to exploit? Why: I think this opportunity would be relatively difficult to exploit because you'd have to explain how investors are bound to be successful in trusting Trump's politics (the politician has been known to go back and forth on his political stances). I feel like I saw this opportunity because republicans usually push for more opportunity for businesses to compete and gain profit.
Opportunity: There is an opportunity to invest in more health education for U.S. students; the No Child Left Behind Act has been revised.
(a) where I found it. the Department of Education's website
(b) what leads me to believe that this information suggests an opportunity might exist:
(c) prototypical customer: U.S. students and families
(d) is the opportunity relatively easy or relatively difficult to exploit? Why: This opportunity would re relatively difficult to exploit because this regulatory change would leave it up to school boards' perspective what their students need; sometimes school boards don't push for stronger health education programs. I feel like I saw this opportunity because many of the U.S. public schools that I've attended have cut out health education programs.
The concept of bitcoin and cryptocurrency is pretty interesting from a legal and business perspective. Microsoft and some banks are excited about the technology. John McAfee says that electronic currency is inevitable, but whether or not it will be bitcoin is the question. Entrepreneurs think about bitcoin in two ways: a currency and a technology. On a random note, there’s actually a smartphone app called SmartUp that aims to mentor potential bitcoin entrepreneurs.
ReplyDeleteHey! These are really interesting articles, investing in education is always something that will have a great payoff in the future, so I'm glad you brought that up. It is, unfortunately, very difficult to exploit, you're right. Doing that would involve more government regulation and more willing people, and although everyone says education is super important to them it seems to be hard for them to walk the walk. Maybe someone will come up with a good idea to overcome this issue.
ReplyDeleteI did not realize that universities were also cracking down on the use of e-cigarettes on campus, but that is pretty interesting. Moving on to the Trump's policy it would be difficult to exploit because he is extremely indecisive when it comes to his political views. There is no way he would be able to get that idea approved. Also, the No Child Left Behind Act being revised is something I previously did not hear about. It might be difficult to exploit at first but it would definitely be worth it since many kids around America will be positively impacted from it.
ReplyDeleteBrian,
ReplyDeleteLike you I saw an opportunity with the new e-cigarette regulations. Unlike you I did not see selling more e-cigs as an opportunity, which it very well is, but rather I see more of an opportunity to adapt e-cigs to meet the new regulations. As for bitcoin, I could see the potential in educating people about it because I had no idea what it was until I read your post. For the Trump article, if he keeps his campaign promise then not only will domestic oil possible benefit, but also the coal industry may have a chance to profit. The new climate regulations will all but kill the ability to mine and burn coal in the U.S., which is the main fuel for power plants. For your final article I agree that the opportunity would be very difficult to engage in.
Brian, Bitcoin has always interested me since its creation as a completely virtual currency has never been done well before. Hopefully however the courts officially choose to define it won’t harm the value of the dollar bill. Bitcoin can be an extremely unstable currency and the repeated use could lead to instability at wall street.
ReplyDelete