Riley Harwood

My exit strategy is to sell my business within the next five years. I chose this because my running a business is not my life goal. I would rather start something then sell the business to someone else. My exit strategy definitely influenced my business plans. I really only planned short term because I didn't have any major plans to continue past the startup. Throughout I have made decisions knowing that eventually, someone else will step in and finish the job.

Earlier this semester I was taking a paleontology course to meet a science credit. I started the course while I was at home with my parents and brought my textbook with me. When I came back up to Gainesville I realized that I had forgotten my book at home with my parents. I needed it for the open-note exam later that week and I didn't know what I was going to do. Fortunately, my dad drove two and a half hours to come to bring it to me, but I still felt awful about having left it in the first place. What I learned was to be more mindful and make sure that I am doing everything to the best of my abilities, especially packing. Failure is definitely a hard thing to deal with. We feel ashamed and sad when we fail because we feel like we let others down. But failure is also an opportunity to grow and learn from our mistakes. Without failing every now and then, we would never learn. This class has taught me that failure is an opportunity, not an obstacle. 

Existing Market  After the initial roll-out of the app, I see Sustainable Shopper creating a membership service where not only do they get to go ad-free, but they also get exclusive deals on sustainable items. From there I can see it expanding into an eco-friendly online marketplace. All of this would of course be done in stages in order to gain momentum.   All three customers I interviewed said that they wanted to see the app used as a platform to further the sustainable industry.  What makes the most sense to me is what I listed above, making the app more of a resource for our sustainable shoppers then it ever was before. This means taking it to new heights by creating a marketplace, discount codes, and user forums. This would mean that customers would have a more comprehensive experience where they would be able to truly thrive as a sustainable shopper.  New Market  My company would definitely be targeting a more privileged group of people. ...

Recently consumers have become more and more concerned about how their products are being produced and who is producing them. This has created a need for software that figures this information out for the consumer. Because of this need, I have created the app Sustainable Shopper which will allow customers to find out the environmental footprint of the items they purchase and how ethical production was. This would mean that customers no longer have to worry about what they purchase and can shop guilt-free.   Switching to sustainable shopper will not be difficult for consumers considering the fact that there is no competition to switch from. My app is new and unique which gives it an edge thanks to the fact that it’s one of a kind.   My business would take place in the online marketplace via the app store or the play store. It would be free with ads and the option to subscribe for an ad-free experience. This means that the app is approachable to all customers but ther...

Uniqueness This sets us apart from any other option. Digital Marketplace The resource is in your pocket making it easier than ever to shop sustainably.  No Competition  There isn't any other app like this meaning we'd have no competition.   Flexibility  Customers can tailor their experience to their needs.  Room for Growth  Room to expand the app once it is open to the public. Interactive Capabilities  Easy to Navigate  With a clean interface, the app will be easy to navigate making it more approachable.  Free to Customers  Making it free with ads makes it widely available.  Easy Access  Making it free and readily available means that everyone is a possible customer.  The Ability to Get a More Exclusive Experience.  By including the ability to go ad-free, customers are able to further customize their experience.  I think that my top resource is the fact that there is n...

First I spoke to my friend Hannah Horrowitz who is a computer science major focusing on app development. She gave me some helpful tips on how to get started with app development and about how long it would take to develop. Having Hannah in my network will be helpful because she is a great resource when it comes to app development. 

1. My name is Riley Harwood and I am a second-year media production major. After graduation, I plan on working as a set dresser for film and television. Besides this, I also study French. 2. The idea is to create an app that when a barcode is scanned the consumer will know how it was made and who made it. This way the customer knows whether the product was produced ethically and sustainably. 3. I am offering this mainly to those concerned with their environmental footprint. I mainly see those who are already trying to change how they shop and this is a way to supplement this change. 4. This is the type of issue where most that care care a lot. This means that the consumer base would be dedicated to change. 5. What sets me apart is that it would be free with limited ads.

My prototypical customer is a hippie in my mind. While being sustainable and ethical is easy for anyone to do, I see hippies being our main customers. This is because they're more likely to be the type to adopt a zero-waste lifestyle. Because of this lifestyle change, I see them as people that would use the app often. In my mind, they drive an electric car or an old used one. All of their clothes are thrifted and they shop for groceries at stores like Whole Foods.