Matching Items (168)
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- All Subjects: Entrepreneurship
- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
Description
Through Entrepreneurship at ASU, I became passionate about venture creation and the behind the scenes work that comes with creating a startup company. This allowed me to create my own venture in the realm of travel called "OverLay", where I learned that entrepreneurship is much more than coming up with a solution and solving it. I went into the community and had informational interviews with founders of startups and successful entrepreneurs to collect qualitative analysis of what must be done to have a successful venture. Through this analysis, I continued working on my own personal venture and was able to reassess some of the initial problems that I was having. I learned the importance of being customer oriented and of creating a successful team. I am continuing to progress my venture "OverLay" and am working on an official prototype to be released. With unyielding determination and a relentless pursuit of excellence, I am excited to bring my vision to life and make a meaningful impact in the travel industry.
ContributorsFriedman, Matthew (Author) / Sebold, Brent (Thesis director) / Kneer, Danny (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description
Startups in the paper manufacturing are few & rare between. Agrix Paper takes a step towards innovating the traditional mass-scale paper making process & introduce non-wood fiber sourcing into the papermaking space. Using a hemp fiber-base, Agrix Paper hopes to develop a new paper manufacturing process that derives high-quality paper sourced from hemp & agricultural waste. Agrix Paper will reinvent the papermaking process for a more sustainable industry future.
ContributorsBarraza-Córdova, Erik (Author) / Byrum, Emily (Co-author) / DiFernando, Anthony (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director) / Lee, Christopher (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Eng Program (Contributor) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description
Startups in the paper manufacturing industry are few and far between. Agrix paper takes a step towards innovating the traditional mass-scale paper making process and introduces non-wood fiber sourcing into the papermaking space. Using a hemp fiber base, Agrix Paper hopes to develop a new paper manufacturing process that derives high-quality paper sourced from hemp and agriculture waste. Agrix Paper will reinvent the papermaking process for a more green and sustainable future.
ContributorsByrum, Emily (Author) / DiFernando, Anthony (Co-author) / Barraza-Córdova, Erik (Co-author) / Bryne, Jared (Thesis director) / Lee, Christopher (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Physics (Contributor) / School for Engineering of Matter,Transport & Enrgy (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description
Shifting Horizons in Entrepreneurship, better known as SHE is a multimedia reporting project that explores the experiences and narratives of Arizona-based female business owners. This collaborative project uses multimedia reporting techniques such as writing, photography, social media and a podcast to showcase how women are making a space for themselves in entrepreneurship.
ContributorsDow, Olivia (Author) / Blakslee, Mara (Co-author) / Sepessy, Celeste (Thesis director) / Hinz, Krista (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Comm (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description
Research has indicated that, with the rise of the digital age, social ability, emotional maturity, and the capability to empathize have decreased significantly in the newer generations (Generation X and Millenials) compared with previous generations. The primary purpose of this thesis was to discover a way to counteract the negative effects of constant screen-time with a space that encourages face-to-face interactions while also contributing monetarily to the community by which it is surrounded.
This thesis explores the viability of the creation of a board game café in downtown Phoenix that would donate a percentage of its profits to local charities and other initiatives for the improvement of the Phoenix area. Using a combination of different entrepreneurship and business model templates, fourteen questions were answered to complete the business model, including questions about resources and partnerships necessary for the venture’s success in addition to what the cost structure and revenue streams would look like. These fourteen questions make up the fourteen different parts of the Lean Launch Business Model Canvas, the template primarily used for the display of the final business model. The business model canvas undergoes “cycles” – that is, different drafts of the canvas are created and added to or modified as needed. This particular business model canvas underwent as many as 15 cycles before becoming finalized and receiving approval.
The completion of the business model canvas invites speculation about its actual viability, bringing up questions about financing, projected sales, and the length of the venture’s future. “Pivots,” modifications of the business model to either increase revenue or decrease costs, are also explored at this point. While this particular business idea does have a sustainable competitive advantage in the Phoenix area as a first mover, it would be unwise to pursue the idea further, as the costs are far too high and the required activities far too numerous to outweigh the revenues and benefits. In addition, it would be difficult to obtain funding at a reasonable interest rate for a venture with such a high risk of failure. In this case, a pivot was considered that eliminated nearly all costs and risk, while still relying on a very similar revenue stream. This pivot suggested a far simpler and more economical way of accomplishing the original goal of bettering the Phoenix metro community and giving customers the chance to rediscover in-person communication.
This thesis explores the viability of the creation of a board game café in downtown Phoenix that would donate a percentage of its profits to local charities and other initiatives for the improvement of the Phoenix area. Using a combination of different entrepreneurship and business model templates, fourteen questions were answered to complete the business model, including questions about resources and partnerships necessary for the venture’s success in addition to what the cost structure and revenue streams would look like. These fourteen questions make up the fourteen different parts of the Lean Launch Business Model Canvas, the template primarily used for the display of the final business model. The business model canvas undergoes “cycles” – that is, different drafts of the canvas are created and added to or modified as needed. This particular business model canvas underwent as many as 15 cycles before becoming finalized and receiving approval.
The completion of the business model canvas invites speculation about its actual viability, bringing up questions about financing, projected sales, and the length of the venture’s future. “Pivots,” modifications of the business model to either increase revenue or decrease costs, are also explored at this point. While this particular business idea does have a sustainable competitive advantage in the Phoenix area as a first mover, it would be unwise to pursue the idea further, as the costs are far too high and the required activities far too numerous to outweigh the revenues and benefits. In addition, it would be difficult to obtain funding at a reasonable interest rate for a venture with such a high risk of failure. In this case, a pivot was considered that eliminated nearly all costs and risk, while still relying on a very similar revenue stream. This pivot suggested a far simpler and more economical way of accomplishing the original goal of bettering the Phoenix metro community and giving customers the chance to rediscover in-person communication.
ContributorsNahon, Rachel Ann (Author) / Westlake, Garret (Thesis director) / Manning, Michael (Committee member) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Socks + Boxers began as a simple idea on a trip through Victoria's Secret as a solution to the lack of choice in quality and affordable undergarments for men. Currently, there is no central hub for men's socks and underwear. Customers shopping for men's undergarments have few choices currently: purchase an inexpensive, average quality, predetermined pack of Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, or other common undergarment brand from a store like Walmart or Target; shop for individual pieces of expensive designer underwear at a high-end department store such as Nordstrom; or, finally, purchase slightly above average quality, but fairly expensive, brand name undergarments at physical stores such as American Eagle, Urban Outfitters, or Abercrombie & Fitch, or online stores such as MeUndies. Socks + Boxers seeks to combine the accessibility and reliability of common undergarment brands, the quality and luxury-feel of high-end undergarments, and the concept of choice provided by stores that sell men's undergarment lines into a single business. We also plan to tap into the booming subscription services industry and create a way for customers to easily update and replenish their undergarment wardrobe on a regular basis with exactly what they want. In order to start out on the right foot and begin developing this business plan from the ground up, we began researching and developing a Business Model Canvas, a tool that breaks out necessary pieces of a successful business plan into easy to understand blocks. We took a critical look at the problem at hand, its potential solutions, the value the solutions provide, how we plan to start, grow, and nourish our customer base, and much more. The different pieces of this business model puzzle all come together in the following pages.
ContributorsBernat, Johnathon (Co-author) / Braaten, Joshua (Co-author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Africa has some of the "fastest growing economies," yet there is a lack of a middle class (Economist). Natural resources have attracted foreign investments, however, most of the revenue exit these economies. What remains a consistent, permanent advantage is culture; it has been the most integrated core value before and after colonialism. The concept of culture has become a part of the identity of Africa and it has not been leveraged to its full potential. The 2013 Creative Economy Report states, "Culture is a way to create jobs and improve people's lives. It empowers people. It works for development" (UNESCO/UNDP). Cultural industries create local sustainable jobs that are less susceptible to the fluctuation of the global economy compared to jobs in factories and multinational companies. They are based on "local tacit know how" that is not accessible globally as they are people intensive rather than capital intensive (Scott A.J, 1999). Activ8 seeks to tap into this opportunity by maximizing the economic potential of developing economies by investing in their cultural industries. Activ8 aspires to accomplish this by targeting two sets of customers: creators, who are the activators, and investors. Our activators consist of two target segments: one living and working in these industries in a developing country, and the other being refugee clients who may have been exposed to a cultural industry and may want to pursue developing cultural products in their new country of asylum. Our investors are globally minded individuals who want to be culturally aware, have an appreciation for authentic cultural products, or seek to invest in entrepreneurial pursuits in Africa. During our first phase we will focus on the cultural industries in Ghana, West Africa. This will range from products in the textiles industry to sculptures and traditional instruments. We plan to pilot the first phase in Ghana and in the second phase, form a partnership with the International Rescue Committee, a refugee settlement agency, in Arizona. Our goals are to provide education and mentoring, market accessibility, product development, and financing to encourage and empower activators to be self-sufficient and successful cultural entrepreneurs, whiles improving economic development in their communities. Our online store will feature our activators' authentic products, their stories, and the cultural importance of each product. There will also be a platform for entrepreneurs in other industries in Africa to connect with venture capitalists or angel investors around the world. The educational component will be infused with product development and entrepreneurship training derived from the "From AHA!! to EXIT" strategy coined by Aram Chavez from the College of Technology and Innovation at ASU. In order for Activ8 to successfully execute its mission, Activ8 will need to be able to give our team and our activators access to technology, mentorship, and financial resources to operate an online store and rum Activ8's educational program. We also envision creating partnerships with boutiques and retail corporations to adapt these cultural products. Our long-term goal is formulate the conditions conducive for economic growth and sustainable development to ensure Africans become the main agents of development.
ContributorsAdusei, Esther (Author) / Chavez, Aram (Thesis director) / Schoellman, Todd (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12
Description
The purpose of this study is to examine how social connectivity in a collaborative business environment translates to online social communication, namely to social media. Not a lot of academic research focuses in-depth on how startups and entrepreneurs within the technology industry perceive social media, or how their work environment can influence the ways they see the role of these platforms. Gangplank was chosen as the subject of this case study based on the emphasis they as a coworking space put on connecting to others in order to accomplish mutual goals. Initial research showed that entrepreneurs using social media did so with a collaborative focus in mind. However, it was unclear if, by developing their businesses in a space devoted to fostering social relationships, entrepreneurs would be more likely to engage and interact with other users on social media platforms. Furthermore, it was unclear if their attitudes toward online and offline communication would be affected by spending time in a dedicated social workspace. In order to find how some entrepreneurs that started or worked closely in the beginning stages of a collaborative, connection-driven workspace used social media and see whether or not they used the platform to establish and build relationships and connect with others, three entrepreneurs from such a workspace were personally interviewed. In these interviews, each entrepreneur gave their personal feelings and opinions on the space itself, their view on the role of social media, and whether or not they connected their space to their social media use. The study also examined each entrepreneur's social media profile on one prominent social network to see how each was practically using the platform, and to analyze how each entrepreneur's use of the platform compared to his perceptions of social media as a whole. The study found that entrepreneurs who became established in a collaboration-oriented space definitely interacted frequently on social media. Each entrepreneur interviewed expressed the importance of working closely with others and forming valuable connections through both online and offline means. These entrepreneurs were established to have followed all the best practices of social media use outlined through research, and to have had a large number of personally engaging interactions and conversations on observed social media platforms.
ContributorsThompson, Lauren Elizabeth (Author) / Wu, Xu (Thesis director) / Dodge, Nancie (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12
Description
Business Design is a thesis project where students can work in groups and consult for various projects. I had the opportunity to work on three major projects for my thesis involving a small entrepreneur looking for a go-to market plan for her board game, an app developer looking for a better way to connect to their target audience, as well as create my own digital product and consulting services that helped founder's lab groups build their online presence through e-commerce. All these projects allowed me to hone my critical thinking skills by working my way through real-life problems that don't have direct answers. I was also able to take away some valuable lessons in leadership and working in a team of very capable students.
ContributorsShosten, Madison (Author) / Akhter, Aliza (Co-author) / Bautista, Hariette (Co-author) / Chou, Chuhhsuan (Co-author) / Guan, Jessica (Co-author) / Flores, Lea (Co-author) / Kim, Min (Co-author) / Qin, Annie (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director) / Lee, Christopher (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Braille Retail is a student-led effort to promote awareness and inclusivity for visually impaired and blind individuals through legible braille designs on fabric. Our mission is to bring awareness to the visually impaired and blind community and increase braille literacy. We plan to reach our mission by placing legible braille and its translation on our sweatshirts. Furthermore, we want to support the visually impaired and blind community by donating 5% of our profits to local blind charities.
ContributorsShereck, Kennedy (Author) / Pearson, Morgan (Co-author) / O'Shea, Hannah (Co-author) / Soto, Tatum (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director) / Giles, Bret (Committee member) / Thomasson, Anna (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor)
Created2024-05