Lesson from ME2603

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I like that this course has been in such a small group, it makes it easier to get to know other students! I also like that  it has opened my eyes to the startup community and to many of the inspiring entrepreneurs out here. You learn a lot by just talking to people who are driven and risk taking, it reminds you that there is a lot out there if you just have the courage to grasp it, or like Daniel Isenberg wrights in his text called “The 2-Minute Opportunity Checklist for Entrepreneurs,”

“Fruit- low-hanging or otherwise- are opportunities only if you can reach them and want to reach them.”

/Erica

Feedback on Venture Project

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I have discussed our Venture Project with some potential customers. Based on the feedback from the class I have chosen to expand the service we will provide to include all services, not just hair cuts, because it will make the service more useful and more customers can benefit from the service. We have also chosen to include all appointments available but with the option to provide a discount for a time that is close in time. So this will be a booking system for all types of services and you can sort them by area.

People I have asked for feedback have been  two hair dressers and a masseuse near Stadion in Stockholm and 3 regular customers and this is their feedback:

2 Hairdressers and a masseuse: They think it is a good idea, it would help them to have a good booking system where their customers can find an appointment. The possibility of dynamic pricing is very limited today but only one of the hairdressers I asked thought it was a good idea. Her salon was a bit more high end than the other salon and it did also not really have the possibility of drop in because it is almost always fully booked. The other hairdresser said that this was a good idea as for a booking system but that he wasn’t interested in dynamic pricing because he had drop in. The masseuse thought it was a good idea because this would be like marketing.
3 Customers: Appreciate an easier way of finding services in the surrounding area. This might increase competition between service provider because it it easier for the customer to compare the services and the prices. Require that many join the service for it to be beneficial for all customers.

To get reliable feedback more extensive interviews need to be conducted but this has established the need for this kind of service on the market. None of the people questioned have any budget responsibility but the hairdressers and masseuse thought it would be reasonable pay a small fee on every purchase to finance this kind of service. The potential customers that were interviewed are all friends and family which might make their feedback extra positive.

The improvements suggested are good and have been included but with a larger target market it will take longer before this service have a big share of the potential market but I absolutely think that it is possible!

/Erica

 

 

Meeting with a founder

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Today I had a meeting with the founder of Dreams.

His name is Henrik Rosvall and he was kind enough to answer all my questions about how he got the idea for his business and the journey so far. We got stuck on the subject of recruiting (co-founders, business angels, venture capitalists and employees) for quite a while and he pointed out the importance of your gut feeling. He explained that he had recruited some people with the perfect resume but without him feeling that it was right, and it had always been a terrible decision. You need the right competence sure but the personality is even more important!

As a rule of thumb when he is bringing people into his business is: If you feel that you could go with this person to dinner and have a nice and fun time – it is right!

Thank you for your great insights and inspirational person Henrik!

/Erica

Dreams

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Today I had my third meeting with one of my feedback start-ups 🙂 I an their first beta tester and help them with feedback on their user interface and design. The idea is to help people save more by accepting challenges in the app and continuous feedback and coaching. So if you want help to save up to your trip around the world, a new bike or maybe to an apartment. This app will definitely help you reach that goal faster!

Screenshot 2015-10-16 at 09.12.52

The finished version is not launched yet but when it is, it is going to be great! So keep an eye on app-store and check out their page!

Dreams

Good luck on the exam today

/Erica

Daily Bits Of

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I have tried the service from the new start up called “Daily Bits Of”. They provide bite sized lessons straight to your inbox each morning. It is a great way of learning small lessons every day instead of having it as a big book or project that needs to be started.

“We got tired of buying books and online courses which remained untouched and unused, causing us nothing but anxiety. That is why we created Daily Bits. Our mission is to help people to discover new aspects in life to help you and us become better versions of ourselves. In the simplest way possible.”

I chose the Leadership course but they have a lot more to offer! My feedback to them was that I would like more pictures and illustrations in the e-mails and that I really like that they have some interactive bits where you are encouraged to respond to the “lecturer” how your “mission of the day” panned out.

Please check them out and feel inspired!

Daily Bits Of

/Erica

SSES – Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship

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KTH has a lot to offer to students who are interested in starting up a new business.  One example is the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship, SSES, with the reputation of being one of the world’s leading academic facilities in the area of innovation and entrepreneurship. It is a collaboration between KI, KTH, SSE, Stockholm University and Konstfack giving the participants high diversity regarding interests and education.

“Our education and training focuses on preparing you for real life.” – SSES

They have lots of workshops, seminars and other events. Unfortunately many of the workshops collide with the entrepreneurship classes on Fridays but  this morning I attended an event hosted by Henrik Toft, a senior IBM IT Architect.

IMG_20150915_101113

He talked about Watson, a super cool tool to process big data and it felt like it is on the verge of AI! I found it very inspiring even though my future start up probably won’t be based on this complex IT.  Here are two movies about IBM’s super computer:

Long film about Watson

Short clip about Watson

And if you want to try it, there is a 30 day free trial 😀

Bluemix

And if you are interested to know more about SSTS and other exiting events that they are hosting:

http://www.sses.se/

Have a nice day!

Erica

 

Celebrate the wins

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In tough competition and a 24/7 world it is easy to set your focus on the next task at hand and forget what has been achieved. So here I give you three good reasons to make a pause and celebrate the win!

  1. Everybody wants to work for winners – To highlight the wins will make the company/startup feel more successful and forces the team to focus on the positive instead of the negative.
  2. Give time to reflect about the vision – It is easy to forget why a goal was important in the first place. When people remember why the work they do will help grow the business, it inspires them to work harder.
  3. Breaks the everyday routine – Even brief celebration breaks the monotone workday and gives the team renewed, positive energy. It also improves relationships within the team.

 

/Erica