Assignment 3 - My Entrepreneurship Story

Neighborhood Enhancement
During the summers in middle school in high school, I often found myself bored throughout the days trying to find a way to occupy myself and earn some money along the way.  The money was desired for many different reasons:  to save up for a vehicle, to go on a trip to visit my friend in Maryland, to pay for a new set of golf clubs to fuel my newfound passion, etc.  I was always looking for ways to make a quick buck.  I mowed lawns and did home inspections for my uncle that was a local real estate agent, I got some work with some landscapers that were working on houses in the neighborhood, and I picked up a few hourly jobs with some local stores such as the Under Armour Outlet. 

One ridiculously hot weekend, my dad came home with a pressure washer and showed me how to clean our front walkway and driveway.  Some random part of me was thrilled to watch the dark grime steadily come off the pavement as I waved the pressure washer back and forth.  It was also refreshing to have a constant mist fill the air around me!

After seeing the stark difference that it made to our driveway as well as the front walkway and brick veneer, I soon realized that everyone's house in the neighborhood was in dire need of a pressure wash as well.  With my dad's permission, I bought additional soap and gasoline and began to go from house to house cleaning everyone's driveways and the exterior of their house.  It was not only thrilling to see my neighborhood be revitalized by my work, but the cash that the neighbors paid was great for me at that time.  

I soon also realized that other small services could be completed as well.  I purchased some cans of white paint and stencils and began charging a measly $10 per house to stencil their address to the curb in front of their house, which only took a matter of minutes to do.  I also replaced old mailboxes for a few neighbors and gained some extra lawns that I mowed regularly throughout the summer.  It wasn't long until I had plenty of money to go visit my friend in Maryland and put down money toward my first vehicle.

Back then, I didn't look at myself as an entrepreneur, but rather someone who wanted to make some extra money and really enjoyed beautifying the neighborhood in the process! 

Why I Chose ENT 3003
Well I'm glad you asked.  I'm going to give my honest answer rather than a right answer here.  I'm currently in my last semester before I graduate.  I've been a student at UF since the Fall of 2014 and I'm finally on the final stretch of my education.  It's been long overdue!  I'm graduating with a degree in Construction Management, and this final semester requires one elective class. I am balancing my full-time coursework with a full-time job in Construction.  
I chose ENT 3003 because it was the most feasible elective choice to minimize my in-class time to allow me to achieve my 40 hours throughout the week.  I wish I had a better reason for choosing the class.

Thank you for reading my TEDType.
Jason Slater
Here is my one required image that pertains to the topic:
Image result for lets get this bread"

Comments

  1. Campbell JonesJanuary 31, 2020 at 1:48 PM

    I applaud you for looking at the situation of the neighborhood as an opportunity rather than letting it side by. While you said you did not view yourself as an entrepreneur at the time, I believe many of us look at our small accomplishments and do not believe that they amount to the entrepreneurial spirit. This story, among many others we overlook in our daily lives, demonstrates how simple it is to spot and optimize the solutions we come up with.

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