5A- Identifying Local Opportunities

Hey everyone! In this post, I wanted to show five local unmet needs and the opportunities that each of these create. I hope everyone enjoys the list!

1.  Pop Warner signups start June 1 
The first article I found was posted by the Gainesville Sun on May 29, 2018. The article talks about how there are little league Pop Warner football signups starting soon on June 1, 2018. Upon reading the article many would assume that there really is no problem at all, and the article is just an informative article about when football signups are. Using the entrepreneurial mindset that we are expected to express in this class, I have identified an opportunity through this post. Growing up, I played little league sports. Football, baseball, basketball, soccer, I played them all. Some of the younger athletes excel over others, and the parents become hardcore about the youth sport. When I was growing up, I attended thousands of dollars in lessons for the youth sport leagues to help me get better. The opportunity that I have identified is private lessons and sports camps for the little league football. Those who would be identified as potential customers would be all of the children who are signing up for football, offering different programs for the different skill levels.

2. Experts discuss opioid treatments
This article was posted by the Gainesville Sun on May 21, 2018. The article talks about how health experts from the University of Florida have been trying to tackle the drug addiction issue as more and more people are dying every year from drug overdose. The problem is that people have been trying the opioid drugs and becoming quickly addicted. Even though there are rehabilitation centers for those addicted, the addiction numbers are still rising. Health experts have been trying to treat the drug addictions medicinally by offering a less potent drug to help those addicted to wean themselves off. The people who have the problem are those addicted to drugs. The opportunity that I see in this article is the production of a certain plant in the United States to help the addiction. Mitragyna speciosa, commonly referred to as Kratom, is a tropical evergreen tree that belongs to the coffee family. Growing primarily in South East Asia, the plant has stimulant-like effects and opioid properties. In traditional medicines and across the world in many places, Kratom is used in many medicinal practices, with the primary use to be helping drug addicts. The plant is currently sold in a powder and capsule form in the United States, but the FDA does not even want to touch it. Even so, there are over 5 million users of the plant in the United States currently, and I can see an increase in use in the near future. The opportunity I see is the growth of Kratom here in the United States to help meet the domestic demand and help decrease those who have drug addiction in the United States.

3. Don't confuse bull market with genius
I found this article from the Gainesville Sun on May 20, 2018. The author of this article is discussing stock investment, how the market fluctuates, and the many variables that go into the stock market. He references some research done on stock investment and why many people have poor performance in the stock market. The article goes on to discuss the many reasons for failures in stock investments and such, and why people do not have the outcome that they desire a majority of the time. The problem in the article is that many investors do not know how to invest appropriately in the stock market, and that is where my idea came to mind. The opportunity for investment guidance. I understand that there are financial advisors that help people invest their money and such, but I mean an actual coach that teaches the potential investor "how to invest themselves". Educational seminars where guests pay to attend to learn about investment are just some of the things that this opportunity could include. Many young or new investors would be very interested in such a program.

4. Wells and even springs face a brackish future
This article was posted by the Gainesville Sun on May 20, 2018. The author of this article has a dooms-day style and she pretty much thinks that Florida is going to be screwed regarding their water sources. The author talks about saltwater seeping into the aquifers and polluting our freshwater sources. The article talks about how this happens, and the different people who are going to be affected if nothing is done. The problem is that saltwater is capable of polluting our freshwater sources in Florida. The people who are facing the problem are everybody that lives in Florida. The opportunity that I see is installation of the systems that can help protect our water sources. Reverse-osmosis forces water through tight membranes that separate the salt from the water. As time progresses, more and more people are going to have to  equip themselves with reverse osmosis  systems in Florida to survive. With the rising demand of reverse-osmosis systems, there is an opportunity for a business that installs reverse-osmosis systems.

5. Specialty court helps veterans 'get back on track'
My last article was posted by the Gainesville Sun on May 18, 2018. The article talks about a rehabilitation program for veterans. Many veterans who come back to the United States after their time of service are just dropped out with nowhere to go and nothing to do, but to think on their time of service. There is not a whole lot of help for veterans with all things considered, and if you disagree... Well you are wrong. The problem that is mentioned in this article is the mental health problems and substance abuse issues that many veterans face. The people who face the problem is obviously the veterans. My opportunity that I have identified is a not-for-profit organization that would help military veterans readjust to the real world after their time of service. This organization would help steer them in the right direction and guide them on their civilian life. Such an organization would be a great entrepreneurial endeavor and would be helping our nation's protectors as well.