Very Short Interview, Part 2

Hello again,

Now that we're getting so close to the finish line it's important to reflect on the hard work and growth we've all done as entrepreneurs. In revisiting the first "very short interview" the questions I asked were:

 Q1: What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?
Q2: What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course?
Q3: What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur? 
  
I feel these questions were appropriate and in line with someone who was just starting her journey as an entrepreneur. I looked to Fabiola, as the exemplary entrepreneur and used her answers to guide me. I will say I couldn't agree more with Fabiola's first answer on how entrepreneurship involves perfecting what you have to offer as an audience. If anyone has been following my blog then they would know that very far into the journey I took a 180 degree turn and completely changed my product in order to do something I was a lot more passionate about. Like she said, its consists taking care of a business as your own baby and it's because of this very reason that I changed my company to something I would be passionate about. As far as her answer to the second question being to always think out of the box I truly feel I did this by identifying a very specific audience that is highly under appreciated on a college campus, which I'm proud of. I agree with Fabiola's wish to have been able to learn about business in school because I feel I've learned so much from this class and venture concepts as well as from being part of the IA academy. 

For this post I was not able to go to Miami to meet with Fabiola and record the interview similar to the first time instead we talked on the phone and I spoke to her through there and wrote down her responses. 

Q1: How do you feel Make-up-Meet-up will impact Gainesville's community as well as students at UF? Or do you feel there will be no impact at all?  

Fabiola: I agree with the way you feel about your target audience. You did a really good job of thinking about a group of people and community of employers who have limited opportunities in a place like Gainesville. Not only did you come up with an innovative ideas but you did what any good entrepreneur does which is to provide job opportunities and growth for the people working for you or within your network. 

Q2: From your experience, where do you see my company going in 5 to 10 years?

Fabiola: Honestly, I see how you and Marcela (my cousin) and many girls value make-up so much I feel there will be a lot of competition in trying to promote anything in the makeup world. What makes your company standout is that it's not specifically selling a product like with my restaurant. The restaurant takes a lot of renovation such as upgrading the menu and spicing the place up a bit sometimes. Starting Salsa Saturdays where people can come in and dance after 11pm right after a yummy dinner. I think the fact that your company is a service is your strongest point. I see your company hopefully becoming replicated in the biggest cities in the United States if that's what you really wanted to do because as entrepreneurs taking those risks and pushing yourself to get to that final goal is at the heart of this project/job. 

Q3: Do you think this company could be implemented in hotels?

Fabiola: Why not? I think that if you can come up with something as unique as a delivery make-up artist and make-over then fostering relationships with hotel chains seems entirely appropriate as a goal in your journey. 

After the Interview:

Reflecting on what Fabiola said about my company was very encouraging. I only wrote down the questions I had planned specifically for this post but the rest of the conversation made me feel really proud of how far I've come. Most of all, my sudden change of idea in the middle of the semester was a move that I felt validated by Fabiola during this interview. I'll admit it was a change I felt very worried about in the beginning but I've definitely noticed a change in how much more I value this journey because it gives me the opportunity to work on/with something I truly value and care about. I did feel a lot more comfortable in talking about entrepreneurship with Fabiola this time compared to three months ago because we were able to discuss the logistics of this project in a way that I was completely ignorant about before. This course has provided me with the proper terminology and knowledge to defend myself in such conversations let alone initiate them. Fabiola definitely conveyed a sense that I had progressed but more than that she was just so proud to see how passionate I was because I truly did make the right decision, without it I wouldn't have been able to say this project really has become like my little baby as cliche as that might sound.