Blog 6: Thoughts on Creativity

Creativity to me is a state of being, or an ability to look at problems and see how to solve them in a way that may not be the current standard, but could be a better way. I think some people are either naturally gifted in the ability to see through the norm, or they were raised in a way that fostered their desire to question things that maybe other people wouldn’t think to question. Even if you weren’t gifted or raised in a creative environment, there is a possibility to continue to foster your creative side and learn your own creative capabilities. A lot of people are scared to try to unlock their creative side, with a fear of disappointment in their own outcomes, myself included. Many times it seems easier to hand off the creative problems to the “creative people”, and being satisfied in being a part of the solution in other ways. But other times you can be creative even when you least expect it. Steve Jobs said "creativity is just connecting things." I agree in the sense that creativity can be used even in the simplest of ways. You don't have to be in a creative job to use your creative skills.

Personally, the times in which I have felt most creative have been alone in nature, or in a group setting where I felt completely comfortable expressing my ideas without fear of judgment. I have felt uncreative in situations where I did not know some of the variables, like full information or the desired outcome.

I did an internship with an Austin tech start-up, and I started working with them just as they got their feet on the ground and started trying to build a presence on social media, in the press, etc. Due to their completely unstructured business model, I felt a lot of freedom as well as a lot of responsibility with the position I was in. I was able to have an influence on the business foundation, and that empowerment gave me motivation to be more creative in that space. I felt as though since I had no guidelines, no background, and no previous work to compare myself to, that I could use that to my advantage. The company feel was very conducive to creativity in general for a number of reasons. The founders were all great friends that also have a lot of respect for each other as well as a strong passion for the goal and mission of the company. Also, the environments in which we worked were all very informal and in our situation, led to more collaboration and eventually more creative ideas. In addition, I have worked in an environment where it was next to impossible to produce creativity. My boss made the work space intimidating and almost hostile to suggestions that could be “wrong”, and so no one was motivated to come up with new ideas.

I do think that I am capable of being creative by myself, as long as I do not feel pressured to be particularly creative, in the sense that someone is looking for an idea that no one has thought of. I think it is a lot easier to be creative when you aren’t trying so hard to be creative. If someone told me to “be creative”, I would have no idea what to do and would most likely come back with nothing, or at most something bad that would be pointless. But if I am given a problem, or even just a large pool of information about a certain thing, once I become familiar with the problem or situation it is much easier to think of interesting ideas. Thinking about a group within an organization, I think there is obviously a chance for creativity, as many things would have ever been created if it weren’t for this fact. If the group can separate itself from the overwhelming weight or pressure from a large organization, their creativity can blossom into great ideas. If they get caught up in trying to perfect each idea and tailor it to the restraints of the company before fully exploring where the idea can lead, there is no way that they will come up with anything inspirational for the company. The company can grow around big ideas, as long as the team is willing to dream about them. I am a big believer in dreaming big and seeing where you can go to reach that dream.

I think every problem has a different way to introduce creativity into the process of solving it. Even when you don’t think you need to be creative, you usually end up being creative inherently because of the problem solving skills or the introduction to a better way of solving the problem. Each problem you encounter will be unique. There can be no standard, cookie-cutter creative process to solve the problem. Many people have theories of how to be creative in different circumstances, and many of them can work to encourage creativity in a person or team. Of course you need different creative processes, because if you keep trying to solve problems the same way, eventually your own routine will hinder your ability to think outside of the box. Although you may know different processes, there is always room for more learning and knowledge, so you cannot always trust that we know the best way to approach a problem. If one approach isn’t working or fostering creativity properly, there may be research to be done to find a new process. Breaking up routine is a great way of getting people to break the mold of their own thought process.

Creativity is such a vague concept and can mean completely different things to different people and even in different circumstances. It is introduced in all lines of business, and is necessary to success, even if you don’t know it. I wish creativity had been encouraged and fostered more in my own schooling, and I plan on enabling my own children in their own creative processes, as it makes life more enjoyable when you don’t only see the face value of any given situation or problem. If you can see around the problem, you can enhance your own satisfaction out of life and become more optimistic.

Blog 5: Visualizing Insights

This infographic explains the current challenges facing food trucks in the market, and the insights learned from this study that can be translated into recommendations. The left side of the graphic shows hard data discovered about the food truck market over 4 different categories of issues. The right side displays the insights and suggestions to optimize a food truck’s success rate.

Source: Mintel, Issues and Insights, Food Trucks, 2013
https://courses.utexas.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-6079806-dt-content-rid-27649945_1/courses/2013_fall_05105_MKT_372/Report%20Food%20Trucks%20Mintel%20Issues_and_Insights-2.pdf

Blog 4: Starbucks

Starbucks was founded in Seattle, WA in 1971 with their first coffee bean store opening in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Howard Schultz became a part of the company in 1982. In 1984, Schultz was inspired by Milan espresso bars and started to test and expand into the coffee shop culture in America. This growth continued at a rapid pace and then grew to international proportions, totaling over 18,000 stores. A Starbucks shop originally sold fresh-roasted whole coffee beans, then expanded into coffee drinks, and now sells a variety of blended coffee drinks, teas, food and snacks, and even goods such as mugs and cups. In addition to their retail stores, Starbucks products such as bottled Frappuccinos and roasted coffee beans are also sold in grocery stores. The customer experience now is digitally integrated with online communities and applications. Starbucks is a food and drink company with a strong emphasis on connections. They are positioned as a young, convenient global coffee company with a personal touch in every cup.

In addition to the physical goods that Starbucks sells, they are also very involved in fair trading practices. This is one of the main reasons that I love this company so much. Since in 1999, Starbucks has been involved with the promotion and conservation of proper farming and fair trading practices. They work with organizations to promote sustainable coffee growing practices. According to their website “[they] seek to serve high-quality coffee that is responsibly grown and ethically traded. [They] do this through our coffee purchasing practices, farmer support centers, loan programs and forest conservation efforts.” The commitment to the environment and their suppliers is a trait I greatly admire and would love to be a part of one day. In addition to the commitment to ethical farming practices, Starbucks also has the best mission statement I have ever seen. Their dedication to their customers and employees, or partners, is unmatched. I picked this company not because I have ever worked there or have personal ties to the company, but because I feel as though they have great priorities and a business method that I am proud to support. I would love to work for Starbucks, and therefore this a great opportunity to learn more about their business model and absorb more knowledge about this company. 

Starbucks reaches across a vast array of customers, including four primary markets that I will focus on. These four are soccer moms, students, young creative or hipster professionals, and also executive business men. Soccer moms are always on the go, transporting around town to various events and taking care of her children. Her children are generally younger, under the age of 15. The value proposition that Starbucks gives her is convenience and relaxation. As she is always busy, Starbucks is an easy way to grab a nice cup of coffee to help her stay awake during her day. In addition, it provides her with a soothing atmosphere to “stop and smell the coffee” during her hectic schedule. The younger students visiting Starbucks are generally in high school or college, busy with classes and extracurricular activities, and come from above average income families. They use Starbucks as a place to meet, do homework, work together, or just sit and catch up with a friend. Their value proposition could be independence and relationships. As they are no longer studying at home or relying on their parent’s transportation, they see Starbucks as a cool place to get away from home with their friends. It can be a meeting place with friends that is provided by the cozy atmosphere, welcoming baristas, and abundance of consumption choices that suit all tastes. Young creative or hipster professionals value Starbucks as a coffee house as well as an environmentally friendly company. They appreciate the sustainable growing practices that Starbucks enforces, and feel as though they are being socially responsible by supporting Starbucks. Their value proposition is the quality of the coffee and the eco-friendly corporate policies. Many avid coffee drinkers are picky about their taste, and Starbucks provides a quality coffee bean and therefore an exceptional drinking experience for them. Higher up in the business chain, the executive workers drink Starbucks as a stimulant to keep them working and as a break from their crazy days. Many will pick up a coffee in the morning to wake them up on the way to work. Their value proposition would be convenience and reliability. The abundance of Starbucks stores make it easy for them to get their morning coffee wherever they are working.

*All of the information presented has been gathered from starbucks.com

Blog 3: Generative Research

“what I can’t live without”

1. Faith “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies” -Mother Teresa: My faith and religious beliefs are very important to me, giving me passion for life and a perspective on what is important. Without my faith my life would feel empty and meaningless.

2. Family “Family is the most important thing in the world” -Princess Diana: My family keeps me grounded, inspires me, supports me, and encourages me. My mom is one of my best friends and my dad is my “#1 fan”. My brother always is down for a laugh and some fun, even if it is misguided. Without them I wouldn’t have the same joy I have today.

3. Friends “Friends are the family you get to choose”: My friends make me laugh, hold me when I cry, go on fun adventures with me, and hold me accountable to being a better person. Even if we are total opposites, we still love each other and can help each other as we go through these college experiences together. Without them I would be lost and lonely because I rely so much on their advice, and we can always have a good time.

4. Physical nutrients “This one seems obvious…”: I literally could not physically survive without food and water. It keeps me alive with replenishing my body, as well as giving me happiness when I get to eat delicious meals. Also, I have fairly extensive dietary restrictions, as I am allergic to wheat, and lactose intolerant. If I do not abide with my rules, I could quickly become malnourished. Without food and water my physical body would deteriorate and die fairly quickly.

5. Education “Education is the key to success”: Education is so important to our lives. It enriches our experiences by expanding our mental capacity and widening our views through contact with people who are different from you and who may have opposing ideas. Being knowledgeable about our world and the things in it allow for a greater appreciation for life, history, and other people. Without education my world would be limited and, although maybe less confusing, definitely less interesting.

6. Exercise “Just working on my fitness” -Fergie: I use exercise as a stress relief, an endorphin booster, and just as a way of keeping my body functioning at an optimal level. Health is important to me, and this has been instilled in me from a very early age. I was always active and in sports, and I typically just feel better when I regularly exercise. Without exercise I would feel sluggish, unhealthy, and probably fairly grumpy most of the time.

“what I care about”

1. Traveling: I love to travel the world, see new things, and experience cultures that are so different from my own. Traveling gives you an appreciation for what you have and also allows you to be more flexible in everyday circumstances even when you are not traveling due to your experiences. My passion for traveling lets me see beauty and people all over and expands my knowledge of how people operate differently from me, which gives me a greater appreciation for people in general.

2. Sports: All my life I have played sports and attended sporting events. I love watching baseball and football on TV or in person. It makes me happy and has a way of bonding people and bringing people together in a fun way to enjoy the sport together.

3. Music: Growing up in Austin I am fortunate enough to have been able to take advantage of an amazing live music scene. Music is an escape and an amazing art form that is appreciated by all people in so many different ways. I also love to sing so this allows me to express that desire as well.

4: Nature: Mountains, lakes, sunsets, forests, and all the elements of pure nature is my favorite expression of beauty. Being able to fully appreciate nature gives me a sense of peace and awe over the unfathomable expanse of beautiful wildness. I love being so far away from big cities that you can gaze at the stars with no bright lights overshadowing them, being able to hear the rush of a river instead of cars, and feeling like you are alone in the wilderness with just nature surrounding you. There is a sense of pride after accomplishing that and also a connection that you get after experiencing that with someone else.

5. Animals: I love my dog, Buddy. He, along with many other dogs and pets, give me so much joy when I can play with and pet them. It is such a reassurance to feel that kind of unconditional love from them when you see your dog run up to you after you’ve been gone all day. 

Many times I will see interesting or relevant news stories on my Facebook news feed, as I check that most frequently of all my potential sources of news. It works for me because people have become more open about sharing news stories, world happenings, and their opinion on events or decisions being made. Also, I follow many news sources on Twitter, giving me access to their immediate reports. I enjoy this because I can hear about things before they hit the newspapers due to the ease of Twitter to share instantly. Even though this my not give me the whole story, many times it will suffice. If I feel like I need to go out and find more information on the subject or event at hand, I will Google it to find articles about it to do a little more research. I also use web searching when I overhear an interesting conversation about something I didn't know was happening, or when people are talking about an event that I do not know much about. In addition sometimes when I am online I will stumble upon or look up videos or online newspapers to see what they are writing about at the time.  

In the mornings, I drive to my work outs, so I receive  traffic and weather updates on the radio on my way to my destination. I work out with a personal trainer with my mother and several other moms that live around where my parents live. Here I hear all of the gossip from the area, including information about the local kids as well as general Austin information, as well as information about fitness. In class sometimes I learn about relevant business and financial current events as they apply to some of my classes. In the afternoons I sometimes work at a sno cone stand in the area with many of my friends, and we talk a lot about clothes, trends, local events or happenings in our community, or whatever is current that day. When having dinner and hanging out with my roommates and friends, we talk about typical girl things like celebrities, clothes, our friends, the events we coming up, etc.

Blog 2 - Journey Mapping

My roommate Amanda* is going to graduate in May 2014 with a BBA in Finance with a minor in Marketing. She is grateful to have a background in finance, but is looking forward to starting a career in the marketing field. Some may say it was impractical for her to get her degree in finance when she ended up in marketing, but many factors went into her graduating with this specific degree plan. This blog is a walk through her journey to successfully choose a major at the University of Texas in the McCombs School of Business, as well as a visual representation of her “journey map” from her senior year of high school until now, her senior year of college. Journey maps can be useful in discovering and understanding the customer experience and journey while in contact with a brand or product. A good journey map can highlight how the customer views, values, and uses a good or service by seeing their interactions with the brand. Here we have a specific example of how one girl made a decision about college majors.

Before coming into college, Amanda’s parents had raised her to value education. Her parents were both well educated, with her dad earning his MBA and being a successful business man and role model. As Amanda did not know exactly what she wanted to do, her parents suggested business as it gave her a wide range of career options and had the potential to provide her with a wider choice of jobs with a good starting salary upon graduation. Her mom suggested that Amanda apply for the Business Honors Program, and she was accepted and immediately decided to commit to studying at Texas. She did not know where specifically in business she wanted to end up, but she was also considering the idea of a Spanish minor as she loved her Spanish classes in high school.

In her first 2 semesters, she became overwhelmed by the fervor of the business school and the competition in the consulting sector of finance. She quickly dropped the idea of focusing on Spanish as it did not fit into her degree plan, but felt drawn to the “glamor” of big banking and consulting by her peers, older mentor figures, and influential professors. She trusted their judgment and wanted to make them proud of her. Amanda has always been good with numbers, but more importantly, she has always been very competitive. In high school she was very involved with the school’s swim team and won many awards with her team. The competition she saw within the finance students intrigued her. In addition, the marketing department caught her eye due to her desire to understand people and their decision-making processes. During the second semester in her BA 324 class she realized that business communication appealed to her from a career viewpoint and realized marketing could combine her love of numbers and also qualitative data. She was torn between these two majors as she drew closer to the time where she would be able to declare a major.

During the summer after her freshman year, Amanda worked as a marketing intern with a real estate firm in Dallas and truly hated working there. This poor experience made her lean towards finance as a potential major. Her sophomore year she decided to declare a major in Finance which was reinforced by several different influential mediums. Many of her older peers conveyed to her that it was easier to recruit for finance and get a good internship and job. In addition, Amanda studied abroad with the BHP finance department in Prague and loved the classes and the professors. Amanda decided that she was going to minor in marketing because she still enjoyed the classes and felt as though it was a good skill to have in addition to just finance.

 

Over the course of the first semester of her junior year, Amanda’s decision to major in Finance didn’t exactly change, but her attitude towards finance did. She took more marketing classes and loved them. In addition, she gave up on consulting recruiting because of the overwhelming amounts of unnecessary pressure she felt like surrounded it and also didn’t feel very passionate about a career in consulting. Instead, she learned about great opportunities in marketing where she could combine her analytical financial skills with her love of understanding consumers better as a marketing analyst. She got an amazing internship as a marketing analyst for a giant consumer goods company and combined her consumer decision analysis with bid data analytics. This definitely confirmed her choice to minor in marketing.

Amanda loved her experience in her most recent marketing internship, but she has no regrets or ever had much desire to change her major from finance to marketing. She has the experience and natural instinct for marketing, but with a finance major she will so flexible in any job she could be put into because of her financial knowledge as well. Along the road after many bumps, nudges, and self-motivated steps, Amanda has arrived at her senior year pursuing a finance degree with 100% confidence that it is what she wants to graduate with, ready to explore where the knowledge she has learned will take her. Below is a visual representation of the journey that Amanda went through to end up where she is today.

*Names have been changed