Practicum

Knowledge

For my Practicum, I took the ENES140: Discovering New Ventures Class. This class focuses on The Opportunity Analysis Canvas, a guide that helps individuals see, think, and act like entrepreneurs. Specifically, this class defined what an entrepreneurial opportunity is, helped develop an entrepreneurial mindset, motivation, and behavior, and guided research on market conditions and competition. This class also analyzed successful business owners and their decisions/lifestyle that got them to where they are now.

By taking this class, I have learned how to see, think, and act like an entrepreneur. The Opportunity Analysis Canvas has guided me on how to identify a potential opportunity in a select market of my choice: the Architecture/Engineering/Construction market (AEC). It has taught me how to develop my own Opportunity Analysis Canvas, the final project in the class. It has also helped me improve my entrepreneurial motivation and behavior.

Evidence

While the Public Leadership Program has helped me become a better leader by analyzing my leadership traits and style, this class has helped me develop crucial skills that will help me one day establish an architectural firm. This class has specifically trained the business aspect of my professional future, which can often be set aside over the design/work aspect of the industry. This class has also helped me grow as a student by continually questioning my own traits and abilities and guiding me as I explore a new venture.

I have selected to display the final project in the class, the Opportunity Analysis Canvas. This document/project is an outline for a potential entrepreneurial opportunity. For this project, I have chosen to create a product for the Architecture/Engineering/Construction market (AEC). I have chosen to display this project as it highlights my entrepreneurial mindset, including my need for achievement, individualism, focus, control, and optimism. It also highlights my entrepreneurial motivation, including my self efficacy, tolerance for ambiguity, and cognitive motivation. Additionally, it highlights my entrepreneurial behaviors, including my confidence, risk tolerance, interpersonal relationship skills, and social capital. These three categories are key in helping identify and push through with a potential entrepreneurial opportunity relating to Architecture. (The document is in the Draft Stage and will by updated by May 13th, 2021 after full completion)

Application

I plan to use this experience to one day establish a successful architecture firm and continue to develop my Mobile Detailing Business that I run on the side. This class has provided the resources I need to further research my competition and industry conditions in both markets. I have been working as a part time automotive detailer on the side while studying and wish to continue to expand my customer base and improve my services. This class has helped me understand how to properly analyze many competition and make sound decisions that will help me bring more value and quality service to my customers. In the future, I plan on establishing an architecture firm using the same guidelines; it is important for me to apply my leadership skills learned in PL and the mindset and behavior learned in ENES140 to identify a business opportunity in the architecture market, delivering value to future clients and practicing in new, sustainable ways.