Assignment 20- Social Captial

Assignment 20A- Growing Your Social Capital

1.     Susan F.

a.     Susan is my aunt and she currently works for reusable straw company in Ohio known as Seraphina’s Kitchen. She works as a straw manufacturing scientist or in short someone who designs the actual straws for production.

b.     She is a domain expert in this industry, as someone who is directly responsible for the production and design of every straw silicone or metallic.

c.     I have been very lucky growing up in that my entire family is very eco-friendly and has spent their lives doing this work. My aunt, my mom’s sister, is someone who I have always looked up to just because of her work in not only this industry but also working for the EPA as an environmental justice lawyer. I was able to get ahold of her because she is family, and this was just a very lucky thing to happen.

d.     She was able to give me an inside look at why their company uses carrying cases that they do already, and she was also able to tell me the company’s future endeavors in this area. Her expectation of me is that if I someday am able to create a phone carrying case that I allow her to help with the science and packing behind the product so that our reach can be even longer.

e.     Including her will allow me to gain expert knowledge and insight on how the world of sustainability truly works.

2.     John C.

a.     John is a former environmental science student who has used the last year and a half working for various non-profits in the environmental realm. Some of these companies are ones who work with those with disabilities who require straws in their everyday lives.

b.     He is an expert in my market because he understands both sides of my potential customers.

c.     I first met him at a SurfRider Foundation meeting when we both work with the organization to clean beaches. He became friends and began having a lot of the same classes together due to our major being very similar. I was able to contact him via text-messaging because I still had his number.

d.     He was able to help me get into the mind of my customer which was very helpful for me to actually understand their needs and wants. He was able to also help me figure out even more specific groups within my market. In return all he wanted was a share or just some name recognition if my company ever takes off.

e.     Including him will allow me to market my product correctly, plus he will also help me get inside the mind of my average consumer.

3.     Greg F.

a.     Greg is my uncle, and is Susan’s husband, he works for the same company as Susan however he works in the marketing department. Greg works as a Marketing Director who helps find their target audiences and sell their products to large corporations.

b.     He is an important supplier to my industry.

c.     I was lucky enough to meet him a couple of years ago when my aunt decided to marry him. This was fate because he lifted my family into another level of environmentalism, he has been working for organizations like the EPA and the US Department of Forestry for a long time. He is a very positive influence on my growth as an individual.

d.     He was able to show me his marketing techniques especially in regards to his use of social media and other media outlets. His only request is that if I ever make it big I hire him as my marketing director which sounds fair enough.

e.     Including him will lift my product and our outreach to the next level, therefore he is vital for breaking into the market.

4.     Conclusion- This experience helped me form the questions and approaches I will take when talking to other experts in my industry. This assignment also helped me change my approach to be a little bit more professional than ever before. Having sample questions and goals I needed to hit really helped me stay focus and keep things professional.