Forming an Opportunity

Opportunity:

An opportunity that exists is how difficult it is to find parking near or on UF’s campus. The places in which you can park are reserved for certain residents in apartment complexes and restaurants.

In this case, the unmet need is the ample number of parking spaces where people can park without any restrictions or fear of being towed. The people who have the need are mainly college students and families of these students who drive cars near campus. This need has always existed and continues to be a major issue for people near the college campus. Currently, students have been parking on the limited side street parking spaces using the parking meters and they also try to park in the Standard parking garage even if they risk being towed. I know that if an individual does not live in the apartment complex, they are only allowed to park on the third floor and are technically not allowed to park overnight. People have to “illegally” park in places in order to find somewhere to put their car. According to number of people that experience this problem, I believe there is a 60-75% that this specific opportunity exists.

Interviews:

After interviewing student drivers on the topic of parking near or on campus, all of them had said that they experienced the same issue on a daily basis. One student had said that he illegally parks sometimes but he tries to not do it often because he does not want to risk getting towed. On the weekends, the city parking is lifted so it’s easier for him to find parking but he has to park really far from campus and walk to class. He finds it annoying how he has to wake up an hour early to find parking before it starts filling up.

Another student said that she parks at the Standard apartment complex but only when the gate is open so she does not have to pay. When the gate is down, she has to ask for a decal or park at the Publix across the street. In order to prevent getting towed, she ends up taking the bus instead. 

I also spoke to a parent that has a daughter that lives in an apartment complex near campus and she told me that the apartment complex and the area near the apartment has limited parking. If she finds parking in the apartment’s parking garage, she leaves her car there and walks to restaurants in close proximity so that she does not lose her parking space.

 Reflection:

Based on the feedback I received from the people I interviewed, I realized that a significant number of people are dependent on using their cars as their form of transportation and the various solutions they have to come up with in order to combat the issue of parking near campus. Personally, I was not surprised at the number of people that dealt with this issue but I was more shocked at the extent to which each individual had to find alternatives for parking.

Summary:

My original opportunity has not changed much since I have spoken to people in regard to this issue. My opportunity has only been clarified more after the interviews. Some suggestions that may want to be taken into consideration is to build a parking garage closer to campus or reduce the level of restrictions in surrounding areas around campus on the weekdays as well.

It is beneficial for entrepreneurs to adapt their opportunities based on customer feedback because then they know what altercations they need to make to initiate positive change and create solutions. If an entrepreneur does not bother asking the people around them for feedback, then they will not be successful in accomplishing their goal if it is an issue that not many people experience or understand.