20A - Growing Your Social Capital

Domain Expert:

1. Who they are, what their background is: 
1. Michelle Gobea served in the Maine Corps before college. Now, she runs her company, SOHO Cycling, for 10 years in Tampa, FL.
2. How this person is a “domain expert”: 
1. She is a domain expert because she runs the management side of her cycling studio. In addition, she still teaches 3 times a week and offers a variety of classes. Because of this, she is able to build rapport with her clients and truly understand their needs and desires.
3. How I found and contacted this person: 
1. I attend her cycling classes when I am in Tampa. Two years ago, I inquired about an entry level position working behind the desk to understand the logistics of a small business.
4. Nature of Exchange: What they did for me, what is the return expectation: 
1. I worked for her and she demonstrated the quality of service one needs to provide to their customer's when providing cycle classes. She thinks meditative classes can be beneficial, but is worried clients would not enjoy it as much. She alludes how she minimizes their stress by providing other accommodations at the SOHO to elevate time stressors. Michelle is a very kind person who is extremely dedicated to her work and community.
5. How will including them enhance my ability to exploit an opportunity: 
1. She can test out some of the meditative classes at her studio and see if they provide negative/positive feedback. Michelle has already fused workouts into cycle classes (i.e. a tone cycling class which uses resistance bands in an upper body workout)

Market Expert:

1. Who they are, what their background is: 
1. Darcie Burde is the Director for Fitness and Wellness at UF's RecSports.
2. How this person is a “market expert”: 
1. Darcie is advocate for both mental and physical wellness. She has been working for Rec Sports for the past 11 years. In addition, she is skilled in leadership, public speaking and networking, fitness and health promotion, and program development for college students. In addition, she teaches cycle classes as well.
3. How I found and contacted this person: 
1. I have been serving on the Rec Sport's Board of Directors for the past three years. Darcie also serves on the board represent fitness and wellness.
4. Nature of Exchange: What they did for me, what is the return expectation: 
1. Darice truly understand the idea of integrating one's body and mind to help elevate stress and to be more productive in their day. Darcie has done research and has gained much knowledge on the 8 dimensions of wellness, stress, and the benefits of exercise. She is not yoga certified but sees how this could serve as a new variation of cycling.
5. How will including them enhance my ability to exploit an opportunity: 
1. She encourages me to practice meditation in my class and see how my participants respond to it. In addition, she wants to try this practice as well. She will try to attend my class and provide feedback. In addition, she is going to try in within her classes.

Industry Supplier:

1. Who they are, what their background is: 
1. Leah Shelley is the Associate Director for Fitness. She works closely with Darcie.
2. How this person is a “industry supplier”: 
1. Leah works closely with industry supplies of spin biker. She is the intermediator between the wholesaler and the Rec Center. In addition, she has previously taught Group Fitness Instructor classes. Therefore, she is able to assess the competency of an instructor and their potential.
3. How I found and contacted this person: 
1. Leah and I first meet when she was my teacher for the Group Fitness Instructor Training Program at Rec Sports my freshman year. In addition, she also serves on the Rec Sports BOD.
4. Nature of Exchange: What they did for me, what is the return expectation: 
1. I explained my product idea and pitch the concept of implementing mindfulness into cycling classes. She was going to try and get a group of instructors to test it out.  I told her about the need for bikes and other inventory needed for the studio. She recommends certain stationary bikes; but there is not much diversity in spin bikes.
5. How will including them enhance my ability to exploit an opportunity: 
1. Before talking to Leah, I did not put into perspective the use of spin bikes. I need to answer the questions of wanting a heart rate monitor, a device that states RPMs/Miles/gears, and other features. In addition, I need to access if these components will be beneficial to the riders or be stressors.

Finally: Reflect. This experience requires you to do a little 'targeted networking.' How will this experience shape how you participate in any future networking events? Did this experience differ from your networking experiences in the past? How?

• Targeted marketing is somewhat difficult! Since I already partake in Group Fitness, Rec Sports, and other wellness facilities I have able to build up my network. Even though these contacts were not new, they were valuable to helping me pursue my business plan. In future networking events, I need to network more with Yoga Instructors and those in GatorWell and gain more insight on that aspect of my business plan. These experiences are similar to my previous networking, but also a little different. The majority of my "networking" has been done with job recruiting for accounting firms and other internship possibilities. This was less formal, but more to the point of a topic at hand. Job networking the contacts are trying to get to know you, but here they are just trying to answer questions in regards to one's business idea.