1. My name is Lauren Palombi and I am a Business Management major here at UF. I am a people person who is extremely outgoing. I am currently a on the marketing team for The Swamp Restaurant as well as serving there. I also work as a cashier at Dough Religion and Oozoo Bar. My variety of work and life experiences have taught me excellent customer service skills as well as how to think outside the box to solve problems. I aspire to own my own bar that serves finger foods off the shore of Melbourne Beach. I can see this as a huge part of my life that I will start up after saving money until my kids are in school.
2. This family owned beachside joint will be a hot spot for locals to come and grab a bite in between riding the waves or to relax after a day at work. The other side of town, Cocoa Beach, has several beachside bars and restaurants while Melbourne Beach has relatively none right on the water. This bar will serve customers unmet needs via surf/beach chair rentals. It will also keep beachgoers hydrated and full of food - two of the main reasons why people leave the beach. Another enjoyable feature will be live music on the weekends, and flatscreen TVs to watch games.
3. All my customers have one thing in common - a love for he beach. Customers also enjoy drinking and unhealthy foods such as fries, hotdogs, wings, hamburgers, mozzarella sticks and more. They are people who enjoy the beach scene and/or a place to get out of the blazing sun for a little and rejuvenate before heading back out into the water or to sunbathe.
4. Customers will pay to use this service because of its convenience. I would rather purchase a hotdog for $3.00 right on the beach where I can order and eat while still in my swim suit rather than $1.00 at a gas station in which I have to pack up my belongings, get in my car and put clothes on. The convenience factor and beach setting(cabana bar, cornhole etc.) are appealing to customers.
5. Our relationship with customers will be what sets us apart. It would soon be easy to greet returning customer by name in such a small town. This personalization will make them feel more welcome than they would anywhere else and will make them keep coming back.
I believe that these five elements fit together because one question led perfectly to the next, helping me organize my thoughts. I struggled at first to think what would make my beach bar/restaurant stand out above the others. However, I came up with one solution and will need to think of another idea shortly.
The feedback I received was all positive which was nice, but not very helpful when it came to making changes or improvements in my napkin idea. Therefore, hardly anything has changed since my first idea. One person told me my idea was "not the most creative but tends to be profitable," which really got me thinking as to how I can make my bar/restaurant could stand out amongst my competitors.
Hey Lauren, your idea sounds like a really great one. I definitely agree that the elements of your idea fit together very well. The convenience of having a bar right on the beach will definitely mesh well with people's desire to quickly get a bite to eat or something to drink. In addition, I completely understand what you are saying about the feedback. Mine was the same way and it was not very helpful when it came to writing the second idea napkin. However, I do think that it means that we might be on the right track with our business concepts. If you want to check out my post, you can find it at http://alexbeyrent.blogspot.com/2016/03/idea-napkin-no-2.html.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your second napkin idea. I am definitely a person who loves the beach and eating unhealthy foods, making me one of your potential customers. I know a few beaches in Florida do not allow food joints in the area, so I would recommend you looking into that. Additionally, I think it is important for the beachside joint to be unique from other food places in the area. Other than convenience, what else will your beachside joint offer? Check out my blog http://ent3003tb.blogspot.com/2016/02/idea-napkin-no-2.html
ReplyDeleteHey lauren,
ReplyDeleteAs a huge fan of beach going, I really support this idea. Especially with Cocoa beach, Florida. I'm from West palm and unfortunately the closest beach to me that has a restaurant is Del Ray. This business could be awesome if done right and it seems like you have the experience in the food industry to do well. I hope to see your restaurant one day. Best of luck!
Hey Lauren,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post. Your idea sounds really interesting, and I can totally see it working out. Just like you said, most people leave the beach because they are hungry and/or thirsty, so having a beachside joint would solve this problem. I think that you already have a good idea of what needs to be done, but if I had to give you a suggestion, I would say to also offer healthy snacks. You mentioned unhealthy food such as fries, but I think that you should also offer healthy options like fruit salads, or even fruit popsicles.
Here is the link to my blog, if you want to check it out: http://theroadtoentrepreneurship.blogspot.com/