Growing My Social Capital

Domain Expert:
1) Andres Gutierrez is currently an area manager at Chipotle in West Palm Beach and has worked in the food industry as a manager for almost a decade.

2) He fills the domain expert spot because Gutierrez understands how to manage the food industry with his experience. He also knows who to contact in regards to getting local food.

3) I found Gutierrez on LinkedIn and was able to contact him over the social media website.

4) I asked Gutierrez on his role in being a manager and tips on how to be successful in the food industry. He was very helpful in explaining how to properly contact food sources and keep good relations with them. In return, I told him I would keep in contact and try to give him any tips that I have learned.

5) Adding Gutierrez to my network helps me exploit my opportunity because I now have someone to ask question to that is in the same industry as my idea.

Market Expert:
1) Ron Umpleby is a store manager for Publix in Gainesville, Florida

2) I'm not really sure about this spot but I feel Umpleby fills this spot because he is the one managing the food for the store and making sure everything is operating smoothly.

3) I found Umplyby on LinkedIn and contacted him over the social media website.

4) Umpleby gave me tips on purchasing food and how to get the best prices for purchasing food. This will really help in my opportunity, that way I will be able to go through with offering good quality food at the same price. In return, I told him that in the future if my opportunity goes through I will share anything I have learned.

5) Adding Umpleby to my network gives me connection to someone who is well experienced with food at the larger retail level. He is great to connect with in order to gain a better understanding of how purchasing produce works.

Supplier:
1) Jordan Brown is a farmer and the owner of the Family Garden in Gainesville. Brown emphasized in my contact with him in how he believes organic food is much better and is better to prevent cancer.

2) Brown fills the supplier spot because he is an example of someone I could be buying my food from for my opportunity.

3) I found the Brown's company on the Alachua County Farmer's Market website and then sent him an email after finding out his email information.

4) Brown and I talked about the supply market here in Gainesville. He said that the best way to do well in the food industry is buy food in bulk, but make sure you buy the right amount every time so you do not waste any. In return I told him that if my venture goes through, how it goes and the successes and failures of purchasing local food.

5) Having Brown in my contact is very helpful because he is a supplier in my industry. Having a connection and gaining insight on someone from the supplier side of the industry is always helpful in order to have a successful business.

Reflection:
I am not really a big fan of "forced" networking but this exercise really helped me gain a better insight of whether or not this industry is right for me. After networking with three people I now understand the difficulties of the food industry and trying to provide good quality food at the price given. More or less, this activity helped me become stronger in networking by far, which is a good thing to take from this class.