Idea Napkin No. 2

            I am currently a sophomore at the University of Florida, and living in Gainesville has brought to my attention the scary truth that most students do not wear scooter helmets when scooting. Personally, I do not have too much experience as an entrepreneur, but growing up I have always been surrounded by people with entrepreneurial aspirations. I have taken classes in the past that helped me understand how to approach starting a company and anticipating the obstacles.

            The company I have decided to start, Street Smart, will specialize in personalized scooter helmets that every student will be safe and comfortable wearing. Also, these helmets could also cater to the needs of people who ride bicycles and motorcycles. The helmets that my company will provide will have three basic styles, and then people can more specifically customer color, material, and accessories from the basic starting points. These helmets will provide safety and comfort to every customer who purchases one. My helmets will accommodate the needs of any person who drives a motorcycle, drives a scooter, or rides a bike. Also, Street Smart provides a special lock that allows students to simply lock the helmet onto the handle of scooter. This way, there is no need to lug the helmet to class or around campus. Each helmet comes with this special lock and key. If they are ever lost or misplaced, customers can simply bring the helmet into the store and purchase a new lock, key, or both.

 Specifically, I am targeting the undergraduate college students in Gainesville, as those are the majority of people scooting and biking around campus with no helmets. This target group consists of young adults from the late teens to early twenties. I understand that this concept could grow to other college campuses and cities, but I would prefer to start small and keep it local at first. My product holds great value with customers because helmets can be the difference between life or death in dangerous situations. This is a serious hazard that goes too unnoticed on a daily basis. There should never be a single person on a motorcycle, bicycle, or scooter without a helmet. Helmets are a safety precaution and should be used preemptively to prevent serious injury.

I personally feel that every student should have enough safety awareness to understand the importance of wearing a helmet daily. Personally, I think that having the perspective of a fellow student who owns a scooter gives me a unique understanding of what my consumers would want from their helmets. There are plenty of helmet stores in Gainesville, but no other stores offer helmets that are as comfortable and personalized as the ones that Street Smart would provide.

I genuinely believe that the aspects of my business fit well together, and I think that this could definitely be a great opportunity. There is definitely a large consumer market in such a small area, and I feel that people would take the opportunity to purchase these helmets.

Overall, I really appreciated the feedback that I received. First, I took into account that these helmets should not just be for scooter, but maybe bikes or motorcycles as well. So I broadened the target market to anyone who had a bike, motorcycle, or scooter. Second, I acknowledged that I could possibly broaden the market to other towns and college campuses, but for now I chose to keep the business local. Third, I tried to make a clearer plan of exactly how the helmets will be designed. In order to do this, I explained that there will be three basic designs, and then further customizations to certain aspects can be made. Fourth, I incorporated a lock and key mechanism that will hopefully make securing the helmet more convenient for consumers. Finally, the last adjustment I made was in regards to the safety awareness of wearing helmets, and I purposefully stressed how dangerous not wearing a helmet can really be.