This week we wrapped up the selling of our stickers.  We set a goal for each person in the team to sell at least five more stickers to add an extra sixty dollars to our profit.  Overall I think as a group we did a great job, because we saw other groups getting success selling but not finding the same success breaking even.  One of the great things about the stickers were that they cost us less than a dollar to make and that we were selling them for three dollars so we had a great margin on them.  On the storefront end this week we started working on our presentation.  I think we initially struggled with this because our vision was not clear.  After our initial presentation I think we know the way to go about staying with the 4A brand, but expanding on the original shop.  Although I have been to 4A before our trip there with our group was exciting.  We got to take some pictures, talk to Alua’s parents and really get another push for us to be excited about our project.  We also were able to get some pictures of the surrounding Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, for our presentation to show as our main competitors in the area.  I am both excited and nervous for the presentation coming up.  I think we have a lot of practice left to do this week, but I think we are a group that can pull it off well.   I think we just have to stay focused and make sure that we are very clear about why 4A is the best option for the investors.

 

Sandberg’s book has given me a lot to think about.  After finishing it I can say that although it was not one of my favorite books, it was one that is very relevant to and motivating.   Clearly there is a lot of changes that need to be made in the workplace to make it a more equal, but I think we are headed in the right direction.  There are other things that amaze me though about gender in this country.  I think it’s truly appalling that we have never had a female president, and that the majority of our representatives our male.  Some people say it’s because there have not been any women that they have seen on the ballot that they would want elected, but I think this has much to do with the society in which we are raised.   There are certain jobs and positions that I feel women are steered away from, or not encouraged to do.  While looking for a senior quote last week I found an interesting one that I think correlates with this idea.  Marilyn Monroe said “Well behaved Women rarely make history”.    I think it is interesting because in order to be seen a s a successful women I feel like you kind of have to have this rebellious attitude.  Women in power I think are not seen as the norm because of this culture I think we are used to.  Its as if to be a women in power you have to be an exception.  This bothers me because I think that many women in power are labeled as bossy or control freaks, when they are just the same as any male doing the same job. 

1/11/15

As the 200 dollar project entered it's last two weeks we began our final push for selling though the stickers.  We are hoping to really sell through the inventory that we have left. This began with first reaching out to any friends and family that were yet to buy the stickers. Then we looked into parents events occurring at the school this week. One of the ones we look at was for Thursday at the junior parent meeting. We got in touch with first Mr. Libenzon to give us permission who pointed is in the direction of Dean Meyers. Dean Meyers gave us the ok, so we were able to sell. We sold about ten stickers in the short time before the meeting.  It was interesting selling to parents because many of them were confused about the hashtag. While many of them were confused, they were happy to let us explain it to them, and they were eager to learn about what project we were working on in the Communication for Entrepreneurs Class.   We even sold three to Ms.Hollman, who now is very interested in Instagram after talking to us about it! We also were able to get out and sell at the Friday home girls basketball game where we found less success. But overall I think it was a pretty  good week in terms of selling, especially considering the completion from the other groups product in class. We saw other groups also having good success, including the wristband group who I think we got the most competition from. On the storefront end we just made the final touches for the packet to be ready for Mr. Gladstone.

 

This week I was able to finish Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In.  Upon completion of the book, my general feeling is that the book is definitely neither written nor organized very well, but I think the ideas are extremely valuable.  Over my winter vacation I was able to travel to San Francisco I was actually able to visit the Facebook headquarters.  We drove around the area a bit, and there were something that struck me that I am sure had to do with Sandberg.  In addition to there being a handicap spot there was a parking spot for expectant mothers.  I never thought about this, but once I saw it my only thought was why haven’t I seen this anywhere else? It is great that companies like Facebook are really pushing to become models in the realm of creating a more equal work environment for both men and women.  Sandberg has the right idea about it, that these goals are not possible with just women, women and men have to both work together for this common goal and that is where we will find the success. I think this is especially true when people are out down for being feminists.  Ive heard terms thrown around lightly within our school like “Femi-Nazi” and other derogatory terms.  When people say they are not feminists it bother me because so many people before us have fought for us to be here today, but we still have to continue the fight.  Jus the other day at the economic summit that we went to at Gillette I learned the harsh realization that some people still have very gender divided mindsets.  This happened when one boy came over while all the countries were trying to ally with each other and it was utter chaos, he pushed me to the side and told me to let the men handle this.  Clearly there are still teenagers that have the wrong mindset about gender.  I truly believe that as a school and as a society we have to work harder to not create these mindsets form an early age.