Cyse 494 Journal Entries

05/18/2020

Yes, I am a self-starter. Usually, I keep myself on track with completing assignments and work-related tasks. Also, being a Cybersecurity major, I must make sure that I am staying current with new tools and practices. I realized within this field that the individual must be a self-starter to be successful with the continual nature of the industry. I work well with the majority of personalities. I enjoy when the team of personalities mesh well. I am not particularly fond of nonchalant personalities in a work environment if they’re not contributing as needed. Decision-making is not a hard part for me. I have led multiple student organizations, groups, and projects and I have always found it easy to make decisions. Stamina can become an issue for me if not distributed smoothly overall. I benefit from short breaks and big spurts to keep myself afloat. Planning and organization are not areas of concern for myself. I am able to strategically assess and plan out my steps to ensure quality of results. Entrepreneurial efforts in regards to my family could create wealth and jobs throughout my family.

05/19/2020

I started the online modules today and completed the corresponding self assessments. Entrepreneurship the ODU way was a particularly interesting starter. I enjoyed reading through definitions, and I was able to learn the real difference between innovation and entrepreneurship. A specific area that I was intrigued by was the steps to take an idea to an enterprise. Interesting to see how business functions are mapped out as a science. Businesses are the backbone to the economy and it is intriguing to learn about. 

05/20/2020

Today I worked through the design thinking module and its self assessments. I was attracted to the video comparing and contrasting how it is vital to balance science and art. A lot of the time within a technical degree, students (life myself) can neglect the soft skills aspect. The soft skills must be combined to work with those technicals/hard skills to create a quality product/business/innovation.

05/21/2020

I emailed Dr. Payne to run my idea for the proposal by him; Dr. Payne believes it would be more fitting to narrow my topic to computing and tech careers. Originally, I was planning to create a mentoring program and initiative to highlight STEM majors and careers to African American youth. I believe in the African American community, we seldomly chase STEM careers because we are not as knowledgeable about them. We commonly strive for entertainment, sports, and humanities fields, which is great. However, I think if the youth were educated on each aspect of their careers, there would be much more African American success and presence in the field. 

05/22/2020

Today, I am attempting to cultivate the final idea for the proposal assignment. Unfortunately, I am having a rough time. The idea is to create a program, initiative, and/or non-profit organization to highlight computer and technology majors and careers towards African American youth. I am scared that the proposal will limit my range and result in me not reaching the 15-page academic paper. However, I am attempting to dive deeper into the topic to be able to reach the limit. The good that can be produced throughout this research is that I could eventually create this initiative/program once I become established in my career as a cybersecurity professional. 

5/25/2020

As I scrolled through the Opportunities and Planning modules, I noticed and learned a good bit of information. It is important to understand the market the entrepreneur is attempting to service so that planning can be strategic and effective towards the specified market. Structure is key to the start of this process. Also, simply researching can help with future demands by analyzing both past and present trends within the market. Future proofing is critical for an entrepreneur regarding their innovation.

5/26/2020

Ethics matters because good ethics equals good business. Businesses need a level of good ethics to succeed and be reputable. Consumers and partnering businesses must be willing to purchase their items, and/or work with them. It is important to always consider ethics within a venture. The entrepreneur must be welcoming to those difficult questions. Difficult questions allow further research and gets the entrepreneur thinking; he/she is then better equipped for the tough issues if they arise.  

5/27

Tony DiSilvestro is a B.Y.O.B speaker. He’s a restaurateur of Ynot Italian located in the 757 area. He was inspired to own a restaurant at the age of 19 years old. The name came from him writing his name backwards-Tony-Ynot. It is refreshing to witness an entrepreneur who took one of the hardest aspects of initial creation-the company name-and just flipped his name. He worked in 25 different restaurants and was able to gain a great deal of knowledge to ultimately create his own flourishing business, which I’ve actually visited before. I was impressed by the quality and freshness of their food. Responsibility and self-discipline are two major principles that DiSilvestro has highlighted for business ownership; I agree. Responsibility shows how much someone can handle, and self-discipline measures what can be utilized with that how much.

5/28

I reached out to my group today so that we can start thinking about our topic. I realized that each of our topics were aligned with a cybersecurity program of some sort. Initially, I focused on targeting African American youth (middle school- college sophomores). Implementing a program of some sort is obviously important if even other group members have acknowledged the need. If it be low income, African American, or for everybody, a program is needed. When cultivating my proposal, I thought back to how I felt about technology majors. I never thought I would be a cybersecurity student because it was my belief that I would need to be a math-wiz to succeed in that field. However, I found that to be a lie. The youth has dreams and it is crucial for adults to help students to nurture their dreams.

5/29

The efforts for my proposal would benefit society by creating a wider presence of representation. America is seen as the home of the free and for being diverse. It would allow prospective employees to feel welcomed and a part of the team if there is a shared demographic throughout the company/department. Cybersecurity is an evolving field that needs skilled professionals to handle the challenging nature of the field. Each IT department may not have the capability or knowledge of security practices. However, having a person or more who can at least, point to certain vulnerabilities and identify threats could elevate the company’s digital presence.

06/01

Social entrepreneurship is innovation with a mission focused on social change and growth. I believe social entrepreneurship is acknowledging that a social venture is missing from a regular business standpoint. The introduction of the social component results in an impact socially and/or environmentally, while still shooting to receive financial gain. Currently, the project my peers and I are working on fits under the umbrella of social entrepreneurship. Our proposed program will have mentorship, educational venture, and major exploration services. The current rate is yet to be determined. However, my peers and I noticed that some form of educational/mentorship program needs to be created for the youth so that they are able to understand the challenging field of cybersecurity. Through the program, we would like to groom the desire and skills of prospective cybersecurity professionals. 

06/02

While watching the video about the social entrepreneurship company, Thankyou Group, I was particularly intrigued. I enjoyed their mission and how they help and give back for food, health, water, and sanitization in developing countries. I have always enjoyed hearing about companies with missions to improve the world. I would like to add a component within my entrepreneurship to give back in some way. I am going to propose to my team members a scholarship and/or grant fund. A scholarship or grant could be the reason a student decides to go to college or not. This way we can further propel our program and students within our program.

06/03

The law is a major and significant portion of all aspects, especially within business. Companies, organizations, businesses,etc. Oftentimes has legal aid on call. The leadership understands that there may be, and possibly will be something that they are unable to handle because of lack of training within law. I believe it is vital and imperative for a business to seek legal advice in the majority of their business functions. A lawyer, Juris Doctorate graduate, or an individual who has successfully completed the bar examination is going to have a wide knowledge and accurate training to handle those critical situations.  Law is an area the businesses need to make sure that all of their “I’s” are dotted and their “T’s” are crossed. 

06/04

An interesting piece of information I learned from the legal issues module, is a greater understanding of what really differentiates a C-Corporation from S-Corporation. Before today, I did not know there was a difference. The two corporations differ in three ways: formation, taxation, and ownership, outlined by the fundera article entitled, What are the Differences Between an S-Corp vs. C-Corp? The taxation portion seems to be the biggest differing factoring. Although both are types of corporations, there are incremental differences between the two. A C-Corp would be considered the default formation of a business. It is the standard when registering a company as a corporation. When registering your company specifically as an S-Corp, there is an additional form that must be filed-IRS 2553. 

06/05

Businesses encompass so much red tape and paperwork. Understanding the legal structure before cultivating your business is important. Here is another instance where understanding the surrounding law comes handy. The law will determine businesses by categorizing them as a Sole Proprietorship, General Partnership, Corporation. Sole proprietorship is considered the most simplest and basic; it does not require that much paperwork compared to the others. It also is a one-(wo)man show; the business is run by the sole proprietor. A general proprietorship is usually a collaborative effort with two or more individuals. Then, cooperation is the most formal and difficult structure. It is strictly governed by laws on both a state and federal level. 

B-Corporations and Benefit corporations are both for profit companies. Benefit corporation is similar to the S- Corporation regarding stock designation; revenue and profits are not passed through a corporate level structure. LLC’s are better for flexibility, but they do have limitations further down the line. Benefit corporations have a desire to positively impact in some form. I was particularly interested in the benefit corporation simply because of the mission or purpose to have a positive impact. I believe positivity and advancement in the community is important for any business to truly thrive. Respectful customer service has always been a priority of mine no matter what role I am performing in. I have had to deal with irrational individuals, but I rely on maintaining a positive attitude and environment for both me and the person being assisted. Positivity and growth are vital in my opinion for success in any type of business.

06/09

One of the most vital and significant aspects of any entrepreneurial venture is marketing. Marketing is important because it is usually the aspect that draws consumers attention. It engages consumers through a variety of ways, including advertising, branding, promotional blurbs, etc. The reputation of a business can also rely heavily on their marketing; it is the most visual part. Consumers can also receive updates and information regarding new products/services/etc through marketing strategies. Keeping up-to-date and innovative tactics are important to maintain relevance. Lastly, it allows the company to know what is working and what is not working. 

06/10

Regarding my innovation, marketing will definitely contribute a wide variety of factors. Traditional cybersecurity programs seem to either market heavily without substance, or market little to none. Entrepreneurs must understand that marketing deals with the decision making for the consumer. Factors such as, product, price, promotion, and place (the four P’s) constitute the components and structure to create an effective marketing plan, overall. Personally, I view marketing as the fun part of business, and also as one of the most challenging parts. It can be challenging because without a proper strategy, the entire innovation could fail.

06/11

The pitch may be considered the most dreaded part for an introverted personality, while an extroverted personality may enjoy it. This is the time where entrepreneurs and innovators can talk through the entire process and highlight why it is needed. Talking things out or clearly creating a presentation can allow the entrepreneur or innovator to find issues. At times, talking through it can prove to be helpful. In a pitch, I think it is important to highlight the purpose, why the innovative idea is important to their target market, and to outline the business model. I also think it’s smart to have researched the competition and to come up with counter arguments that will display differences and improvements. 

06/12

Most will probably not realize how much a pitch is used. We pitch ourselves to employers when necessary. That could be helpful to integrate how one usually prepares for an interview and use a similar method. Familiarity is usually a place of comfort, and comfortability can possibly help memorization, flow, and fluidity. 

06/15

A lean startup differs greatly from a general startup. This course has been intriguing to me because I have now gained a deeper understanding of various startup methods. Throughout the case study module, I was able to learn about a lean startup and why it is better than the typical startup process method. The part about the standard business plan surprised me. I have always thought that the creation of a business plan is vital to the success of a company. A business plan is usually the piece of the project that includes information about what the company is/does, and how operations and functions will be performed. Taking that factor away seems harmful, but learning about a lean startup showed me that it can be done. The lean startup works more so with an hypothesis factor. 

06/16

BYOB series featuring Max Greenhood from RocketBike. The company’s founder and Chief Executive Officer is Max Greenhood; he founded RocketBike at 23 years of age. The focus of RocketBike stemmed from Max’s love for photography and design. Max enjoys the multitude and range of people he is able to work with. He enjoys deploying his services to help his wide array of clients. Design and development is one of RocketBike’s biggest areas; website building is where the company received its start. They also create physical advertising products. Photography is also another large part of the RocketBike company. They pride themselves on storytelling through their digital advertising tactics.

06/17

BYOB series featuring Allison Dodson, the founder of A.  Dodsons. She started out and found a love for the retail industry. She found this love early on through inspiration from her grandfather. Her mother also had an antique store and taught her a lot about the retail industry. She was a double major in Fashion Merchandising and Business, Dodson also studied at FIT in NYC. She has worked with and at a large variety of big brands. Fashion and retail are areas of love for her. 

06/18

BYOB series features Christopher Shelton, he is Co-owner of Cure Coffeehouse and he is also the Managing Director of the ODU Norfolk innovation center. He decided to be his own boss . Started at ODU with his Co-Owner. They were both working “day jobs” but Shelton knew that he was out of place within the corporate and cubicle environment. He attempted to change his mindset about his place of employment, but it did not change. He and his friends had various conversations about “not working for the man.” His Co-Owner sparked his interest in starting a business. They started their research on actually opening a business and how to be successful with it.

06/19

Today, I thought about the importance of cybersecurity in any business setting. Cybersecurity should be a foundational piece when deciding to further their digital presence, and require assets to be protected. Nobody wants to have their devices to be at risk even if only used for social reasons, so for actual work-related instances, it is important to heighten the security measures. Personally, I believe that a very strong defense system can lessen the need for offensive measures. A strong defense would consist of firewalls, implementing preventive measures, and to make sure end users are taking the best security measures possible. 

06/22

Gaining a job in the IT field has opened my eyes to how important cyber security is, and the importance of diversity in the field. Cyber security should be at the forefront of any company’s operational standard. Companies should pride themselves on some form of cyber implementation to protect against threats and attacks, internal and external. Diversity in the IT field is vital for environmental and relatability purposes, as well as expertise purposes. I have found that it is much more comfortable feeling to be able to relate to a boss, coworker, etc. Broadening the scope of diversity creates a comfortable and welcoming environment.

06/23

Personally, I always saw business ventures beyond my scope of expertise.

Small to midsize innovative and entrepreneurial developments seem to run in my family. Family members usually have taken a step toward a venture or have a fully functioning practice. However, I could never seem to enjoy each aspect of cultivating a business. I understand the need for all of the moving parts: marketing, ethical decision making, law, license, etc. It takes a great deal of grit and motivation to have a successful business or innovation.

06/24

The group aspect to the overall course has proven to be greatly beneficial. I enjoyed working with a team because we were able to bounce ideas off of each other. A group setting when devising business plans and creating innovative ideas will prove helpful. The utilization of your team members can create a broader view and contrasting understanding which can positively contribute to the overall success of the innovation.

06/25

As an African American male, I strive to understand the reason why so many African Americans and other minority groups are not highly represented within the field. Cyber security is such a vast field with a multitude of layers. Diversity within the field is important, in my opinion. It is needed to have multiple perspectives on issues. A diverse setting promotes inclusivity and diverse thinking. Different groups of people think differently and that will create a better and more well-rounded assessment of a cyber issue. 

06/26

The overall perspective gained from this experience was fairly well-good. I enjoyed most aspects of the entrepreneurship experience. I enjoyed that this course gave students the freedom to explore further interests, within our designated major and to create an entrepreneurial idea behind it. These ideas could actually become full on business as time progresses. It allowed students to enter the business world; I gained a greater understanding and respect for what entrepreneurs do. Their work is tough! The need to learn about all the steps taken (business model, opportunities and planning, ethics, and etc.) did create a learning curve considering the technical nature of the cybersecurity major; however, I benefited by being able to put what I learned and add it to an area that is lacking within the field. The experience prepared me by introducing functional aspects that happen in each business, daily. I am able to understand the miniscule intricacies and help to improve them with a combination of hard and soft skills because of the course. I really enjoyed being in a group because when sharing ideas, we were able to find strengths and weaknesses in our proposed focus area. I did not really enjoy all the video lectures, they were sometimes hard to follow. I like to read through material and maybe validate it from a short video for an overview. I would suggest more clarity for the bigger assignments in the syllabus in the beginning of the semester so students will not ask questions so frequently.