Blog 23: Senior project presentation

(1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your block presentation and/or your senior project? Why?
Overall I'm really proud of my lecture content. I really feel that I gave solid information and cited my sources very well throughout. I presented as if I wasnt nervous at all which also helped me in assuring my presentaion would be clear. I'm usually one to speak a million miles a minute but I had to constantly remind myself to speak very slowly so it didn't sound too crazy and everybody could follow along. I'm very proud that I did a good job at that.
(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your block presentation (self-assessment)?

AE       P          AP       CR       NC
AE-
b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project (self-assessment)?

AE       P          AP       CR       NC
P+/AE-

(3) What worked for you in your senior project?
What worked for me was definitely having an amazing mentor to guide me throughout the year and fill me with the knowledge I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. Without her I wouldn't have been as prepared as I was. Amy, my mentor, taught me so much more than I thought I would have ever learned going through this senior project. She is essentially where I got most of my information from and what made me that much more passionate about my topic. 

(4) (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your senior project if you could go back in time?
I honestly don't believe anything didn't work. I went through my senior project very smoothly without any bumps in the road. The only thing I would've done differently is perhaps practicing one more time just to make sure I wasn't stuttering and saying all of of the correct information. 
(5) Finding Value

How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?   Be specific and use examples.
If I was doubting by any means before that business management was my passion, it is not anymore. Researching this whole year more into this topic has guaranteed my happiness will rely on going to school and studying for this. It has given me so much more experience than most kids my age can say they have, and will definitely give me an advantage. I can already see how studying this for my senior project has helped me. I want to apply to as many retail jobs as possible and having all this background knowledge on business management in retail has put me ahead of others who might apply to the same job, even if they have more work experience than I do.  As much as senior project has been a pain in the butt I'm super happy and thankful to have gotten this opportunity in preparing me for my future.

Mentorship

   Interpretive

     What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

The most important thing I have gained from this experience is that ensuring successful managing in a small retail business, or any retail business for that matter require several different actions. I now understand how much more difficult it is to manage a store than i thought it was. Working with my me or Amy had given me the chance to see how she runs and manages her store and what I can take in and use in the future. The most important thing I have learned from her is ensuring the happiness in customers. She is probably one of the most. If not the most welcoming employee (manager in her case) that I have ever encountered. I have realized how crucial it is to greet every customer with a smile, start small talk just to ask how their day is going or what they need help with. It makes the customer feel appreciated and valued, which should be a common goal for all retail stores.

   Applied

     How has what you’ve done helped you to answer your EQ?  Please explain.

Everything I have researched for my EQ to find my answers has been proven by everything I have seen at Maple Boutique. My answer one came specially from an interview with Amy. She told me how social media is the biggest way of getting her business out there and bringing more people in. My second answer which is creating a website also came from Amy. It wasnt directly from her, but observing how much goes on her website and how much profit comes from having a clear and concise website for her business allowed me to research more into if it would be a good answer to my EQ. My last answer which is professional customer service 100% came from mentoring at Maple. Like explained in my first question, making the customer feel like they are a part of the company or business should be the business's top priority. 

Exit Interview

(1) What is your essential question, and what are your answers?  What is your best answer and why?

EQ: What is the best way to maximize profits in a small retail business

Answer 1: Promoting the business through social media 

Answer 2: Providing the best possible customer service

Answer 3:  Creating and maintaining a visually appealing, yet helpful website

Best Answer: 3

The reason I chose answer 3 as my best answer is because customer service is what creates loyal customers which leads to positive word of mouth, and brings in more customers. Having excellent customer service encourages customers to keep coming back leading to more money for the business. 

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

Mentoring at Maple I experienced how well Amy and her employees treat her customers whether it be from helping them shop around the store, or following up with them after they make a purchase at the store. A simple "hello" or "thank you" when  the customers enter and leave the store is what makes the customer feel appreciated and brings them back for that same experience. Also, researching my topic this whole year gave me insight to a lot of different ways a small business could be successful, and I came across customer service more then plenty times, only to reassure it as my best answer. 

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

In the beginning of the year I had trouble finding a mentor who could guide me through this year long experience. I guess the saying " Good things happen to those who wait" is true, because not long after I was almost about to give up, I found Amy. I called several boutiques in the Claremont Village, and finally one store was able to give me the "okay", which was Maple Boutique. Amy has been a huge blessing and help to researching my senior project. Not only is she super kind in assisting me with any of my needs, but she goes out of her way to teach me all the ins and outs of the business. 

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

• Tahir, Liz. "10 Effective Customer Service Tips." About.com. About.com, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.- This article gave me more then plenty help as to why customer service is so crucial, especially in smaller businesses. It also gave me a detailed list as to what is important in customer service and how to improve it. 

• Third interview with my mentor, Amy- This interview in specific helped me understand how social media plays a huge role in Maple Boutique, and what she does specifically on it to promote the business. She further explained how having a functioning websiste for her business helps her control what she sells, who she sells it to, and how it beings in more business for the boutique. Both of these things helped me back up my answers to my EQ, and generate further research.