11A - Idea Napkin No. 1

11A – Idea Napkin No. 1

1)     You

a.     I am a nature lover. A tree hugger. Someone who seeks peace outdoors both alone and with others. I’m terribly fascinated by the complexities of the local flora and fauna. Some of my most enjoyable experiences are with people who have the same interests—people who don’t mind spending hours at a time studying a group birds or hours walking and learning about plants. One of my skills is being a bit of a people person. Over the past several years I have been privileged to make connections to peope who have the honor of working with nature either in education or conservation. I guess I can say that one of my skills in in networking with people who operate in my area in this space.

b.     Aspirations. I intend on creating some sort of learning organization. One that casts a net, or tries to, over all subjects that fall under the umbrella of natural history. For those interested enough, do a Google search for Eagle Hill institute in Maine. That is what I want to work towards. A nonprofit that offers field research and seminars throughout the year given by experts in the field. 

c.      As this does not, so far, seem to have a sizable economic engine(revenue drivers), I don’t see this turning into anything economically important to my life anytime soon. I see it as something that I would love to lead and do on the weekends.

2)     What are you offering to customers

a.     I am offering natural history learning experiences. These are field trips and classes ranging from 1-3 hours where anyone interested can join and learn about that week’s particular subject. We will explore and spend time in local city and state parks and nature preserves guided by local experts. As an example, May in Indiana is a beautiful time of year for spring ephemeral wildflowers and migrating birds heading north. May’s theme would be those two subjects. We would take learners and start small, eventually embracing the depth of each subject over time. We will learn what thrives in the areas where we live, why they grow there, and try to grasp a bit of each organism’s significance in the local ecosystem. 

3)     Who are you offering it to?

a.     All of my customers have in common a love of the outdoors. They love being with others who have the same or similar interests. They especially love the chance to learn and network with those people. My organization could take high school students, college students, and adults and families out on these field trips. 

4)     Why do they care?

a.     People want to learn about their local environment from people who know it intimately. Why? Because this is their home. Because the here and now are so much more real to them than the beautiful places they see on National Geographic. If people see that their money and time is not wasted on these experiences, and that they’re getting something meaningful out of their time with friends or family studying nature, that will go far beyond the ticket price. A famous entrepreneurship professor once said, “Can you charge more or less for relationship [and meaning]? More.”

5)     What are your core competencies?

a.     I have the ability to learn and learn broadly. I really mean that. I’ve learned from people all across this space. From Department of Natural Resource employees, to amateur (and expert) botanists. From wonderfully created amateur YouTube videos, to books both old and new. A normal person would say they have a “passion” for nature I, however, consume—I inhale— all things nature.

These elements do fit together nicely and form the napkin idea that we’re after. I would add that in my case I need to spend time focusing on whether my idea is a nonprofit or if people are willing to pay for this. Simply said, they can go out to any park for free and learn on their own. However I think—I know— that there is an element of community that people desire as they learn about the world around them. I want to drive this point in further assignments.