Day 7: More Presenting

Today we compiled more information into our final Microsoft Office Powerpoint Slide Presentation. We had to prepare for a quick presentation to our boss in order to make sure that everything is in order for tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day that we all present our findings regarding the market for our textile. For lunch today we went to Cook Out, an economically efficient eatery. I entertained myself with a Cook out tray, which offered an entire meal for approximately 6 dollars. What a steal!!!!!!!!!!! As we arrived back at the office, Adam allowed us to eat in his Audi automobile. What a luxury!!!!!! When we got back to our desks, we again continued to work on the Microsoft Office Powerpoint Slide Presentation and did our quick practice presentation.

Day 6: End Microsoft Office Power Point Presentation

Today we started construction on our final Microsoft Office Power Point Presentation to present on Thursday. This and synthesizing our data collected were our two main goals for today. After a morning of work, the team decided to go and eat at PDQ to replenish our electrolytes. Fortunately, Parker Perkins offered to transport us from downtown to the local PDQ establishment. He drove a stick. After cruising in 1st gear the entire way, we finally arrived and enjoyed a scrumptious snack. Once we arrived back at the homebase, we were greeted with a HQ sponsored community snack. The food offered included cupcakes and honeydew. Once we were replenished, we instantly got back to work.

Day 5: THE LAB

Today we were scheduled to go to a NC State laboratory and take a tour of a lab. To be as economically efficient as possible, Amy Han and I carpooled there. We put in the address and were off to find the mosquito lab. As we arrived, we were confused and couldn’t find the lab. But, we persevered, and continued to the dirt path greeting us as we arrived at our “destination”. Our GPS ended up taking us to the edge of a lake, and we were bamboozled. We turned around, and it turned out we were in a restricted employee area. This meant that there was a closed gate at the exit, and we didn’t know what to do. Luckily however, it was a motion sensor gate and we were able to get out.

We finally arrived to the correct destination and a grad student, Grayson, gave us a tour of the laboratory. He answered our questions, and this was an overall good experience.

Day 4: MARKET RESEARCH

Today was mainly a day for on-the-ground market research. We decided to yet again divide into groups of two and travel to REI and BPS. Scott and I went to BPS and asked associates and customers on what they would think about clothing that was mosquito resistant and chemical-free. Results were outstandingly positive. Many people were interested, and we even kept a few people for a conversation about the textile and the importance of its development. When we were done, Scott and I went to the local Chick-fil-a to refuel before we headed back to HQ Raleigh. Upon our arrival to our homebase, we added today’s survey information to our wide range of data points. These in-person surveys were essential for receiving relevant data with potential customers. After we organized all of our data, we analyzed it and continued to do more research.

Day 3: The Migration

Our presentation extremely went well.

Day three at the HQ Raleigh homebase, and as we entered the office we are pummeled with a new obstacle. A new challenge. A new hurdle. A new trial. But alas, the Vector Textiles team cannot be bested.

After relocating to the conference room upstairs, we began our work day. As always, we had a daily team debrief and created our action plan. Although much of our work cannot be discussed as we agreed to a verbal non-disclosure agreement, I will still share some details about our schedule to my loyal blog viewers. You are welcome.

After discussing confidential company material, we continued to churn out highly lucrative market research of our product. After a good three hours of finding material to analyze- lucratively- we headed out into the local area to replenish calories. As we were descending to the common area, we were greeted by our colleague, Caroline, who indulged us with partaking in a public meal displayed for HQ dwellers. We were flabbergasted. There were biscuits, sausages, wursts, chorizos, eggs, huevos, linguiça, and an array of peaches. After we ate, we got back to work. Today was another one of those casual market research days. Although more relaxed than our previous days, this aroma in no way inhibited our productivity. At the end of the day, we had an end-of-day meeting, and took off.

Vector Textiles Day 2: The Presentation

Today we met up at the homebase, and made a plan. An ambitious plan nonetheless, but still a plan. Some might even say pioneering, but we knew the challenged ahead. We needed to collect data from stores in the area. Then, we would have to compile our data into a Microsoft Office Power Point Presentation. It was go time. 

Of the four CA students experiencing this work, we would split into two teams. In our teams we would go out and ask various retailers about their stock of certain types of clothing in order to get a better understanding of the market we are trying to invade. My team, composed of myself and Nevett Scott Matton, managed to hit 5 retailers and left each one with a legal-pad page full of notes. In our downtime walking between stores, we thought it would be advantageous to interview potential consumers on the street. The Street People were, although hesitant at first, happy to answer the couple of questions we had. This was instrumental, nay…, crucial to defining who our target audience was.

After both teams compiled our data, which spanned across numerous pages, we created a Microsoft Office Power Point Presentation to display our findings visually. It was about 1pm when we created our Microsoft Office Power Point Presentation, and for the next 3 hours we vigorously analyzed our data. After much work, it was approaching 4pm and we still had information that needed displaying. As the big hand struck the humble 4 and the little hand grazed over the grandiose 12, we had completed our compiling.

The time to present our information was rapidly approaching; we only had seconds to spare. As Marshall Mathers once poetically stated, “His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy.” This embodied the atmosphere of the room, yet all four of us knew it was time. Time for what you may ask? Time for greatness. Check in tomorrow for how our presentation went. 

Day 1: Vector Textiles

10 minutes early on my first day at Vector Textiles and I am introduced to our employer, Mark Self, and his corgi, and then immediately ushered into the work space. We have a table in a communal area with other companies around us, and then we start our tour. We’re located in HQ Raleigh, a sort of hub for startups in the Raleigh area. The lobby of the building has a plethora of lounge chairs to inspire discussion and networking. In addition to this, there is a coffee bar that offers everyone free coffee and fruit throughout the work day. On the second floor, there are many offices that people can rent to springshot their companies to success.

We start out the day with a quick team meeting, and then begin our work. We utilize team software “Slack” to organize our research to eventually present a final presentation on how to effectively distribute Vector Textiles’ product. After three hours of work, the team heads to Cook Out to fill up on some tasty treats. Upon our return, we dive right back into researching and finding potential companies to license Vector Textiles’ product to. Looking forward to the next 7 days of Work Experience.

 

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