Mentor: Mr. Joshua Meek

Profession: Entrepreneur & Frisco City Council Candidate

Location: Mochas & Javas

Date: 29 January 2020

Time: 12:30 to 13:40 – 70 minutes

Assessment:

The frequency of my meetings with Mr. Meek have led me to appreciate the small progress made on the final project on a weekly basis. Through these meetings, this being the fourth, I have learnt to appreciate and value the details as those details guide the resultant presentation. In addition to these small steps, I have learnt to equally value those who have made this journey possible. Being available on a daily basis for any questions and weekly for a face-to-face interview, Mr. Meek has served more than just a mentor to me, rather, an amazing individual who has sacrificed part of his time to cater to my aspirations. With our cooperative meetings wherein, we accomplish tasks that I would have never imagined before, this mentorship thus far has served as an amazing experience.

This meeting was very special as it is the first time I has displayed a tangible result of my hours and hours of effort. Our productive discussion over my first ‘manufactured’ facial scrub instilled a sense of confidence within me but simultaneously allowed me to identify key points I needed to grow on. Receiving positive feedback from Mr. Meek about the texture and look of the facial scrub itself, we moved to discuss the future of the product and how to proceed not that we have a sample. Mr. Meek and I, adapting the entrepreneurial mindset of progressive nature, conversed about the branding of the logo on the container and the fact that the container should itself be made of glass to promote an overall notion of eco-friendly branding. This further taught me the higher-level thinking involved with each aspect of the business as perfecting the details is vital to ensure the vision of the company is portrayed consistently.

Despite our constructive discussion over the material objects I plan on selling, Mr. Meek and I also talked about how we plan to market these products. Inspired by a friend who began his clothing business through Instagram, I introduced the idea of marketing our business and its mission through various social media platforms. Impressed with my proposal, both of us began to brainstorm the different techniques and different content we look to advertise on each platform. Suggesting social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, I learnt a little about marketing and its intricacies. Understanding the fact that a one-size-fits-all strategy such as push marketing through flyers is rather ineffective, I came to realize the importance of customizing each marketing strategy to fits the context pf the medium being used. For example, we discussed how a visual post about an individual applying the facial mask would suit the needs of an Instagram post while promoting further advances to new product lines and manufacturing plants would be a suitable post for LinkedIn.

Ultimately, I am grateful for this amazing opportunity and have come to realize how fortunate I am to pursue this topic under such a knowledgeable individual willing to support me throughout this learning process. Through this interaction, I not only learnt the importance of detailed analysis and marketing efforts but look to apply the concepts I learnt into my future steps with the business.