Idea Napkin No. 1

1.     In the simplest of terms, I’m a journalist. I often tell the stories of those who have strived to make a difference in the community. I’ve worked for five distinguished publications across different platforms (newspapers, magazines, online, etc.) I’ve interviewed famous bands, nonprofit CEOs, government officials, heart surgeons; and my stories are always colorful and use powerful language. I’ve been writing and photographing professionally since I was 15, and there’s no doubt I love what I do. One day, I hope to be a reporter in Chicago covering local events and influential people/organizations. Unfortunately, my business concept wouldn’t really help me in my career, and if anything, could lead my audience to make assumptions about me and my beliefs.

2.     I’m offering customers a convenient and effortless way to get their specific prescription to them on time. This is important because many medical marijuana patients have chronic illnesses, and don’t know how they’ll be feeling on the day they need their medicine.

3.     Since I’m based in Florida, my best customers will be the 100,000+ medical marijuana patients in the state. Believe it or not, the demographic is a wide – patients can be children, the elderly, male, female or in between. If they experience intense pain, are chronically ill and are registered patients, then they have the need for this medication.

4.     The patients know better than anyone that some days are worse than others. They wake up, and their minds and bodies feel weak. They can’t predict when they’ll feel this way, and when they do, it’s likely they won’t be up for a quick trip to the dispensary. People will pay for my service because it will deliver the prescription right to their door, and even have a credit payment system in place. With my product, patients will see this is the most efficient, no hassle process to their medicine.

5.     The app will be our best asset, because patients can browse through products, easily pay for them and pick the date they want their order to arrive. Also, my affable personality and sympathy for others will help me in hiring the best, most caring team to interact with patients.

Because I am a journalism major and plan to work for others in big newspapers/magazines, my business idea and my career goals don’t really go hand-in-hand. However, that doesn’t mean my opportunity isn’t a venture I can’t pursue. I think my education, who I talk to and my personality all make the idea for a delivery dispensary practical, and I believe it could succeed in a town like Gainesville, which has never seen something like this. I think the elements go together nicely, but my career goals are not in sync with the business idea.