Blog Post #20: Assignment 20A - Growing Your Social Capital

Person #1

1. Bill is my father's friend from college who currently holds an upper level position with GrubHub at their corporate office
2. Bill is filling the role of the domain expert because he knows all of the logistics behind a third-party delivery service, which is what my service would be doing. However, instead of delivering food, like GrubHub, my service will be delivering medical marijuana.
3. Bill met my father in college and they have been close friends ever since, so I've met him multiple times. To get in contact with him, my dad gave me his cell phone number and email address.
4. As a favor to me, Bill listened to my elevator pitch and was able to give me a lot of great feedback on my idea for my service.
5. By including Bill in my network, I now have an expert on delivery services, which is going to be a crucial part of my service. As a result, he will be able to give me tips and advice on how to improve that aspect of it.

Person #2

1. Nathaniel is a close friend of mine who is marijuana dealer back in my home town in Massachusetts, where recreational and medical marijuana usage is legal for people 21-years-old and older. He buys marijuana at dispensaries and then sells it to others of age for discounted prices. He often delivers the products to his customers. 
2. Nathaniel is filling the role of the market expert because he has a lot of experience with picking up, delivering, and selling marijuana to those who can legally use it. This concept is very similar to what my service will be doing.
3. I've been very close with Nathaniel since high school, so all I had to do was call his phone to get in contact with him.
4. As a favor to me, Nathaniel listened to my elevator pitch for my service and we discussed the details and logistics of it. In return, he gave me some great feedback on whether or not there is a legitimate market for my service.
5. By including Nathaniel in my network, I now have an expert on the kind of market my service will be targeting, which is very important.

Person #3

1. Gage is the owner of a medical marijuana dispensary in Massachusetts. He is an expert at selling marijuana to people who need it and can legally have it.
2. Gage is filling the role of the supplier, since he is the owner of a store that sells medical and recreational marijuana to people, and it will be stores like his that my service will be picking up products from for our customers.
3. My friend Joseph works at the dispensary that Gage owns. As a result, Joseph was able to give me Gage's phone number so I could get in contact with him.
4. As a favor to me, Gage listened to my elevator pitch for my service. In return, he told me he loved my idea and thinks that by working together, we could both become very profitable.
5. By including Gage in my network, I now have an expert on who the drivers of my service will be picking up products from.

Reflection

This experience was very fulfilling and helpful for the development of my service. I have never participated in a networking activity where I was pitching an original idea of mine. I thought it was fun and gave me some great feedback!