Extra Post December: Holiday Feast!

This December marked our second year with fruitbouquets and our first year with 1800Flowers. My mentors and I had to prepare for Christmas week. Before the start of each day, we would assign the deliveries to each driver, since they all had specific cities. Employees were also scheduled to longer shifts and the store was running for longer hours than that of a regular work day.
Here are some orders that are produced and wrapped fresh to be delivered.

Happy Holidays and New Year to our employees, customers and affiliates!

Extra Post November: Fruit-Turkey?

It’s Turkey Time™ Fruit Bouquets by 1800flowers.com

I went to mentorship during Thanksgiving week. We had created an assembly line for this arrangement to have maximum production. While an employee was making the chocolate covered apple for the face, another was cutting the fruit and preparing the fruit to be arranged into the basket.

Both of my mentors were very busy. Fariha was managing the packaging and organization of the fruit baskets while Ibrahim was managing the deliveries and drivers. I was helping both back and forth with packaging and printing the orders.

I'm thankful for my parents for this mentorship opportunity at our family business :)

Blog 10: EQ

Content

1. Review this.  Confirm by stating "I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ."

Essential Question 
Once a topic is chosen, the student will develop a working essential question.  The purpose of the working essential question is to help the student build a strong foundation of research which will allow him or her to create an essential question that encourages depth and rigor in the chosen topic.  An essential question must:

• Provide a framework for studies (It calls for breadth and depth of research, Is not a yes/no question)
• Take a stance (It allows you to argue some point, Cannot be a recitation of facts or a list)
•  Format (It is specific, The wording makes sense)

2.  Review the following EQs and

• Tell us if each meets the rule of three.
• Tell why they do or don't.

 a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?
Provides a framework for studies, but the studies would be very limited. It would not bring an in depth answer and has no argument or stance.

 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?
Provides a framework for studies, but the studies would be very limited. It would not bring an in depth answer and has no argument or stance.

 c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?
Provides a framework for studies, but the studies would be very limited. It would not bring an in depth answer. Its better that the EQ says "best satisfies".

 d.  How can an anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?
Provides a framework for studies, but the studies would be very limited. It would not bring an in depth answer and has no argument or stance.

3.  Based on your review of the rule of 3 and your experience with assessing four EQs, please write another draft EQ for your senior project.  The senior team will be meeting with students shortly for EQ revision and approval; you are expected to bring your research notebook to that meeting with your EQ draft written inside in pencil.

What is the best way an owner-manager can help grow a small business such as a fruit and flower shop?

Lesson 1 Reflection

Content:

1. Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your Lesson 1 Presentation and why?

I was organized with my speech, I addressed everything I wrote on the Final Lesson Plan.

2. Questions to Consider
       a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 1 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE       P          AP       CR       NC

       b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 1 component contract.

I made time (8:33). I spoke of everything on my lesson plan in an organized matter. I added aspects of my mentorship and references from my 3 sources (including one reference in the intro). I had all the P considerations. My rough and final drafts were turned in on time. I was prepared on the stage with all my materials, I had an interactive intro where people raised their hands. I used my poster as a prop (which I asked Ortega if it was a prop and she said yes). My poster had my working EQ on it with paintings of roses to make the relation of our stores and the question. I removed my poster and cleaned the stage when it was time for the next presenter. I am writing this reflection blog on time. My voice was loud and I made eye contact. I made references to my mentorship and mentor. I showed application of my research with the use of my words. I was also wearing professional attire.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 1?

The working EQ poster worked.

4.  (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 1?

I would bring an extra prop, but then I would fear the time in talking about the prop.

Extra Post October: Investment Opportunity

October News:

A producer called our manager a few days ago. She told our manager that an actor wants Sweet Fruit Arrangements to provide an arrangement for free to give the actor's girlfriend.

She presented this opportunity as a chance to boost our publicity. The actor would post a picture of our arrangement on his twitter account which has 310,200 followers.

I was present when the manager told the producer that she would contact her with a reply. Since I have given the opportunity to help make decisions and work along side the manager. I did some research on if this would be a good investment.

The actor is not famous and even though he has 310,200 followers, not many people retweet or favorite his posts. I told the owner (my mentor) and he contacted the producer to decline her offer.

After all we have been noticed by many, including Snookie. We expect better opportunities than this in the future.

Blog 8: Research and Working EQ

1. Working EQ:   What is the best way an owner-manager can help grow a small business such as a fruit and flower shop?
2. What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format. 

• There needs to be communication between both the flower and the fruit shops.
• There has to be a better relationship with florists interface.

3. What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ? 
 The Future of Business: The Essentials

4. Who is your mentor, or where are you doing mentorship, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?
 My mentor is Ibrahim Baggia. He is the owner and CEO of Sweet Fruit Arrangements Incorporated. I have been working with my mentor in management for a long time. Sometimes, he lets me take over some of his duties. Since I am working hands-on as an intern owner-manager, I feel it has everything to do with my EQ.
 

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Approval

1. Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

I have been working with my mentor in management for a long time. Sometimes, he lets me take over some of his duties. For my independent components I want to divide half of my management time towards Sweet Fruit Arrangements and the other half towards Sweet Flower Arrangements. My mentor will allow me to work on management duties and create my own strategy towards owner-managing these two shops. For the first 30 hours I will work for Sweet Flower Arrangements.

 

2. Describe how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

I will have hours and duties I did during those hours. I will create a journal with many different things: ways of improving organizational skills, implementing professional tactics that I have read through my articles, and brainstorming new ways to improve and help the shops grow.

3. Explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

By having management duties, I will experience first-hand what its like to be an owner-manager. By creating a journal I will reflect on how I could improve and learn more about what I am doing right or wrong. This will help me in the future when I will be given more responsibilities for this family-business.

4. Update your senior project hours log.

Done.

Extra Post September- Business is...Blooming?

September News:

Our flower shop has a system what's called a florist to florist interface where any florist can place an order in the system with a specific zip code and we distribute for that florist in the desired area. But, under our agreement with 1800flowers we are not allowed to take any orders under $45, because it would not be profitable for us.

This month, our company decided to end an agreement with a company called FromYouFlowers due to many ongoing reasons. FromYouFlowers provided 80% of our florists to florists interface orders. The reasons for this were:

• FromYouFlowers send special requests on their deliveries which causes management issues with delivery routes in our company.
• 50% of their orders were under $45. Even though we have an agreement with 1800flowers, we still receive these orders daily. There is a way to reject these orders within 2 hours of receiving them, after 2 hours there is a penalty of $10, after 24 hours there is a penalty of $20, and after 48 hours the penalty is the full price of the arrangement.

Everyday, our company needed to reject 50% of the orders. This resulted in a very unorganized way to manage business because there was no way to reject the orders under $45. It was a very difficult decision, but our companies could not come to agreements. We will have less sales but we think we will still be profitable without having this disruptor in our business.

This situation has brought some new obstacles to the flower shop, which means more work for my mentor which also means more for me to learn! We are currently working on training employees  who are at minimum wage to save money. We are only going to have one designer and the new hires will be given less hours.

Blog 6: Second Interview Preperation

1. Who is your mentor and where do they work?

My mentor is Ibrahim Baggia. He is the owner and CEO of Sweet Fruit Arrangements Incorporated. He also works as Director of Operations at WIS International. LinkedIn

2. What 5 questions will you ask them about their background?

• Why did you choose this career?
• What kind of majors did you consider?
• Why did you start this fruit arrangement business?
• What were your original plans on a business?
• How did you begin to open this shop?
• How did you market and compete with Edible Arrangements?
• What made you decide to merge with 1800 flowers?

Blog 5: Mentorship Reflection

1. Mentorship Question: Describe your experience in how you found your mentorship?

I had many different ideas for my mentorship. First, I contacted many biotechnology firms and labs because biotechnology is the major I want to pursue in college. I never received a solid reply due to liability issues because of my age, so I moved on. Then, I decided to do a topic related to Robotics, because it has become a significant part of my life. Finally, my other option was our family business, which opened another shop during the summer. I had to chose between two very important topics which I will work on anyways throughout this year. To save my parents from the hassle of driving me to mentorship, I chose our family business. Through this topic, I will also be able to lower my parents burden at the new shop. By researching and working close with my dad, I will not only learn more about business but help manage and grow our small shops.

2. Research Question: What has been the most important article you have read and why?

The most important research piece I have read is an online textbook called The Future of Business: The Essentials. This textbook outlines supply chain management, selling process, and definitions of important terms such as wholesalers and industrial distributors. This book also explains how 1800flowers works. I will continue to use this book for the next research check. I chose this book because I want to learn more about how products are ordered and sold and the terms used to explain these processes.

Extra Post August- Flower Shop is now complete!

Today I went to visit the shops for the first time after my summer mentorship hours. I never had the opportunity to tell the employees and drivers about my senior project so I was very excited to do so.

Here's the good news. Whenever you start a business, you start small. When the flower shop had its opening in the summer, we shared a facility with a computer repair service,  next to the fruit arrangement shop. Today the owners of the computer repair service moved out. Now we have an entire shop which provides extra room for the growing business.

The sort of bad news: We had a power outage which interferes with orders coming in through the wire. Basically, we receive orders through Bloomnet, a service by 1800flowers for online orders. Fortunately, I took care of the problem by restarting the computer screens, opening our accounts, and printing the orders. We also have a great employee (more like a sister to me), Mariel, who fixed the power outage by herself.

Our family's flower shop is a dream come true. Just imagining how many people receive smiles everyday by such a sweet gesture, is priceless. Plus they smell so wonderful!

P.S. I love to change things up a bit, so I will be changing the flower arrangement on the left side of this blog. All the flower arrangements are the ones we offer through the website.

 

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

1. Who do you plan to interview? Why?

     I plan to interview my mentor, because this will help me get experience being the interviewer since I am comfortable talking to my mentor.

2. What additional questions do you plan to ask? What are open-ended questions?

• Why did you start this fruit arrangement business?
• What were your original plans on a business?
• How did you begin to open this shop?
• How did you market and compete with Edible Arrangements?
• What made you decide to merge with 1800 flowers?

Open-ended questions give the opportunity to have detailed answers instead of just a simple yes or no. This way we have more information from the interviewee.

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Working EQ

1. TOPIC: Small Business Management

2. Question of focus for this month:
     What is the best way to effectively manage and grow a small business such as a fruit and flower shop?

3. WB on right hand side of Blog under 'Project Links'.
     Working Bibliography



Blog 2: Summer Mentorship Component

Literal
1. (Know) Summer Mentorship Log
2. Ibrahim Baggia (562) 746-1874 at Sweet Fruit Arrangements
   
3. (Need to Know) What questions were raised because of the 10 hours of experience?

• Do I really want to do Business as my Senior Project?
• How can I incorporate Robotics into my Senior Project?

Interpretive

4. What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?
 

 The most important thing I gained from this experience is that starting and expanding a business is very difficult and requires patience. Since Sweet Fruit Arrangements is a small business, my mentor has many more responsibilities than a bigger business company. Another important aspect is organization and leadership. I worked with the owner and the manager; I realized that both had to take initiatives and be good leaders in order to have balance with the employees and drivers.

Applied

5. What is your senior project topic going to be?  How did what you did help you choose a topic?  Please explain.

I'm deciding on changing my topic altogether. I want to do the topic: STEM involvement in a Charter School. My new mentor will be Mr. Malara at Rowland Heights Charter School. The reason why I want to change my entire topic is because I want to incorporate Robotics into my Senior Project for both convenience and interest.

Blog 1: 2-Hour Presentations

1.What presentations did you see?

	Garcia, Alicia	Archaeology
	Lam, Krystal	Editorial Publishing
	Gallegos, Analysa	Criminology
	Pinto, Bryan	Plant Science
	Nakielski, Noah	Defense Systems Engineering
	Mira, Nathan	Graphic Design
	Gallardo, Kimberly	Personality Disorders
	Machuca, Vanessa	Microbiology
	Song, Daniel	Physical Therapy
	Trang, Brendan	STEM Involvement K-12
	Navarro, Christine	Biochemistry (Biofuels)
	Pacheco, Vanessa	Marketing Management
	Murillo, Gabriela	Advertising
	Esquivel, Alfonso	Internal Medicine
	Negrete, Tannia	Business Management
	Samonte, Miguel	Product Marketing and Advertising

2. What questions do you have that haven't been answered about the senior project? This can be about the senior project in general, any components or about a presentation topic you saw or what they said.

• Can my mentor be a family member?
• Why is the senior project a 2 hour presentation when the time is 1 hour?
• Why did only some people have a chance of re-presenting their project?
• How is senior project incorporated into our core classes?
• Is it true that you won't graduate if you score low on senior project?
• Why will the grade book say P if you have a 90+%?

3. What has the most important part of the senior project based on what you are seeing in the 2-hour presentations?

The most important part in my perspective was making time, but with stating content. Some of the presenters struggled to pass the time limit, they lacked content. I also believe being professional and maintaining composure.

4. What topic are you considering doing and why?

The topic I am considering doing is related to business and organization management. The reason why I want this topic is because of the current resources available to me. My father is a Masters in Business Management, also the CEO of small business called Sweet Fruit Arrangements. I have the privilege of two leadership positions on campus. I am currently the President of Diversity Club and the CEO/COO of iPoly Robotics.

I believe Robotics is similar to a business. We have a product (robot), we have to present and "sell" our product to the market (sponsors). We have to organize our business into departments (mechanical design, programming, etc). We also have a marketing team.

I also have an essential question in mind: What is the best way a CEO can manage an organization. Through this topic, I will learn techniques to be a better leader. I could implement this topic into my life. Although, I don't consider pursuing this topic as a major but a possible career.

5. What are you doing for your summer mentor ship?

I will intern as CEO's Assistant at Sweet Fruit Arrangements. I will work with my father, Ibrahim Baggia, to gain insight on what its like to be a CEO for a small business. This would be hands on learning experience.