Individual Learning Reflection
Learning Week: 2
Name: Ngo Dang Quan
Student ID: 11225369
This week, I learned how to evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities more
systematically. We covered practical tools like SWOT and PEST analysis to
understand strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in both the internal
and external environment. I also learned how to create a customer persona by
identifying customer jobs, pains, and gains, which really helped me think from the
customer’s perspective. The part about conducting customer interviews stood out
to me - especially the rules of listening more than speaking, avoiding leading
questions, asking “why” to find deeper motivations, and seeking real experiences
instead of just opinions. These techniques made me realize how important it is to
gather raw data before making decisions, rather than just relying on assumptions.
The concept of value proposition fit was also eye-opening. It showed me that a
business must not only offer a good product, but also clearly solve important
problems, create real gains, and reduce pain for the customer.
The highlight of the week was the speech of the YBox founder. He shared
his journey of building YBox, a platform that helps students find scholarships,
jobs, and learning opportunities. He spoke honestly about the difficulties he faced
- searching for valuable partners, staying motivated when things got tough, and
having the courage to stick to his vision even when others doubted him. What
inspired me most was how he combined courage with a willingness to learn and
adjust along the way. He also gave practical advice about promoting a business: be
consistent, communicate your value clearly, and innovate to stay relevant. This
really connected with what we learned in class about listening to customers and
constantly improving your value proposition.
I can relate this to my own experience when running a rehearsal room.
When I first opened, I had to trust my idea and promote it even though I wasn’t
sure how many customers would come. I relied on my network of musician friends
and my own knowledge of what a classic band’s need. Like the YBox founder, I
faced the challenge of finding good partners - such as reliable equipment suppliers
and sound technicians - and I realized those relationships directly affect my
service quality. Moving forward, I plan to interview my current customers using
the techniques we learned, asking questions like “What do you find most
challenging when booking practice space?” or “What would make your experience
better?”
For the NVC course project, during the initial period We had quite a bit of
difficulty identifying the problem to develop a solution based on it. For myself, I
have been constantly observing, trying to find problems happening around me, but
the results have not been as expected. When Khánh Linh presented the issue of
foreign tourists facing difficulties in their travel experiences in Vietnam, I didn't
hesitate to ask questions, gather information and opinions, and leverage all my
connections to determine the urgency of this matter. The result is that the issue is
completely common and feasible to undertake a project on it. In just one week, I
felt like I truly maximized my business knowledge, market research skills, and
teamwork abilities!
Next week, I've been assigned the task of designing a questionnaire to
survey customers and better understand them. Since our target customer base is
foreign tourists, we will certainly encounter some difficulties due to language
barriers or the electronic devices and software they use. This will be an
opportunity for me to gain real-world experience in business, specifically in
market and customer analysis.