Mark Bryan, mab539

Self-Evaluation Project

Through this assignment, I have reflected on what I have done well and what I could

have improved during the first half the semester. This reflection process has helped me identify

what I can do in the second half of the semester to be more successful in the course and in my

semester intention. Below, I have organized my responses in the order of the reflection questions

posed in the assignment.

1. How are you leveraging your dominant entrepreneurial style (BP10) as you approach your
country project? What progress have you made on your entrepreneurial commitment card?
What is the benefit of having that style when thinking about doing business in your selected
country? Why?

As I approach my country project, I have applied my entrepreneurial strength in knowledge

by expanding my understanding of Spain above and beyond what is required to complete the
project. For example, I have refreshed my Spanish skills by using Duolingo on a weekly basis.
This has helped me to feel more confident looking at articles and content written in Spanish.
Also, I recently decided to take a post-graduation trip throughout Spain, which has forced me to
learn about the various regions in the country. I am currently considering seven different Spanish
cities, so I have sought out knowledge about the unique culture in each individual city as well as
the transportation infrastructure that can help me travel between cities. This is incredibly relevant
to my country project since I am focusing on creating a travel planning tool.
In my entrepreneurial commitment card, I focused on improving my pitching,
communication, and networking skills. One way I have heightened my communication skills is
by participating in class more frequently than I do in a typical course. Additionally, I have spent
roughly 50% more time on my video logs than I did last semester when I took the Technology
for Bootstrapped Entrepreneurs course. I have seen significant results from this additional effort,
as I have seen the quality of my video logs improve greatly and my pitching become more
natural.
I believe that having an entrepreneurial strength in knowledge is beneficial to doing business
in Spain due to the wide variety of cultures that exist in Spain. Due to its position in Europe,
some regions have cultures that are heavily influenced by foreign countries in close proximity,
such as Portugal and France. This leads to a unique cultural landscape throughout Spain, and it
requires a determination for knowledge to fully understand these cultural differences within the
country.

2. What has your approach been to complete the work each week? What makes you successful
in managing the demands of an online day versus an in- person class? Do you find that you
learn better in an active environment in class or individually on the computer?

I am a very independent learner who likes to gradually chip away at assignments, so I have
taken this approach to completing the work each week. For example, I try to look at the hybrid
session work as soon as it is released in order to plan how I am going to complete the work in the
time until the hybrid session closes. These hybrid sessions have gone very well for me due to my
entrepreneurial strength in independence. I find that I learn better individually on the computer,
so the hybrid work caters to this strength. This environment allows me to ingest information at
my own pace and control how I allocate my time to complete the work.

3. What improvement have you seen in your vlogs? What is one thing that you are going to
work on improving in your vlogs forward? What feedback have you received after your
pitching in class during the networking activities that can help you improve your vlogs?
What do you appreciate/admire about the vlogs that you have seen in class during Break
It/Better It?

I have seen my vlogs improve significantly since I have been intentional about spending 50%
more time on my vlogs compared to my previous semester in Technology for Bootstrapped
Entrepreneurs. For example, I have invested more time in video editing and improving sound
quality, which has helped make my vlogs clearer and easier to understand. Also, I have seen how
my pitching has become more enthusiastic and personable in my vlogs. This heightened ability
makes my video pitches feel less scripted and more natural. I plan to continue this effort in order
to further improve the quality of my vlogs.
It has been very beneficial to have received feedback after my second vlog was shown in
class. Other students in the class said that I structured my arguments well and identified lighting
and video quality as an area for improvement. In addition to receiving this feedback on my own
work, I have also gained a lot from viewing other students’ vlogs. I admire how some students
have a very natural, free-flowing pitching ability, and this is a quality that I am striving for in my
vlogs.

4. What do you already know about the culture of the country you are focusing on for your
project? What do you factor in when defining 'culture'?

Prior to this semester, I had already possessed significant knowledge of Spain. I took Spanish
all through high school and even passed the Advanced Placement test for the Spanish language.
Through this coursework, I learned about the culture and history of Spain, which has given me a
foundational understanding of Spain in order to view the country through an entrepreneurial lens.
When I refer to culture, I include the aspects of food, political environment and ideology,
religion, art, community values, and music associated with Spain.

5. How are you learning more about your selected country outside of class? What opportunities
(challenges) have you identified in the country you selected? 
Which of these opportunities
are most interesting to you to address in your business idea? Why?

One of the ways that I am learning about Spain outside of class is by planning a post-
graduation trip for June that I will take with my older brother. Through this planning process, I
have learned a lot about the geography of Spain as well as its history, culture, and infrastructure.
This planning project inspired me to take on the business model of a software product that assists
people in trip planning. I have found it very difficult and time consuming to organize the
logistics of an international trip, such as transportation between different cities and the
scheduling of activities, so I have identified this as an opportunity for a business.
6. How have you leveraged your network to date in relationship to class material/the country
you selected? What value has your network added to your class journey? Where are there
opportunities to better leverage your network in alignment with your semester intention?
How do you keep your semester intention front of mind?

I have many people in my network that have spent a significant amount of time in Spain.
This includes people who have lived or were born in Spain, travelled through the country, or
studied abroad in Madrid or Barcelona. These connections have been critical to my
understanding of Spain, as I have consulted them frequently for information related to the
country.
There are also ways in which I could further leverage my network in alignment with my
semester intention. For example, most of my interactions with my network related to course
material are about the culture of Spain. In the future, I hope to leverage these connections to
learn more about the business environment in Spain. This can be done by being intentional about
the types of questions I ask people in my network.

7. How are you improving your networking methods? What can you take forward for your
future networking work from this class (resources, approaches, mindfulness, etc...)? How are
you holding your partner accountable to his/her commitment to using his/her strengths that
were outlined on the entrepreneurial commitment card in February? Do you think your
method will serve you well in similar situations on your entrepreneurial journey forward? 


I am improving my networking methods by being more intentional about how I use my

network. This class has motivated me to initiate more conversations with my connections. As an
engineer, I have very few classes that focus on growing networking skills, so I have gained
invaluable insights and resources for improving my skills in this area. For example, I have
gained an appreciation for following up with connections and showing gratitude through thank
you notes. This was reinforced in class when Hakan discussed how significant this can be in
leaving a positive impression with a contact.