Abstract
“Don’t start a business. Find a problem. Solve a problem. The business comes second.” This statement made by Robert Herjavec, the foundation of the Entrepreneurial spirt behind this project. The purpose of this project is to solve the problem of “X” homes lost to wildfires; a project close to my heart that I can bring to life thanks to my time at Sacramento State. Earning a Master of Business with a concentration in Entrepreneurship & Global Business has been an experience that has expanded my mindset on what is possible in life. We have learned many of the dynamic factors to account for when planning and hoping for success as an Entrepreneur. In this project, I demonstrate our invention of FireFighter1, the problem that influenced its development and how it will contribute to solving a problem. FireFighter1 was an idea my father had and worked on in his last few years of life, believing it was a product people needed. When I saw the opportunity to share his idea through an Elevator Pitch at Sacramento State, the hope was to get some feedback from people who were not emotional to the idea and see if it was worth pursuing. In pursuit of taking to market my father’s invention of FireFighter1, I was able to apply the fundamental concepts acquired while earning my degree. This allowed me the advantage of receiving constructive and positive feedback to ensure a successful product launch. On the product development side, I had access to professionals who guided me through prototype development and mentors to help me work through data collection and learning launches, ensuring the units are properly designed. On the business side, I had business leaders who assisted with the preparation of the financial projections and business plan. FireFighter1 products will begin being manufactured in the Sacramento area to support a 2019 soft launch. This business plan outlines the strategy in which we will employ and bringing to market, FireFighter1, a product that has a demonstrated value and market demand.