Blog 22: Senior Project Reflection

 1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your Block Presentation and/or your senior project? Why?

I was able to give my audience the knowledge of how Starbucks as a corporation runs and how it effects America. Many students don't understand how the service industry works therefore explaining that to them as well was extremely important and how one day they'll be able to experience this. 


(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Block Presentation (self-assessment)?

                                                                  AE      

b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project (self-assessment)?

                                                                   AP       
(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

What worked for me was having the ability to gain a strong and reliable mentor throughout my senior project and having my amazing house teacher there to push and guide me throughout this entire senior project. 

(4) (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would have you done differently to improve your senior project if you could go back in time?
Perhaps improve the effort in general that i put into this project. This subject was extremely amazing and I've could've so much better if I just started trying harder in the beginning.  
(5) Finding Value
How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?   Be specific and use examples.

Because my senior project surrounded on basically the service industry in the United States , it has allowed my to gain numerous skills that are needed in the real world. That is whether its communication within people or trying to develop and gain personal skills. This project has opened my eyes to what people are really like out there and how to achieve goals that many would think otherwise to be impossible. 

Blog 21: Mentorship

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

The most important thing I've learned from this experience was the people are just people in the end. All you have to do is strip away all the money and titles including the things people own and you break that barrier that the service industry has worked so hard to create. Working at Starbucks has given me the opportunity to enhance my ability to relate to others, and love and serve people even when they don't serve or love me back. 

     How has what you’ve done helped you to answer your EQ?  Please explain.

When people have a job or do something that they don't mind doing every day they find significance in adding value to something other than themselves, people want to help and change the lives of others. Working and experience Starbucks has allowed me to commit not only to my own personal gain ( which isn't a huge check btw) but I invest my own time in what I'm doing each day. Its my own personal conviction to help enlighten other people's days with a smile. Everyday I come from work learning something new about myself, about the business and other people, these are life lessons that are basically found everywhere including a job that you hate, there are always things to learn with the right perspective. 

Blog 20: Exit Interview

 What is your essential question and answers?  

• What is most important in managing a profitable Starbucks?
• A manager can best have a profitable Starbucks if they:
• create a positive and productive team environment. 
• have a team that is knowledgeable of your products and services
• become actively involved in the community. 

What is your best answer and why?

• Community Involvement. 
• Perhaps the most successful companies throughout the United States are those are participate in the community. Not only do these companies actively participate in the community, they create a voice for themselves being globally aware.  The community the store serves is the key to success for Starbucks. Starbucks stores must actively build relationships with an community and customers, this improves business performance by having the store connect with the diserve cross-sections of the community.

What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

• It actually took me a while to come up with this answer because Starbucks has actually done multiple things to try and become successful and majority of them have allowed them to successfully expand therefore Howard Schultz actually explained that "its not about the making money anymore, its about the community and the people within the community." This provided me with my third answer and ultimately my best answer. 

What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

• One of the issues  during was the ability to perform to activities that relate to my Independent Component 2. Not only this but getting evidence of these activities while working on the floor is prohibited by Starbucks. I had to speak with my manager and explain to him the importance of expanding our knowledge of coffee with activities relating to my Independent Component 2. During this week of me trying to get evidence, I was able to take a few shots of my store's coffee tasting we had. 

What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

• Source 19: The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary  by Joseph Michelli 
• The book shares many key components on what has made Starbucks successful and allowed them the ability to expand as successful as they did throughout the world. Currently working for Starbucks I have the ability to get company articles however this book provides the perspective of what society expects from Starbucks and the experience customers should receive after visiting any Starbucks store. It explained the key components of Starbucks and how community awareness is one major part in the Starbucks movement. 
• Mentor: Daniel Lerch, Current store manager at Archibald and 60fwy.
• My mentor basically held the answer to any questions I had during my Independent Component. He explained the importance of why stores should always help the community and get to know how they view our impact in their area. Explains multiple questions with reasons and due to his background with Starbucks its clear he's a reliable source. 

Blog 19: Independent Component 2

Content:  

LITERAL
(a)  “I, Brandon Rodriguez, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”
(b) Best Source: Daniel Lerch. (909) 930-1040
(c) On the right. 
(d) I completed multiple hours of extensive training and development. 

INTERPRETIVE These extensive training and development towards my future with Starbucks was towards extending my voice within the company and gaining a deeper knowledge of management. The training involved the use of management skills and knowledge of Starbucks products more specially the coffee we provide. Still not eligible to become a coffee master due to my lack of experience within the products we provide, the training allowed me to develop questions for my 4th interview. I participated in numerous coffee tasting with my team at my store, trying the new products we have at Starbucks. 

"Using a french press actually provides a richer and full-bodied coffee brew than other methods. Blueberries are perfect to combine with the acidity levels of the coffee. "

 "This coffee tasting consisted of three blonde blends. Two of these blends are found year-round in Starbucks, however the Light Sky Blend is only season. All are arabica beans and contain a low-acidity level."

 "Coffee tasting with my manager of Pike Place vs Pike Place Special Reserve"

How did the component help you answer your EQ? This component helped me gain a deeper knowledge of the benefits that Starbucks employees have for example the Coffee Master's Program is available to any partner that wishes to extend his/her knowledge of coffee. It helped me with my 2nd and 3rd answers. I had a customer asking about the difference between the brews of coffee and I was successfully able to provide her with correct type of coffee she was looking for. It is essential for partners to gain a deeper knowledge of the products that Starbucks provide to ensure the success of the store.