Assignment 6A - Identifying Opportunities in Economic and Regulatory Trends

• Economic Trend: Smaller importers will have to find new manufacturers
• Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/business/pello-bikes-china-tariffs.html
• I believe this because President Trumps latest tariffs will cause prices to rise even more on imports from China, which could drive a lot of smaller firms out of business. Parts are not as cheaply and readily available in the United States, thus these firms will have to look elsewhere.
• The prototypical customer would be the firms that are currently observing the market and can see that their importing expenses are increasing. They might have already started to look towards new importing possibilities.
• This opportunity is definitely hard to exploit because China has been the number one exporter of manufactured goods for a reason. Any business which seeks to replace that, even if it is for smaller firms only, would need to be innovative in its solution.
• I saw this opportunity because I have recently been paying a lot of attention towards the trade war and it hurts me to see small businesses affected the way they are. Our country's economy is increasingly becoming more focused towards the needs of larger, more monopolistic firms and it goes against everything a free market should stand for.
• Economic Trend: Rise in pay for tree cutters in California
• Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/business/energy-environment/pge-wildfire-trees.html
• With the rise of global temperatures due to climate change, wildfires are expected to become even more frequent. California is known to suffer terribly from these wildfires, and now electrical companies are struggling to find people willing to be tree cutters because of the dangers associated with the job. If they want to reduce the danger, then they are going to have to create more benefits for those who may be thinking about doing that job.
• The prototypical customer would have to be a strong outdoors male or female who is not scared of heights and enjoys thrills and adrenaline rushes. People who are into outdoor activities and exercises, while also accepting that their lives are constantly in danger would be best suited.
• This opportunity would not be hard to exploit for the right person. The article literally says that electrical companies are having difficulties finding people to perform the job. Thus, a potential employee would simply need to get into physical shape and perhaps negotiate their starting salary.
• I didn't have much difficulty discovering this opportunity. The article practically stated it and I support workers having more negotiating power so I thought it was only natural that pay rises would happen in this situation.
• Regulatory Changes: Possibility of lesser expenses for businesses with animals
• Source: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS-2017-0062-47066
• I see an opportunity with this proposed amendment to existing regulations because it states that it will reduce regulatory burden and help licensees more easily comply with the act. Businesses will then no longer need to spend as much time and money ensuring that they are complying with the original act.
• The prototypical customer would be any business or veterinary services currently working with animals. 
• I think this would be relatively easy to exploit, especially if it were a new animal services starting out. There would be less stringent barriers to entry.
• I see this opportunity because loosening of regulations is almost always good for businesses, especially ones that deal with compliance and are barriers to entry. A new service would not have to factor in as much expenses when accounting for taking care of the animals.
• Regulatory Changes: Developing a new insular product
• Source: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FDA-2019-N-1132-0001
• I see this as an opportunity because pharmaceutical companies and Corporate America in general have become far too powerful and greedy. They hike up prices with the pretext that its necessary for the businesses to remain functional all the while people are struggling to buy medication and their CEOs amass wealth of a thousand lifetimes. Since the government refuses to regulate prices, then the least they can do is support the development of some new insulin product and increase market competition.
• The prototypical customer would be any company capable of developing a new insular product. I'm not sure how insulin access currently works, but I know the original developer of insulin sold the patent for $1, so getting access to how to develop a new brand of insulin should not be too difficult.
• If the FDA were too actually decide to support the development of a new insulin product, then they would probably give some kind of grant to any company that is able to present its idea for it which would help facilitate the completion of the product.
• I saw this opportunity because I have been following up with the insulin issue to see what our government would decide to do. I read a story about someone who died because they were trying to take smaller doses since insulin prices are so high and I've been furious about the topic since.