18A – Create a Customer Avatar

The customer for lifestyle centers although can be geared toward practically anyone. Mostly it would be focused on Millennials as well as upper middle class and wealthy Americans. Most of the frequenters of the lifestyle centers would be anywhere between the ages of 18-45 and would be considered “foodies” valuing experiences over other things. Although many of these people will be accustomed to ordering many things through online retailers such as Amazon they will have a desire to see retail alive and well. Many of the millennials may choose to über or use Lyft rather than own a car and choose to rent an apartment rather than own their own home. The customers will be people who work in jobs such as retail or office and need a place to live and work together. 

The avatar would be a man named Paul. Paul is a 22 year old recent college graduate looking to seek out a job in the finance industry. Due to low demand and high supply of finance majors Paul fails to get a job he initially strived for and in the interim is taking a job working at a waiter a steakhouse located in the lifestyle center in which he lives in. Paul lives in an apartment with two roommates within the center and his part of the rent comes out to be $1200 a month + utilities. 

I have many similarities with my target customer as I too seek to find lifestyle centers to frequent rather than closed air dying malls. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my target audience has many similarities with myself. Many entrepreneurs will create products for people like themselves, simply because thats how they developed the idea in the first place. Having a need for something and there be no solution (Or at least not a good one).