Over the last month I’ve been asking different people to help me with market research. We would spend an hour or two over a cup of coffee, me listening frantically taking notes.

It was a first experience of that kind for me, and I was actually pretty scared asking the guys that I did not know too well to spend time helping me with a personal thing. What surprised me is how many people gladly agreed to do so and how willing they were to talk about their needs and pains.

When I got back to my notes and analyzed the data, it suddenly came to me that during that month I got more insight into the industry that I had for maybe the whole last year combined.

Whenever you ever have a chance to talk to people, ask them what are they working on and what are their pains are. You will be amazed how much data and insight is there, stuff that is not in the books, delivered first-hand and with passion.