Running customer research for your own thing is so much different than running it for the employer. 

So in my previous roles before I went full into doing my own thing, I’ve done UX Research and Research Operations, running trainings for non-researchers on how to run research. 

All the teaching about “not being biased and actually listen to what people say and do” is already super hard when you are at your job. 

It becomes close to impossible to combat the confirmation bias when you do your own thing and you kinda have a vision and then, 1 qualitative insight out of 9 confirms it and I go like weeeell finally I get to do what I feel is right!!! 

Also I’ve noticed that I don’t follow the “UX research interview” playbook. I am a founder first, researcher second. I have a role and it is mixed with my non-biased researcher head that I’m wearing.  

And this is where it gets real juicy – do I follow the “playbook” of design thinking and listen to the user or do I lean into my intuition, because it is my own thing, after all? The stakes are higher, but so is the prize.