Today marks the end of my one-hundred-twenty-ninth week of working from home (mostly). Here are my takeaways from week one hundred twenty-nine:

• Pitching rough ideas – Sometimes the best people to pitch on an early, rough idea are those closest to you. It’s likely to happen during casual conversation about what’s new, which is a more relaxed setting than a formal pitch meeting. If they care about you, they’re more likely to give you honest feedback. It’s also a safe environment in which to refine your pitch. I did this myself this week, and it was helpful.
• Trusting my gut – Sometimes my gut pushes me to take certain actions that just “feel” right. I can’t always explain why it’s the right move at that moment, but after I reflect later, I can. This happened a few times this week. One resulted in an entrepreneurial insight that could prove pivotal. Note to self: trust your gut.  
• Not sure what they want – If you ask customers what they want, they’ll tell you they want a specific solution. If you ask them what they’d like to achieve long term, they’ll tell you something else. This week was a reminder that sometimes people don’t realize that what they say they want doesn’t align with what they’re trying to achieve. If you can recognize these instances, they can be opportunities to present an alternative solution they haven’t thought of.  

Week one hundred twenty-nine was a great one. Looking forward to next week.