Out-Teach Your Competition
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonThroughout its tenure, 37signals has consistently grown without spending much on marketing.
Small BusinessJason Fried
Company Meet-Up: Amsterdam Edition
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonMeetups offer remote companies an opportunity to gather away from the day-to-day for more in-depth conversations that foster deeper relationships for the team and bigger leaps for the company.
Small BusinessDecisions are Temporary
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonCo-founders of 37signals, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson discuss decision making within an organization. Small businesses have the advantage of being nimble and able to change course quickly, so there’s no reason to get caught up in the “what ifs.”
Small Business, DHH and Jason FriedDon't be a Hero
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonYou’ve been working on a thing for days, weeks, maybe months and you’re still nowhere near finishing. Our natural instinct is to say, “I’ve already put this much time and energy into it, might as well finish.” Well, most of the time this is wrong. You’re not getting that time back either way and...
REWORK RevisitedQuick Wins
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonBuilding and maintaining momentum is one of the most underrated things you can do when building products. Keep moving forward by shipping work early and often. The longer something takes, the less likely it is you’ll finish it. At 37signals, we work in six-week cycles, but even six weeks is a long...
REWORK RevisitedGood Enough is Fine
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonAt 37signals, we tend to solve problems by finding a “judo solution.” The simplest, easiest, cheapest solution that gets you 90% of the way there. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be great. It just has to be good enough. Part of this is reframing and simplifying the problem itself....
REWORK RevisitedMeetings are Toxic (Season 2)
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonMeetings are the worst type of interruption. A one-hour meeting with five people is actually five hours of productivity lost. They’re also horrible at conveying information. So, why do so many companies jump to meetings as the first option. Next time try writing something up, jumping on a a...
REWORK RevisitedInterruption is the Enemy of Productivity
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonHaving a calendar peppered with meetings or other commitments is horrible for productivity. Most people need at least a few hours or even days of completely uninterrupted alone time in order to do their best work. On this episode Jason and David give some strategies for creating the empty space you...
REWORK RevisitedReasons to Quit
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonAre you doing work that matters or are you just doing what you think you should be doing? Sinking too much time into something that you should have quit working on weeks ago is an easy trap to fall into. Avoid it by asking yourself some simple questions:
REWORK RevisitedIllusions of Agreement
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonSimply describing your pitch can cause the illusion of agreement. Everyone may have a completely different idea of what you’re talking about. Try sketching it out, hum the melody you want to create, or, better yet, start building the thing. Removing these levels of abstraction ensures everyone is on...
REWORK RevisitedLaunch Now
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonIf you had to launch your thing in just two weeks what would you cut out? Put off anything you don’t absolutely need for launch. You can always build that stuff later when you have more information. It’s best to just get it out there!
REWORK RevisitedSell Your By-products (Season 2)
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonHenry Ford turned wood scraps from Model T production into charcoal. That company is now called Kingsford and it’s the leading manufacturer of charcoal in America. 37signals was a small web design firm before it started selling the project management tool it made to communicate with clients. That’s...
REWORK RevisitedTone is in Your Fingers
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonAny photographer will tell you it doesn’t really matter what camera you use if you know how to take a good picture. So often, businesses obsess over getting a fancy office, the best software or breakroom snacks, when they really should be focusing on getting customers and making money. It doesn’t...
REWORK RevisitedFocus on What Won't Change
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonA lot of companies focus on chasing hot trends or new technology. That’s all fine and good, but the core of your business should be built around the things that people will always want. In the case of Basecamp, that means speed, simplicity, and great customer service. For a company like Amazon, it...
REWORK RevisitedThrow Less at the Problem
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonWhen things aren’t working, it’s human nature to throw more at the problem. More money, more people, more time. However, this usually ends up making the problem bigger. So, do less! Reframe the problem in such a way that it can be solved with fewer people, less money, and without endlessly pushing...
REWORK RevisitedBe a Curator
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonEveryone has more ideas than they can realistically fit in a product. A good museum doesn’t just throw everything in its collection up on the walls. There’s a curation process. Someone says, “no.” It’s in making these edits that the real product comes out, so embrace it!
REWORK RevisitedMeetups and Miami
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonBasecamp was in Miami last week. I sat down with Jason and David to talk about why we were there, the importance of meeting colleagues in person, and investing in culture.
REWORK RevisitedMaking the Call is Making Progress
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonIt’s so easy to punt on something; to say, “let’s wait until we have enough information to make the perfect decision.” Perfect decisions don’t exist, putting things off makes them pile up, and you’ll end up getting absolutely nowhere. Very few decisions are set in stone. So, make calls as quickly as...
REWORK RevisitedIgnore the Details Early On
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonIt’s incredibly easy to focus too much on the little details of what you’re building. You can spend hours and hours on something that will rarely ship with the final product. And, details are important! But, early on is not the time to worry about them. Focus on the basics first and worry about the...
REWORK RevisitedStart at the Epicenter
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonWhen starting something new, you can work on the stuff you could do, the stuff you want to do, and the stuff you have to do. It’s the stuff you have to do is where you should begin. To find that epicenter ask yourself, “if I took this one thing away, would what I’m selling still exist.”
REWORK RevisitedBuild Half a Product, Not a Half-Assed Product
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonYou can’t do everything you want to do and do it well. You just don’t have the time, resources, people, etc., so you’re going to have to cut some things. But, this isn’t a bad thing at all! As with any other early constraints, embrace the editing process. Your product will be better off for it!
REWORK RevisitedEmbrace Constraints
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonWhen you’re just starting off you’re going to be surrounded by constraints. You probably won’t have enough time to do everything you want to do. You probably don’t have enough people or money either. Don’t worry! These are good things! It’s when you’re boxed in that you’re forced to make tough...
REWORK RevisitedLess Mass
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonBusinesses can get weighed down by things like excess staff, countless meetings, long-term contracts, etc. The more mass they take on the harder it is change direction. Being able to change direction, to change your mind, is essential to building a successful company.
REWORK RevisitedBuilding to Flip is Building to Flop
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonA lot of people start businesses with the hope that they’ll be able to sell it quickly for a huge pile of money. While this might happen sometimes, it’s extremely rare and even worse, the businesses created with this goal sacrifice so much just for the chance to sell. They sacrifice their customers,...
REWORK RevisitedStart a Business, Not a Startup
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonLast episode of the year and we’re talking about startups. The new dry cleaner down the street doesn’t call itself a startup. The pizza place on the corner doesn’t call itself a startup. They’re new businesses, that’s all! So, what’s so special about your tech company that you need a fancy word for...
REWORK RevisitedYou Need Less Than You Think (Season 2)
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonBefore you start your great new business you’ll NEED to hire some people, raise some money, rent an office, buy some ads, etc. etc. OF COURSE YOU DON’T. These are all just the trappings entrepreneurs tell themselves they need, when in reality, all you need is to start making something.
REWORK RevisitedOutside Money is Plan Z
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonTaking outside money to start your business may seem like a good idea, but there are a ton of strings attached… You give up control. Cashing out becomes the #1 priority. It’s addictive. It’s usually a bad deal. Customers become less important than investors… You get the idea. Outside money should...
REWORK RevisitedMission Statement Impossible
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonLast episode we discussed how important it is to stand for something and you’d think writing your values down in a mission statement would be a great way to let people know exactly what you stand for. Well, you’d be wrong. Mission statements are almost always vapid, boring, platitudes that end up...
REWORK RevisitedDraw a Line in the Sand
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonWhenever you start something, especially a business it’s important to know why you’re doing what you’re doing. Having strong opinions, standing for something, can help tremendously when it comes to making crucial decisions and creating super-fans.
REWORK RevisitedNo Time is No Excuse
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson“There’re just not enough hours in the day!” This is probably the most common excuse people give for not starting something. Well, guess what. There most definitely are a few hours you could probably squeeze in here and there. And, we’re not saying you have to quit your day job to do it!
REWORK RevisitedStart Making Something (Season 2)
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonThis week Jason and David discuss the essay titled “Start Making Something.” It’s only when you start building something the real insights come. Until then, all you have is just an idea. We also talk about Stanley Kubrick films and Jason introduces groundbreaking concepts like perforated pizza and...
REWORK RevisitedScratch Your Own Itch
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonBasecamp was originally designed as a way to manage 37signals’ client work and its success can be credited to the fact that it was designed to scratch a very specific itch by the people with that were itching. Now, we’re not saying that building something for others is necessarily a bad way to go...
REWORK RevisitedMake a Dent in the Universe
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonThis week we discuss the importance of doing meaningful work. At least meaningful to you. What you do is your legacy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to change the world. You just need to be doing something that changes YOUR world.
REWORK RevisitedEnough with Entrepreneurs
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson“Entrepreneur” sounds really fancy. Like a member of some exclusive club. But, what we’re really talking about is just someone who starts something. Is it time to retire this word? Is there a better word to replace it? Can a business podcast go 30 minutes without talking about Steve Jobs, luxury...
REWORK RevisitedWorkaholism
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonWorking long hours, putting in overtime, logging on on the weekends, have become badges of honor, but there’s a big difference between work and getting stuff done. This week Jason and David push back against this idea of workaholism.
REWORK RevisitedWhy Grow?
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonBasecamp has always prided itself on staying small and lean. But, with two major products, we’re going to change that. The question when looking to grow, however, is “why?”
REWORK RevisitedPlanning is Guessing
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonPeople put too much stock in making long-term plans, but let’s call them what they really are: guesses. On this episode we discuss deadlines, business plans, world domination, and Dungeons & Dragons.
REWORK RevisitedLearning from Mistakes is Overrated
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson“Fail early and often.” You hear this all the time in the tech start-up world. Failure has long been held up as a badge of honor for new start-ups. This week Jason and David take on this idea and make a pitch for learning from your successes instead of your mistakes.
REWORK RevisitedIgnore the Real World
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonWe continue our revisit of REWORK with the essay, “Ignore the Real World.” Topics include new ideas failing, risk avoidance, and Marvel movies.
REWORK RevisitedThe New Reality
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonIn this episode we dive deep into the introduction and chapter 1 of REWORK, The New Reality.
REWORK RevisitedBefore Basecamp
with David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason FriedREWORK is coming back for season 2 this September! In the meantime here’s a little bonus to tide you over. Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, during the dot com bubble, Basecamp co-founders, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson both had run-ins with venture-backed tech startups. These...
REWORK RevisitedHEY World
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonBasecamp co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about HEY World, a new feature of the HEY email service where customers can create a super simple blog. HEY World has no templates, no endless scroll, no ads, no trackers, and no JavaScript. It represents Basecamp’s attempt to create...
HEYHEY for Work
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonBasecamp is winding down a busy year with one more thing: the rollout of its HEY email service for the workplace. Co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about privacy, marketing, onboarding, and the other considerations that went into making HEY for Work. They also reflect on the...
HEYReturn to Mojito Island
with Jason FriedWe do a quick check-in with Basecamp CEO Jason Fried about what he’s been up to since launching HEY in June. He talks about running the company as the pandemic stretches on, the importance of not making promises, and learning to swim.
DHH and Jason FriedThe Email That Changed My Life
with Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson, Saya Hillman, Rick Cosgrove, Julie Wernau, Mike McGee, and othersBasecamp probably wouldn’t exist today if not for an email that David Heinemeier Hansson sent Jason Fried in 2001. That correspondence was the beginning of a partnership that produced Basecamp, several books, and most recently HEY, the company’s new email service. This episode is our love letter to...
Two Weeks
with Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson, Andrea LaRowe, Jonas Downey, Kristin Aardsma, Javan Makhmali, and othersBasecamp released its new email service, HEY, on June 15. It was supposed to be a calm, controlled product launch, but what followed was a period that CEO Jason Fried described as “chaotic, enthralling, (and) horrible.” Basecamp got into a public fight with Apple over the HEY iOS app and the...
HEY, Greatest HitsQ and HEY, Part 2
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonBasecamp co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson held a recent livestream session where they answered questions about HEY, the company’s new email service. You can listen to Part 1 or watch the entire livestream on YouTube.
HEYQ and HEY, Part 1
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonJason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson held a livestream session where they answered audience questions about HEY, Basecamp’s new email service. In Part One, they discuss feature requests, customer support, and plans for hiring. The full Q&A can be viewed on YouTube.
HEYHEY, What's Going On?
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonBasecamp has launched HEY, a new email platform with a strong point of view. It’s also one of the stupidest things Basecamp has ever attempted. Co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about the philosophy around time, attention, and privacy that forms the backbone of HEY, why Inbox...
Product Strategy Q&A with Jason Fried and Ryan Singer
with Jason Fried and Ryan SingerCEO Jason Fried and Head of Strategy Ryan Singer talk about the Shape Up approach to product development that we use at Basecamp. They discuss organizing work in six-week cycles, how to handle disagreement, and how so much of the process boils down to making trade-offs. You can also watch the full...
Shape UpRemote Work Q&A, Part 2
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonThis is the second part of a two-hour live Q&A on remote work that Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson held last week. Part 2 covers questions about interruptions, mental health, hardware and software tools, and building culture as a remote company. You can find Part 1 on our feed in your...
Remote WorkRemote Work Q&A, Part 1
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonEarlier this week, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson held a live Q&A about remote work. We’re splitting the session into two episodes. Part 1 covers questions about video calls, brainstorming, setting priorities, and good management during a time of stressful transition. If you’d like to...
Remote WorkThe (Social) Distance
with Jason FriedBasecamp is a remote company, so we’re less disrupted by the current pandemic than many other businesses, but we’re still taking steps to keep folks safe. Jason Fried talks about canceling the company’s April meetup and closing the Chicago office. REWORK will be taking a few weeks off so we can get...
Basecamp Behind the Scenes, Remote WorkYou Never Forget George Pappageorge
with Jason FriedBasecamp CEO Jason Fried is back in the studio with an update on the company’s Chicago headquarters. Basecamp will be leaving its office this summer after a 10-year run, and Jason is looking at a number of options—including a space that will bring him full circle with one of his original 37signals...
Basecamp Behind the Scenes, Remote WorkBasecamp: This Time it's Personal
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonBasecamp has a long history of experimenting with “freemium” models and recently launched its most generous free plan yet: Basecamp Personal. Co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about the debate and data analysis that went into the launch, what makes this a little scary, and...
Basecamp Behind the ScenesREWORK Mailbag 5
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonBasecamp co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer listener questions in this short but jam-packed mailbag episode. Among other topics, they discuss whether they prefer reading physical books or the Kindle; talk about providing feedback to rejected job candidates; and imagine a...
MailbagsIn the Market for a Marketer
with Jason FriedAs part of a mini hiring boom at Basecamp this year, CEO Jason Fried went looking for a position that had never existed before at the company: head of marketing. Over a thousand people applied for the role. In this episode, Jason explains how he narrowed a very competitive pool of candidates to find...
Farewell, Happy Camper
with Jason Fried and Adam StoddardBasecamp has a new website and a new logo. If this is the first you’re hearing about it, it’s because CEO Jason Fried opted out of the big rebranding announcement that many companies undertake. On this episode, Jason and marketing designer Adam Stoddard talk about what prompted the new look and the...
Basecamp Behind the ScenesThe Google Ads Shakedown
with Jason FriedOn Tuesday, Basecamp CEO Jason Fried tweeted about some shady business involving Google Ads and search results. The tweet got a lot of attention, so we brought Jason on the show to talk about what got him so riled up over Google. No punches were pulled in the making of this episode!
Basecamp Behind the Scenes, Big TechHire When it Hurts
with Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson, Andrea LaRowe, Kristin Aardsma, and Jeremy DaerBasecamp is known for hiring infrequently, but it’s in the midst of adding five new employees to its roster—including the company’s first-ever director of marketing. Over 4,000 applications have come in for the open positions. In this episode, we go deep into how we knew it was time to hire, why we...
Basecamp Behind the Scenes, Running a Calm CompanySix Hours of Phone Calls
with Jason Fried and Adam StoddardIn this episode, Basecamp marketing designer Adam Stoddard joins Jason Fried to talk about a marathon session of interviewing Search Engine Optimization consultants. Hear why they squeezed all the interviews into a six-hour block and what it’s like to shop for something you don’t really know...
Basecamp Behind the ScenesREWORK Mailbag 4
with Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson, and Kristin AardsmaBasecamp co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson are back in the studio to answer your questions. This edition of Mailbag includes topics like why big companies don’t use Basecamp; how they managed the transition from a web design agency to a product company; and what their business...
MailbagsOFFICE SPACE
with Jason FriedWe’re introducing a new segment called Last Week with Jason Fried, where Basecamp’s CEO talks about a task or concern that recently fell on his plate. In this inaugural episode, Jason talks about how the end of the company’s lease on its Chicago office leaves him with a big decision on how to design...
Basecamp Behind the ScenesReblog
with Jason Fried and Adam StoddardThe folks at Basecamp have been blogging since 1999, when Jason Fried would write by the light of a fire fueled by David Heinemeier Hansson’s savage indictments of the tech industry. A lot has changed since then (with the exception of DHH’s feelings about Silicon Valley). Basecamp’s blog, Signal v....
Basecamp Behind the ScenesSometimes It's Crazy At Work
with Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson, and Adam StoddardIn October, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson released their new book, It Doesn’t Have to be Crazy at Work. The book featured their writing, as well as cover art and interior illustrations from a couple designers at Basecamp. The launch initially seemed like a great success—but then things...
Basecamp Behind the Scenes, Running a Calm CompanyREWORK Mailbag 3
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonIt’s time for another episode where Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer your questions! In this one, they discuss how to apply calm company principles to client work and classrooms, and talk about healthy ways for business partners to disagree.
MailbagsTake a Break
with Jason Fried, Adeline Koh, and Rachel WinardSmell ya later! Shaun and Wailin are taking off the month of August. Before they left, they interviewed three business owners about sabbaticals. In this episode: Adeline Koh of Sabbatical Beauty shares the story of how she ended up starting a business while on leave from a different job; Jason Fried...
Running a Calm CompanyGo Behind the Scenes
with Jason Fried, Shannon McCann, Amy Emberling, and Frank CarolloA famous guy once said, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” But he was a grifter. In fact, going behind the scenes—whether it’s a factory tour or cooking show—can be a valuable experience for both visitors and guides. In this episode, we crash a middle school field trip to the Method...
Small BusinessREWORK Mailbag 2
with Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson, and Alison GreenBasecamp co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer listener questions about workplace communication and remote working. Alison Green of Ask A Manager, whom we featured in our previous episode, gives her advice on a couple of questions too. If you’d like to submit a question for...
MailbagsUpdate: Please Don't Like This
with Jason FriedJason Fried talks about designing an alternative to Basecamp’s Applause feature that is subtle yet expressive, and distinct from the kinds of reactions and feedback mechanisms used on social media platforms. (If you missed our previous episode on the debate over the Applause feature, go back and...
Basecamp Behind the ScenesJason Fried On To-Do Notifications
with Jason FriedSpecial bonus episode where Jason Fried discusses some of the thinking that goes into making a very small change to the to-do feature in Basecamp.
REWORK Mailbag 1 — Part 2
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonThis is the second in a two-part series in which Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer listener questions. If you’d like your questions answered on a future mailbag episode leave a message at 708.628.7850.
MailbagsREWORK Mailbag 1 — Part 1
with Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonThis is the first of two episodes where Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer questions from our listeners. In this episode, they talk about the role of luck and timing in starting Basecamp; ass pricing (yes, you read that correctly); hiring in the early stages of a business; and more. If...
MailbagsPlanning is Guessing
with Jason Fried, Mark Michaels, and Ann KienzleBasecamp’s founders never wrote a business plan when they started the company. Even today, they don’t like to look too far ahead. Too much long-term planning can hamper your ability to react to the present. Did you have plans to listen to this episode later? Be spontaneous and listen now! You’ll...
The Price of Basecamp's Water
with Jason FriedJason Fried talking about Basecamp’s pricing changes in some leftover bits that didn’t make it into the last episode.
Can You Sell Water? Part 1
with Jason FriedSelling is a core skill. You have to know how to sell, whether it’s a product, an idea, or yourself. In 2012, Basecamp CEO Jason Fried saw the results of a bottled water-selling challenge at Techstars Chicago, a bootcamp program for startups. That one-day competition is the starting point for a...
DHH and Jason FriedJason Fried at INDUSTRY 2017
with Jason Fried and Paul McAvincheyBasecamp CEO Jason Fried talks about ideas with Paul McAvinchey, co-founder of Product Collective, at INDUSTRY: The Product Conference in September 2017.
DHH and Jason FriedSell Your By-products
with Jason Fried and Richard KeesoWelcome to the first episode of REWORK! This podcast is based on Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson’s 2010 best-selling business book, which was itself based on years of blogging. So what better way to kick off this show than talking about byproducts? In this episode, Jason explains how...