In their book REWORK, 37signals' co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson caution against glorifying nonstop work. In this week's podcast, they tackle a listener's questions related to the chapter Workaholism and dig into employee management including how to measure productivity and how to track progress. They explain why simple conversations often matter more than complex systems.

Key Takeaways

• 00:15 – Judge productivity by paying attention and staying engaged
• 07:50 – Tracking progress doesn’t require complicated systems
• 11:44 – Conversations matter more than systems; don't be a coward
• 15:11 – When work ramps up, handling busier times without burning out

Links and Resources

• Record a video question for the podcast
• Books by 37signals
• Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com
• HEY World | HEY
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X

Curious how Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson keep their attention where it counts? In this episode of The REWORK Podcast, the 37signals co-founders join host Kimberly Rhodes to talk about the different ways they approach focus. From procrastination that sometimes pays off to meditation and visualization, Jason and David share their tips for finding and maintaining focus. 

Key Takeaways

• 00:44 – What procrastination really tells you
• 05:30 – Traditional and alternative meditation practices
• 13:28 – Breaking through a creative block
• 16:35 – Building a work schedule that makes focus easier

Links and Resources

• Record a video question for the podcast
• Books by 37signals
• Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com
• HEY World | HEY
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X

37signals' co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share more about their business than many founders. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast, they chat with host Kimberly Rhodes about why transparency is important to them. They talk about how sharing openly can double as marketing, the upside of showing work that's still in progress, and why timing matters when deciding what to put out to the public.

Key Takeaways

• 00:13 – Why transparency matters at 37signals
• 03:07 – Everything is marketing
• 09:22 – Letting people follow along while the work is happening
• 12:43 – Knowing when and what to share

Links and Resources

• Record a video question for the podcast
• Books by 37signals
• Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com
• HEY World | HEY
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X

37signals' co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson revisit how their approach to marketing began with a simple blog. They share why writing with authenticity matters, how patience pays off when building an audience, and why staying true to your own voice is important.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:12 – How 37signals' marketing started organically with a blog
• 02:53 – Authenticity is a must when writing
• 07:02 – Patience is key to growing an audience
• 08:18 – Don’t let algorithms dictate your content
• 13:08 – Make time to write while your ideas are fresh
• 16:21 – Marketing is simply transferring enthusiasm
• 22:22 – Audiences want to see behind the curtain

Links and Resources:

• Record a video question for the podcast
• Books by 37signals
• Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com
• HEY World | HEY
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X

Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson sit down with host Kimberly Rhodes to field a fresh round of listener questions. They share perspectives on when coding assistance makes sense, finding a co-founder to compliment your skills, business succession planning, and more.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:17 – When AI coding tools help vs. when they get in the way
• 05:44 – Does start-up success require a co-founder?
• 10:02 – Small business succession planning
• 15:46 – Honing the skill of coming up with new product ideas
• 21:41 – New ideas are often just solving existing problems

Links and Resources:

• Record a video question for the podcast
• Books by 37signals
• Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com
• HEY World | HEY
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X

In this episode, 37signals co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about why résumés, job titles, and career timelines take a back seat to what really matters when hiring — your actual work. They share how real-world examples cut through the noise, and open doors for people who may not have a traditional path.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:00 – Episode highlights
• 00:10 – Why final hiring decisions come down to a candidate’s actual work
• 03:50 – The 37Better redesign project
• 07:27 – How real project work reduces the guesswork of hiring
• 14:29 – Why creating work outside your portfolio shows your range and creativity
• 20:02 – Hiring when it hurts

Links and Resources:

• “Years of Evidence” from Jason Fried’s HEY World
• The 37Better Project (archived)
• Record a video question for the podcast
• Books by 37signals
• Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com
• HEY World | HEY
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X

In this bonus episode of REWORK, 37signals' co-founder and CTO David Heinemeier Hansson shares his exploration into Linux, development of Omarchy, and the company's decision to go all-in.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:43 – David's exploration into Linux and development of Omarchy
• 04:27 – How Omarchy is different, Hyprland, and tiling windows managers
• 11:05 – The joy and excitement in exploring something new
• 13:14 – The recent announcement David shared with the 37signals' team regarding Linux and Omarchy
• 21:20 – Why it's important for the team to be all-in on Omarchy
• 24:14 – Tips for overcoming the challenge of transitioning to Linux
• 28:20 – What this new system means for Omakub
• 30:24 – David's responds a few negative comments on X about the company's decision
• 34:25 – 37signals is releasing a new podcast later this year

Links and Resources:

• The company's internal announcement about moving to Omarchy 
• Record or upload a video question for Jason and David
• Get Basecamp for free at Basecamp.com
• Books by 37signals
• HEY World | HEY
• REWORK podcast merch
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X

This week on The REWORK Podcast, 37signals' co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson explore a listener question about approaching software as art. They discuss the importance of having a point of view as you're building products.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:15 – Great software helps customers see things from the creator’s perspective
• 07:31 – A company’s worldview comes through in the product
• 14:09 – Your product’s point of view evolves as it takes shape
• 18:35 – The creation process is meant to stay flexible
• 20:05 – Solve one problem at a time to maintain a clear development flow

Links and Resources:

• Record or upload a video question for Jason and David
• Get Basecamp for free at Basecamp.com
• Books by 37signals
• HEY World | HEY
• REWORK podcast merch
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X

37signals' co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson are back behind the mic with host Kimberly Rhodes. This week, they’re discussing balancing personal interests, health, and hobbies with business success. They discuss building a healthy company without it taking over your life.

Key Takeaways:

• 01:12 – Why business health is all about balance
• 05:48 – The hidden cost of overcomplicating your business
• 08:36 – Taking a closer look at how you're spending your time
• 15:10 – Leaders should be available
• 18:57 – The downside of over scheduling your days
• 20:44 – Basecamp’s approach to requesting people’s time
• 25:26 – Your outside interests don’t have to tie back to work

Links and Resources:

• Slack: Getting Past Burnout, Busywork, and the Myth of Total Efficiency by Tom Demarco
• Record or upload a video question for Jason and David
• Get Basecamp for free at Basecamp.com
• Books by 37signals
• HEY World | HEY
• REWORK podcast merch
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X

In this episode of The REWORK Podcast, 37signals co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer a fresh round of listener questions. They share how they stay focused when new ideas pop up, how structured work periods lead to steady progress, and why they’re careful about adding too much to their products.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:18 – Staying grounded by tackling one thing at a time
• 06:08 – How scheduled work cycles keep the team on track
• 11:58 – Trimming complexity to keep products lean
• 20:21 – A preview of what’s in store for Basecamp 5

Links and Resources:

• Record or upload a video question for Jason and David
• Get Basecamp for free at Basecamp.com
• Books by 37signals
• HEY World | HEY
• REWORK podcast merch
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X