Every week, we invite listeners to send in their questions for 37signals’ co-founders, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. In this episode, they tackle a fresh set of asks, covering topics from managing multiple product lines, the company’s bonus structure, and their thoughts on incorporating AI into their tools.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:37 – How 37signals' looks at AI and using AI while exiting the cloud
• 03:47 – How to prioritize work when managing multiple product lines
• 11:33 – Deciding what problems to tackle first
• 18:49 – The company's take on equity and the structure of their profit-sharing plan

Links and Resources:

37signals' Employee Handbook

Basecamp classes with live Q&A

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

When it comes to business, it’s important to consider not only what customers would gain by using your product or service, but also what they're giving up. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, co-founders of 37signals, chat about understanding your customer's needs and motivations. They highlight that your competition isn't always who you think it is, and they discuss ways to position your product to address the customer's actual challenges.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:40 - The habit of the present. What people are already doing?
• 02:19 - A customer's alternative isn't always your direct competitor
• 05:06 - 37signals competition now vs. when the company started
• 06:29 - Being open to something new often requires breaking a habit
• 12:13 - Considering what people are replacing when developing 37signals newest products
• 14:00 - How dogfooding your product helps you figure out what it needs
• 17:33 - Using free trials, 1:1 demos, and group classes to give potential customers experience with your product

Links and Resources:

Jason's post about what your product replaces on X

Basecamp classes with live Q&A

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

Ever filled out a customer survey? For this conversation, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, co-founders of 37signals, share their approach to gathering customer feedback. They discuss the timing and frequency of feedback requests, the power of open-ended questions, and how to transform customer language into effective marketing.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:37 - A single open-ended question can reveal a wealth of valuable insights
• 05:51 - Listen for the language customers use in their feedback for possible marketing opportunities
• 08:42 - Form questions and answer fields that allow customers to use their own words to express what they think
• 14:18 - Focus on organic feedback rather than quantitative metrics

Links and Resources:

Customer feedback on basecamp.com

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 week's episode of The REWORK Podcast, 37signals’ co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share their approach to product design, explaining why the first version of a product (V1) is always built for the company's internal use case. They discuss responding to user feedback and the importance of actively using their own products to uncover issues. They also dive into the challenges they've faced when building software for someone else's needs vs. their own.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:35 - The problem with imagined use cases
• 07:21 - A trimmed down V1 gives you permission to focus on what's most important
• 10:28 - The story of Highrise
• 17:27 - “Dogfooding” to help identify and address product issues
• 20:48 - Avoid the temptation to react too quickly to early customer feedback
• 23:11 - Design breakthroughs come to life by creating innovative solutions

Links and Resources:

Version 1 is for you – Jason Fried's HEY World post

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 insights from their write-up, The 37signals Guide to Internal Communication. They discuss effective communication strategies within the company and with the public, offering practical advice to consider when conveying messages.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:41 - The backstory of how the guide was created
• 02:39 - The write up serves as both an internal reminder and a practical manual for how communication is handled at 37signals
• 06:36 - Why publishing doesn’t require perfection
• 10:52 - Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings
• 18:26 - How unclear communication can come across negatively
• 23:03 - Why you shouldn't rush tough conversations 

Links and Resources:

The 37signals Guide to Internal Communication

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 their book REWORK, 37signals’ co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson write about the power of saying no. This week on the podcast, they revisit that idea, diving into the hidden costs of saying yes and the burden of commitments that often come with it. They also discuss how saying no preserves simplicity and helps maintain focus.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:45 – Saying yes often comes with regret
• 03:00 – Yes feels good until it’s time to fulfill the commitment
• 07:58 – Adding features to products often results in layered complications
• 14:53 – Saying no is more difficult when you have the capacity to say yes
• 19:51 – The courage to say no creates space for simplicity
• 29:30 – The best way to say to no to customer requests

Links and Resources:

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

Twice a year, 37signals brings the entire team together for a company meet-up. In this week’s episode of The REWORK Podcast, co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson reflect on how these meet-ups began and how they've evolved over time. They also discuss how they prepare for the meet-ups and the importance of the venue selection.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:50 - Jason shares the early history of 37signals' meet-ups
• 02:18 - Why in-person conferences build deeper connections than online meetings
• 06:57 - How the location and architecture of meeting spaces can elevate the experience
• 15:30 - Weighing the financial cost of a meet-up against the value it delivers
• 18:48 - Memories from the company's Atlanta gathering
• 22:17 - An inside look at the meet-up agenda

Links and Resources:

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 explore the many benefits of having full control over their business. They talk about the importance of taking measured profits and running an efficient operation, which allows freedom to create without constraints. This approach gives them room for trial and error and plenty of flexibility for expanded opportunities.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:41 - The launch of Writebook confirmed 37signals' achievement of optionality
• 03:19 - Ideas and decisions don’t have to be perfect when a company is run efficiently
• 09:26 - 37signals history with buyout offers
• 11:22 - When it was tempting to consider venture capital offers
• 18:03 - Finding fulfillment in doing what you love rather than creating solely for profit

Links and Resources:

“Achieving Optionality” HEY World post by Jason Fried 

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

It's been reported that up to 75% of the population has a fear of public speaking. This week, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, co-founders of 37signals, recount some of their previous speaking engagements and share a few tips for building the skill. They discuss the styles of successful speakers and their thoughts on being over prepared.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:47 - Jason recalls his first speaking gig
• 02:30 - David shares his preferred style of delivering a talk 
• 06:48 - Preparing for talks, podcasts, and Q&A sessions
• 08:15 - Preparing for keynote speeches and speaking with authenticity
• 13:05 - Examples of great public speakers who are authentically themselves on stage
• 14:43 - Being comfortable improvising a bit on stage

Links and Resources:

• 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 discuss their unique approach of operating without full-time managers. They reflect on the company's experience with full-time managers and share why they've moved to a flatter organization.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:54 - The before and after of 37signals' experience with full-time managers
• 08:34 - The founders thoughts on being directly involved in the business
• 10:36 - Why the company's management hierarchy works best for the founders
• 17:17 - 37signals' career ladder doesn't necessarily mean people leadership
• 20:03 - What company size makes sense for having more management layers

Links and Resources:

• HEY World post – We once more have no full-time managers at 37signals
• 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