Basecamp 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 customer support team made emergency hires to help with an unprecedented caseload—all during a turbulent time for the world at large. This is the story of those two weeks, in the voices of the people who fixed bugs, answered customer emails, fended off security threats, and pulled off one of the most audacious undertakings in company history.

Show Notes

HEY - 00:30

David Heinemeier Hansson on Twitter - 00:50

Jason Fried on Twitter - 1:22

Kristin on Twitter - 3:21

Javan on Twitter - 3:53

Jason's HEY demo on YouTube - 4:21

HEY's desktop apps - 5:26

Dylan on Twitter - 7:09

Zach on Twitter - 8:37

David's "burn this house down" tweet - 12:03

Protocol's coverage of Apple's rejection - 14:21

Macintosh SE - 16:20

Conor on Twitter - 18:26

Signal v. Noise post written for Juneteenth - 19:34

Lexi on Twitter - 20:54

Jason Fried's open letter to Apple about IAP - 22:09

TechCrunch interview with Phil Schiller - 23:32

David's olive branch tweet - 24:51

HEY for Work - 28:51

Rosa on Twitter - 31:32

Jorge on Twitter - 31:58

Michael on Twitter - 32:33

Jonas on Twitter - 33:00

"Hire When It Hurts" and "Welcome Aboard" are our episodes about Basecamp's hiring and onboarding processes - 36:08

Jason Fried's letter, "Apple, HEY, and the Path Forward" - 40:11

WWDC 2020 - 40:26

A League of their Own clip (you zip it, Doris!) - 41:24

Jeff on Twitter - 41:43

Troy on Twitter - 42:27

Chase on Twitter - 45:48

"The HEY Way" explains the case against Inbox Zero - 46:25

"Office Space," our episode on leaving the Chicago office - 50:12

This Week in Startups episode featuring DHH - 51:20

Basecamp's jobs page - 52:43