REWORK

Before anything ships at 37signals, the team puts it to the test—by using it themselves. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about the importance of dogfooding, or using your own product before handing it off to customers. They share how this practice keeps them close to the real problems, and sometimes even kills off ideas that just do...

How do you decide what to work on next, without relying on a long, stale to-do list? In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , 37signals co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about why they don’t rely on lengthy roadmaps to set priorities. Instead, they focus on what makes sense now, not what seemed like a good idea months ago. They explain how working in real time leads to bette...

Have a day job but dreaming of launching the next big thing? In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , a listener question sparks a conversation with 37signals co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson about juggling consulting work while building products on the side. They share real talk about timing, expectations, motivation — and why your side project should serve you, even if it does...

In a world where constant reinvestment is celebrated, 37signals chooses profit. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about how profit gives them freedom, clarity, and staying power—not just for the company, but for their customers too. They make the case for building a business that’s solid, simple, and self-funded. Key Takeaways: 00:27...

Can you build a company that thrives even when you’re not in the room? In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , 37signals co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about the jobs they've created for themselves and how they're able to step away without progress coming to a halt. They discuss the fine line between being involved and letting the team run things without them....

How do you do more without growing your team substantially? In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , 37signals co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share how they’re expanding their product lineup while keeping their team lean. They reflect on how their approach to building software has evolved, and how pushing into the unknown makes the work more exciting.  Key Takeaways 00:28 – Ho...

Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer  listener questions in this episode of The REWORK Podcast . They discuss the roles 37signals hires for (and the ones they don’t), the importance of staying accessible as a founder, and the thought process behind choosing a business structure. Key Takeaways 00:16 – Employee roles at 37signals  04:33 – How non-programmers contribute to programming 16:4...

37signals' co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson are back to talk about the ins and outs of offering a product for free. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , they break down why they decided to reintroduce a free Basecamp plan, how offering free access can actually drive sales, and balancing analytics with instincts. Key Takeaways: 00:45 – The original philosophy behind Base...

There are no full-time managers at 37signals, but that doesn't mean the company is void of mentorship. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , host Kimberly Rhodes chats with Principal Programmer Jeffrey Hardy as he breaks down the company’s focus on peer-to-peer mentorship. They discuss hiring practices that allow for less management and what mentorship looks like amongst the team. Key Takea...

Does blogging still matter in tech? In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , host Kimberly Rhodes chats with 37signals' Principal Programmer Jorge Manrubia about why blogging is very much alive. They dig into the history of the 37signals developers blog, the company's process for contributions, and the added benefits this communication tool provides.  Key Takeaways: 00:50 – Meet Jorge 01:...

There is a way to bring your customers together in a meaningful way. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , host Kimberly Rhodes welcomes 37signals' Support Team members Merissa Dawson and Ashley Bowe to discuss how the Basecamp Community came to life. They describe how they've connected with Basecamp customers and how they've connected customers with each other. They also offer a...

Customer support is more than just a department — it’s a core feature of any great product. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , Kimberly Rhodes chats with Chase Clemons, Head of Customer Support at 37signals, about the company's view of support as a product feature. They discuss 37signals' approach to helping customers, the value of ongoing training, and how AI can fit into support s...

Wondering when it’s the right time to grow your team? In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , 37signals' co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson chat about their “hire when it hurts” approach as described in their book REWORK . They cover why you shouldn’t rush into bringing someone on board, how to know when there's a critical business need, and how to seize the moment when...

How does 37signals decide when software is ready to ship? In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , 37signals’ co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson discuss the company's Seven Shipping Principles . They dive into when a product update is good enough to ship and the importance of making updates to solve actual problems. Key Takeaways: 00:11 – We only ship good work. 03:36 – The p...

In this episode (originally aired February 1, 2022), 37signals’ co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson sit down with Shaun Hildner to discuss the consequences of building a business solely with the intention to sell. They share their perspective on building a business for the long haul versus for an exit. Key Takeaways: 00:46 – Building a company to sell can encourage mediocre output...

Bigger isn't always better. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , 37signals’ co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share the drawbacks of chasing high-profile, enterprise deals. The two founders explain why they prefer their business model that's built around serving smaller clients.  Key Takeaways: 00:35 – The biggest clients can quickly become the biggest burden and th...

As the year winds down, 37signals’ co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson join host Kimberly Rhodes to talk about the company's end-of-year routine. They explain their process for the last few weeks of the year that aren't part of a formal six-week cycle, and they share what they gain from this transitional period of "wandering." Key Takeaways: 00:43 – The informa...

Before introducing a new product feature, it’s essential to first understand the problem you're trying to fix. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , 37signals’ co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share a recent experience designing a new feature in HEY. During the process, the team pivoted and changed direction, resulting in a better design. Key Takeaways: 00:44 – The origi...

Remaining profitable in business is a simple equation — sales revenue exceeding operating costs. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast , 37signals’ co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson explain why controlling costs should be a bigger focus than what your competition is doing. They share some simple strategies for analyzing costs and share why operating without a formal office space...

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 exiti...

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...

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 revea...

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...

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...

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...