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REWORK

REWORK
Author: 37signals
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© 2025 37signals
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A podcast by 37signals about the better way to work and run your business. The REWORK podcast features the co-founders of 37signals (the makers of Basecamp and HEY), Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson sharing their unique perspective on business and entrepreneurship along with host Kimberly Rhodes.
317 Episodes
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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 – How 37signals’ product lineup has evolved over time08:00 – Why the company is adding a product ...
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 programming16:44 – Techniques for writing job descriptions18:47 – Tips for being an accessible founder25:...
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 Basecamp’s free plan03:14 – Going beyond the free trial07:36 – Tracking analytics without getting lost in t...
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 Takeaways: 00:42 – Meet Jeffrey Hardy, Principal Programmer02:09 – The evolution of 37signals' management st...
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 Jorge01:03 – The history of the 37signals developers blog02:25 – The process — who contributes and how topics ar...
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 few tips for anyone looking to start their own community of customers and company enthusiasts. Key Takeaways: 00:...
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 strategy without sacrificing the personal connection. Key Takeaways: 00:37 – Chase Clemons, Head of Support a...
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 the right people show up. Key Takeaways: 00:38 – Try tackling projects with the team you already have before...
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 problem with MVPs04:41 – We ship when we're confident.10:08 – We own the issues after we ship.13:41 – We d...
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 output07:14 – Taking shortcuts is a reflection of one's character09:41 – Why it's better to have a comm...
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 the biggest risk07:10 – The hidden costs of “whale-sized” clients12:35 – Things to consider when defining...
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 informal end of year process05:24 – Self-directed work, bug fixes, and tying up loose ends08:22 – Using the downtime for for...
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 original product design plan and what changed along the way02:31 – The difference between specifying the out...
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 might be worth considering. Key Takeaways: 00:37 – Why you should stop worrying about what everyo...
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 cloud03:47 – How to prioritize work when managing multiple product lines11:33 – Deciding what p...
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 T...
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 insights05:51 - Listen for the language customers use in their feedback f...
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:...
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 created02:39 - The write up serves as both an internal reminder and a practical manual for how communication is handled at 37signals06:36 - W...
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 regret03:00 – Yes feels good until it’s time to fulfill the commitment07:58 – Adding features to...
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This reads more like an attempt at bad PR for the previous hosting platform and the representative made really good points. I agree, I wish there was more privacy on the web, however the rant about being upset that we haven’t figured out any other way to make the internet work without ads seems naive.
Awesome episode! Thank you very much!
this was so great - can't stop smiling after listening to it :) - thanks guys!