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.
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With the launch of Basecamp 5 approaching, 37signals co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson discuss what happens inside their company when it enters “launch mode.” They talk about temporarily shifting priorities, the difference between routine operations and launch periods, and why putting lower-priority tasks on hold is often necessary to make meaningful progress. Plus, Jason and David share their favorite aspects of the newest version of Basecamp. Key Takeaways 00:00 – Introducti...
Making it easy for customers to leave might sound like the wrong move, but it's actually a sign of confidence. This week, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about why removing friction, especially on the way out, builds more trust. They get into cancellation flows, keeping customers by choice instead of pressure, and why people are more likely to share their positive experience when you don't make it hard to go. Key Takeaways 00:11 – Leaving should be just as easy as signing up 03:23 ...
Knowing when to stop is harder than it sounds. In this episode, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about the moment when more work stops helping and starts getting in the way. They share how to recognize when something is done, why chasing perfection can do more harm than good, and how putting the pencil down at the right time leads to better results. Key Takeaways 00:11 – The "pencils down" phase of product development 01:24 — Testing by the entire company 03:17 — AI Workflow & v...
Opening things up changes how people use your product. In this episode, David Heinemeier Hansson walks through a new feature that makes Basecamp accessible to AI agents through a Command Line Interface (CLI). He shares how this update can lead to entirely new ways of working for those that are technically minded. Key Takeaways 00:10 – Redefining product accessibility 03:27 – Opening the door to AI agents 10:07 – Starting small and seeing where it leads 13:37 – The future for agent accessibility ...
Profit matters, but it’s not the whole story. In this episode, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about building a company around independence instead of endless growth. They reflect on finding the right size for a business, keeping costs low to preserve freedom, and choosing a long, sustainable run over chasing scale at any cost. Key Takeaways 00:10 – Finding your “orbit” when you don’t need to keep pushing for more 03:39 – Letting go of the idea that growth has to be endless 09:05 –...
Not every decision comes from a spreadsheet. In this episode, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about trusting your instincts when building something new. They share how experience sharpens those instincts over time, and how real products produce the feedback that actually moves things forward. Key Takeaways 00:11 – Letting your gut guide decisions 03:54 – Strengthening instincts through real choices 05:08 – Sometimes the best move is simply to build it 07:49 – Breaking free from ana...
Following up on an earlier conversation about AI , this episode shifts to the product side of the discussion. Host Kimberly Rhodes chats with 37signals CEO and co-founder Jason Fried about his daily AI use, what it's helped him do more efficiently, customer expectations, and how he's thinking about AI's role in future product updates. Key Takeaways 00:12 – Putting AI tools to work 06:42 – Using AI to reclaim time, not replace thinking 12:19 – Where 37signals sees thoughtful implementation fittin...
Connecting with customers is part of the job. In this episode, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share why staying close to the people who use your product still matters, even as companies scale. They touch on writing customers directly, keeping the door open after the first reply, and why real conversations beat shouting into the social media void. Key Takeaways 00:11 – Writing customers from a real inbox 05:21 – Building real relationships with the people who use your product 11:34 – Ke...
Sometimes speed matters more than polish. In this episode, the team shares how a HEY Calendar feature went from idea to shipped in about a day — and what made that possible. It’s a look at when moving quickly helps, when it doesn’t, and how writing clean code gives you room to change your mind later without breaking everything. Key Takeaways 00:11 – Shipping a new feature in roughly a day 03:14 – Catching the moment while it's hot 08:02 – Shortening the path from idea to implementation 12:04 – M...
The confetti’s settled. The product is out in the world. So… what happens next? Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share what the days after a launch actually look like at 37signals. They discuss not letting early numbers steer the ship, making space for rest after the push, and remembering that shipping is just the start, not the finish line. Key Takeaways 00:10 – What happens shortly after launch 02:09 – Dialing the team back 05:10 – Product touch ups and enhancements 06:16 – Returning t...
A fresh batch of listener questions leads this week's conversation. Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk through how they approach product walkthroughs, what's ahead for open code at 37signals, and why a little fun still belongs in serious software. Key Takeaways 00:22 – Recording product walkthroughs without scripts or polish 11:45 – Writebook as an open source product 15:04 – How the 37signals team uses Basecamp and Fizzy together 22:52 – The quiet joy of Easter eggs and playful detai...
Coming up with a product name doesn’t have to be complicated. In this episode, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share when in the development process a name is chosen, how several of their products got their names, and why keeping things simple usually wins. They talk about what's worth considering and what's not worth a second thought. Key Takeaways 00:10 – How Fizzy got its name and what it was almost called 04:29 – No name ever checks every box 10:25 – When an available domain influen...
AI has moved fast, and so has 37signals’ thinking. This week, host Kimberly Rhodes talks to co-founder and CTO David Heinemeier Hansson about the progress AI has made over the last few months. David shares what’s changed, what’s actually useful now, and why his outlook has grown more optimistic. Key Takeaways 00:11 – How today’s AI feels dramatically more powerful 05:05 – David’s real-world experience working with AI agents 23:36 – How AI can help non-programmers 31:05 – Why the upside of AI out...
Good ideas rarely belong in just one place. This week, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share how 37signals lets concepts move freely across products, turning one solid idea into many useful ones. They talk about borrowing from the past without getting stuck in it, giving new concepts time to catch on, and keeping space for creativity as products evolve. Key Takeaways 00:11 – Letting strong ideas travel between products 02:49 – Giving each product its own design voice 07:26 – Bringing ba...
Release day always looks smooth from the outside. Behind the scenes, there’s a lot packed into a short window. In this episode, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share how 37signals approaches the final stretch of putting a product out into the world, using Fizzy as a recent example. They talk about narrowing features, resisting the urge to hype dates too early, and why steady word of mouth matters more than chasing algorithms. Key Takeaways 00:00 – Introduction 00:10 – How Fizzy’s launch...
Open source has always played a big role at 37signals. This week, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share why they’re drawn to working in the open, and how that mindset carries into their newest product, Fizzy. Key Takeaways 00:12 – Why open source continues to matter at 37signals 05:12 – Sharing work publicly pushes quality higher 09:55 – How open source fits into Fizzy’s SaaS setup 15:15 – Treating open source as a gift 19:41 – Getting direct feedback in unfamiliar but fun ways 22:56 – ...
There’s a moment in every product where you have to stop tweaking and actually launch. This week, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson reflect on how 37signals decides when a product is truly ready for its first release. They share how they think about simplifying, sharpening, and ultimately knowing when it’s time to ship. Key Takeaways 00:12 – Recognizing when a product is ready to meet the world 02:55 – Strip things back to the essentials first 07:32 – Weighing real-world feedback from ear...
How do you land on the right price for a product? This week, 37signals co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson pull back the curtain on the pricing choices they’ve made over the years, including the options the public never saw. They talk about why chasing giant enterprise deals isn’t for them, and why simple, steady pricing beats clever tricks. Key Takeaways 00:11 – The pricing experiments over the years 10:48 – Why 37signals avoids enterprise deals 18:05 – How Basecamp’s pricing s...
Twice a year, the entire 37signals team meets up in person. This week, co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about how these gatherings work, what they’re really for, and why the structure is intentionally loose. They share how the mix of optional hangouts and focused work sessions helps their fully remote team reconnect, recharge, and solve problems face-to-face. Key Takeaways 00:14 – How 37signals approaches its twice-a-year meetups 01:52 – What’s required and what’s option...
This week, the team shares a behind-the-scenes look at how they bring in outside beta testers before a product launch. Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share how they invite early users into the mix, what they’re looking for, and how it all shapes the final version. It’s a rare peek into the “guests are coming over” phase of building Fizzy. Key Takeaways 00:12 – Inside Fizzy’s early access phase 02:28 – Selecting beta testers 03:05 – Treating early access as a real-world dry run 07:11 – ...
In software development, there are updates, and then there are complete overhauls. This week, Jason Fried joins Kimberly Rhodes to talk about how the team decides when it’s time to rebuild from the ground up. They dig into the transition between versions, how customer feedback fits in, and even drop a few hints about what’s coming in Basecamp 5. Key Takeaways 00:10 – A walk through of Basecamp's evolution 03:00 – How to recognize when it’s time for a new version 05:52 – Pricing considerations 11...
With the launch of Fizzy getting closer, 37signals co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson use this episode to answer listener questions about the upcoming product. They talk about how Fizzy and Basecamp will coexist, why aesthetic design choices matter, and which AI features are actually worth using. Key Takeaways 00:11 – Fizzy and Basecamp, competitors or complementary? 02:00 – Finding the right tools that fit your workflow 11:39 – Why aesthetics matter in software 18:45 – Not eve...
Time has a way of reshaping what we believe, and sometimes, what we’ve published. In this week’s episode, CEO and co-founder Jason Fried chats with Kimberly Rhodes to explore one particular chapter of REWORK that no longer rings true. Jason reflects on their current stance on having multiple products vs. just one, what company's should consider before they expand, and why knowing your limits still matters. Key Takeaways 00:10 – The change in perspective on multiple products 03:15 – The team need...
For 37signals, flashy ad campaigns and traditional brand promos have never been the way to go. This week, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share why traditional marketing methods like billboards, paid social media posts, and keyword ads don’t give them results. They talk about how meaningful marketing comes from genuine support and real connection. Key Takeaways 00:12 – Why marketing ROI looks different for every business 10:35 – Spend your marketing budget on companies and people you be...
David Heinemeier Hansson discusses how 37signals cultivates a high-trust culture, where employees are empowered with autonomy, particularly regarding expenses, and restrictive policies are avoided. The conversation highlights the importance of managers gauging work quality and pace in remote settings, rather than focusing on
As 37signals gets closer to launching their newest product, Fizzy, Jason Fried joins host Kimberly Rhodes to reflect on the final stretch of development. He shares the trade-offs of setting your own deadlines, the importance of onboarding new customers, and the company's process for marketing a product. Key Takeaways 00:11 – What the “11th hour” looks like before a product launch 03:50 – How to weigh deadlines against final release decisions 05:44 – The importance of customer onboarding 11:18 – ...
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 prog...
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 1...
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 m...
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 conte...
