REWORK

The End of Year Junk Drawer

REWORK

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 process 05:24 – Self-directed work, bug fixes, and tying up loose ends 08:22 – Using the downtime for forward thinking and planning 12:43 – Viewing the year end as a shift to the next chapter rather than a fresh start Links and Resources: 30-day free trial of HEY 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

A Product Pivot

REWORK

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 way 02:31 – The difference between specifying the outcome and diagnosing the actual problem 06:27 – The design meeting where the team got to the root of the problem 08:32 – Why executive involvement early in the process adds value 13:39 – Pivoting on an original idea while maintaining the original appetite 16:04 – Creativity often comes when you've hit a roadblock 20:07 – The power of Power Through New  Links and Resources: 30-day free trial of HEY 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

Your Competition is Your Costs

REWORK

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 everyone else is doing 02:26 – Focusing on the things within your control 06:58 – Analyzing your business' cash cows, dogs, and shooting stars 11:21 – Budgeting doesn’t always mean being frugal 12:24 – Weighing cost against value 16:16 – What the company gained by letting go of a physical office space 18:31 – Aesthetics of a well-run, profitable business 21:06 – The biggest expenses entrepreneurs often overlook Links and Resources: "You only compete with one thing" from Jason Fried's HEY World "Our cloud-exit savings will now top ten million over five years" from David Heinemeier Hansson's HEY World 37signals' meet-up expenses 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

AI, Employee Equity, and Other Listener Questions

REWORK

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