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 process05:24 – Self-directed work, bug fixes, and tying up loose ends08:22 – Using the downtime for forward thinking and planning12:43 – Viewing the year end as a shift to the next chapter rather than a fresh startLinks and Resources:30-day free trial of HEYBooks by 37signalsSign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.comHEY World | HEYThe REWORK podcastThe Rework Podcast on YouTubeThe 37signals Dev Blog37signals on YouTube@37signals on X

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 outcome and diagnosing the actual problem06:27 – The design meeting where the team got to the root of the problem08:32 – Why executive involvement early in the process adds value13:39 – Pivoting on an original idea while maintaining the original appetite16:04 – Creativity often comes when you've hit a roadblock20:07 – The power of Power Through New Links and Resources:30-day free trial of HEYBooks by 37signalsSign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.comHEY World | HEYThe REWORK podcastThe Rework Podcast on YouTubeThe 37signals Dev Blog37signals on YouTube@37signals on X

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 doing02:26 – Focusing on the things within your control06:58 – Analyzing your business' cash cows, dogs, and shooting stars11:21 – Budgeting doesn’t always mean being frugal12:24 – Weighing cost against value16:16 – What the company gained by letting go of a physical office space18:31 – Aesthetics of a well-run, profitable business21:06 – The biggest expenses entrepreneurs often overlookLinks 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 World37signals' meet-up expensesBooks by 37signalsSign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.comHEY World | HEYThe REWORK podcastThe Rework Podcast on YouTubeThe 37signals Dev Blog37signals on YouTube@37signals on X

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 problems to tackle first18:49 – The company's take on equity and the structure of their profit-sharing planLinks and Resources:37signals' Employee HandbookBasecamp classes with live Q&ABooks by 37signalsSign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.comHEY World | HEYThe REWORK podcastThe Rework Podcast on YouTubeThe 37signals Dev Blog37signals on YouTube@37signals on X