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 details in software

Links and Resources

 * Fizzy is a modern spin on kanban. Try it for free at fizzy.do [https://www.fizzy.do/]
 * Record a video question for the podcast [https://sendspark.com/request/The-REWORK-Podcast/hsj7miu9gesm8gq6jm8pr6z9izly0fc2]
 * Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com [https://basecamp.com/pricing]
 * Books by 37signals [https://37signals.com/books]
 * HEY World | HEY [https://www.hey.com/world/]
 * The REWORK podcast [https://www.rework.fm/]
 * The Rework Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@37signals/podcasts]
 * The 37signals Dev Blog [https://dev.37signals.com/]
 * 37signals on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/basecamp/featured]
 * @37signals on X [https://twitter.com/37signals]

Product walkthroughs, the next open source product & other listener questions

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 influences the choice
 * 13:18 – The legal realities
 * 17:26 – What’s behind the name Omarchy (and how do you actually say it?)
 * 20:12 – Good names work by making an easy connection

Links and Resources

 * Fizzy is a modern spin on kanban. Try it for free at fizzy.do [https://www.fizzy.do/]
 * Record a video question for the podcast [https://sendspark.com/request/The-REWORK-Podcast/hsj7miu9gesm8gq6jm8pr6z9izly0fc2]
 * Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com [https://basecamp.com/pricing]
 * Books by 37signals [https://37signals.com/books]
 * HEY World | HEY [https://www.hey.com/world/]
 * The REWORK podcast [https://www.rework.fm/]
 * The Rework Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@37signals/podcasts]
 * The 37signals Dev Blog [https://dev.37signals.com/]
 * 37signals on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/basecamp/featured]
 * @37signals on X [https://twitter.com/37signals]

Give it a name

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 more powerful and hands-on
 * 06:56 – David’s real-world experience working with AI agents
 * 23:36 – How AI can help non-programmers
 * 31:05 – Why the long-term upside of AI outweighs the risks

Links and Resources

 * Fizzy is a modern spin on kanban. Try it for free at fizzy.do [https://www.fizzy.do/]
 * Record a video question for the podcast [https://sendspark.com/request/The-REWORK-Podcast/hsj7miu9gesm8gq6jm8pr6z9izly0fc2]
 * Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com [https://basecamp.com/pricing]
 * Books by 37signals [https://37signals.com/books]
 * HEY World | HEY [https://www.hey.com/world/]
 * The REWORK podcast [https://www.rework.fm/]
 * The Rework Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@37signals/podcasts]
 * The 37signals Dev Blog [https://dev.37signals.com/]
 * 37signals on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/basecamp/featured]
 * @37signals on X [https://twitter.com/37signals]

AI Revisited

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 back old features when it makes sense
 * 12:03 – Avoiding nostalgia just for the sake of it
 * 17:55 – Using real-world use to guide product improvements
 * 22:10 – Keeping your creative process flexible
 * 23:57 – Leaving space for fun in the design
 * 31:13 – Designing around feel instead of rules

Links and Resources

 * Newcity Design magazine [https://design.newcity.com/2024/06/04/design-50-2024-graphic-design/]
 * Segura Inc. (Carlos Segura’s Design Firm) [https://segura-inc.com/]
 * Fizzy is a modern spin on kanban. Try it for free at fizzy.do [https://www.fizzy.do/]
 * Record a video question for the podcast [https://sendspark.com/request/The-REWORK-Podcast/hsj7miu9gesm8gq6jm8pr6z9izly0fc2]
 * Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com [https://basecamp.com/pricing]
 * Books by 37signals [https://37signals.com/books]
 * HEY World | HEY [https://www.hey.com/world/]
 * The REWORK podcast [https://www.rework.fm/]
 * The Rework Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@37signals/podcasts]
 * The 37signals Dev Blog [https://dev.37signals.com/]
 * 37signals on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/basecamp/featured]
 * @37signals on X [https://twitter.com/37signals]

Making things that multiply

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 came together
 * 02:17 – Choosing what really needs to ship in V1
 * 08:51 – The downside of announcing dates too far ahead
 * 12:33 – How algorithms have reshaped marketing
 * 23:37 – Building buzz through word of mouth
 * 30:00 – It all comes down to building a solid product

Links and Resources

 * Fizzy is a modern spin on kanban. Try it for free at fizzy.do [https://www.fizzy.do/]
 * Record a video question for the podcast [https://sendspark.com/request/The-REWORK-Podcast/hsj7miu9gesm8gq6jm8pr6z9izly0fc2]
 * Books by 37signals [https://37signals.com/books]
 * Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com [https://basecamp.com/pricing]
 * HEY World | HEY [https://www.hey.com/world/]
 * The REWORK podcast [https://www.rework.fm/]
 * The Rework Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@37signals/podcasts]
 * The 37signals Dev Blog [https://dev.37signals.com/]
 * 37signals on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/basecamp/featured]
 * @37signals on X [https://twitter.com/37signals]

Launch day — a little logistics, a lot of luck

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 – How the team decides what goes into Fizzy and what doesn’t
 * 24:34 – A Danish language lesson

Links and Resources

 * Fizzy is a modern spin on kanban. Try it for free at fizzy.do [https://www.fizzy.do/]
 * Record a video question for the podcast [https://sendspark.com/request/The-REWORK-Podcast/hsj7miu9gesm8gq6jm8pr6z9izly0fc2]
 * Books by 37signals [https://37signals.com/books]
 * Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com [https://basecamp.com/pricing]
 * HEY World | HEY [https://www.hey.com/world/]
 * The REWORK podcast [https://www.rework.fm/]
 * The Rework Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@37signals/podcasts]
 * The 37signals Dev Blog [https://dev.37signals.com/]
 * 37signals on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/basecamp/featured]
 * @37signals on X [https://twitter.com/37signals]

Open Source Outside the Box

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 early users
 * 10:03 – Add the final layer of polish without overdoing it

Links and Resources

 * Fizzy is a modern spin on kanban. Try it for free at fizzy.do [https://www.fizzy.do/]
 * "Quality: The Concept2 RowErg" [https://world.hey.com/jason/quality-the-concept2-rowerg-7f7bb027] from Jason's HEY World
 * Record a video question for the podcast [https://sendspark.com/request/The-REWORK-Podcast/hsj7miu9gesm8gq6jm8pr6z9izly0fc2]
 * Books by 37signals [https://37signals.com/books]
 * Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com [https://basecamp.com/pricing]
 * HEY World | HEY [https://www.hey.com/world/]
 * The REWORK podcast [https://www.rework.fm/]
 * The Rework Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@37signals/podcasts]
 * The 37signals Dev Blog [https://dev.37signals.com/]
 * 37signals on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/basecamp/featured]
 * @37signals on X [https://twitter.com/37signals]

When is enough, enough?

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 style differs from HEY’s
 * 25:12 – Avoiding gimmicks and overthinking
 * 31:03 – Fizzy’s pricing model

Links and Resources

 * Record a video question for the podcast [https://sendspark.com/request/The-REWORK-Podcast/hsj7miu9gesm8gq6jm8pr6z9izly0fc2]
 * Books by 37signals [https://37signals.com/books]
 * Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com [https://basecamp.com/pricing]
 * HEY World | HEY [https://www.hey.com/world/]
 * The REWORK podcast [https://www.rework.fm/]
 * The Rework Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@37signals/podcasts]
 * The 37signals Dev Blog [https://dev.37signals.com/]
 * 37signals on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/basecamp/featured]
 * @37signals on X [https://twitter.com/37signals]

Picking Pricing

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 optional
 * 04:09 – The deeper purpose behind bringing everyone together
 * 07:51 – Finding the right blend of scheduled time and free time
 * 16:37 – The limits of video calls
 * 23:22 – Yes, there’s fun, but it’s still a work trip

Links and Resources

 * Record a video question for the podcast [https://sendspark.com/request/The-REWORK-Podcast/hsj7miu9gesm8gq6jm8pr6z9izly0fc2]
 * Books by 37signals [https://37signals.com/books]
 * Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com [https://basecamp.com/pricing]
 * HEY World | HEY [https://www.hey.com/world/]
 * The REWORK podcast [https://www.rework.fm/]
 * The Rework Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@37signals/podcasts]
 * The 37signals Dev Blog [https://dev.37signals.com/]
 * 37signals on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/basecamp/featured]
 * @37signals on X [https://twitter.com/37signals]

Out of Office, Together

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 – Cutting the to-do list down to what truly matters
 * 09:59 – Why early access is different from beta testing

Links and Resources

 * Record a video question for the podcast [https://sendspark.com/request/The-REWORK-Podcast/hsj7miu9gesm8gq6jm8pr6z9izly0fc2]
 * Books by 37signals [https://37signals.com/books]
 * Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com [https://basecamp.com/pricing]
 * HEY World | HEY [https://www.hey.com/world/]
 * The REWORK podcast [https://www.rework.fm/]
 * The Rework Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@37signals/podcasts]
 * The 37signals Dev Blog [https://dev.37signals.com/]
 * 37signals on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/basecamp/featured]
 * @37signals on X [https://twitter.com/37signals]

Soft openings aren't just for restaurants

A podcast by 37signals about the better way to work and run your business. In Season 2, we're going through Rework (the book) chapter by chapter and talking with authors, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, about what's changed in the world of business over the last eleven years since the book was published.

Shaun

Shows