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
• 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

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
• 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

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
• 11:42 – There’s no perfect moment to ship a new version
• 13:16 – How and when to evaluate customer feedback
• 18:58 – A sneak peek at Basecamp 5 features

Links and Resources

• Record a video question for the podcast
• 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