Rework

Rework

Designing Hey

Jun 23 • 24 min

An interview with Basecamp design lead Jonas Downey.

Hey, What’s Going On?

Jun 16 • 34 min

Basecamp woke up on the morning on June 15, took a deep breath, and screamed from the top of its lungs: WE HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT EMAIL.

The Spy Who Emailed Me

Jun 9 • 25 min

Your inbox should be no place for prying eyes.

The Bookshop Around the Corner

Jun 2 • 30 min

Bookshop.org launched in January to help independent bookstores take on Amazon—just a few months before the industry was hit with another massive threat to its survival.

Help Wanted

May 26 • 24 min

The creators of two new resources for job seekers talk about helping people find meaningful work at companies that care about humans.

Winston Sat At His Computer

May 19 • 19 min

Basecamp CTO David Heinemeier Hansson explains why the company has stopped integrating with makers of employee surveillance software.

Bubble Wrap & Prayers

May 12 • 21 min

Brick-and-mortar retailers are finding creative ways to reach their customers from a distance.

Living on Hope

May 7 • 18 min

Basecamp alumna Esther Lee shares her experience of downsizing to a 35-foot sailboat.

Kids Incorporated

May 5 • 22 min

Businesses that cater to families and children are finding new ways to make sure the kids (and their parents) are alright.

BONUS - Breadcamp

Apr 30 • 18 min

The yeast you could do is listen to this episode.

Product Strategy Q&A with Jason Fried and Ryan Singer

Apr 28 • 81 min

Basecamp CEO Jason Fried and Head of Strategy Ryan Singer answer questions about product development.

Going Remote: Kids at Home

Apr 23 • 27 min

The latest installment of our “Going Remote” Q&A series is all about working from home while taking care of kids—some of whom make cameos on this episode.

The Soul of an Entrepreneur

Apr 21 • 27 min

David Sax, author of the new book “The Soul of an Entrepreneur,” talks about the stories of business owners that don’t fit the Silicon Valley mold.

Going Remote: Customer Support

Apr 16 • 13 min

Merissa Dawson and Chase Clemons from Basecamp’s customer support team answer questions about working remotely.

Work Out From Home

Apr 14 • 24 min

Three businesses in the fitness and wellness industry share how they’ve pivoted and how they’re continuing to look after their communities during a difficult time.

Going Remote: Design

Apr 9 • 25 min

Basecamp design lead Jonas Downey answers questions about working remotely.

Phone a Friend

Apr 7 • 16 min

Is it the end times? We call a Friend to discuss.

Remote Work: Extreme Edition (Rerun)

Mar 31 • 29 min

A rerun of a 2019 interview with a scientist working in the South Pole.

Remote Work Q&A, Part 2

Mar 25 • 63 min

Basecamp co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer questions about working remotely.

The Distance: Steeped In History

Mar 24 • 16 min

We’re replaying an episode of our previous podcast, The Distance, about New York Chinatown’s oldest dim sum parlor.

Remote Work Q&A, Part 1

Mar 20 • 52 min

Basecamp co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer questions about working remotely.

The (Social) Distance

Mar 17 • 11 min

A short update on how Basecamp is dealing with COVID-19.

Work, Rest, and What You Will

Mar 10 • 32 min

How America (briefly) got the 8-hour work day.

Rug Life

Mar 3 • 27 min

“The best thing about owning a business is it allows you to say, ‘Okay, who do I want to be?’”

Delete Your Account

Feb 25 • 27 min

We all deserve the right to be forgotten on the Internet.

Extreme Capitalism with Jason Calacanis

Feb 20 • 59 min

Basecamp co-founder and CTO David Heinemeier Hansson and entrepreneur and angel investor Jason Calacanis debate the gig economy, democratic socialism, and whether the American dream is dead.

Poetry at Work

Feb 18 • 25 min

Poetry has a lot to say about work and can serve as a meeting place, a provocative memo, or a break from the daily grind.

Try Everything

Feb 11 • 39 min

Every year for the past decade, Mert Iseri has chosen a new skill to learn.

The Road Out Of Startupland

Feb 4 • 35 min

Sahil Lavingia once believed his startup was headed for unicorn status, but his Silicon Valley journey turned out much differently.

Mr. DHH Goes to Washington

Jan 28 • 36 min

Basecamp co-founder David Heinemeier Hansson takes his Big Tech rants all the way to Congress.

You Never Forget George Pappageorge

Jan 21 • 29 min

Basecamp CEO Jason Fried gives an update on the company’s Chicago headquarters.

Less Business, More d20s

Jan 14 • 29 min

A talk by Matthew Vincent, a member of Basecamp’s Ops team, about working remotely.

Welcome Aboard

Jan 7 • 38 min

Our first episode of 2020 is all about inclusive ways to onboard new employees.

BONUS - The Knight Before Christmas

Dec 24, 2019 • 49 min

Magic, chivalry, time travel, and wide-legged pants.

Are The Kids Alright?

Dec 17, 2019 • 41 min

The surveillance economy is making inroads into young people’s lives.

Lab Week

Dec 10, 2019 • 39 min

Meet two businesses that aren’t afraid to try new things.

Venture Capital and Control with Dave Teare

Dec 3, 2019 • 66 min

Basecamp co-founder David Heinemeier Hansson and 1Password co-founder Dave Teare discuss 1Password’s $200 million fundraising round.

Calm in the Political Storm

Nov 26, 2019 • 23 min

A political consultant applies calm work principles to an industry that’s known for the opposite dynamic.

BONUS - Basecamp: This Time It’s Personal

Nov 22, 2019 • 27 min

Basecamp co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about launching a new free plan.

Spending in the Clouds

Nov 19, 2019 • 17 min

Blake Stoddard on Basecamp’s Ops team talks about saving over a half-million dollars on cloud services.

BONUS - Breaking the Black Box

Nov 15, 2019 • 57 min

The tech and financial sectors are biased! Let’s do something about it.

Big Brother at the Office

Nov 12, 2019 • 26 min

Between cameras, sensor-equipped ID badges, and keystroke-logging software, employers are keeping an ever-watchful eye on their workers, all in the name of security or increased productivity. Jason Meller has spent his career in computer security and…

Rework Mailbag 5

Nov 5, 2019 • 16 min

Basecamp co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer listener questions in this short but jam-packed mailbag episode. Among other topics, they discuss whether they prefer reading physical books or the Kindle; talk about providing feedback…

A Hosty Retreat

Oct 29, 2019 • 64 min

Basecamp has taken a clear stance against tracking on the web, so when we learned that our podcast hosting provider had introduced listener-targeted advertising, we decided to decamp to a different company. On today’s episode, Wailin talks to Lex…

Meet Andy

Oct 22, 2019 • 22 min

Basecamp’s new head of marketing, Andy Didorosi, talks about how he started a bus company in his hometown of Detroit to help fill a gap in public transit; what he learned about building a business with a “buy one, give one” social mission; and why he left…

In the Market for a Marketer

Oct 15, 2019 • 20 min

As part of a mini hiring boom at Basecamp this year, CEO Jason Fried went looking for a position that had never existed before at the company: head of marketing. Over a thousand people applied for the role. In this episode, Jason explains how he narrowed…

Nevermore, Amazon

Oct 8, 2019 • 28 min

In the spring of 2019, Danny Caine, the owner of the Raven Book Store in Lawrence, Kansas, overheard a customer saying she could buy a new hardcover online for $15. Danny took to Twitter to explain the economics of independent bookstores and the thread…

Open Source and Power with Matt Mullenweg

Oct 1, 2019 • 67 min

Matt Mullenweg, the founding developer of WordPress and the founder of Automattic, joins Basecamp co-founder David Heinemeier Hansson for a spirited debate about tech monopolies, power in open-source communities, and how to be good stewards of the modern…

Heal the Internet

Sep 24, 2019 • 32 min

In August, Basecamp ended its practice of using pixel trackers in emails. Co-founder and CTO David Heinemeier Hansson shares what prompted that decision, which is part of a larger discussion about how to push back against Big Tech anti-privacy policies…

Slow Fashion

Sep 17, 2019 • 26 min

“Dreams shouldn’t be sensible.” In 2011, David and Clare Hieatt launched Hiut Denim in a small Welsh town that had been home to a jeans factory for 40 years. The Hieatts saw an opportunity to restore those lost jobs—and to do it in a way that fit with…

Farewell, Happy Camper

Sep 10, 2019 • 18 min

Basecamp has a new website and a new logo. If this is the first you’re hearing about it, it’s because CEO Jason Fried opted out of the big rebranding announcement that many companies undertake. On this episode, Jason and marketing designer Adam Stoddard…

BONUS - The Google Ads Shakedown

Sep 5, 2019 • 11 min

On Tuesday, Basecamp CEO Jason Fried tweeted about some shady business involving Google Ads and search results. The tweet got a lot of attention, so we brought Jason on the show to talk about what got him so riled up over Google. No punches were pulled in…

The Cult of Overwork

Sep 3, 2019 • 27 min

We’re back from summer break! It’s time to get back to work, but it’s important not to overdo it. In this episode, Ty Fujimura, president of web design firm Cantilever, talks about how he escaped the Cult of Overwork; why it’s important to rethink the…

BONUS - 37signals Podcast - Q&A with Jason and David

Aug 27, 2019 • 37 min

We’re taking off the month of August! During our hiatus, we’ll be playing some vintage episodes of the 37signals Podcast, a show that Basecamp ran from 2009-2011 (and then forgot all about until Wailin came across the show during an unrelated Google…

BONUS - 37signals Podcast - Making People Pay

Aug 20, 2019 • 18 min

We’re taking off the month of August! During our hiatus, we’ll be playing some vintage episodes of the 37signals Podcast, a show that Basecamp ran from 2009-2011 (and then forgot all about until Wailin came across the show during an unrelated Google…

BONUS - 37signals Podcast - Valuation Tales

Aug 13, 2019 • 25 min

We’re taking off the month of August! During our hiatus, we’ll be playing some vintage episodes of the 37signals Podcast, a show that Basecamp ran from 2009-2011 (and then forgot all about until Wailin came across the show during an unrelated Google…

No Half Measures

Aug 6, 2019 • 28 min

Pam Daniels had an idea to make an everyday household item more useful and fun. When her first plan to get her product into the world fell through, she found a different path.

Shape Up Roundtable

Jul 30, 2019 • 29 min

Basecamp’s new book, Shape Up by Ryan Singer, explores the way designers and programmers at the company build and ship software. In this episode, Ryan, designer Conor Muirhead, and programmer Jeff Hardy go deep into Shape Up principles, talking about the…

Shape Up with Ryan Singer

Jul 23, 2019 • 28 min

Basecamp’s head of strategy, Ryan Singer, sits down to discuss his new book, Shape Up: Stop Running in Circles and Ship Work that Matters. The book is a culmination of Ryan’s 15+ years working at Basecamp and explains how small teams of designers and…

Hire When It Hurts

Jul 16, 2019 • 32 min

Basecamp is known for hiring infrequently, but it’s in the midst of adding five new employees to its roster—including the company’s first-ever director of marketing. Over 4,000 applications have come in for the open positions. In this episode, we go deep…

Last Week with Jason Fried: Six Hours of Phone Calls

Jul 9, 2019 • 16 min

In this episode, Basecamp marketing designer Adam Stoddard joins Jason Fried to talk about a marathon session of interviewing Search Engine Optimization consultants. Hear why they squeezed all the interviews into a six-hour block and what it’s like to…

The Open Office

Jul 2, 2019 • 24 min

The open office has gone from the dominant workplace layout to cultural pariah, with these environments seeming to produce more interruptions than collaboration. But the open office itself isn’t entirely to blame for the distractions that plague office…

Long-Time Snacker, First-Time Caller

Jun 25, 2019 • 12 min

A curious snack food aficionado calls the home of Mr. Peanut.

We Love the Subs

Jun 18, 2019 • 30 min

In 2004, fast food company Quiznos launched a national advertising campaign featuring animated rodent-like creatures screech-singing an ode to the chain’s toasted sub sandwiches. The TV commercials were instantly polarizing and lodged themselves in many…

Open Source Beyond the Market

Jun 11, 2019 • 52 min

This is a lightly edited version of a keynote address Basecamp co-founder and CTO David Heinemeier Hansson delivered at RailsConf 2019 about “open source, markets, debts, purpose, and no less than the meaning of life.” David also sits down with Shaun to…

How Buffer Meets Up

Jun 4, 2019 • 23 min

Even remote companies need actual face time every once in a while. That’s why Basecamp holds companywide, weeklong meet-ups in Chicago twice a year. Fellow remote tech company Buffer has 85 employees across the globe that get together once a year for an…

James Glazebrook at Support Driven Expo Europe 2019

May 28, 2019 • 18 min

In April, Basecamp Support team member James Glazebrook gave a talk at Support Driven Expo Europe about Everyone On Support. It’s an all-hands program where Basecamp employees rotate through a day of working in customer service. James noticed the…

Rework Mailbag 4

May 21, 2019 • 24 min

Basecamp co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson are back in the studio to answer your questions. This edition of Mailbag includes topics like why big companies don’t use Basecamp; how they managed the transition from a web design agency to a…

DHH on The Heartbeat Podcast

May 14, 2019 • 20 min

In our last episode, we talked to Claire Lew, the CEO of Know Your Team. She has her own show called The Heartbeat Podcast, where she talks to founders and leaders about management. This is her interview with Basecamp co-founder and CTO David Heinemeier…

Know Your Team

May 7, 2019 • 27 min

Claire Lew is the CEO of Know Your Team, a company dedicated to solving the problem of bad bosses. The company has its origins as a product developed within Basecamp and today is not just a software tool, but a deep vein of resources for managers of all…

Last Week with Jason Fried: Office Space

Apr 30, 2019 • 15 min

We’re introducing a new segment called Last Week with Jason Fried, where Basecamp’s CEO talks about a task or concern that recently fell on his plate. In this inaugural episode, Jason talks about how the end of the company’s lease on its Chicago office…

Unplugged from the Matrix

Apr 23, 2019 • 18 min

In 2007, Kenneth Coats started a business helping Chicagoans expunge their arrest records so they could improve their job prospects. After a challenge from the Illinois Attorney General shut down that venture, Kenneth reinvented his business with an…

Job Scam

Apr 18, 2019 • 13 min

We’re introducing a new segment called Check-Ins, where we talk to folks at Basecamp about their answers to recurring questions that get asked of everyone here. Recently, Jeremy Daer on our Security, Infrastructure, and Performance team dealt with an…

Subscription Hostages

Apr 9, 2019 • 20 min

Raise your hand if this sounds familiar: You sign up for a service or a product online. When you go to cancel, you discover the only way to stop the subscription is to write an email or—even worse, make an actual phone call. In this episode, we try to get…

Did You Order the Code Red?

Mar 26, 2019 • 17 min

“Passwords just aren’t cutting it online. It’s getting worse. We all feel it.” This is what Jeremy from Basecamp’s Security, Infrastructure, and Performance team wrote in a February blog post after dealing with a mass-login attack. Intruders with huge…

BONUS - Ruby on Rails

Mar 19, 2019 • 21 min

David Heinemeier Hansson talks about creativity, finding a passion, and how writing Ruby changed the way he thinks about programming.

Hiring Is Not Hazing

Mar 12, 2019 • 23 min

Why are manhole covers round? How many golf balls can fit in a 747? Why are job interviews so terrible? In this episode, Aja Hammerly, a developer advocate at Google, talks about the drawbacks of common tech interview techniques like whiteboard coding and…

Remote Work: Extreme Edition

Feb 26, 2019 • 29 min

We place a long-distance phone call to Antarctica to chat with Kathrin Mallot, an astrophysicist who works at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in the South Pole. In this episode, Kathrin talks about preparing for a work assignment in a super remote part…

No Hard Feelings

Feb 12, 2019 • 36 min

Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy are the co-authors of No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions At Work. They come on Rework to talk about how the future of work is emotional; why it’s useful to listen to feelings like envy; and how we…

Reblog

Jan 29, 2019 • 22 min

The folks at Basecamp have been blogging since 1999, when Jason Fried would write by the light of a fire fueled by David Heinemeier Hansson’s savage indictments of the tech industry. A lot has changed since then (with the exception of DHH’s feelings about…

BONUS - Spark Joy with DHH

Jan 22, 2019 • 16 min

Basecamp co-founders David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried are fans of Marie Kondo’s 2014 bestseller “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” which is back in the cultural zeitgeist thanks to her new Netflix show. In this bonus episode, DHH talks about…

Big Integer

Jan 15, 2019 • 27 min

Go behind the scenes of Basecamp 3’s biggest outage.

BONUS - Happy New Year

Jan 1, 2019 • 22 min

We tried to record an episode, but there were more important things to talk about. See you in 2019 with more episodes of REWORK.

BONUS - 100% Facebook-Free

Dec 21, 2018 • 24 min

After yet another round of revelations about Facebook’s use of customer data, Basecamp has decided to become 100% Facebook-free. We’ve actually been off Facebook proper for a while, but on Wednesday we decided to remove the company from Instagram and…

BONUS - Rename

Dec 19, 2018 • 7 min

On the last episode of Rework, we talked about the dangers of using violent language in a business context. We’ve had to grapple with other kinds of problematic language at Basecamp as well. In this mini bonus episode, Shaun talks to programmer Jeremy…

Happy Pacifists

Dec 18, 2018 • 24 min

Business rhetoric is rife with the language of war—there’s constant talk of conquering markets and dominating the competition. These tropes indicate a dangerous way of thinking that can have real consequences, intended or not, on human behavior. In this…

Sometimes It’s Crazy At Work

Dec 4, 2018 • 27 min

In October, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson released their new book, It Doesn’t Have to be Crazy at Work. The book featured their writing, as well as cover art and interior illustrations from a couple designers at Basecamp. The launch initially…

The Worst Performance Review

Nov 20, 2018 • 27 min

Annual, semi-annual, quarterly, 360…no matter what form they take, performance reviews can be anxiety-inducing workplace rituals. In today’s episode, we talk to the head of HR at an HR software company (meta!) and a Basecamp designer about why helpful…

Rework Mailbag 3

Nov 6, 2018 • 29 min

It’s time for another episode where Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer your questions! In this one, they discuss how to apply calm company principles to client work and classrooms, and talk about healthy ways for business partners to disagree.

The Myth of the Overnight Sensation

Oct 23, 2018 • 22 min

Before the viral unicorn poop video, before the appearances on Shark Tank and Dr. Oz and Howard Stern—Bobby Edwards was showing his invention at conventions and sending it to alternative health bloggers in hopes of getting coverage. The invention? Squatty…

It Doesn’t Have to be Crazy at Work - Part 2

Oct 16, 2018 • 14 min

This is the second of a two-part interview with David Heinemeier Hansson about his and Jason Fried’s new book, It Doesn’t Have to be Crazy at Work. In this episode, David talks about taking a calm approach to writing and marketing the book. Also, Wailin…

It Doesn’t Have to be Crazy at Work - Part 1

Oct 9, 2018 • 23 min

Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson have a new book out called It Doesn’t Have to be Crazy at Work, which pushes back against the toxic culture of overwork and unhealthy ambitions that’s driving much of the modern workplace. In this episode, Wailin…

Farewell, Noah

Sep 25, 2018 • 29 min

A lot of businesses start as side ventures or hobbies that grow into full-time pursuits. The trick is often in knowing when to quit a comfortable day job to start a new business. We sit down with one of our own at this crossroads. Noah Lorang headed…

The Bean Machine

Sep 11, 2018 • 20 min

*taps mic* Is this thing on? We’re back from sabbatical! In our first post-hiatus episode, Shaun heads to Denver to visit his sister, who left a catering job at a big restaurant chain to run a coffee shop out of a Volkswagen Bus that she bought on impulse…

BONUS - The Distance - The Business Cycle

Aug 21, 2018 • 39 min

Shaun and Wailin are still on vacation, but we have another of our favorite episodes from our previous podcast, The Distance, which was about long-running businesses. Wailin’s pick is this story of America’s last bicycle manufacturer.

BONUS - The Distance - Diamonds Are Forever

Aug 7, 2018 • 17 min

Shaun and Wailin are on vacation! During our hiatus, we’re bringing you our favorite stories from our previous podcast, The Distance, which was about long-running businesses. Shaun’s pick is this story of a 90-year-old jewelry store and how running a…

Take a Break

Jul 24, 2018 • 39 min

Smell ya later! Shaun and Wailin are taking off the month of August. Before they left, they interviewed three business owners about sabbaticals. In this episode: Adeline Koh of Sabbatical Beauty shares the story of how she ended up starting a business…

BONUS - Out in the Open

Jul 17, 2018 • 8 min

In a bonus conversation with Sarah Park of MeetEdgar, she talks about making the company handbook public and why they have a policy of opening up meetings and conversations to everyone.

Temperature Check

Jul 10, 2018 • 31 min

One of our colleagues on the Basecamp customer support team, Jayne Ogilvie, wanted to find out how other tech companies with remote staffs handle issues like communication, career development, and hiring. Jayne sent out a survey and got back a wealth of…

Go Behind the Scenes

Jun 26, 2018 • 32 min

A famous guy once said, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” But he was a grifter. In fact, going behind the scenes—whether it’s a factory tour or cooking show—can be a valuable experience for both visitors and guides. In this episode, we…

You Need Less Than You Think

Jun 12, 2018 • 34 min

Who needs a fancy office when you can work out of a dingy food court? Who needs fancy equipment when you can buy what you need at Walmart? Who needs to hire an SEO specialist? What does an SEO specialist do, anyway? (A question for another episode, or…

But Wait, There’s More!

May 29, 2018 • 23 min

Do you struggle with finding the right podcast? Are you tired of true crime shows and hosts trying to sell you a mattress? Introducing Rework, a podcast that’s free of both murder and midroll ads. When you listen to this episode of Rework, you’ll learn…

Rework Mailbag 2

May 15, 2018 • 18 min

Basecamp co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer listener questions about workplace communication and remote working.

Ask A Manager

May 1, 2018 • 27 min

Wailin interviews Alison Green, the advice columnist whose Ask A Manager column offers friendly and practical guidance for all kinds of workplace dilemmas, from “How do I ask for a raise?” to “How can I get out of eating lunch with coworkers?” Alison…

BONUS - Culturati Summit 2018

Apr 17, 2018 • 58 min

In January, Wailin Wong interviewed Dean Carter, vice president of human resources and shared services at Patagonia, and David Simas, CEO of the Obama Foundation, at the Culturati Summit in Austin, Texas. They discussed the nature of citizenship,…

BONUS - When Chris Met Mark

Apr 10, 2018 • 3 min

Chris Ruder, the CEO of Spikeball, shares a story about meeting Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban at a bar and committing a photo faux pas (a faux-to pas?), a year before he taped his Shark Tank appearance.

Life After Shark Tank

Apr 3, 2018 • 21 min

The ABC show Shark Tank is irresistible reality programming: Entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to a panel of famous investors and have the potential to make a life-changing deal. But as with any reality show, there’s much more to the Shark Tank…

How to Say You’re Sorry

Mar 20, 2018 • 32 min

“You know I try, but I don’t do too well with apologies,” Justin Bieber once sang. You’re not the only one with this problem, Justin! Why is saying sorry so difficult, especially for businesses? In this episode: A veteran tracker of apologies looks at…

Update: Please Don’t Like This

Mar 13, 2018 • 14 min

Jason Fried talks about designing an alternative to Basecamp’s Applause feature that is subtle yet expressive, and distinct from the kinds of reactions and feedback mechanisms used on social media platforms. (If you missed our previous episode on the…

Please Don’t Like This

Mar 6, 2018 • 25 min

At Basecamp, we’re in the midst of a debate over an Applause feature that was designed to improve communication but might be stoking unwanted anxiety. In this episode, CTO David Heinemeier Hansson and iOS designer Tara Mann present different sides of the…

BONUS - Dan Miller on Outsourcing

Feb 21, 2018 • 4 min

Dan Miller of Mulberrys Garment Care talks outsourcing, bootstrapping, and growing slowly in some leftover bits we couldn’t quite fit into episode 14.

Meetings Are Toxic

Feb 20, 2018 • 23 min

You’ll laugh; you’ll cry; you’ll gnash your teeth in recognition as you hear the stories of horrible meetings we collected for this episode. Meetings are one of the worst kinds of workplace interruptions. They’re held too frequently, run too long, and…

Interruption is Not Collaboration

Feb 6, 2018 • 28 min

Hey, are you busy? Can you listen to this real quick? It’s an episode about interruptions in the workplace. You’ll hear from academic researchers, Basecamp’s head data wrangler, and the CEO of a remote company about how they’ve tackled not just the…

BONUS - Jason Fried On To-Do Notifications

Jan 26, 2018 • 23 min

Special bonus episode where Jason Fried discusses some of the thinking that goes into making a very small change to the to-do feature in Basecamp.

Don’t Be Fake

Jan 23, 2018 • 37 min

Hey, are you crushing it? It seems like everyone is constantly crushing it in the business world. But maybe it would be better if we were honest about our flaws, talked like ourselves, and aimed to be genuine instead of super polished. In this episode: A…

BONUS - The Million Dollar Mistake

Jan 16, 2018 • 7 min

A conversation with Fred Perrotta, co-founder and CEO of Tortuga Backpacks, about something he calls his “million dollar mistake.”

Start Making Something

Jan 9, 2018 • 35 min

New year, new you! If you started 2018 with an idea for a product, business, or creative pursuit, now is the time to start making something. In this episode: A tabletop game designer finds that sometimes, all you need to get going is a pack of index cards…

Rework Mailbag 1 - Part 2

Dec 26, 2017 • 28 min

This is the second in a two-part series in which Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer listener questions.

Rework Mailbag 1 - Part 1

Dec 19, 2017 • 35 min

This is the first of two episodes where Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson answer questions from our listeners. In this episode, they talk about the role of luck and timing in starting Basecamp; ass pricing (yes, you read that correctly); hiring in…

Planning is Guessing

Dec 5, 2017 • 27 min

Basecamp’s founders never wrote a business plan when they started the company. Even today, they don’t like to look too far ahead. Too much long-term planning can hamper your ability to react to the present. Did you have plans to listen to this episode…

Can You Sell Water? Part 2

Nov 21, 2017 • 22 min

Some of the tech industry’s most vaunted companies revel in their origins as mavericks or rule-breakers, having flouted regulations in the name of disruption. That kind of risk-taking is celebrated in Silicon Valley but punished in other places, most…

BONUS - The Price of Basecamp’s Water

Nov 8, 2017 • 5 min

Some leftover bits that didn’t make it into the last episode.

Can You Sell Water? Part 1

Nov 7, 2017 • 27 min

Selling is a core skill. You have to know how to sell, whether it’s a product, an idea, or yourself. In 2012, Basecamp CEO Jason Fried saw the results of a bottled water-selling challenge at Techstars Chicago, a bootcamp program for startups. That one-day…

BONUS - Jason Fried at INDUSTRY 2017

Oct 31, 2017 • 44 min

Basecamp CEO Jason Fried talks about ideas with Paul McAvinchey, co-founder of Product Collective, at INDUSTRY: The Product Conference in September 2017.

The Moral ABC

Oct 24, 2017 • 16 min

Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, which bills itself as the top-selling natural soapmaker in North America, wasn’t founded to sell soap. The company was started to promote a religious philosophy developed by Emanuel Bronner, a third-generation German Jewish…

Take A Stand

Oct 10, 2017 • 32 min

Business and politics tend to make uneasy bedfellows, but in these divisive times, even businesses that have historically stayed out of hot-button issues are coming off the sidelines. In this episode: An online florist tells racists to shop elsewhere;…

Say No

Sep 26, 2017 • 25 min

It’s easy to say yes, whether it’s to a customer request or a deadline from your boss. But saying yes too many times can result in an unmanageable workload or distract you from the stuff you really want to be doing. It’s good to practice saying no and…

Pick A Fight (on Twitter)

Sep 12, 2017 • 28 min

Basecamp CTO David Heinemeier Hansson is known for many things, including creating Ruby on Rails and writing business books. He also has a knack for arguing with people on the Internet. This cheerfully profane conversation explores how Twitter is like a…

Workaholics Aren’t Heroes

Aug 29, 2017 • 32 min

Being tired isn’t a badge of honor. There, we said it. We’ve been saying this for a while now, because our culture loves to glorify toiling long hours for its own sake and we think that leads to subpar work and general misery. In this episode, we talk to…

Sell Your By-products

Aug 15, 2017 • 31 min

Welcome to the first episode of Rework! This podcast is based on Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson’s 2010 best-selling business book, which was itself based on years of blogging. So what better way to kick off this show than talking about…

Rework Teaser

Jul 26, 2017 • 1 min

Rework is a podcast by the makers of Basecamp about a better way to work and run your business. While the prevailing narrative around successful entrepreneurship tells you to scale fast and raise money, we think there’s a better way. We’ll take you behind…