Inc. - Latest Comments in The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

DAN-O-SAUR — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:16:04 -0000

This, again, shows me how great the value of sharing and being passionate about ones life is! Thanks!
Cheers,
DAN

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Davidkurkov — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 04:46:00 -0000

I love this article! Thanks for sharing and the inspiring!

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Emily (Casauri) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 23:31:02 -0000

very inspiring and no fluff - just what's needed

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Charlie — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 12:58:01 -0000

After spending the past 12 years working for private companies in the marketing field, I am currently starting my own business. I plan on using something similar to your schedule as my model for the greatest productivity.

Right now, I will be the sole person in my company. However, once it grows and I am able to hire employees, I feel your position on the typical, 40 hour work week will be part of our M.O.

Thanks for a great article and motivating me to get some work done on a Sunday afternoon.

Charlie Brandt
Owner, Buzz Hub
www.buzzhubonline.com

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Jimkealey — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 18:43:00 -0000

This is exactly how I work although it drives my wife insane she works with me but is very traditional. I wouldn't change for anything and when I stick to this method I succeed

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

San Diego Storage Units — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 18:04:19 -0000

This is the worst article I've ever read on this site. It's not even close either.

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Guest — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 15:51:54 -0000

Nice story, but not sure how the meals are important! lol

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

JMH — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 13:34:50 -0000

Great article/story. Love to hear about business people who are focused on goals and aren't tied to the old school business processes. I think you can be very successful in business by being honest and treating employees with respect. If you let them know what the goal is and they are free to find ways to get there, you will be a long-term success.

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Jason Fried — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 19:03:22 -0000

BL: Fair point, but I was responding to a question from the interviewer. The question was around how many people read the blog.

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

BL — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 10:03:23 -0000

I love 37Signals and we're a customer, but I thought this comment series of sentences was a bit ironic...

"Our blog has more than 100,000 readers, but I don't post every day. I write when I have something specific to say. I recently wrote a scathing piece on the tech media. It really bothers me that the definition of success has changed from profits to followers, friends, and feed count."

Funny you mention the number of readers when it bothers you that "the definition of success has changed from profits to followers, friends, and feed count (readers)." If that's the case, why didn't you reference not how many people read your blog, but how much profit it generates?

;)

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

GG — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 06:46:42 -0000

i'm intrigued by your philosophy but could never adopt it. not in the tech biz at all, in the people business, taking care of delicate people with disabilities. wish i could somehow incorporate your way but don't see how!

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

jamesy — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 00:14:32 -0000

Jason,

The 64k$ question missing from your article is your compensation model. I have worked for large corporations and startups, each with different compensations model that acknowledge employee performance with pay/ownership. I'm guessing that you have performance-based compensation. Could you share some of the details?

Thanks
James

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

rdl — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:26:17 -0000

love how you think. wish i could work for you.

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

rdl — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:25:42 -0000

wow i like how you think. i'd love to work for you.

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

pamelahawley — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 18:22:22 -0000

Dear Jason,

I just read this article, and I had to jump on immediately to write a response! Hearing of your personal day and approach to life was a beautiful, honest and practical way to live life fully. Thank you, and I'd like to comment on a few important areas including balance, being a responsible business, and the importance of improv!

Balance

We try to encourage our team to have outside interests, and to share their goals. We know UniversalGiving can’t be everything for everyone, myself included.  And so I love to hear about others' interests– how can we help further them?

Our team meetings are led each week by rotating team members. At that time thye share any personal information, hobby, interest completely outside of UniversalGiving. One person wants to be a writer. Another wants to go into aerospace. I happen to perform Improv in San Francisco, L.A. and Chicago.

We want to celebrate people holistically. If they are refreshed and involved in multiple areas of interest, they will feel honored. It usually means they will be more likely to stay, and, they will come with more creative ideas having spanned different industries.

Additionally, if I know their interests, perhaps someday I can help them. I can watch out for a person or introduction that might be helpful. Or even in a small way, I can find a helpful article in my daily journey of reading.

We’re all here to help each other. It can happen in so many ways.

Customized Schedules

As part of supporting team members’ goals, we also have customized schedules for different individuals. We have a variety of team members; some people work part-time; some are full-time; some are volunteers; some are consultants, interns, and paid interns. The most important element emphasized at UniversalGiving is trust and long-term relationships, not whether someone fits into a perfect mold.

Business Model

I couldn't agree with you more on having a clear business model. For UniversalGiving, we’re a nonprofit, but still firmly committed to generating revenue. UniversalGiving also offers a customized service that helps Fortune 500 companies manage their global Corporate Social Responsibility Programs. UniversalGiving Corporate handles the strategy, operations, and NGO vetting to ensure the success of global corporate international giving and volunteer programs. Some of our clients include Cisco, BEA and MTV.

In this way we can also offer our public service for free. People can come to UniversalGiving.org, donate, volunteer and do so for free. Due to our corporate business model, 100% of each donation goes directly to the cause. It's an important part of our brand.

Balance as CEO

As CEO, it’s essential to me to spend time listening—listening to team members and making those personal connections. Longterm relationships of trust are what make the best businesses hum. And that doesn’t take analysis or technology. It takes a commitment to qualities of increased understanding, listening skills, and helping others achieve their goals.

I also want to maintain balance in my own life. Family is #1 for me. I need to and want to take care of my mom, my dad, my sister and brother-in-law’s kids three children, whom I babysit often, and have done so since their birth.

Secondly, I absolutely adore—cannot live without—Improv. Exploring different characters, connecting with others on stage, and following the wisdom of listening and intuition is so thrilling. It makes me a better person. It facilitates work on teams. And it's just so fun.

Having the balance between strategically addressing poverty through UniversalGiving with the joy of improv -- keeps my life committed and yet joyfilled.

The beauty of this balance is that I come back energized to UniversalGiving. My mind has had “time off’ and is thrilled to reengage with our efforts to serve. I look at challenges in a new light. My energy is renewed. I bring new skills to the table; my thoughts are stronger and more helpful. I can care more about each team member, who are the people who make UniversalGiving what it is today.

Thank you again, Jason, for sharing such a wonderfully enriching piece!

Sincerely,
Pamela Hawley
Founder and CEO
UniversalGiving™

phawley@universalgiving.org
www.universalgiving.org

Living and Giving blog
www.pamelahawley.wordpress.com

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

davehowell — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 18:09:06 -0000

I love Jeff's idea about when "more is not more". His restaurant analogy is perfect. I don't care how much anyone produces if they don't make any money doing it, what's the point?

1st rule of business is profit. 2nd rule is survive.

My first economics lesson in college was "ain't no free lunch". Owners or shareholders demand returns - end of story.

His company's profile is the future of the workplace. I predict that by 2020, 20% of American workers will be virtual, and 40% of business transactions will be conducted on hand helds.

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

jmarriott — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:37:03 -0000

I was wondering how you make sure that your employees are on task and how do you keep in contact if they are working at home? Do they have a set of goals or tasks they need to complete by a certain deadline? Do you determine what they need to complete or do your employees come up with their own tasks? I guess I big thing is hiring a good staff that is self-motivated.

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Catalina Moscoso — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:19:57 -0000

We are an Internet Marketing company located in the Chicago area, made by Hispanics for small companies and entrepreneurs! As a startup business, this article gave us great insights on a more flexible and relax management style, that truly can be applied to bring more success to our company. Thank you Jason for sharing your experiences and your day to day schedule, very productive way to manage your business. All the best!

P.S. We were just introduced to Basecamp and it is a really good collaboration system.

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Mary — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:42:35 -0000

jdoria -
Outsourcing doesn't have to mean half-way around the world. You can pay someone in your own community to provide something for you - like having an employee, but letting them set THEIR own terms. And "bottom-line' isn't the only way to see the world!

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Mary — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:31:57 -0000

I don't see what's obvious about "what works at 37Signals" not working at "too many" other places. I think it's obvious that when you encourage people to be independent, they usually grow to fill the expectation made of them. True, maybe not everyone, but don't discount the many for the few exceptions - it downgrades society.

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Mary — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:20:09 -0000

Well said.

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Mary — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:17:14 -0000

It isn't late if you're not on a timeclock!

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Mikhail Orlov — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:28:23 -0000

Unabashed simplicity of being yourself, whether it means rolling into the office at 10 am or just being honest about being in charge of finances while having “an accountant who runs the numbers” is the core take away for me in Jason’s approach to life and work balance. This is my third or fourth read of Inc’s Leadership series (I am new to this magazine), but I am deeply enjoying the human smorgasboard of entrepreneur personalities and what makes them tick. I am on my own personal quest of creating work-life balance while building my own company (www.webyshops.com and www.webysuite.com) and find these stories inspirational. I would like to see more stories on the guys/gals with families and how they manage it especially when kids are young.

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Clyde Smith — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:32:33 -0000

"less is less"

I like the way Fried cuts through the nonsense.

My brother has a related saying: "No pain, no pain."

Re: The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

Nils Göldner — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:01:25 -0000

Cooler Typ und krasse Einstellung! Ist sehr überlegenswert.