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37signals Earns Millions Each Year. Its CEO’s Model? His Cleaning Lady

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Re: 37signals Earns Millions Each Year. Its CEO’s Model? His Cleaning Lady

#11

Post by spitfire »

Jd wrote: post #8

"To me that’s far more interesting than a tech company that’s hiring a bunch of people, just got their fourth round of financing for 12 million dollars, and they’re still losing money. That’s what everyone talks about as being exciting, but I think that’s an absolutely disgusting scenario when it comes to business." Hilarious given that Jason Fried was on the board of directors of Groupon (his comments on this "disgu…

Do as I say, not as I do.

Ego has this astonishing effect of completely bending[1] the space-time-reality fabric of the universe.

1. Or ripping it apart, depending on how well off you've become and how many sports cars you've bought.

Re: 37signals Earns Millions Each Year. Its CEO’s Model? His Cleaning Lady

#12

Post by slantyyz »

ceejayoz wrote: post #10
timjahn wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"merely a successful small business." Really? That small business is financially more successful than most crazy ass VC backed startups with the latest photo sharing solution will ever be.

In fairness, that still doesn't make it a startup.

I think after being in business for over a decade, 37signals is way past being called a startup.

Re: 37signals Earns Millions Each Year. Its CEO’s Model? His Cleaning Lady

#13

Post by timjahn »

ceejayoz wrote: post #10
timjahn wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"merely a successful small business." Really? That small business is financially more successful than most crazy ass VC backed startups with the latest photo sharing solution will ever be.

In fairness, that still doesn't make it a startup.

No, it doesn't.

But who the hell cares?

Re: 37signals Earns Millions Each Year. Its CEO’s Model? His Cleaning Lady

#14

Post by endtwist »

Jd wrote: post #8

"To me that’s far more interesting than a tech company that’s hiring a bunch of people, just got their fourth round of financing for 12 million dollars, and they’re still losing money. That’s what everyone talks about as being exciting, but I think that’s an absolutely disgusting scenario when it comes to business." Hilarious given that Jason Fried was on the board of directors of Groupon (his comments on this "disgu…

I don't know if it's really that odd. Jason's feelings about the way a company should be run may have been at odds with the way Groupon was run. However, that wasn't what Andrew asked Jason to provide guidance on.

Re: 37signals Earns Millions Each Year. Its CEO’s Model? His Cleaning Lady

#15

Post by twelvedigits »

Jd wrote: post #8

"To me that’s far more interesting than a tech company that’s hiring a bunch of people, just got their fourth round of financing for 12 million dollars, and they’re still losing money. That’s what everyone talks about as being exciting, but I think that’s an absolutely disgusting scenario when it comes to business." Hilarious given that Jason Fried was on the board of directors of Groupon (his comments on this "disgu…

I think you're overestimating the influence of board members. You can judge him based on how he runs his company, not how he participates on one company's board. That's "do as I do."

Re: 37signals Earns Millions Each Year. Its CEO’s Model? His Cleaning Lady

#16

Post by neeleshs »

I am in line with the thought process. Also, "There’s a great quote by a guy named Ricardo Semler, author of the book Maverick. He said that only two things grow for the sake of growth: businesses and tumors." funny and apt. I am striving to build a sustainable business, without going to VCs, providing tangible benefits to my customers, and without huge ambitions to become a billion dollar company (or even high millions)

Re: 37signals Earns Millions Each Year. Its CEO’s Model? His Cleaning Lady

#17

Post by Jd »

endtwist wrote: post #14
Jd wrote: post #8

"To me that’s far more interesting than a tech company that’s hiring a bunch of people, just got their fourth round of financing for 12 million dollars, and they’re still losing money. That’s what everyone talks about as being exciting, but I think that’s an absolutely disgusting scenario when it comes to business." Hilarious given that Jason Fried was on the board of directors of Groupon (his comments on this "disgu…

I don't know if it's really that odd. Jason's feelings about the way a company should be run may have been at odds with the way Groupon was run. However, that wasn't what Andrew asked Jason to provide guidance on.

The problem is that Jason uses superlatives and buzz words in this interview and elsewhere. Either they just are marketing fluff for his "sustainable" (i.e. buzz word-laden) business, or he actually believes them.

However, if he actually believes them, and if Groupon really is "absolutely disgusting," why would have he not only given advice but retained shares in in the company? Personally, I don't even give free advice to things I think are "absolutely disgusting" unless it is to clean up before talking to me, and I'm not sure why we should expect anything different from Jason.

Like I said, I'm open to the idea that Jason is simply exaggerating to set his "slow company" apart from the pack, but if I'm going to write a critique it is going to have to be with the words on the page, not my idea of what is going on in Jason's head.

edit: will accept a third possibility, that Jason's ideas have grown stronger as he has witnessed Groupon from the inside.

2nd edit: "invested" -> "retained shares in"

Re: 37signals Earns Millions Each Year. Its CEO’s Model? His Cleaning Lady

#18

Post by whalesalad »

"I won’t name names. I used to name names. But I think all you have to do is read TechCrunch. Look at what the top stories are, and they’re all about raising money, how many employees they have, and these are metrics that don’t matter. What matters is: Are you profitable? Are you building something great? Are you taking care of your people? Are you treating your customers well? In the coverage of our industry as a whole, you’ll rarely see stories about treating customers well, about people building a sustainable business. TechCrunch to me is the great place to look to see the sickness in our industry right now."

I love this quote. It reflects my sentiments to a T.

Re: 37signals Earns Millions Each Year. Its CEO’s Model? His Cleaning Lady

#19

Post by yesimahuman »

Jd wrote: post #8

"To me that’s far more interesting than a tech company that’s hiring a bunch of people, just got their fourth round of financing for 12 million dollars, and they’re still losing money. That’s what everyone talks about as being exciting, but I think that’s an absolutely disgusting scenario when it comes to business." Hilarious given that Jason Fried was on the board of directors of Groupon (his comments on this "disgu…

That sounded pretty honest to me and didn't refute that quote.

Re: 37signals Earns Millions Each Year. Its CEO’s Model? His Cleaning Lady

#20

Post by kevin_morrill »

whalesalad wrote: post #18

"I won’t name names. I used to name names. But I think all you have to do is read TechCrunch. Look at what the top stories are, and they’re all about raising money, how many employees they have, and these are metrics that don’t matter. What matters is: Are you profitable? Are you building something great? Are you taking care of your people? Are you treating your customers well? In the coverage of our industry as a wh…

I once got to see Jack Welch give a talk and he basically said the same, but about American labor unions. He said if you want job security, the answer is "customers". There is no other shortcut in business.
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