Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

fastcompany.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 234 posts

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

#21

Post by lincolnwebs »

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…

Congratulations, you brought up JF's Groupon involvement the fastest on this 37Signals link. Well done.

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

#22

Post by tptacek »

spitfire wrote: post #11
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.

37signals does not reap millions of dollars of VC investment to staff up huge numbers of people while running their business in the red. But a reader of your comment would be left to wonder whether they do, because you wrote it carelessly.

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

#23

Post by wlll »

spitfire wrote: post #11
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.

I can't speak for Jason or comment on his involvement on the board of Groupon, but he does do as he says within 37signals.

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

#24

Post by tptacek »

Jd wrote: post #17
endtwist wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 adv…

I am having a hard time following this comment. Are you suggesting that Jason Fried doesn't run 37signals in the manner he's talking about here? If so, then on information & belief, you're wrong.

If you're just saying that you think owning equity in a company not run the way he runs his own company undercuts everything he writes... ok, but what a boring objection to raise.

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

#25

Post by 001sky »

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…

Apparently raising $950M in your fourth round is two orders of magnitude more "interesting" that $12m. Losses notwitstanding. ;)

But all jokes aside, its not uncommon to have BOD compositions of mixed expertise. Having a design or product guy. A Politician, etc. As a group, they need to be effective. But singling out one individual, for "guilt by association" is perhaps stretching a bit. (edit: Unless he was on the audit comittee!)

The fact that he sold his shares, in some ways, also not per-se a bad sign if it reflected his views (it became public information). This is signalling to the public, and seems consistent with his other expressed opinions.

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

#26

Post by mtoledo »

Jd wrote: post #17
endtwist wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 adv…

"why would have he not only given advice but invested in the company?"

On the link you posted he mentioned that he hasn't invested on the company, and that the options he sold were ones he received as compensation for his work on the board.

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

#27

Post by batista »

spitfire wrote: post #11
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.

>Do as I say, not as I do.

Which is mighty fine.

I'f I'm telling you to be good and I'm bad, them I'm a hypocrite.

That doesn't mean that my advice is bad, or that you shouldn't follow it.

Follow an advice (or not) by the intrinsic value of it, not by who the one giving it is or what he does.

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

#28

Post by ovatsug25 »

Jd wrote: post #17
endtwist wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 adv…

He didn't invest in the company. He was granted shares. He sold them at his first chance.

Thing is Jason is all about living the good life not being rich. Good life != rich. He was doing well for himself before Basecamp and Basecamp was just part of his strategy to manage his own work more effectively so he would have time for stuff that is actually better than coding or designing - like spending time with family or driving race cars a la DHH.

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

#29

Post by rdl »

tptacek wrote: post #24
Jd wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 adv…

I am having a hard time following this comment. Are you suggesting that Jason Fried doesn't run 37signals in the manner he's talking about here? If so, then on information & belief, you're wrong. If you're just saying that you think owning equity in a company not run the way he runs his own company undercuts everything he writes... ok, but what a boring objection to raise.

A board seat is a lot different from just holding equity. I own HPQ, RIMM, and YHOO, and if I had a board seat in any, my push would be for sale and getting rid of everyone above the first layer of management and engineers. (Boardmembers can't do this directly, but can work with shareholders and management, and ultimately hire competent CEOs)

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

#30

Post by ovatsug25 »

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…

Groupon actually pivoted to cater to small business management now that I think about it. This dosen't mean they were successful at it, but I wonder whether Jason had anything to do with that. Groupon might be able to recover and survive as a company but I don't think the VC's will make it with a big return.
Post reply on HN