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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

#41

Post by defilade »

Jd wrote: post #38
tptacek wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Simple version: If he thinks and thought the Groupon scenario is "absolutely disgusting" why did he advise, take a board position, and retain shares in an "absolutely disgusting" venture? Options presented by me: A) "absolutely disgusting" is an exaggeration B) JF is a hypocrite C) JF has changed his mind over time

You're just a little obsessed with parsing his every word. Maybe he did find Groupon's growth absolutely disgusting. Maybe he didn't. Either way, he was asked to participate and give advice, which is what he did. One can do that and not be thrilled with everything going on. We're not talking about criminal activity here, just one of many ways to run a business.

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

#42

Post by campnic »

Acne_Researcher wrote: post #35

This guy could have built the next Salesforce / google. but he eschewed hiring a sales team. He didn't want that, but still. Failing to achieve your true potential is not something to be bragging about all over the web.

Is someone's "true potential" only reached when they chew up employees during 80 hour weeks? When they have a sales team that will do whatever it takes to land the sale including stretching the truth?

Is 'true potential' only evaluated based on attainment of maximum dollars per day of business? I don't see how he has failed anything but living up to your idea of achievement which, frankly, seems a lot more shallow then his.

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

#44

Post by tptacek »

rdl wrote: post #29
tptacek wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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)

And? It's not like we have to read tea leaves out of his board memberships to see how Jason Fried runs a business. He runs a famous business himself.

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

#45

Post by mratzloff »

Acne_Researcher wrote: post #35

This guy could have built the next Salesforce / google. but he eschewed hiring a sales team. He didn't want that, but still. Failing to achieve your true potential is not something to be bragging about all over the web.

I suppose he doesn't really have to prove anything to anyone. Not everyone wants to run a 10,000 or 50,000 employee company. Not everyone would be happy with the stress or bureaucracy involved.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but your attitude is exactly the kind of thing he's talking about in the linked interview. Mega growth and mega profits are one measure of success. A life with low stress and plenty of time for your family (and by the way, making all that possible for your employees, too) is another one.

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

#46

Post by flyosity »

zupreme wrote: post #9

Wow. It almost sounds like he runs his tech startup like a "real" company. Imagine that. ;-)

I think that 37signals has been in business since the late 90s, so I'm not sure I'd qualify a business that's been in business for 13+ years as a startup.

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

#47

Post by whalesalad »

kevin_morrill wrote: post #20
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.

It's what every great organization I have ever been a part of has been about. My current gig, we put the customer first 24x7 and go out of the way to ensure they're comfortable. We're currently one of INC's fastest growing companies two years in a row and hiring new employees daily to meet demand.

I just spent 20 minutes writing an email with detailed screenshots of how to add a menu item to a CMS. I can't stand the CMS that this client uses. We inherited it and it blows. They're an awesome client though, nice people, and above else, they're my customer. I have no problem going out of my way to ensure that they've got detailed and easy-to-understand instructions.

A startup that some friends and I started a few years ago: schoolrack.com. Our users were teachers from elementary to high-school. You can imagine we dealt with TONS fo technical support requests from both confused parents and teachers. A lot of teachers are still forced to use IE6. Patience and always putting the customer first is what made us successful. Our users adored us. We'd start at a school and overnight every teacher there would be using us. Our users always had nice things to say about us because we always put them first.

When I worked in Apple retail, they reinforced the same principles. Understand the customer. Put yourself in their shoes. Frame your questions so that they are not misconstrued. Make technology friendly. Know your customer. If they're coming to you wanting Final Cut and a few Mac Pro's, don't try and offer them lessons on how to use a word processor (exaggeration). Of course not every Apple employee is a saint, and sometimes you have a bad experience. We're humans, after all. But the principles work.

Bend over backwards for your customer. Treat every single person you interact with on a day-to-day basis with respect and kindness. Even the UPS who comes to pick up your deliveries.

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

#48

Post by ceejayoz »

nanijoe wrote: post #36
ceejayoz wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Pray tell, what would make it a startup?

They were a startup early on. I think it's safe to say they've transitioned out of that at this point, just as Google, Amazon, etc. have.

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

#49

Post by mratzloff »

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…

Perhaps. But I don't think that invalidates what he's saying. The idea stands on its own.

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

#50

Post by timsally »

Acne_Researcher wrote: post #35

This guy could have built the next Salesforce / google. but he eschewed hiring a sales team. He didn't want that, but still. Failing to achieve your true potential is not something to be bragging about all over the web.

The company brings in several millions dollars a year [1]. They have one of the nicest offices in Chicago [2]. One of the partners had a super car commissioned a few years ago which on a technical level is more sophisticated than the machinery available to your average military [3]. So how aren't they "living up to their true potential"?

[1] From the article.

[2] http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2593-official-pictures-of-our...

[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagani_Zonda#HH

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