Rework

Basecamp design lead Jonas Downey was one of the first people to experiment with what would eventually become Hey, Basecamp’s newly launched email service. Jonas comes on Rework to talk about building software for humans, preserving a sense of fun weirdness as a new product evolves, and managing a big launch during a tumultuous time.Show NotesHey - 00:21Our previous episode about Hey, featuring Basecamp co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson - 00:27Apple vs. Hey - 00:40Jonas Downey on Twitter - 00:56Prairienet - 1:36Basecamp’s book on a calm workplace - 19:20

Basecamp has launched Hey, a new email platform with a strong point of view. It's also one of the stupidest things Basecamp has ever attempted. Co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about the philosophy around time, attention, and privacy that forms the backbone of Hey, why Inbox Zero is a tyrannical scam, and what Hey does differently. Show NotesHey.com | the Hey manifesto - 00:14Jason Fried on Twitter - 00:34DHH on Twitter - 00:48Jason and Ryan Singer discussed Hey's origins in Highrise in this product strategy Q&A - 3:20"Highrise is back with Basecamp" (Signal v. Noise) - 3:44Our previous episode about pixel tracking - 20:04Our previous episode talking about Superhuman - 24:01Ian Malcolm's "Your scientists..." clip from Jurassic Park - 30:45

On June 15, Basecamp launches a new email service called Hey. One of its features is that it blocks tracking pixels that report back to the sender when and how you read an email. In this episode, Basecamp's marketing team talks about their difficult search for an email newsletter provider that doesn't track subscribers. And Nabiha Syed, president of the new investigative journalism outlet The Markup, talks about their commitment to data minimization—including zero tracking, not even open rates, on their newsletters—and how that affects their relationship with readers.Show NotesBasecamp’s newsletter - 2:34Hey - 3:05Andy Didorosi on Twitter - 3:29Farnam Street newsletter - 5:47Adam Stoddard on Twitter - 7:23Mailchimp's postcard program | Opt out of receiving postcards - 9:21Sendy.co - 12:34Nabiha Syed's bio | Twitter - 14:04The Markup - 14:06The Markup's privacy policy - 14:28Nabiha’s letter - 16:27Martijn de Kuijper on Twitter | Revue - 18:40

Andy Hunter launched Bookshop.org in January as a platform to help independent bookstores take and fulfill online orders. Shortly afterward, the pandemic forced small businesses to close their physical doors and Bookshop.org found itself trying to manage three years of growth in three months. Andy comes on the show for a deep dive into how his business works, monopoly power in the book industry, and what steps Bookshop is taking to make sure growth and success don't compromise their mission.Show NotesAnnihilation by Jeff VanderMeer - 1:27"Nevermore, Amazon," our episode about The Raven Book Store - 2:06Andy Hunter on Twitter - 2:44Bookshop website | Twitter | Instagram - 2:44Catapult | Counterpoint | Soft Skull Press - 3:28Lit Hub - 3:32Ingram - 6:21Certified B Corporation - 9:25Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, D.C. - 10:18Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver, CO - 10:19Powell’s Books in Portland, OR - 10:20IndieBound - 13:30Morgan Entrekin - 15:34HappyFunCorp - 18:36Libro.fm - 19:37H

The pandemic has caused enormous job losses and forced many companies to rethink the nature of work. In this episode, two Stanford students talk about the online resource they built to help fellow students whose summer internships were canceled, and Wildbit CEO Natalie Nagele returns to Rework to discuss the launch of People-First Jobs, a job board that connects seekers with human-centered companies.Show NotesAkshaya Dinesh's website | LinkedIn | Twitter - 1:10Andrew Tan's website | LinkedIn | Twitter - 1:28Verkada - 3:36LinkedIn post announcing the mentorship program - 5:36Remote Students - 8:10People-First Jobs website | Twitter - 10:17Wildbit - 10:21Natalie Nagele on Twitter - 10:30COVID-19 Resources on People-First Jobs - 17:27our recent episode about banning makers of employee surveillance technology - 18:53Kitty Hawk - 20:20

A growing number of companies have turned to employee surveillance software to monitor their newly remote workforce. Basecamp, which has taken a hardline stance against surveillance of all kinds, decided to ban makers of this "tattleware" from integrating with our products. Basecamp CTO David Heinemeier Hansson comes on the show to talk about how a special "Moral Quandaries" team at the company made the decision and how surveillance systems poison the future of remote work.Show NotesAwair air quality monitor - 00:34A presentation by DHH on "Why Air Quality Matters" - 1:15DHH on Twitter - 1:55Basecamp Terms of Service  -2:37Until the End of the Internet policy - 2:46Basecamp API - 3:54basecamp.com/extras - 4:09Article by Drew Harwell of the Washington Post about employee surveillance - 5:10REMOTE: Office Not Required by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson - 8:53The surveillance illustration from REMOTE - 9:00 GitHub repository for Basecamp policies - 14:00Signal v. Noise post

The government may not consider comic book shops, indoor plant stores, and small boutiques "essential," but these businesses are vital to the unique fabric of their neighborhoods and downtowns. Without foot traffic, they're finding new ways to connect with customers and stay afloat, all while navigating supply chain disruptions and e-commerce logistics. Show NotesAlleyCat Comics website | Facebook | Instagram - 0:55Mighty Con - 1:36"New Comics Delayed Across Industry in Wake of Coronavirus Concerns" (The Hollywood Reporter) - 2:10Our previous episodes about small businesses and COVID covered fitness studios and family-oriented businesses - 2:37Hearth & Hammer General Store website | Facebook | Instagram - 3:29Walden Woods candle - 4:22The Zen Succulent website | Facebook | Instagram  - 8:00Modern Terrarium Studio by Megan George - 9:01Jordan Grace Owens website | collaboration with The Zen Succulent - 10:36Claire Daniel website | picture of her installation at The Zen Succulent -

We call up our friend and former colleague Esther Lee, who lives with her husband on a 35-foot sailboat named Hope in Jacksonville, Florida. Esther, an "idealist in hiding," talks about how living smaller gives her more space to turn outward and care for others, especially now.Show NotesEsther's bio at the Poetry Foundation - 00:25The Minimalists - 3:30Sailrite sewing machines - 9:30eXXpedition - 13:32eXXpedition's João Pessoa to Barbados leg has been rescheduled to 2022 - 13:45Sacrificial Metal by Esther Lee - 14:22Rudolf Laban - 14:52Wayfinders Now on Instagram | website - 17:55

Endless Zoom meetings, being cut off from friends, the widespread cancellation of summer fun, ricocheting between boredom and anxiety—kids have it pretty rough! And it's no picnic for their parents, either. In this episode, businesses built on offering in-person enrichment for children talk about how they're adapting to reach families and stay resilient during this time.Show NotesNancy Mork's biography - 00:47Fussy Baby Network website | Facebook - 00:50Erikson Institute - 00:53Hatch Art Studio website | Instagram - 3:51Collage Workshop for Kids by Shannon Merenstein - 3:55Omowale Casselle on Twitter - 5:28Digital Adventures website - 5:32Bar Rucci's Art Bar Blog - 13:06Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art - 21:17Eric Carle's book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar (not The Hungry Hungry Caterpillar like Wailin says) - 21:21Collage Workshop for Kids on Bookshop.org - 21:29

Basecampers Nathan Anderson and Joan Stewart talk about their love of baking bread and how to get started if you're a newbie. As Joan says, you just have to believe.Show NotesThe New York Times chocolate chip cookie recipe, adapted from Jacques Torres  - 00:43Nathan Anderson on Twitter - 1:00Nathan attended Artisan Bread Camp, taught by Tom Edwards. Read a Washington Post story about the reporter's experience at the same session (Nathan is briefly mentioned in the article and is in one of the photos.) - 2:00Bon Appétit YouTube channel - 2:14Joan Stewart on Twitter - 2:17"Brad and Claire Make Sourdough Bread" - 2:35Claire Saffitz on Instagram - 2:39Bread magazine - 3:00Recipes for using sourdough starter discard - 5:05Edna Mode - 7:25

CEO Jason Fried and Head of Strategy Ryan Singer talk about the Shape Up approach to product development that we use at Basecamp. They discuss organizing work in six-week cycles, how to handle disagreement, and how so much of the process boils down to making trade-offs. You can also watch the full video of this Q&A session.Show NotesGoing Remote Q&A videos on YouTube - 00:57Basecamp's remote work resources - 1:00Jason Fried | Ryan Singer on Twitter - 1:09Hey, Basecamp's forthcoming email product - 1:23Shape Up: Stop Running in Circles and Ship Work that Matters - 2:17Q1: How do you go about planning something from scratch? What are the different milestones in the product-planning process? - 4:59An explainer of six-week cycles - 6:10An explainer of finding the epicenter from Getting Real, Basecamp's earlier book on product development - 11:50Q2: How do you decide how far to break down projects? Can you be so granular that you reach a point of diminishing returns? - 13:31Shape Up chapter

Several of Basecamp's working parents talk about (not) getting things done with small children around, navigating responsibilities and feelings with partners, structuring the day, primal screaming, and more. You can also watch the full video replay of this Q&A session.Show NotesGoing Remote series on YouTube - 00:10Basecamp's Remote Resources page - 00:39Question 1: If you’re home with kids under three, how do you work while they’re craving your attention? - 4:00Going Remote episode about customer support - 6:25Art for Kids Hub on YouTube - 15:31Lunch Doodles with children's book author Mo Willems - 15:51LeVar Burton does #LeVarBurtonReadsLive on his Twitter feed - 15:55Question 2: How do you navigate tension between partners when one person bears more of the childcare responsibilities? - 19:22Question 3: What morning habits do you have to keep yourself aligned? - 23:33Basecamp on Twitter - 27:23

David Sax is the author of the new book The Soul of an Entrepreneur: Work and Life Beyond the Startup Myth. He comes on the show to debunk the Silicon Valley narrative that only a rarefied subset of people can succeed as founders, and shares examples from his book of business owners whose complex relationship with freedom, risk, and success offer a fuller picture of entrepreneurship.Read David's recent op-ed in the New York Times, "The Coronavirus Is Showing Us Which Entrepreneurs Matter."Show NotesDavid Sax's website | Twitter - 1:16The Soul of an Entrepreneur: Work and Life Beyond the Startup Myth - 1:21"At 21, Kylie Jenner Becomes The Youngest Self-Made Billionaire Ever" (Forbes) - 7:05A 2017 Daily Beast profile of Kris Jenner's mother - 7:21ESOPs - 17:16Article by Daniela Papi-Thornton in the Stanford Social Innovation Review about "heropreneurship" - 20:54Save the Deli by David Sax - 23:40The Revenge of Analog by David Sax - 23:52Maxim's May/June 2018 iss

Going Remote is a series of bonus episodes where different Basecampers answer questions about how they do their work remotely. In this episode, Merissa Dawson and Chase Clemons answer questions about providing customer support, including how they talk to angry customers and how they onboard new team members. The full version of their Q&A, including a visual walkthrough of the support team's Basecamp account, can be found on YouTube.Show NotesDesign lead Jonas Downey's Going Remote episode - 00:18Basecamp's customer support team - 00:26Going Remote playlist on YouTube | Full version of Merissa and Chase's session  - 00:39Question 1: How do you talk to customers who are really angry or not nice? - 00:54Chase talks more about his experience managing a deli in this Rework episode - 2:41Question 2: Who hops on the calls with customers, someone from Support or from the Product team? - 4:26Question 3: It's tough right now. What's something you could tell a support specialist from ar

Fitness studios, like many other businesses, had to scramble to change over from in-person to virtual operations almost overnight. In this episode, three business owners in the fitness and wellness industry share their stories of how they've pivoted and how they're continuing to look after their communities' well-being during a difficult time.Note: After we wrapped editing on this episode, Haji Healing Salon launched two support groups that meet weekly with a clinical psychologist. If you're interested in signing up, click on "Healing Services" on Haji's website.Show NotesArts + Public Life residency program at the University of Chicago - 3:14Haji Healing Salon website | Instagram - 3:19"Haji Healing Salon Aims to be 'Oasis and Sanctuary' On Bustling 79th Street in Chatham" (Block Club Chicago) - 4:04Philly Dance Fitness website | Livestream - 7:22Take It Off Broadway - 8:43StreamingVideoProvider - 11:10Punchpass website - 14:21Punchpass webinar on gettin

We're starting a new series of bonus episodes called Going Remote. We'll have different Basecampers answer questions about how they do their work remotely. In this first episode, design lead Jonas Downey talks about how he and his team collaborate with each other, give feedback, and communicate with their developer colleagues. These episodes are adapted from an ongoing series of livestreamed Q&As, which you can find in their entirety on Basecamp's YouTube channel.Show NotesVideo of Jonas' Q&A | YouTube playlist of all Q&As - 00:33Jonas Downey on Twitter - 00:39Question #1: I’m planning on doing design thinking sessions for groups. How should I channel the team aspect in a virtual call with 20 to 30 people? - 4:25Question #2: What tools do you use to replace whiteboarding and Post-It sessions? - 6:33Reflector app - 7:31Question #3: It seems like most communication you do runs through Basecamp. How do you communicate the intricacies of designs to engineers, and what’s your workfl

We're back from hiatus! In this episode, we sit down with Quaker theologian and small business owner Wess Daniels, the author of the book Resisting Empire: The Book of Revelation as Resistance. He talks about the value of silence; reshaping systems of money and power; and building community during a time of struggle. Show NotesWess Daniels on Twitter | His blog, Gathering In Light - 1:19Resisting Empire: The Book of Revelation as Resistance (Barclay Press) - 1:27Friends Center at Guilford College - 2:11Fireweed Coffee Co - 2:29Wess's blog post on holding a family meeting - 4:10Poor People's Campaign - 15:48

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 of the world; practicing self-care during the punishing Antarctic winter; getting along with coworkers that you also live with in close quarters; frozen nose hairs, snacks, Internet access, and more! This episode was originally run in February 2019.Show NotesThe IceCube website - 00:46What is a neutrino? (Scientific American) - 1:13SNOLAB in Canada is an example of a neutrino observatory located in an old mine - 1:58Emsisoft - 2:48Skynet satellite (and the other Skynet) - 4:38Mt. Erebus in Antarctica is the southernmost active volcano on the planet - 14:00The Thing (the 1982 version by John Carpenter) - 19:28The IceCube website has an entire section about living at the South Pole - 26:53The defibrillator scene in The Thing (Warning: VERY SCARY! And gross!) - 2

This is the second part of a two-hour live Q&A on remote work that Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson held last week. Part 2 covers questions about interruptions, mental health, hardware and software tools, and building culture as a remote company. You can find Part 1 on our feed in your podcast app or on our website. If you'd like to watch the Q&A session in its entirety, you can do that on Periscope. You can also check out Basecamp's Guide to Internal Communication.Show NotesQuestion 1: How do we get aligned with coworkers without interrupting them through chat/phone calls and while respecting their time? - 4:03 Pings (direct messages) in Basecamp - 6:34Hey is Basecamp's upcoming email product - 7:23"Interruption Is Not Collaboration," our episode where we discuss Office Hours - 8:45It Doesn’t Have to be Crazy At Work - 10:48Question 2: How would you encourage leaders to prepare (or how has Basecamp prepared) for an eventuality where large numbers of workers will be si

Nom Wah Tea Parlor is New York Chinatown’s oldest dim sum restaurant. For decades, it served Cantonese dumplings and rolls in the traditional way, from trolleys pushed around the restaurant. When Wilson Tang took over Nom Wah in 2011, he switched from trolleys to menus with pictures and started serving dim sum through dinner. He also opened new locations that broadened Nom Wah’s repertoire beyond dim sum. These were big changes for a restaurant that opened in 1920, but Wilson saw them as measures to secure Nom Wah’s future for its next century in business. This episode first aired on The Distance in May 2017. Nom Wah has reduced operations due to COVID-19, but you can support the restaurant by purchasing merchandise: https://nomwah.com/shop/.