The Balance of Risk and Confidence in Entrepreneurship

In a world where constant reinvestment is celebrated, 37signals chooses profit. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast, co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about how profit gives them freedom, clarity, and staying power—not just for the company, but for their customers too. They make the case for building a business that’s solid, simple, and self-funded.

Key Takeaways:

• 00:27 – How being profitable is actually a choice
• 08:34 – Why it’s important to take money off the table
• 11:35 – Striking the right balance between ego and humility
• 15:00 – Profitability isn’t guaranteed forever
• 18:27 – Well-managed profits create reliability for customers

Links and Resources:

• Why We Choose Profit
• Get Basecamp for free at Basecamp.com
• Books by 37signals
• HEY World | HEY
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X