Simplifying Complexity In conversation with Jason Fried
8 snips
Sep 2, 2024 
Jason Fried, Co-founder and CEO of 37signals, shares his wealth of experience from 25 years in the business world. He discusses the importance of hiring strong writers and how meaningful reference checks can unveil true character. The conversation shifts to fostering creativity in remote teams and adapting project management methodologies, like the 'Shape Up' approach for efficient planning. Fried emphasizes the evolution of writing in business, arguing it’s essential for effective remote communication, and reflects on the unique challenges posed by the transition to remote work.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
CEO Role: Injecting Risk
- Risk tolerance is scarce in most companies because employees focus on mitigating risk to preserve their jobs.
- Jason Fried views his role as CEO to inject reasonable amounts of risk and new ideas into the company culture.
Sparking Ideas from Casual Talk
- A flippant comment at a company meetup sparked a serious idea that evolved into a new product.
- Jason Fried often catches these spontaneous remarks to develop innovative products from casual conversations.
Build For Yourself First
- 37signals builds products they need themselves before sharing with others.
- They don’t ask users what they want because users often cannot clearly express their needs.