Bonus Episode: Jason Fried Didn’t Mean to Blow Up Basecamp. But He’d Do It Again

This week, in a special bonus episode, Jason Fried talks about why things got crazy at software maker Basecamp and what it has meant for the business. As you may recall, in the spring of 2021, Fried, CEO and co-owner, issued a blog post edict eliminating a slew of benefits, shutting down a committee that had been attempting to address diversity issues, and barring discussion of all social or political issues on work forums. The email produced a backlash that culminated in a third of the company’s 60-some employees choosing to leave. The rupture was especially stunning coming at Basecamp, which has since re-branded by returning to its original name, 37signals, and which has long had a reputation for treating employees well, including offering remote work long before it was commonplace. When the story broke, some business owners applauded Fried for taking a stand. Others wondered how any policy that resulted in the departure of a third of a company’s employees could be worthy of praise.

Show notes:

Here’s the blog post Jason Fried sent out announcing the policy changes: https://world.hey.com/jason/changes-at-basecamp-7f32afc5

Here’s a story that recounted the backlash as it was happening: https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/3/22418208/basecamp-all-hands-meeting-employee-resignations-buyouts-implosion

Jason Fried is author or co-author of several books, including, “It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work.” https://basecamp.com/books/calm