20VC: Why Financial Planning and Goals Do Not Work, The Decision to Ban Politics in the Workplace and Losing 1/3 of the Team Overnight & The One Question That Will Drive All Decision-Making for Leaders with Jason Fried, CEO @ 37Signals
The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
The Twenty Minute VC
4.4 • 637 Ratings
🗓️ 6 January 2023
⏱️ 43 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Jason Fried the Co-Founder and CEO at 37signals, makers of Basecamp and HEY. Over an incredible 21-year journey, Jason and his co-founder David have scaled Basecamp to become the communication tool trusted by millions. Jason is also the co-author of the widely acclaimed, ReWork and has also made several angel investments in the likes of Intercom, Gumroad and Hodinkee to name a few.
In Todays Episode with Jason Fried We Discuss
1. From Web Design Agency to Founding Basecamp:
- What was the a-ha moment for Jason when they had to make the pivot from a design agency to going full-time launching and running Basecamp as a SaaS company?
- What is Jason running towards? What is he running from?
- What is the single biggest fear that Jason is trying to avoid?
2. Jason Fried: The Leader:
- Why does Jason believe he is running from his position as leader and CEO @ Basecamp?
- Why does Jason not like or agree with goals or targets? Why are they not helpful?
- How does Jason make decisions today as a leader and CEO? What one question does he ask that determines his decision-making process?
- Why does Jason never compare himself to the competition? Why does he believe competition is for losers?
3. Jason Fried: The Politicisation of Leadership:
- Why did Jason and David decide to not allow politics in the workplace?
- How did they manage with 1/3 of their team leaving overnight? How was that experience for them personally? How did it impact the company? Is there anything they would do differently?
- Does Jason believe we will see the continued politicization of leadership in the coming months?
- How would Jason advise other CEOs when it comes to taking a stance on politics?
4. Jason Fried: Building the Best Team:
- What is the one question that determines whether you made a good hire?
- Why does Basecamp start with hiring all employees on a week-long project contract?
- Why does Jason believe the best CEOs approach management as the art of the individual?
5. Jason Fried: The Partner, Father, and Husband:
- Jason and David have been partners for 21 years, why does Jason believe it is helpful that they do not see each other much?
- Is it right for co-founders and partners to be friends?
- What have been Jason's single biggest lessons on what it takes to be the best husband?
- What does great fatherhood mean to Jason? How has it changed over time?
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | When I make a decision, I typically don't make it for now. I think about what will that probably |
| 0:05.5 | feel like in a year. Welcome by 20 VC with me, Harry Stebbing, and what a year we have ahead of us. |
| 0:10.6 | Now, I always believe the best shows are those with guests who do not have a boss. |
| 0:15.0 | Now, that is very rare. VCs do have a boss. Their boss really is their LPs. Founders, they have a boss too. It's their |
| 0:22.1 | board and their investors. But what I love about our guest today, he doesn't really have a boss. |
| 0:26.9 | They've never raised money for the company and they've scaled it to millions of dollars in revenue |
| 0:30.9 | and millions of users. I'm so thrilled to welcome back to the hot seat, Jason Frye, co-founder |
| 0:36.1 | and CEO at 37 Signals, makers of |
| 0:39.0 | base camp and hay, over an incredible 21-year journey. Jason and his co-founder David have scaled |
| 0:44.8 | base camp to become the communication tool trusted by millions. Jason's also the co-author of the |
| 0:50.5 | widely acclaimed rework and has made several angel investments in the |
| 0:54.4 | lights of Intercom, Gum Road and Houdinke, to name a few. But before we dive into the show |
| 0:59.1 | today, 20 VC is supported by First Republic Bank when private equity and venture capital |
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| 1:09.3 | Republic, you'll be paired with your own banker, |
| 1:11.7 | who will remain dedicated to helping your team through all market cycles and will be ready to respond |
| 1:16.7 | quickly to your requests. As a First Republic client myself, having a direct relationship with a |
| 1:21.8 | personal banker, who I can really depend on to help me make the right decision matters a lot. |
| 1:27.0 | In fact, your banker will serve as your |
| 1:29.2 | single point of contact by phone, email or First Republic's secure app. Visit FirstRepublic.com |
| 1:35.5 | today to learn more. That's FirstRepublic.com, member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. And speaking |
| 1:42.1 | of amazing partners with First Republic there, if you're a venture |
... |
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