REWORK Business beyond profit
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Mar 18, 2026 
David Heinemeier Hansson, creator of Ruby on Rails and outspoken advocate for independent companies. Jason Fried, co-founder of Basecamp and HEY, champion of sustainable, simple business design. They discuss finding the right size for a business. They talk about choosing independence over outside pressure. They cover keeping costs low to preserve freedom and why steady can beat relentless growth.
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Find Your Company's Orbit
- Companies can reach an "orbit" where escape velocity is no longer required and steady maintenance replaces constant acceleration.
- Jason Fried compares early intense growth to takeoff and says once in orbit you can throttle back, maintain quality, and still create without engines on full blast.
Basecamp Then HEY Then Another Surge
- 37signals experienced multiple growth phases: Basecamp took off, HEY rose later, and product updates like Basecamp 5 can re-accelerate momentum.
- Jason Fried uses these shifts to illustrate landing, orbiting, and occasional takeoffs over decades.
Manage Expectations Instead Of Chasing Eternal Growth
- Manage expectations by accepting that perpetual acceleration is rare and most companies won't sustain endless growth.
- Kimberly Rhodes urges founders to avoid copying superstar outliers and instead aim for a stable, satisfying company size like 37signals' ~60 people.