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REWORK · March 18 · 24 min

Business beyond profit

Profit matters, but it’s not the whole story. In this episode, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about building a company around independence instead of endless growth. They reflect on finding the right size for a business, keeping costs low to preserve freedom, and choosing a long, sustainable run over chasing scale at any cost. Key Takeaways 00:10 – Finding your “orbit” when you don’t need to keep pushing for more 03:39 – Letting go of the idea that growth has to be endless 09:05 – Choosing independence instead of outside pressure 17:48 – Keeping costs low so you have room to try things your way 19:57 – Why steady can beat getting bigger Links and Resources Fizzy is a modern spin on kanban. Try it for free at fizzy.do Record a video question for the podcast Sign up for a 30-day free trial 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

0:00 · Introduction-24:31
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Profit matters, but it’s not the whole story. In this episode, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson talk about building a company around independence instead of endless growth. They reflect on finding the right size for a business, keeping costs low to preserve freedom, and choosing a long, sustainable run over chasing scale at any cost.

Key Takeaways

  • 00:10 – Finding your “orbit” when you don’t need to keep pushing for more
  • 03:39 – Letting go of the idea that growth has to be endless
  • 09:05 – Choosing independence instead of outside pressure
  • 17:48 – Keeping costs low so you have room to try things your way
  • 19:57 – Why steady can beat getting bigger

Links and Resources

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