When one stands out. First the idea hits. Then I think about it some more and it takes a direction. As I work through the direction, I’ll see another direction. Usually relatively similar, but different enough that it demands its own exploration. As I dig in into the problem, more layers and possibilities reveal themselves. Sometimes… keep reading
I’ve been doing some archeology through our archives lately. I noticed a few patterns, including discovering a series about what it’s like to spend your first few weeks here at Basecamp. Looking back over the years, it’s neat to see people’s experiences evolve over time as our company as grown. I thoroughly enjoyed taking a… keep reading
You can spend your own money on yourself. When you do that, why then you really watch what you’re doing, and you try to get the most for your money. You can spend your own money on somebody else. For example, I buy a birthday present for someone. Well, then I’m not so careful about… keep reading
“How do you juggle it all?” is a question I’m asked regularly. Usually with an undertone that I must have some secret. A trick. Is it sleeping just 5 hours per night? Is it working 12 hour days for months on end? What is it!?! The common lore of Highly Productive People is that they… keep reading
Working with people is messy — the more people, the messier it gets. There’s no way around that. And while you may know your own mess, finding something in someone else’s is quite a challenge. So we wanted to make sure Basecamp 3 made it easy to find what you’re looking for, no matter what fragments of… keep reading
The Richardson family arrived in Spring Grove, Illinois in 1840, when brothers Robert and Frank each claimed 80 acres of farmland that had become available for homesteading. Successive generations of Richardsons tried their hand at cash crops, dairy cows and pig production. But it was the agritourism business that proved the most sustainable for the… keep reading
I analyze data for a living. I occasionally do some other things for Basecamp — help with marketing, pitch in on support, do some “business” things — but at the end of the day, I analyze data. Some of the data is about feature usage, some about application performance or speed, some about our great support team, some about… keep reading
I’m often asked for advice. I’ve decided it’s time I give less of it. There are things I used to know that I just don’t know anymore. I should stop talking about those things — it’s unfair to anyone who’s listening. If you want advice on product design, copywriting, reducing complexity, business strategy for a well-established small… keep reading
I spent half of last week in New York, and the other half in Baltimore. But I only packed enough contact lenses for New York. I wear daily wear lenses, so I have to replace my lenses every day. I usually over-pack lenses so I have at least twice as many as I’ll need, but… keep reading
A couple years ago I purchased a new car. A few days later I got an email from Audi asking me to rate my experience. I clicked the link to the survey and ended up seeing this: Ok, this should be easy. “Ease of looking at dealer’s inventory” — great, no problems there. A 10, right? Well…… keep reading