The Cashflow King: “Here’s How I Do It”, Negotiating w/ Jeff Bez…
About This Episode
Sam and Shaan interview Jason Fried, the co-founder of 37signals, about his unconventional approach to building a self-funded company that generates tens of millions in annual profit. Fried discusses his 'anti-planning' philosophy, his experience having Jeff Bezos as an investor, and his new mission to replace recurring SaaS subscriptions with ownable software through his 'Once' brand.
Episode Description
Show Notes
- 0:00Intro
- 2:30Long term planning is a fantasy
- 8:30The 6-Week Sprint Playbook
- 14:00Does Jason regret selling We Work Remotely?
- 16:00Cash flow king
- 21:00Taking money from Jeff Bezos
- 29:30Who does Jason admire?
- 33:00Non-recurring revenue is back
- 37:00The Founder Letter Launch strategy
- 45:30Campfire v. Slack
- 50:40Pile on the wackier stuff early (in life and business)
- 53:30Taking financial risks that don't put you at risk
- 57:00Where does Jason spend his profits?
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Key Takeaways
Replace long-term strategic planning with six-week work cycles to ensure business decisions are based on current reality rather than past assumptions.
Prioritize 'hooks' in product design—simple, versatile features that are hard to use incorrectly—over 'towel bars' which are rigid and easily misused.
Utilize 'Founder Letters' on landing pages to establish a strong point of view and emotional resonance with customers before revealing the product's specific features.