GET REAL  

Jason Fried is co-founder of 37signals, a Chicago-based software firm, and co-author of the book Rework, which was published in 2010. He also writes Inc.'s Get Real column. @JasonFried


When Good Ideas Bear Fruit

How is a business like an apple tree? Sharpen your pruning shears and find out.  Read story

Lessons in Learning How to Program

Here's one way to be a better communicator: Start treating people more like computers.  Read story

Start-up Investing: Head Versus Heart

Over the years, we've had lots of chances to invest in other businesses. But it never felt right. Until now.  Read story

A Conversation with Innovation Guru Clayton Christensen

It's not every day you get to meet one of your heroes. But I recently sat down with one of mine.  Read story

Why I Gave My Company a Month Off

We took a break from daily routine to spark companywide creativity. Here's what we came up with.  Read story

Jason Fried on Walking Away From a Product

In 2009, 37signals launched Sortfolio. Co-founder Jason Fried says it earns the company $200,000 a year. Now, it plans to retire it. Is that nuts?  Read story

Big Customers? Who Needs 'Em!

Some companies spend all their time chasing huge accounts. But big customers make me nervous. Here's why.  Read story

How to Avoid the Upgrade Backlash

Sure, you can upgrade your product, but can you make your current customers actually like it? Turns out, it's a bit trickier than we thought.  Read story

Is Your Product Ready for Its Close-up?

How do you know when to stop the tweaking and release a product? The short answer: You don't.  Read story

Out of Sight, Top of Mind

How to keep a business on track when its top performers are scattered across the map.  Read story

Starting Over

Sometimes, the best way to improve something is to begin again from scratch. Even if it's your top-selling product.  Read story

This Holiday Season, Rethink the Cash Bonus

Every end-of-year gesture says something different. Last year, I chose to give a gift that honors the craft of tool building.  Read story

Telling Your Company's Story in Video

We just hired a full-time filmmaker to document our every move. Perhaps you should too.  Read story

Want to Know What Your Employees Really Think?

Consider staging a Comedy Central-style celebrity roast of your top-selling product.  Read story

How to Get Creative: Stop Trying

Creativity can come out of nowhere. The trick is to sense it—and ride it to the end.  Read story

Don't Exaggerate Your Size

Nearly every entrepreneur exaggerates his or her company's size to impress clients. Jason Fried says such behavior is silly—and unnecessary.  Read story

How to Hire an Assistant

For the first time in 11 years, I needed an assistant. But was I really ready to let go?  Read story

Why I Run a Flat Company

I've always kept hierarchy to a minimum. Then an employee said, "Promote me," and I was forced to reevaluate my organizational structure.  Read story

How to Get Good at Making Money

Entrepreneur Jason Fried offers the most fundamental of all small-business advice: how to get good at making money.  Read story

How to Turn Disaster Into Gold

When one of our products malfunctioned, thousands of stranded customers erupted in fury. Yet we came out of the crisis more credible than ever. Here’s what...  Read story

How to Kill a Bad Idea

Jason Fried tells us why no is the most important word an entrepreneur can learn.  Read story

Go Ahead, Raise Your Business's Prices

Sure, some customers will complain, and others might take their business elsewhere. But there’s a good chance you don’t want those kinds of customers, an...  Read story

The Truth About Real Estate

Our new office cost a fortune, but I still think it is the best investment we’ve ever made.  Read story

Managing Conflict

At a fast-growing company, arguing is inevitable. But it needn't be harmful.  Read story

Never Read Another Resume

37signals co-founder Jason Fried shares his tips for hiring great employees.  Read story

Live Chat with Jason Fried, Entrepreneur, on Innovation

Inc. columnist and entrepreneur, Jason Fried, answers viewers' live questions on innovation, running a successful small business, product development, and more.  Watch video

Why Is Business Writing So Awful?

Nearly every company relies on the written word to woo customers. So why is most business writing so numbingly banal?  Read story

Driven to Distraction

Are your business problems making you insane? In his debut column, 37signals co-founder Jason Fried argues that one of the keys to success is to let your laz...  Read story

Live Chat with Jason Fried, Founder of 37signals

37signals founder Jason Fried answers questions from readers about running a business, boot-strapping, virtual work and more.  Watch video