Rework

"Thanks, Basecamp, for the memories and the lessons" on MediumNoah Lorang on Twitter - 00:40Noah's post on Reddit - 6:47"Convert Geological Info into a Custom Map for 3D Printing and Milling" in Make: magazine - 7:23Rick and Morty - 9:34"Can it be 'art' if it's made with a robot's help?" on Medium - 24:45Elevated Woodworking website / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter - 28:24

Take A Break, our last regular episode before sabbatical - 2:47Why we only work 4 days a week during summer (Signal v. Noise) - 3:02Carcassonne in southern France is a UNESCO World Heritage site - 4:11It is also a board game that Shaun enjoys! - 4:14Wailin thought she discovered Aperol spritzes in Europe but it turns out she was just brainwashed by a liquor brand and has no original ideas or tastes of her own. She still likes to drink Aperol spritzes. - 4:36All about the viol da gamba - 4:58It Doesn't Have to be Crazy at Work, due out October 2 - 5:38The Bean Machine on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram - 6:53

Shaun and Wailin are still on vacation, but we have another of our favorite episodes from our previous podcast, The Distance, which was about long-running businesses. Wailin's pick is this story of America's last bicycle manufacturer.

Shaun and Wailin are on vacation! During our hiatus, we're bringing you our favorite stories from our previous podcast, The Distance, which was about long-running businesses. Shaun's pick is this story of a 90-year-old jewelry store and how running a business can be a true labor of love.

Rework made its podcast debut with an episode called "Sell Your By-products" in August 2017 — 00:37A list of employee benefits at Basecamp — 00:51Adeline Koh is the founder of Sabbatical Beauty and you'll also find her in the company's very friendly and welcoming Facebook group — 1:45Adeline's essay on starting a business while on academic sabbatical —1:59A primer on Korean beauty — 4:20Jason Fried — 14:08Jason and DHH's upcoming book about calm company practices — 16:19Soapwalla — 23:01Rachel Winard's original cleanser and moisturizer are still sold today — 24:13Rachel's blog post about taking sabbatical — 24:34

In a bonus conversation with Sarah Park of MeetEdgar, she talks about making the company handbook public and why they have a policy of opening up meetings and conversations to everyone.

One of our colleagues on the Basecamp customer support team, Jayne Ogilvie, wanted to find out how other tech companies with remote staffs handle issues like communication, career development, and hiring. Jayne sent out a survey and got back a wealth of information and ideas about how other teams work together. In this episode, we hear more from two participating companies: Sarah Park of MeetEdgar talks about how their staff gathers internal feedback on important decisions, and Patrick Filler and Anitra St. Hilaire of Harvest talk about taking on the challenge of making their company more diverse and inclusive.

A famous guy once said, "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" But he was a grifter. In fact, going behind the scenes—whether it's a factory tour or cooking show—can be a valuable experience for both visitors and guides. In this episode, we crash a middle school field trip to the Method soap factory on Chicago's South Side. We also hear from Basecamp's CEO Jason Fried on his YouTube series on making design decisions and from the managing partners of Zingerman's Bakehouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan on why they don't believe in secrets.

Who needs a fancy office when you can work out of a dingy food court? Who needs fancy equipment when you can buy what you need at Walmart? Who needs to hire an SEO specialist? What does an SEO specialist do, anyway? (A question for another episode, or maybe another podcast altogether.) On this episode, three very different companies—a fashion brand, a company that sells fresh salads from vending machines, and an auto detailing shop—discuss their humble beginnings and offer practical advice about being resourceful and staying lean.

Do you struggle with finding the right podcast? Are you tired of true crime shows and hosts trying to sell you a mattress? Introducing Rework, a podcast that's free of both murder and midroll ads. When you listen to this episode of Rework, you'll learn the fascinating history of infomercials and hear sales tips from experts like the marketing guru who made the Thighmaster a '90s sensation. But wait, there's more! Stick around after the episode to hear Wailin explain the premise of Three's Company to Shaun. Subscribe to Rework today!

Alison Green of Ask A Manager, whom we featured in our previous episode, gives her advice on a couple of questions too. Topics covered:Communicating changes in a corporate culture when the workforce is remote (0:40)Being transparent about why a change is made when the news is unequivocally negative (3:25)Setting up a system where conflicts and problems can be escalated and resolved (9:28)Managing feelings of loneliness and isolation as a remote worker (12:15)If you'd like to submit a question for Jason and David to answer on a future mailbag episode, call us at (708) 628-7850 or email us at hello@rework.fm.

Alison's new book, Ask A ManagerAsk A Manager's TwitterAsk A Manager podcastAlison's crossover episode on the Captain Awkward podcastHow can I recover from being embarrassingly drunk at a work event?My employee sent a memo to management about ghosts in the buildingAn employee is putting magical curses on her coworkersI ghosted my ex, and she's about to be my new bossUpdate on the ghosting ex

A video of this discussion is also available.We're still taking your calls for an upcoming mailbag episode where Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson will answer your questions about workplace communication. We're also bringing in a special guest, Alison Green of Ask A Manager, to give advice! Call us at (708) 628-7850 or email us at hello@rework.fm.Further Reading:Dean Carter on Patagonia's family-affirming policies.The President Stole Your Land, Patagonia's campaign against the Trump administration's move to shrink Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah.2016 article in Outside about Patagonia donating all of its Black Friday sales to environmental groups.The Obama Foundation's 2018 Fellows.Culturati Summit.The Culture Book, Culturati's "practical guide to building incredible company cultures."

Chris Ruder, the CEO of Spikeball, shares a story about meeting Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban at a bar and committing a photo faux pas (a faux-to pas?), a year before he taped his Shark Tank appearance.

This episode features:Melissa Butler of The Lip Bar, a company that makes vegan and cruelty-free lipstick in vibrant shades that work on a broad range of skin tones. Watch a clip of their episode.Chris Ruder of Spikeball, the maker of a game that's a mix of volleyball and four square. Ruder played Spikeball as a child and later revived the brand after it had become obsolete.Joe Moore of First Defense Nasal Screens, which patented an adhesive filter that sticks on top of the nostrils to prevent allergens from entering the body.A friendly reminder that we are collecting your workplace communication questions for Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. If you're seeking advice on how to talk to your boss, your employee, or a colleague, leave us a voicemail at (708) 628-7850 or email us at hello@rework.fm.

"You know I try, but I don't do too well with apologies," Justin Bieber once sang. You're not the only one with this problem, Justin! Why is saying sorry so difficult, especially for businesses? In this episode: A veteran tracker of apologies looks at what's changed (and what hasn't) in public apology culture; Basecamp co-founder David Heinemeier Hansson recounts a time when the company had to say sorry; and two founders make a product to help tech companies apologize to their customers.

Jason Fried talks about designing an alternative to Basecamp's Applause feature that is subtle yet expressive, and distinct from the kinds of reactions and feedback mechanisms used on social media platforms. (If you missed our previous episode on the debate over the Applause feature, go back and listen!)

At Basecamp, we're in the midst of a debate over an Applause feature that was designed to improve communication but might be stoking unwanted anxiety. In this episode, CTO David Heinemeier Hansson and iOS designer Tara Mann present different sides of the Applause debate and explore the ways behavior patterns in social media are trickling into the workplace. We also look at how world-famous pianist Glenn Gould challenged norms around performance, audiences, and applause.

Dan Miller of Mulberrys Garment Care talks outsourcing, bootstrapping, and growing slowly in some leftover bits we couldn't quite fit into episode 14.

You'll laugh; you'll cry; you'll gnash your teeth in recognition as you hear the stories of horrible meetings we collected for this episode. Meetings are one of the worst kinds of workplace interruptions. They're held too frequently, run too long, and involve more people than necessary. Also in this episode: A Basecamp programmer gives advice on rethinking the culture of meetings and the story of one very cringeworthy meeting with a surprising outcome.