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Get In, Get it Done, Get it Done Right, and Get Out
The new book Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson of 37signals is chock full of practical advice for anyone starting or growing a new business. Best of all they keep their advice short and to the point. Here is some of the advice from the book that I found most useful. Let me know what you think?
Start Making Something
Until you actually start making something, your brilliant idea is just that, an idea. And everyone’s got one of those. Ideas are cheap and plentiful. The original pitch idea is such a small part of a business that it’s almost negligible. The real question is how well you execute!
Draw a Line in the Sand
As you get going, keep in mind why you’re doing what you’re doing. Great businesses have a point of view, not just product or service. A strong stand is how you attract superfans. They point to you and defend you. And they spread the word further, wider, and more passionately than any advertising could.
Making the Call is Making Progress
Long projects zap morale. The longer it takes to develop, the less likely it is to launch. Make the call, make progress, and get something out now – while you’ve got the motivation and the momentum to do so.
Quick Wins
Momentum fuels motivation. It keeps you going. It drives you. Without it, you can’t go anywhere. If you aren’t motivated by what you’re working on, it won’t be very good. The way you build momentum is by getting something done and then moving on to the next thing. The longer something takes, the less likely it is that you’re going to finish it.
Your Estimates Suck
The solution: Break the big thing into smaller things. The smaller it is, the easier it is to estimate. You’re probably still going to get it wrong, but you’ll be a lot less wrong than if you estimated a big project.
Emulate Chefs
They cook, so they write cookbooks. What do you do? What are you “recipes”? What’s your “cookbook”? What can you tell the world about how you operate that’s informative, educational, and promotional?
Go Behind the Scenes
Letting people behind the curtain changes your relationship with them. They’ll feel a bond with you and see you as human beings instead of a faceless company. They’ll see the sweat and effort that goes into what you sell. They’ll develop a deeper level of understanding and appreciation for what you do.
Press Releases are Spam
Instead, call someone. Write a personal note. If you read a story about a similar company or product, contact the journalist who wrote it. Pitch her with some passion, some interest, some life. That’s how you’ll get the best coverage.
Send People Home at 5
You don’t need more hours; you need better hours. When people have something to do at home, they get down to business. They get their work done at the office because they have somewhere else to be. They find ways to be more efficient because they have to. You shouldn’t expect the job to be someone’s entire life – at least not if you want to keep them around for a long time.
Inspiration is Perishable
Inspiration is a magical thing, a productivity multiplier, a motivator. But it won’t wait for you. If you’re inspired on a Friday, swear off the weekend and dive into the project. When you’re high on inspiration, you can get two weeks of work done in 24 hours.
http://37signals.com/rework/
Start Making Something
Until you actually start making something, your brilliant idea is just that, an idea. And everyone’s got one of those. Ideas are cheap and plentiful. The original pitch idea is such a small part of a business that it’s almost negligible. The real question is how well you execute!
Draw a Line in the Sand
As you get going, keep in mind why you’re doing what you’re doing. Great businesses have a point of view, not just product or service. A strong stand is how you attract superfans. They point to you and defend you. And they spread the word further, wider, and more passionately than any advertising could.
Making the Call is Making Progress
Long projects zap morale. The longer it takes to develop, the less likely it is to launch. Make the call, make progress, and get something out now – while you’ve got the motivation and the momentum to do so.
Quick Wins
Momentum fuels motivation. It keeps you going. It drives you. Without it, you can’t go anywhere. If you aren’t motivated by what you’re working on, it won’t be very good. The way you build momentum is by getting something done and then moving on to the next thing. The longer something takes, the less likely it is that you’re going to finish it.
Your Estimates Suck
The solution: Break the big thing into smaller things. The smaller it is, the easier it is to estimate. You’re probably still going to get it wrong, but you’ll be a lot less wrong than if you estimated a big project.
Emulate Chefs
They cook, so they write cookbooks. What do you do? What are you “recipes”? What’s your “cookbook”? What can you tell the world about how you operate that’s informative, educational, and promotional?
Go Behind the Scenes
Letting people behind the curtain changes your relationship with them. They’ll feel a bond with you and see you as human beings instead of a faceless company. They’ll see the sweat and effort that goes into what you sell. They’ll develop a deeper level of understanding and appreciation for what you do.
Press Releases are Spam
Instead, call someone. Write a personal note. If you read a story about a similar company or product, contact the journalist who wrote it. Pitch her with some passion, some interest, some life. That’s how you’ll get the best coverage.
Send People Home at 5
You don’t need more hours; you need better hours. When people have something to do at home, they get down to business. They get their work done at the office because they have somewhere else to be. They find ways to be more efficient because they have to. You shouldn’t expect the job to be someone’s entire life – at least not if you want to keep them around for a long time.
Inspiration is Perishable
Inspiration is a magical thing, a productivity multiplier, a motivator. But it won’t wait for you. If you’re inspired on a Friday, swear off the weekend and dive into the project. When you’re high on inspiration, you can get two weeks of work done in 24 hours.
http://37signals.com/rework/
There are 4 comments on this article
Dude interesting concepts. All good info. The whole idea of kind of "getting off the bench" and do SOMETHING is a good one. It always seems the most difficult part of doing ANYTHING is starting and actually taking some sort of action to MAKE something happen.
In NC this week. Record heat !
Thanks for sharing Jason - Interesting concept. I have about 20 ideas, and just keep saying one day. Gotta put that plan together by the end of July.
Al
Oh, yes! Rework is an awesome book and a must read for anyone who's looking to earn more than just a living.
This list of yours is awesome, thanks!
Respond To This Article
Hi Jason,
I liked your post. I think it summarizes very well what a business must do. I will look-up for the book.
Have you read the "4-hour work week" by Thimothy Ferriss?
There are several areas of that book that I believe are highly interesting and provides a lot of ideas on how to get a business running. What I liked about that book too is that although it is mainly focus on entrepreneurs, it also provides good guidelines for employees (like myself).