de of The REWORK Podcast, a listener question sparks a conversation with 37signals co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson about juggling consulting work while building products on the side. They share real talk about timing, expectations, motivation — and why your side project should serve you, even if it doesn’t turn into a smash hit.

Key Takeaways:

00:12 – Host Kimberly Rhodes reads a listener question about balancing consulting with product building
01:01 – Why it’s easier than ever to build something—but harder than ever to get noticed
05:48 – The barrier to entry is low, but staying in the game is the hard part
08:05 – There’s no formula for what will take off and what won’t
13:08 – Aim for more than just small wins—set bold goals
16:04 – You have to be fully invested if you want your idea to stand a chance

Links and Resources:

Get Basecamp for free at Basecamp.com
Books by 37signals
HEY World | HEY
REWORK podcast merch
The REWORK podcast
The Rework Podcast on YouTube
The 37signals Dev Blog
37signals on YouTube
@37signals on X

Building On the Side

Episode description