Comments on: Does size matter? http://industryinteractive.net/ideas/does-size-matter/ web consulting and online services Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:06:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: J Lane http://industryinteractive.net/ideas/does-size-matter/#comment-99 J Lane Sun, 18 May 2008 22:50:08 +0000 http://industryinteractive.net/?p=35#comment-99 Here, let me throw this out there... Jason, if you're planning on replying again: what criteria do you guys use when you're deciding to hire someone else (how do you know that it's time to "grow the team")? Here, let me throw this out there…

Jason, if you’re planning on replying again: what criteria do you guys use when you’re deciding to hire someone else (how do you know that it’s time to “grow the team”)?

]]> By: J Lane http://industryinteractive.net/ideas/does-size-matter/#comment-98 J Lane Sun, 18 May 2008 22:32:55 +0000 http://industryinteractive.net/?p=35#comment-98 I don't assume that at all. I think that reality is that as you create more and more products, you'll have to add additional people. When I first starting using your products, there were 3 or 4 of you (I can't remember exactly). You're up to 10 people already! What happens if/when you hit 12 products? 37signals should be commended for the way it keeps a handle on things right now, but sometimes you just need to add more people. Whereas most companies would treat staffing and number of products as a linear relationship, you've managed to change that. Could 37signals handle 12 products with it's current staff? Could it handle 24 products? Maybe. Maybe you'd only need a couple more people with the way you've got everything set up. I think the point I was trying to make was that you guys are doing it better than most place I know Jason, but there'll be some interesting times ahead if 37signals keeps growing. Of course, one of the ideas behind Getting Real is that you don't have to keep growing. 37signals is already successful, so you could just hold steady at this point. I don’t assume that at all. I think that reality is that as you create more and more products, you’ll have to add additional people. When I first starting using your products, there were 3 or 4 of you (I can’t remember exactly). You’re up to 10 people already!

What happens if/when you hit 12 products? 37signals should be commended for the way it keeps a handle on things right now, but sometimes you just need to add more people. Whereas most companies would treat staffing and number of products as a linear relationship, you’ve managed to change that.

Could 37signals handle 12 products with it’s current staff? Could it handle 24 products? Maybe. Maybe you’d only need a couple more people with the way you’ve got everything set up.

I think the point I was trying to make was that you guys are doing it better than most place I know Jason, but there’ll be some interesting times ahead if 37signals keeps growing. Of course, one of the ideas behind Getting Real is that you don’t have to keep growing. 37signals is already successful, so you could just hold steady at this point.

]]> By: Jason Fried http://industryinteractive.net/ideas/does-size-matter/#comment-97 Jason Fried Sun, 18 May 2008 22:02:37 +0000 http://industryinteractive.net/?p=35#comment-97 Why do you assume we have to have 5x or 10x more people than we do now? Most companies with 6 popular products would already have ballooned to 30-50 people because they thought that's just what you have to do. We don't believe that's what you have to do. We don't believe that has to be the natural progression. We believe is staying small (staff-wise) because we think small has real value for us and our customers. That continues to be the plan for as far as we can see. Why do you assume we have to have 5x or 10x more people than we do now? Most companies with 6 popular products would already have ballooned to 30-50 people because they thought that’s just what you have to do. We don’t believe that’s what you have to do. We don’t believe that has to be the natural progression. We believe is staying small (staff-wise) because we think small has real value for us and our customers. That continues to be the plan for as far as we can see.

]]>