Om Malik’s Broadband Blog � 37 Signals - Anywhere But Here

Another from Om.

Link: Om Malik’s Broadband Blog � 37 Signals - Anywhere But Here.

Jason and his virtual bandmates are spread all over the country/world, and make a comfortable living from their efforts such as Ta-Da List and Basecamp. 37 Signals should have part of my story, but somehow I missed them. Shame on me!

They are a prototypical next-gen start-up, that shuns venture capital, has realistic expectations of itself, and is highly distributed. Jason says they are comfortable in the knowledge that they are not going to be the next Google. This self awareness has to be part of any start-ups DNA. There are many entrepreneurs who are “do-it-themselves” who often tell me that they are immensely worried about the unrealistic expectations placed on them by VC investments. You won’t find them in Silicon Valley, where these days features are posing as companies. They can only wish to get the fierce loyalty 37 Signals enjoys from its customers.

Two threads here get me thinking and are close to my philosophy.

1) Virtual company. I'm in a uncomfortable fix because I want something that is geographically-challenged (not where I want it to be) and therefore have to find other geographically-challenged opportunities where I want to be (not where the action is). Something tells me that I won't get a really cool job in one state and live in another. Sigh.

2) Why the rush to grow? Call me näive, but why can't we just be happy with getting what we need? When I worked for myself, I had many opportunities to expand. But, I chose to just work for myself because the gettin' was good and that's what I needed. And still need. Kudos to 37 Signals.

But, here's the rub (as I repeat myself, for sure): we're in a hyper-linked society - broadband, Skype, mobiles, jet travel, blogs, social stuff. The only reason to work in a specfic location is to be closer to the client or to the others in the office. If your main clients are not where your office is, there is no reason for you to be fixed there. If you don't need 24/7, or maybe just 8/5, contact with the rest of the company, then you don't need to be there physically. I am the first to admit that face time is invaluable and spontaneous face time is amazingly crucial to any business, but there is no reason a person can't just come and go on a semi-regular basis, you know, to touch base. Heck, I was on the road or out of the office at least 50% of the time anyway. Why couldn't I just live somewhere else and come in every so often?

I think folks who worked for themselves are more likely to ask for this than regular office workers. Indeed, I usually get strange 'yeah, right' looks when I choose to work from home. Damn, I'm rated on what I deliver not on the punch-clock.

Yes, this is a serious topic for me - serious and soon to change my whole family life.

Oh, and Jason from 37 Signals has, unlike many I have been speaking to lately for advice, moved away from Silicon Valley. The only one I have found so far.