Soft openings aren't just for restaurants

This week, the team shares a behind-the-scenes look at how they bring in outside beta testers before a product launch. Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share how they invite early users into the mix, what they’re looking for, and how it all shapes the final version. It’s a rare peek into the “guests are coming over” phase of building Fizzy.

Key Takeaways

• 00:12 – Inside Fizzy’s early access phase
• 02:28 – Selecting beta testers
• 03:05 – Treating early access as a real-world dry run
• 07:11 – Cutting the to-do list down to what truly matters
• 09:59 – Why early access is different from beta testing

Links and Resources

• Record a video question for the podcast
• Books by 37signals
• Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com
• HEY World | HEY
• The REWORK podcast
• The Rework Podcast on YouTube
• The 37signals Dev Blog
• 37signals on YouTube
• @37signals on X