Interesting Comparisons between Two Chicago-based Software Companies: ThoughtWorks and 37signals
Vast differences when a software company focus on developing high-quality software.
While writing my popular article “What Happened ThoughtWorks,” I came across the summary information about ThoughtWorks displayed Google results (sidebar section).
Today, I came across news about 37signals (the company behind BaseCamp and Hey). I googled it.
It hit me to realize both the head offices of ThoughtWorks and 37signals are in the same city: Chicago. The similarity stops there; There are huge differences between these two.
Table of Contents:
· Company Size
· Financial: Profit
· Renowned Figures
· Products
· Staff Remuneration
· Core Technologies they use
Company Size
37signals
In 2021, the company had only 34 employees. During a recent interview, Jason Fried, the CEO of 37signals, mentioned that the highest staff count they ever reached was 74. So, give or take, it is a small to medium-sized software company.
ThoughtWorks
The staff number, according to this official company fact sheet, is over 12,500.
Financial: Profit
A meaningful comparison metric is Profit by Employee. Because ThooughtWorks is too, even a 10000-employee company’s profit is far less than 70-employee 37signal.
37signals
37signals is a private company; its finance figures have not been disclosed. In a recent interview, Jason Fried hinted at high double-digit million profits.
Here is an estimation by someone posted on Reddit: “My guess is they are raking in between $50 million and $80 million a year.”
ThoughtWorks
In the negative zone, -30 million for the first quarter of 2024, a drop of -280%!
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Agile Way to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.