I recently ordered some stuff from Nuts.com.

During checkout, they offered upgraded heat-resistant packaging to help prevent melting due to the hot weather. That was a great step. That alone is more than most would do.

However, then they went the extra mile.

Right before the final checkout step, they explained that the upgraded packaging is good for about two days, but since I ordered on a Friday, my shipment might sit at the UPS/Fedex warehouse over the weekend which would push it out beyond two days. Then they made it really easy for me to change my ship date to Monday to help prevent the melt.

That’s great defensive design. You rarely see it done so well – especially with the collision of all these special conditions (product type, weather factor, packaging type, weekend factor).

Great copywriting, too.

Very well done.

This morning I get into the office and there’s an envelope addressed to me sitting on my desk.

The return address says “Horowitz”, Physics Dept, Cambridge, MA. I don’t know a Horowitz, but it looks like a Harvard address, so I’m intrigued.

I open it up.

Inside I find an article from The Astrophysical Journal, published in 1993. The authors are Paul Horowitz and Carl Sagan.

At the top there’s a handwritten note, signed Paul Horowitz. And on the first page there’s a highlight behind “37 candidate events”.

People have often asked us what 37signals means. Our original web site explained the origin of the name.

And now, because of the generosity of Paul Horowitz himself, we have a signed copy of the actual article where the 37 signals were first mentioned. Here’s a PDF of the article if you’d like to browse the whole thing.

What an unexpected and wonderful surprise, and another great example of unrelated events coming together to produce something you never expected.

I’ve purchased a few things lately that I’d like to recommend.

11” MacBook Air

I recently switched from a 15” MacBook Pro to an 11” MacBook Air and I couldn’t be happier. The 11” Air is the best computer I’ve ever owned. Everything else is a distant second.

It’s my only computer. I do all my work on it. I code on it, I design on it, I browse on it, I run 37signals on it.

I originally purchased an external monitor because I thought I’d need the extra space, but I’ve found I like the smaller screen of the 11”. I don’t use the external screen at all. The smaller screen keeps me focused and it’s the right size to run full-screen apps.

If you’ve been considering an 11” Air, and you’ve been on the fence because you’re worried the screen is too small, take a chance and pick one up. You won’t regret it.

Defy Bags: Square

I’ve found a million bags I don’t like. This time I found one I love. It’s the Square from Defy Bags and it happens to be made by hand right here in Chicago.

It fits an 11” Air and an iPad perfectly. It’s small, light, and extremely durable (it’s made from recycled military tarps). The buckle is a AustriAlpin Cobra which is the best buckle I’ve ever used. So easy to confidently click open and close, the buckle is built like a tank, but with lightweight materials. I think these buckles wholesale for about $35 each, so you’ll rarely see bag makers use them. Defy Bags ponies up and uses them because they’re just that good.

So if you’re in the market for a new messenger-style bag, check out Defy Bags. They aren’t the cheapest, but they’re a great value.

Bialetti Brikka stovetop espresso maker

I’m a tea drinker who’s starting to learn to love espresso. And for just around $50 on Amazon, you can pick up a Bialetti Brikka and make some decent espresso right on your stovetop. No fancy or expensive machinery required. No electricity either.

Certainly you can get a better espresso, but if you want to make your own at home, and you don’t want to sink a ton of money into it, I haven’t found anything better than the Brikka. It’s simple, it’s durable, it’s absolutely worth $50. I’ve been enjoying it with Lavazza Super Crema Espresso Beans (ground at home with a Bodum Bistro burr grinder).

Susan Lehman from the New York Times asked me to write an opinion piece for this sunday’s paper.

Because…

Susan liked what I had to say in my “Why work doesn’t happen at work” TEDx talk.

Because…

I was asked to speak at TEDx Midwest by Brad Keywell. Brad was one of the Groupon co-founders, and I met Brad because I served on the Groupon board from 2009 to 2010.

Because…

Andrew Mason, Groupon’s CEO, asked me to be on the board.

Because…

Scott Heiferman, co-founder of Meetup.com, and a mutual friend of ours, introduced Andrew and me and we had lunch in early 2009.

Because…

I had gotten to know Scott over the years after 37signals designed the original Meetup.com site back in 2001-2002.

Because…

Scott emailed me back in 2001 asking if he could meet while he was in Chicago visiting family. He liked our early web design work at 37signals. No one had ever asked to meet me out of the blue before – and barely anyone knew who 37signals was – so I was flattered and said yes.

Because…

I had started 37signals with two co-founders in 1999. One of those founders was Ernest Kim and the other was Carlos Segura.

Because…

A few years earlier, I had interviewed for a job at Organic Online in Chicago. Ernest Kim was the creative director. I didn’t take the job, but Ernest and I hit it off over design and Nike, so we kept in touch.

   and

A few years before that, I was hired on a contract basis by Carlos Segura to help them redesign and rewrite their internal FileMaker Pro database they were using to keep track of their clients.

Because…

I made a popular FileMaker Pro-based app in the 90s called Audiofile which helped people keep track of their music collection. Carlos liked the app and the design and found out I was behind it.

Because…

I couldn’t find a simple tool to keep track of my growing music collection.

Because…

…I can’t remember enough specifics before this, but the chain obviously continues – each link connected to another by a seemingly unrelated event. And I’m sure I’m passing right over a handful of subtle links that made the major links happen.

When you look back on events, it’s pretty incredible how things come together. Nothing happens independently. Everything is tied to something before it. Sometimes the links are more obvious than others, but it’s healthy to take a few moments to reflect on how many things – and people – had to come together in order for another thing to happen.

You just never know.

Customers don’t just buy a product — they switch from something else. And customers don’t just leave a product — they switch to something else.

It’s in these switching moments that the deepest customer insights can be found.

On the 1st of October, a select group of 24 people will attend a unique, hands-on, full-day workshop to learn about “The Switch”.

Most businesses don’t know the real reasons why people switch to — or from — their products. We’ll teach you how to find out.

The workshop will be at the 37signals office in Chicago. The cost to attend is $1000. The workshop will be led by 37signals and The Rewired Group.

You’ll participate in live customer interviews.

You’ll learn new techniques for unearthing the deep insights that most companies never bother to dig up.

You’ll understand why people switch from one product to another and how you can increase the odds that the switch goes your way.

And you’ll be able to put everything you learned to immediate use.

There’s only one simple requirement: You’ll be asked to bring something with you. It won’t be a big deal. Details will be provided one week before the workshop.

Spots are limited. Only 24 people will be able to attend and participate.

If you really want to know why customers are switching to — or away — from your product, attend. If you’re only mildly interested, skip it to make room for someone else.

Want to be one of the 24? Register now.

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to get to spend about three hours with Clayton Christensen. Clay, currently a professor at Harvard Business School, is best known for his book, The Innovator’s Dilemma. His latest book, How Will You Measure Your Life, has some wonderfully insightful business and life lessons.

His books, thinking, and approach to life, business, — and now, teaching — have influenced me greatly. I recommend reading everything he’s written and watching any videos of him you can find. Clay’s site is a good place to start.

What impressed me most about Clay yesterday was his clarity. He’s a very clear thinker and communicator. His genuine interest for helping other people discover clarity comes through with every patient word.

One thing he said

Spending time with Clay leads to lots of interesting insights, but for me, there was one that stood out among all the others.

You’ve probably heard it said that someone can’t be taught until they’re ready to learn. I’ve heard it said that way too. It makes sense, and my experience tells me it’s mostly true. Why though? Why can’t someone be taught until they’re ready to learn?

Clay explained it in a way that I’ve never heard before and I’ll never forget again. Paraphrased slightly, he said: “Questions are places in your mind where answers fit. If you haven’t asked the question, the answer has nowhere to go. It hits your mind and bounces right off. You have to ask the question – you have to want to know – in order to open up the space for the answer to fit.”

What an insight. He continued to talk about the power of questions. Questions are your mind’s receptors for answers. If you aren’t curious enough to want to know why, to want to ask questions, then you’re not making the room in your mind for answers. If you stop asking questions, your mind can’t grow.

I’ll never think about learning — and teaching — the same way again. Thank you Clay.

Related life-changing insight: Give it five minutes.