Episode 80- Marc Randolph on Starting Netflix and the Evolution of Ideas

Now with over 150 million subscribers, Netflix is a tech giant, but it began as a scrappy startup with naysayers and obstacles at every turn….

Episode 80- Marc Randolph on Starting Netflix and the Evolution of Ideas

Now with over 150 million subscribers, Netflix is a tech giant, but it began as a scrappy startup with naysayers and obstacles at every turn….

Now with over 150 million subscribers, Netflix is a tech giant, but it began as a scrappy startup with naysayers and obstacles at every turn. Netflix co-founder and former CEO Marc Randolph shares the untold story of how Netflix went from concept to company in his new book, “That Will Never Work.” We talk about why some great ideas stick and others don’t, why there’s no formula for innovation, and what happens when your little idea becomes a multi-billion-dollar business.

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Show Notes

Why he wrote his book, That Will Never Work (1:45)
There is no formula for innovation (3:25)
The birth of Netflix (5:55)
Advice on how to pitch your idea and make the ask (11:29)
Building the culture at Netflix (16:03)
Radical candor in action at Netflix (22:06)
Marc’s negotiation advice (24:48)
Why Netflix didn’t sell to Amazon early on (26:55)
The importance of singular focus as an early stage company (31:36)
As success came, the need to shift from generalists to specialists (33:23)
Running the company side-by-side with co-founder Reed Hastings (34:23)
Making the decision to leave Netflix (36:59)
How he balanced work and family in the startup environment (39:15)
Randolph’s Rules for Success (41:36)

Resources / People Mentioned

That Will Never Work by Marc Randolph (book)
Netflix
Reed Hastings, co-founder of Netflix
Patty McCord, chief talent officer at Netflix
Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility by Patty McCord
Borland Software Corporation
Amazon
Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
BoJack Horseman, TV series
Richard Branson

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