That Will Never Work

Excellent Look at Netflix's Early Days. This book by one of the Founders - and first CEO - of Netflix, Marc Randolph, is a very well written glimpse into the early days of one of the world's leading media empires just 20 years later - that is now facing new challenges Randolph could have never foreseen. Part history, part business and investing advice, and part memoir, it shows how Randolph influenced Netflix and how Netflix influenced Randolph. Very easy to read, with Randolph frequently (briefly) explaining business terms to those who may be less knowledgeable of them. Poignant at times, profound at times, ultimately this is the very down to earth, by the bolts story of how an idea while driving down the road in a beat up Volvo became a multi-billion dollar company that beat out many competitors... and even spawned a few. Very much recommended.

After No Rules Rules I was so interested in Netfilx I wanted to learn more. So I got recommended this. It's a memoir by the person with the original idea and the first CEO. It neatly describes the entire history from how he was throwing around ideas, how they landed on “mailing DVDs”, and the many many struggles of a early-stage startup. He exited the Netflix almost immediately after it went public. This, to me, tells a lot about a person. To me, this book highlighted the (power) dynamic between Reed and Randolph. Reed gets the work done, while Randolph is the idea guy who with every 1000 ideas sometimes strikes on a good one. But he doesn't know the difference, Reed does.

It's a well written book, and it reads nice, if you're into this sort of things. But there are next to 0 lessons in it that you could take and apply to your life/business.