That Will Never Work by Marc Randolph - Non Fiction - Paperback

Titles in This Set:
That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea

Condition: BRAND NEW
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780316460668

Overview:
That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea by Marc Randolph delivers the real story behind one of the world’s most disruptive companies. Written by Netflix’s co-founder and first CEO, this business memoir follows a single idea through rejection, refinement, and eventual success. Entrepreneurs, startup founders, and readers interested in tech history will find practical lessons on testing concepts, handling skepticism, and building something lasting. Randolph’s candid voice turns a corporate origin tale into an accessible guide for anyone who has ever heard “that will never work.”

About the Books:
In 1997, Marc Randolph commuted with Reed Hastings and floated dozens of ideas, from personalized baseball bats to a shampoo subscription service. One notion stood out: using the early internet to rent DVDs by mail and eliminate late fees. The book traces how that concept survived near-constant doubt from investors, shifting technology, and fierce competition from video stores. Randolph recounts the scramble to secure funding, the decision to pivot from DVD rentals to streaming, and the internal debates that shaped Netflix’s culture. He describes early product experiments that failed, customer-service disasters that became turning points, and the moment the team realized they were building something far larger than a video service. Along the way, readers see the emotional roller coaster of co-founder disagreements, the pressure of rapid scaling, and the quiet persistence required to outlast an entire industry. The tone mixes humor with hard-earned insight, making complex business decisions feel personal. Rather than offering abstract theory, Randolph shows exactly how an idea survives its first brutal years and becomes a household name. The narrative keeps pace with Silicon Valley’s speed while revealing the unglamorous work behind overnight success.

Key Benefits:

• Inside account from Netflix’s founding CEO with no corporate filter
• Concrete examples of idea validation and rapid pivots during the dot-com era
• Practical lessons for founders facing investor skepticism and market resistance
• Compelling case study of how persistence turned a rejected concept into a global platform

About the Author:
Marc Randolph is a veteran Silicon Valley entrepreneur, advisor, and investor who co-founded Netflix and served as its first CEO, executive producer of the website, and board member. Over four decades he has started or co-founded more than half a dozen successful companies. Randolph has mentored rising founders, including the team behind Looker Data, recently sold to Google for $2.6 billion, and continues to invest in technology ventures. His experience spans the earliest days of online commerce through today’s platform economy, giving him a distinctive perspective on what separates fleeting ideas from enduring businesses.

Why You’ll Love This Book:
If you want an honest look at how Netflix actually began, this memoir delivers both entertainment and usable takeaways. Randolph’s voice keeps the story moving while showing the real decisions that created a new industry. Readers finish with fresh ideas they can test in their own ventures.