Marc Randolph

Principles are our summary of their public statements.

• Spin out instead of killing

  Decisions

  When a nearly finished product no longer fits the company's strategy, spinning it out as a separate entity can create a valuable partner instead of a total loss.

  Source Netflix (Part 2) | Acquired, 2018  (opens in a new tab)

• Own your mistakes quickly

  Decisions

  When a major strategic decision fails and causes public backlash, a leader must be willing to pull the plug and unwind the entire project immediately.

  Source Netflix (Part 2) | Acquired, 2018  (opens in a new tab)

• Competitors can expand your market

  Competition

  In a rapidly growing market, competitors help educate consumers and validate the category, which can benefit all major players.

  Source Netflix (Part 2) | Acquired, 2018  (opens in a new tab)

• Balance hits with niche content

  Marketing

  Use big-budget hit shows to drive new subscriber growth while investing analytically in low-budget niche content to maintain retention.

  Source Netflix (Part 2) | Acquired, 2018  (opens in a new tab)

• Strategic Partnerships Over Sales

  Negotiation

  When a buyout offer is too low, consider a cross-promotion deal that offloads non-core business functions to a larger partner.

  Source Netflix (Part 1) | Acquired, 2018  (opens in a new tab)

• Maintain focus after survival

  Focus

  After surviving a near-death experience or going public, resist the urge to launch new initiatives that distract from the core business.

  Source Netflix (Part 1) | Acquired, 2018  (opens in a new tab)