Netflix: Reed Hastings. “We’re Not a Family.” The Provocative Idea That Helped Build a Streaming Giant
How I Built This with Guy Raz
- Published
- February 9, 2026
- Duration
- 1h 24m
- Summary source
- description
- Last updated
- Apr 17, 2026
Discusses business.
Summary
Netflix shouldn’t have survived.In 1997, Blockbuster owned home entertainment—9,000 stores, a business fueled by late fees, and a brand that felt untouchable. Netflix was a scrappy DVD-by-mail experiment that almost sold itself off to stay alive.So how did Netflix win?In this conversation, Reed Hastings breaks down the behind-the-scenes decisions that hel…
Show notes
Netflix shouldn’t have survived.In 1997, Blockbuster owned home entertainment—9,000 stores, a business fueled by late fees, and a brand that felt untouchable. Netflix was a scrappy DVD-by-mail experiment that almost sold itself off to stay alive.So how did Netflix win?In this conversation, Reed Hastings breaks down the behind-the-scenes decisions that helped the business thrive: the uncomfortable leadership choices, the culture blueprint that surprised corporate America, and a near-catastrophic
Themes
- business