International Bestseller

That Will Never Work:
The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea

You’ve heard the Netflix founding story, right? About an entrepreneur who gets fed up with video rental fees, has a brilliant idea about DVDs-by-mail, and launches a company that revolutionizes the entertainment world? It’s the stuff of startup legend.

Except that’s not the whole picture. The full story is a lot more complicated, involves a lot more people, and makes for a much better story.

“An engaging and insightful glimpse into the first few years at Netflix“
— Reed Hastings, CEO Netflix

UK orders

Bulk orders: if you would like to place an order for 10-250+ copies, please contact denise@bookhighlight.com.

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Pick up the book guys. I have a funny feeling it will bring you value.

— Gary Vaynerchuk

Terrifically readable and poignant. In a narrative fashion, Marc debunks conventional but bad advice and then provides constructive, positive guidance. A “must have” for today’s entrepreneurs.

— Bill Aulet, Professor at MIT, Author of Disciplined Entrepreneurship

Great book! I’m not sure how to describe this book other than outstanding. I finished it in one go. As someone building a startup, I could resonate with so many parts of the story, including the scary parts (like losing your CEO status).

— 5 Star Amazon Review

Randolph’s new book That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea (is) a delightful and insightful read, especially for budding entrepreneurs.

— Upoma Dutta, The Harbus

A fantastic book for anybody who wants to know how Netflix came to be. But also it’s inspirational for anybody who wants to start a company.

— Alison Kosik, CNN

A charming first-person account of the early days of one of the most successful tech startups ever.

— WSJ - Marc Levinson

Heartfelt, Inspirational, and Entertaining. Resonated especially strongly with me as a young person, early in my career, trying to find my passion and determine how much risk is appropriate at this point in my life.

— 5 Star Amazon Review

Marc Randolph is one of the rare few who is able to bridge his own distinct experience to a wider human narrative, and he does exactly this in That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea.

— Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet

A front seat look at the birth of an iconic game-changing company, but this book offers something more, something most tech books don’t; this book has heart.

— 5 Star Amazon Review

An engaging and insightful glimpse into the first few years at Netflix.

— Reed Hastings, CEO Netflix

That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea

That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea is the real-life, totally improbable story of the early days of Netflix, told by co-founder Marc Randolph, against the backdrop of Silicon Valley’s late ‘90s “era of irrational exuberance”.

Instead of a flash of insight, the whole thing begins with a long series of potential business ventures, dreamed up by Randolph and his business partner Reed Hastings every morning as they carpool to work: customized baseball bats; a shampoo delivery service; custom formulated pet food. Even after hitting on the idea that will eventually become Netflix, it takes months for them to recognize the promise it holds…and much longer to figure out how to make it happen.

Today, the success of Netflix might feel like a foregone conclusion, but Marc’s story shines a bright light on all the times it nearly doesn’t work–and all the people who help make sure it does. There are investors who believe in the idea as fervently as he does, and others who have to be convinced (including his own mother). There are skeptics pointing out crucial flaws, and a core team of brilliant optimists charging ahead despite the odds.

Along the way, the story offers a real education in the craft of the startup venture, with plenty of insights that remain relevant and applicable today, in Silicon Valley and far beyond. Often, that insight comes from surprising places, from wilderness backpacking trips to panhandling for change on a Hartford sidewalk. And a lot of it, like Netflix’s now legendary company culture, comes from gut instinct and a huge amount of trial and error.

That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea manages something few memoirs achieve, by telling an honest, vivid story about fascinating characters under intense pressure, while illustrating universal truths about entrepreneurship, innovation, and the power of grit and determination. If you’ve ever been curious how a great idea becomes a world-changing company–if you’ve wanted to take a ground level seat and watch the whole story unfold–this is the book that can take you there.