Marc Randolph
Entrepreneur, Netflix Cofounder, Executive Mentor & Angel Investor
Marc Randolph
Entrepreneur, Netflix Cofounder, Executive Mentor & Angel Investor
Biography
Marc Randolph is a veteran Silicon Valley entrepreneur, advisor, and investor. As co-founder and first CEO of Netflix, he laid much of the groundwork for a service that’s grown to over 200 million subscribers, and fundamentally altered how the world experiences media. He also served on the Netflix board of directors until retiring from the company in 2003. Marc’s career as an entrepreneur spans four decades. He’s founded or co-founded six other successful startups, mentored hundreds of early-stage entrepreneurs, and as an investor has helped seed dozens of successful tech ventures (and just as many unsuccessful ones).
Most recently, Marc co-founded analytics software company Looker Data Sciences, which was acquired by Google in 2019 for $2.6 billion. He currently sits on the boards of Solo Brands, Augment Technologies, Dishcraft Technologies and the Truckee Donner Land Trust.
Marc is also the author of the internationally best-selling memoir, That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and The Amazing Life of an Idea which tells the untold story of Netflix. He is host of the top-10 Apple podcast That Will Never Work, where he works directly with entrepreneurs to provide 1-on-1 mentoring. Marc is also a judge and investor on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Elevator Pitch web series.
Some of Marc’s engagements include Fortune 1000 and strategic clients such as PwC, Aflac, CIOsynergy, Gartner, Pfizer, and Scansource.
Marc is the founder/co-founder of Looker Data Science (2012), Netflix (1996), IntegrityQA (1995), MicroWarehouse (1988), MacWarehouse (1987), MacUser Magazine (1986), Guitar Magazine (1984) and Mailbox Music (1983).
Currently, he is a mentor and/or board member at Augment Technologies – 2014 to present, Dishcraft Robotics – 2016 to present, Trusty – 2018 to present, Solo Brands – 2021 to present, StageTen – 2021 to present, Truckee Donner Land Trust – 2021 to present and Cadence – 2021 to Present.
Previously, Marc was a mentor and board member at Chubbies Shorts – 2014-2021, National Outdoor Leadership School – 2011-2021, One Percent for the Planet – 2015-2021, Getable – 2010-2016, OpenEd – 2014-2016, Rafter – 2011-2014 and SpeakerText – 2010-2012.
Speaker Videos
Speaking Reel
On Innovation
CNBC: How I Made It
Advice for Startups: Business Formulas
Advice for Startups: Direct Marketing and Customer Engagement
Speech Topics
That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix & the Amazing Life of an Idea
That Will Never Work 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.”
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. He teaches the audience how to make people believe in them.
This 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.
Where Do Ideas Come From: Learn how Silicon Valley’s Most Exciting Startups Come Up With Their Ideas & How They Turn Those Ideas into Reality
Anyone who has taken a shower has had an idea. But how do you turn those ideas into reality? Netflix Founder and startup CEO Marc Randolph will share dozens of tips, tricks and stories drawn from his 4 decades as an entrepreneur that will help you more easily come up with innovative ideas, validate them, and get your new venture off the ground. Equal parts inspiration, start up stories, and practical tips, it’s a message that resonates equally well with students, early stage entrepreneurs, and any businessperson looking to bring innovation to their business.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll wonder who the hell comes up with this stuff!
How to Get Your Company Thinking Like a Startup: What Silicon Valley has to Teach Us About Innovation
The world is changing rapidly – and companies that can’t innovate effectively are going to be left behind. But while innovation is easy to aspire to, it’s hard to do. Netflix founder and startup CEO Marc Randolph will share dozens of effective tips, tricks and stories drawn from his 4 decades as an entrepreneur that will help you make your company more responsive to changing conditions = regardless of your company’s size or industry.
Netflixed: How a Scrappy Silicon Valley Startup Brought Down Blockbuster & Built One of the World’s Best Known Brands
Netflix Founder and startup CEO Marc Randolph shares the unlikely story of how a handful of dreamers with no money and a bad idea, created the company that eventually brought down Blockbuster. Packed with dozens of stories that trace the dramatic ups and downs of those first exciting years, Marc weaves an inspiring story that shows the value of innovation, persistence and optimism. Along the way he shares some of the many values that he believe made Netflix successful, including a focus on analytics and testing, its novel corporate culture, and it’s almost fanatical obsession with focus. Equal parts inspiration, start up story, and practical tips, it’s a message that resonates well with anyone who appreciates a good “overcoming adversity” story.
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