Netflix: Scaling Culture

How did you maintain a creative culture as Netflix scaled content globally?

I liked being disruptive and boots on the ground. I liked being the first in at the market. But I think the right answer, ultimately, is that you try to empower people, in these regions, to make decisions and you hire really well. As you grow, your focus as a leader, is to inspire culture and then make sure that the bets are ambitious enough.

But as the business grew, I missed being involved in shows and finding new stuff. I’m probably happier doing what I am doing now. But preserving that culture is fundamental to that company’s success, for sure.

Did you have to put in processes, at some point, when you scaled from a couple of hundred to thousands of people?

No; I think it’s like American novelist, E. L. Doctorow’s analogy for writing a novel. He said you can drive hundreds of miles in the darkness, with just seeing what is 10 feet in front of you, with the headlights on. I think, as long as you have a good car and you have good people, you can make a bunch of good decisions, without putting tons of process in.