The Best Entertainment Era

On a very ordinary morning, Ronan met Reed Hastings and others who had made an appointment in the Burbank business club.

I haven't seen him for more than two years. The wrinkles on Reed Hastings' face have deepened, and his temple hair is almost completely white.

Presumably Netflix is ​​giving Reed Hastings a hard time.

Ronan decided to rescue Reed Hastings from Netflix's misery as soon as possible, so that he would not have to worry about Netflix in the future.

Hello, Mr. Hastings. Ronan offered to extend his right hand: I'm Ronan Anderson, the president of Relativity Entertainment Group. We meet again.

Reed-Hastings first shook hands with Ronan to say hello, and then asked with some doubts: Mr. Anderson, have we met before?

Ronan smiled and said, I met at a party in Hollywood more than two years ago.

Reed-Hastings searched for memories, and couldn't remember at all for a while.

Ronan introduced him to the person who accompanied him: This is Garcia Rodriguez, you already know each other. This is Connie Hudson, my assistant.

Connie and Garcia shook hands with Reed Hastings.

Reed Hastings couldn't remember when he met Ronan, so he stopped recalling and introduced the middle-aged man next to him: This is Mark Randolph, my friend and business partner.

Ronan shakes hands with Mark Randolph: I've heard of you, the famous operations genius in Silicon Valley.

Mr. Anderson has won the award. Mark Randolph said with a smile: Mr. Anderson is a genius, and he has achieved such remarkable achievements in Hollywood at a young age.

These days, Mark Randolph has also looked at various materials from Embassy Pictures and Relativity Entertainment, and has discussed this possible opportunity with Reed Hastings many times.

After the two sides exchanged simple greetings, they quickly got to the point.

Reed Hastings has no time to waste. Time is very important to Netflix. Early confirmation of cooperation or other consensus can also allow him to reduce this heavy burden.

After the previous negotiation with Blockbuster, Reed Hastings has been ridiculed and slightly lowered his expectations.

Before Reed Hastings came over this time,

I'm ready with both hands.

After learning about Embassy Pictures and its parent company Relativity Entertainment during this period of time, Reed Hastings roughly analyzed that the cooperation promoted by Garcia-Rodriguez from his personal ideas to the company's investigation and contact was nothing more than That's two ways.

One is that the other party directly invests in Netflix, and the other is to buy Netflix.

The former is the most ideal way of cooperation. He can win funds and continue to lead the development of Netflix.

In any case, this is their own child, even though it was Mark Randolph and his entrepreneurial team who really raised this child.

The latter is not unacceptable. After being rejected by Blockbuster, he thought about it. It doesn't matter if he sells it to other companies. At least it can stop the loss and let him get out of the current predicament.

Reed-Hastings looked at Garcia and said first: Mr. Rodriguez, when we met last time, you said you wanted to cooperate with Netflix, may I ask...

Garcia said with a smile: We really want to cooperate with Netflix. We conducted a preliminary inspection of Netflix and reported to the head office. The head office believes that Netflix's channel is an effective supplement to the peripheral distribution of Embassy Pictures. .”

Hearing this, Mark Randolph frowned slightly. The other party obviously did not pay enough attention to Netflix, as if he only regarded Netflix as a supplementary channel for movie distribution.

Compared with Reed Hastings, Mark Randolph is the person who formed the Netflix entrepreneurial team, created Netflix, and developed Netflix, and has extremely deep feelings for Netflix.

Reed Hastings was only responsible for funds in the early stage, and did not really get involved in Netflix's business until the end of 1999.

Garcia looked at Ronan and said: The head office attaches great importance to my cooperation proposal, so after understanding the situation, Mr. Anderson wants to talk to you in person.

Of course, Ronan would not say how bright Netflix’s future prospects are. Following Garcia’s words, he said according to the plan: “My Theory of Relativity Group integrates film production and distribution, and distribution is the key. Netflix’s The Internet leasing business can further improve my distribution channels.

Reed-Hastings can hear that Relativity Entertainment is interested in Netflix, but the extent of this interest seems to be a question mark.

Mr. Anderson. Mark Randolph couldn't help interjecting: Netflix's business model represents the future, with unlimited potential!

Ronan looked at the actual founder and operator of Netflix, and said, With all due respect, Mr. Randolph. For Hollywood and film companies, Netflix's rental and sales business is just a part of many movie peripheral channels. A sort of.

Mark Randolph subconsciously wanted to refute, but the words were pressed in his heart, but he didn't know how to say it, because Ronan said there was no problem at all. Netflix's business is indeed just one of the many movie peripheral sales channels, and it is still inconspicuous. kind.

Reed Hastings gave Mark Randolph a look, beckoning him to be calm, and said: So, Mr. Anderson's interest in Netflix is ​​mainly to supplement the film distribution channel.

Ronan nodded: Yes. Relativity Entertainment started late in Hollywood, and is currently improving various distribution channels. He kept lowering the other party's expectations: I have always looked forward to the booming Internet. Two years ago at the party When I met Mr. Hastings to promote Netflix, I also talked to you about the possibility of cooperation.

Reed Hastings looked at Ronan as if some young man had talked to him about working with Netflix. Could it be this Ronan Anderson?

But at that time, he didn't pay much attention to it at all, completely ignoring the existence of the other party, and the memory left behind was too weak.

Ronan continued: It's a pity that Mr. Hastings refused at that time, and Relativity Entertainment was still in the start-up stage, so I didn't have the energy to take care of other things. Since this year, the company has gradually entered the right track. I have also considered Internet channels and planned to let Embassy Pictures The original plan to establish an Internet distribution department had already been put on paper, but Garcia recommended Netflix to me.

He seemed particularly sincere: I specially asked people to conduct a preliminary investigation of Netflix. If Netflix can become the Internet distribution channel for Relativity Entertainment, I don't need to establish a separate network distribution department.

The underlying meaning of these words is extremely obvious. If they cannot cooperate, Relativity Entertainment will continue with the original plan and establish an online publishing department.

Reed Hastings didn't seem to understand: Netflix is ​​currently the largest Internet video rental company in the United States, and it is more than enough to meet your company's requirements.

That's good. Ronan didn't seem to care about the other party's boasting: We naturally have a basis for cooperation.

The information held by the two parties is completely unequal. Ronan has a clear understanding of the internal situation of Netflix, while Reed-Hastings only knows the public information of Relativity Entertainment.

Reed-Hastings had no knowledge of the five-person takeover meeting that had Ronan's plan stuck in his head.

In order to wait for the best opportunity now, Ronan has been planning and preparing for more than two years. Of course, it is not comparable to Reed Hastings who just came into contact with Relativity Entertainment.

Reed-Hastings gets straight to the point: How do you want to work with Netflix?

Mark Randolph also raised his ears. The best way to cooperate is undoubtedly the capital injection of Relativity Entertainment, without interfering with Netflix's operation and management.

In other words, Netflix is ​​actually still owned by Reed Hastings and him... no, it is owned by Reed Hastings.

Since Reed Hastings fully intervened in the Netflix business in 1999, he was first downgraded from CEO to co-executive officer, and then downgraded to president of operations. Stings was all over the place.

If it weren't for the reluctance to part with Netflix and the deep personal friendship with Reed Hastings, maybe he would have left Netflix.

At present, he and Reed Hastings have a clear division of labor. Reed is in charge of the company's decision-making and capital and other major policies, while he is in charge of sales and daily operations of the website. The two sides have temporarily sought a balance in power structure besides their friendship.

Reed-Hastings asked directly, and Ronan didn't go around in circles, and said: If you want to cooperate with Relativity Entertainment, Relativity can provide two cooperation methods.

Please speak. Reed - Hastings has always been very calm.

Ronan said calmly: The first one is that Relativity Entertainment will inject capital into Netflix, obtain absolute controlling rights in Netflix, and reorganize Netflix's board of directors. Of course, the two can keep no more than 10% of Netflix shares and continue to invest in Netflix. Stay at Netflix and broaden this movie distribution channel.

Reed-Hastings' heart is sinking, capital injection is the most ideal way of cooperation, but this kind of capital injection is not what he wants.

How does this differ from selling Netflix? So point shares, reorganize the board of directors, what right to speak?

Ronan looked at Reed Hastings and knew that what he just said was just the most ideal plan, which could not only take the ownership of Netflix, but also let Reed Hastings work for him...

But after all, this is just a hypothesis. A hardline company leader like Reed Hastings will probably not become a worker for him.

If Netflix's cake is the size of a few years later, even a single-digit share is enough to keep Reed Hastings at Netflix.

The current Netflix plate is too small.

Ronan is also testing, it is best to keep Reed Hastings, if not, forget it.

Reed-Hastings is good at capital mobilization and company development decisions, not Netflix's internal operations.

From Netflix's founding to the present, Mark Randolph has actually been in charge of operations.

What about the other one? Reed Hastings asked.

Ronan said directly: Relativity Entertainment has acquired Netflix in its entirety.

./book_

.. m.