Netflix Co-Founder Reveals the 8 Success Rules From His Dad

Marc Randolph, co-founder of Netflix, credits his father’s advice for much of his professional achievements.

When Randolph graduated from Hamilton College with a degree in geography, he received a handwritten list of instructions from his father that would profoundly shape his career.

These eight rules have become a guiding light for Randolph, who still keeps the original copy by his bathroom mirror.

Here’s are the Netflix’s co-founder “8 Rules for Success”:

Do at least 10% more than you are asked.
Never, ever, to anybody present as fact opinions on things you don’t know. Takes great care and discipline.
Be courteous and considerate always — up and down.
Don’t knock, don’t complain — stick to constructive, serious criticism.
Don’t be afraid to make decisions when you have the facts on which to make them.
Quantify where possible.
Be open-minded but skeptical.
Be prompt.

These rules didn’t turn Randolph into an overnight success, but they laid a solid foundation. After college, Randolph didn’t envision becoming a tech entrepreneur, as his initial venture was into real estate.

“When I was 23, I was quite possibly the worst real estate agent in New York. I was working for my mother’s agency in Chappaqua, and no one was buying houses. In eight months, I made zero sales. I rented one apartment.”

The pivotal moment for the Netflix co-founder

Randolph then transitioned to a role as an executive assistant to the CEO of a sheet music company. Although the job was far from glamorous, it was immensely educational.

“I was learning thousands of things per day. What a CEO does from nine to five. And what he does from five until he actually goes home,” Randolph writes.

These lessons proved instrumental when Randolph co-founded Netflix in 1997 at the age of 39, steering the company until 2003.

In addition to his father’s rules, Randolph offers another crucial piece of advice to young people: seek out and learn from smart individuals.

“If you apprentice yourself to the smartest people who will take you seriously, you will learn at every step,” he writes.

“You’ll learn their special language. You’ll see what real people do. Your interests might surprise you. They will evolve. And you’ll be well-positioned to take advantage of whatever opportunity life throws your way.”