The Ted Sarandos Playbook
An interactive guide to the strategies, philosophies, and actionable advice from Netflix's co-CEO, designed for the next generation of entrepreneurs. This guide is based on his interview at the HUVTSP 2025.
From Video Store to C-Suite
Sarandos's non-traditional journey offers powerful lessons on gaining expertise, leveraging an outsider's perspective, and seizing pivotal opportunities.
The Video Store MBA
Sarandos credits his deep understanding of audience taste to his time managing a video store chain. By observing and talking to customers, he learned that choosing a movie was a deeply personal act that "was almost defining them as a person."
Actionable Advice: Deep, practical immersion in your field can be more valuable than a traditional education. Understand your customer by observing their behavior and asking "why."
The Outsider's Advantage
Not coming from a traditional background means you "didn't know what you didn't know." This can be a superpower, allowing you to break industry rules because you aren't beholden to them. His confidence to greenlight House of Cards without a pilot came partly from this perspective.
Actionable Advice: Embrace your unique path. Your outsider status can provide a fresh perspective that allows for disruptive innovation.
The Netflix Content Strategy
Netflix's approach to content is a unique blend of data-informed decision-making and creative intuition, built on a few core principles.
The 70/30 Rule
Sarandos states major greenlight decisions are 70% judgment and 30% data. Data is useful for recurring events, but for something new, you have to trust your gut. The data on House of Cards suggested removing its two most defining elements.
Key Strategic Pillars
The Binge Model: Consumer Satisfaction
The all-at-once release is a direct response to the core insight: "What people really want when they watch a show that they love is to watch the next episode." It leads to higher total viewership and a greater "cumulative buzz" than weekly releases.
Global Hits: Authenticity Travels
The success of Squid Game was not predicted by data. The lesson: You can't engineer a global hit. Focus on creating a high-quality, authentic story for a specific local audience first. Universal themes, executed brilliantly, will travel organically.
Leadership & Culture
A look inside the unique operating system of Netflix, emphasizing talent, context, and a pragmatic approach to teamwork. Click the cards to learn more.
High-Performing Sports Team
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"We are not a family, but we're like a sports team."
This philosophy sets clear expectations for performance. By being transparent, Netflix attracts people who thrive in a high-performance environment.
The Co-CEO Model
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"The things that you know more about... you win those jump balls."
A model for durability that respects the different cultures of tech and entertainment. It works through mutual respect and a clear framework for resolving disagreements.
Farm for Dissent
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"When you think you've got this figured out, go out and try to get people to poke holes in it."
A key leadership lesson from Reed Hastings. Actively seeking out counterarguments increases your confidence in the final decision.
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