The Netflix Solution

What if you could go to your living room, sit down, turn on the TV, and watch any show, movie, or sports game that is currently on or that aired any time in the past? It may sound like science fiction, but we can already do that. Well, almost. This is exactly the type of project Reed Hastings, "a quiet disrupter [who] sabotag[es] business models silently and irretrievably" and the CEO of Netflix, is working on. In an attempt to create a media-streaming infrastructure that by-passes all services provided by the cable company, Hastings is revolutionizing the television experience. Netflix may have gone down wrong paths, may have had some set-backs, and may have dealt with "hell" over the past few years, but Hastings' dynamic business strategy and a very informed view of the technology and the surrounding markets have allowed Netflix to not only pull through but also succeed far beyond the expectations of industry analysts. Something tells me that even though there are a lot of risks in being Netflix right now, the company's vision will keep in at the head of the industry. Just five years ago, most people did not have a TV that could fast-forward through commercials, and everyone had to deal with setting up that bothersome VCR to record shows that they knew they would miss. Now, we can stream cable channels through our computers or re-watch the glorious moments of the Boston Red Sox taking the World Series title in 2007 all with a push of a button, without any extra devices to set-up, and with Netflix making the process easier and easier every day.