This is true not just for Netflix but I believe true for every idea: It was a bad idea; it didn't work; it was a starting point. We tried it. We learned stuff. We did experiments. We began, little by little, iterating the company—and that's kind of the key. So many people get an idea in their head and they get fixated on it ... Everyone tells them 'That will never work,' and they stop. You've just got to start.

The idea counts for shit. It's kind of fun to riff on the idea, but the idea is just the starting point; it is the team. In fact, it is people, people, people.

One of the best things that can ever happen to you is you figure out two important things about yourself: one is what you're good at and the other one is what you enjoy doing ... If you can combine those two, you've got it set.

I've long since realized it's impossible to tell a good idea from a bad idea. And so, for me, it's not about falling in love with the idea; I want to fall in love with the problem because the problem won't go away.

That's part of being an entrepreneur ... When you look back, you don't remember the champagne, and the parties... You remember those bonding moments when you were trial by fire with your comrades.