The Lesson I Learned From a Netflix Co-Founder
A few days ago, while listening to a podcast episode from Diary of a CEO, I came across a piece of advice that instantly changed how I see product ideas and I wanted to share it.
Marc Randolph, one of Netflix’s co-founders, said:"Nobody knows if a new idea is going to work. The only way to find out is to get it in front of customers as fast and as cheaply as possible."
As a product manager, I know this in theory. But hearing it framed so plainly by someone who built Netflix hit different. Too often, we get attached to our ideas, over-invest before testing demand, and spend months or years building things nobody asked for.
So I’ve decided to apply this lesson directly to a project I’m currently working on called Places a reconnection app that helps people find each other through the places and experiences they’ve shared.
Here’s what I’m doing:
Building a simple prototype
Creating a landing page explaining the idea
Sharing it within communities I care about
Hosting informal feedback sessions
Measuring if people care before investing time and money
It’s quick, cheap, and honest and it will save us from chasing something that won’t land.
If you’re building something too, I highly recommend taking a step back and asking: “Have I validated this yet?”
And if you’re curious about Places or want to follow our builder community journey, reach out we’re building it together.
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