On a very ordinary morning, Ronan met Reed Hastings and others who had agreed to be at the Burbank Business Club.

Hadn't seen each other for more than two years, the wrinkles on Reed Hastings' face became deeper and his hair on his temples was almost white.

Perhaps Netflix made Reed Hastings feel at ease.

Ronan decided to rescue Reed Hastings in Netflix's misery as soon as possible, so that he would no longer have to worry about Netflix.

"Hello, Mr. Hastings." Ronan took the initiative to stretch out his right hand: "I am Ronan Anderson, the president of Relativity Entertainment Group, and we meet again."

Reed Hastings first shook hands with Ronan and asked with some confusion: "Mr. Anderson, have we seen it before?"

Ronan smiled and said, "I met at a party in Hollywood more than two years ago."

Reed Hastings searched for memories, but he couldn't remember them for a moment.

Ronan introduced him to the person who accompanied him: "This is Garcia Rodriguez, you already know him. This is Connie Hudson, my assistant."

Connie and Garcia shook hands with Reed Hastings one after another.

Reed Hastings couldn't remember when he met Ronan, so he simply stopped recalling and introduced the middle-aged man next to him: "This is Mark Randolph, my friend and entrepreneurial partner."

Ronan shook hands with Mark Randolph: "I've heard of you, a famous operational genius in Silicon Valley."

"Mr. Anderson has won the award." Mark Randolph said with a smile: "Mr. Anderson is a genius, and he has achieved such remarkable achievements in Hollywood at a young age."

These days, Mark Randolph also read various materials from Embassy Films and Relativity Entertainment, and discussed this possible opportunity with Reed Hastings many times.

After a brief greeting between the two sides, they quickly got to the point.

Reed Hastings has no time to waste. Time is very important for Netflix. Determining cooperation earlier or reaching other consensus can also help him reduce this heavy burden.

After negotiations with PepsiCo, Reed Hastings has been ridiculed and hit slightly lowered his expectations.

Reed Hastings was ready for both before coming this time.

After this period of time, Reed Hastings has roughly analyzed that the cooperation promoted by Garcia Rodriguez from personal ideas to company inspections and contacts is nothing more than two ways.

One is that the other party directly invests in Netflix, and the other is to buy Netflix.

The former is the most ideal way of cooperation, which can not only acquire funds, but also continue to dominate Netflix's development.

No matter what, this is his own child, even if it is Mark Randolph and his entrepreneurial team who really raised this child.

The latter was not unacceptable. After being rejected by PepsiCo, he wanted to open it. It didn't matter if he sold it to other companies. At least he could stop the loss and get him out of his current predicament.

Reed Hastings looked at Garcia and said first: "Mr. Rodriguez, when you met last time, you said you wanted to cooperate with Netflix, may I ask..."

Garcia smiled and said, "We do want to cooperate with Netflix. We conducted a preliminary investigation of Netflix and reported to the head office. The head office believes that Netflix's channels are an effective supplement to the distribution of Embassy Pictures."

Hearing this, Mark Randolph frowned slightly. The other party obviously did not pay enough attention to Netflix, as if he only regarded Netflix as a supplementary channel for the release of the movie.

Compared with Reed Hastings, Mark Randolph is the person who formed Netflix's entrepreneurial team and created Netflix and developed Netflix. He has an extremely deep relationship with Netflix.

Reed Hastings was only responsible for the funds in advance, and it was not until the end of 1999 that he truly intervened in Netflix's business.

Garcia looked at Ronan and said, "The headquarters attaches great importance to the cooperation suggestions I made, so Mr. Anderson wants to talk to you in person after understanding the situation."

Of course, Ronan would not say how broad Netflix's future prospects are. Following Garcia's words, he said according to the plan formulated: "My Relativity Group combines film production and distribution, and distribution is the key. Netflix's Internet leasing business can further improve my distribution channels."

Reed Hastings could hear that Relativity Entertainment was interested in Netflix, but how much interest was, it seemed like a question mark.

"Mr. Anderson." Mark Randolph couldn't help but interrupt: "Netflix's business model represents the future and has unlimited potential!"

Ronan looked at the actual founder and operator of Netflix and said: "Improvement, Mr. Randolph. For Hollywood and film companies, Netflix's rental and sales business is just one of many film-related channels."

Mark Randolph subconsciously wanted to refute, but he was in his heart and didn't know what to say, because Ronan said it was fine. Netflix's business is indeed just one of the sales channels around many movies, and it is still the inconspicuous one.

Reed Hastings gave Mark Randolph a look and signaled him to stay calm and said, "So, Mr. Anderson's interest in Netflix is ​​mainly to supplement the movie distribution channels."

Ronan nodded: "Yes. Relativity Entertainment started late in Hollywood and is currently improving various distribution channels." He kept reducing the expectations of the other party: "I have always been looking forward to the booming Internet. When I met Mr. Hastings at a party two years ago, I also talked to you about the possibility of cooperation."

Reed Hastings looked at Ronan, as if a young man had talked to him about working with Netflix. Could it be this Ronan Anderson?

But at that time, I didn't pay attention to it at all, completely ignoring the other party's existence, and the memories left behind were too weak.

Ronan continued: "It's a pity that Mr. Hastings refused at that time, and Relativity Entertainment was in the entrepreneurial stage. I didn't have the energy to take care of other things. Since this year, the company has gradually gotten on track. I have considered the Internet channel and prepared to let the Embassy Film Company establish an Internet distribution department. The original plan has fallen on paper, but Garcia recommended Netflix to me."

He seemed particularly sincere: "I specially asked someone to have a preliminary investigation of Netflix. If Netflix can become the Internet distribution channel for Relativity Entertainment, I don't need to establish a separate online distribution department."

The subtle meaning of this statement is extremely obvious. If you cannot cooperate, Relativity Entertainment will continue its original plan and establish an online distribution department.

Reed Hastings seemed to not understand: "Netflight is currently the largest Internet DVD rental company in the United States, and it is more than enough to meet your company's requirements."

"It's great." Ronan seemed to be unwilling to the other party's bragging: "We naturally have the basis of cooperation."

The information held by both sides was completely unequal. Ronan knew clearly about Netflix's internal situation, while Reed Hastings knew only the public information of Relativity Entertainment.

Reed Hastings had no idea about the acquisition meeting that Ronan had been staying in his mind, which only five people attended.

In order to wait for the best opportunity to this day, Ronan has been planning for more than two years and preparing for more than two years. Of course, it is not something that Reed Hastings can compare with when he first came into contact with Relativity Entertainment.

Reed Hastings goes straight to the point of the problem: "How do you want to work with Netflix?"

Mark Randolph also pricked up his ears. The best way to cooperate is undoubtedly to relativity entertainment investment without interfering with Netflix's operation and management.

In other words, Netflix actually belongs to Reed Hastings and him... No, it belongs to Reed Hastings.

After Reed Hastings fully intervened in Netflix's business in 1999, he was first demoted from CEO to co-executive, and then to operational president. The entrepreneurial team he built was even more ruined by Reed Hastings.

If he hadn't been reluctant to part with Netflix and had a deep personal relationship with Reed Hastings, he might have left Netflix.

At present, he and Reed Hastings have a clear division of labor. Reed is in charge of major policies such as company decision-making and funding, and he is responsible for the daily operation of sales and websites. In addition to friendship, the power structure of both parties has temporarily been balanced.

Reed Hastings asked directly, and Ronan did not go around in circles, saying: "If you want to cooperate with Relativity Entertainment, Relativity can provide two ways of cooperation."

"Please say." Reed Hastings has always been calm.

Ronan said calmly: "The first type is to invest in Netflix in Relativity Entertainment, get the absolute controlling stake in Netflix, and reorganize Netflix's board of directors. Of course, the two can retain no more than 10% of Netflix's shares, continue to work at Netflix, and broaden the channels for distributing this movie."

Reed Hastings' heart is sinking, and injecting capital is the most ideal way to cooperate, but this way of injecting capital is not what he wants.

What is the difference between this and selling Netflix? So what kind of voice can you say if you reorganize the board of directors?

Ronan looked at Reed Hastings and knew that what he said just now was just the most ideal plan, which not only allowed him to take ownership of Netflix, but also allowed Reed Hastings to work for him...

But this is just a conceivable after all, the hard-line company leaders like Reed Hastings will probably not become people working for him.

If Netflix's cake is of the size of a few years, even a single-digit stake will be enough to keep Reed Hastings at Netflix.

The Netflix dish is too small now.

Ronan is also testing it out. It is best to keep Reed Hastings, if not, it will be fine.

Reed Hastings is good at mobilizing funds and company development decisions, rather than Netflix's internal operations.

From the founding of Netflix to the present, Mark Randolph has actually been responsible for the operation.

"What about the other one?" Reed Hastings asked.

Ronan said directly: "Relativity Entertainment acquired Netflix in full."

./book_
Chapter completed!