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Andrew Paulino

Professor Brian Robertson

CST 300 Writing Lab

21 September 2021

An Analysis on a Prominent Streaming Platform

The world is ever changing, with advancements in technology in an evolving landscape,

we see constant innovation everyday. Within these technological advancements, one industry that

has taken advantage of this shift is the video streaming industry (Blomeley, 2021). Various

platforms that support video streaming have experienced and explored the many ways they can

reach a wide audience in this age of high speed internet and instant video at our fingertips.

However, only one streaming service has taken the world by storm and has been the leader in

this particular industry for almost twenty-five years (Netflix, n.d). Netflix has seen the growth

from a humble DVD delivery service to a multinational on-demand streaming platform with over

200 million subscribers (Netflix, n.d). Netflix has become the inspiration for others to create

their own start-up, however, as for my own personal growth, Netflix’s development of

transitioning from a simple idea has motivated myself into achieving my own goals of becoming

a well experienced senior software engineer by taking the experimental opportunities necessary

to gain enough experience to achieve that level.

Netflix was established in the late 1990s in the heart of Silicon Valley directly in Los

Gatos, California (Dr. Shirley N. Weber California Secretary of State, n.d). It was created by two

coworkers, Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph. Hastings attended Bowdoin College where he

achieved a degree in mathematics. He then continued his education and achieved a masters in

computer science at Stanford University (LinkedIn, n.d). His cofounder, Randolph developed the
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correct marketing strategies that were suitable for the growth of Netflix while he was working

various jobs after achieving his college degree in geology (LinkedIn, n.d). He was fascinated by

the user interface and the connection between customer service and computer software.

Hastings’ and Randolph’s idea about Netflix sprung from shared carpool rides to work and in the

while brainstorming a bit about startups. It was an idea that wasn’t extremely significant to them

both, but it eventually became impactful as Hastings’ himself said,

“Netflix was originally a single rental service, but the subscription model was one of a

few ideas we had…” (Cstillo, 2020).

Both Hastings’ and Randolph’s idea about Netflix first started off as a small and modest delivery

service in which DVD’s would be rented out by a user and it would get mailed to them in an

envelope with a note. Hastings and Randolph had the customers in mind - they wanted to get on

demand movies in subscribers’ households at low costs and with the notion that these movies

could be enjoyed in the comforts of their own homes. The major benefit about renting a DVD

through their service, was that it was hassle free and plenty of time was given to each subscriber

to enjoy one. At the end of the allotted time frame for the rental, the customer would mail back

the DVD and receive another. Utilizing the notion of revolving entertainment at the doorsteps of

Hastings’ and Randolph’s customers, this great idea pushed Netflix to hit its initial public

offering in 2002 (Netflix, n.d).

As some time passed, the DVD subscription feature became increasingly popular which

brought a plethora of subscribers to the front table. With advancements in technology and the

eventual introduction of high speed internet in many households, a later market strategy that

boosted Netflix’s popularity was the evolution into online streaming (Netflix, n.d). Netflix’s

ultimate goal was to focus on the simplicity which became advantageous when DVD rentals
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were waning out and Netflix solely became focused on their internet services. By removing the

DVD rental service, Netflix was able to reduce costs and efficiently push for a more effective

way to reach their consumers (Netflix, n.d). Netflix easily became the best streaming service that

provided a large range of genres to watch for a diverse audience. It now offers many shows in a

multitude of languages which has opened the doors for plenty of countries to publish their

content through Netflix so it can be accessed by users worldwide. Ultimately, Netflix became a

video streaming platform but more recently, Netflix has branched out into becoming a production

company that develops movies and TV shows. Netflix works with distributors, creators, and

producers to purchase licensing of various movies and TV shows which ultimately heightens the

user experience because it pushes for more diversity and exposure to more genres of movies and

shows for a subscriber. This allows for Netflix’s value to increase as a company because they are

able to bring nostalgic shows back for viewers or even allow them to explore new genres to

watch.

Netflix fully represents a promotion of the employer culture of “people over process”

(Netflix, n.d) which means that there is more of an emphasis on investing in people and

engineers that produce high fidelity work. By switching subscription platforms, Netflix pushed

forward with a company culture in mind - to allow their employees to have the option of a well

balanced work and life agenda. Netflix has ultimately made an impact on popular culture,

supplying funny references, romantic gestures, and dignified meanings that have brought much

inspiration to many individuals. This impact has increased their value to about a 25 billion dollar

revenue as per a 2020 investment report. (Netflix, n.d) With such a high revenue, this means that

employees of Netflix are paid well and generously, and Netflix grabs some of the best software

engineers that produce high quality features in the streaming platform. The competitiveness of
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high paid employees comes with the present trends the company may face like how other

streaming services are becoming prevalent and common in the industry. Netflix puts their focus

on their employees and to keep up with the increasing competition and they take pride in

ensuring that their employees are well taken care of.

Despite the growing success of Netflix, it hasn’t been too fortunate as of recently. For

example, competitors like Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, and a few others have developed their own

original content to be aligned with the marketing strategy that Netflix practices. With the rise of

competitors, it has brought a strife into the movie streaming giant. For instance, “licensed shows

account for 63% of viewing hours” (Trainer, 2019) which means that Netflix heavily relies on

licensed content and it is decreasing at an alarming rate. As more and more video streaming

platforms populate on the internet this is a valid concern for the overall Netflix business strategy.

The path to owning a company like Netflix is no big feat, however, taking that inspiration

from what Hastings and Randolph created, I want to pursue a career of my own in a field that is

innovative and ever changing. Focusing on front-end development has been the biggest interest

since it entails anything visually presented to the user on the website. Becoming a front-end

developer would be enjoyable due to the unique challenges that are novel to certain companies,

like Netflix. Ultimately, the drive in becoming a developer stems from the desire to contribute to

the next generation of user interface and experience.

Becoming a software engineer at Netflix is no easy task - the trends of Netflix hiring

patterns for engineers usually have required most people to have anywhere from five to seven

years of experience. The efforts to reach this position will require due diligence and

perseverance. Currently, working as a software engineer in a full time position has allowed for

exposure to certain skill sets that I wouldn’t have received elsewhere if not for the work that I’ve
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already done. Hopefully, these skill sets can be expanded that have already been acquired and I

can continue to grow, especially in the types of skill sets that Netflix requires their software

engineers to have, like knowing how to operate React.js, “...a javascript library for building user

interfaces.” (React.js, n.d) and as quoted from Netflix themselves,

“React has exceeded our requirements and enabled us to build a tremendous foundation

on which to innovate the Netflix experience.” (Netflix, 2015)

This has become an inspiration to continue bolstering this skill by taking online courses during

the next coming years. While taking online courses, I’d like to finish my degree in computer

science which will be advantageous in the long term to support the hands-on experience that I’ve

obtained but at a more academic level. Establishing great rapport and creating an outstanding

professional network within my current frame of past and present coworkers that I have met

during my career so far is another strategy that will be useful in this career path. Conserving

good connections would be beneficial since gaining referrals are significant when applying for

positions at companies that an acquaintance might be presently working at. Networking allows

for exposure to opportunities that most likely would have difficulty in achieving on one’s own,

like meeting others through mutual friends and learning about the type of employee that potential

employers might be looking for in the hiring process. Long term relationships can branch from

networking opportunities that can develop from trading information and skill sets which

ultimately becomes a very refreshing way to reassess and redefine existing qualities that I might

already have.

The strategies that must be taken in achieving my dream job as a senior software engineer

would be to socialize in local group meetups and discuss the latest trends in the industry which

would go hand in hand with establishing a network of individuals. By balancing work and
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personal life, it is incredibly important to maintain a healthy relationship of the physical and

mental mindset when approaching stress-heavy tasks when working and pursuing my college

education. Multitasking, time management, and being organized are all basic soft skills that are

just as important as many technical skills one may require in the workforce they wish to enter. A

good balance between prioritizing tasks means ditching the mindset that perfection is the only

method since it's realistic and beneficial to make mistakes and learn from them along the way.

Being able to prioritize specific tasks by importance and avoiding procrastination is obviously

the best way to take ownership in certain projects in an efficient manner.

As a part of this journey to Netflix, it is important to emphasize the significance of

academia in the technology industry. With my current journey in the Cal State Monterey Bay

online computer science degree program, I believe this will give me the extra skills that I need

that I cannot obtain by working full-time as a software engineer. For instance, a project that

would be very beneficial to me in the future will be the capstone project - the assignment that all

students must complete to graduate, as it will allow myself to display my full creativity and

technological skills. With this project, I can use that project to display my portfolio to gain

traction and recognition from major companies, and hopefully Netflix. By receiving my

computer science degree, it might open many doors to astounding companies that may require

the need for a bachelor's degree in computer science.

Overall, establishing a career in the field of technology has been and will always be an

extremely challenging but rewarding pursuit. No start-up was ever easy at the beginning,

however, with much determination and perseverance, a good percentage of start-ups stay afloat

with their fresh ideas and use of innovative technological risks that they are willing to take.

Taking risks is an essential choice of life when designing career paths, and they can come with
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the benefits of enjoying a job including the industry itself. Working as a software engineer would

create new experiences that promote developments of personal growth and will allow for

improvements in technology, how it is used, and how it can evolve, always targeting the goal of

improving user experience while growing on a great career path.

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References

Blomeley, A. (2021, July 16). The rise of streaming platforms: More shows, more money, more

problems. The Crimson White.

https://cw.ua.edu/81877/culture/the-rise-of-streaming-platforms-more-shows-more-mone

y-more-problems/

Cstillo, M. (2020, May 26). Reed Hastings’ story about the founding of Netflix has changed

several times. CNBC.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/23/netflix-ceo-reed-hastings-on-how-the-company-was-b

orn.html

Dr. Shirley N. Weber California Secretary of State. (n.d). C2061762 NETFLIX, INC.
Business Search.
https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/CBS/SearchResults?SearchType=CORP&SearchCriteri
a=Netflix&SearchSubType=Keyword

Netflix. (n.d.). About Us. Netflix. https://about.netflix.com/en

Netflix. (2015, January 28). Netflix Likes React. Medium.

https://netflixtechblog.com/netflix-likes-react-509675426db

Netflix. (n.d.). 2020 Quarterly Earnings. Netflix Investor Relation.

https://ir.netflix.net/financials/quarterly-earnings/default.aspx

Netflix. (n.d.). Work Life Philosophy. Netflix Jobs. https://jobs.netflix.com/work-life-philosophy

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Netflix. (2015, January 28). Netflix Likes React. Medium. \

https://netflixtechblog.com/netflix-likes-react-509675426db

Olivier Poitrey (n.d.). Home [LinkedInpage]. LinkedIn. Retrieved September 7, 2021, from
https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivierpoitrey/

Reed Hasting (n.d.). Home [LinkedInpage]. LinkedIn. Retrieved September 7, 2021, from
https://www.linkedin.com/in/reedhastings/

Trainer, D. (2019, March 8). Loss Of Licensed Content Is An Underrated Crisis For Netflix.

Forbes.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/03/08/loss-of-licensed-content-is-an

-underrated-crisis-for-netflix/?sh=60d13aa21117