Pooja T N’s Post

Blockbuster went from being an industry giant to bankrupt.   Because it chose to do what it always did.   In a David versus Goliath moment, Netflix, with just a hundred employees and a dream, offered Blockbuster $50 million to acquire Netflix.   That day, Blockbuster laughed off the offer and sent Netflix packing and it changed the trajectory of both companies.   Blockbuster stuck to its guns, while Netflix embraced change with open arms.   The former clung to its outdated rental model, the latter revolutionized the game with monthly subscriptions and unlimited rentals.   By 2010, Blockbuster found itself on the wrong side of history, filing for bankruptcy.   While today, Netflix has the most subscribers of any streaming service.   Sometimes, playing it safe is the riskiest move of all.   Just because something has been done a certain way, doesn't mean there aren't opportunities for change, growth, and improvement.   SOPs, processes, and procedures are great, but when we resist change, we also kill the motivation of our teams to go above and beyond.   The worst that can happen? - Stagnation.   So, do you let “the way it has been done” stifle you, or do you let innovation fuel growth?   #entrepreneurship #leader #leadership #startups #growth

Imagine losing a $390 billion opportunity… because you didn’t believe in change. 😢 In 2000, Blockbuster was the undisputed king of home entertainment with 9,000 stores and $6 billion in revenue. Netflix, a struggling DVD rental startup, approached them with an offer: 💬 “Buy us for $50 million, and we’ll handle your online business while you focus on your stores,” said Reed Hastings, Netflix’s founder. The response? Blockbuster’s CEO laughed at the idea. Yes, laughed! Fast forward to today: 📉 Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy and shut down in 2010. 📈 Netflix is worth over $390 billion and has transformed the way the world watches entertainment. What went wrong for Blockbuster? 1️⃣ They underestimated how quickly consumer preferences can change. 2️⃣ They didn’t embrace innovation, even when the opportunity knocked on their door. 3️⃣ They were too confident in their existing business model, ignoring future trends. This story is a reminder: 🚀 Never ignore small ideas—they could shape the future. 💡 Sometimes, the opportunities we dismiss today could be the game-changers of tomorrow. What’s your biggest takeaway from this iconic story? Share your thoughts in the comments! by Pavan Kumar Reddy ♻️ Repost if you learnt something from this story. Follow for more such stories and insights. #netflix #blockbuster #acquisition #business #lessonslearned

"Brand Positioning: This is how Netflix Streamed Ahead While Blockbuster Pressed Pause 🎬📉" What’s worse than no positioning? BAD positioning. Imagine trying to sell flip-flops in Antarctica. That’s what Blockbuster, once the king of DVD rentals, did when Netflix showed up with slippers AND a heater. It’s a metaphor! Netflix brought comfort and convenience (like slippers and a heater), making Blockbuster's outdated rental model feel cold and inconvenient. Blockbuster, at its peak, had over 9,000 stores but failed to adapt when Netflix introduced streaming in 2007. Lesson 1: Your audience has evolved - so should you. Lesson 2: If you don’t stand out, you’ll just stand… and watch your competitors sprint past. Lesson 3: Be the Netflix in your industry, not the Blockbuster cameo in someone else’s movie. Positioning isn’t just strategy—it’s survival. How’s yours looking? 🤔 #BrandPositioning #brandpersona #entrepreneurship #founders #thoughtleaders NetflixNetflix IndiaShells Advertising IncSchbangThe Hub Bengaluru Neilpatels Ankur Warikoo

The Blockbuster Mistake: How Netflix Turned Rejection into a $150 Billion Empire Imagine it’s 2000. Blockbuster rules movie rentals with 9,000 stores. Meanwhile, Netflix, a scrappy startup, approaches Blockbuster with a bold proposal. Reed Hastings pitches: “Buy us for $50 million. Together, we can revolutionize rentals.” The response? “We’re not interested.” The Blockbuster execs laugh him out of the room. Fast forward to today: Blockbuster is dead. Only one store remains in Bend, Oregon. Netflix? A $150 billion global powerhouse that changed how we consume media. The Fatal Mistake Blockbuster clung to its stores and late fees. Customers hated late fees. Netflix offered: “No late fees. No stress. Just movies.” By the time Blockbuster tried streaming, Netflix was already dominating. The Drama Unfolds Blockbuster tried to outspend Netflix on ads. It failed. By 2010, Blockbuster was bankrupt. Reed Hastings? Launching Netflix Originals, redefining entertainment. The Takeaway 1️⃣ Don’t mock innovation. Blockbuster ignored Netflix’s vision. 2️⃣ Focus on customers. Netflix solved pain points; Blockbuster didn’t. 3️⃣ Adapt—or perish. Today, Netflix streams to 230M+ subscribers. Blockbuster is a punchline. Reed Hastings said: “Companies rarely die from moving too fast; they die from moving too slow.” What’s your move? #Entrepreneurship #NetflixVsBlockbuster

Story of $8.4 Billion to Zero in 16 years In the late ‘90s, Blockbuster was the dominant player in the video rental industry In 2010, they filed for bankruptcy The crux of Blockbuster’s dramatic fall? - Lack of foresight and unwillingness to adapt Contrast this with - Netflix, then a small DVD-by-mail service. Today, it is valued at $204 billion The secret? They saw a world beyond physical media: Streaming Netflix founder Marc Randolph wrote the following in his book - “We looked ahead to a future without DVDs or mail” Their pivot to streaming was a game-changer Netflix innovated, while Blockbuster clung to it’s retail model. This story isn't just about corporate giants; it's a lesson for all entrepreneurs: Innovation isn’t a luxury; it’s survival. Are you adapting fast enough to stay relevant? Share how you’re embracing change below. #storysaturdays #adaptability

$8.4 Billion to 0! In the late ‘90s, Blockbuster was the dominant player in the video rental industry In 2010, they filed for bankruptcy The crux of Blockbuster’s dramatic fall? - Lack of foresight and unwillingness to adapt Contrast this with - Netflix, then a small DVD-by-mail service. Today, it is valued at $204 billion The secret? They saw a world beyond physical media: Streaming Netflix founder Marc Randolph wrote the following in his book - “We looked ahead to a future without DVDs or mail” Their pivot to streaming was a game-changer Netflix innovated, while Blockbuster clung to it’s retail model. This story isn't just about corporate giants; it's a lesson for all entrepreneurs: Innovation isn’t a luxury; it’s survival. Are you adapting fast enough to stay relevant? Share how you’re embracing change below. #adaptability

𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘅 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 💡 Hey everyone! I was scrolling through YouTube today and found this video that really hit home for me. It's about how Blockbuster, the big movie rental company back in the day, totally missed the boat on online streaming and ended up going bankrupt. 🤯 The video features insights from Reed Hastings himself, reflecting on how Netflix's near-death experience with Blockbuster actually shaped them into the company they are today. The video talks about how Blockbuster was so focused on making money in the short term that they didn't see the huge potential of online streaming. It's a classic example of the "Innovation Paradox" – when companies are so busy protecting their current business that they miss out on the next big thing. 😕 This video reminded me of my recent Founders Stories post on the Innovation Tightrope, where I talk about the challenges of balancing new ideas with making sure your business stays afloat. If you want to learn how to avoid making the same mistakes as Blockbuster, check it out! https://lnkd.in/d-nGYQcT Link to the article on Innovation Paradox in the comments 👇 #innovation #startups #disruption #leadership #entrepreneurship

In 1997, Netflix was born as a simple DVD rental service by mail. Fast forward to 2007, and Reed Hastings & Marc Randolph made a game-changing pivot to streaming, forever altering how we consume entertainment. But they didn’t stop there—Netflix’s move into original content, starting with House of Cards in 2013, redefined television and ushered in the era of binge-watching. Netflix’s journey is a perfect example of reinvention, adaptability, and bold decision-making. What began as a small startup now leads the global entertainment industry, proving that innovation is key to long-term success. #BusinessInnovation #NetflixStory #Reinvention #Entrepreneurship #StreamingRevolution #Leadership #Entertainment

𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 - Ray Dalio 𝐀 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲!! In the early 2000s, Netflix was a struggling DVD rental business. Competing against the giant Blockbuster, they were on the brink of failure. In 2000, Netflix's founders, Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph, proposed a partnership to Blockbuster, offering to sell the company for $50 million. Blockbuster's CEO laughed them out of the room. That rejection could have been the end. But instead, it was a turning point. Undeterred by failure, Netflix pivoted. They embraced the emerging trend of online streaming, a risky and unproven business model at the time. The company faced countless technical challenges, licensing issues, and financial hurdles. They experimented, failed, learned, and adapted. Today, Netflix is a global entertainment powerhouse with over 200 million subscribers, while Blockbuster is a relic of the past, a single remaining store serving as a nostalgic reminder of a bygone era. The story of Netflix is a testament to the idea that failure is not a dead end but a stepping stone. Embracing failure, learning from it, and persisting through challenges are essential components of long-term success. 𝐒𝐨, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲. #BusinessLessons #Resilience #FailureToSuccess #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #pragvintellifin

Business is all about challenges on daily basis. What decision we take on daily basis either increases or decreases probability of making it successful or unsuccessful in long term. ABOVE ALL IT IS ALMIGHTY WISH FOR EVERYTHING IS NECESSARY. History has shown us many very big empires falling and new empires establishing. Nothing new in it. Change is most permanent thing in world. Either we have to change ourselves or nature will do so.