Reed Hastings
He transformed how the world watches television by betting on a DVD-by-mail service that became a streaming giant.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American entrepreneur and education philanthropist·Birthday: October 8·Baby Boomers
Biography
Reed Hastings, a former Peace Corps volunteer and software engineer, co-founded Netflix in 1997 after a late fee for a rented movie sparked an idea. The company began as a subscription-based DVD rental service, mailing discs directly to homes. Hastings's pivotal gamble was to shift the entire business model toward streaming video on demand in the mid-2000s, a move that initially angered shareholders but ultimately made Netflix a global entertainment powerhouse. His management philosophy, emphasizing radical candor and employee freedom, became as discussed as the company's original series. Beyond Silicon Valley, he is a persistent and sometimes controversial figure in education reform, advocating for charter schools and serving on California's State Board of Education.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Reed was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Reed Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Reed's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded Netflix and led its evolution from DVD rentals to a dominant global streaming service.
- Served as President of the California State Board of Education, influencing state education policy.
- Authored the influential management book 'No Rules Rules' about Netflix's unique corporate culture.
- Became a major philanthropist in education, donating hundreds of millions to charter school networks.
Did You Know?
The idea for Netflix reportedly came after he was charged a $40 late fee for a rented copy of 'Apollo 13'.
He served in the Peace Corps, teaching high school math in Swaziland (now Eswatini) from 1983 to 1985.
His first company, Pure Software, which debugged software tools, went public in 1995 before he sold it.
He is a board member of Facebook's (Meta) philanthropic arm, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
“We’re not in the business of renting DVDs; we’re in the business of making our members happy.”
