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April 30, 2025
Andre Blay Made Netflix and Blockbuster Possible
Reading Netflixed, I learned about an entrepreneur I’d never heard of. His name was Andre Blay. He was the man who created the market for VHS tapes and a multibillion-dollar industry, VHS rentals. That industry birthed tens of thousands of video rental entrepreneurs and led to the creation of Blockbuster Video. And he did all that in a few short years.
I want to learn more about him and how his vision led to a multibillion-dollar industry. He wrote a memoir that’s nearly impossible to find at a reasonable price, but I’m determined to get a copy. When I do, I’ll share what I learn.
Connected Entrepreneurs
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Connected Books
Netflixed
2012
April 2025
A biography of Netflix, from inception through 2011. Details the epic battle with Blockbuster and how Netflix almost lost. Describes the strategy and decisions behind the transition from DVD rentals to streaming.
Pre-Recorded History
2010
May 2025
The biography of Andre Blay, the entrepreneur who pioneered home video and laid the foundation for Blockbuster, Netflix, and the home movie industry. This book explores how he launched the market for selling and distributing movies on VHS, ultimately spawning a multi-billion-dollar rental economy and tens of thousands of video store entrepreneurs. It also examines the history of movie distribution and how Blay’s innovations reshaped Hollywood’s business model and consumer habits forever.
