How did the Netflix show happen?

I remember exactly where I was when I got this email out of the blue. To view this email as a web page, [click here]() {NAME}, I remember exactly where I was when I got this email out of the blue. They wanted to know if we could set up a meeting. I was a little suspicious of any TV-related emails because, for years, I’d been getting emails from random production companies who try to set up meetings with “talent” to develop a show and pitch it to a network. Those meetings never go anywhere. I trust production companies as far as I can throw them. So I vividly remember this email because I thought it was just another useless pitch. I slowly moved my cursor up to the “from” section, clicked to expand...and it said @netflix.com. HOLY SHIT!!! It was actually from Netflix. Before this, the only emails I got from Netflix were “What’s new on Netflix.” Of course Netflix contacted me through email. I think this is the world telling me that I have a face made for email. From there, I talked to my wife and decided to get on a call. The funniest thing is they asked if I had “representation," but I had no idea what that meant. On the call, they told me they were interested in potentially doing a show, and was I? I said, yes, I’d potentially be interested...if I could do it my way. That meant finding real people and helping them with real numbers. They agreed. They knew my material (that was flattering) and they wanted it to be “Ramit Style.” I was impressed. It’s so rare you get to work with true creatives, and they were awesome through the entire process. From there, here’s what happened: - They asked me to develop the show and pitch them - I found a production company and together, we developed the show. This means that we came up with the premise with real examples and scenarios. We thought through how many people, what kind of stories we’d want to feature, and what some of the key moments would be (e.g., in a food show, there’s a big reveal where the judges eat it and rate it). - We pitched Netflix. This happened on Zoom because of COVID! (Later, as I met more TV people, they heard that I pitched over Zoom and were dumbfounded that I wasn’t in the room to feel the energy of the other attendees. But to me, pitching over Zoom was all I knew!) - With a few minor suggestions, they liked it and we negotiated the deal. This involved lawyers and production companies and all kinds of deal points (in the meantime, I was in no rush. The more time for me, the more time I had to fix my website, get in shape, and practice my communication skills) - We began casting - We began shooting, which took about 4 months - Post production (editing) took another 4-5 months - And then we waited...until I got word about the final launch date...which is April 18th! [Add the show to your Netflix queue]() Finding a lawyerWhen it was clear this was serious, I decided I needed to get representation. I already have lawyers for various parts of my life/business, but I needed an entertainment lawyer. The only problem is...I had no idea how to find one. I asked a few friends, but my friends are mostly normal people, internet nerds, and degenerate management consultants. I’m not rolling around with Hollywood actors. So I did the second-best thing. I went on google and searched for “entertainment lawyers” and clicked every link on the first page. Yup, that’s literally how I did it. There was a Top 50 Entertainment Lawyers page that I found. I went down the list and noted every lawyer who looked like they could be a good fit. I emailed 5 of them. My email was fucking good. I told them I’d been running my business for about 20 years, was a New York Times bestselling author, and had a network interested in me doing a show. Can they get on a call? 2 never wrote back. 2 said “Sorry, I’m not a fit.” (In retrospect, I appreciate the quick rejection.) And 1 said, “I’m on vacation...how about we talk tomorrow?” Now that’s the kind of energy I’m talking about. He’s now my lawyer and has represented me in two deals. All right, hit me back with your questions! I’m excited to share before the show comes out! 3 things to do today: - [Add the show to your Netflix list](). - Tell your friends to join this email list: “If you want to get a behind-the-scenes look at how Ramit got a Netflix show, get on his Netflix email list.” You can’t find these stories anywhere else. The URL is [iwt.com/netflix]() - Follow me on [Instagram](), [Tiktok](), and [YouTube]() where I’m sharing more. [Signature]     Featured Products [Learn how to be your own boss, do what you love, and earn more.]() [What if you woke up EXCITED to go to work? 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