Jack Dorsey (b. 1976)

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Biography

Jack Patrick Dorsey is an American businessman, co-founder of Twitter, Inc. and CEO during 2007–2008 and 2015–2021, as well as co-founder, principal executive officer and chairman of Block, Inc. and founder of Bluesky.

Timeline

The story of Jack Dorsey, told in moments.

2006 Event

Sends the first tweet: "just setting up my twttr." He's been thinking about a status-broadcasting platform since 2000. Twitter launches publicly in July. By the end of 2006 it has a few thousand users.

'Just setting up my twttr.' Did you know those five words would age historically? Thinking about status-broadcasting since 2000. Did six years of patience pay off?

2008 Event

Pushed out as Twitter's CEO. The board replaces him with Evan Williams. Dorsey later says he was fired. He stays as chairman and starts working on a new idea: a credit card reader that plugs into a phone.

Pushed out as CEO of the company you created. Was that a betrayal? Did you see the firing coming, or was it sudden?

2009 Event

Co-founds Square (now Block, Inc.) with Jim McKelvey. The first prototype is a card reader McKelvey builds in his glassblowing studio. The company goes public in 2015 at a $2.9 billion valuation.

A card reader from a glassblowing studio. Is simplicity your design principle? Building Square after losing Twitter. Was that revenge or moving on?

2015 Event

Returns as Twitter CEO after Dick Costolo steps down. He runs both Twitter and Square simultaneously. Critics say he's spread too thin. He leaves Twitter again in 2021, replaced by Parag Agrawal.

Running Twitter and Square simultaneously. Were critics right that you were spread thin? Leaving Twitter again in 2021. Was the second departure easier?

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