Early Life
Jack Patrick Dorsey was born on November 19, 1976, in St. Louis, Missouri. He was raised in a Catholic family and attended Bishop DuBourg High School. From a young age, Dorsey displayed a keen interest in computers and communications. He began programming at the age of 14, developing dispatch software.
Rise to Success
Dorsey's entrepreneurial journey began with the idea of Twitter while he was studying at New York University. He co-founded Twitter in 2006, serving as CEO from 2007 to 2008 and again from 2015 to 2021. Under his leadership, Twitter experienced substantial growth and became a prominent platform for communication and news. In 2009, he co-founded Square, Inc. (now Block, Inc.), a financial services company. Square's Square payment platform enabled merchants to accept debit and credit card payments on mobile devices.
Key Business Strategies
Dorsey's strategies have been marked by a focus on simplicity and innovation. With Twitter, he emphasized brevity and real-time communication, establishing a new form of social interaction. At Square, he simplified financial transactions for small businesses. He has also shown a commitment to decentralization and the potential of blockchain technology.
Philanthropy
Dorsey is actively involved in philanthropy through his initiative #startsmall, which supports global crisis relief, girls' health and education, and open internet development. He has donated millions to various causes, including COVID-19 relief and research. Dorsey has donated $750,000 to BBC Media Action for their work with independent media around the world. KANPE has received a generous donation of $5 million from Dorsey to support their work in Haiti. Dorsey’s #startsmall initiative has also invested $1 million into Camp Fire.