Jack Dorsey Facts (Twitter) | # 50 Facts

Jack Dorsey Facts Biography

Jack Dorsey, Date of Birth

1. Born (November, 1976)

Jack Dorsey, an American based web developer, is born on November 19, 1976, spends the early years of his life in St.

Louis, Missouri.

He shows signs of superior intelligence just at the tender age of thirteen when he designs the dispatch routing software.

Many taxi drivers in the area are still using his software.

2. Education of Jack Dorsey

Jack Dorsey completes his high school diploma from Bishop DuBourg High School and later goes to Missouri University of Science and Technology and continues his education at New York University.

3. Sparkling Ideas

Dorsey has many creative ideas and in July 2000, he conceives an idea for a new concise messaging communication service.

He gets his inspiration for this idea from existing web based instant messaging services such as AOL Instant Messenger and Live Journal.

4. Idea Of Twitter, Jack Dorsey

Do you know Dorsey bases the entire idea of Twitter on text messages? In fact, before this social forum comes into being, short status updates are familiarized with SMS messages and then Twitter’s prototype is created in two weeks.

5. University Dropout

In order to start his very own company Dorsey drops out of university in the year 2000 and moves to the city of California.

He sets up a company in Oakland that offers the dispatch software online that can be used by various courier and taxi service providers.

6. In the Foot Steps of Big Names

It is interesting to note that like Steve jobs and Mark Zuckerberg who have made a big name in computer technology, Jack Dorsey also drops out of his university before finishing his undergraduate degree program.

First Job of Jack Dorsey

7. Mapping and Updating

Before Twitter comes along, Dorsey spends a few years (till 2006) selling his previously developed dispatching software to dispatching companies.

His passion to make the ease of ‘mapping and updating’ common leads him to try out the same software on his RIM 850, however the technology is not superior enough to handle the load.

Twitter, founded by Jack Dorsey

8. Builds Site Enabling Users To Post Tweets

Jack Dorsey wants to build a site that can allow users to share their statuses with friends and family.

Within a short span of two weeks, he creates an uncomplicated site that enables the users to post messages instantly.

These messages can be 140 characters long and are referred to as “tweets”.

9. Founder of Twitter

Noah Glass and Jack Dorsey are the founders of twitter, the name that is now recognized worldwide.

Noah and Jack launch Twitter in March 2006 with the original name of “twttr” but later they rename it to Twitter Inc.

10. Revolutionary Idea

Twitter is already a revolutionary idea that is facilitating the way people communicate with each other but for Dorsey it is the start of the journey and in one of the interviews he says, “in terms of technology, we are going to see a better and more immediate experience around the everyday things we do in life.”

11. First Person to Tweet

Do you know who the first person to post a tweet is? It is the creator himself.

On 21st march 2006, Jack Dorsey posts the world’s first ever twitter message.

He tweets “just setting up my twtr.”

12.  Southwest Festival

In 2007, just a year into the creation of Twitter, Dorsey fiercely promotes it during the Southwest Festival.

After this one night, Twitter’s popularity and usage tripled and the growth rate of 1300% is achieved, a number that most websites can only dream of.

13. Twitter Starts Generating Revenue

Jack Dorsey envisions Twitter to become most widely used site and even after its popularity, Dorsey continues the hard work.

Dorsey’s top strategy for the Twitter is to improve its uptime rather than earning revenue.

It is only after the year 2008 that Twitter actually starts to generate revenue.

14. Zuckerberg’s Offer to Buy Twitter

It is reported that when Jack Dorsey launches Twitter, Mark Zuckerberg vouches to buy it out.

No doubt, with Facebook’s muscle behind the infant project, Twitter could take a different shape altogether.

However, Jack Dorsey and the team decide that they want to make it a legend on their own.

15. Criticism with Launch of Twitter

It is interesting to note that from the launch of Twitter it is heavily ostracized.

Conan O’Brien who is a well-known late night comedy show host features a special segment called “Twitter Tracker”.

In this segment, the host makes fun of those users who use twitter, as it is thought that people to publicize minor events of their lives to the whole world will use Twitter.

Soon many well-known celebrities and executives start to use Twitter and all the bad publicity stops.

16. Microblogging

Today the fruit of Dorsey’s hard work behind Twitter is apparent from the way this social forum is being used by every layman to the most high profile political candidates.

Dorsey’s ‘microblogging’ becomes all the rage in 2008 during Barack Obama and John McCrain’s election campaigns.

17. 5 Million Twitter Users, 2010

Dorsey gets much fame from the launch and subsequent success of Twitter, and by the end of the year2010, there are more than hundred and five million Twitter users worldwide.

It is estimated that these users tweet about fifty five million times in a particular day.

18. Becomes the Chairperson of Twitter Inc.

Jack Dorsey plays a crucial role in development of Twitter Inc.

and remains the CEO of the company until the year 2008.

After he Evan Williams takes over the position of CEO on 16 October 2008; however, Dorsey’s association with the company does not end here.

He gets the position of chairperson of the board. Dorsey becomes the chairperson of Twitter Inc.

in the year 2011.

19. Mainstream Political Forum

This is only the beginning of Twitter’s role in mainstream media and political events.

During the disturbed presidential elections in Iran, Twitter remains the sole route of communication for Iranians with the rest of the world.

That is highly recognized and acclaimed by the US government.

Square, Jack Dorsey

20. Next Top Venture, Launch of Square

Jack Dorsey’s another successful venture includes “Square”.

Square starts as a small firm employing ten people in the year 2009, it expands and by June 2011, it employs over a hundred people.

During the year, 2012 Business Insider magazine estimates the net worth of Square Inc.

to be 3.2 billion dollars.

21. Square Enhances the sales process

Because of launch of Square, not only can one charge debit and credit cards directly from a phone via this device, it also facilitates the generation of electronic credit receipts via text messages.

Indeed, such an innovation takes the sales process several notches up!

22. Square as a Squirrel

Do you know that Dorsey, the creative innovator that he is, first names Square as Squirrel? However, when he starts reaching various investors for funding, he discovers a company that exists with this name in Canada.

Because he wants to name his new venture, something that begins with ‘sq’, Square comes into existence.

Jack Dorsey Personality

23. Man of Few Words

In an interview, Jack Dorsey confides that he is one of those people who prefer to stay silent and ponder things.

Pensive by nature, Dorsey has a speech impediment in his childhood, which makes him a man of few words.

He himself says, “Do I feel like I’m an expert in having a normal conversation face-to-face? Absolutely not.”

24. Three Important Attributes

Indeed, the entire energy and enthusiasm behind Twitter reflects on its co-founder as well.

For Dorsey the three attributes curiosity, cleverness and confidence, mean the world and for anyone with these attributes, the world is only a place to explore and win over.

25. Down to Earth Nature

With humble backgrounds and a very down to earth nature, all the technology and the money behind Twitter is only for the world’s betterment, not his.

For him, posting a picture of his breakfast on Twitter means his mom knows, “I’m eating and I’m safe.”

26. Importance to Humanity

Jack Dorsey is an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and web developers.

As a person, he is very optimistic and believes in human potential and democratic society.

He says that all his ventures have the same goal, he wants to create such innovative ideas that help a society work efficiently and in a humane manner.

27. Change in Physical Outlook

Jack Dorsey enjoys so much success and money at such a young age.

In order to match up the usual conception of a mature Chief Executive, he gets his nose ring removed.

Nevertheless, he maintains his individuality by keeping his trendy haircut and a tattoo that constitutes of abstract patterns and image of human collarbone.

Jack Dorsey Personal Interests

28. Love for Maps

According to Dorsey, his love of maps fuels his desire to be a programmer in his childhood.

His first ambition when he joins university is to sketch and build professional maps because the technology and equipment available for it attracts him immensely.

29. Admirer of Architecture

Jack Dorsey is a great admirer of cities and its architecture.

In one of his interviews, he says his favorite activity is strolling in urban areas.

He often meanders on the streets of New York and San Francisco.

30. Prefers Reading Books

As a kid, Jack Dorsey does not watch television a lot instead, he prefers to read books.

His favorite genre in books is fictional and he recalls that he is so fond of reading that he even takes his books with him when he goes to watch football games.

Jack Dorsey Charity

31. Generous Donations

Jack Dorsey is a regular donator to ‘Charity: Water’, a project that makes water available to areas of the world that face water scarcity.

He is known to make generous donations for helping this organization, at times by giving away all his earning from a particular project.

Jack Dorsey Accolades

32.  In Top 35 Innovator- 2008

He is not just a web developer but also a very successful entrepreneur.

During the year 2008, MIT Technology Review adds him in their list of the top thirty-five innovators around the world, who gets so much success and prestige before the age of thirty-five.

33. Innovator of The Year Award

Because of his highly innovative ideas and business ventures, Dorsey is  given the Innovator of the Year Award in 2012 by Wall Street Journal.

This award celebrates his contribution to technology and its efficient usage among social circles.

34. Best Mobile Startup Award

For the unfailing service that the Twitter provides at the hands of Jack Dorsey, the website receives a Crunchie Award for the Best Mobile Startup ever.

Inspirational, Jack Dorsey

35. Three Guiding Principles in His Company’s Culture

If you think that Twitter is one of those projects that spurred on impulse, you cannot be more mistaken.

Not only does Dorsey have an entire philosophy of freedom of self expression behind it, for him Twitter means more than just a social network.

Dorsey inculcates three guiding principles in the company’s culture namely; Simplicity, Constraint and Craftsmanship.

36. What Success Means to Dorsey

Jack Dorsey’s view of Twitter’s success does not wrap up in fame or billions of dollars.

The reason he invents this innovative forum and the reason he wants it to be alive is simple.

In his words, he describes what success means to him, “I think Twitter’s a success for us when people stop talking about it, when we stop doing these panels and people just use it as a utility, use it like electricity.”

37. Everything For a Purpose

Perhaps one of the most impressive gestures by Dorsey is that none of his creations is without a purpose.

When he is questioned about the need for Twitter and Square, Dorsey says, “One of my passions and one of the things I think I’m really good at is making something really approachable to the point of bringing it around in your pocket.”

38. Gives Importance to Customer Satisfaction

Dorsey’s business ventures and ideas have something in common.

They all revolve around providing a seamless service that the customers remember and recognize.

This is the reason all his ventures, especially Twitter and Square, provides the best uptimes and cater to a niche service that is sought by high tech customers.

39. Golden Gate Bridge

Jack Dorsey is one of those employers for whom the motivational levels of his people matter a lot.

In an interview he discloses that every time he needs his team to be inspired he will take them to the Golden Gate Bridge because for him that bridge is a masterpiece of art, engineering and design.

Other Facts about Jack Dorsey

40. Wants to Meet Lincoln

Dorsey mentions Abraham Lincoln as one of the people he will love to meet in a blast from the past.

While most people dream about celebrities, Jack Dorsey has different things on his mind.

41. Forbes Calls him Nerd

Even if all signals point to Dorsey being a nerd, he does not appreciate being called one.

When Forbes calls the programmer a nerd, he discloses that he is not very pleased!

42. Luxury Flat

Jack Dorsey owns and occupies the most expensive two bedroom house in San Franscisco.

Worth $10million, the house is located atop a cliff with a magnificent view of the San Francisco bay and Dorsey’s dream inspiration, The Golden Gate Bridge.

43. Perfect Day for Jack

If you ever wonder what makes a great day for a billionaire such as Dorsey, then his answer will surprise you .

Comparing him to other high tech celebrities and ‘men-of-importance’, Jack Dorsey is quite different.

A perfect day in his words is described as “Waking up early, going for a run, working with a small team on the details of a big idea, dinner with friends and coworkers followed by a late walk home to sleep.”

44. Compared to Steve Jobs

IT observers, critics and even some early Apple workers compare Jack Dorsey to Steve Jobs due to similar innovative streaks and passion work.

45. Favorite Quotation

One of Dorsey’s very famous Pablo Neruda quote that is often mention of him,”I need the sea because it teaches me.”

If nothing, it shows that a deep thinker like him is a great inspirational leader and an individual who values life.

46. Dorsey Shines in the Limelight

Because Twitter soon becomes a huge part of everyone’s life, Dorsey begins to shine in the limelight.

His journey to Twitter and before it, are made part of the show, CBS 60 minutes, where The Innovator: Jack Dorsey is interviewed by Tom Anderson.

Not only this, Dorsey soon makes it to the mainstream media when he appears on CNN and reveals a secret desire to run for Mayor for New York City!

47. The Regret

Every successful man regrets now, don’t they? However, for a calm and a particular man like Dorsey, the only regret he has is not being able to sail across the world when he can! Now with two million dollar companies under his watch, 10 to 12 hours of his entire day are spent looking after them.

48. Logic For Twitter

In an interview when he is asked to put one thought behind the designing of Twitter, Dorsey-the thinker recalls his parents’ police scanner.

According to him, exactly like the police scanner will give minute-by-minute information about where they are and what has happened, Twitter is made to do just that as well.

49. Message on 33rd Birthday

In lieu of his affiliation to ‘Charity: Water’, the famous Dorsey tweets on his 33rd birthday; “All I want for my 33rd birthday is greater access to clean water around the world.

Let’s build 3 wells. Thank you!”

50. Other Investments of Dorsey

Twitter is among many of the projects Dorsey conceives.

As an entrepreneur there is a list of successful ventures he invests in.

He becomes one of the top investors in the social networking firm known as Foursquare.

His new venture is Square; it is a small device that attaches to computers or cell phones, that enables users to obtain credit card payments on them.