Avoid Failure: Learn from Twitter Co-founder, Jack Dorsey Who Saw into Tomorrow

Today, Twitter can boast of over 2 million registered users. Though Twitter was valued at $3.7 billion in December, 2010, investors valued Twitter at a whopping sum of $7.7 billion at an auction of Twitter shares earlier this month.

Jack Dorsey & Twitter – How It All Began

Jack Dorsey, who conceived the Twitter idea, was born like every other person on November 19, 1976, but he has succeeded in shaping ‘communication technology’ in the contemporary world.

Kevin Rose reported in November 2009,

Meet the Twitter guys … Jack’s idea, Biz’s creative direction and Ev’s business prowess make this crew the dream team. Aside from knowing what your friends are up to, Twitter is turning into the pulse of what the world is thinking.

Like many other Internet Entrepreneur Dropouts, Jack Dorsey left college before getting a degree.

He had an unparalleled fascination about city life. His interest in digital communication was aroused very early in life, and at 15 years of age he had written dispatch software for taxicab companies.

In the year 2000, he started a company that offered his dispatch software via the Web.

Jack Dorsey’s mind is always bubbling with ideas.

Immediately he conceived the Twitter idea and knew it was going to be a big thing, he approached the executives of Odeo who passionately embraced his idea.

Together, Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone and Evans Williams worked on the idea that evolved into Twitter.

Jack Dorsey’s Path to Stardom

Jack Dorsey’s actions were fast and accurate. In just two weeks, Jack Dorsey had designed a simple version of Twitter and tested it internally among ODEO employees.

He was immediately named Twitter’s Chief Executive Officer, CEO before he was replaced by Evans Williams in October, 2008 to enable him focus on setting up another company, Square.

Simple Twitter to Powerful Twitter

On March 21, 2006, Jack Dorsey posted the first tweet ever in history,

just setting up my twttr

In just 3 months after, in July 2006, the full version of Twitter was launched.

Today, Twitter is used to stay in touch with happenings and also communicate diverse information ranging from sports, riots or protest to earthquakes and even political concerns.

In the last U.S presidential candidates’ election, Barack Obama and his running mate, John McCain, used Twitter to a large extent to update their supporters during campaigns. In June 2009 presidential candidates’ election in Iran, Iranian government blocked many communication routes and Twitter use was immediately adopted by the populace to stay up-to-date. Recently in 2011, Twitter was used for similar purposes in Egypt and many other continents.

Words from Jack Dorsey

Jack Dorsey revealed the corporate values of Twitter when he said,

Here at Twitter we’re ruled by three guidelines:

• · Simplicity
• · Constraint
• · Craftsmanship

To successfully tackle tough times like the occasional disruption in Twitter service, Jack Dorsey explains that,

The most important thing is to communicate as much as possible about what’s going on … It’s really easy to get caught up in the work.

Talking about the Twitter idea, he told .net magazine,

We always knew the concept was going to be big, we just didn’t think it would be big that quickly. We could have been much more prepared, but we have a very popular concept on our hands and some amazing users who are expanding it in a way that we’d never have imagined. It’s moving very quickly and requiring us to really think harder about the next one or two years and how to really architect the system.

At a Conference in New York (in 2010), Jack Dorsey gave his recommendations for turning ideas to reality. The main points are,

1. Get your ideas out of your head. Get it on paper and share with your friends

2. Find the ‘right moment’. Consider the time, the market etc

3. Constantly reiterate your idea. Adapt to trends. Always look forward to get feedback from users.

Also, when Jack Dorsey was asked about their plans to generate revenue from Twitter, he gave a very deliberate answer,

Do expect a revenue-generation model that meshes with the platform, enriches user experience and provides added value … Think of Google’s implementation of Ad Words: after 4 years of generating zero revenue

Recent Happenings

On Tuesday, he told students at Columbia that he lives and breathes his two companies Twitter and Square. He said,

I see Twitter as a pure utility, like electricity or water. It’s as good as how people want to use it … Square is enabling people to start a service or a business immediately

Jack Dorsey tweeted on 28th March, 2011 that,

Today I’m thrilled to get back to work at @Twitter leading product as Executive Chairman. And yes: leading @Square forevermore as CEO

Jack Dorsey has said that his goal in the next few months is to ‘refocus on the value’ of Twitter. He said that in spite of their mainstream awareness, mainstream relevance is still a challenge.

Further Reading on Internet Business Leaders

1. Revelations from the Life of Jeff Bezos: The Founder, Chairman and CEO of Amazon.com

2.Internet Entrepreneurs: Meet the Millionaire Dropout that Founded WordPress, Matt Mullenweg

3.SCOTT MONTY’s Secrets: How He Used Power of Social Media to Drive Ford’s Success

4.How Biz Stone Became a Mighty Force on the Internet and Co-founded Twitter

5.Revelations from the Life of Jeff Bezos: The Founder, Chairman and CEO of Amazon.com