Jack Dorsey is doing pretty well at the entrepreneurial game, given that he’s Executive Chairman at Twitter, CEO of mobile card payments startup Square and, well, a founder of both companies. But have you ever wondered what it would be like juggling two of the tech industry’s fastest growing companies at once? Here’s how he does it.
As CNN reports today, Dorsey has a minute-by-minute plan for pulling everything together, and by his own admission, it requires a great deal of discipline to work a 16-hour day, as he noted during a talk yesterday at the Techonomy conference in Arizona.
Rather than spreading himself thinly across all aspects of both businesses, he zones in on one key area of corporate development, pushing everything else out of sight and, well, out of mind. Here’s what his weekly calendar looks like:
Monday: Management meetings and “running the company” work
Tuesday: Product development
Wednesday: Marketing, communications and growth
Thursday: Developers and partnerships
Friday: The company and its culture
Whilst weekends are a little slower for Dorsey (he hikes on Saturdays), it’s interesting to note that his Monday-Friday routine is applicable to BOTH companies – after 8 hours at Twitter, he literally walks 2 blocks to put in another 8 hour shift at Square.
“There’s interruptions all the time, but I can quickly deal with an interruption and know ‘it’s Tuesday, I have product meetings, I have to focus on product stuff,’” said Dorsey. “It sets a good cadence for the company.”
Having helped found Twitter way back in 2006, he was its first CEO before being replaced by Evan Williams in 2008. Dorsey then became a Chairman of the board at Twitter, which was a less hands-on role that gave him time to launch Square.
Twitter welcomed Dorsey back earlier this year, but rather than passing the reigns at Square to someone else, he decided to keep both jobs going. Pretty good going, if you ask us.
You can find more entrepreneurial news, advice and discussions at TNW Entrepreneur.


















There is a cool video about Jack Dorsey philosophy on his ventures: http://trendguardian.blogspot.com/2011/01/twitter-co-founder-jack-dorsey.html
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeHe is an entrepreneur and in a start up. If you can't do 16hours go get a job as a developer somewhere and put 6-8hours. Great job Jack!
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeI can't wait until I work like this. Have a large enough company where I need to divide my time like this. I love his Friday too.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeI think that's an awesome amount of time to put in. Hope it continues to work out especially for Twitter.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeNot everyone wants to have a family. Even if he does, I'm sure he can figure something out down the road. He's still young.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeHe does work 15 hrs/day but his working style was not discussed. Maybe he delegates most of the work?
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeMore than 12 hours a day is ludicrous. I guarantee you will never be able to balance a family with any more than that.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeStartup life isn't so glamorous, even for the "big boys".
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeI'm a fan of hard work, but this isn't laudable. Sixteen hours a day sounds borderline impossible, and certainly not sustainable, healthy, or in the best interests of either company.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeWell, I guess I just lost my rights to complain about the length of MY commute and workday... =)
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeSo much for the 4 hour workweek
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeHmmm.... an 8 hour per day CEO is probably not ideal for a fast growing startup.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeBut then, what is he doing the remaining 8 hours?
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeSacha Labourey Yeah, good question. What a slacker he is! :)
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeWay to delegate ...
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeIt's "reins", not "reigns".
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeMatt Lavallee good spot, fixed thanks.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeAmazing that he can do that, but 16 hour days are simply not sustainable if you intend to "grow" the other aspects of life, let alone be healthy.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeMatt Pantana True, but if you think about it, any startup founder will be working similar hours I think. Let's say 7am-11pm 5 days a week, it is long for sure, but probably not that unusual on the grand scheme of things.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeConversation from Facebook
Whatever, it's greed. People who work insane hours like that are also crabby and not fun to work with. Nothing pleasant about working w someone who sends you emails at midnight. Not down with that. I'd resect him more if he worked 16 hours a week.
that's a kind of most Korean developers life...personally, I can't take it... 8hr is enough per day..
Eesh. And I thought my day was rough.
Only in short term. If it doesn't end up making any difference on CPP or investments it better be something you love enough to want to spend that much time doing. If it requires repetitive actions in a poor ergonomic setting it's not worth even one hour per day because it is injuring you to do so.
The trouble with Twitter is that it is here one minute and gone the next for the most part. It is easy to get sidetracked and spend hours enjoyably but fairly pointlessly
good in short term, damaging in long term
Ill say both coz tha body wnt b abile 2 cope n ja mor workin bigger bucks
You'll die young
This will hurt your carrier and eventually your health.
It can be a difficult schedule to sustain over the long term without it being detrimental to some other aspects of his life,but this is a man on a mission and i completely understand how he must feel that there is not enough time in the day to complete his mission.I have to say he's a man after my heart.
There are so many people who do 8 hrs job and 8 hrs working on their personal projects/startups.
There is no work life balance, anyone who says that is either delusional or lying or is not making enuff money, which means their spouse will leave them eventually when wallet is empty.
I hope he's not neglecting a family in the pursuit of material garbage.
Damaging for yourself, your career and your creativity, but can't say that I myself work just 8 hours a day. Tough balance!