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Jack Dorsey Almost Became a Massage Therapist. Then He Went Back to Programming.

Dorsey's first startup was a complete disaster. He got carpal tunnel. Enrolled in 1,000 hours of massage therapy. His brilliant idea: massage programmers while giving them code advice. Everyone told him it was the stupidest thing they'd ever heard.

Key Points

His first startup dnet was a complete and utter failure — folded around 1999-2000
He enrolled in 1,000 hours of massage therapy and became a licensed therapist in Missouri
His idea: massage programmers while advising on their code. Everyone said it was the stupidest thing ever.

I'm not someone who just goes to get a massage. I want to learn how to give massages.

A Complete and Utter Failure

Dorsey: I moved to Berkeley and started a company called dnet. Which was a complete and utter failure. Just a disaster. The company folded. This was around 1999, 2000.

After that, my wrists started hurting. I was fearful I was developing carpal tunnel. My friends in Berkeley said — you should get a massage.

dnet was a complete and utter failure. A disaster. The company folded.

1,000 Hours of Massage Therapy

Dorsey: But I'm not someone who just goes to get a massage. I want to learn how to give massages. I moved back to St. Louis and enrolled in The Healing Arts Center — 1,000 hours of massage therapy. I'm a licensed therapist, only in Missouri unfortunately.

I was actually going to dedicate my life to it. I was fed up with technology. I've always appreciated building with my hands. Massage gave me that.

I'm not someone who just goes to get a massage. I want to learn how to give them. 1,000 hours.

Code Therapy

Dorsey: I thought I had the best idea ever. I would go to California and do chair massage for programmers. While massaging their shoulders and wrists, I would also give them advice on their code. It was not only massage therapy — it was code therapy.

I started telling people my idea. They're like — that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. When I'm getting a massage, I do not want to talk about programming. I said — no, just give it a chance!

Then I moved to San Francisco and realized — everyone here is a massage therapist. There's no way I can compete. So I went back to programming.

Code therapy: massage for programmers while advising on their code. Everyone said — stupidest thing I've ever heard.