Jacob Morgan
3x Best-Selling Author, Keynote Speaker and Futurist. Expert on The Future of Work
Jim McKelvey
Co-Founder, Square
From master glass artist to digital pioneer, Jim McKelvey has made a career of bringing useful things elegantly to life. As co-founder of Square, he empowered small businesses to compete with larger, better-equipped firms. With LaunchCode, he has helped thousands of aspiring professionals find substantial work. Events that celebrate ingenuity in the service of humanity find a distinctively entertaining keynote speaker in McKelvey.
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Jim McKelvey biography
Technology speaker Jim McKelvey has changed the way small businesses operate, and the way larger companies embrace entrepreneurism. A popular keynote speaker, Jim McKelvey shares insights gleaned from one of tech’s most successful and varied careers.
In 2009, Jim McKelvey and Square co-founder Jack Dorsey revolutionized the way small businesses serve customers. Their smartphone device and its suite of business management tools have helped millions of sellers reach new customers. By 2020, Square employed nearly 3,500 workers and was valued at more than $55 billion.
McKelvey is a highly successful entrepreneur, but Square’s origins are directly related to his other great passion: glassblowing. One of the world’s most respected glass artists, McKelvey also wrote the definitive text on the subject, The Art of Fire. found himself unable to receive payment for a simple job. He and Dorsey quickly came up with the idea for Square, and launched its first products in 2010.
After launching Square, McKelvey co-founded LaunchCode, a non-profit that helps talented people find apprenticeships in the tech sector. He also joined with other investors to found Cultivation Capital, a successful manager of venture capital funds. In 2017, he was named an Independent Director of the St. Louis Federal Reserve.
His 2020 book The Innovation Stack describes how companies can build stable organizational structures on the principles of entrepreneurship.
Jim McKelvey Speaking Videos
Jim McKelvey - Lies of Success
Jim McKelvey - Things I’m Unlearning
Jim McKelvey Keynote Topics
McKelvey's fascinating and humorous stories of Square's early days are blended with historical examples of other world-changing companies built on the Innovation Stack to reveal a pattern of ground-breaking, competition-proof entrepreneurship that is rare but repeatable.
The Innovation Stack is a thrilling business narrative that's much bigger than the story of Square. It is an irreverent look inside the world of entrepreneurship, and a call to action for all of us to find the entrepreneur within ourselves and identify and fix unsolved problems - one crazy idea at a time.
Jim noticed a very talented artist who was living in his beat up car and wondered why. He was a talented artist who could be getting paid well for his work. Why wasn’t he? Jim realized the artist had no access to the systems that paid him. As he built Square, Jim always kept this one artist in mind and thought about how he was solving this one artist’s problem. In this motivational speech, Jim McKelvey, co-founder of Square - a payments company now valued at $30 billion - will inspire audiences of entrepreneurs to look at the world and try to find solutions for the problems they see. Jim has used this method to build several of his successful companies and become a millionaire.
Getting out there and trying to build is one of the best ways to get started on learning technology skills. You don’t have to quit your job. See if your employer has time set aside for personal learning. Join a hack-a-thon and start tinkering. Just try building something. This is the advice of Jim McKelvey, co-founder of Square - a $30 billion company - who will inspire your audience in this motivational speech aimed at boosting creativity and help entrepreneurs come up with great ideas that can be turned into companies that can change the world.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Jim McKelvey
How to book Jim McKelvey as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Jim McKelvey as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Jim McKelvey's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Jim McKelvey or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Jim McKelvey speaking fee?
Jim McKelvey speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Jim McKelvey to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Jim McKelvey.
How can I contact Jim McKelvey?
We only work with Jim McKelvey on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Jim McKelvey and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Jim McKelvey speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Jim McKelvey for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Jim McKelvey for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Jim McKelvey is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Jim McKelvey for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
