08/08/2025
Jim McKelvey, co-founder of Block (aka Square!), founder of Invisibly, author of , is one of those rare people who defies categorization. He's got art in MoMA and the Smithsonian, served on the Federal Reserve, flies planes, and is currently working on solving one of the world's biggest environmental problems: plastic diapers that take 1,000 years to decompose. Jim credits wanting to solve unsolvable problems as one of his biggest motivators as an inventor. (Hear how his glass art led to mobile payments!)
But apropos this podcast about media and marketing, Jim shares details on his free AI tool PwrScore for measuring brand compatibility. (Link in show notes.) He explains how Anheuser-Busch might have averted a Bud Lite disaster – and how other brands can find the perfect alliances -- just tapping into this remarkable gift of tech.
Equally fascinating? How he predicted major business challenges (including Southwest Airlines) and also prevailed against Amazon.com when Square was a startup.
Even more remarkable? His commitment to helping the planet (think DIAPERS!) and to giving away his entire fortune.
Jim is one of the FOLIO: Eddie & Ozzie Award winners who will be inducted into their Hall of Fame in October, that I had a chance to profile. Lucky for me a few kept talking and let me extend these intercepts into Insider Interviews episodes. (Stay tuned for conversations with Neil Vogel, David Adler and others who have reinvented themselves and/or their businesses.)
Whether you're an entrepreneur, marketer, or just fascinated by innovative thinking, this episode is packed with insights you won't find anywhere else.
Watch on YouTube or listen anywhere or: bit.ly/Insider-JimMcKelvey Here's a sample clip:
