Alibaba

Alibaba shares the inspiring story of Jack Ma’s hard work, entrepreneurial vision, and smart thinking that helped him build one of the most successful and influential companies in the world.

Jack Ma began his career as an English teacher. But one day he had an epiphany that changed his outlook.

A friend that had also been a teacher for decades was riding home on an old bike with just a few cheap vegetables. Ma knew that this was all the man could afford, and reflecting on his own future realized he wanted more. He knew that he’d have to be innovative to have a better life than that.

Luckily, this was right around when the internet was becoming more widespread, and Ma began looking into it. We all know the amazing things that can happen when an ambitious person realizes they can use the internet to make money. Jack soon began his first company creating websites to share contact information for other Chinese businesses wanting to build their online presence.

It wasn’t easy though. Because the technology was new, businesses were difficult to convince to use it. But by marketing to friends Jack had a good start and saw success early on. One site he made for a Chinese hotel was the only one that American travelers could find online, so they flocked to it!

Sadly, the connection in China wasn’t always very reliable. Sometimes Jack had to show clients their websites by printing them out on paper. This made it difficult to persuade people that he was legitimate. But hard work and perseverance prevailed. Not long later, the online retail store Alibaba was born.

You can’t expect that a brand customers love will just come out of nowhere. It takes work and commitment to serving your clients, which is exactly what Jack does. His determination to take care of them is a hallmark of his leadership and business model. “Customers first, employees second and shareholders third.” is the mantra that everyone that works at Alibaba knows by heart. Jack’s customers are his “shrimps,” which he calls them because they’re the little players in the big field of business. It also comes from the humble shrimp-fishing business that makes Forrest Gump rich in the movie. Despite shareholder pressure, Jack stays strong in his position that customers come first. He’ll never compromise his clients’ needs in favor of what investors want. The company is also good to its employees. Jack focuses on loyalty and motivation. Many employees have been with the company for years with no plan of leaving. The company’s campus is 2.6 million square feet. It’s got food, bikes, and even a huge man-made lake for its people to…