Jack Ma, born Ma Yun in 1964 in Hangzhou, China is a well-known entrepreneur and founder of Alibaba Group which includes Alibaba.com and Taobao.com.
Early in life, he developed an interest in English, eventually becoming an English teacher and translator.
Inspired by the internet’s potential during a 1995 US visit, he established China Pages, one of China’s initial internet companies.
Jack Ma later founded Alibaba Group to connect small businesses, believing in its significant growth potential.
The successful Alibaba Group caught Yahoo’s attention, partnering with a 40% stake purchase.
Despite facing regulatory challenges, Ma continued innovating, creating Ant Group to oversee financial services like Alipay.
Let’s go through some of the most inspiring quotes by Jack Ma.
Best Jack Ma Quotes on Success
1. “Forget about your competitors, just focus on your customers.” ~ (Jack Ma).
2. “Go big, or go home. Otherwise, you’re wasting your youth.” ~ (Jack Ma).
3. “If there are nine rabbits on the ground and you want to catch one, just focus on one.” ~ (Jack Ma).
4. “Find the right people, not the best people.” ~ (Jack Ma).
5. “If you don’t give up, you still have a chance.” ~ (Jack Ma).
6. “Today is cruel. Tomorrow is crueler. And the day after tomorrow is beautiful.” ~ (Jack Ma).
7. “Giving up is the greatest failure.” ~ (Jack Ma).
8. “If you’re still poor at 35, you deserve it.” ~ (Jack Ma).
9. “If you’ve never tried, how will you ever know if there’s any chance?” ~ (Jack Ma).
10. “Opportunities are where the complaints are.” ~ (Jack Ma).
11. “The very important thing you should have is patience.” ~ (Jack Ma).
12. “I don’t want to be liked. I want to be respected.” ~ (Jack Ma).
Top Jack Ma Quotes
13. “Life is so short, so beautiful. Don’t be so serious about work. Enjoy life.” ~ (Jack Ma).
14. “A good job isn’t something you go out and find, it’s something you discover while you’re working.” ~ (Jack Ma).
15. “Global vision, local win.” ~ (Jack Ma).
16. “Never ever compete on prices, instead compete on services and innovation.” ~ (Jack Ma).
17. “You never know how much can you do in your life.” ~ (Jack Ma).
18. “The world will not remember what you say, but it will certainly not forget what you have done.” ~ (Jack Ma).
19. “If you want to grow, find a good opportunity. Today, if you want to be a great company, think about what social problem you could solve.” ~ (Jack Ma).
20. “You should learn from your competitor, but never copy. Copy and you die.” ~ (Jack Ma).
21. “I believe in two principles: Your attitude is more important than your capabilities. Similarly, your decision is more important than your capabilities!” ~ (Jack Ma).
22. “Only fools use their mouth to speak. A smart man uses his brain, and a wise man uses his heart.” ~ (Jack Ma).
23. “The customer is number one, the employee is number two and the shareholder is number three. If the customer is happy, the business is happy, and the shareholders are happy.” ~ (Jack Ma).
24. “Don’t hire the most qualified, hire the craziest.” ~ (Jack Ma).
25. “The opportunities that everyone cannot see are the real opportunities.” ~ (Jack Ma).
26. “A great opportunity is often hard to be explained clearly; things that can be explained clearly are often not the best opportunities.” ~ (Jack Ma).
27. “We will make it because we are young and we will never, never give up.” ~ (Jack Ma).
28. “For ecommerce, the most important thing is trust.” ~ (Jack Ma).
29. “Always let your employees come to work with a smile.” ~ (Jack Ma).
30. “Your employee should have superior technical skills than you. If he doesn’t, it means you have hired the wrong person.” ~ (Jack Ma).
Famous Jack Ma Quotes
31. “A real businessman or entrepreneur has no enemies. Once he understand this, the sky’s the limit.” ~ (Jack Ma).
32. “Today, making money is very simple. But making sustainable money while being responsible to the society and improving the world is very difficult.” ~ (Jack Ma).
33. “A leader should be a visionary and have more foresight than an employee.” ~ (Jack Ma).
34. “When I am myself, I am happy and have a good result.” ~ (Jack Ma).
35. “Luck is very important. Of course you can’t wait for luck, because it won’t come. While you start a journey, luck may eventually come to you.” ~ (Jack Ma).
36. “When we have money, we start making mistakes.” ~ (Jack Ma).
37. “Help young people. Help small guys. Because small guys will be big. Young people will have the seeds you bury in their minds, and when they grow up, they will change the world.” ~ (Jack Ma).
38. “No matter what one does, regardless of failure or success, the experience is a form of success in itself.” ~ (Jack Ma).
39. “I’m not a tech guy. I’m looking at the technology with the eyes of my customers, normal people’s eyes.” ~ (Jack Ma).
40. “No matter what your current condition, how or where you grew up, or what education or training you feel you lack, you can be successful in your chosen endeavor. It is spirit, fortitude, and hardiness that matter more than where you start.” ~ (Jack Ma).
41. “If you don’t give up, you still have a chance. And when you are small, you have to be very focused and rely on your brain, not your strength.” ~ (Jack Ma).
42. “We appreciate yesterday, but we’re looking for a better tomorrow.” ~ (Jack Ma).
43. “If we are a good team and know what we want to do, one of us can defeat ten of them.” ~ (Jack Ma).
Inspiring Jack Ma Quotes
44. “It doesn’t matter if I failed. At least I passed the concept on to others. Even if I don’t succeed, someone will succeed.” ~ (Jack Ma).
45. “30% of all people will never believe you. Do not allow your colleagues and employees to work for you. Instead, let them work for a common goal.” ~ (Jack Ma).
46. “If you view everyone as your enemies, everyone around you will be your enemies.” ~ (Jack Ma).
47. “Adopt and change before any major trends or changes.” ~ (Jack Ma).
48. “The quality of a good leader therefore is his vision, tenacity, and his capability.” ~ (Jack Ma).
49. “Never ever do business with the government. Be in love with them, never marry them.” ~ (Jack Ma).
50. “Success and profitability are outcomes of focusing on customers and employees, not objectives.” ~ (Jack Ma).
51. “A leader should have higher endurance and ability to accept and embrace failure.” ~ (Jack Ma).
52. “The most unreliable thing in this world is human relationships.” ~ (Jack Ma).
53. “Even if your competitor is still small in size or weak, you should take him seriously and treat him as a giant. Likewise, even if your competitor is massive in size, you shouldn’t regard yourself as a weakling.” ~ (Jack Ma).
54. “If we go to work at 8 am and go home at 5 pm, this is not a high-tech company and Alibaba will never be successful. If we have that kind of 8-to-5 spirit, then we should just go and do something else.” ~ (Jack Ma).
Short Jack Ma Quotes
55. “A leader should have higher grit and tenacity, and be able to endure what the employees can’t.” ~ (Jack Ma).
56. “All MBA have said are correct, but they can’t execute it.” ~ (Jack Ma).
57. “You never know that the things you’re doing are that meaningful to society.” ~ (Jack Ma).
58. “I don’t care about revenues.” ~ (Jack Ma).
59. “My job is making money, helping other people make money. I am spending money, trying to make sure more people get rich, because you cannot spend a lot of money, right? So my job is spending money, helping others. This is a headache.” ~ (Jack Ma).
60. “I call myself a blind man riding on a blind tiger.” ~ (Jack Ma).
61. “Today the financial market is no good, but the money is there.” ~ (Jack Ma).
62. “Alibaba is an ecosystem that helps small business to grow.” ~ (Jack Ma).
63. “My job is to help more people have jobs.” ~ (Jack Ma).
Jack Ma Quotes for Motivation
64. “I wanted to have a global company, so I chose a global name. Alibaba is easy to spell, and people everywhere associate that with “Open, Sesame,” the command that Ali Baba used to open doors to hidden treasures in One Thousand and One Nights.” ~ (Jack Ma).
65. “Intelligent people need a fool to lead them. When the team’s all a bunch of scientists, it is best to have a peasant lead the way. His way of thinking is different. It’s easier to win if you have people seeing things from different perspectives.” ~ (Jack Ma).
66. “When you have one million dollars, you’re a lucky person. When you have 10 million dollars, you’ve got trouble, a lot of headaches.” ~ (Jack Ma).
67. “If the customer loves you, the government will have to love you.” ~ (Jack Ma).
68. “I know nothing about technology.” ~ (Jack Ma).
69. “My dream was to set up my own e-commerce company. In 1999, I gathered 18 people in my apartment and spoke to them for two hours about my vision. Everyone put their money on the table, and that got us $60,000 to start Alibaba. I wanted to have a global company, so I chose a global name.” ~ (Jack Ma).
70. “A leader should never compare his technical skills with his employees.” ~ (Jack Ma).
71. “Don’t even trust that you are able to unify what everyone is thinking; it is impossible.” ~ (Jack Ma).
72. “Without internet, there would have been no Jack Ma, and no Alibaba or Taobao.” ~ (Jack Ma).
73. “A peace talk is always difficult, always complicated.” ~ (Jack Ma).
74. “I don’t want people in China to have deep pockets but shallow minds.” ~ (Jack Ma).
75. “We should never finish a 20-year program in two years.” ~ (Jack Ma).
76. “I absolutely don’t have $20 billion. But I’d love to, right?” ~ (Jack Ma).
77. “In carrying out e-commerce, the most important thing is to keep doing what you are doing right now with passion, to keep it up.” ~ (Jack Ma).
78. “Customers should be number 1, Employees number 2, and then only your Shareholders come at number 3.” ~ (Jack Ma).
79. “I want people to learn what democracy means.” ~ (Jack Ma).
Short Biography of Jack Ma
Jack Ma, born on September 10, 1964, is a prominent Chinese entrepreneur and philanthropist, best known as the co-founder of Alibaba Group, a major global technology company.
He also co-founded Yunfeng Capital, a private equity firm. As of February 2024, Ma’s net worth is $30.1 billion, making him China’s sixth richest and the world’s 50th wealthiest person.
| Full Name | Jack Ma Yun |
| Chinese | 马云 |
| Born | September 10, 1964 (age 59) Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China |
| Education | Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (2006), Hangzhou Normal University (BA)(1984–1988) |
| Occupations | Business Magnate, Investor, Philanthropist, Teacher |
| Known for | Co-founder of Alibaba Group |
| Organizations founded | Alibaba Group, Alibaba.com, Ant Group, MORE |
| Title | Co-founder of Yunfeng Capital |
| Spouse | Zhang Ying (m. 1988) |
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party |
| Children | 3 |
| Net worth | 2,410 crores USD (2024) Forbes |
He graduated from Hangzhou Normal University in 1988 with a degree in English and initially worked as a university lecturer.
Captivated by the emerging internet sector in the 1980s, Ma ventured into internet entrepreneurship, launching his first business in 1994.
He later founded Alibaba in 1999, which began as a B2B e-commerce site and expanded into various sectors including e-commerce and online payments.
Quick Facts about Jack Ma
- Jack Ma co-founded Alibaba, one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies.
- From English teacher to billionaire, Ma’s career transformation is remarkable.
- Alibaba’s IPO in 2014 was the largest in history, raising $25 billion.
- Jack Ma established the Jack Ma Foundation to support education, entrepreneurship, and environmental causes.
- Ma is considered a global business icon with significant influence outside China.
- He advocates for the integration of new technologies like AI and cloud computing.
- Ma’s leadership style emphasizes empowering others and promoting a positive work culture.
- He inspires aspiring entrepreneurs globally, demonstrating that passion and perseverance can lead to success.
- Ma actively supports gender equality and women’s empowerment in business.
- Education is a priority for Ma, who contributes to educational improvements in China.
- A sought-after speaker, Ma delivers inspiring talks at international events.
- He practices martial arts, particularly tai chi, to maintain balance and focus.
- Despite his success, Ma is committed to continuous learning and staying current with trends.
- Under his leadership, Alibaba’s Alipay became a leading global digital payment platform.
- Ma often references the movie “Forrest Gump” for its themes of perseverance and resilience.
- Customer-centricity is a key focus for Alibaba, driven by Ma’s philosophy.
- An arts lover, Ma supports cultural heritage conservation and promotes contemporary art.
- Jack Ma’s business legacy continues to inspire future generations to innovate and dream big.
- His entrepreneurial journey began with humble origins and soared to global prominence.
- Ma’s vision for the future emphasizes the transformative power of technology.
- His philanthropic efforts aim to impact education, the environment, and entrepreneurship positively.
- Ma encourages his employees to embrace change and think innovatively.
- His story serves as a motivational blueprint for those looking to start their own businesses.
- Ma’s advocacy for women in the workplace aims to foster diverse and successful business environments.
- His personal and professional life is balanced through his practice of tai chi.
- Ma remains a lifelong learner, continually seeking new knowledge and skills.
- Alipay revolutionized transactions in China, setting a benchmark in the fintech industry.
- Ma’s deep admiration for “Forrest Gump” influences his resilience and approach to life’s challenges.
- His approach to business prioritizes customer satisfaction above all.
- Jack Ma’s dedication to the arts includes both support for heritage and modern artistic expressions.
Top Questions about Jack Ma
A: Jack Ma is renowned as the co-founder and former executive chairman of Alibaba Group, a leading global e-commerce entity.
A: Jack Ma’s success is attributed to his ability to build a trustworthy online payment system and lead a highly productive team, overcoming significant challenges to establish Alibaba as a dominant force in e-commerce.
A: Jack Ma initiated his path to success in 1999 by establishing Alibaba, aiming to bridge small Chinese businesses with the global market. Despite numerous setbacks and rejections, he propelled Alibaba into a global titan.
A: As of 2022, Jack Ma retained a 3.7% ownership of Alibaba, holding shares directly and through various companies. He also owns a 10% stake in Ant Group, formerly known as Alipay.
A: Among Jack Ma’s significant accomplishments are being the first mainland Chinese entrepreneur on the cover of Forbes Magazine, being listed as one of the world’s most influential people, and ranking among the wealthiest globally.
A: Jack Ma, co-founder of Alibaba, has notably reduced his public appearances following disputes with Chinese authorities concerning his outspoken nature and critical remarks about the government.
A: Jack Ma adheres to a servant-leadership style, emphasizing the importance of meeting team needs, promoting humility, empathy, and continuous learning to foster a collaborative and effective working environment.
A: Jack Ma has actively engaged in philanthropy through the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation, committing substantial parts of his wealth to enhance education, environmental conservation, and technological innovation.
