Jack Ma

Jack Ma has made an indelible imprint not only on China's business world, but on the entire internet industry. His visionary approach to e-commerce rested on a dream that went well beyond online retail, though many of his competitors and critics failed to appreciate the breadth of his vision. In fact, Ma's goals encompassed something much grander than simply competing with other online retailers. From his earliest days, his eye was on the big prize - he wanted to compete with Walmart. This volume traces Jack Ma's story over a series of successes and setbacks, demonstrating how his signature combination of tenacity and ingenuity have consistently put him at the top of the online retail industry, which in turn transformed China's internet and business scene, as well as the daily lives of the Chinese people. The general story arc of this volume follows the path to Alibaba's listing on the New York Stock Exchange, describing each hurdle that arose along the way and telling how Ma went over - or sometimes around - those hurdles. The listing on the New York Stock Exchange immediately vaulted Ma into a position of international stardom. Early on, it was evident that foreign listing was vital to Jack Ma's plans for Alibaba. The process of achieving it was one of the earliest and greatest obstacles to the advancement of the company. As the story of that process unfolds on the pages of this book, we begin to see some of Ma's most important traits - his creative approach to traditional obstacles, and his adamant refusal to give up in the face of any challenge. From this story, we learn that Jack Ma meets failure the same way he meets success: by continuing to move forward and remaining always ready to face the next challenge head-on. When one opportunity closes to Ma, he finds a way to create an even greater opportunity to use in its place. It is no wonder Jack Ma has become almost a folk hero to the people of China, a symbol of success in the face of adversity. With this new English version of Ma's story, international readers are invited to ride the Ma wave, and to be inspired to rise to greater heights, no matter what the state of the tides may be. This book is not just another retelling of the Jack Ma legend, but an insight into the attitudes and decisions that have made Ma so successful. In following Ma's journey from humble beginnings through adversity and criticism to the highest levels of success, the reader is confronted with a question: who will be the next Jack Ma? For the most visionary readers, there is a natural follow-up question: could it be me? The rise of Alibaba inspires all of us to reach for new horizons, and never to settle for failure when success can be gained by a generous application of creativity and tenacity - a fact proven over and over in the journey Jack Ma has taken to the pinnacle of the international business scene.