JM
Hangzhou, China
Alibaba
Jack Ma
Rejected from Harvard ten times. Rejected from KFC. An English teacher who built the world's biggest commerce empire and then had it clipped overnight by his own government.
StorytellerOutsider mindsetMission-led
Struggles
Failed entrance exams, rejected by 30 jobs. Alibaba burned through cash for years before profitability.
Family
Married to Zhang Ying, his college sweetheart. Two children. Sings, paints, practices tai-chi publicly.
The full story
From day one to today.
The journey
Milestones, not magic.
1995
Saw the internet for the first time on a trip to Seattle — went home obsessed.
1999
Founded Alibaba in his Hangzhou apartment with 17 friends and $60,000.
2014
Largest IPO in history — $25B on NYSE.
2020
Disappeared from public view for months after criticizing Chinese regulators.
Wins
- Built Alibaba into a defining brand from Hangzhou, China.
Setbacks
- Failed entrance exams, rejected by 30 jobs. Alibaba burned through cash for years before profitability.
News, interviews & references
Read, watch, dig deeper.
Live links — open the latest articles, interviews and profiles about Jack Ma across the web.
Next journey
Walt Disney — The Walt Disney Company