Jack Ma Quotes

The world will not remember what you say, but it will certainly not forget what you have done.

I got my story, my dream, from America. The hero I had is Forrest Gump ... I like that guy. I've been watching that movie about 10 times. Every time I get frustrated, I watch the movie. I watched the movie before I came here again to New York. I watched the movie again telling me that no matter whatever changed, you are you.

A lot of people complain about yesterday. We have no power to change yesterday. But this very day, 30 years later, is what we can control and decide. Change yourself, take baby steps, and stay determined for ten years. I thank the times of change and everyone's complaints. Because when everyone is complaining, that is your chance, an opportunity. It's only in times of change that someone can be clear of what he has and wants, and what he needs to give up.

Before I left China, I was educated that China was the richest, happiest country in the world. So when I arrived Australia, I thought, 'Oh my God, everything is different from what I was told.' Since then, I started to think differently.

Success and profitability are outcomes of focusing on customers and employees, not objectives.

Right now there is a prime opportunity for all of us to change the rules of the game through e-commerce and shift the balance in favor of entrepreneurs like you. The Internet levels the playing field and gives everyone - be they big or small - a chance.

Opportunities are where the complaints are.

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.

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.

I don't want to be liked. I want to be respected.

The very important thing you should have is patience.

I don't shop online, but my wife buys everything at home. We buy sea crabs, fresh crabs, all kinds of things.

I am very interested in bringing companies from everywhere to sell their products in China.

If you view everyone as your enemies, everyone around you will be your enemies.

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.

I'm not a tech guy. I'm looking at the technology with the eyes of my customers, normal people's eyes.

The opportunities that everyone cannot see are the real opportunities.

I know nothing about technology.

I try to make myself happy, no, because I know that if I'm not happy, my colleagues are not happy and my shareholders are not happy and my customers are not happy.

Forget about yourncompetitors, just focus on your customers.

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.

A real businessman or entrepreneur has no enemies. Once he understand this, the sky's the limit.

If we are a good team and know what we want to do, one of us can defeat ten of them.

When we have money, we start making mistakes.

I absolutely don't have $20 billion. But I'd love to, right?

Once in your life, try something. Work hard at something. Try to change. Nothing bad can happen.

My job is to help more people have jobs.

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.

If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then be different from your peers.

Only fools use their mouth to speak. A smart man uses his brain, and a wise man uses his heart.

I flunked my exam for university two times before I was accepted by what was considered my city's worst university, Hangzhou Teachers University. I was studying to be a high school English teacher. In my university, I was elected student chairman and later became chairman of the city's Students Federation.

Don't even trust that you are able to unify what everyone is thinking; it is impossible

A peace talk is always difficult, always complicated.

The most unreliable thing in this world is human relationships.

If you've never tried, how will you ever know if there's any chance?

Find the right people, not the best people.

Customers first, employees second, and shareholders third,

You worry, it comes. You don't worry, it comes. So what is the point of worry?

What kind of business world are we living in?

No matter how tough the chase is, you should always have the dream you saw on the first day. It'll keep you motivated and rescue you (from any weak thoughts).

EBay is a great company. There are a lot of good assets and good customers, and the U.S. people love it.

Life is so short, so beautiful. Don't be so serious about work. Enjoy the lives.

Nobody wanted to believe Jack Ma.

Chinese people, young people, they don't go shopping a lot in department stores. All department store guys hate me. They say business is bad because of Jack.

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.

I like to play cards. I'm not very good, because I don't want to calculate, I just play by instinct. But I've learned a lot of business philosophy by playing poker.

Giving up is the greatest failure.

A good job isn't something you go out and find, it's something you discover while you're working.

What starting your company means: you will lose your stable income, your right to apply for a leave of absence, and your right to get a bonus. However, it also means your income will no longer be limited, you will use your time more effectively, and you will no longer need to beg for favours from people anymore.

We appreciate yesterday, but we're looking for a better tomorrow.

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.

The quality of a good leader therefore is his vision, tenacity, and his capability.

If you're still poor at 35, you deserve it.

A leader should be a visionary and have more foresight than an employee.

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.

You never know how much can you do in your life.

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.

If you don't give up, you still have a chance

We will make it because we are young and we will never, never give up.

Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.

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.

I don't want to die in my office. I want to die on the beach

Never ever compete on prices, instead compete on services and innovation.

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.

You should learn from your competitor, but never copy. Copy and you die.

You never know that the things you're doing are that meaningful to society.

Adopt and change before any major trends or changes.

I'm a normal guy.

Yahoo today is not a portal. Yahoo today is a search engine.

I don't want people in China to have deep pockets but shallow minds.

EBay may be a shark in the ocean, but I'm a crocodile in the Yangtze River. If we fight in the ocean, we lose, but if we fight in the river, we win,

Alibaba is an ecosystem that helps small business to grow.

If the customer loves you, the government will have to love you.

Customers should be number 1, Employees number 2, and then only your Shareholders come at number 3.