Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built

by Duncan Clark

“If there are nine rabbits on the ground, if you want to catch one, just focus on one. Change your tactics if you need to, but don’t change the rabbit. . . . Get one first, put it in your pocket, and then catch the others.” - jack ma

“Customers first, employees second, and shareholders third.” Jack describes this as Alibaba’s

“learn the hard working spirit of Silicon Valley . . . If we go to work at 8 A.M. and get off work at 5 P.M., this is not a high-tech company, and Alibaba will never be successful.”

“learn the hard working spirit of Silicon Valley . . . If we go to work at 8 A.M. and get off work at 5 P.M., this is not a high-tech company, and Alibaba will never be successful.”

‘Jack, I’m incorporating the company. Who are the shareholders?’ He faxed me a list of the names. My jaw dropped, because every single one of those kids in the apartment was on the list, as a shareholder. So from day one, he gave away quite a lot [of equity].”

‘Jack, I’m incorporating the company. Who are the shareholders?’ He faxed me a list of the names. My jaw dropped, because every single one of those kids in the apartment was on the list, as a shareholder. So from day one, he gave away quite a lot [of equity].”

“Some say that the power of capital is enormous. Capital does have its power. But the real power is the power of people controlling the capital. People’s power is enormous. Businessmen’s power is inexhaustible.”

Looking back, Li said, “Once you find out what you should do, then you need to stay focused. Founder of Baidu

If you own a hundred percent of the business that cannot operate, you own a hundred percent of zero. —Joe Tsai

approach. The first was something that Jack had often told him: “Raise money when we don’t need it. When you need it don’t go out to raise money, it’s too late.”