15 quotes that show the strange, relentless genius of billionaire Alibaba founder Jack Ma (BABA)
China Photo / Getty Images
Jack Ma, founder and chairman of the Chinese internet behemoth Alibaba, built his empire through charisma and perseverance.
He founded Alibaba in 1995, and back in the mid-2000s, reporters used to call him "Crazy Jack" because of his animated speeches and bold claims.
Today, his company has a market value of nearly $200 billion. Not bad for a man who failed his college entrance exams twice and started his career as a poor schoolteacher.
Here are some of the memorable gems he's dropped over the years:
On not giving up: "Today is cruel. Tomorrow is crueler. And the day after tomorrow is beautiful."
China Photos / Getty ImagesOn people: "Hire the person best suited to the job, not the most talented. This can be a very painful lesson. There’s no point putting in a Boeing jet engine when you need to run a tractor."
Bryan Thomas/Getty ImagesDongguan Network Operators Meeting, March 2005 via "Never Give Up"
On ethics: "Never deceive others, in business or in life. In 1995, I was deceived by four companies — four companies that are now closed. A company cannot go far by deceit."
REUTERS/Jason LeeShanghai Network Operators Meeting, July 2005 via "Never Give Up"
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