How does a man rejected by Harvard ten times and denied a job at KFC become the face of Chinese innovation? This week on pplpod, we dive into the rollercoaster life of Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma.

We trace his journey from a struggle-filled childhood in Hangzhou—where he rode 17 miles daily just to practice English with tourists—to his discovery of the internet during a 1995 trip to the U.S.,. We discuss how Ma, a former English teacher with no technical coding skills, rallied 18 friends in his apartment to build an e-commerce empire that would rival eBay,,.

But the story doesn't end with success. We examine the dramatic turn in 2020, when Ma’s criticism of financial regulators led to the suspension of Ant Group’s massive IPO and his sudden disappearance from public view,. Finally, we catch up on his life today—living in Tokyo, studying sustainable agriculture, and returning to his roots as a teacher.

Key Topics Covered:

• Early Struggles: Failing the gaokao twice and being the only applicant rejected by KFC in his city,.
• The Empire: The founding of Alibaba, Taobao, and the creation of Alipay,.
• The Crackdown: How a controversial speech in 2020 led to regulatory scrutiny and Ma giving up control of Ant Group,.
• Life After Tech: Ma’s retreat to Japan, his professorship at Tokyo College, and his focus on philanthropy,.