At its inception by Jack Ma and a handful of partners two decades ago, no one could have predicted that Alibaba would become a globally recognized name in only a few years. The founder, Jack Ma, possessed a vision. From the very beginning, he consistently told anyone who would listen that his enterprise would achieve global reach. However, there were no tangible resources at that time to support this ambition. He had only a dream and a strategy, which he continuously refined as he acquired knowledge from books and personal encounters.

But is this not the foundation of all great empires? No one begins with full comprehension. A common trait among highly accomplished individuals is their ability to envision grandly, commence modestly despite resource constraints, and then persistently improve over time.