Of Prince William’s confessions and Jack Ma’s invaluable tips

Responding to trauma calls when he worked for the air ambulance nearly drove him over the edge, recalled Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, who served as a pilot at the East Anglian Air Ambulance for two years until six months ago after he served for nearly five years as a helicopter pilot with the RAF’s Search and Rescue Force.

Becoming a father to George, Charlotte and Louis deepened his stress from attending to distressing calls, he said during a panel discussion on mental health at the World Economic Forum.

“You have a suit of armour on, you deal with children being sick... but something comes along that’s related to your own life and it takes you over a line,” he said. Prince William worked with doctors to respond to accidents, rescues and suicide attempts, landing his helicopter in gardens, parking lots, beaches and roads.

‘Focus on first job’

Alibaba chairman Jack Ma had some handy advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. “Your first job is your most important (one). Not necessarily a company that has a great name, but you should find a good boss who can teach you how to be a human being, how to do things properly,” said Ma. “Give yourself a promise: I will stay there for three years.”

Pressure is part of business and he’s experienced it, Ma recounted.