Ingvar Kamprad

Ingvar Kamprad

Biography

 Ingvar Kamprad was born March 30, 1926 in a small province Smalandiya in southern Sweden. Kamprad's biographers believe that passion passed on trade Ingvar inherited. But in 1897, the company which owned the future billionaire grandfather, was on the verge of bankruptcy. Head of the family could not pay the mortgage and committed suicide. But grandmother Ingvar saved job. So she taught her grandson "will power and hard" to win circumstances.

 The first trade deal young Kamprad made in school: he bought wholesale pencils and matches, which are then resold several times more classmates. Money set aside would-be entrepreneurs. While school friends live it up on the football field, to meet girls, Kamprad was thinking about how to expand business. And in 15 years, adding to the accumulation of capital, money borrowed from his father (who, however, was convinced that his son gives money to school), opened his own firm, which traded all sorts of stuff.

Business story

 Two years later was introduced by IKEA. Acronym IKEA is made up of his own initials (IK) the names of the family farm Elmtaryd (E) and Agunnaryd (A) - the name of the nearest village. Originally, the company had no relation to the furniture. Kamprad sold every little thing - from stationery to discount stocking. At one point he produced a small homemade catalog of its products and began taking orders in the mail. The biggest problem - delivery - Ingvar decided simply by negotiating with the local milkman, carrying milk every day around.

 To lure prospective customers to your presentation, the young entrepreneur has promised to all who will come to the store opening, coffee and a bun. Imagine his surprise when this modest event attracted over a thousand guests! The first presentation of the day was about to become the latest. However coffee and a bun got everything. And the idea of ​​fast food in the store entrepreneur remembered. Time passed, and every store IKEA has received the mandatory restaurant.

 In the early 50's Kamprad became interested in furniture. By purchasing on the occasion of a small furniture factory, which have not worked, he began to make furniture while placing orders for other businesses in Sweden. In 1951, taking advantage of experience, he produces out its first catalog of furniture.

 Two years later, in 1953, in the Swedish city Elmkult opened the first IKEA store. In five years there shop area of ​​6700 square meters, is similar to what we see today under huge letters IKEA. By the way, the yellow and blue of shopping centers were not always. Initially the company color IKEA was red and white. Now, the whole network is IKEA, without exception, is painted in yellow and blue - the national colors of Sweden.

 Invasion IKEA Swedish furniture market held painful. Local lobby furniture Kamprad announced, immediately announced low prices, boycott. Many of the domestic producers have stopped supplying their products to him.

As a result, the future billionaire took the unusual at the time for the Swedish business step acquired part of the components needed to assemble the furniture, "on the cheap" from Polish suppliers. So "Dad Ingvar," as it is sometimes called IKEA employees, first realized the future strategy of the company - to place orders for goods in those countries where it is cheaper.

 Kamprad has created what we now understand as the "Swedish style" - a convenient, efficient and inexpensive selection of products for the home. The idea was too obvious: to sell not just a coffee table and a desk lamp to it, and a chair, and a small sofa ... Offer goods were not luxuries - they can be purchased for any low-income housing. His idea is the best time coincided with the ideas of a caring society with a "people's house", where there was no place for a luxury.

 Ingvar recognized that dyslexia and it left a mark on his business. For example, the Swedish-sounding name fashion items sold at IKEA, came from the fact that he had difficulty remembering numeric item.

 About phenomenal avarice and the ability to save Ingvar Kamparda legendary. Business travelers Kamprad lives in three-star hotels, the breakfast (especially when it is included in the price) eats "to dump" to last until the end of the day, and if you still have to pay for the food out of his pocket, the billionaire goes to cheap restaurants, and even allegedly buy hamburgers. Visiting during trips different countries, it is rare for a taxi ride, preferring public transport, which is, as the friends, "You can find the tastes of the people."

 If traveling by train Kamprad buys tickets only in the second grade, he has baggage gets on sale cheap clothes, and thinks the best holiday "bicycle ride to Sweden." "How can I claim thrift from people who work for me, if I'm spending time in luxury and comfort," - he said.

 Ability to appreciate the money Kamprad instilled sons. The youngest of them, Mathias, recalls how, as a student, on a vacation to uproot the forest estate of parents. And the father paid him for work less than salaried workers. After studying on the same basis Mathias went to work in one of the shopping centers IKEA. "My initial salary was so small that sometimes my wife and I had to" misery "- rescued only cheap lunch in the cafe IKEA" - with a smile he said.

Conclusion

 People who are familiar with Ingvar Kamprad, argue that this is a brilliant marketer, the most intelligent man who never makes a mistake. Indeed, the strategy Kamprad studied and studied the major entrepreneurs from around the world. Although, as slyly says Kamprad himself, he - dropout. And it's true - he never went to university (school teachers long to teach him to read.) In 1945, Kamprad was a graduate of the Higher Commercial School in Gothenburg - and that was his only professional education. Lack of a university degree Kamprad always replaced enthusiasm. He once said: "If you are working, do not feel enthusiastic incorrigible - consider that at least a third of your life has gone down the drain."