#370 The Founder of IKEA: Ingvar Kamprad

What I learned from reading Leading By Design: The Ikea Story by Ingvar Kamprad and Bertil Torekull and The Testament of a Furniture Dealer by Ingvar Kamprad.

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Notes and highlights from the episode: 

Ingvar works on IKEA from the time he is 17 until he dies at 91.

The Testament of a Furniture Dealer by Ingvar Kamprad (1976) is a sermon on the culture of IKEA  

IKEA’s common goal: We have decided once and for all to side with the many. IKEA will offer a wide range of well-designed furniture at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.

Billy Durant (founder of General Motors) describing Henry Ford’s one single idea: Durant noted that Ford “was in favor of keeping prices down to the lowest possible point, giving to the multitude the benefit of cheap transportation.” — Billy Durant: Creator of General Motors by Lawrence Gustin 

Something Ingvar repeats: We will do it a different way.

This will not be easy. We must demand much from ourselves.

IKEA must have low prices. Ingvar’s dedication to that idea is total. Without low costs we can never accomplish our purpose. The principle can never be compromised: Our policy of serving the many can never be changed.

If you are not enthusiastic about your job, one-third of your life goes to waste.

Wasting resources is a mortal sin at IKEA.

Expensive solutions to any kind of problem are usually the work of mediocrity.

Planning is often synonymous with bureaucracy. Exaggerated planning is the most common cause of corporate death.

Simple routines have a greater impact. Simplicity in our behavior gives us strength.

No reports. No committees. Just done. — Elon in the early days of SpaceX Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX by Eric Berger. (Founders #369) 

We dare to do things differently.

You had to remember he'd been picking up the best ideas from all around the country. — Copy This!: How I turned Dyslexia, ADHD, and 100 square feet into a company called Kinkos by Paul Orfalea. (Founders #181) 

Concentration is important to our success. The general who divides his resources will invariably be defeated.

We can never do everything, everywhere, all at the same time.

We must concentrate for maximum impact, often with small means.

Concentration means that at certain vital stages we are forced to neglect otherwise important aspects.

Constant meetings and group discussions are often the result of unwillingness or inability on the part of the person in charge to make decisions.

Only those who ar