The Creative Entrepreneur - Ingvar Kamprad - September 2025
Sep, 1 2025
Ikea is one of the most recognised retail stores in the world, however there was one man who kick started it all. This month’s ‘Creative Entrepreneur’ will shine a spotlight on Ingvar Kamprad.
To begin please watch this short film – ‘Behind the life of Ingvar Kamprad – IKEA’s Legendary Founder’ –
After watching this film it’s apparent to see Ingvar had entrepreneurial skills at a young age. Preferring to do his own thing and creating avenues to earn money, his rejection of education was potentially his best move. The self – assurance and conviction that he’d be better off earning money than being in an educational institution was the driving force that kept his dream alive.
But even when his business ventures became a success he didn’t let pride or ambition go to his head. Ingvar allowed humility and a warm persona to become the outlook appearance that won his contemporaries.
Although the spotlight was on him, Kamprad was generally a private person and his time away from the limelight helped him compile his philosophies of frugality and simplicity in a manifesto entitled, ‘A Testament of a Furniture Dealer’ in 1976.
Kamprad also worked with Swedish journalist Bertil Torekull on Leading by Design: The IKEA Story. In the autobiographical book, Kamprad further describes his philosophies and the trials and triumphs of the founding of IKEA.
Despite having a considerable amount of money Ingvar felt that excessive money was not the way of happiness. Having just enough and living within your means was the mantra that kept him going even when he was high earner he never forgot his roots and the journey that led him there.
According to a 2006 interview, Kamprad was then driving a 1993 Volvo 240, flew economy class, and encouraged IKEA employees to use both sides of a page when writing or printing. He reportedly recycled tea bags and was known to keep the salt and pepper packets in restaurants.
The company he created is still known for the attention it gives to cost control, operational details and continuous product development; allowing it to lower its prices by an average of 2–3% over the decade to 2010, while continuing its global expansion.
Kamprad explains his social philosophy in his Testament of a Furniture Dealer: "It is not only for cost reasons that we avoid the luxury hotels. We don't need flashy cars, impressive titles, uniforms or other status symbols. We rely on our strength and our will!"
Kamprad owned a villa in Switzerland, a large country estate in Sweden and a vineyard in Provence, France. Kamprad drove a Porsche for several years.
This strength and will propelled IKEA to the established store we see today. It’s thanks to Ingvar that it is still a surviving store in the modern era and hundreds of people frequent it every day.
For the latest store and opening times simply visit the following website link – https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/stores/plan-and-order-points/
As mentioned in the film Kamprad passed away quietly in his sleep of pneumonia at his home in Switzerland – Sweden on 27th January 2018 at the age of 91. Prior to his death he had written in his will that he requested half of his estate would go to a project in Norrland, the sparsely populated northern half of Sweden. He wanted to develop Norrland and make it possible for young people to live there.
This is another clear example of the kind and generous man he was. Kamprad wasn’t selfishly investing more time in expanding the IKEA empire – far from it, he was reaching out to the youth of today and caring about their future as they could be the next – Creative Entrepreneurs – much like their greatest example.
^Alex Ashworth CCG UK Blogger.
