Ingvar Kamprad, Billionaire and Innovator

Ingvar Kamprad, Ikea's founder, died recently at 91 years of age.  He was an entrepreneur almost from the time he could walk and talk.  At age 5 he was selling tchotkies to the neighbors, then selling pencils and seeds from his bicycle in his home town.  He founded Ikea at age 18!  His net worth of $58.7 billion made him the world's eighth richest person.  He revolutionized the furniture industry by introducing flat packing, where furniture was packed in flat boxes and put together at home by the customer.

Kamprad was a frugal billionaire.  He was know for driving an old Volvo, recycling tea bags, and taking home little packets of salt and pepper from restaurant.  He always traveled economy class.  Ikea's corporate culture mirrored Kamprad's frugality.  Executives at Ikea traveled economy class and stayed in budget hotels.  His executives followed Kamprad's principle that "wasting resources is a mortal sin."

He worked, although not at Ikea, up until the very end, staying true to his motto that most things remain to be done.