IKEA

Acquired

Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal

Venturecapital, Ma, Investing, Acquisitions, Startups, Vc, Investment, Business, Technology

4.8 • 2.9K Ratings

🗓️ 18 November 2024

⏱️ 202 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

IKEA may be the most singular company we’ve ever studied on Acquired. They’re a globally scaled, $50B annual revenue company with no direct competitors — yet have only ~5% market share. They’re one of the largest retailers in the world — yet sell only their own products. They generate a few billion in free cash flow every year — yet have no shareholders. And oh yeah, they also sell hot dogs cheaper than Costco! (Sort of.)

Tune in for an episode flat-packed with counterintuitive lessons about how this folksy mail order business from the Swedish countryside came into your living rooms (and bedrooms and dining rooms and kitchens and bathrooms and patios and garages and backyards) all over the globe!

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The Testament of a Furniture Dealer
Our past episodes on Costco, Walmart, Amazon, LVMH and Hermès
Worldly Partners Multi-Decade IKEA Study
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‍Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I also got a flat-packed chocolate moose.
0:03.8	I put it together this morning.
0:05.6	It's very easy. It's three pieces.
0:07.2	Oh, moose like an animal, not chocolate moose like the pudding.
0:10.6	Yeah, that's correct.
0:11.9	It looked really good at first, but like the sun rays came in my window,
0:15.2	and within like 10 minutes it was melted and broke on the kitchen table.
0:19.8	Oh, boy. Is there an analogy about IKEA furniture in there? I hope not. It was funny and broke on the kitchen taper. Oh, boy.
0:22.8	Is there an analogy about IKEA furniture in there?
0:23.7	I hope not.
0:25.0	It was funny, though.
0:26.1	No, I don't think so.
0:27.3	I'm ready if you are.
0:28.1	I'm ready.
0:28.9	Let's do it.
0:30.4	Who got the truth?
0:32.8	Is it you?
0:33.4	Is it you? Is it you?
0:33.4	Is it you?
0:33.5	Is it you?
0:34.4	Is it you?
0:36.1	Is it you?
	...

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