Finding The One

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Thomas Lundgren, CEO of THE One, on why he is on a mission to save the world.

For a self-made millionaire Thomas Lundgren is remarkably blasé about money. He says he has no idea how much his company is actually worth and claims he doesn't even care.

"It's probably in the region of US$200 million - I have no idea. And to be honest at this moment I'm not very interested," he says.

"What do you do with US$200 million?. I honestly have no idea. It's a number that's too big to understand.

"It would be easier if someone said US$50,000 - it's tangible and it's a number you can figure out what to do with."

It's not surprising that Lundgren is feeling a little bewildered.

Today his business empire spans 15 stores across the region - and there are plans to open 49 stores within the next five years.

He reveals he is looking to expand across the region by opening stores in India, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Add to this his ambitious plans to set up schools across Africa through the Power of One charity foundation - and it's no wonder Lundgren sometimes wishes he could go back to the early days of starting the business.

"Do you think I dream sometimes of going back to my first years? Yes of course I do. It was much more simple then.

"You think I have less problems today than I did before?

"I have the same number of problems but they are just different. When I first started I thought success was the key to happiness and I dreamed of owning a sports car.

"But suddenly when you control all this sh** and you come to a place where you could afford that sports car, suddenly it doesn't matter anymore."

It is this realisation, claims Lundgren that led him to set up the Power of One Foundation.

Under the scheme, 1% of THE One's annual revenues will go towards the setting up of schools in Africa in partnership with the Feed the Children charity, with staff from THE One stores undertaking much of the building work themselves.

Lundgren was inspired to build the schools after reading the book Three Cups of Tea by American mountain climber Greg Mortenson who built over 55 schools in Pakistan after becoming lost there during a climbing expedition.

And he admits that it is partly in an attempt to seek personal fulfilment that he has taken on the massive project.

"I am trying to find my happiness.

"It's a question of finding your own journey and being content with that," he says.

"But the whole project has become a lot bigger than when it first started out."

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