Michel Jordi Inspires you to

Intro

to develop your entrepreneurial mindset, live up to your full potential and contribute to make the world a better place.

The Ultimate Freedom!

To be an entrepreneur
is to break free,
to live your passion,
to be your own boss.

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Michel Jordi, five time entrepreneur, mentor and author, is the founder of a new movement entitled "IGNITE THAT SPARK". To break free, do what we love, and make the world a better place should be our ultimate goal. His daughter Kim is the co-founder and accompanies him to ignite that spark around the world.

Continuous education is essential to stay ahead in a world of rapid change and digital transformation. Today's new tools allow us to work and stay connected almost anywhere on the planet.

The Ultimate Freedom

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Michel Jordi

Michel Jordi book signing

Michel Jordi is a serial entrepreneur and disruptor of the Swiss watch industry over three decades. The inventor of the legendary Swiss Ethno watch and LE CLIP, which brought him international fame and recognition, he pioneered Swissness on the occasion of the 700-year anniversary of Switzerland in 1991.

In his career as an entrepreneur, he created 5 companies, three of which became 8-figure companies in revenue and global players. Born in Switzerland, he studied in England and pursued post-graduate studies at Harvard Business School, Boston and IMD, Lausanne.

Recognized for developing iconic products and disrupting traditional Swiss watchmaking, he was honoured with the "Leadership Award 2018" of the EU Business School Barcelona and received the "Grand Prix Triomphe de l’Excellence Européenne" in Monte Carlo for the creation of LE CLIP in 1986.

In 2017, he published his autobiography in German, and his entrepreneurial guidebook "Ignite that Spark - 10 Commandments of Entrepreneurship" was launched in November 2018.

“Let your faith be bigger than your fears.”

Milestones of a
Captivating Journey

Stats & figures

Achievements & Successes

1st start-up BEAR CO. LTD.:

Started with $10,000.- in his pocket and created an affiliated company with a Japanese watch conglomerate. A joint-venture on a 50/50 basis. Annual sales exceeded 20 million Swiss Francs after 10 years.

2nd start-up Le CLIP:

Le CLIP: Started out with two friends who brought the starting capital. Sales of over 1 million watches in 17 countries for CHF 23 million in the first year.

3rd start-up Swiss Ethno Watch:

Swiss Ethno Watch: Initial capital financed through bank loans partly secured by a personal mortgage on private property. More than 500,000 units sold worldwide. In its peak years, consolidated sales were close to 50 million Swiss Francs with more than 80% brand awareness in Switzerland.

4th start-up Twins Heritage:

Twins Heritage: Self-financed. Within 2 weeks after launch in December 2004 production was booked out for a year.

5th start-up Swiss Icon:

Financed by two private investors. Established 30 exclusive Points-of-Sale for the product launch. The Club 100 limited edition selling at CHF10,000 was an immediate bestseller.

Position by retail price 1986-2008

Michel Jordi Dollar

Highlights

Discover the highlights of my life, the magical places I travelled to and all the wonderful people who have crossed my path.

  • Michel Jordi with Andy Warhol

    LE CLIP launch with Andy Warhol in New York, 1986.

  • Michel Jordi with Quincy Jones

    With American record producer and musician Quincy Jones and Montreux Jazz Festival founder Claude Nobs.

  • Michel Jordi with Santana

    With Carlos Santana at the Montreux Jazz Festival, 1994.

  • Michel Jordi with Tina Turner

    With singer Tina Turner, 1999.

  • Michel Jordi with Claude Nobs

    Claude Nobs, founder of Montreux Jazz Festival, wearing Le Clip, 1986.

  • Michel Jordi Ethno shoes

    Renowned Michelin star chef Philippe Rochat, wife Swiss athlete Franziska Moser and restaurant team wearing Swiss Ethno Shoes.

  • Michel Jordi at production factory

    With Gilbert Petitjean, president and owner of the namesake watch production factory.

  • Michel Jordi, Swiss Ethno Boutique in Zurich

    Swiss Ethno Boutique in Zurich

  • Michel Jordi, Spirit West Pont

    Michel Jordi The Spirit of Switzerland products.

  • Swiss Ethno Fever

    Swiss Ethno Fever

  • Michel Jordi in Japan 1971

    First trip to Japan to build his 1st start-up, 1971.

  • Michel Jordi on people magasine

    Cover of People Magazine, 1986.

  • Michel Jordi with Pele

    With football star Pelé

  • Michel Jordi with Anita Baker

    Singer Anita Baker at Montreux Jazz Festival wearing Le Clip, 1986.

  • Michel Jordi with George Benson

    Singer George Benson at Montreux Jazz Festival wearing Le Clip, 1986.

  • Michel Jordi, Shape the future

    Honored with the Leadership Award 2018 from the EU Business School Barcelona for his career achievements.

  • Michel Jordi, Speaker

    EU Business School Barcelona Commencement Ceremony, June 2018.

  • Michel Jordi and family

    EU Business School Barcelona Commencement Ceremony with wife Ki-Young and daughter Kim, June 2018.

My mission

I now dedicate my time to promote entrepreneurship and to encourage people of all ages to develop their entrepreneurial skills, broaden their career opportunities and to potentially take the leap into creating their own company. I also mentor and accompany entrepreneurs and start-ups to accomplish their vision.

Michel Jordi signature

Books

Discover Michel Jordi’s captivating journey through his two books "Ignite That Spark" (English) and "Der Uhrschweizer" (German), in which he openly shares his real life experiences. Both books give you an insight into entrepreneurship with its Ups & Downs and a lot of take-home value.

Ignite That Spark Cover

“If a book is well written, I always find it too short.”

- Jane Austen

Ignite That Spark

Disrupting the traditional way we look at business through imagery and music is the purpose of this unique guidebook. This has been Michel Jordi’s inspiration to approach life, freedom, work and the making of the business plan.

The book is short and straight-to-the-point with memorable illustrations, the size of a notebook. It is an insight into the world of business where Michel Jordi shares his own "real life experiences" and gives a complete 360° view of entrepreneurship in a nutshell.

This inspiring book has already been adopted by several prestigious Universities and international Business Schools.

Preview Pages

Michel Jordi points to Ignie that SparkMichel Jordi with co-founder, and daughter, Kim at book and song launch at UCL London, November 2018.

Inside the book

The "Rollercoaster of Entrepreneurship" puts you virtually in the driver’s seat of an exhilarating journey.

It is a condensed guide packed with take-home value, which we are certain will become your regular companion, and to which you can always refer to all along your professional journey. It is composed of 4 Parts, which are interlinked but can be read independently.

You must master parts 1, 2 and 3 to be fit for the Rollercoaster of Entrepreneurship.

This book is the
RISK FILTER that every entrepreneur should read to increase the success rate of his start-up.

Your ride to success

Infnite that Spark Rollacoaster

Michel Jordi, Shape the FutureMichel Jordi speaking at EU Business School Barcelona's 2018 Commencement Ceremony, June 2018.

GUTS - Giving up is no option!

German version only

In his captivating autobiography, Michel Jordi talks with no restraints about his entrepreneurial career, spiced up with incredible ups and downs. Discover how he had to file for chapter 11 on two occasions to avoid bankruptcy and how, like a Phoenix rising from its ashes, he bounced back successfully every time to create his next company. Through the detailed storytelling of his life and the 5 companies he built, he shares the lessons learnt and how anyone can take the leap into freedom.

Find out more

Michel Jordi Guts - Giving is no option

Michel Jordi

Der uhrschweizer

Born in the small town of Grenchen, Switzerland as the son of a watchmaker, Michel Jordi was fascinated by the art of watchmaking from a young age. He studied in England and moved to Geneva in 1969. His bold entrepreneurial career began in 1971, at age 23, when he went to Japan, with only $10’000 in his pocket, to create his first start-up, a joint venture with a Japanese watch conglomerate.

In his life, he created 5 companies, one from which he was fired, two that almost went bankrupt, and 3 which became 8-figure revenue companies, international successes and made history. He established a powerful international network with his own affiliated companies in the USA, France, Germany and Hong Kong. With LE CLIP, he ignored a devastating market study by McKinsey and went ahead with the launch against all odds. Sales reached 1 million watches in 17 countries for 23 million Swiss francs in the first year with a production of 10’000 watches a day after only six months…..before being fired from his own company.

The "Swiss Ethno Watch", launched at the occasion of the 700-year anniversary of Switzerland in 1991, brought him international fame and recognition. Under the "Spirit of Switzerland", a whole range of accessory products emerged to establish his brand globally with a successful image transfer. Sales grew exponentially year after year to reach almost CHF50 million after 10 years. But his fall was as dramatic as his rise when the markets were flooded with cheap copies of his legendary Ethno line and accelerated the end of the life cycle, which prompted him to file for chapter 11 to avoid bankruptcy. Today, he is still recognized as the initiator of Swissness.

He followed with 2 other companies in the field of the Haute Horlogerie with daring prices ranging from CHF70’000 to CHF225’000. In 2014, after a dramatic bicycle accident and two surgical procedures, he decided to withdraw from the operational side of business. Married with 2 children, he spends his summers near Geneva and the winters skiing in his beloved Swiss Alps.

What we offer

Mentoring & Consulting

Get mentored by the Maker of Bold Entrepreneurs and CEOs’.
Michel Jordi’s mentoring and consulting is composed of 4 distinctive steps and built on his extended personal experience empowering people. His disruptive approach to business inspired him to develop innovative tools such as the “Lucky Clover” and the “Rainbow Target”. He accompanies you in a close relationship to help you develop your full potential to become a successful entrepreneur and leader.

Assess your situation

Take stock: Strengths & weaknesses. Where do you stand today? Build a climate of mutual trust, elevate your level of self-confidence and define the actions that will impact your success.

Your vision - Dream Big!

Help you to break free and set ambitious goals to realize your wildest dreams. Trust your gut. The sky is no longer the limit. Your tool: the "Lucky Clover".

Establish your Roadmap

Put you in the driver’s seat by applying the "Rainbow Target" and setting milestones to reach your goals.

Accompany you on your journey

Empower you to develop your entrepreneurial mindset and live to your full potential. Build on solid ground and help you scale up. You’ll never walk alone!

Mentoring cocktail glass

Your Winning Cocktail

Start out with a complimentary 30 minutes’ inspirational “Confidence session” to allow Michel Jordi to get an understanding of your business, your challenges and your opportunities.

Testimonials

Michel changed my life by empowering me and sending me to Hong Kong at age 26 to open his Asian subsidiary. He was a great mentor who showed me the way, inspired me to think big and to never give up.

Patrick Boutellier, CEO Rolex Australia

Michel taught me the art of watchmaking and ignited that spark in me to break free and start my own company. He possesses the ability to empower and inspire people. A great mentor.

Laurent Lecamp, Vice-president Carl F. Bucherer

Michel Jordi is a full blooded entrepreneur and a great leader. At our weekly meetings, he succeeded again and again to inspire and motivate his troops to go out there and conquer the world. He was a great mentor and I would not have wanted to miss a single day.

Sascha Moeri, CEO Carl F. Bucherer

Michel was a great mentor and instrumental for me to break free and start my own business. He even designed and printed my first "business cards" telling me "GO! There is no turning back!" He is a great motivator and teacher. A true entrepreneur.

Pascal Waurick, Independent Watchmaker

Working with Michel was one of the highlights of my career. He taught me event marketing and helped me understand the importance of the customer. This experience and network allowed me to become independent and build my own distribution network.

Jan Ramser, Independent sales agent on the Swiss market

Michel knows how to empower his people and to let them do their job. An unforgettable experience with a lot of take-home value. He even offered me his van to start my own business. A true leader and a powerful mentor.

Heiko Cornelsen, Independent decorator, and event management

Working with Michel was a real blessing. It allowed me to learn what business and selling are all about and to understand my customer. Thanks to the experience and lessons learnt with him, I established my own business.

Patrick Gurtner, Independent sales agent on the Swiss market

Michel Jordi, Ignite That Spark

Book and song launch at University College of London (UCL),
November 2018.

Speaking

Michel Jordi’s incredible story best comes to life through his charismatic and lively storytelling ability.
Don’t miss your chance to invite him to be your guest speaker for a truly immersive experience with real life examples from this serial entrepreneur himself. Filled with unique anecdotes and practical examples to learn from, we guarantee you will not want to get off his thrilling rollercoaster of entrepreneurship.

Michel Jordi, Points to book
Michel Jordi, Shape the Future
Michel Jordi, Ignite That Spark

With Adolf Ogi, former president of Switzerland, and Dirk Craen, President of EU Business School.

Michel Jordi, Ignite That Spark
Michel Jordi, Ignite That Spark

Event marketing

Michel Jordi pioneered Event Marketing in the 1980s and 90s. He created incredible and stunning events. With three of his products becoming immediate successes, he excels at launching new products. Thinking out-of-the-box and making every single event something that people will talk about for years to come is one of his unique talents.

Today, with his daughter Kim who possesses more than 10 years of experience in event creation and production, Ignite That Spark offers you the opportunity to create and realize your most sparkling events.

Contact us for your customized offer.

Contact us

Launch of Swiss Ethno Sailor leisurewear at the foot of the Matterhorn in Zermatt, 1992.

The Song

Keep scrolling to dim the lights

Ignite That Spark

True to his reputation as a serial disrupter, Michel Jordi has opted to follow that path by linking the book with a pop song. However, it is not "just another song," but instead it is a strong and encouraging message for up-and-coming generations. The lyrics reflect Michel Jordi’s life and were written by Franceska Aeschlimann. She also composed the music with British singer-songwriter Chris Eaton, who performs it in a duet with Abby Eaton.

The official ‘drop’ of this captivating song took place on the occasion of Swiss Digital Day, October 25, 2018. Let yourself be inspired to break free and live your passion.

View Lyrics Download Song

Available on all major musical platforms.

Contact us

"Ignite That Spark" is a message, a philosophy of life to break free and live your passion. It is an insight into the world of business where Michel Jordi shares his own "real life experiences" and gives a complete 360° view of entrepreneurship in a nutshell.

Contact us

Contact us to hop on the exhilarating rollercoaster of entrepreneurship with us! We are based in Switzerland but work all around the world to help Ignite That Spark in as many people as possible.

Please use the form below for any booking purposes or send us an email at inspiration@ignitethatspark.com

Ignite That Spark, YouTube Ignite That Spark, LinkedIn Ignite That Spark, Facebook Ignite That Spark, Twitter Ignite That Spark, Instagram

Ignite That Spark, Smiley

Events & Media

Here you will find some of the key events where Michel Jordi has been giving speeches, lectures and sharing the wisdom of his new book "Ignite That Spark - 10 Commandments of Entrepreurnship", as well as media interviews and articles.

Events

Good Festival’s 6th Edition - Good Brand Summit

Good Festival’s 6th Edition - Good Brand Summit

For its sixth edition, the Good Festival launched the Good Brand Summit (GBS). GBS is about discovering Good Brands, Good People, and Good Food from organizations and companies who are tackling sustainability issues and positioning their brands to mean much more than money.

Date: May 15, 2019
Location: Beau-Rivage Palace Lausanne
Details: Keynote speaker
Site link: https://www.goodfestival.ch/

Book Signing Event Payot

Book Signing Event Payot

It was a pleasure to host a public book signing event with our partner Payot in their bookstore in Nyon, Michel Jordi’s beloved hometown for many years.

Date: April 23, 2019
Location: Nyon, Switzerland
Details: https://evenements.payot.ch/evenement/michel-jordi/

IMD Lausanne Keynote Speech

IMD Lausanne Keynote Speech

Michel Jordi shared his life experiences as a serial entrepreneur, its ups and downs, and how he always came back successfully thanks to the three guiding principles that have impacted his life: Vision, Guts & Passion.

Date: April 23, 2019
Location: IMD Lausanne, Switzerland
Details: https://www.imd.org/

EPFL Lausanne Keynote Speech

EPFL Lausanne Keynote Speech

Theme: Event Marketing - How to reach your customer? Through the various examples of his rollercoaster entrepreneurial career, Michel Jordi shared with the students the tools and tactics he used in Event Marketing and Communication to reach the customer.

Date: April 10, 2019
Location: EPFL Lausanne, Switzerland
Site link: https://www.epfl.ch/en/home/

University of St. Gallen (HSG)’s AIT Swiss Camp in partnership with Brazil

University of St. Gallen (HSG)’s AIT Swiss Camp in partnership with Brazil

The Academia-Industry Training (AIT) is an initiative by the Leading House for the Latin American Region, Startup@HSG, and Swissnex Brazil to help 10 start-ups each from Switzerland and from Brazil innovate and develop their entrepreneurial skills.

Date: April 1-5, 2019
Location: Geneva & Zurich, Switzerland
Details: Keynote Speech & Juror
https://www.unisg.ch/

Business School Lausanne (BSL) Business Innovation Week

Business School Lausanne (BSL) Business Innovation Week

As part of their Business Innovation Week, BSL invited Michel Jordi for a riveting workshop, book presentation and signing event with their BBA and MBA students to allow them to gain valuable entrepreneurial insight.

Date: February 15, 2019
Location: Business School Lausanne, Switzerland

Details: https://www.bsl-lausanne.ch/join-bsl-and-michel-jordi-for-a-riveting-event/

Fongit Book Presentation and Signing Event

Fongit Book Presentation and Signing Event

Fongit is Switzerland's premier startup incubator supporting innovative tech ventures in Geneva since 1991. Michel Jordi was invited to return to present his new book Ignite That Spark for their end-of-year gathering.

Date: December 13, 2018
Location: Fongit offices Geneva, Switzerland
Details: https://fongit.ch/

Book & Song Launch Switzerland

Book & Song Launch Switzerland

IFJ is an entrepreneurial supporting platform which has accompanied over 110,000 founders and every year found 2,000 new companies. This was the perfect organization to partner with to present Michel Jordi’s new book and song to the Swiss entrepreneurial audience

Date: November 26, 2018
Location: Institut für Jungunternehmen AG startup space Schlieren, Switzerland
Details: https://www.ifj.ch/en

Book and Song Launch London

Book & Song Launch London

"Swiss Ethno Pope" Michel Jordi chose UCL to announce and launch his inspirational book & song "Ignite That Spark - 10 Commandments of Entrepreneurship." André Borschberg, entrepreneurial pioneer and pilot of Solar Impulse and who wrote the foreword to the book, honored us with his presence.

Date: November 19, 2018
Location: University College London (UCL), United Kingdom
Site link: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/

EU Business School Montreux Keynote Speech

EU Business School Montreux Speech

Established in 1973, EU Business School (EU) is an international, professionally accredited, high-ranking business school with campuses in Barcelona, Geneva, Montreux and Munich. Michel Jordi was invited to talk about his 10 Commandments of Entrepreneurship and his new book as part of their EU talks.

Date: November 2, 2018
Location: EU Business School Montreux, Switzerland
Site link: https://montreux.euruni.edu/

Fongit Speaking Event

Fongit Speaking Event

Michel Jordi was invited to share inspirational insights from his career: building 5 companies, bringing innovations to market, and overcoming personal and professional challenges, as part of their speakers’ series.

Date: July 7, 2018
Location: Fongit offices Geneva, Switzerland
Site link: https://fongit.ch/

EU Business School Barcelona Commencement Speech

EU Business School Barcelona Commencement Speech

Recognized with the Leadership Award for his business career On the occasion of the Barcelona campus’ 2018 graduation, Michel Jordi was the Commencement Speaker alongside Adolf Ogi, ex-president of Switzerland, and received the Leadership Award for his entrepreneurial career in recognition of the leadership virtues he represents: teamwork, trust, integrity, transparency and commitment.

Date: June 9, 2018
Location: Palau de Congressos de Catalunya Barcelona, Spain
Site link: https://barcelona.euruni.edu/

Media

Articles, news and interviews.

Tourbillon Magazine

Date: TC

Le Monde Economique

Date: February 12, 2019

Rhône FM Radio - Interview in French

Date: April 1, 2019
Play interview

Geneva Live Radio - Interview in French

Date: January 17, 2019
Play interview

World Radio Switzerland - Interview in English

Date: December 12, 2018
Play interview

Home The ultimate Freedom Michel Jordi Milestones Books What We Offer Mentoring & Consulting Testimonials Speaking Event Marketing The Song Contact us Events & Media

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