Michael Laundon

Michael Laundon grew up on the blustery south coast of England, forever glued to a camera or lost in a darkened cinema. Even as a kid, he was that guy always roping friends into his little film projects—probably annoying but always passionate. He got accepted to study Film & Media at university but, in a move that’d make any parent sweat, bailed on formal education. Turned out, not such a wild idea. In 2002, he kicked off World of Books, pretty much from scratch, and the thing exploded. Over the next sixteen years, World of Books became the biggest online hub for buying and selling used books, worldwide. Seriously, think of a book, someone probably bought it through his site. Plus, it wasn’t just about raking in cash—he managed to pull in millions for charity along the way. Not bad for a film nerd. When he decided to sell most of his stake, Laundon didn’t exactly disappear into the sunset. Nope, he just switched gears, diving headfirst into new adventures with M2 MediaPost (“M2”). He’s clearly got that restlessness you see in entrepreneurs—always hunting for the next big thing. Off the clock, Laundon’s not just about business. He’s into European football (not that American stuff), cycling, reading, snapping photos, and—maybe most important—making time for his family. The guy’s life is a weird mashup of business hustle and classic hobbies, all tied together by a love for creativity and a knack for building something out of nothing.