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Sara Blakely is the founder of Spanx, the popular shapewear line. What most people don’t know is that she was a one-woman show when she started the company in 2000. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at Sara’s journey to success and learn some lessons from her story. Stay tuned!
Sara Blakely’s early life and how she became interested in entrepreneurship
Sara was born in 1971 in Clearwater, Florida. Her father was an attorney and her mother was a housewife. As a child, Sara was interested in fashion and dreamed of becoming a designer. She even made her own clothes and sold them to her classmates! However, her parents encouraged her to pursue a more practical career. So, instead of going to fashion school, she studied law at the University of Georgia.
After college, she worked for several firms as a paralegal and then as a real estate agent. But she wasn’t fulfilled by her work. In her 20s, she started taking improv classes and discovered her love for performing. She decided to move to Atlanta to pursue a career in comedy.
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Sara Blakely’s big break: how she started Spanx
In 2000, at the age of 29, Sara had a life-changing experience. She was getting ready for a party and wanted to wear her favorite pair of white pants. But she didn’t have the right undergarments to avoid visible panty lines. So, she took a pair of scissors and cut off the feet of her control-top pantyhose. And just like that, Spanx was born!
In 2001, Spanx formed a partnership with QVC. Sara negotiated an agreement with the home shopping network QVC, which increased sales and broadened Spanx’s market presence.
Sara Blakely met Richard Branson in 2003. Sara met Virgin Group billionaire Richard Branson when she was cast in his reality television show The Rebel Billionaire. Branson donated Sara $750,000 after she competed in the program to establish the Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation, which currently invests millions of dollars to empower women through education, business, and the arts.
Sara Blakely was featured in Forbes in 2012. Sara was featured on the cover of a prestigious business journal, which promoted her as the world’s youngest female self-made billionaire.
Today, Spanx products are sold at big retailers including as Neiman Marcus and Target. Sara Blakely continues to control 100 percent of Spanx, which remains a private firm. She asserts that, other than the $5,000 in funds she first used to launch Spanx, she has never accepted outside funding. In addition to Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, and other well-known figures, the inventor of Spanx is included on an elite list of wealthy business giants.
What being a successful entrepreneur means to her
For Sara, being a successful entrepreneur means having the freedom to pursue her passions. “I get to wake up every day and do what I love,” she says. “I’m living proof that you can create your own destiny.”
Sara’s story is an inspiring example of what’s possible if you follow your dreams and never give up. So, whatever your goals may be, don’t be afraid to go after them! You just might surprise yourself with what you’re capable of achieving.
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
Sara’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to “just go for it!” She says that too often, people let their fears hold them back from pursuing their dreams. But if you’re willing to take risks and work hard, anything is possible. So don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and see what happens! You might just end up like Sara Blakely: the founder of a successful company with an inspiring success story.
The future of Spanx and Blakely’s other business ventures
Sara has big plans for the future of Spanx. The company is always coming out with new products and expanding into new markets. And Sara shows no signs of slowing down herself! In addition to running Spanx, she’s also a judge on the reality TV show “Project Runway” and an investor on the ABC show “Shark Tank.” It’s clear that she’s passionate about helping others achieve their dreams, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.
