Sara Blakely

Date of Birth: February 27, 1971

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Biography

Sara Blakely is an American businesswoman and philanthropist best known as the founder of Spanx, an intimate apparel company that revolutionized the shapewear industry. Born on February 27, 1971, in Clearwater, Florida, Blakely displayed entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. After graduating from Florida State University with a degree in communications, she initially pursued a career in law but quickly shifted gears after realizing it wasn’t her passion. Blakely worked at Danka, an office supply company, where she sold fax machines door-to-door. It was during this period that she conceived the idea for Spanx. Frustrated with the appearance of pantyhose under white pants, she cut off the feet of her pantyhose to create a smoother look, thus sparking the idea for footless pantyhose. With $5,000 in savings, she developed her prototype and founded Spanx in 2000. Spanx quickly became a sensation, leading to Blakely being recognized by Forbes as the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire in 2012. Beyond Spanx, Blakely has appeared on shows like “Shark Tank” and engaged in various philanthropic efforts, including her foundation, The Sara Blakely Foundation, which focuses on empowering women through education and entrepreneurship.

5 Interesting Facts about Sara Blakely

1. Sara Blakely started Spanx with just $5,000 in savings, without any formal business training.

2. She was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2012.

3. Blakely’s first major break came when Oprah Winfrey named Spanx her “Favorite Product” in 2000.

4. She initially wrote her patent application for Spanx herself, learning how to do it from a Barnes & Noble textbook.

5. Blakely has pledged to give away half of her wealth to charity as part of The Giving Pledge.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Sara Blakely

1. “It’s important to be willing to make mistakes. The worst thing that can happen is you become memorable.”

2. “Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.”

3. “Failure is not the outcome—failure is not trying.”

4. “Embrace what you don’t know, especially in the beginning, because what you don’t know can become your greatest asset.”

5. “I’d never worked in fashion or retail. I just needed an undergarment that didn’t exist.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At her peak, Sara Blakely’s net worth was estimated to be around $1.1 billion, according to Forbes.

Children

Sara Blakely is married to Jesse Itzler, an entrepreneur and former rapper. Together, they have four children: Lazer, Lincoln, and twins Charlie and Tepper.