Sara Blakely

Sara Blakely was frustrated with the uncomfortable hosiery that left marks on her toes but flattered her figure.

So she cut the feet off.

That single snip sparked an idea.

What if shapewear could be reimagined?

She took her $5,000 in savings and spent nights at the Georgia Tech library researching patents and fabric.

But every hosiery mill she pitched turned her down… until one factory owner’s daughters begged him to take her seriously.

Sara convinced Neiman Marcus to stock her product by demonstrating its magic in a bathroom mirror.

She wrote her own patent, stuffed orders from her apartment, and hustled every sale herself.

Then came the break that changed everything: Oprah named Spanx one of her “Favorite Things” in 2000.

Overnight, Sara’s shapewear became a sensation, earning $10M in its second year.

In 2021, after Spanx hit a $1.2B valuation, she gave every employee $10,000 and two first-class plane tickets.

As the first self-made female billionaire to join The Giving Pledge, Sara committed to donating at least half her wealth to causes that empower women and support entrepreneurship.

Sara’s mantra? “Failure is not trying.”