Sara Blakely is a 51 years old American philanthropist and businesswoman. Also, she is the founder of Spanx, a multi-million dollar undergarment company. As of October 2022, Sara Blakely has an estimated net worth of US$1.2 billion.
Blakely was born on February 27, 1971, in Clearwater, Florida, the daughter of a lawyer and a stay-at-home mother. She has three brothers. Blakely grew up in Clearwater and graduated from Clearwater High School in 1988. She then attended Florida State University on a drama scholarship but dropped out after one semester to pursue a career in stand-up comedy.
In 2000, at 29, Blakely founded Spanx, a line of body-shaping undergarments for women. She began selling Spanx out of her apartment in Atlanta, Georgia, and then out of the trunk of her car. In 2002, Blakely appeared on an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, which helped increase Spanx sales.
However, Blakely was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people worldwide in 2012. In 2015, Forbes listed her as the 93rd most powerful woman in the world.
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Sara Blakely Net Worth
Sarah Blakely is the youngest billionaire business woman in history. She is the owner of a multi-million dollar undergarment company Spanx. It is an apparel company where that makes undergarments like leggings, and pants, among other products.
After college, Blakely moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where she worked for several years in the sales department of a fax machine company. While working in sales, she came up with the idea for Spanx.
In 2000, Blakely created Spanx, a line of body-shaping undergarments for women. The company’s products are designed to slim the waist, hips, and thighs. Spanx has become a runaway success and is now a multi-million-dollar business.
In 2012, Blakely was one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Powerful and Influential People in the World. In 2014, she came into the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest people in America. As of October 2022, Sara Blakely has an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion.
It was during this time that Blakely had the idea for Spanx. She was dissatisfied with the options available for women’s undergarments, so she decided to create her own. She invested $5,000 in her savings and developed a prototype.
In 2001, Blakely launched Spanx out of her apartment. She began selling the product out of the trunk of her car. Blakely’s big break came when she appeared on an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show in November 2000. After that, Spanx took off, and Blakely became a billionaire.
Early Life
Sara was born in Clearwater, Florida, on February 22, 1971, the middle child of three girls. Her father, John Blakely is a lawyer, and her mother, Ellen Blakely is a housewife, instilled in their children the importance of education and hard work. However, Blakely attended Clearwater Central Catholic High School, where she was a member of the National Honor Society and a cheerleader. After graduation, she enrolled at Florida State University, where she studied communications.
During her sophomore year, Blakely took a job at Walt Disney World, where she worked as a character performer. There, she developed her outgoing personality and love of entertaining others. After graduating from college in 1993, Blakely moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where Sara worked for a time as a real estate agent. In 1998, she enrolled in a one-week course on how to become a stand-up comedian. The class changed her life, and she began performing regularly at local comedy clubs.
In 2001, Blakely came up with the idea for Spanx, a line of body-shaping undergarments for women. With no experience in the fashion industry, she set out to create a prototype and began cold-calling manufacturers. After months of rejection, she finally found a company willing to produce her product.
With $5,000 of her savings, Blakely launched Spanx out of her one-bedroom apartment.
Today, Spanx is a multimillion-dollar company, and Blakely is one of the wealthiest self-made women in the world.
Career
Sara Blakely is the founder and CEO of Spanx, a multi-million dollar underwear company. She is also an incredibly successful businesswoman, author, and philanthropist.
Blakely graduated from high school in 1988 and then attended Florida State University. She initially majored in communications but later switched to psychology. She graduated from Florida State University in 1992.
After college, Blakely moved to Atlanta, Georgia. She worked as a door-to-door salesperson for office products and as a waitress. In 1996, Sara began working as a salesperson for Danka, an office products company. She was successful in this role and got a promotion several times.
In 2000, Blakely had the idea for Spanx, a line of body-shaping undergarments for women. She quit her job at Danka and began working on her new business. She initially had trouble finding a manufacturer for her product but eventually found one in North Carolina.
In addition to her business success, Blakely is an author and philanthropist. She has written two books, “The Belly Fat Cure” and “The Spanx Story.” She is also a philanthropist and has donated millions of dollars to various charities, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the National College Advising Corps.
Personal Life
Blakely was a high achiever in school and was voted “most likely to succeed.” After graduation, she attended Florida State University, where she studied communications.
After college, Blakely moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where she worked for several companies, including office supply giant Danka. It was during her time at Danka that she had the idea for Spanx.
In 2000, Blakely worked as a salesperson for Danka when she realized a gap in the market for women’s undergarments. She came up with the idea for Spanx, a line of body-shaping undergarments that would be comfortable and flattering.
With no experience in the fashion industry, Blakely set out to create her line of Spanx. She invested her life savings of $5,000 and spent the next two years developing her product.
In 2002, Blakely launched Spanx with a line of footless pantyhose. The product was an instant success, and Blakely quickly became a millionaire.
Today, Spanx is a multi-million dollar company with over 200 employees. Blakely is still the company’s CEO and majority owner.
However, Blakely is married to entrepreneur Jesse Itzler. The couple has two children and resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sara Blakely’s success story
Sara Blakely is a successful businesswoman and the founder of Spanx, an American intimate apparel company with pants and leggings for women and men. However, she is the youngest self-made female billionaire in the world.
In 2000, at 29, Blakely was working as a salesperson for Danka when she came up with the idea for Spanx. She attended a party where she wore a white pantsuit, and she was concerned about the appearance of her underwear lines. She did not want to wear a thong, so she cut her feet off a pair of control-top pantyhose, and the Spanx was born. How to buy Valium online https://medicalspecialistsoffairfield.com/valium/
Blakely launched Spanx out of her apartment in Atlanta, Georgia, with just $5,000. She initially had trouble getting the product into stores, so she resorted to cold-calling and driving to stores to pitch her product. She eventually landed a deal with Neiman Marcus, and Spanx took off from there.
Today, Spanx is a multi-million-dollar company, and Blakely is a billionaire. Also, she has been featured on the Forbes list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women and was named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012.
However, Blakely attributes her success to her willingness to take risks and tenacity. She inspires women everywhere, proving that achieving your dreams is never too late.
FAQs on Sara Blakely Net Worth
How much did Sarah sell Spanx for?
Sarah Blakely sold Spanx for $1.2 billion. She started the company in 2000 with $5,000 and no experience in the fashion industry. Spanx is a shapewear company that offers a variety of products for women. The company has been successful due to its innovative products and marketing strategies. Sarah is a self-made millionaire and an inspiration to women entrepreneurs.
When did Sara Blakely become a billionaire?
Sara Blakely became a billionaire in 2012 when she sold a majority stake in her company, Spanx, to the private equity firm Silas Capital. Spanx is a women’s shapewear company that she founded in 2000. Before selling her company, she was a self-made millionaire.