Sara Blakely’s journey from selling fax machines to becoming a billionaire entrepreneur is a lesson in moving quietly. With just $5,000 in savings, Blakely founded Spanx in 2000 and transformed it into a global shapewear empire worth $1.2 billion.
For an entire year, Blakely didn’t tell even her closest friends or family about her idea. She believed that outside voices could have crushed her vision before it had the chance to take root, according to Fortune. She kept her plans under wraps until she was ready to take her product to market.
Without outside investors, Blakely grew Spanx entirely on her own terms. She spent two decades building the brand that has become known for revolutionizing women’s undergarments. In 2021, she sold a majority stake in the company for a $1.2 billion payout. She retained a significant role in shaping its future direction.
Blakely’s path to success was anything but traditional. She admitted to taking unconventional steps to promote her product. For example, she would go into in department stores like Neiman Marcus and move Spanx from obscure corners to more prominent spots near checkout counters so shoppers couldn’t miss them. She drove around with a license plate that read “SPANX” and even enlisted friends to purchase her products in stores to make it seem like they were hot.
Her tactics, which she herself once described as “unhinged,” also included mailing prototypes to influential figures. And, a pivotal moment came for the company when Oprah Winfrey featured Spanx on her show, providing the national exposure.
Today, Blakely, 54, is worth an estimated $1.3 billion.