Sara Blakely is an American businesswoman, inventor, and philanthropist. She was born on February 27, 1971, in Clearwater, Florida. Spanx founder Sara Blakely graduated from Florida State University with a degree in communications. She originally planned to attend law school. However, she shifted course after struggling to pass the LSAT.
Before founding Spanx, Blakely sold fax machines door-to-door. She later worked as a national sales trainer at an office-supply company. During this time, she wore pantyhose as part of her required dress code. She found them uncomfortable and impractical, especially in the Florida heat. This everyday frustration eventually sparked the idea that would become Spanx.
In 2000, Spanx founder Sara Blakely used $5,000 in personal savings to launch her company. She had no background in fashion or retail. Still, she built Spanx into a billion-dollar brand through persistence and hands-on problem-solving. In 2012, Forbes named her the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire.
Beyond Spanx, Blakely is known for her philanthropy. She founded the Sara Blakely Foundation, which supports women’s education and entrepreneurship. In 2013, she became the first woman to join The Giving Pledge. She is married to entrepreneur Jesse Itzler, and the couple has four children together. She also holds a minority ownership stake in the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. To learn more about the brand she built, read the full Spanx founder story.