Sara Treleaven Blakely, better known as Sara Blakely, is a successful businesswoman and philanthropist in the United States. Blakely is the founder of the Spanx brand of intimate apparel in the United States, founded in Atlanta, Georgia. She earned $5000 as a fax machine salesperson and used it to establish her business. She launched her industry and later became the world’s youngest self-made billionaire. In 2021, she sold the majority of her Spanx shareholding to Blackstone.
Quick Facts
| Celebrated Name | Sara Blakely |
|---|---|
| Age | 52 Years |
| Nick Name | Sara |
| Birth Name | Sara Treleaven Blakely |
| Birth Date | 27 February 1971 |
| Gender | Female |
| Profession | Businesswoman |
| Place Of Birth | Clearwater, Florida |
| Birth Nation | United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous For | The founder of an American intimate apparel company, Spanx |
| Father | John Blakely |
| Mother | Ellen Ford |
| Siblings | 1 |
| Brothers | Ford Blakely |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Converted to Judaism |
| Horoscope | Pisces |
| High School | Clearwater High School |
| University | Florida State University |
| Education | Degree in Communication |
| Position | CEO of Spanx |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband | Jesse Itzler |
| Married Date | 2008 |
| Children | 4 |
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Weight | 132 lbs (60 kg) |
| Body Type | Slim |
| Eye Color | Hazel |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Source of Wealth | Business |
| Net Worth | $1.2 billion |
Biography and Early Life
Sara Blakely was born on 27 February 1971 in Los Angeles, California. Sara Treleaven Blakely is her given name. Her birthplace is in the United States of America, in Clearwater. She is an American citizen. She was born to John Blakely and Ellen Ford. Sara has one brother, Ford Blakely. She is of white ethnic origin and a convert to Judaism. Pisces is her zodiac sign.
In terms of education, she attended Clearwater High School. She attended Florida State University after graduating from high school. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Brigham Young University.
Height and Weight
Sara Blakely is around 1.71 m (5 feet and 7 inches) tall. She is approximately 132 pounds (60 kg) in weight. She has a slender physique. Her brown eyes and blonde hair complement her complexion. Her sexual orientation is that of a straight woman.
Professional Career
- Sara Blakely originally intended to pursue a career as an attorney. However, she received a low score on the Law School Admission Test and chose not to pursue a legal profession.
- She then worked for three months at Walt Disney World in Florida.
- She then went door-to-door selling fax machines for the supply business Danka.
- At the age of 25, she was promoted to national sales trainer.
- At the age of 27, she relocated to Atlanta, Georgia.
- She continued working for Danka and amassed a $5,000 savings.
- At the time, she was studying and creating her hosiery concept.
- She then drove to North Carolina to pitch her concept to hosiery manufacturers.
- Every company she approached turned her down.
- Blakely received a call from a male mill operator in Asheboro, North Carolina, who endorsed her plan.
- She eventually produced the prototype of the product.
- She then returned to a patent attorney to finalize her application before submitting it to the US Patent and Trademark Office. The gentleman agreed to assist her in exchange for $750.
- She then worked on the product’s packaging.
- Using her credit card, she paid $150 for the “Spanx” trademark on the USPTO website.
- After meeting with personnel from the Neiman Marcus Group, she could sell her product in seven Neiman Marcus locations. To demonstrate the product’s benefits, she changed into it in the ladies’ restroom.
- Additionally, she sent a basket of goodies to Oprah Winfrey’s television show, along with a gift card explaining the product she was seeking to produce.
- Spanx increased in popularity and sales after Winfrey named them one of her “Favorite Things” in November 2000.
Sara Blakely’s Net worth
Sara Blakely is an entrepreneur and self-made billionaire. She amassed wealth with her apparel line, Spanx. She is one of the world’s most successful businesswomen. Sara and her husband are Atlanta Hawks season ticket holders. Her net worth is estimated to be $1.2 billion as of January 2024.
Sara Blakely Husband & Marriage
Sara Blakely is Married to Jesse Itzler. He co-founded Marquis Jet. The pair met at a Net Jet Poker Tournament and began dating shortly after. In 2008, the couple married. Matt Damon was a guest at her wedding, and Olivia Newton-John surprised guests with a performance. The couple is parents to four children.
In 2006, she founded the Sara Blakely Foundation. She established the Foundation to assist women in achieving economic independence via education and entrepreneurship training. Richard Branson endowed her with $750,000 to establish the Foundation. The charity has provided scholarships to young women attending South Africa’s Community and Individual Development Association City Campus.
In 2006, she made an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show and pledged a million dollars to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.
She paid $162,500 at an auction in 2019 for Olivia Newton-black John’s leggings from Grease. Newton-cancer John’s treatment clinic in Melbourne, Australia, benefited from its revenues.
She committed $5 million to assist female-owned small businesses during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.
