
5. Spanx
After graduating from Florida State University, Sara Blakely took a job at the Walt Disney World Resort. However, she left the job and began selling as a door-to-door saleswoman. Sarah had trouble working in Florida’s hot and humid weather.
She failed to find thin nylon tights that could be rolled up quickly and had stitched toes. This inconsistency in pantyhose stimulated her to set up Spanx as a result. It started in her home in 2000, for which she invested her nest-egg of $5000. Sara was only 27 when she relocated to Atlanta for researching and developing a unique style of pantyhose.
With the help of her mother and some close friends, Blakely had finished creating a prototype within a year. Sara attempted to package the work uniquely and unconventionally; the businesswoman selected the red color that symbolized confidence and boldness. Sara did the marketing and promotion with her boyfriend, who left his job as a medical consultant to assist her. Finally, the Spanx brand was launched from her Atlanta apartment following a Neiman Marcus Group representative conference. Slowly and gradually, Spanx became a household name, dealing chiefly in pantyhose, underwear, and hosiery items for women.
As Spanx is a private enterprise wholly owned by Blakely, she does not publish its annual report. Therefore, there are no official figures of revenues earned by Spanx in a year.