New work ideas can come from almost anywhere. Sarah Blackley’s bright idea was behind her all the time – literally.
In 1998, she was the founder and former CEO of women’s clothing brand in sales of faxing machine when she got an inspiration for SPANX. Her white pants were hung in her cabinet for eight months without wearing because she could not get the “smooth appearance” she wanted. Blakely, then in the mid-twenties, wanted to wear something not to display the inner dress lines and came without the largest part of the classic belt-until it cut the feet from long pours.
However, Blakely reached the idea that would eventually make it a Billionaire.
“I wanted to better fit my clothes, and so my ass was inspiration.” luck‘s 2013 the most powerful women summit. “I may be the only woman in the world grateful for Sillette.”
Blackley has never taken business class in her life, and she did not work in fashion or retail – and she only had $ 5,000 for her name to invest in business. A series of cavity manufacturers dropped the first stadium of Blakely.
She said, “They always asked me the same three questions. They would say and you? “They showed me the door and say no, thank you.”
What made the Blakely product start? Self -insurance.
“I have always been trusted in the intestine during the trip,” said Blackley. “I think it is very important to be authentic.”
Blackley’s big break in Niman Marcus
While Blakely got a lot of the initial NOS on her idea that will eventually turn women socks as we knew before, she did not prevent her from putting one of the biggest names in the fashion: Neiman Marcus. Blackli called her local store, Niman Marcus, Atlanta, where she lived at that time, and they rewritten her to the company’s purchase office in Dallas.
I told them on the phone: “I am Sarah Blackley and in the product that will change the way your customers wear.” Niman Marcus’s purchase office said that they would give Blackley 10 minutes personally to erect her idea if she would move herself there.
Blakely was about five minutes away from her stadium when she realized that her idea was not completely resonated with the purchase representative, so she made a sudden decision to design the product. The purchase delegate led to the bathroom, and the model of its white pants with and without Spanx – and at that moment, its concept was received.
Blackley said during seven stores: “She said immediately,” Oh, I got it. It is great – and I will put it in seven stores. ” luck interview. “He was incredible.”
The manufacturer that finally agreed to make Spanx incredible Blakely when you described it as news. In fact, Blakely told that he believed that she would go to “giving these Christmas gifts over the next five years.”
A growing a billion dollars
Before the launch of the 2000 SPANX in Neiman Marcus, Blakely called her friends who lived near the seven stores to get them to buy the product. She even offered their payment to buy the product.
“Immediately when I was running out friends and money, I called Opera,” said Blackley. “She chose it as a favorite product for this year.”
In 2000, Opera Winfrey added SPANX to Roundup for the annual product-and has long been admired by the brand. In the subsequent decades, Opera continued to highlight the brand.
“I really changed the way I wear clothes,” Opera said on her program In 2006. When Sarah came for the first time Opera offer To tell us about her idea of Spanx, I knew she was great. We were all cutting our pantyhose for years! So from the moment I wore my first husband, they became an essential element in my clothes cabinet. ”
With SPANX continued to introduce new products including a comfortable bra, “Bra-LLELLLLLJA”, and Slendering Activewear, More celebrities Including GWYNTH Paltrow, Katy Perry, Mindy Kaling and Chrissy Teigen jumped on the cart. What Blakely was told was a “crazy idea” had exploded-and a deal with the joint brand goal To develop a more affordable line of underwear for the main retail stores. In 2006, Sarah Blacki’s origins were launched in Target, and in the same year Opera gave up every other pants clothes, saying: “I just wear Spanx.”
Adhere to the man
When Blakely originally reached the idea of Spanx, I realized that the socks products were uncomfortable because the men were the ones who were making them.
Blacklie said in luck interview. “The people who make it do not wear it – and if they do not recognize it.”
It was also the men who managed manufacturing facilities who first rejected Blakey’s business, which was estimated $ 1.2 billion As of late 2021. But Blakely did not explicitly ignore the men – Instead, launched their products in 2010. They even brought pressure down the 2013 MPW summit for Warren Buffett – the only man in the crowd – to try.
“Until now, I haven’t tried it,” said Pavit. “I am afraid that I may be very dangerous with this group.”
A copy of this story was originally published on Fortune.com On February 27, 2024.
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