Sara Blakely Keynote Speaker

Founder & Executive Chairwoman of SPANX
Entrepreneur & Philanthropist
One of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the world

Sara Blakely's Biography

Sara Blakely is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of SPANX. She revolutionized the undergarment industry with just $5,000 and a “lucky” red backpack and turned it into a global brand known for inventing smarter, more comfortable solutions.

Sara was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the world and was featured on the cover of Forbes Magazine as the youngest self-made female billionaire. She’s also a Guinness World Record holder for having the world’s highest tea party on top of a hot air balloon… but on Instagram, you may know her as the “Pancake Queen” – making pancakes in crazy shapes and sizes for her four children.

Blakely has invested millions of dollars to elevate women and in 2013, she signed the Giving Pledge, promising to donate half her wealth to philanthropy.

Finding Your Leg Up: Inventing the Career of Your Dreams [Moderated Q&A]

Sara Blakely, Spanx founder, shares with audiences several key concepts she believes helped her company become what it is today — market leader with $400 million in annual sales. Blakely talks about how failure comes from staying in your comfort zone rather than stretching yourself. She shares how not knowing your marketplace or even the product you are developing can have its positives. She pursued her idea, researched and learned what she needed to know, hired others who were experts in the industry, and was committed to her mission. Blakely says that just like you shouldn’t take “no” for an answer from anyone else, you shouldn’t take “no” for an answer from yourself. Her inspiring story offers motivation for those with big dreams: “Believe in your idea, trust your instincts, and don’t be afraid to fail.”