How a Decade of Rejection Rocketed Billionaire Spanx Founder Sara Blakely to Mega Success

Business Insider
Updated
TIME 100 Gala
APSpanx founder Sara Blakely attends the TIME 100 gala, celebrating the 100 most influential people in the world.

By Jenna Goudreau

Before she became the billionaire founder of shapewear company Spanx, Sara Blakely failed a lot.

She didn't make it as a standup comedian. She couldn't become a lawyer like her dad because she failed the LSAT — twice.

She even auditioned to play Goofy at Disney World, but because she was shorter than the required 5'8", they made her a Chipmunk instead, Blakely said on a panel at the Forbes Women's Summit in New York on Wednesday.

Advertisement