Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
Matt Stefon was a religion editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. He earned B.A. degrees in English and American studies from the Pennsylvania State University and an M.A. in religion and literature and an M.T.S. in philosophy, theology, and ethics (comparative religious ethics) from Boston University, where he also completed coursework toward a doctorate in comparative theology and American religious history. A native of the Northeast, Stefon was born and raised in Pennsylvania and educated both there and in Massachusetts, where he also taught college English and philosophy and ran a writing center.
He is interested in the literature and folklore of the Anthracite mining fields and of New England. His more "scholarly" pursuits include American Transcendentalism, Confucian and neo-Confucian thought, Daoism, process philosophy and theology, the transmission of Asian religions in the United States, and the intersection of religion with literature and other arts.
Fact-checked byThe Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
Updated:
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Sara Blakely, 2019.
Rick Diamond/Getty Images
Born:
February 21, 1971, Clearwater, Florida, U.S.
Inventions:
Spanx
Sara Blakelyis an American inventor and entrepreneur who created Spanx, a brand of body-slimming womenâs undergarments, and in 2012 became the worldâs youngest female self-made billionaire.
Blakely graduated from Florida State University with a bachelorâs degree in communications. She subsequently held various jobs during a three-month stint at Walt Disney World before becoming first a salesperson and then a national sales trainer at the office-supply company Danka. When she wanted an undergarment that was undetectable beneath her clothing, was comfortable, made her appear slimmer, and could be worn with open-toed shoes, she cut the feet off a pair of pantyhose and found that she had created a garment that other women would want. In 2000 Blakely used $5,000 in personal savings to market her invention. She worked during the day at Danka and devoted nights to researching fabric types, patents, and trademark designs. She ultimately found a hosiery factory willing to produce her footless hose, wrote her own patent application, and chose a playfully endearing product name, âSpanx,â and logo, a young blonde woman modeled on herself. Rather than invest in advertising, Blakely traveled across the United States, meeting and modeling for the boards of stores such as Neiman Marcus.
A major break came in late 2000 when Oprah Winfrey featured Spanx on her popular nationally syndicated television talk show. Thereafter, sales skyrocketed, and the charismatic Blakely rapidly built an empire without advertising or outside investment. Her salesmanship was complemented by her unabashed showmanship. Never able to pass up a chance to market Spanx, Blakely served as her own model both on television and at in-store public appearances across the U.S. She drew increased attention to Spanx when she appeared as a contestant on the 2004â05 reality television program Rebel Billionaire, which was hosted by the British entrepreneur and philanthropist Sir Richard Branson. Blakely finished second but impressed Branson enough that the host gave her $750,000; with this money she established the Sara Blakely Foundation, a philanthropic organization providing scholarships and grants to aspiring female entrepreneurs. Subsequent media appearances spurred increased sales, and by the end of the decade annual sales of Spanx had reached hundreds of millions of dollars. In early 2012 the company, of which Blakely was the sole owner, was valued at $1 billion. Three years later she was among a group of investors who purchased the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. In 2021 the investment firm Blackstone acquired a majority stake in Spanx. As part of the deal, which was valued at approximately $1.2 billion, Blakely became executive chairwoman.
