Sara Blakely, the founder and inventor of the popular women’s shape wear Spanx, is extraordinary not only because she’s a successful entrepreneur, but also because she took no outside investment while building her massive company. As Inc. notes, that’s a feat that some of the world’s most iconic founders haven’t accomplished, including Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Sheryl Sandberg or Mark Zuckerberg.
In an interview with the outlet, Blakely dished some advice one some of the keys to her success, and it started when she was just a teenager. Here are some words of wisdom to pass on to the young woman in your life.
Turn Disadvantages Into Advantages
Being a woman in business is difficult, but Blakely pivoted her gender to her benefit, telling Inc. she was “very determined to stay feminine through the whole journey … very interested in seeing how things would turn out if I didn’t play by the typical masculine roles [by] operating so much more from intuition, from gut, kindness as the center, giving back, in service of my customers.”
Find Models Who Encourage Confidence
It’s important to look to those who have paved the way for success. One of Blakey’s role models was Oprah Winfrey.
“I just admire her. I saw her as a woman who took charge of her own life and had almost every single mark against her and still rose above that and found the inner confidence to do that, so I took a lot from that.”
Visualize What is Wanted
Blakely notes it’s important to keep eyes on the outcome — she calls this the “pre-work,” which involves “practicing visualization–manifesting the things I want in my life,” as well as “finding courage, building courage.”
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