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How To Become a Billionaire by Showing Your Underwear
Methods of Prosperity newsletter no. 112: Sara Blakely
Sean Allen Fenn
August 07, 2025
Don't be intimidated by what you don't know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.”
Shame-based marketing. That’s the traditional shapewear marketing approach (Pre-Spanx). For over 100 years, major manufacturers like Spencer and Spirella did the same thing. They used the old “Before and After Woman” advertising technique. They exploited women’s self-doubt to drive sales. Their ads featured exaggerated transformations.
They used language of shame and inadequacy. Using words like “bulges”, “sags”, and “unlovely”. Which implied that women’s natural bodies were problems that needed fixing. They created anxiety about social acceptance and attractiveness.
The worst part? They used moral undertones. Suggesting that women with deficient morals neglected to wear their brand of corset. They connected physical appearance to personal worth and social standing. They used phrases like “poor unfortunate” and “deep shame”.
Sara Blakely’s approach was different.
She positioned Spanx as empowering women to feel confident and comfortable. She used positive, “girlfriend-to-girlfriend” messaging.
The traditional shapewear approach was uncomfortable.
They reserved it for special occasions. For instance, “your grandmother’s girdle” or “your mother’s unitard”.
Sara Blakely’s approach was different.
She created comfortable, everyday solutions that women could wear every day without discomfort.
The traditional shapewear approach of major shapewear brands relied on expensive advertising campaigns.
Sara Blakely’s approach was different.
She built the brand through authentic customer interactions. Not only was it word-of-mouth, but she made legendary personal demonstrations in stores.
“When I got Neiman Marcus, a lot of people think that’s when you’ve arrived. That’s when I double-timed. I mean, I got on a plane and I was gone for two years straight. And I went to every department store in the country that sold Spanx. Every Neiman, Saks, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdales. And I would go before the store opened and do an all-store rally, and tell them what my product was. Explain it to them, do a demo, give out free product. And then stand there in the department for, you know, eight hours a day and tell customers what it was.”
Most shapewear marketers often focused on making women feel inadequate about their bodies.
Historical Examples of Shame-Based Messaging
Historical Examples of Shame-Based Messaging:
Spencer Advertisements (1930s-1950s):
“What can I do? My figure bulges dreadfully”
“You’re headed for trouble if you neglect SAGGING BREASTS!”
“Why don't you get rid of your bulges? You know they are unlovely”
“Have you ‘Bridge-Player’s Bulges’?”
“Do your breasts sag?”
Spirella Campaign (1960s):
“Happiness is a flat tummy” - direct connection of body shape to emotional well-being.
Sara Blakely’s approach was different.
She solved a practical problem (visible panty lines) that women actually faced.
Traditional shapewear marketing used corporate, clinical marketing language.
Sara Blakely’s approach was different.
She shared her own authentic story. Her product solved a problem she had. She wanted to achieve a smoother look under her clothes. What was she supposed to wear under white pants? One day she decided to cut the feet off pantyhose. This led her to develop a new type of comfortable, undetectable undergarment. Using $5,000 of her personal savings, she researched, patented, and began to market her product. This real story made the brand relatable and trustworthy.
Most vendors who want to sell their product through Neiman Marcus do what they’re told. They go to trade shows year after year, hoping that the Neiman’s buyer will call them.
Sara Blakely’s approach was different.
She secured a meeting by cold-calling a buyer at Neiman Marcus. Then she flew herself from Atlanta to Dallas for the pitch. During the meeting, she sensed the buyer was losing interest.
What do most people do in this situation? Talk faster, apologize, get escorted out by security.
Sara Blakely’s approach was different.
Sara asked her to come to the ladies’ room. There, she demonstrated the effectiveness of Spanx firsthand. Sara showed the buyer how her white pants looked before and after putting on the product. This hands-on demonstration convinced the buyer. Neiman Marcus agreed to launch Spanx in seven Neiman Marcus stores.
Blakely conceived Spanx in 1998. By 2000, sales began to skyrocket. That’s when Oprah Winfrey featured Spanx in her Favorite Things segment. Sara’s brand gained national attention. Blakely built the company without outside investment. She maintained full ownership, growing Spanx into a global brand. In 2012, Forbes recognized her as the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire. As of 2025, her estimated net worth is $1.3 billion. She is also known for her philanthropic work supporting women and girls. Blackstone acquired Spanx in 2021. She’s the executive chairwoman.
I like you,
– Sean Allen Fenn
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