How Sara Blakely Overcame Fear of Failure to Build Spanx into a Billion-Dollar Company
Sara Blakely’s journey from a struggling salesperson to the founder of Spanx, one of the most successful shapewear brands in the world, offers a powerful lesson on overcoming the fear of failure. Blakely’s story wasn’t one of immediate success—far from it. It was one where confronting and shifting her deep-rooted beliefs about failure became the key to her eventual triumph.
Blakely started out with no background in fashion or business. She was working as a door-to-door fax machine salesperson when the idea for Spanx came to her. Frustrated by the lack of comfortable, flattering undergarments, she cut the feet off a pair of control-top pantyhose and created her own solution—shapewear that was both comfortable and effective. But turning that idea into a business was a different story.
Overcoming rejection and fear of failure
Blakely faced rejection after rejection. She pitched her idea to manufacturers and retailers, only to be told that it was impossible or that there was no market for it. Every “no” she received fueled her fear of failure, but she refused to let it stop her. Instead of letting fear paralyze her, Blakely took a different approach: she tackled her limiting beliefs head-on.
She recognized that her fear of failure wasn’t about the product—it was about the fear of being judged for trying and not succeeding. Blakely was taught early on by her father that failing wasn’t something to be ashamed of; instead, it was an opportunity to learn. This was a powerful shift in mindset. While others saw failure as a sign of weakness, she learned to see it as an essential part of growth.
The turning point came when Blakely made a bold decision to walk into Neiman Marcus and pitch her product directly to a buyer. Armed with nothing but her passion and a small sample of Spanx, she convinced the buyer to give it a try. That was the breakthrough moment—Neiman Marcus agreed to carry Spanx in its stores, which led to a snowball effect, with other retailers following suit.
Even as her business grew, Blakely encountered setbacks and moments of doubt. But she continued to shift her thinking: instead of fearing failure, she embraced it as part of the process. She believed in the vision, even when things didn’t go as planned. Her resilience, fueled by a willingness to face her fears, helped Spanx go from a small, unknown brand to a multi-billion-dollar company.
Key Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Resilience is Crucial: The ability to bounce back from setbacks and keep moving forward is what ultimately turned Blakely’s idea into a global brand. Lessons for Small Business Owners
Shift Your Mindset About Failure: Blakely’s story shows that failure doesn’t define your potential. She embraced it as part of her journey, using setbacks as lessons to move forward.
Challenge Unconscious Beliefs: Blakely’s success came from identifying and changing her belief that failure was a sign of incompetence. Once she accepted failure as part of the learning process, she stopped letting it hold her back.
Take Bold Action: Even when Blakely was rejected, she didn’t wait for things to be perfect. She took chances, pitched her product, and kept pushing forward. Taking bold steps, despite fear, is key to overcoming doubt and achieving success.
Hypnotherapy as a solution for fear of failure
Hypnotherapy is often overlooked in favour of traditional psychotherapy. The results, however, speak for themselves. I have seen many people leave behind loops and stuck patterns which have plagued them their whole lives.
The most important thing to consider is that no amount of rationalising helps people with deep-seated beliefs about themselves because these beliefs are held in the unconscious mind. Hypnosis can speak to that part of your mind in a way it can process.
Most importantly, this often happens quickly and doesn’t involve unearthing and fixating on painful past events. Normally, I only need between 1 and 3 sessions.
Learn more about my rapid and transformative approach to hypnotherapy or book a free discovery call