In the fall of 2004, I reached a new height in my entrepreneurial adventure: 10,000 feet! That's the elevation of the hot-air balloon I had to climb so I could have tea on top of the balloon with one of my business heroes, Richard Branson. The crazy thing is that I am terrified of heights. But it was all part of a business-meets-hair-raising-stunts Fox TV show called The Rebel Billionaire: Richard Branson's Quest for the Best. I joined the cast of The Rebel Billionaire to get the opportunity to meet my business hero, Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin. But I had no idea what the journey would involve. I got to do business tasks in China, London, and South Africa, and even got to spend an afternoon with Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Mandela.
Everyone thought I was crazy for leaving Spanx for three months to be on a reality TV show, but I trusted my gut. Something told me that this would be a chance of a lifetime, and it was. Richard Branson traveled with us around the world, which gave me the opportunity to talk with him about Spanx, his experience with Virgin, and his new global foundation Virgin Unite. I was really interested in learning how to set up a foundation, because this had been a dream of mine, even before starting Spanx. I was very touched by our visit to a poor village in South Africa, and I wanted more than ever to find a way to help women who do not have the same rights as we do in America. At the conclusion of the show came a huge surprise. I was a finalist with Shawn Nelson, owner of LoveSac, and in the final scene, Branson chose Shawn as the winner. Then, in a completely unexpected twist, Branson turned to me and said, "Sara, I haven't forgotten about you." He handed me a check for $750,000 - his paycheck from Fox for the show - for me to start my own foundation to help women! The Sara Blakely Foundation is dedicated to helping women globally through education and entrepreneurship.
Since the show, I've been working with my team to explore many ways that we can help empower women throughout the world and give them the same opportunities that we have in America. Plus, I wanted to find a way to sustain my foundation, so we can continue to help women for years to come. That's when Target came along, and the opportunity to sell ASSETS nationwide in Target stores was the perfect fit! A portion of each ASSETS purchase will go towards The Sara Blakely Foundation. Next, I wanted to find a way for The Sara Blakely Foundation to truly impact women's lives. Together with Richard Branson and Virgin Unite, I have been traveling to Johannesburg, South Africa, to visit a school called CIDA (Community and Individual Development Association) City Campus that is changing the lives of young women and men in South Africa. Our first efforts will focus on providing scholarships for young women to attend CIDA. |
