Bour Bon Creations Uncovers the Journey of the World's First Billionaire Woman

    MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, March 16, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Bour Bon Creations reveal Sarah Blakely's went on to work as a door-to-door salesperson for an office equipment supplier. Her determination and skill saw her quickly rise through the ranks to national sales manager.

Blakely's epiphany came when she found she needed a product that didn't yet exist. Bour Bon Creations agree that most great inventions are created through recognizing a gap in the market and being inspired to provide a product that contributes to consumer needs. A side line in stand-up comedy saw her stuck with what to wear for a show one night. Her white trousers allowed her normal underwear to be seen. Blakely had a brainwave, cut the feet out of a pair of tights to create a smoothing and firming effect, an idea was born.

At 29, Blakely invested her life savings of $5,000 (GBP3,190) trying to come up with something flattering to wear under white trousers. Control hosiery Spanx was born and Blakely wrote the patent herself to save money.

Blakely's says her sales background played a huge part in her success.

In 2007 she told Bloomberg Business Week that everything about her journey to get Spanx off the ground entailed having to be a salesperson--from going to the hosiery mills to get a prototype made to calling Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.

"I had to position myself to get five minutes in front of buyers," she said. "My first account was Neiman Marcus. I cold-called them just like I had cold-called businesses when I was selling fax machines for seven years."

Neiman Marcus' hosiery buyer agreed to meet Blakely for just 10 minutes, during which she pitched her idea and took the buyer to the bathroom to do a "before and after" demonstration of the product.

"The skill ability to effectively communicate with people from all walks of life, from investors to customers and clients is a massive part of being able to run a successful business"- stated Hilary beard, Female Managing director of bourbon creations.

Six months after setting up Spanx, in 2000, Blakely had the brain wave to send some samples to Oprah Winfrey's stylist and received a call from her production company saying the chat show host planned to include Spanx on her "Favourite Things Show".

Winfrey's recommendation saw Spanx go from a single product sold out of Blakely's Atlanta apartment to a billion-dollar business which has made its founder part of a tiny, elite club of women worth ten figures. Bour Bon Creations research revealed further celebrity endorsements followed form singer Gwen Stefani and style icon Sarah Jessica Parker and Spanx got covered in women's magazines including Vogue as well as business magazines such as Forbes.

The Spanx Brand now generates almost $250million in annual revenues and runs at a profit margin of nearly 20%. And because Blakely has never received outside investment and the company remains 100% hers. The company has been valued at $1billion by four separate Wall Street investment firms. Blakely prides herself on finding her own way in business, and relying on gut instinct. Bour Bon Creations 'Without business education and no board of advisers to give the benefit of their experience, this is a hugly successful company and Sarah Blakely should be celebrated' adds Hilary Beard of Bour Bon Creations Blog.

In 2006, Sara Blakely Foundation was launched to help women through education and entrepreneurial training.

Hilary Beard, Managing Director at Bour Bon Creations, believes that the experience and skills she learned in her own direct selling career have allowed her to find the gap in the market that Bour Bon creations, her company now use to their advantage.

Bour Bon Creations MD comments - "Unlike Sarah Blakely, not all of our clients have the skill and experience to provide a great customer and brand experience. That's where we come and represent our cliens at a high standard and generate profit."

It is easy for Bour Bon Creations to appreciate the success that Sarah Blakely has had with her business Spanx, they certainly look to take note of the experiences and lessons she has learned throughout her career.

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Website: http://www.bourboncreations.co.uk

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