Famous Quote
“It's important to be willing to make mistakes. The worst thing that can happen is you become memorable.”
Why #98
See entry #19 for Blakely's full ranking and achievements.
The Story
See entry #19 for Sara Blakely's full story. Her Spanx journey — from selling fax machines door-to-door to building a $1.2B+ shapewear empire with zero outside funding — remains one of the most remarkable bootstrapping stories in consumer product history. Spanx was acquired by Blackstone in 2021 for a reported $1.2B valuation.
Key Achievements
See entry #19 for full achievements
By the Numbers
#19
See entry
Fun Facts
See entry #19 for full details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the greatest entrepreneurs of all time?
The greatest entrepreneurs include Steve Jobs (Apple), Elon Musk (Tesla/SpaceX), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Bill Gates (Microsoft), and Mark Zuckerberg (Meta). Each built companies that fundamentally changed how the world works — from personal computing and smartphones to e-commerce, cloud computing, and social media.
What makes someone a successful entrepreneur?
Successful entrepreneurs share several traits: the ability to identify unmet needs, willingness to take calculated risks, relentless execution, and resilience in the face of failure. They combine vision with practical problem-solving and are willing to persist long after most people would quit. Capital and credentials matter far less than most people think — resourcefulness beats resources.
Can you become an entrepreneur without a business degree?
Absolutely. Many of the greatest entrepreneurs had no business education. Steve Jobs dropped out of college. Richard Branson left school at 16. Sara Blakely was selling fax machines. Henry Ford had no formal engineering training. Jack Ma was an English teacher. What matters is not the degree — it is the ability to see an opportunity, build something people want, and persist through failure.
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