MasterClass Announces SPANX® Founder and Self-Made Billionaire Sara Blakely To Teach Entrepreneurship

Continues to grow its business vertical with impactful classes from the world's top leaders

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Nov 07, 2019, 06:00 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MasterClass, the platform that makes it possible for anyone to learn from the best, today announced that inventor, entrepreneur and founder of SPANX^®, Sara Blakely, will teach a class on self-made entrepreneurship. Blakely will walk members through the process of defining your purpose, the skills and strategies in selling an idea and building awareness and a brand. Now available exclusively at MasterClass.com, students can subscribe for unlimited access to all new and existing classes of 65+ instructors through the All-Access Pass. MasterClass categories include business, culinary arts, film & television, music & entertainment, photography, sports and more.

"Sara went from selling fax machines door-to-door to becoming the world's youngest female self-made billionaire," said David Rogier, co-founder and CEO of MasterClass. "She saw a need and completely re-invented an entire product category with SPANX. We're thrilled to have her on the platform to share an inspiring, in-depth look at her success, as well as key principles and practical advice."

A pioneer of the shapewear industry and the sole owner of her company, Blakely is the epitome of a self-made entrepreneur. She's an inventor, innovator and the founder of SPANX, an apparel company that sells undergarments, leggings, swimwear, maternity wear, and more. Since its inception, she grew the company into a billion-dollar business selling products worldwide in over 60 countries. In 2012, Blakely was named the world's youngest self-made female billionaire by Forbes Magazine and one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People. More recently, she was included in Forbes' 2019 America's Richest Self-Made Women list. Blakely is an advocate for women all over the world and, in 2006, launched the SPANX by Sara Blakely Foundation to empower women through education, entrepreneurship and the arts.

"When I started SPANX, I had never taken a business class or worked in retail. I was able to revolutionize an industry because of the lessons I learned and practiced early in my life," Blakely said. "In my MasterClass, I share those lessons – like finding your purpose, cultivating courage and developing an entrepreneurial mindset. I also share my successes along with my failures, which will hopefully inspire and encourage anyone to go out there and give it a try. It's what it's all about."

Blakely's class will offer an in-depth look into her entrepreneurial journey founding SPANX. Designed for aspiring and current entrepreneurs or business and sales leaders, Blakely will take students through each step of developing a successful business, from ideating a new product to working with manufacturers to building an empowering company culture that embraces learning from failure. The class will feature case studies for a deeper dive into Blakely's business practices and what helped drive SPANX to be a billion-dollar global brand. In 'Sara's Survival Guide,' Blakely will also offer personal insights into how to navigate emotional ups and downs, from building a support system to managing self-doubt.

Sara Blakely's latest MasterClass joins the 65+ classes taught by world-renowned instructors on culinary arts, photography, writing, performance, and much more. Each MasterClass has digestible video lessons sized to fit into any part of your day and cinematic visuals with close-up, hands-on demonstrations that make you feel one-on-one with the instructor. The All-Access Pass gives you access to every MasterClass and new ones as they launch. Learn on the go with mobile apps or in the comfort of your home theater with Apple TV. Subscribe to greatness at MasterClass.com.

Embed & view the trailer for Sara Blakely's MasterClass here:
https://youtu.be/6QiElTydVQ8

Download stills here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2ja3554n554ocxb/AAA4J1cObOGR5yuNFCk8XAuya?dl=0
Credit: Courtesy of MasterClass

ABOUT MASTERCLASS
Founded in 2015, MasterClass makes it possible for anyone to learn from the best. With MasterClass, step into Anna Wintour's office, Timbaland's recording studio, and Neil Gaiman's writing retreat. Improve your serve with Serena Williams, perfect your pitch with Shonda Rhimes, and leave the atmosphere with Chris Hadfield. Hundreds of video lessons from 65+ of today's most brilliant minds are available anytime, anywhere on iOS, Android, desktop, and Apple TV with the All-Access Pass ($180/year); single classes are $90. Subscribe to greatness with MasterClass.

MasterClass's current roster of courses includes:

Business: Howard Schultz (business leadership), Anna Wintour (creativity and leadership), Sara Blakely (self-made entrepreneurship)

Culinary Arts: Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Alice Waters (home cooking), Thomas Keller (cooking techniques), Wolfgang Puck (cooking), Dominique Ansel (French pastry), James Suckling (wine appreciation), Aaron Franklin (Texas BBQ), Massimo Bottura (Italian cooking)

Film and Television: Werner Herzog (filmmaking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Ron Howard (directing), Spike Lee (filmmaking), Mira Nair (independent filmmaking), Jodie Foster (filmmaking), Ken Burns (documentary filmmaking), Helen Mirren (acting), Samuel L. Jackson (acting), Judd Apatow (comedy), Aaron Sorkin (screenwriting), Shonda Rhimes (writing for television), Natalie Portman (acting), David Lynch (creativity and filmmaking)

Music and Entertainment: Steve Martin (comedy), Christina Aguilera (singing), Usher (performance), Reba McEntire (country music), Herbie Hancock (jazz), Deadmau5 (music production), Armin van Buuren (dance music), Hans Zimmer (film scoring), Tom Morello (electric guitar), Carlos Santana (art and soul of guitar), Timbaland (producing and beatmaking), Penn & Teller (magic), Itzhak Perlman (violin), Danny Elfman (music for film)

Writing: James Patterson (writing), David Mamet (dramatic writing), Judy Blume (writing), Malcolm Gladwell (writing), R.L. Stine (writing for young audiences), Margaret Atwood (creative writing), Dan Brown (writing thrillers), Neil Gaiman (storytelling), Billy Collins (poetry), David Baldacci (writing thrillers), Joyce Carol Oates (short story writing)

Photography: Annie Leibovitz (photography), Jimmy Chin (adventure photography)

Design and Fashion: Frank Gehry (architecture), Diane von Furstenberg (how to build a fashion brand), Marc Jacobs (fashion design)

Sports and Games: Serena Williams (tennis), Stephen Curry (shooting, ball-handling, and scoring), Garry Kasparov (chess), Daniel Negreanu (poker), Phil Ivey (poker strategy), Simone Biles (gymnastics)

Politics and Society: Jane Goodall (conservation), Bob Woodward (investigative journalism), Karl Rove and David Axelrod (political campaign strategy), Paul Krugman (economics and society)

Science and Technology: Chris Hadfield (space exploration), Will Wright (game design)

For more information, please visit www.masterclass.com.

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SOURCE MasterClass