Sara Blakely Quotes

Once I graduated from NYU, I started making custom vintage tees for my friends and it just took off from there.

Fashion is such a weird thing. Growing up, I just made do with whatever I had access to - a lot of hand-me-downs and thrift store shopping.

I usually just dress myself. I typically make something or buy something and fix it up. I really like to spend my money on accessories like bags, shoes, belts. I don't really spend on things I can make.

My mom and I would make bracelets and necklaces, and I would sell it in the first, second, and third grades because that was my lunch money.

I have always been attracted to the cottage industry side of this business.

In the future, I'd like to make jewelry and sell it under my own name. But right now, I've got enough on my plate!

I am excited to rise today to support National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day. This celebration honors the husband and wife business owner teams whose work helps drive the economy and fuel job growth.

People who build family businesses are not classically trained. They have to deal with an enormous amount of politics. You think corporate politics are tough? Go work for your dad or your mom.

My mom and I had a kids' clothing store called Smooch for six years, and I did all the buying before I even had kids.

As far back as I can remember, I had an interest in fashion. I used to go to sleepaway camp, and they'd provide a list of things that you had to bring, and I always wanted to be a bit more creative than the list allowed. Like, if they required chinos, I wanted to hand-paint them.

My first words were always about food - I grew up in northern California, and when I was 10 years old, I had my own pretzel cart business.

When I was 13, I opened my own business called The Awesome Pretzel Company, and my dad helped me build a pretzel cart.

My mom worked for Apple, and my dad owned his own business.

In the sixth grade, I planned to start my own business making custom fishing lures.

I wanted to start something in New York that focused on making products locally and, because I'd just had my second child, didn't want to be traveling halfway across the world anymore. Originally, I wanted to open up a gallery space and sell things like cushions or blankets that didn't have a season, and have friends or artists contribute.

My candle-making business gives me decent money.

My first attempt at a business was a jumble sale which I ran at the end of my next door neighbour's drive. I used to rummage through her garage, looking for anything that I thought people might buy. I'd then set up a table and try to sell what I could to the people walking by.

I had a cookie business there, with my brother, when we were growing up, called the Chip Yard, and that became the inspiration for the banana stand. My father said that he wanted us to develop a work ethic, so we'd sit there selling cookies, all day.

Since I was small, when I was in school, I was a business girl. I would buy things to sell, gums for three cents, things like that.

I still see myself as a bit of a cottage industry. Being in a room creating stuff and seeing if anyone wants it, as opposed to going to work for someone.

Do I want to start my own production company? No, I doubt it. I'm too old for that. I don't want to start anything.

I've made money doing things I love. DJing was a hobby. When I bought my turntables my mom said, "Oh what now, Taryn?" But it became pretty fruitful right away. I come from a very music-oriented family.

Entrepreneurs embody the promise of America: the idea that if you have a good idea and are willing to work hard and see it through, you can succeed in this country. And in fulfilling this promise, entrepreneurs also play a critical role in expanding our economy and creating jobs.

Starting a business is a huge amount of hard work... You had better enjoy it.

It is hard to think that a $2 billion company with 4,300-plus people couldn't compete with six people in blue jeans.