Branded, customizable, handcrafted tables proudly made in the USA
Sara Blakely, photographed by Gillian Zoe Segal. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What does it really take to build a business that lasts? Not just in sales, but in spirit. Not just in products, but in purpose.
When I think about legacy in business, one name always rises to the surface: Sara Blakely.
Blakely’s story is almost folklore now. With $5,000 in savings, no background in fashion, and countless closed doors, she took an idea and turned it into Spanx — a global brand that has reshaped not only wardrobes but also the conversation around women entrepreneurs.
What strikes me most isn’t only the success. It’s that she built her company with a fierce commitment to authenticity. She didn’t hide the struggle, the rejections, or the trial-and-error. She let those things become part of the story. And that honesty is what made her relatable, and enduring.
Blakely’s openness about failure and willingness to show vulnerability created an authentic connection and trust with her customers. By embracing what she didn’t know, she made it safe for others to dream, experiment, and take risks.
For Blakely, authenticity wasn’t a talking point — it was the way she built her business. She often shares that she was encouraged as a child to “fail big” and celebrate the lessons that came from trying. That mindset freed her from the fear of mistakes and gave her the courage to experiment, improvise, and trust her instincts.
When manufacturers dismissed her idea, she didn’t pretend to have more credentials than she did. Instead, she picked up the phone herself and kept pitching until one mill finally said yes. Later, when it came to hiring, she famously prioritized positive energy and belief in the product over experience. Skills could be taught, she explained, but enthusiasm and conviction couldn’t — and those were the values she wanted her brand to embody.
Even as competitors rushed to copy her products, Spanx endured because her brand wasn’t built on gimmicks — it was built on values, persistence, and authenticity.
And really — what woman hasn’t made that last-minute dash for Spanx before a big event? It’s practically a rite of passage at this point.
That’s a legacy you won’t find in balance sheets. It’s one that lives on in every entrepreneur who sees her story and thinks: If she could, maybe I can too. It’s about having that one bold, audacious dream.
Bespokle “S” Monogram table, recolored in the bold red-and-black palette of Spanx — a visual tribute to Sara Blakely’s legacy of authentic entrepreneurship.
In my own work at Bespokle, I’ve started to see tables not just as furniture, but as stages for legacy. A conference table is where ideas are pitched, decisions are debated, risks are taken, and vision is born.
Imagine a company whose most pivotal conversations happen around a branded Bespokle table — where their mark is etched into the very surface. Just like Blakely’s story, that table becomes more than function. It becomes a crest, a touchstone of identity, a quiet reminder: This is who we are, this is what we’re building together.
Rendering of a branded Bespokle walnut and black epoxy conference table in a high-rise workspace.
Sara Blakely built her legacy by being real — by showing that resilience and authenticity can carry farther than pedigree ever could.
We should all take stock in the example Sara has set and the story that has become her remarkable legacy. With that, I ask you:
What stage are you building your legacy on? And what story will it tell long after you’ve left the room?
Hermès, Tiffany, Steinway — heritage brands didn’t build legacies overnight. They built them on soul: craft, values, and heritage. Here’s what businesses of every size can learn about why soul endures and legacy matters.
For centuries, family crests have told the stories of who we are and what we value. Today, a handcrafted table can carry the same meaning — becoming a modern crest for families and businesses alike. Beyond function, these pieces symbolize heritage, identity, authenticity and a foundation to build upon.
Legacy is a word we hear everywhere — in families, in businesses, in culture. But what does it really mean? Beyond wealth or recognition, legacy is about presence, values, and the stories that continue long after the moment has passed.
