Sometime in early 2018, Sarah Blakely Blakely met up with some of her college pals and went down a memory lane regarding a particular incident. Soon after, the apparel mogul took to her Facebook and shared her experience with everyone before sharing an edited version of the same post on Instagram.

The incident dates back to the winter of 1989 when the Spanx founder was in her freshman year of college. She was visiting a jewelry store in a local mall when she came across a beautiful ring that immediately caught her eye. 

She inquired the man behind the counter about the ring’s price and asked if there was a discount on the ring. The man quickly dismissed her by claiming that they never negotiated their prices. 

What followed next proved what we already know—the Spanx founder Sarah Blakely is a woman of courage and strength.

Who is Sara Blakely?

Sara Blakely, the founder of American apparel company Spanx, was titled the youngest-ever self-made female billionaire at age 41 by Forbes in 2012.

Sara shared an Incident from Her Freshman Year

Sometime in early 2018, Blakely met up with some of her college pals and went down a memory lane regarding a particular incident. Soon after, the apparel mogul took to her Facebook and shared her experience with everyone before sharing an edited version of the same post on Instagram.

The incident dated back to the winter of 1989 when the Spanx founder was in her freshman year of college. She was visiting a jewelry store in a local mall when she came across a beautiful ring that immediately caught her eye. 

She inquired the man behind the counter about the ring’s price and asked if there was a discount on the ring. The man quickly dismissed her by claiming that they never negotiated their prices. 

Sara got A Conditional Discount Afterall

The salesperson then smiled at young Blakely and said in a hushed tone, “only if you came in here in nothing but a bikini would I discount the price,” before moving on to assist another customer. Blakely further questioned, “how much would you discount it?” To which he said, “half off,” and laughed. Blakely then told her skeptical friends that she would be back to the store in a bikini.

The next day, dressed in her bikini, a long black coat, a scarf, a hat, and jelly shoes, Blakely headed back to the store. In below-freezing 27 degrees, Blakely took off her winter wear and walked into the jewelry store with nothing but a bikini— just like the salesperson had asked. Blakely described that as soon as he laid eyes on her, he lost all the color in his face before she announced, “I’m here for my discount.”

#TBT 1989 .. Im a freshman in college. It’s winter and I’m in the mall with my college buddies. We stop into a jewerly store. I see a ring i love ... i ask the man behind the counter how much the ring is. He says “$120.” I say, “ Is there any room on the price? Does it ever go on sale?” He completely dismisses me and says, “only if you came in here in nothing but a bikini would i discount the price.” Then he turned to help someone else. I waited and said “how much would you discount it?” He said, “half off and laughed.” As we walked out I turned to my friends and said I’m coming back in a bikini. They thought i was joking, but the next day we piled into the only car any of us had and drove back to the mall. It was 27degrees. My friends and everyone in the mall had on ski jackets, sweaters, hats etc... I was wearing a long black coat, a scarf, a hat, a bikini, and jelly shoes (remember those:). As we approached the store in the only super crowded mall in our college town, I took off the winter stuff and walked into the store in nothing but a bikini. The guy was helping other customers but when he looked up and saw me, he lost all the color in his face. I said, “I’m here for my discount.” He froze. He literally did not know what to do. He finally said, “let me get my manager’.” After he explained to the manager what he said, the manager made him honor it. I got the ring for $60. I’m betting the guy never blew off or dismissed another young female customer again. And yup, I still have the ring. (Swipe to see). Hand is just older now, but I wear it from time to time to remind myself of the courage it took me as a freshman in a new college town to stand up for myself. It was terrifying and my heart was pounding, by the time I bought the ring a crowd had gathered outside the store confused and curious. My friends were in shock that i actually did it, but in the end we laughed uncontrollably, piled back in the car, and headed back to our dorm. #HappyEnding #IGotTheRing #1989 #KayJewelers #Gainesville #Fl #Courage #Entrepreneur

A post shared by Sara Blakely (@sarablakely) on Mar 29, 2018 at 6:02pm PDT

Although Blakely was the one with the bikini in the dead of winter, it was the salesperson that froze. Left with no choice, he went on to discuss the situation with his manager. In turn, the personnel made him honor his word, and Blakely got the ring at half price. 

The inspiring entrepreneur admitted that she was terrified by her ordeal; her “heart was pounding” as she puts it. But, in the end, Blakely and her friend got back to their car riddled with laughter as they headed back to their dorm. 

Accompanying the long narration was a trio of snaps from the day this memorable incident happened. The confident woman who would later be the sole owner of a multi-million dollar underwear brand was dressed in a cute pink bikini with blue laces. The latter photo also showed the ring—a memorabilia of her courage. 

The incident took place just after she joined Florida State University to further her education in legal communications after she graduated from Clearwater High School in Florida. 

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