--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Within the first year of launching my…" description: "\"Within the first year of launching my company, Spanx, I decided to go over to England and cold-call Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and Selfridges the same wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/sara-blakely-7253_business_within-the-first-year-of-launching-my-co_193006.png" --- # Within the first year of launching my company, Spanx, I… ![“Within the first year of launching my company, Spanx, I decided to go over to England and cold-call Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and Selfridges the same way I had cold-called Neiman Marcus, Saks, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale's here in the United States.” quote by Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/sara-blakely-7253_business_within-the-first-year-of-launching-my-co_193006.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/sara-blakely-7253_business_within-the-first-year-of-launching-my-co_193006.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/sara-blakely-7253_business_within-the-first-year-of-launching-my-co_193006.png) > “Within the first year of launching my company, Spanx, I decided to go over to England and cold-call Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and Selfridges the same way I had cold-called Neiman Marcus, Saks, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale's here in the United States.” [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She expanded her brand by directly contacting high‑end retailers abroad, using the same aggressive outreach she used at home. **In simple terms:** She grew her business by cold‑calling luxury stores in England. Key Takeaway Use bold outreach to enter new markets. Themes entrepreneurship growth sales risk‑taking Mood determined confident Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - launching a startup - entering foreign markets - securing retail partnerships - building brand prestige Key Concepts direct sales market expansion networking Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance persistence with respect for potential partners? - What alternative strategies could complement direct outreach? A Different Perspective Cold‑calling can be seen as intrusive and may not work for all industries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Spanx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spanx/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [Along the way, I learned the key to launching a company. It's all about storytelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/along-the-way-i-learned-the-key-to-launching-a-company-it-s-all-about/) [Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/) > [My saddlebags are why Spanx exist! Now that I have a baby I also have a muffin top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/my-saddlebags-are-why-spanx-exist-now-that-i-have-a-baby-i-also-have/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [I got a call from the Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah had chosen Spanx as one of her favorite products in 2000. I had boxes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-got-a-call-from-the-oprah-winfrey-show-oprah-had-chosen-spanx-as/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [Everything about my journey to get Spanx off the ground entailed me having to be a salesperson - from going to the hosiery mills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/everything-about-my-journey-to-get-spanx-off-the-ground-entailed-me/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [The word 'Spanx' was funny. It made people laugh. No one ever forgot it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/the-word-spanx-was-funny-it-made-people-laugh-no-one-ever-forgot-it/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [I couldn't believe I was homeless and working in Harrods. How many people must be going through this in London?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ncuti-gatwa/i-couldn-t-believe-i-was-homeless-and-working-in-harrods-how-many/) [Ncuti Gatwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ncuti-gatwa/) > [For present buying, I go to Harrods because there are great personal shoppers, who point me in the right direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lampard/for-present-buying-i-go-to-harrods-because-there-are-great-personal/) [Frank Lampard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lampard/) > [The foyer at Covent Garden looks like Harrods food hall has offered up its dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-miller/the-foyer-at-covent-garden-looks-like-harrods-food-hall-has-offered/) [Jonathan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-miller/) > [In Harrods you get some exceptional services.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-ashley/in-harrods-you-get-some-exceptional-services/) [Mike Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-ashley/) > [Esco, dress code, it changes. Harrods in England. Back to the star spangled labels in my closet hanging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/esco-dress-code-it-changes-harrods-in-england-back-to-the-star/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [“I click to buy it and I’m furious to discover that it’s not available in Ireland and they won’t post it from abroad and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/i-click-to-buy-it-and-i-m-furious-to-discover-that-it-s-not-available/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) > [I have so much to be thankful for. I work with the most amazing people, get to make people laugh for a living and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-cummings/i-have-so-much-to-be-thankful-for-i-work-with-the-most-amazing-people/) [Whitney Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-cummings/) > [Eddie Murphy is to comedians what Nicki Minaj is to Spanx.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/eddie-murphy-is-to-comedians-what-nicki-minaj-is-to-spanx/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [I wear Spanx to smooth things out. I read that Jessica Alba wears them and if she wears them, then so should I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-bynes/i-wear-spanx-to-smooth-things-out-i-read-that-jessica-alba-wears-them/) [Amanda Bynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-bynes/) > [Not everyone wants to be sexy everyday, wearing tight dresses and spanx.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/not-everyone-wants-to-be-sexy-everyday-wearing-tight-dresses-and-spanx/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) ## More by Sara Blakely > [I always joke and say I want to invent a comfortable stiletto and then retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-always-joke-and-say-i-want-to-invent-a-comfortable-stiletto-and/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [With every obstacle that has happened to me in my life, my brain immediately says, ‘Where is the hidden blessing?’ In starting a business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/with-every-obstacle-that-has-happened-to-me-in-my-life-my-brain/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [When I cut the feet out of my pantyhose that one time, I saw it as my sign. I had been visualizing being self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/when-i-cut-the-feet-out-of-my-pantyhose-that-one-time-i-saw-it-as-my/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [My saddlebags are why Spanx exist! Now that I have a baby I also have a muffin top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/my-saddlebags-are-why-spanx-exist-now-that-i-have-a-baby-i-also-have/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [In the next decade, I see Spanx going worldwide. Everywhere. No butt left behind. It's going to be all over the world and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/in-the-next-decade-i-see-spanx-going-worldwide-everywhere-no-butt/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [Having a mental snapshot of where you are, where you are going, and what you are moving toward is incredibly powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/having-a-mental-snapshot-of-where-you-are-where-you-are-going-and/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [Everything about my journey to get Spanx off the ground entailed me having to be a salesperson - from going to the hosiery mills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/everything-about-my-journey-to-get-spanx-off-the-ground-entailed-me/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [Failure is not attached to outcome, but in not trying. This way, it is about answering to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/failure-is-not-attached-to-outcome-but-in-not-trying-this-way-it-is/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [It's really a full-time job to manage our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/it-s-really-a-full-time-job-to-manage-our-lives/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [I cut the feet out of control top pantyhose one night, threw them on under my white pants and realized that the toning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-cut-the-feet-out-of-control-top-pantyhose-one-night-threw-them-on/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [Don't let what you don't know scare you, because it can become your greatest asset. And if you do things without knowing how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/don-t-let-what-you-don-t-know-scare-you-because-it-can-become-your/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [I think my story says that, when women are given the chance and the opportunity, that we can achieve a lot. We deliver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-think-my-story-says-that-when-women-are-given-the-chance-and-the/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [The thought of my mortality - I think about it a lot. I find it motivating. It can be any time that your number's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/the-thought-of-my-mortality-i-think-about-it-a-lot-i-find-it/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [I have this system where if I buy three or four new things, I give away three or four things. Sometimes, it's a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-have-this-system-where-if-i-buy-three-or-four-new-things-i-give/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [Embrace what you don't know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/embrace-what-you-don-t-know/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) [Explore all 93 Sara Blakely quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. 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