United States - She is the world's youngest self-made woman billionaire.
Ms Sara Blakely, 42, made her billion after she founded Spanx, a women's shapewear line. Now she has become the first woman to join Mr Warren Buffett and Mr Bill Gates' Giving Pledge.
Launched in June 2010, the Giving Pledge asks the world's wealthy to donate the majority of their fortune to philanthropic causes.
Ms Blakely is worth US$1billion (S$1.2 billion) according to Forbes, and she committed to give at least of half of her wealth to charity, the Daily Mail reported.
Ms Blakely, who owns 100 per cent of her privately held company and recently topped a list of America's 50 Most Powerful Mothers, told Forbes how after she appeared on the magazine's cover, she was invited to dine with Mr Gates and his wife Melinda in Miami. The co-founder of Microsoft proposed the Giving Pledge to her.
She said she spent a few months mulling over it before deciding to join it. Other billionaires who signed up for Giving Pledge include Virgin founder Richard Branson, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
After joining The Giving Pledge, she told CNN Money that she told her three-year-old son, Lazer, she was going to give away at least half of her money - and that she hoped one day he thinks she had done the right thing.
"'Okay, mummy', he said, 'can we do a puzzle now?'"
Ms Blakely, who is married to former American rapper Jesee Itzler, said she is passionate about supporting women's causes, and has already donated US$1million to Oprah's Leadership Academy for girls in South Africa.
Eager to pay it forward, she also established the Sara Blakely Foundation, raising US$20 million for women's causes.
Nowadays, she spends her down time with her family in their 10,000 sq ft (929 sq m) home in Atlanta, Georgia, the Daily Mail reported.
She said: "I'm at a slightly different stage in my journey. I haven't monetised the bulk of my wealth. But I have been setting aside profits every year, as I always knew I wanted to do something like [the Giving Pledge].
The former fax machine saleswoman started Spanx 14 years ago with just US$5,000 in savings, and no formal business training.
She said: "At Spanx we say it's our goal to make the world a better place, one butt at a time. With this pledge my goal is to make the world a better place…one woman at a time."
It was after a spontaneous epiphany that Ms Blakely cut the feet out of her control-top pantyhose for a smoother look under a pair of cream-coloured pants; but when they continued to roll up her leg, she sought out manufactures who could help.
Photos: Youtube screengrabs, AFP, Reuters, ST, Bloomberg News, Spanx
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