If someone asked me to name my business idol it would have to be Sara Blakely of Spanx. One inspiration has become a $250 billion business that has turned the women’s undergarment world on its head and revolutionized a dishwater dull product category with personality and spunk. Once something no one discussed, now celebrities give thanks to their Spanx on the red carpet.

So I had to Tivo The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch the other night when I heard he would be interviewing her. She had a lot of good tips, but the most important one was to show a little vulnerability and humor during the sales process. She recalled the story from her office copier salesperson days of going to work one day with one navy and one black shoe on. But instead of hiding her feet under a desk all day, she decided to go cold call and had her best day ever. Turns out–being able to laugh about it with the gatekeeping receptionists and office managers disarmed their usual defenses and made her memorable.

So when she was first trying to convince store buyers to carry Spanx, she would surprise them by pulling out a picture of her butt to show them the difference the product made. And the rest, as they say, is history.