Who Poisoned The Orkin Fortune?
Atlanta’s Rollins family has long been known for two things: throwing great parties and spawning the Orkin pest control empire. Forbes investigates the $8 billion family feud that has brought their name back into the headlines.
Undercover Billionaire: Sara Blakely Joins The Rich List Thanks To Spanx
[Not single-page] Sara Blakely went from auditioning to play Goofy at Disney World to founding an undergarment empire: Spanx. She still owns 100% equity in the company, making her the youngest female billionaire at age 41:
“Like many startups, Spanx began life as an answer to an irritating problem. The panty hose Blakely was forced to wear at both Disney and Danka were uncomfortable and old-fashioned. ‘It’s Florida, it’s hot, I was carrying fax machines,’ she says. She hated the way the seamed foot stuck out of an open-toe sandal or kitten heel. But she noticed that the control-top eliminated panty lines and made her tiny body look even firmer. She’d bought a new pair of cream slacks for $78 at Arden B and was keen to wear them to a party. ‘I cut the feet off my pantyhose and wore them underneath,’ she says. ‘But they rolled up my legs all night. I remember thinking, “I’ve got to figure out how to make this.” I’d never worked in fashion or retail. I just needed an undergarment that didn’t exist.'”
The Mystery Monk Making Billions With 5-Hour Energy
[Not single-page] The secret life of Manoj Bhargava, whose 5-Hour Energy caffeine and vitamin shot has rung up more than $1 billion in sales:
“Bhargava, 58, is so under the radar that he barely registers on Web searches. His paper trail is thin, consisting primarily of more than 90 lawsuits. This is his first press interview. ‘I’m killing it right now,’ he says, adjusting a black zip-up cardigan from behind the table of a soulless conference room in a beige low-rise building in a suburban business park in Farmington Hills, Mich. ‘But you’ll Google me and find, like, some lawyer in Singapore.’
“Vague and inscrutable is how Bhargava likes things. The names of 5-Hour’s parent company, Living Essentials LLC, and that company’s parent firm, Innovation Ventures, are purposely bland. ‘They were intended as placeholders, and they stuck,’ he says, smiling.”
