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MasterClass CEO: I've interviewed hundreds of successful people—they taught me to stop believing a common myth about hard work

Cnbc · · 674 words · By Tom Huddleston Jr
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What to know about MasterClass CEO: I've interviewed hundreds of successful people—they taught me to stop believing a common myth about hard work

MasterClass CEO David Rogier has sat down with hundreds of successful people, from tennis star Serena Williams to former Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger, to learn what sets them apart from everyone else.

Claims checked 9
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center67%
Right33%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

MasterClass CEO David Rogier has sat down with hundreds of successful people, from tennis star Serena Williams to former Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger, to learn what sets them apart from everyone else.

Why it matters

Rogier's top takeaway: Some common myths about success need dispelling.

Common ground

"I think we have this myth that, if you just work hard, things will be OK [and] you'll be successful," says Rogier.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/05/masterclass-ceo-david-rogier-common-myths-succes…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 3
info Single Source 2
verified Verified By Reference 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
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Claim 1: “In a MasterClass program that launched in November 2019, she told the story of how her father would regularly ask her a question at the dinner table”
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm Sara Blakely has a MasterClass and specifically cite a launch/article date of November 12, 2019.
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web search NEUTRAL — Sara Treleaven Blakely is an American businesswoman and philanthropist. She founded Spanx, an intimate apparel company with pants and leggings, in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2012, Blakely was named in Time …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Blakely
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web search NEUTRAL — Share Lesson. Sara Blakely. Teaches Self-Made Entrepreneurship. Spanx founder Sara Blakely teaches you bootstrapping tactics and her approach to inventing, selling, and marketing products that consume…
https://www.masterclass.com/classes/sara-blakely-teaches-sel…
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web search NEUTRAL — Nov 12, 2019.In Blakely’s online course she offers tips, insights, and strategies that apply to all entrepreneurs, whether they’re searching for an idea or growing a company. She teaches self-made ent…
https://www.inc.com/carmine-gallo/in-her-new-masterclass-sel…
info
Claim 2: “More than 200 people — including athletes, actors and entrepreneurs — have hosted classes for the platform”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of dictionary definitions for the word 'more' and does not contain any information regarding the number of instructors on MasterClass.
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web search NEUTRAL — The meaning of MORE is greater. How to use more in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/more
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web search NEUTRAL — Define more. more synonyms, more pronunciation, more translation, English dictionary definition of more. in greater quantity, amount, measure, degree, or number: I need more time. Not to be confused w…
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/more
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web search NEUTRAL — MORE definition: 1. a larger or extra number or amount: 2. used to form the comparative of many adjectives and…. Learn more.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/more
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Claim 3: “private equity firm Blackstone acquired a majority stake in October 2021”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (Reuters, Business Insider, and others) confirm that Blackstone acquired a majority stake in Spanx in October 2021.
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web search NEUTRAL — UPDATE 1-Blackstone buys majority stake in Spanx, valuing it at $1.2 bln.
https://www.reuters.com/business/blackstone-buys-majority-st…
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web search NEUTRAL — The private-equity firm Blackstone is buying a majority stake in Spanx, the trailblazing shapewear company headed by one of America’s richest self-made women, Sara Blakely, in a deal that values the c…
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2021/10/20/black…
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web search NEUTRAL — On October 20, Blackstone said it agreed to purchase a majority stake in the popular undergarment company founded by Sara Blakely in 2000 in a deal that values Spanx at $1.2 billion.
https://www.businessinsider.com/blackstone-and-jpmorgan-all-…
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Claim 4: “The deal valued Spanx at $1.2 billion”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (Barron's, Reuters, Retail Dive) confirm the deal valued Spanx at $1.2 billion.
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web search NEUTRAL — The deal values Spanx at $1.2 billion.Blackstone bought a majority stake in women’s shapewear company Spanx that valued the company at $1.2 billion.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/blackstone-spanx-deal-51634…
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web search NEUTRAL — (Reuters) -Investment firm Blackstone (NYSE:BX) Inc would buy a majority stake in Spanx, valuing the shapewear maker at $1.2 billion, the companies said on Wednesday. The deal will allow Spanx to furt…
https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/blackstone-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Investment firm Blackstone has agreed to acquire a majority stake in womenswear brand Spanx, according to a press release. The deal values Spanx at a total of $1.2 billion.
https://www.retaildive.com/news/spanx-sells-majority-stake-t…
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Claim 5: “Blakely founded the shapewear company in 2000”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and other web sources explicitly state that Sara Blakely founded Spanx in 2000.
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web search NEUTRAL — Spanx, LLC is an American shapewear company founded in 2000 by Sara Blakely in Atlanta, Georgia.[3] The company offers innerwear and outerwear, including activewear, apparel, denim, shapewear, swimwea…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanx
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web search NEUTRAL — Here’s her story: Despite having no experience in fashion, retail, or business leadership, Sara Blakely founded the now famed shapewear company Spanx in 2000, having accidentally thought up the idea w…
https://medium.com/@thatomokau/in-the-spotlight-sara-blakely…
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web search NEUTRAL — Tony had the pleasure of speaking with Sara Blakely at his Business Mastery event in Palm Beach. She’s the founder of shapewear company SPANX, and in 2012 – ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnvoO32JwP8
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Claim 6: “Rogier co-founded his online education subscription program in 2015”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results to confirm the specific founding year of David Rogier's program.
info
Claim 7: “the platform that was valued at $2.75 billion as of May 2021”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence confirms MasterClass exists and was founded by David Rogier, but none of the sources mention a valuation of $2.75 billion in May 2021.
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web search NEUTRAL — MasterClass was founded by David Rogier while a student at Stanford University, originally under the name "Yanka Industries". [6][7] Rogier, who continues to serve as chief executive officer (CEO), [8…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MasterClass
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web search NEUTRAL — MasterClass gives you access to genius through online classes from the best in the world.
https://www.masterclass.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — Download MasterClass: Online Classes by MasterClass on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews, user tips, and more apps like MasterClass: Online…
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/masterclass-online-classes/id1…
help
Claim 8: “longtime Stanford University organizational behavior professor Jeffrey Pfeffer”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results regarding Jeffrey Pfeffer.
verified
Claim 9: “Blakely, who founded footwear brand Sneex in 2024”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and PR Newswire confirm that Sara Blakely founded the footwear brand Sneex in 2024.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Sara Treleaven Blakely[1] (born February 27, 1971) is an American businesswoman and philanthropist. She founded Spanx, an intimate apparel company with pants and leggings, in Atlanta, Georgia. [2] In …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Blakely
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web search NEUTRAL — ATLANTA, Aug. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sara Blakely, the mastermind behind revolutionizing women's undergarments, introduces a new brand, Sneex - a luxury shoe that blends the style of a ...
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spanx-founder-sara-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Spanx founder Sara Blakely unveils Sneex, a high-heeled sneaker built to fix the discomfort that drives women away from traditional heels.
https://observer.com/2025/09/spanx-sara-blakley-dying-indust…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.