2. Early Years
Born into a working class As she was fascinated with
Polish-American family, Martha business and money-making,
grew up with a strong work Martha baby-sat as a young
ethic. teenager.
Performed many household
chores, helped her mother cook
and entertained guests.
Learned business skills with her
siblings. They would trap
muskrats and sell their skins for
profit.
3. Getting Her Start
Martha modeled during high school making about 35,000 dollars a
year which enabled her to pay for college.
She attended Barnard College where she studied art history.
Upon graduation, Martha married law student Andy Stewart and
moved with him into a rundown farmhouse dubbed, “Turkey Hill.”
Restoring the farmhouse was a great way for Martha to practice her
home decorating skills.
Dinner Parties thrown at Turkey Hill often caught the attention of the
media, and Martha's name became known.
4. Inspiration
The 1980's was a decade of
conservationism and
materialism.
It was the prime time for a
home decorator of Martha's
magnitude to emerge onto the
scene.
A great deal of emphasis was
placed on the presentation of
meals and the interior design of
homes.
The dinner parties thrown at
Turkey Hill inspired Martha to
create a catering company.
5. Business Ventures
At age 32, Martha opened Given the position of
her first catering business freelance food editor for
with a partner. It was the magazine “House
called, Uncatered Affair. Beautiful.”
After the success of her Signed a deal with Kmart
first company, she decided and created a line of
to open a catering company “Everyday” products for
on her own called, Martha the retail chain raking in
Stewart Incorporated. millions of dollars.
Became the head of an Signed on with Time
upscale food court at the Warner Cable to produce
West Common Market. her own magazine,
Martha made the company “Martha Stewart Living.”
a lot of money and was the Circulation reached about
center of much media 1.2 million.
attention.
6. Omnimedia
After severing ties with Time
Warner Cable, Martha created
her own media company,
“Martha Stewart Living
Omnimedia.
She was the CEO and the
chairman of the company.
Omnimedia incorporated her
Television and radio shows,
along with the management of
her magazines.
7. Scandal
Martha received classified information about her shares of Imclone
stock. When she heard from her stock broker that the stock was about
to drop, she sold 4,00o shares.
When accused of insider trading, Martha lied about having known the
stocks would depreciate in value.
However, the money Martha made on the transaction was a small
amount so she was not incarcerated for insider trading.
She did lie in front of a jury about having been informed of the stocks'
decrease, so she was charged with perjury.
Martha was sentenced to 5 months in prison 2 years of probation, and
a 30,000 dollar fine.
8. Work Cited
Gimbel, Barney and Keith Naughton with Peg Tyro. “Martha's
Makeover.” Newsweek. 19 Jan 2004.
Mooney, Louise. “Martha Stewart.” Newsmakers. 1992.
“Stewart, Martha.” Discovering Biography. Online ed. Detroit:
Gale, 2003.
Toobin, Jeffrey. “A Bad Thing- Why Did Martha Lose?” New
Yorker. 22 March 2003
