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How Did Martha Turn Homemaking into a Marketing Marvel?When casual banter turns to Martha Stewart's name, churning out ridicule is as easy as baking one of Martha's homemade pies. Still, in the face of harsh criticism, and her recent prison stint for misleading an investigation into her stock sales, Martha has squeezed even these lemons into financial lemonade. Her business sales and marketing success in the cooking, entertaining, and home restoration sectors have turned her name into a billion dollar enterprise, and amazingly enough, she did it all from scratch. Where Did Martha Get Those Skills?We've all asked at one time or another, 'where did she learn to do that?'--whether she's demonstrating an eight-course feast or showing us how to redecorate our bathrooms with pebbles collected from last summer at the Hamptons.Surprisingly, Martha's talents emerged early on. With her father's guidance in the garden and her mother's direction in dinner recipes, Martha learned the crafts that have garnered overwhelming business sales through the years. A Woman of Many TradesWhile many know her for Martha Stewart Living Magazine and her syndicated TV show, Martha's resume extends well beyond the home. After graduating from Barnard College, Martha plunged into the realm of sales and marketing, becoming a stockbroker in 1967. When she tired of this, she went on to open her own catering business, the sales of which earned her $1 million. She was running the whole operation out of her basement at the time.What's So Special About Martha?With her impeccably clean, elegant, and pleasantly simple style, Martha's trademark touch is the envy and bane of homemakers everywhere. While hundreds of hopeful entrepreneurs attempt to follow in her footsteps, few are able to match her fierce work ethic, graceful perfection, or gift for sales and marketing. As a result, when it comes to domesticity, folks flock to Martha's advice. Her business sales prove it.So what if her starched linens and basil-infused artichoke dip scream Obsessive Compulsive disorder? At least she knew how to turn homemaking into a booming business career. Fast Facts:Name: Martha StewartBorn: August 3, 1941 Hometown: Jersey City, NJ Education: Barnard College First Job: modeling & TV commercials Current Job: Multi-Media Lifestyle Entrepreneur Net Worth: $1.2 billion Sources: "Discovering Everyday Good Things" Academy of Achievement, March, 4, 2005 (http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/ste0bio-1) Martha Stewart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Stewart) About the Author Marianne Salina has a B.A. in Literature and Creative Writing and enjoys researching and discussing the myriad of online degree options in her articles. By: Marianne Salina World Wide Learn Columnist |
