What’s Martha Stewart’s Net Worth- How She Became A Millionaire

Martha Stewart turned homemaking into making serious business. The original lifestyle guru, Marta started out as a babysitter and model. Then she went on to become a caterer and stockbroker before becoming a cookbook author. She launched an empire unrivalled by any other woman in the business. She became a household name and right from her recipes to her décor, to her insider trading scandal, Marta has evolved into a formidable celebrity. Before we move further knowing about Martha Stewart Net Worth, lets find more about her life.

What’s Martha Stewart’s net worth

Early life of Martha Stewart:

Marta began hustling when she was just 10 years old. She babysat for the children. At 15, she appeared in an ad for Lifebuoy, a Unilever soap. Among her many assignments, Stewart would go on to model for Chanel, as also for numerous ads, including for cigarettes. She paid her tuition at Barnard College of Columbia University out of her modelling money. She married Andrew Stewart and later on graduated with degrees in both history and architectural history.

Marta recounts, “I knew I was good enough to get $60 an hour out of my modelling (the going rate at the time.) I wasn’t the cover girl, maybe someone could mentor me but then I got married when I was just 19.”

Martha Stewart net worth in Billions:

Forbes found Martha’s net worth to be $ 1 billion in 2000. However, after Stewart’s insider trading conviction, her stocks plummeted and her holdings went from a $591 million valuation to $162 million by October 2002. In the January of 2006, they regained somewhat and were valued at $300 million.

Careers that added to the net worth of Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart as a stockbroker and caterer:

Following in the footsteps of her father-in-law, Marta, in 1967, became a stockbroker. She moved to Connecticut with her husband. Together they restored a farmhouse built in the early 1800s. It boosted Martha’s credentials as a decorator, designer, and homemaking stalwart. Martha Stewart’s husband, Andrew, worked as a CEO for several houses before he opened his own. This served Stewart well later on.

Alongside working as a stockbroker, Stewart embarked on a catering service business with partner Norma Collier. They would later part on the ways with Stewart eventually buying out Collier’s half of the business. Marta also managed a gourmet food store but couldn’t get along with the rest of the staff and later would open her own shop.

Martha Stewart as a Cookbook Author:

With some help from her husband, Martha Stewart rose to fame as a cookbook author. She met Alan Miken who was then the head of Crown Publishing Group. It led to Stewart’s first cookbook, Entertaining, which was penned with a ghostwriter and released in 1982 through Clarkson Potter Books, one of Crown Publishing Group’s imprints. Martha’s relationship with Clarkson Potter continued for more than three decades. Together she and the publishing house have released more than 90 books.

In addition to her cookbooks, Martha also had columns in newspapers and magazines. She appeared on television numerous times. Thanks to her appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live, among others, she achieved global fame.

Stewart divorced her husband in 1990, but she kept his last name, a key component of her brand.

Marta Stewart Media Empire:

Martha’s premiere magazine, Martha Stewart Living, debuted in 1990 through Time Publishing Ventures. And as with the rest of her ventures, this also touched a soaring success. She later transitioned into television with her first show, Martha Stewart Living in 1993. She would continue the broadcast right until 2004. Martha’s whole empire is called Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

Martha Stewart and Insider Trading

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) indicted Martha for insider trading in 2003. She had to resign from her post on the Board of Directors of the New York Stock Exchange, as well as her role of CEO and Chairwoman of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

Stewart was convicted of conspiracy; obstruction of an agency proceeding; and making false statements to federal investigators. She was sentenced to five months in prison, two years of supervised release, and a fine of $ 30,000.

Martha Stewart and the Product Lines

Martha became a brand thanks to the popularity of her books and TV work. She had an exclusive line for Kmart including dishware, cooking tools, and bedding for over a decade. Some of her products were also available at Sears stores. After her exclusivity deal expired; Home Depot, J.C. Penney, and Macy’s began carrying the brand as well. She also has a line of carpet tiles, a craft line at Walmart, and an online store on eBay.

Martha Stewart’s comeback on TV

Stewart wouldn’t let her prison stint constrain her and launched a comeback for the ages. Upon her release from prison, Martha made a return to TV with The Martha Stewart Show. Also, she continued to increase the range of her product lines. Briefly, she even had her own Apprentice spinoff- The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. Her book publishing producing bestselling books kept on soaring. She had a $2 million deal for The Martha Rules, a series about business and entrepreneurship. 

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Martha Stewart- The real estate mogul

Martha’s most famous real estate is the home she no longer resides in. She restored, renovated, and decorated the Turkey Hill, Connecticut farmhouse which she purchased in 1971 for $46,750. She sold this property in 2007 for $6.7 million. The property (called Skylands), was originally built for Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford. 

Martha also owned a Manhattan penthouse on the Hudson River that she put on the market in 2010 for $15.9 million before dropping the price to $13.9 million.

Stewart’s main home base is in Katonah, New York. This 152-acre estate had an asking price of $15.2 million at the time and features several different buildings and a horse farm. She also owns a home in East Hampton, New York’s Lily Pond Lane. Martha also owned the Charles Street six-bedroom apartment that she gave to her daughter, Alexis. Martha Stewart’s net worth is estimated to be $400 million.