Interviewee: Martha Stewart
Interviewer: David Letterman
Date: February 15, 2009

Martha Stewart is an American business tycoon, author and magazine publisher. She founded Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc, a diversified media and merchandising company. Through her company, she has gained success in a variety of business ventures like publishing and media broadcasting. She hosts her own talk show called Martha that is broadcast all over the world. She was named the 3rd most powerful American by Ladies Home Journal in 2001.

Born in Jersey City on August 13, 1941, New Jersey, Martha Stewart grew up in a middle class Polynesian-American family. She excelled in academics as a student, which landed her a scholarship to Barnard College in New York City. She graduated from Barnard College with a double major in history and architectural history. She was married to Andrew Stewart and had one child named Alexis Stewart. For years, she honed and developed her skills in business. By 1967, she became a stockbroker. She was very successful as a stockbroker but left her profession to spend time with her daughter Alexis in 1971.

In 1976, Martha Stewart started a catering business in her basement. When she was contacted to cater the book release party for The Secret Book of Gnomes, she was introduced to Alan Mirken. Mirken is the head of Crown Publishing Group, and he was impressed by Stewart’s talent. He later contacted her to develop a cookbook called Entertaining featuring photos and pictures from the parties that Martha Stewart hosted. This cookbook was ghostwritten by Elizabeth Hawes. From there, word of her business and skill grew rapidly.

Following the success of Entertaining, Martha Stewart wrote many more books including Martha Stewart’s Quick Cook (1983), Martha Stewart’s Hors D’oeuvres (1984), Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts (1985), Weddings (1987), The Wedding Planner (1988), Martha Stewart’s Quick Cook Menus (1988), Martha Stewart’s Christmas (1989), and a variety of others.

The most heavily promoted aspect of her success was television. She returned to daytime television with The Martha Stewart Show and appeared in an adaptation of The Apprentice (called The Apprentice: Martha Stewart). The Martha Stewart Show is currently on its 4th season.