Named one of the “50 Most Powerful Women” twice by Fortune magazine and featured in Forbes magazine’s “Forbes 400” list Martha Stewart is the Queen of fine living. Here are 10 Business Lessons Martha Stewart Taught us:
Born in 1941 in Jersey City, New Jersey Martha Stewart forged a multimedia empire from her passion for cooking, crafting and stylish living. Martha Stewart is a force to be reckoned with making a success from each media venture she has formed including her magazine, Martha Stewart Living, her books, television show, website, newspaper column, radio show and product lines.
Recent ventures include the Martha Stewart Crafts line and the Martha Stewart Collection of home merchandise at Macy’s department stores, a co-branded food line at Costco and a co-branded floral, plant and gift basket program, Martha Stewart for 1-800-Flowers.com. Here are some wise words from the Queen of fine living herself for budding entrepreneurs to consider:
1. Stay open-minded: ‘Without an open-minded mind, you can never be a great success.’
2. Stay curious: ‘I like knowing about everything, and I think that really helps me in my business.’
3. Look for opportunities & ideas: ‘I’m not a sponge exactly, but I find that something I look at is a great opportunity for ideas.’
4. Create quality: ‘I think it’s very important that whatever you’re trying to make or sell, or teach has to be basically good. A bad product and you know what? You won’t be here in ten years.’
5. Strive for perfection: ‘I have proven that being a perfectionist can be profitable and admirable when creating content across the board: in television, books, newspapers, radio, videos.’
6. Believe in your ability: ‘I believe in a man and a woman being equal. I really believe that we can do anything we set our minds to.’
7. Stay in control, never panic: ‘So the pie isn’t perfect? Cut it into wedges. Stay in control, and never panic.’
8. Have a USP (unique selling point): ‘I don’t think there’s any company that has the same tools as Martha Stewart Living does, and people know that. They really love the tools and, if you have the tools, you can pretty much do the craft. ‘
9. Be the first: ‘The first book really was kind of an entertaining textbook for the homemaker. I couldn’t find a good book about entertaining in 1982, and neither could my friend, so I decided to write it’
10. Do what you love: ‘All the things I love is what my business is all about.’
Stay fabulous
Christine