Biography
Who is Martha Stewart?
Early life and background
Martha Stewart was born Martha Helena Kostyra on August 3, 1941, in Jersey City, New Jersey. She was the second of six children born to parents Martha and Edward Kostyra. Her family moved to Nutley, New Jersey, when she was three years old. Her mother taught her cooking and sewing skills. She learned canning and preserving from her grandparents in Buffalo, New York. Her father shared his passion for gardening. During high school, she participated in the school newspaper and art club.
Business beginnings
In 1967, she started a second career as a stockbroker. She and Andrew lived in Westport, Connecticut, where they restored an 1805 farmhouse on Turkey Hill Road. This location became a model for her television studio. In 1976, she launched a catering business in her basement with Norma Collier. She later bought out her partner after disagreements occurred. She managed a gourmet food store called the Market Basket before opening her own shop.
Media empire and public company
In 1990, she signed with Time Publishing Ventures to create the magazine Martha Stewart Living. She served as editor-in-chief, and the magazine reached a circulation of over two million copies by 2002. She launched a television program of the same name in 1993. The show expanded to a daily format in 1997. She also appeared on the Today Show and The Early Show.
Legal issues and recent career
She was accused of fraud regarding the ImClone stock trading case. The SEC stated she avoided a loss of over $45,000 by selling stock based on nonpublic information. She served five months in federal prison and was released in March 2005. Despite speculation that her media empire would collapse, she began a comeback campaign that same year. Her company returned to profitability by 2006. She rejoined the board of directors in 2011 and became chairwoman in 2012.
Birthday and age
Martha Stewart was born on August 3, 1941, which makes Martha 85 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Martha shares the date with 36 other famous people.
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