Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

Company History: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO)

In 1997, Martha Stewart incorporated her business from Time Warner Company (the business was called Martha Stewart Living Enterprises during this time) for an estimated $75 million ("Funding Universe"). Although the company was incorporated in 1997, the reaching of the business started much earlier; 1976, through Martha's various activities and successes. With a bachelor's degree in history and architecture, and with her abilities gained through modeling and as a stockbroker, Martha created a catering business in 1972 in the basement of her home in Westport, Connecticut ("Hoover's"). The experiences she gained from the catering business assisted her in the publication of her first book "Entertaining." "Entertaining" was a booming success, with over 30 printings, "propelled Stewart into the public spotlight" ("Hoover's"). Twenty-five years later, MSLO is a multi-billion dollar corporation.

MSLO includes three main divisions: publishing and online, television and merchandising. The publishing division is the heart of the company with Stewart's magazine, Martha Stewart Living, offering Martha's ideas to the public on decorating, crafts, gardening and recipes. The company's website is also within the publishing division providing guidance for Martha's television program, instructions for recipes and crafts, and purchasing merchandise opportunities. MSLO's television division presents a daily show (Martha Stewart Living), a weekly appearance of Martha Stewart on the program CBS this Morning, as well as a ninety-second radio feature known as Ask Martha. The merchandising division controls the Martha by Mail catalogue as well as the marketing agreements with retailers Kmart and Sherwin-Williams ("Funding Universe").

Martha Stewart's name and fame contributes to MSLO's early success in a variety of ways:

* 1970- catering business ("Hoover's")

* 1982- book: Entertaining (Golder)

* 1987- lifestyle consultant for Kmart ("Hoover's")

* 1990- Martha Stewart Magazine ("Hoover's")

* 1992- creating a line of paints with Sherwin-Williams ("Hoover's")

* 1993- Martha Stewart Living TV show ("Hoover's")

* 1995- first TV Christmas Special (including Hilary Clinton and Miss Piggy) ("Hoover's")

* 1995- direct mail catalogue, and a weekly syndicated newspapers ("Hoover's")

* 1995- creation