Management Lessons from Martha Stewart's Biography

Introduction

Christopher Byron's unauthorized biography of Martha Stewart, Martha Inc.: The Incredible Story of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, tells two stories that are instructive for anyone pursuing a future career in management. The first is that it takes hard work and determination to become successful. In outlining this story, Byron describes how a girl from a blue-collar, dysfunctional family in New Jersey worked her way to star status by recognizing opportunities and knowing how to capitalize on them. The second story — which continued to unfold after the book's publication — is that rising to the top by mistreating others and making enemies will eventually come back to haunt you. Byron shows how Martha Stewart turned her back on friends, family, and business associates in her drive to become successful. At the time of the book's press run, the rest of the story had not yet unfolded: Stewart's run-in with the SEC and the charges of insider trading that would follow.

Martha's philosophy in life appears to be embodied in the inscription beneath her high school yearbook photo: "I do what I please, and I do it with ease" (Byron, 2002, p. 25). Thirty years later, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, she articulated the determination it took to reach the pinnacle of success: "I can almost bend steel with my mind. I can bend anything if I try hard enough. I can make myself do almost anything" (Byron, 2002, p. 25). These quotes illustrate the mindset that a successful manager must possess — determination and a refusal to accept failure as an alternative.

Determination and Mindset

Alongside an unabashed determination, the book highlights another essential quality a manager must develop: a strong work ethic. Martha Stewart could not have built her empire without working hard. One passage in the book offers a vivid glimpse of what it takes to succeed:

Work Ethic and Practical Business Lessons

"She could feed 120 chickens and goats, double-spade the flower beds, spread out 500 pounds of pine bark and peat moss, and not come back inside until everything in sight looked exactly and perfectly like it ought to look. Behind the pretty face lurked the soul of a Polish farmworker. She was focused and determined as the Ohio State football team, which Woody Hayes had said was prepared to grind out the yardage, three yards at a time, and never quit." (Byron, 2002, p. 127)

In addition to a work ethic built on hard work and determination, Byron offers practical business advice to the future manager. The first is a straightforward point that marketing courses often stress: "Every marketing plan needs what is referred to in business school as a 'unique selling point.'" Martha's was this — a catering service set up to look as if the woman of the house had done all the work herself. It was called "The Uncatered Affair" (Byron, 2002, p. 72). The Uncatered Affair was the beginning of what Martha Stewart became known for: glamorizing homemaking and making it appear effortlessly simple.

Conclusion

There are four ideas that future managers can take from Christopher Byron's book, Martha Inc.: The Incredible Story of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. The first is that successful managers must have the determination to succeed. The second is a work ethic grounded in genuine hard work. The third is learning and applying basic management and marketing principles — such as finding a niche and knowing your target market. The fourth, and most important, is to treat all people with fairness and respect. To neglect this fourth principle can very well result in losing everything that the first three helped to build.