Martha Inc.: The incredible Story of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

Written by Christopher Byron

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 2002

345 pages

Martha Stewart sets the standard when it comes to good living. Through syndicated television shows, radio segments and lifestyle columns, Stewart professes the ethics of good housekeeping and offers domestic executives, formerly known as housewives, the means to attain household bliss by way of her name brand products and publications.

Christopher Byron, a highly published finance and business writer, looks beyond the ivy topiaries and chartreuse paint swatches to uncover the successes of Stewart’s empire– from a financial standpoint–in his new book, Martha Inc.: The incredible Story of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

In Martha Inc., Byron uses his journalistic training and business expertise to chronicle Stewart’s life and the events that lead to her billion-dollar corporation. Though he did not resist the temptation to seek out Martha-bashing sources, Byron adds dimension to the unauthorized biography with intimate anecdotes, compliments of ex-friends and employees who have been burned by Stewart.

Such anecdotes include the story of Kathy Tatlock, Stewart’s former friend turned producer. The nuance of this relationship sets the tone for the rest of the book. In this case, Tatlock was hired by Stewart to produce a of series home-improvement videos.

According to Byron, Tatlock’s fist mistake as a partner of Stewart’s was to begin working without a written contract. Tatlock, like others who have crossed Stewart’s path, put in hard work only to be betrayed, taken advantage of and under-compensated for her efforts. Byron uses this experience to capture the essence of Stewart, something we don’t see on television.

The structure of Byron’s portrayal lends itself to a good read. He has chopped Stewart into a mirepoix of characters made up of the business tyrant, the heartless family member and the good-living avenger.

As the tyrant, Stewart goes from beauty model to CEO with unprecedented success. In between, she played a stockbroker, caterer, publisher and producer. Scenarios of Stewart manipulating business deals in her favor are enhanced by references to her headstrong persona and debutant attitude.

Byron mentions that Stewart, in her early stockbroker days, was hired as eye-candy was humorously reassuring.

Nevertheless, acquisitions and business advances formed a side of Stewart not evident to her public. Stewart was a bombshell of a businesswoman who gave the good ol’ boys a run for their money.

As to not bore Martha fans with business antics and stock reports, Byron mixes in the family side of Stewart, and it’s not pretty. Bottom line, the anecdotes from “this-is-your-life” sources portray Stewart as a nasty wife and wicked witch of a mother. There is even a story of Stewart forcing her family members to dress up as servants to impress guests during a garden tour. This aspect of Byron’s story may be a bit too “All My Children” for some, but still grabs the readers attention–in a car-wreck sort of way.

Unfortunately, as the book progresses, Byron tends to over-season. He gives Stewart this avenger-like undertone that seems to awkwardly justify her ruthlessness. Stewart’s quest for perfection and callus personality is blamed on her upbringing. Byron does this armchair psychoanalysis on Stewart that just does not sit right. According to Byron, an alcoholic father and submissive mother drove Stewart to constantly be in control. It’s a “she fought so hard not to be like them, she turned into them” type of thing. Make of it what you will.

Those who read Martha Inc. because they’re fans of Byron’s financial writing may be bothered by the dish. Die hard Martha fans may want to log on to the “save Martha” Web site to vent their disappointment in their “Good Thing” queen. But those on the fence about Stewart will find Byron’s unauthorized biography an overall entertaining read that brings different perspectives and colorful texture to the life of Miss Martha.