Behind the Strongest Personal Brands Part One: Martha Stewart
What do Oprah Winfrey, LeBron James, and Kim Kardashian all have in common besides their wealth? They have developed a memorable and magnetic personal brand. Let’s dive in to some of the strongest personal brands we know to further understand the importance of establishing a strong identity to not only bring you great success but put you in the position to be of great value to your audience.
The Martha Stewart Brand
Martha Stewart is a multi-dimensional powerhouse. Her brand stems from the strong work ethic she developed in her youth that allowed her the discipline to manage and start a brand that taps into a variety of industries and inspires a variety of people.
In 1973, Martha took her passion for cooking public and started her own catering business. Because cooking was a strong passion of hers, she overcame tough challenges and roadblocks, pivoting when needed, which ultimately led to her publishing a series of cookbooks and guides to entertaining and holidays. Her brand soared and she soon found herself on talk shows and magazines discussing food, entertaining, and homemaking. Soon, she wouldn’t be just a featured guest, as she landed her own TV show based on the lifestyle brand she developed over the years. Despite facing a major scandal mid-career, that didn’t put an end to her brand. “So the pie isn’t perfect? Cut it into wedges. Stay in control, don’t panic”, Martha shares.
Staying in control is exactly what she did. Post-incarceration, Martha re-launched her lifestyle brand starting The Martha Stewart Show, releasing a series of new books on cooking, baking, homemaking, and even in starting your own business. She developed lines of furniture to sell in department store giant, Macy’s, and even designed a line of homes, inspired by her own home, to be sold by KB Homes around the country.
From creating a line of frozen foods for Costco to launching a store highlighting and promoting American-made brands both small and large, to even starting a show with Snoop Dogg, Martha surely doesn’t confine herself to one box. Despite her variety of business endeavors, one thing remains constant - her desire to invoke the same inspiration she feels everyday in the hearts of her audience. She says, “all the things I love is what my business is about” - and that is true. Her brand remains as strong as it is because of her consistent ability to share her passions with the world, in a raw and relatable way.
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