Wednesday, October 7, 2026 - Martha Stewart has revealed the staggering scale of one of the most lucrative deals of her career, saying she was once clearing $65 million a year in royalties from Kmart.
Speaking on MasterClass’ Other People’s Business podcast, the 85-year-old businesswoman said sales of products she designed were approaching $2 billion, with the royalties helping fund her magazine and wider business empire.
But Stewart also opened up about the dramatic financial setback that followed. Reflecting on her legal troubles, she said she “fell in a hole” and lost about $1 billion, while describing the legal costs surrounding her insider-trading case as devastating.
Stewart served five months in prison after being convicted of conspiracy, obstruction and making false statements to federal investigators.
Despite the enormous loss, Stewart says she has rebuilt her position and remains focused on business, creativity and new opportunities.
Her comments also highlight how dramatically the influencer economy has changed: Stewart says the kind of royalty deals that once generated tens of millions are much harder to secure today as companies offer significantly smaller payouts.
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