Stewart and Seacrest: A Closer Look at The Savvy "Suits"

Everyone dreams to be successful.  Some of us have been able to make our dreams a reality; and some of us make it happen and don't just wait on chance or luck.  When I think of successful entrepeneurs who have not only made a name for themselves, but have made their names a "stand alone", self proclaimed empire.  Those dreamers who have become doers, I greatly admire and intend to learn a great deal from.  When it comes to "grabbing the bull by the horns", there are two relentless entrepeneurs that come to mind right away; Martha Stewart and Ryan Seacrest.

MARTHA STEWART:

Martha Stewart has the following titles: businesswoman, media personality, author, magazine publisher, talk show host host.  She advises that all entrepreneurs create a well-researched business plan to get a grasp of how big their vision is and what they will need to achieve it.

In 2002, Inc.com published an article, "The Controversial Career and Stunning Success of Martha Stewart", in which I was able to get some insight and share with you.  She was born Martha Kostyra, the second of six children born to a Eddie Koystra and Martha Ruszkowski Kostyra; this was a working-class home in New Jersey.  Stewart's mother taught her how to cook and sew. Later, she learned the processes of canning and preserving when she visited her grandparents' home in Buffalo, New York. Her father had a passion for gardening, and passed on much of his knowledge and expertise to her.

"Martha Kostyra struck out on her own and became a fashion model in New York City while attending Barnard College for Women as an art history major.  She was selected as a "Best Dressed College Girl" in 1961 by a leading fashion magazine.  It was at this time in her life that she met the man who would become her husband for the next 20 years, a Yale Law School student named Andy Stewart"(Inc.com).  

During this time, Martha became a socialite, hosting parties for New York's powerful people.  She then worked as a Wall Street Stock Broker and had decided she had enough.  She and Husband, Andy scrapped up enough money to buy a run-down farm house in Westport, Conneticut.  They took on the restoration of the 1805 home on their own; this is where Martha summoned interior decorating.  Eventually, this house became the model for the "Martha Stewart Living Show".   In the basement of the farmhouse she began her small catering business.  She began to sell pies and cakes to small boutiques and eventually opened up her own shop (Inc.com). "Stewart's food business led to assignments writing about food for several magazines.  In 1982, it also led to her first book, Entertaining"(referenceforbusiness.com). 

Soon after, Martha was already making television show appearances and taking interviews.  Naturally, she was offered an opportunity by KMART stores to sell household items with her name on them.  It wasn't until a few years later that she met her partner, Sharon Patrick, now Cheif Operating Officer of Martha Stewart Living, whom helped Martha buy back all her shares of the company and was the beginning of  Martha's empire; in which she combined all her lines of business and created Marth Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. (referenceforbusiness.com). 

Evan Carmichael's article, "Famous Entrepeneur: Lesson #3", illustrates Martha's emphasis on using a well thought out business plan.  A well detailed business plan will assist in making key decisions.   Stewart suggests that entrepreneurs shoud learn the difference between taking risks and taking chances. “The natural question to ask yourself is whether what you are considering doing is a well-calculated risk or whether you are poised to take what I would call a chance – a long shot that depends largely on luck,” says Stewart.   “I dislike taking chances; but I think taking a well-calculated risk is the cornerstone of entrepreneurship.”


When Stewart was about to borrow $85 million to purchase Martha Stewart Living from Time Warner in 1997, she had to be realistic about the consequences of her decision.   Her advisors cautioned her about the potential risks, but Martha rationally evaluated her odds and made the purchase.  “It turned out to be the best investment I have ever made,” Stewart says.


RYAN SEACREST:


Ryan Seacrest has an impressive resume in which he is a radio personality, a television host, network producer and voice actor.  He has even been dubbed "the most powerul man in reality tv".   Seacrest was born in suburbial Atlanta, Georgia to Gary and Connie Lee.   In an interview to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, "instead of playing with G.I. Joes or cowboys and indians, he would always have a little microphone and do shows in the house".   As a child, Seacrest would perform in school musicals.  As a teen, he became the public school announcer.   He later won an internship with WSTR FM and scored an overnight weekend slot until he completed highschool (wikipedia.com). 


After high school, he went to college to study journalism.  He ended up moving to Los Angeles, California to continue his broadcast career.  At 20, he landed a job on the KYSR FM afternoon show, "Ryan Seacrest for the Ride Home", which became the station's number one show and was nationally syndicated.   In 2004, he became the new host of "American Top 40"  followed by "On Air with Ryan Seacrest"(wikipedia.com).


His televsions career took off when he began hosting shows such as "American Idol" and eventually became executive producer and co-host of "Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve with Ryan Seacrest".  He was called upon to serve as substitution for "Larry King Live". Shortly after, E! presented Seacrest with a $21 million deal to host "E! News" and Red Carpet Award Shows.  He then became Executive Producer to reality shows such as "Keeping Up With the Kardashians", "Bromance", "Momma's Boys", and "Denise Richards: It's Complicated"(wikipedia.com).


Online Journal's Greg Stacy, worte a business article on Seacrest, "Ryan Seacrest's Business Ventures Will Earn $55 Million in 2011".  The article states, "He has already sold one film project and has another in the works. In November he signed a deal with Clear Channel that's allowed him to start up his own music publishing business, so he will own the music he uses in his shows. He's signed what the Hollywood Reporter calls a "mega-deal" with NBC Universal, and in addition to reality shows he also plans to get involved in scripted television".  The article also suggests that "Seacrest is even planning on launching his own cable network, in partnership with CAA and live entertainment company AEG. While he plans to contribute content, probably from his production company, Ryan Seacrest Productions, he says that it will not be branded the Ryan Seacrest channel".




Still early in his career, Ryan has several interviews discussing his new business ventures and his plans to create his own television network as his peer and muse, Oprah Winfrey.   I am certain that in a few years, like Martha, he too will be providing his own struggles and triumphs in executing an excellent business plan.  No doubtedly, he is not the only person on this planet to avoid one. 


As you can see, the savvy and successful entrepeneurs do not just hustle; they imagine, examine, research, and analyze in order to avoid risks and easily view the strengths and weaknesses in their business plans.

Fables and Fairy Tales Fad

Phsycologist and Story teller, Dr. Jonathan Young, writer of "Once upon A Time: How Fairy Tales Shape Our Lives", published in Insider Magazine in 1997, wrote; "These tales are psychological mirrors and we become more complex as we mature.  The story tellers intentionally loaded the adventures with heavy symbolism to reveal more meanings as we develop a deeper awareness of ourselves.  Bedtime stories have enormous influence over our identities.  People identify with certain characters in the stories they heard in childhood.  To some degree, many live out these stories, largely unaware of how much the old tales may be shaping our lives."


It makes sense that the stories we hear as children, such as those of the Brothers Grimm, are so impressionable that we subconsciously carry those lessons with us in our daily lives.  Interesting enough, renowned psychologist, Dr. Carl Gustave Jung, noted that the shadow energies in dreams and stories often appear as threatening witches or wolves.


Interesting enough is that such stories, that had been deeply rooted in our imagination, have become almost a keepsake of fonder times that we tend to relinquish in them from time to time with new and intriguing adaptations of the "softer" stories we heard as children.  However, as we tend to get older, we become more inticed by the darker version of favorite past time fables. 


In the world of Entertainment, we see that such fables and fairy tales have become ever more popular; especially with that of the mature audience.  ABC's new hit show, "Once Upon A Time" has quickly appealed a favorable fan base.  I, for one, am already a fan of the show.  The twist in this story telling is that the fairy tale characters have been cursed by the Evil Queen and do not know who they are in this dark modern world that we reside in.  It is a young boy Henry who seeks his biological mother Emma, Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter, to return to Story Brooke, Maine and break the spell.  The way in which the writers of the show portray the characters and re-write the storylines and present it to the audience is not only intruiging but intelligent.  


I am including a trailor of the show for your viewing pleasures.



Another similar show at the moment is that of NBC's "Grimm"; where an unknowing descendant of the Grimms Brothers is a crime investigator and learns of his heritage through "whimsical happenings" in each case.  I have read several reviews on this show and have not found them to be so kind.  However, I will have to personally look into that myself.  


Not only are we seeing such shows on the small screen, but we are seeing them in the big screen as well. 
"Snow White and The Huntsman" is another expected box office hit starring Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron.  Here is a glimpse of the captivating trailor.  The film is expected to be released in the summer of 2012.


"Red Riding Hood" was another movie that came out earlier in the year starring Amanda Seyfried.  Although it did not do as well as expected, it is apparent that fairytales are high in demand.


To read the original stories visit National Geographic's Grimm site.

I have become very interested in following this "fables and fairy tales fad" and intend to share my findings with you as time passes.  From a psychological point of view, there must be a desire and a serious demand for such entertainment.

Twitter to Tales says Steve Martin

This week, Reuters reports on Comedian, Actor and Best-Selling Author, Steve Martin.  As it turns out, Steve Martin is planning on coming out with another best seller; only this time, its all about Twitter.  Steve stated, "[d]ue to absolutely no demand, soon I'm publishing a book of my tweets. Many of your replies included! All my profits to charity."  Grand Central Publishing reported that the book will be called "The Ten, Make That Nine Habits, of Very Organized People. Make That Ten," and will be a collection of Martin's tweets, as well as, responses from followers.  The book is due for release in Summer 2012.  

This story has created much buzz not because the actor is publishing another book, but because he is basing the book entirely on social media! Interestingly enough, it is an excellent marketing plan as for Martin intends to use some of his followers' replies.  Steve Martin has over 1.7 million fans following him, including myself.  I have no doubt that this book will be another best seller.   I also find it interesting that he is taking this concept of social networking and giving it life.  We tend to view social media as some kind of impersonal means of communication, but it really can be quite personal.  

Thanks to social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, we can view pictures, read other's comments and thoughts; we are able to see their moods shift and even learn about their lifestyle, etc.  Interestingly enough, we make friends with strangers or speak to people we would have never imagined and have a "relationship" of some kind no matter how small it may seem.  Due to the shared interests or shared friends we tend to have on these social media channels, we also tend to be influenced in various ways, such as where we shop, where we dine, what movies to see, how to vote, etc.  All of these things can be influenced and used as a tool through the use of social media.  

Steve Martin takes credit as an Actor, Musician, Comedian, and Author, but he needs to add Marketing Guru to his resume as well.  Earlier this month, he tweeted, "Jack Black, Owen Wilson and I did the Ellen show today. Remind me, is that the movie? Or did we shoot a movie?"  

Here is a clip of the interview mentioned promoting his next movie:

I am definitely looking forward to reading Steve Martin's book to see what he has to say about the concept of social media.  I am certain that it will be enlightening, humorous, and witty.  Although I have yet to read one of his books, I already feel I know his style for I do read his tweets.