Martha, who is the first female self-made billionaire, has tried herself in different careers before becoming a well-known TV personality, and she was very successful in each of them.

As a teenager, she signed with Ford Models and was featured in shows, magazines, and commercials. According to her, she was “the all American girl.”

Later, she attended Barnard College and pursued a career as a stockbroker at an all-male firm.

“I lasted in that business for about eight years, working in a firm of all men. Only one woman owned a seat on the New York Stock Exchange at that time. I’m not intimidated by men; I never was,” Martha Stewart told People. “But men actually welcomed me to their offices. We wore hot pants to work. I still have my pale, peachy-pink ones and my chocolate-brown ones. I wore them with either high heels, bare legs, or tights. Elegant but also crazy. Like, how can you go to work in short-shorts? But I didn’t think twice about it. I was totally respected.”

Eventually, after years of working as a stockbroker, Martha felt she should spend more time with her family; her now ex-husband Andrew Steward and her only child, daughter Alexis.

While Alexis attended school in Westport, Connecticut, Martha came up with the idea of starting an at-home catering business. A decade later, she launched her company Martha Stewart Inc. which turned into a million dollar business.