Whether or not Martha Stewart recovers from her insider trading
scandal, there's more than one decorating diva angling for her
spatula.
| B. Smith Empire: B. Smith Enterprises Inc. Host of TV's "B. Smith with Style"; author; boasts three restaurants and a line of housewares Reason to love her: She's a successful African American entrepreneur. Reason to loathe her: She sings her own theme song. On Martha: "Nobody is going to be Martha." Stumbling block: Can America love to hate someone who seems so nice? |
| Katie
Brown Empire: Host of "The Katie Brown Show" on E!'s Style Network; author; the "Gen X Martha" Reason to love her: She'll keep the camera running even if she makes a mistake. Reason to loathe her: She's as peppy as Martha Stewart on amphetamines. On Martha: "Martha's great." Stumbling block: Who watches the Style Network? |
| Christopher
Lowell Empire: Christopher Lowell Enterprises. Host of "The Christopher Lowell Show" on The Discovery Channel; author Reason to love him: Sometimes hosts in drag; large male following Reason to loathe him: His high-pitched voice can frighten animals and small children. On Martha: "She didn't really show how-to; she showed how she lived in the Hamptons. People are disconnected from that." Stumbling block: Are we ready for a male Martha? |
| Chris Casson
Madden Empire: Chris Madden Inc. Host of HGTV's "Interiors by Design"; author of 15 books; sales of $75 million in 2002 Reason to love her: Active in causes such as Habitat for Humanity Reason to loathe her: Says things like "Feed your soul" and "Every woman has room inside"; has homes in Westchester County and The Hamptons On Martha: "I do have, to be honest, the credentials to be the next Martha." Stumbling block: Will America warm to someone who might make Martha seem average? |
| Sandra
Lee Empire: Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade. A regular on the QVC Shopping Network; has inked a deal with Miramax to write cookbooks and possibly start her own TV show Reason to love her: Bills her style as "the Cliffs Notes approach to life" Reason to loathe her: Looks like Martha, only younger On Martha: "Martha is Martha. There's no replacing [her]." Stumbling block: Will people confuse her with Sara Lee or Sandra Dee? |
This story appears in the May 2003 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
