Martha Stewart says Kmart once paid her $65 million a year in royalties—enough to bankroll her entire empire

Martha Stewart (Credit: Michael Simon—Getty Images)

Long before “influencer” was a job title, Martha Stewart was getting paid like one. Kmart was signing the checks.

Stewart, 85, said on MasterClass’s Other People’s Business podcast that her licensing partnership with the discount chain once brought in as much as $65 million a year in royalties.