Joy Mangano facts for kids

Joy Mangano (born February 1, 1956) is an American inventor and entrepreneur. She is famous for creating useful inventions like the self-wringing Miracle Mop. Joy used to be the president of a company called Ingenious Designs, LLC. She often appeared on the TV shopping channel HSN until 2018. Today, Mangano is the founder and CEO of Clean Boss. This company makes and sells cleaning products.

Joy Mangano wrote her own story, Inventing Joy, in 2017. A movie called Joy came out in 2015. It was inspired by her life story. The actress Jennifer Lawrence played Joy in the movie. She won an award for her role. A musical play also inspired by her life, also called Joy, started in 2022. In 2021, Joy Mangano launched a TV show on USA Network. It was a competition for people who wanted to become entrepreneurs. The show was called America's Big Deal.

Joy Mangano's Early Life and Education

Joy Mangano was born in Brooklyn, New York. She grew up in Huntington, New York. Joy started inventing things when she was young. As a teenager, she worked at an animal hospital. She thought of a glowing flea collar to keep pets safe. A similar product came out the next year.

After high school, Joy went to Pace University. She studied business administration and graduated in 1978. After college, she worked many different jobs. She was a waitress and an airline reservations manager. She also raised her three children as a divorced mom.

Joy Mangano's Career as an Inventor

Joy Mangano has created many inventions. She has 71 patent families and 126 different patent publications. A patent protects an invention. Joy believes her products are popular because many people can use them. She said, "I'm just like everybody else out there. I'm a mom, I work, I have a house to clean, things to organize. We all have similar needs, and I address them."

The Miracle Mop Invention

In 1990, Joy got tired of regular mops. They made her hands wet and dirty. So, she invented her first product, the "Miracle Mop." This mop has a special design. It has a head made from a long loop of cotton. You can wring it out easily without getting your hands wet.

Joy used her own money and help from family and friends. She made a first version of the mop. Then, she made 1,000 mops. The first mops were put together in her father's body shop in 1991. Joy sold the mop at shows and in local stores. Then, she sold 1,000 mops to QVC, a TV shopping channel.

At first, the mops did not sell very well on QVC. But then, QVC let Joy go on TV herself to sell them. She sold 18,000 mops in less than 30 minutes! Joy named her business Arma Products. Later, she changed the name to Ingenious Designs. In 1999, she sold Ingenious Designs to USA Networks. By the year 2000, her company was selling $10 million worth of Miracle Mops every year.

Other Popular Products by Joy Mangano

Joy Mangano has invented many other helpful products:

• Huggable Hangers – These hangers are covered in soft velvet. They stop clothes from slipping off. They are also very thin, which saves space in your closet. Oprah Winfrey liked them a lot. By 2010, Huggable Hangers were HSN's best-selling product. More than 1 billion have been sold!
• Forever Fragrant – This is a line of products that make your home smell nice. They help get rid of bad odors. The line includes sticks, candles, and shoe shapers. In 2010, Joy sold 180,000 units in one day on HSN. This was a new record for the channel.
• Clothes It All Luggage System – This is a type of luggage with wheels. It has many pockets and features to help you organize your things. There are padded spots for laptops and places for plane tickets. Some pieces are small duffel bags. There is even a 22-inch portable dresser with drawers.
• Performance Platforms – These are shoes with a rubber platform heel. They give the person wearing them extra height. In 2010, Joy sold 30,000 pairs in three hours on HSN. The shoes started as sneakers. Now, they also include Mary Janes, mules, and sandals.
• Comfort & Joy Textiles – This is a line of bedding. It is made from soft cotton. The duvet covers have zippers and can be reversed. The sheets are attached to the bed skirt for easy cleaning.
• Shades Readers – These are reading glasses. They are sold in sets of three or more. This way, you can keep them in different places around your home or office. Joy has sold over 13 million pairs of these glasses.

Joy Mangano on Television

Joy Mangano started appearing on QVC in 1992. Soon after, she began appearing regularly on HSN. She is known as HSN's most successful seller. Her products sell over $150 million each year. She often sells over $1 million worth of products in just one hour. Joy has also appeared in shorter commercials for her products.

She says that selling on TV lets her reach millions of people. But it takes real excitement to convince people who cannot touch or try the product. An HSN executive said Joy's success comes from her ability to show her "passion, excitement and pride of every detail with her viewers." In 2019, after almost 20 years, she left HSN. She wanted to try new things. However, by 2022, Joy was back on HSN. She was promoting her CleanBoss line of cleaning products.

Other TV Shows

In 2005, Joy Mangano was a judge on a TV show called Made in the USA. She also appeared on the ABC show The View in 2007.

Awards and Recognitions for Joy Mangano

In 1997, Joy Mangano was named Long Island Entrepreneur of the Year. This award was given by Ernst & Young. In 2009, she was on Fast Company's list of The 100 Most Creative People in Business. In 2010, she was also on their list of The 10 Most Creative Women in Business. Joy Mangano is currently on the advisory board for the United Inventors Association (UIA).

Joy Mangano's Personal Life

Joy Mangano married Tony Miranne in 1978. They both graduated from Pace University. They divorced in 1989. They have three children: Christie, Robert, and Jacqueline Miranne. Joy lives in St. James, New York.

See also

In Spanish: Joy Mangano para niños

• List of inventors