Don't be afraid to have a reality check. Taking risks is OK, but you must be realistic.
— Joy Mangano
I'll see somebody struggling with something, and it doesn't matter if it's ironing or mopping or traveling, my brain just starts to percolate.
I'm a firm believer in the circle of commerce.
If you experience that feeling of being in a rut in your life, then something's not right. A lot of people who feel that way don't take the time to say, 'O.K., well, what am I doing? Is that what I want to be doing? What is it making me feel this way?' You have to identify what specifically is making you feel stuck.
When I was going into inventing, it wasn't a dream the way someone goes into nursing or dancing. Because there's a path with that. It's very different when you say, 'I have an idea and it doesn't exist.' It's a very different path.
I actually didn't believe the producers when they said, 'Joy, we're writing a movie about your life'. I was like, 'Oh, OK, fine, call me tomorrow.'
Overcome obstacles one at a time: Sometimes the end goal becomes too daunting, so take things one step at a time and overcome each obstacle as you get to it.
Trust your instincts: If your instincts have always served you well, trust them and follow them.
As single-mom female inventor, there was no path for that, so really I don't think people took me seriously for a really long time. Certainly the Miracle Mop being my first successful product, people started to pay attention, and I guess now they really pay attention.
When I look back, some of the greatest people in the history of the world have created things where paths have never been with such resiliency.
The Miracle Mop created an entirely new category of stick goods - the twist mop. And when I demonstrated it for people, they'd invariably say, 'I have to have that.'
There is something special when creative people get together.
I would love to see every woman feel that she knows who she is and how she wants to lead. Every part of me is passionate about having the ability to do what I never could do when I was young.
When I wake up, I think, 'What can I do to help others?' I think we all owe the world something. That's the way I am when I'm designing a product.
I'm a mom. I work. I have a house to clean, things to organize. We all have certain similar needs, and I address them.
I've stood up in front of America for 25 years, and I wish I could bring everybody into my home that I have touched in my career. That would be an amazing thing.
I made all sorts of things: drawings, sculptures - I was doing origami before I even knew the word. I was constantly creating.
It's common for people to start questioning themselves. As a female, I'm going to offer the advice I gave myself: You look at your strengths, you look at your goals, and accept that you are who you are. Be true to that.
I am of the philosophy that if you work really hard and focus on things, you will get there in some form or fashion.
Obviously, you have to find the confidence within yourself to pursue your ideas, but there's nothing wrong with having people around you who are going to say, 'I think that's a great idea,' or, 'I think you're doing the right thing.'
I grew up with an Italian family in an era when a woman's path was laid out for her: You got married and had children. Simple, right? Then I got to a point around the age of 30 when I had three little children and was a single mom, and I realized life was not so simple.
As natural as it is for a parent to talk about their child, it is for me to talk about my product.
You can tell when somebody's authentic about what they're saying.
Early on, QVC was the most appealing medium for me because it allowed me to share the stories behind my products and directly communicate the features and benefits.
Robert De Niro, I have loved this man forever. I mean, I think I have seen the 'Godfather' 300 times, but he is so special.
It's easy to design expensive products. But there's that product democracy that I believe very strongly in to make something affordable for almost anybody that would want to use it.
I definitely don't need therapy in life because I have gone through every little corner of my life.
Inventing is something that has always come very natural to me. As a child, I was always fiddling with things, making contraptions. I'd see something, go home, and try to make something even better.
I think the movie, 'Joy,' has so many touchpoints with so many people because it is about the ordinary, but a lot of the times, the ordinary is extraordinary.
I've been told I miss every pass made at me! It would be wonderful to have a partner, but in my mind, it has to be like making a product. The product has to be meaningful, impact people - it has to be a great product.
Something I learned along the way is that you really have to have courage in life. You can do amazing things on any level. It doesn't have to change the world; it can just impact the people around you - that's just as amazing.
It warms my heart more than anything when somebody comes up to me and says, 'You inspired me to do this.'
Years ago, Barry Diller asked me to be a judge on a pilot for an inventor show on USA, and when it was over, the producer, Ken Mok, took me out to dinner and really got me talking. It was a long dinner. Afterward, he said, 'One day, I'm going to write your movie'.
I think if you believe in something hard enough, it'll work.
You can find a product and be aware of all the other products out there in just seconds. That's a very attractive method for companies and consumers. At the same time, it also creates a lot of competition.
I am an entrepreneur. Beyond that, I am a mother and part of a wonderful family that is part of a wonderful business.
Your destination might not end up being exactly what you envisioned to start with, but if you stick it out and work through the challenges, what you end up with will be far better than you could have ever imagined.
There's a lot of pressure to make products better. I don't feel freer.
I was just was tired of bending down, putting my hands in dirty water, ringing out a mop. So, I said, 'There's gotta be a better way.'
I've been working on the new Miracle Mop for many years.
Find a way and make it happen: I've always been the type of person who couldn't rest until I found a way to make something happen. If I couldn't go around the rock, I'd find a way to go over it or under it or through it.
My famous line is 'Product is king.'
You have to make a decision: Am gonna be the person that takes the risk? Am I gonna be the person that says I'm gonna start this business and I'm gonna follow through with it no matter what the obstacles?
Each time I invent something and have it manufactured, it's so incredibly exciting that I can't imagine ever wanting to stop. Envisioning new products is easy for me. I just don't have enough time in the day to design them all.
I told myself the next time I had a good idea, I would bring it to market.
When I'm talking about a product, before it was a product, it was in my brain. So if I have an inspiration, I will literally get up in the middle of the night, and I'll dream about my customer... I don't feel like it's selling. I feel like it's talking about my children.
I look at life through product, and my goal is to impact people and make their lives better.
I'll be a mentor to those who want to create a business, product or service and aren't exactly sure how to do that. To me, it's a true sign of success if I can help someone have a better time of it.
From the start, I was focused on getting the Good Housekeeping Seal. I wanted to go on TV and tell everyone that the Miracle Mop had it. Now, I can proudly say 26 of my products have been approved!
I'm fortunate to have success, but it was a long and challenging road, so I try to make that not be the case for other women.
