Joy Mangano

Joy Mangano ( ; born February 15, 1956) is an American inventor and entrepreneur known for inventions such as the self-wringing Miracle Mop. She was the president of Ingenious Designs, LLC, and appeared regularly on the U.S. television shopping channel HSN until her departure in late 2018. Mangano is the founder and CEO of Clean Boss, a company that develops and sells cleaning products.

Mangano released her autobiography, Inventing Joy, in 2017. The 2015 film Joy was loosely based on her life. Jennifer Lawrence won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Mangano.

In 2021, she premiered a reality competition show on USA Network for aspiring entrepreneurs called America's Big Deal.

Early life Mangano was born in Brooklyn and raised in Huntington, New York. Mangano began inventing at an early age when, as a teenager working at an animal hospital in Huntington, New York, on Long Island, she dreamed up a fluorescent flea collar to keep pets safe. A product with a similar design was released the next year by Hartz Mountain. After graduating from Pace University with a degree in business administration in 1978, she held a variety of jobs, including waitress for her inventions. "I think my products have been successful because they have mass appeal. 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 mop sold modestly at first, but once QVC allowed Mangano to go on-air to sell it herself, she sold 18,000 mops in less than a half hour. Mangano incorporated her business as Arma Products, later renaming it Ingenious Designs. She sold Ingenious Designs to USA Networks, the parent company of the HSN, in 1999. By the year 2000, the company was selling $10 million worth of Miracle Mops per year.

Other products Huggable Hangers – velvet-flocked, no-slip hangers whose thin profile conserves closet space. Endorsed by Oprah Winfrey, Huggable Hangers were HSN's best-selling product , with more than 1 billion sold. Forever Fragrant – a line of home odor neutralizers including sticks, wickless candles, scent stands, finials, spheres, drawer liners, and shoe shapers. Mangano broke an HSN record on January 31, 2010, by selling 180,000 units in one day. The Forever Fragrant line has earned the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

Television Soon after she began appearing on QVC in 1992, she began appearing regularly on HSN and is considered the network's most successful purveyor, with annual sales of more than $150 million. Mangano has also appeared in shorter commercials and infomercials for her company's products.

Awards and distinctions In 1997, Mangano was named Long Island Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.

Mangano currently sits on the advisory board for the United Inventors Association (UIA).

In popular culture A character based on Mangano is portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence in the 2015 film Joy, directed by David O. Russell, with Mangano credited as executive producer. It was released on Christmas Day 2015.

In 2018, it was reported that a musical production depicting Mangano's life story is being developed by Tony-winning producer Ken Davenport, who acquired the musical rights and plans to bring it to the stage. They divorced in 1989. They have three children: Christie, Robert, and Jacqueline Miranne.