Joy Mangano invents her way to success

Whether it's "Huggable Hangers" or "Forever Fragrant" decorative snowflakes, whenever Joy Mangano appears on HSN she moves thousands of items within minutes. Mangano is not just another bubbly TV personality offering money-back guarantees or products that will "change your life," however. She holds over 100 patents and trademarks,and her company brings in more than $150 million in sales each year for the shopping channel.

The single mother of three didn't set out to be a household name when she first broke into the business of inventing affordable and easy-to-use household products almost two decades ago. Back then, times were tough. In 1989, the divorced 33-year-old was juggling odd jobs and a night gig waiting tables to make ends meet. Then one day she had a eureka moment. Tired of getting her hands dirty from the disgusting water after mopping the floors, she came up with the idea for the self-wringing Miracle Mop. "It came to me. A self-wringing mop! It sounds so easy," she says. "[I]t changed the entire stick good industry with an easy twist."