Joy Mangano reveals the life-changing business lesson she learned at just 16-years-old

Joy Mangano is one of the most prolific modern inventors in America and she is putting decades of experience to use finding the country’s next generation of innovators.

Mangano exclusively sat down with DailyMailTV to talk about her first-of-its-kind live, shoppable competition show, America’s Big Deal, which gives small businesses a chance to pitch their products to the biggest retailers and a whole new world of consumers.

The series, airing on USA Network, provides a unique format where entrepreneurs sell direct to buyers in real time during the episode. The most popular items then get to win a six-figure business deal with one of three major retailers.

Shop ’til you drop: Joy Mangano exclusively sat down with DailyMailTV to talk about her first-of-its-kind live, shoppable competition show, America’s Big Deal, which gives small businesses a chance to pitch their products to the biggest retailers and a whole new world of consumers

Joy Mangano is uniquely qualified to help jumpstart entrepreneurs towards success with her new show following a tough two years for business due to the pandemic.

As the inventor of the Miracle Mop and Huggable Hangers, among dozens of other innovations, Joy has sold more than $3 billion worth of products to American consumers.

Joy tells DailyMailTV that as a ‘brainiac’ teenager who graduated high school early, she started learning lessons in business at a very young age.

‘I wanted to be a veterinarian,’ Joy recalled. ‘I loved animals and I invented a fluorescent flea collar before they existed.’

Big deal! The series, airing on USA Network, provides a unique format where entrepreneurs sell direct to buyers in real time during the episode. The most popular items then get to win a six-figure business deal with one of three major retailers

Expert! As the inventor of the Miracle Mop and Huggable Hangers, among dozens of other innovations, Joy has sold more than $3 billion worth of products to American consumers

At the time, Mangano was just 16-years-old and went in search of investors, boldly pitching her design to a group of local veterinarians. The television product mogul explained that she ended up getting distracted by being a teen and within a year a major pet retailer had a similar fluorescent flea collar on the shelves.

‘Boy, did I make a commitment to myself that the next thing I was going to do, I was going to follow through with, which was a little twist to a mop,’ she quipped in reference to her ultra-popular Miracle Mop.

The Long Island native is hoping to spark that same kind of tenacity for burgeoning entrepreneurs on America’s Big Deal, where she serves as an executive producer and retail panelist for QVC and HSN.

‘It is the first live shoppable competition show,’ Joy gushed. ‘And if you’re thinking, “well, what the heck is that right?” It’s never been done before. We’re so excited.’

‘I watched entrepreneurs and small businesses really get hurt [during the pandemic].’ Joy said, explaining that in-person shopping and product pitching was waylaid by stay-at-home orders. As a way to drum up business for entrepreneurs – and get new products on the market – the idea for America’s Big Deal was born

‘These are amazing products with amazing stories and it’s so fun to watch,’ she said. ‘You’re going to sit there and go: How does that product not exist already?’

Joy approached the show the same way she approaches the rest of her business – she saw a need and concocted a creative solution.

‘I watched entrepreneurs and small businesses really get hurt [during the pandemic].’ Joy said, explaining that in-person shopping and product pitching was waylaid by stay-at-home orders. As a way to drum up business for entrepreneurs – and get new products on the market – the idea for America’s Big Deal was born.

‘These are amazing products with amazing stories and it’s so fun to watch,’ she said. ‘You’re going to sit there and go: How does that product not exist already?’

‘Not only are you getting a great product, but your buy is helping that entrepreneur get one step closer to an overnight transformation of their business when [they] get a nationwide retail deal,’ Mangano added.

‘Not only are you getting a great product, but your buy is helping that entrepreneur get one step closer to an overnight transformation of their business when [they] get a nationwide retail deal,’ Mangano told DailyMailTV

Opportunity of a lifetime: Contestants pitch and sell their product live on-air via ShoppableTV and NBCUniversal Checkout and the inventor who earns the highest dollar sales will strike a deal with QVC & HSN, Loews, or Macys

Each episode, contestants pitch their product which is then sold live on-air via ShoppableTV and NBCUniversal Checkout. The inventor who earns the highest dollar sales during each episode will win a chance to strike a deal with one of three major retailers: QVC & HSN, Loews, or Macys.

‘You will find great product at big deal prices,’ Joy said. ‘Who doesn’t love a bargain with a great new, innovative product?’ She noted that all products from the first episode sold out.

‘I hope it sparks that interest for somebody who shelved something in the past year and a half,’ she said of the show. ‘Take it off the shelf and follow through with it.’

For those watching at home who think they have the next Miracle Mop waiting in the wings, Joy has a few expert tips.

‘I hope it sparks that interest for somebody who shelved something in the past year and a half,’ she said of the show. ‘Take it off the shelf and follow through with it.’

‘So, the first thing is you really have to, you know, have a reality check. Is it a product that people want, right? And if you believe in your product, I 100% say, keep being persistent. 

Now you will hear a lot of ‘nos’. You have to turn the nos into yeses and you just keep going forward because once you stop, then you have a 100%t chance of going nowhere, right?’

‘I’ve always said product is king, but the pitch can bring a product to life in a way that is amazing,’ she added.

America’s Next Big Deal airs live, Thursdays at 9/8c on USA Network.

Wallets out! America’s Next Big Deal airs live, Thursdays at 9/8c on USA Network