Joy Mangano

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.

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.

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?

Don't be afraid to have a reality check. Taking risks is OK, but you must be realistic.

I am an entrepreneur. Beyond that, I am a mother and part of a wonderful family that is part of a wonderful business.

I'm a firm believer in the circle of commerce.

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.'

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.

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.

Trust your instincts: If your instincts have always served you well, trust them and follow them.

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.

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.