SAN DIEGO -- Have you ever watched Shark Tank and thought to yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
A San Diego woman has done that several times, but now she’s actually doing something about it that could bring Joy to households all over America.
Her name is Jessica Rowin and she’s the inventor of the Broom Huggie.
"What's unique about this one besides it going on the broom is you can sweep and mop at the same time," says Jessica, demonstrating her invention.
And with that, another “Why didn't I think of that?” idea is born.
"You can still go like this, and then you can flip it over and still mop," adds Rowin smiling now that her idea has come to life.
Rowin is a self-proclaimed entrepreneur. The Broom Huggie could be her ticket to Shark Tank or even QVC.
"It's in me,” Rowin said. “Painters, they have to paint. Me, I have to produce products."
What Rowin produced is a microfiber cloth that fits over the head of any household broom. It's not her only invention, but she hopes it's her most successful. It came out of necessity. She’s a stay at home mom with little free time and a desire to get housework done quickly while babies are napping.
"We finished our first run and we sold out, so that's really exciting," says Rowin, beaming with pride.
This was no overnight success story. Jessica, with the help of her husband Steve, developed the idea over two years. She took the initial prototype to a friend to sew together, researched materials and manufacturing, and went through about four mockups before they shot their own marketing videos with the final product. But it wasn't until she saw the movie Joy that she got really excited.
"When I was watching it, I was super emotional because I felt like I was watching my story on TV," says Rowin.
From start to finish, Jessica has experienced some of the same struggles as Joy Mangano. Her Broom Huggies are even made right down the street where former QVC inventor Mangano manufactured her own products.
"She walked the streets in downtown LA,” says Rowin still reeling from the coincidence. “That's about two blocks from where we actually manufacture the Broom Huggie and Earth Mop."
Now Jessica hopes the movie Joy will help bring some joy to her inventions.
"It made cleaning products fun again," Rowin says laughing.
