QVC And ‘Today’s Next Big Thing 2’ Looking For Mom Inventors Until March 4 [Video]

The popular “Today’s Next Big Thing” segment from Today is back, and this time the morning show is focusing on mom entrepreneurs with their “Today’s Next Big Thing 2” segment. As seen in the video from Today, the show is once again partnering with QVC to discover products and inventions — this time from mothers — and turning their creators into entrepreneurial rock stars. The “mom-preneurs” will get the opportunity to show off their products, and potentially sell out of them via QVC and break all sorts of records like the previous winner of the “Today’s Next Big Thing” contest.

As reported by Today, the previous winner of TODAY’s “Next Big Thing” was Leslie Pierson, a Seattle-based woman who described her son’s burst of creative artwork activity that led her to create GoodHangups. GoodHangups offers a great way for folks who hate to put nails or tape on their walls (that can damage the paint or peel it away) to use the magnetic hanging system instead to hang up all sorts of things. From precious photos to temporary posters to the latest creation from a middle-school-aged kid, Leslie’s invention sold like gangbusters after being featured on Today, and broke a QVC selling record.

Pierson apparently hit the sweet spot with folks looking for ways to easily hang up artwork and other stuff on their walls without damaging their homes. Leslie was asked if she was ready to be whisked away to QVC directly after her Today appearance, and she joked that she wasn’t, but Pierson ultimately said she was ready to hit the QVC airwaves. It’s a good thing that the GoodHangups inventor was ready, because all of her product sold out prior to QVC even airing the segment.

Jill Martin, seen in the above photo, spoke to Leslie about her invention. Pierson ended up focusing on GoodHangups and created more SKUs in the system after the bang-up success of GoodHangups on Today and QVC. The invention helped to transform any wall or surface into a magnet board without needing an actual board to use it. The way GoodHangups are easily peeled off and re-used, one can see the advantage of homeowners, business owners — and especially people like apartment renters who are very aware of not wanting to create damage to walls — using the products.

After that runaway success, it’s no wonder that Today and QVC are partnering together again for “TODAY’s Next Big Thing” — part two. Today describes their contest as follows, with instructions on how to enter and the deadlines for the contest.

“TODAY is collaborating with QVC once again to find “TODAY’s Next Big Thing,” a country-wide search for the next greatest product to hit the market. This time, we’re looking for mom entrepreneurs (or “mom-preneurs,” get it?), to submit their inventions!

“RELATED: Learn more about the QVC Sprouts program for inventors here

“If you’re a mom and you’re sitting on a creative invention, send us your idea here through March 4. Finalists will be selected to come pitch their product live on TODAY during the week of April 18 to a panel of judges, then viewers will get to vote for their favorite. The three products with the highest votes in their categories will return to TODAY, where the panel of judges will select a winner. The winning inventor will get to sell his or her product on QVC’s show “Saturday Morning Q” on April 23.

“Enter now — we can’t wait to see what great ideas you’re sitting on!”

As reported by QVC, the winner of the next “TODAY’s Next Big Thing” will be announced live on Today on April 22.

[Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP]