Marcy McKenna Brings The Styling Station™ & The Cambia Clutch™ to HSN
Marcy McKenna, 41, from Newport Beach, CA, is the winner of the first Homemade Millionaire episode. A mom of three and an inventor of 12 years, Marcy is constantly inspired by the little annoyances of everyday life, which led her to creating The Styling Station, a bathroom organizational shelf that’s currently in development with HSN, and The Cambia Clutch, an interchangeable accessory that’s perfect for the space-saving, yet fashion-conscious traveler, available now on HSN.
Cambia by Marcy McKenna Convertible Leather Clutch with 3 Flaps Item: 102-642
We chatted with Marcy to find out what some of her most memorable Homemade Millionaire moments were, and why we should make her products a part of our lives.
Tell us about your “this is it” moment—the moment you knew that this product would make your dreams come true.
My “this is it” moment came when I presented The Styling Station to the focus group in our first challenge on Homemade Millionaire. I always thought this was a product that all women would want, (and, of course, all my friends and family told me I was right) but it’s not until a group of people you don’t know tells you that they have to have it, that you really know you have a home run. This focus group unanimously agreed that The Styling Station solved a huge problem for them and they couldn’t wait to have one for themselves. That’s the moment we all dream about!
What are some ups and downs of the invention process? Any memorable or funny stories about testing your invention?
Oh my gosh! There were so many roller coaster moments! I’ll never forget the day I was scheduled to fly to New York for my first day of taping Homemade Millionaire. My uncle had taken my prototype to his home three hours away to “fix a few things”. When he arrived at my house four hours before my flight was to depart the cabinet was literally in pieces. He had taken it entirely apart and hadn’t had time to rebuild it. As he went to work in our garage, I went upstairs and cried realizing that I was about to lose the opportunity of my lifetime. I was relieved to learn that he was able to rebuild it within an hour. Whew! I would make it to New York after all. Just one problem, he left the cabinet door at his home three hours away! My husband raced up the shoulder of the freeway in one direction as my cousin raced toward him with my cabinet door in the other direction. My husband made it back with the door sparing thirty minutes until my flight time. Of course, then I discover that the door didn’t fit! I would take it to New York anyway, and figure out what to do when I got there. I remember saying to my husband when we finally got on the plane, “Can you imagine after all this, if I actually won?”
Then there was the moment I realized The Styling Station wasn’t going to be ready for the airing of Homemade Millionaire. Again, I felt the opportunity of my life slipping away. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, right?! I quickly had to put together a business plan to give to HSN and TLC that would allow me to present, for their consideration,another invention that could be ready in time for the November air date. Lucky for me, they saw the potential in The Cambia Clutch and the rest is history!
What is the one, absolute reason why people should make your product a part of their lives?
The Styling Station will make all of lives so much better. How nice to have a bathroom free of ugly cords, and big bulky hair appliances taking up our coveted bathroom storage space. Not to mention the time it will save us all in the morning when we’re racing out the door to go about our day!
The Cambia Clutch finally makes those high-end designer handbags we all lust after, affordable and accessible. You can have the most current fashions in a designer quality handbag for a tiny fraction of the cost. It saves you money, and saves space in your suitcase and in your closet. Your wardrobe secret weapon!
Now that you’re a Homemade Millionaire and HSN success story, what’s your next step, dream or goal?
I have a “binder of inventions” that I have built over the past 12 years. I once dreamed of one day passing this binder on to my children so that they could turn my inventions into reality, and secure a future for themselves. But I now have a goal to develop and manufacture each one of them myself! I plan to continue to build my brand, and launch many of these products on HSN in the years to come.
Check back each week after the airing of Homemade Millionaire on TLC for another special Q&A with the next inspiring winner.
More Homemade Millionaire on hsn.com:
» Shop Marcy’s Product: The Cambia Clutch™
» Top Three Reasons to Watch Homemade Millionaire Friday Nights at 10 P.M. ET on TLC
» Read more about the show and how you can submit a product idea to HSN
Did this product ever get released? I really wanted one but never saw them for sale?
Hi!
The Styling Station is coming in early summer to HSN. It is amazing, you will love it!
Marcy
The clutch is a copy of an existing handbag where you change the overlying covers and are able with one bag to get many differtent looks No picture of a styling station but this past week I found a small version with different colors that holds a hair dryer,curlingiron, instyler iron and hair products. It retails for $12.00 at Marshalls Home Goods store.
Hi there!
I wanted to let you all the know that The Styling Station is in production and based on your feeback we’re making some changes that will make it much smaller and therefore a better fit for the majority of bathroom and bedrooms. The response has been overwhelming and we’re so were so happy to be able to bring you an even better version than what you saw on Homemade Millionaire! It’s coming soon, so please check back!
Price points for both products are too high for an unknown brand/quality. Does help that Falchi worked on the clutch. Styling Station looks too big and too restricting for my needs. I like Marcy’s hair and style as is, but it doesn’t seem to match up with a need for the Styling Station. I did notice she curled it up for the big HSN presentation. It’s a picky point but just a marketing pointer.
will the styling cabinet be available for the holidays i would like to purchase one.
Hi!
It is coming to HSN June/July 2012. It is amazing!
Marcy
(marcymckenna.com
I have an all-tile bathroom so, unfortunately, the Styling Station would never work for me. Even so, it is a rather large cabinet and I seldom have need for all those appliances at once – a small hook for my blow dryer does the trick for me! The Cambia is very high-priced and, contrary to being hyped as an affordable designer look for less, its price point is rather high for the average woman. It is, after all, only a small clutch. Still, looking forward to seeing Marcy’s other ideas on HSN.
I ordered the clutch! I think it looks fantastic! I cannot figure out how to order the Styling Station.. I too thought it was too big, but guess what it is not! I think everyone has room for the styling station.
How do I get a styling station?
Hi there! Glad to hear you love the Cambia Clutch as much as we do. Marcy’s Styling Station is still in development, and will be available in the near future. Please do check back with us!
What? Cambia Clutch -That was not even mentioned on the show and how does that tie in to the Styling Station that was pitched and won. I think that HSN needs to watch the episodes and realize that we feel duped. If it was simply a pitch person to hawk other items then that should be make clear on the show. The show should be renamed Homemade Pitch Person. The idea of the show is great but your not giving us what we were promised, the actual product that won.
Hi!
Coming soon to HSN. June/July of 2012. It is amazing.
Marcy
(Marcymckenna.com)
the clutch is way too expensive….the styling station is a great idea, but just too big. I am not sure how that could be solved.
I am not quite sure how the styling station works. Was it just a cabinet? Wasn’t it for appliances to be plugged in; then I would have to hang the station near an outlet? If it is heavy; it would be expensive to ship. Do we have to assemble it? Does it have drawers? How much can u actually put in this station? Does it come in colours? Does it have to be mounted, hardware?
Watched the show and really enjoyed it. However, I wouldn’t purchase “the styling station”. It is too big for the average gal’s
bathroom. My bathroom is larger than most, but I still have no place to put it. Can’t wait see the other inventions and final winner of the show.
We had a house party of 40 guests to watch HomeMade Millionaire; we are a group of women entreprenuer’s and we loved watching Wendy Robbins, and wished there was even MORE of her expert coaching process with HSN’s inventor contestants so we could really get involved more in the process; learn the skill sets, and be able to talk about it in our weekly meetings.
Thank you so much HSN/TLC for a positive and exciting program!
Your fans in Temecula,
Prosperity Queen!
Hi!
The Style and Go (formally The Styling Station) will be coming out in June/July 2012. Glad you loved the show and I know you will love the finished product.
Marcy
congrats on winning “homemade millionaire”- i do look forward to seeing “the styling station” on hsn! i see marcy’s “cambia clutch” is now available for purchase- it’s a bit pricy for a clutch and is very reminescent of the miche bag, although a purse, it is based on the same concept of the interchangeable covers/shells and it’s awhole lot cheaper than the “cambia”!