Listen to this article

Having just returned from mountain biking and hiking through Bhutan in the Himalayas, and currently planning her next trip to Iceland, Collette Liantonio shows no signs of slowing down.

Not even the sting of a Portuguese man o’ war on a recent trip to the Galapagos Islands could quench her thirst for risk-taking.

“Most of us crave adventure,” Liantonio said.

What else would you expect from the woman who took a risk 30 years ago to start her own production company serving an industry no one knew existed?

Today, she is the “Queen of Infomercials” — the person who almost single-handedly created the concept of selling products on late-night TV with commercials so wacky you can’t help but watch them.

And, more often than most of us want to admit, buy from them.

Liantonio seamlessly balances her global explorations with being a wife, mother and grandmother while serving as president and creative director of her multimillion-dollar production company, the Boonton-based Concepts TV.

“I’m not quite sure how I was able to do this, mind you, but I’ve been able to have a wonderful marriage, family, and still a very gratifying career,” Liantonio said.

But it wasn’t always so easy.

———

Liantonio started a family while teaching English, Spanish, film studies and speech at Rutherford High School and freelance writing.