Barbara Corcoran

Barbara Corcoran is an American businesswoman, investor, and television personality best known as one of the original sharks on the hit ABC show ‘Shark Tank.’ Born in Edgewater, New Jersey, as one of ten children in an Irish-Catholic family, Corcoran struggled academically due to dyslexia but possessed an extraordinary entrepreneurial drive. After holding 20 jobs by the age of 23, she borrowed $1,000 from her then-boyfriend and co-founded a small real estate company in New York City in 1973.

That small company grew into The Corcoran Group, which became one of the largest and most prestigious residential real estate firms in New York City. Under her leadership, the company grew from a one-woman operation to a powerhouse with over $5 billion in annual sales. In 2001, Corcoran sold The Corcoran Group to NRT Incorporated for $66 million, a deal that transformed her personal wealth and set the stage for her next chapter.

Since 2009, Corcoran has been a panelist on ‘Shark Tank,’ where she has invested in dozens of small businesses and become one of the show’s most popular and outspoken sharks. Her investments on the show have included some notable successes, and her straight-talking, no-nonsense style combined with genuine empathy for entrepreneurs has made her a fan favorite. She is known for backing underdogs and businesses run by people who remind her of her own scrappy origins.

Corcoran’s estimated net worth of $100 million reflects her real estate fortune, Shark Tank investments, lucrative speaking engagements, bestselling books, and media appearances. She is the author of ‘Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business’ and is one of the most sought-after motivational speakers in the business world. Her story of rising from humble beginnings with dyslexia to building a real estate empire has inspired millions of aspiring entrepreneurs worldwide.