Barbara Corcoran is an American real estate mogul, investor, author, and television personality widely recognized as one of the original “Sharks” on ABC’s hit business reality show Shark Tank. Born in Edgewater, New Jersey, into a large family of ten children, she struggled with dyslexia throughout her school years and worked over twenty jobs before finding her true calling. In 1973, with a $1,000 loan from her boyfriend at the time, she co-founded a small real estate firm in New York City that would eventually become The Corcoran Group. Through innovative marketing strategies, a keen eye for talent, and her publication of “The Corcoran Report”—a highly respected real estate market trends guide—she built the business into a massive real estate empire, eventually selling it to NRT Incorporated in 2001 for a historic $66 million.

Following her wildly successful real estate exit, Corcoran pivoted into media, consulting, and venture capital, establishing Barbara Corcoran Venture Partners. Her mainstream celebrity status exploded in 2009 when she joined the inaugural panel of Shark Tank, where she became known for her sharp instincts, emphasis on the character and grit of the entrepreneur, and her willingness to invest in unique consumer and food brands like Cousins Maine Lobster and Daisy Cakes. Beyond her television investments, she is a syndicated columnist, a popular keynote motivational speaker, and the author of several bestselling books, including Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business!, where she shares her blueprint for overcoming adversity and achieving entrepreneurial success.