# Barbara Corcoran

> Barbara Corcoran turned a $1,000 loan into a $66 million real estate empire, sold it, then went on national television to bet on strangers with big dreams. The founder of The Corcoran Group and an original Shark on ABC's Shark Tank, she has made 130+ deals and invested ~$62 million in startups - including The Comfy, which grew to a ~$468 million valuation. Dyslexic, a D-student, one of ten kids in a two-bedroom house, she credits every single setback as the fuel that got her here.

- **Role:** Shark at ABC's Shark Tank / Founder at Forefront Venture Partners
- **Organizations:** Shark Tank (ABC), Forefront Venture Partners (formerly Barbara Corcoran Venture Partners), The Corcoran Group (founded; sold 2001), Child Mind Institute (dyslexia advocacy), Make-A-Wish Foundation, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- **From:** Edgewater, New Jersey, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor of Education, St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill, NY, High School Diploma, Leonia High School, NJ
- **Known for:** Founded The Corcoran Group with $1,000; sold for $66 million in 2001, Pioneered NYC real estate market data journalism with The Corcoran Report (mid-1970s), Original Shark on ABC's Shark Tank (Season 1, 2009) - all 15+ seasons

## Career timeline

- **1949** — Born in Edgewater, New Jersey, second of 10 children
- **1971** — Graduated St. Thomas Aquinas College with a B.Ed. degree
- **1973** — Co-founded Corcoran-Simone real estate firm with boyfriend Ray Simone using his $1,000 loan
- **1975** — Launched The Corcoran Report - pioneering NYC real estate market data newsletter
- **1980** — Ex-partner left her for her secretary; split company and founded The Corcoran Group independently
- **1981** — The Corcoran Group grew to 130 agents and ~$88M in annual sales
- **1985** — Expanded into the luxury Hamptons market
- **1988** — Became NYC's first female commercial real estate broker; married Bill Higgins
- **1994** — Son born via IVF using egg donated by her sister
- **2001** — Sold The Corcoran Group to NRT for $66 million; gave roughly half the proceeds to family, friends, and charity
- **2003** — Published first book: 'If You Don't Have Big Breasts, Put Ribbons on Your Pigtails'
- **2009** — Joined ABC's Shark Tank as one of the original Sharks in Season 1
- **2011** — Published bestselling 'Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business'
- **2017** — Invested $50,000 in The Comfy on Shark Tank - grew to ~$468M valuation; competed on Dancing with the Stars
- **2018** — Launched 'Business Unusual with Barbara Corcoran' podcast; founded Forefront Venture Partners
- **2023** — Surpassed 130 Shark Tank deals with ~$62M total invested
- **2025** — Lost Pacific Palisades mobile home in California wildfires; sold NYC Fifth Avenue penthouse for $13.5M; made new Shark Tank investments in Yum Crumbs and History By Mail
- **2026** — Active at 77, continuing Shark Tank; revealed 'never saved a dime' money philosophy in Fortune interview

## Achievements

- Founded The Corcoran Group with $1,000; sold for $66 million in 2001
- Pioneered NYC real estate market data journalism with The Corcoran Report (mid-1970s)
- Original Shark on ABC's Shark Tank (Season 1, 2009) - all 15+ seasons
- 130+ Shark Tank deals totaling ~$62 million invested
- The Comfy investment: $50,000 grew to ~$468 million valuation
- Cousins Maine Lobster: grew to 50+ locations and ~$50M annual sales after her $55,000 investment
- Bestselling author of 3 books including 'Shark Tales'
- Host of 'Business Unusual with Barbara Corcoran' podcast (200+ episodes)
- NYC's first female commercial real estate broker (1988)
- Built NYC's largest residential brokerage brand in the 1990s
- Vocal dyslexia advocate - partnered with Child Mind Institute, University of Michigan Dyslexia Help Program
- Shark Tank has won four Primetime Emmy Awards
- 1.2M+ Instagram followers; 1.1M+ TikTok followers

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — Featured in Fortune magazine - revealed she has never saved a dime and gave away ~half of her $66M Corcoran Group sale to family, friends, and charities. Appeared on Burnouts podcast with Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni.
- **2025-04** — Co-invested with Daniel Lubetzky in History By Mail - $125,000 for 10% stake
- **2025-03** — Made new Shark Tank investment in Yum Crumbs (food products)
- **2025-01** — Lost Pacific Palisades mobile home (~$800K value) in California wildfires
- **2024-12** — Sold NYC Fifth Avenue penthouse for $13.5M (purchased 2015 for $10M)

## Links

- Website: https://www.barbaracorcoran.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaracorcoran/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/barbaracorcoran
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJXXow8pdQisWZ4Z33P-gzDgTrMHZZurw
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbaracorcoran/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBarbaraCorcoran/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@barbaracorcoran

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/barbara-corcoran
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-29