Barbara Ann Corcoran

 Barbara Ann Corcoran (born March 10, 1949) is an American businesswoman, investor speaking, consultant writer, syndicated columnist, television host, and author. The Corcoran Group is a New York-based real estate brokerage. In 2001, it was sold to NRT at $66 million. Corcoran left the company shortly thereafter. Corcoran was one of ABC's first Shark investors has been part of each episode of Shark Tank. As of February 2020, she's signed 53 deals with the show, with the most significant being a $350,000 investment to purchase 40 percent of Coverplay. Corcoran was born in Edgewater, New Jersey, the second of 10 children in a middle class Irish-Catholic family. Florence, Corcoran's mother, was a homemaker. Edwin W. Corcoran Jr., her father, was constantly changing jobs throughout Corcoran's career. In times, her family relied on deliveries of food for free from a friendly local grocer. Corcoran recalls her father being an intoxicated man who would sometimes treat her mother with contempt and disrespect, especially after the fact that he was drinking. Corcoran was a struggle in school, and was later told that she had dyslexia. Corcoran entered high school at St. Cecilia High School Englewood after having attended a Catholic elementary school. Corcoran was fluent in several courses her freshman year. She was transferred to Leonia High School and graduated with a grade of D.