Barbara Ann Corcoran

 Barbara Ann Corcoran, born March 10, 1949 is an American businesswoman and investor. She is also a public speaker, consultant, columnist syndicated to a speaker writer, author and television personality. The Corcoran Group, an NYC real estate brokerage was started by Corcoran. NRT bought it in 2001 for $66 million. Corcoran then left the business. Corcoran was among the first Shark Tank investors. She has appeared on every season of ABC's Shark Tank. She has participated in 53 deals as of February of 2020. The most significant was a $350,000 purchase to provide 40% of Coverplay. Corcoran was the second of the family of 10 children, and was raised in Edgewater. Florence Corcoran's mom, was a homemaker. Edwin W. Corcoran Jr. was her father. He was constantly moving between jobs and the next during Corcoran's youth. Sometimes, her family relied upon free food delivery from a nearby grocery store. Corcoran remembers her father as a drunkard who sometimes treated her mother with contempt and disrespect, especially after the fact that he was drinking. Corcoran was a struggle throughout her education, later learning that she had dyslexia. Corcoran was a student at an Catholic primary school within her community and started high school in St. Cecilia High School, Englewood. Corcoran dropped a few classes during her first year and transferred to Leonia High School where she was an A student.