Barbara Corcoran is an accomplished American entrepreneur, published author, and television personality widely recognized for her role as a cast member on the highly acclaimed television series, “Shark Tank.”
Previously, Barbara established a company called “The Corcoran-Simone” alongside her romantic partner at the time. However, following their breakup, her ex-boyfriend departed to pursue a relationship with another woman, and the company was subsequently renamed “The Corcoran Group.” (1)
Barbara Corcoran’s Appearance (Height, Hair, Eyes & More)
| Height | 5 ft 5 in 1.65 m |
|---|---|
| Weight | 121 pounds 55 kg |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Body Type | Skinny |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
Facts About Barbara Corcoran
| Nationality | American |
|---|---|
| Estimate Net Worth | $100 million |
| Religion | Irish Catholic |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Birthplace | Edgewater, New Jersey, United States |
| Birthday | March 10, 1949 |
Barbara Corcoran’s Net Worth
As of 2023, Barbara Corcoran is believed to have a net worth of approximately $100 million. Her primary source of income stems from her successful career as an American entrepreneur, investor, and author residing in Edgewater.
Barbara Corcoran serves as a prominent investor, commonly referred to as a “Shark,” on the widely popular television program, “Shark Tank,” which airs on ABC. She has partnered with numerous renowned investors across the globe throughout her illustrious career. Additionally, Corcoran ranks as one of the highest-paid female investors globally. (2)
See the net worth of other famous entrepreneurs here.
Barbara Corcoran’s Early Life
Barbara Ann Corcoran, born on March 10, 1949, in Edgewater, New Jersey, was raised in a lower-middle-class family of Irish Catholic descent. She was the second of ten siblings, with four brothers and five sisters. Despite their impoverished circumstances, Barbara credits her mother, Florence, as her life mentor.
She also acknowledges her mother’s efforts in raising all her children almost single-handedly. Unfortunately, Barbara’s father was a semi-employed alcoholic who paid little attention to his family. Despite this, Barbara has mentioned that he was a “funny man” who would entertain the family.
Despite the hardships she faced, Barbara emerged as a resilient and determined young woman. She attributes her strong work ethic to her mother’s influence. Despite her challenging upbringing, Barbara aspired to overcome her circumstances and achieve a prosperous lifestyle.
Unfortunately, she encountered difficulties in achieving academic success and struggled to obtain good grades in school. After attending a local Catholic elementary school in New Jersey, Barbara went on to study at St. Cecilia High School in Englewood. However, she dropped out of school after completing her freshman year.
One of the contributing factors to her academic struggles was her dyslexia, which made it challenging for her to concentrate on her studies. As a result, she received consistently low grades, with a string of Ds throughout her schooling. Barbara also had difficulty maintaining her interest in various subjects, leading her to switch schools frequently.
After switching schools several times, Barbara eventually completed her education at Leonia High School. She then went on to pursue higher education at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill, New York, which was a liberal arts college that did not have a particularly high standing in the city. In 1971, Barbara graduated from college with a degree in education and began working soon after. (3)
Barbara Corcoran’s Husband and Family Life
Barbara Corcoran ended her relationship with Ray Simone when he expressed his intention to marry his secretary. In 1988, she tied the knot with former navy captain Bill Higgins. Despite their efforts to conceive a child, they faced fertility problems.
Subsequently, Barbara gave birth to a son named Tom through in-vitro fertilization in 1994 and also went on to adopt a child a few years later. Presently, she resides with her spouse in Manhattan.
Barbara Corcoran’s Career
After finishing her degree, Barbara Corcoran started working in various fields. She held several jobs, including receptionist, waitress, and saleswoman. Barbara put in a lot of effort and accumulated considerable money by undertaking approximately ten different jobs during the following two to three years.
However, she did not have a specific industry or career path in mind. In the 1970s, she became aware of the booming real estate market in New York City and saw an opportunity to pursue a career in this field.
While working as a waitress in New York City, Barbara Corcoran met her ex-boyfriend, Ray Simone, who was a builder. When Simone told her about the lucrative nature of the real estate industry, Corcoran expressed her interest in working in that field.
Together, they decided to start a real estate company, which they called “The Corcoran-Simone.” The company was founded in 1973. At the outset, Simone contributed $1000 as an investment for the company. It started off as a company that assisted clients in locating apartments, given the influx of people moving to New York City in the 1970s.
The company thrived as it partnered with several realtors and builders, providing clients with options that catered to their requirements and financial standing. Barbara Corcoran explored various ways to earn additional income while working at The Corcoran-Simone. One day, while showing an apartment to an engineer, he offered to purchase the apartment instead of renting it.
This led to Barbara’s first successful sale, which earned the company a commission of $3,000. This experience inspired her to switch the company’s focus from rental services to real estate sales, and she convinced Simone to make the change.
Barbara Corcoran advertised job vacancies for salesmen in prominent newspapers, including “The New York Times,” and spent considerable money on recruitment. Thanks to her hard work and sound business acumen, the company began to make significant profits within two years of its inception.
As the driving force behind the company’s success, Barbara took charge of most of the management decisions. In 1975, the company expanded significantly, employing 14 sales associates with attractive salaries and generating a profit of roughly $500,000. It was progressively emerging as one of the rapidly growing real estate firms in New York.
Nonetheless, the partnership ended abruptly due to Simone’s relationship with another woman, which led to the couple’s breakup. Consequently, Barbara became the sole proprietor of the company. However, it took her several years to complete the process of dividing the company.
Finally, by 1978, Barbara had become the company’s sole owner, renamed ‘The Corcoran Group.’ It was the first-ever woman-owned real-estate company in New York City. In the first year of her sole ownership, the company employed seven sales agents and earned $350,000 in sales.
During the 1990s, Barbara Corcoran shifted to online operations and started selling real estate online. Her foresight allowed her to move to the internet before any of her competitors in the city. She even bought multiple web domains, not for profit, but to keep track of her competition and maintain good relations with them.
Her strategy was to be in the know and stay ahead in the game. Additionally, she also intended to sell those domains later when her competitors would start making a switch to the internet. In 2001, an offer was made to purchase the company for a sum of $20 million. However, Barbara, the owner, rejected the offer and asked for $66 million, citing her affinity towards the number 66.
The sale was eventually concluded within two weeks. Furthermore, in the 1970s, Barbara ventured into the publishing industry by launching a real-estate newsletter titled “The Corcoran Report,” which focused on the most recent developments in the New York City real estate market.
Barbara Corcoran subsequently authored a book titled “If You Don’t Have Big Breasts, Put Ribbons on Your Pigtail.” She also commenced her television career in the mid-2000s, wherein she served as a political commentator on “Fox News” and contributed as a real-estate expert on various programs.
Moreover, she participated as a contestant on the reality TV show “Shark Tank,” wherein she invested in a total of 22 companies. The show featured numerous budding entrepreneurs presenting their business proposals to investors with the aim of securing funding for their ventures. (4)
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References
- TheFamousPeople, Barbara Corcoran Biography, retrieved from https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/barbara-corcoran-50796.php
- Emmy Wallin, Barbara Corcoran Net Worth, retrieved from https://wealthygorilla.com/barbara-corcoran-net-worth/
- TheFamousPeople, Barbara Corcoran Biography, retrieved from https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/barbara-corcoran-50796.php
Rob, Barbara Corcoran Biography retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1871303/bio