Barbara Ann Corcoran

 Barbara Ann Corcoran (born March 10 1949) is an American businesswoman investor and speaker. She is also a consultant, speaker and syndicated columnist. She is also an author, and television personality. The Corcoran Group, an NYC-based real estate brokerage was started by Corcoran. NRT bought it in 2001 for $66 million. Corcoran later left the company. Corcoran was one of the first Shark Tank investors. She has appeared on every season of ABC's Shark Tank. Corcoran has signed 53 deals until February, 2020. Her biggest deal was her investment of $350,000 into Coverplay for 40%. Corcoran was the second child of 10 children born to a working class Irish-Catholic couple living in Edgewater, New Jersey. Florence Corcoran's mother was an errand-taker. Edwin W. Corcoran Jr. became her father throughout Corcoran's early years. Sometimes, the family relied upon deliveries of free food from a friendly local grocer. Corcoran says that her father was drunk who was rude to her mother and sarcastic remarks. Corcoran struggled through her schooling and was eventually diagnosed with dyslexia. Corcoran was educated at a Catholic elementary school, and later began high school in Englewood at St. Cecilia High School. Corcoran who was in the process of failing many classes during her freshman year, transferred to Leonia High School. There she received a grade of D.