Barbara Ann Corcoran

 Barbara Ann Corcoran, born March 10, 1949, is an American businesswoman and investor. She is also a speaker, consultant, columnist syndicated, speaker, author, and TV personality. In 2001, she launched The Corcoran Group in New York City. The company was sold to the business to NRT for $66 million. In the following months she left the company. Corcoran has participated in 12 of ABC's Shark Tank seasons. Corcoran had signed 53 contracts as of February of 2020. Her largest deal was her investment of $350,000 in Coverplay with a 40% stake. Corcoran was second child in the family of 10 children, and was raised in Edgewater. Florence was her mother, who was an errand-taker. Edwin W. Corcoran Jr. was her father. He was constantly moving between jobs and the next during Corcoran’s childhood. Sometimes, the family relied upon deliveries of food that was free from a local grocery store. Corcoran recalls her father being an intoxicated man who would sometimes treat her mother with contempt and disrespect, especially when he had been drinking. Corcoran struggled through her schooling and later discovered that she was dyslexic. She went to the local Catholic elementary school before beginning high school at St. Cecilia High School in Englewood. Corcoran completed her studies at Leonia High School with a diploma in English, despite failing several courses during her first year.