Barbara Ann Corcoran

 Barbara Ann Corcoran (born March 10, 1949) is an American businesswoman, investor, speaker, consultant writer, syndicated columnist, author, and television personality. The Corcoran Group, an NY-based real estate broker, was founded by Corcoran. NRT bought it in 2001 for $66 million. Corcoran later left the company. Corcoran is one of ABC’s original Shark Tank investors. Since her inception she has appeared in every season of Shark Tank. In February 2020 Corcoran was involved in 53 deals, the most significant being a $350,000 investment which covered 40% of Coverplay. Corcoran was born in Edgewater, New Jersey, the youngest of 10 children in a working class Irish-Catholic family. Florence, Corcoran's mother, was a homemaker. Her father, Edwin W. Corcoran Jr. moved from job to job during Corcoran's childhood. Her family was sometimes dependent on food deliveries from a friendly local grocer for free food. Corcoran recalls that her father was an alcohol-dependent drunkard who often treated her mother with condescension and disrespect, particularly after having consumed alcohol. Corcoran was a struggle in school and was later diagnosed with dyslexia. Corcoran went to an Catholic primary school within her area and started high school in St. Cecilia High School, Englewood. Corcoran was absent from several classes in her first year, and then transferred to Leonia High School where she was an A student.