Barbara Corcoran

Not too many individuals can say they have turned a $1,000 loan into New York's largest real estate company. Barbara Corcoran can.

Barbara grew up with her many brothers and sisters in a small house in Edgewater, New Jersey. She graduated with a degree in education from St. Thomas Aquinas College in 1971, and after teaching for a year, decided to move on to pursue other opportunities. In 1973, Barbara used a $1,000 loan from her boyfriend to start The Corcoran Group, a real estate business. Soon after she started publishing The Corcoran Report on real estate data trends in New York City.

Barbara led her company from one success to the next, using her mother's principles and montras to guide her along the way. She didn't let anything get in her way of growing and expanding the company, and was quick to learn the tricks and secrets to being successful in what has been called the craziest real estate market in the world.

In 2001, Barbara decided to sell The Corcoran Group to NRT Incorporated for $66 million. However, she has and will always remain a prominent figure in New York real estate. Barbara often serves as a guest speaker at various real estate events, and often appears on talk shows, especially on NBC's Today Show where she is the real estate contributor. Barbara loves investing in promising businesses, but more importantly, helping entrepreneurs fulfill their potential.

Barbara's Quotes:

- "If you want to get noticed, write your name on the wall"

- "Don't listen to these guys."

- "Enough!"

- "The most effective way to build a brand is not by spending millions in advertising, but by finding a clever way to keep your name in the press."

- "I'm gonna have to go with my gut."

- "I build power brands!"

-"I don't just invest in the product. I invest in the entrepreneur."

Barbara's Books:

Check out Barbara's Website