"Maybe somebody could use them" - Shark Tank's Barbara Corcoran shares her sales secrets

Barbara Corcoran, the real estate mogul and investor from ABC's hit show Shark Tank, has built her career on sales. During an interview with The School of Hard Knocks, which was posted on Instagram on February 22, 2025, she revealed the two sales techniques that fueled her rise in New York's real estate market. When asked about her sales secrets, Corcoran explained:

"Part of it was I took the deal away, which is good 'cause everybody always wants what they can't get their hands on.”

She continued, sharing another trick openly:

"I'm giving away my secrets, well I don't sell anymore so who cares? Maybe somebody could use them... you gotta learn to listen. And most importantly, I would listen to what they said they wanted, and I would read between the lines and know what they really wanted because buyers are liars. It's your job to figure out the truth of the deal."

In the present, Barbara is serving as a permanent panelist in Shark Tank season 16.

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Barbara Corcoran gives away the sales secrets she used before joining Shark Tank

Barbara Corcoran disclosed multiple sales strategies that were instrumental to her success in building a real estate empire. When talking about using urgency, she stated:

“I would just say 'gee, I'm so sorry. I heard somebody just took it'. All of a sudden they want the property. Urgency is a great motivator."

In the same interview, Barbara Corcoran said how she faced skepticism throughout her career, particularly from established competitors. She stated:

"I was doubted by the 'Old Boy Network.' The rich guys who owned all the businesses in town, but that was to my advantage. They didn't want me in The Old Boys club but I got in The Old Boys club."

This discrimination motivated her rather than deterring her in New York real estate. The pattern continued when she pursued a role on the ABC show Shark Tank.

"I was doubted by Mark Burnett saying I wasn't going to get the seat on Shark Tank," Corcoran revealed.

After initially being rejected for the investor position, she wrote directly to producer Mark Burnett. Her letter outlined the qualities that would make her a valuable addition to the show, refusing to accept the initial rejection. This approach worked, convincing producers to reconsider their decision and ultimately offer her the role.

The Shark Tank star advised using doubt as motivation, emphasizing that standing up for oneself when faced with rejection often produced positive results. She maintained that moments of doubt, when viewed correctly, could become powerful motivational tools that drive success rather than prevent it.

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Barbara Corcoran's background

Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran began her entrepreneurial journey in New York City after growing up in New Jersey with nine siblings. In 1973, at age 23, she accepted a $1,000 loan from her boyfriend Ramone Simone to start a real estate business. The couple initially worked as partners, with Simone controlling 51% and Corcoran owning 49% of the business.

When their relationship ended after Simone announced he would marry Corcoran's secretary, they split the company. Corcoran took half the employees and established The Corcoran Group on a different floor in the same building. Despite starting during a real estate recession, she built the company methodically over the next 28 years, eventually selling it to NRT Incorporated for $66 million in 2001.

Her business education came from holding 20 different jobs before age 23, including working as a waitress. Corcoran later revealed that she struggled with dyslexia throughout her education, which influenced her creative approach to business problems and marketing strategies.

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New episodes of Shark Tank are airing on ABC network.