Expecting more of a savvy business book, it became quickly apparent that Shark Tales was a different animal entirely. Despite its current face lift, which includes examples and lessons learned from Corcoran’s current stint on the popular television show Shark Tank, the book still remains true to its previously published title: If You Don’t Have Big Breasts, Put Ribbons On Your Pigtails: And Other Lessons I Learned From My Mom.
Barbara Corcoran is the second of ten children. Living on the main floor of a modest house with two bedrooms and only one bathroom, there’s no doubt that young Barbara learned important people skills early on. However, it was of interest to note that Ms. Cororan’s phenomenal success was definitely not a path foretold by her elementary school years. Not only did she earn straight Ds on her report card, but she also wrestled with the challenges of dyslexia—no doubt a contributing factor to her grades.
However, it seemed to be the infinite patience of her mother that helped Barbara and the other children through their tough times, such as when a nun at school called Barbara “stupid”, or an even more valuable lesson learned after one of her brothers was being bullied by a larger child. A lesson that Ms. Corcoran put it into action many years later when she sued big bully Donald Trump, after he tried to cheat her company out of a $4 million commission.
Though the statement that she turned $1,000 into billions is a rather loose interpretation of the facts, there’s no denying that it was Ms. Corcoran’s steadfast determination and creative, out-of-the-box thinking that made her the success story that she is today.
Written as more of an inspirational tool, then a business how-to, Barbara Corcoran takes a different approach to doing business. Despite the focus being on real estate, Corcoran’s ideas and strategies can be applied to any type of business.
By employing the life lessons she learned at the patient hand of her super-hero mother, Barbara Corcoran is proof that sometimes the best business sense is simply common sense, and a little imagination can go a long way.
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Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Portfolio Trade; Revised edition (February 9, 2011)
ISBN-13: 978-1591844181