{"id":164123,"date":"2025-09-27T16:27:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-27T16:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/164123\/"},"modified":"2025-09-27T16:27:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-27T16:27:07","slug":"barbara-corcoran-reveals-the-instant-red-flag-in-entrepreneurs-do-this-and-youll-lose-my-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/164123\/","title":{"rendered":"Barbara Corcoran reveals the instant red flag in entrepreneurs: Do this and you\u2019ll \u2018lose my money\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Barbara Corcoran<\/a> may be best known for her 17 seasons on Shark Tank, but the real estate mogul\u2014who sold her company<\/a> for $66 million in 2001\u2014says one trait tells her instantly whether an entrepreneur will flop or succeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI pay close attention to who takes responsibility and who plays the blame game,\u201d Corcoran told the Wake-Up Call at Work newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cSix months after Shark Tank, something always goes wrong\u2014the supplier didn\u2019t deliver, the molds were wrong, an employee messed up. But the minute an entrepreneur starts blaming the next guy, I know it\u2019s over and they\u2019re going to lose my money.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Corcoran, accountability isn\u2019t just a nice-to-have trait, it\u2019s the ultimate red flag. And she would know\u2014during her 17 seasons on the entrepreneurial pitching show, Corcoran invested in hundreds of companies, transforming many of her partners into overnight millionaires.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One of the most lucrative for her was a $50,000 investment for a 30% stake in The Comfy, a wearable blanket company that has since made<\/a> more than $450 million. Still, she said what matters the most isn\u2019t the product\u2014it\u2019s the ambition and attitude of its founders.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve invested in hundreds of entrepreneurs over the years, and I\u2019ve learned the most successful ones have many traits in common,\u201d she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not afraid of risk and they\u2019re super competitive. They have wild enthusiasm and know how to bounce back from failure. If it\u2019s a partnership\u2014and the best entrepreneurs often are\u2014the partners have opposite traits and complement each others\u2019 strengths and weaknesses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, Corcoran\u2019s net worth is estimated<\/a> around $100 million.<\/p>\n

Turning business flops into a fortune\u00a0<\/p>\n

While Corcoran admitted she had her fair share of investment busts, the 76-year-old said dwelling on mistakes is wasted energy. The real question is how quickly you learn and move forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve made a lot of mistakes in business, but I don\u2019t regret any of them,\u201d Corcoran said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAll my best successes happened on the heels of failure. It\u2019s the best way to learn and bounce back stronger. I learned that the harder the ball hits the pavement, the bigger the bounce. You just have to stay in the game long enough to see it come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Early in her career, Corcoran sunk her first $75,000 in profits into what she thought was a brilliant idea: VHS tapes showcasing her listings. But her agents refused to let them out since they included rival brokers\u2019 properties, and the tapes gathered dust in storage.<\/p>\n

When the internet arrived, however, Corcoran uploaded the videos to her new website\u2014and within a week, two homes sold sight unseen to buyers in London.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe same idea that had failed miserably suddenly became my breakthrough,\u201d she later wrote on Instagram<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Corcoran\u2019s fellow sharks agree: don\u2019t be scared by failure<\/p>\n

Even Corcoran\u2019s seatmates on the set of Shark Tank agree that failure is an opportunity to learn and pivot.<\/p>\n

In fact, Kevin O\u2019Leary<\/a>, commonly known as Mr. Wonderful, said he doesn\u2019t shy away from it. \u201cI\u2019m fairly lucky. I\u2019ve made lots of mistakes in investing, but I\u2019ve also had some extraordinary outcomes\u2026I\u2019m not scared to fail,\u201d O\u2019Leary told Fortune<\/a>. \u201cI never bet the farm on any one thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robert Herjavec<\/a> acknowledged that failure is inevitable in business, but those that are best equipped to look at the bright side will be the ones succeeding on the other side.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not practical to think that we will float through our careers without coming face\u2013to\u2013face with failure at some point or another. But, not all failures are disasters,\u201d Herjavec wrote for Fortune<\/a> in 2016.<\/p>\n

But in the moment, he recognized that viewing a failure as an opportunity can be easier said than done. His advice: strip out the emotion, ask the right questions, take ownership, and move forward rather than dwell.<\/p>\n

\u201cFailures that don\u2019t sink your business or cost you money are blessings and will push you harder,\u201d Herjavec added. \u201cDon\u2019t be intimidated by these moments because they will help you grow as a business leader.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortune Global Forum returns Oct. 26\u201327, 2025 in Riyadh. CEOs and global leaders will gather for a dynamic, invitation-only event shaping the future of business. Apply for an invitation.<\/a>