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If You Don't Have Big Breasts, Put Ribbons on Your Pigtails: And Other Lessons I Learned from My Mom
A founder of the Corcoran Group real estate company describes her hard-working childhood and the lessons she learned from her mother and through her business experiences that enabled her to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country. Originally published as Use What You've Got. Reprint. 100,000 first printing.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
27 people are currently reading
823 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Corcoran
14 books41 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Barbara Corcoran’s credentials include straight D’s in high school and college and twenty jobs by the time she turned twenty-three. It was her next job that would make her one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country when she took a $1000 loan to start The Corcoran Group.
As one of the “Sharks” on ABC’s hit TV show, SHARK TANK, Barbara has ponied up her own money and invested in twenty-two businesses, competing to make those deals for all to see, then shepherding them to success.
Her newest book, SHARK TALES, takes you behind the scenes of her life and business and her ‘seen on TV’ venture capitalism. Barbara is famously brash and blunt, bold and courageous, and a brilliant identifier of opportunity and talent (often invisible to others).
Barbara Corcoran’s credentials include straight D’s in high school and college and twenty jobs by the time she turned twenty-three. It was her next job that would make her one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country when she took a $1000 loan to start The Corcoran Group.
As one of the “Sharks” on ABC’s hit TV show, SHARK TANK, Barbara has ponied up her own money and invested in twenty-two businesses, competing to make those deals for all to see, then shepherding them to success.
Her newest book, SHARK TALES, takes you behind the scenes of her life and business and her ‘seen on TV’ venture capitalism. Barbara is famously brash and blunt, bold and courageous, and a brilliant identifier of opportunity and talent (often invisible to others).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
December 1, 2007
I review sales and marketing books for a living, and this is without a doubt one of the best sales books I've read. Not only is it full of well-grounded, sound business ideas and principles, it's also hilarious! I love Corcoran's style, wit, chutzpah, and self-deprecating humor.
Whatever business you're in, you'll find something of value in this easy-to-read, laugh-a-minute, book.
Whatever business you're in, you'll find something of value in this easy-to-read, laugh-a-minute, book.
June 24, 2008
For some reason I thought this was a book about finances. I don't really know why. Judging it by its cover you wouldn't be misled, but I was given this book together with a different personal finance book just after a discussion about finances. For some reason I put the "Use What You've Got" title into a financial framework, so I decided it would be good to read it, since I always think I have to buy something new to make any kind of progress.
I'm glad I was under that impression, because I'm not sure I would have read it otherwise, and I would have missed out. I never really figured out it wasn't about personal finances because I was hooked on it from the first chapter.
It's a great book, but it's kind of hard to classify. It's a business book, but it doesn't follow enough of a format to really give a business person a usable framework to follow. And it's a book on sales, but again, without anything concrete enough to put to use. Mostly, though, I guess it's just an inspirational read about how a very successful woman tied her successes into lessons she learned from the day-to-day experiences living along with a hard-working, dedicated, and very wise mother.
But that doesn't adequately describe it, either, because she does provide golden nuggets of hard-earned experience that those of us just starting out in business can put to good use, if only we can figure out how to do so. Maybe it's time to read a book on salesmanship next.
I'm glad I was under that impression, because I'm not sure I would have read it otherwise, and I would have missed out. I never really figured out it wasn't about personal finances because I was hooked on it from the first chapter.
It's a great book, but it's kind of hard to classify. It's a business book, but it doesn't follow enough of a format to really give a business person a usable framework to follow. And it's a book on sales, but again, without anything concrete enough to put to use. Mostly, though, I guess it's just an inspirational read about how a very successful woman tied her successes into lessons she learned from the day-to-day experiences living along with a hard-working, dedicated, and very wise mother.
But that doesn't adequately describe it, either, because she does provide golden nuggets of hard-earned experience that those of us just starting out in business can put to good use, if only we can figure out how to do so. Maybe it's time to read a book on salesmanship next.
July 9, 2014
This book is more of a memoir of Barbara Corcoran's personal rags to riches story. Each chapter of her life has a simple lesson put in the mouth of her mother. I recommend you get the audiobook which is read by Barbara. You will never watch Shark Tank the same way again. Her investment decisions make so much more sense after reading this book.
May 29, 2007
shows you how to think outside of the box
April 13, 2025
I wanted to read this book for so long and it did not disappoint!!!! Now I just need to start a business to have somewhere to use all the advice....
December 22, 2012
I just adored this book. I didn't really know what I was getting into, like I didn't know that the author is one of the best known women in NYC real estate or that she's on TV's Shark Tank, I just thought I was reading a pithy memoir.
The book alternates between childhood anecdotes ending with a lesson from her mother (sometimes unexpected ones) and chapters showing how she used that wisdom in building a billion dollar real estate firm and weathering downturns and disappointments. It can be a little jarring, being in the middle of one of the parts of the books that talks about her real estate career and then suddenly be back in her poor childhood, but I think, overall, it was handled well.
For people building businesses and for entrepreneurs looking for inspiration laced with integrity and loyalty paired with business smarts, this is required reading.
The book alternates between childhood anecdotes ending with a lesson from her mother (sometimes unexpected ones) and chapters showing how she used that wisdom in building a billion dollar real estate firm and weathering downturns and disappointments. It can be a little jarring, being in the middle of one of the parts of the books that talks about her real estate career and then suddenly be back in her poor childhood, but I think, overall, it was handled well.
For people building businesses and for entrepreneurs looking for inspiration laced with integrity and loyalty paired with business smarts, this is required reading.
March 3, 2017
I am only about 75% through this but I am beyond glad I got it. In a world full of business books for women that are all about glitter and heals this is a breath of fresh air. There are issues that only a woman would face but the book is PACKED with legitimate ways to change your behavior, thoughts and systems in your business. Barbara give real advice and backs it up with life experience. She kills everyone around her with kindness and makes them believe that they have the potential to do anything. She spends the time and energy building up those around her with in turn helps her to develop herself by surrounding her self with loyal, dedicated and motivated people. I will definitely be investing in more of her books.
July 6, 2017
The book is a charming collection of vignettes about ingenious instances of Barbara's mother and how they helped her arrive at ideas and decisions throughout her entrepreneurial journey that led her to the million-dollar success that we all know today. She talked about a lot of interesting sales tricks and although they may seem like common sense, seeing them in action made many light bulbs go off in my mind. Having watched her in all the shark tank episodes, I was amused to see that some of her comportment has gone a long time back.
The book brims with positivity and is a nice call-to-action. Everyone has creativity in them, they just need to allow themselves to execute their crazy ideas. It's your own game, it's your own rules!
The book brims with positivity and is a nice call-to-action. Everyone has creativity in them, they just need to allow themselves to execute their crazy ideas. It's your own game, it's your own rules!
March 30, 2013
Without a clear plan, you won't know where you're going, and you'll have little chance of getting there. ~ Barbara Corcoran
This book details the story of Barbara Cocoran and how she built her business "The Corcoran Group" which helps customers buy and sell homes in New York. She later sold her business for millions.
I found myself laughing at her stories she illustrates growing up and the lessons her mother taught her of which she applied to business.
This book details the story of Barbara Cocoran and how she built her business "The Corcoran Group" which helps customers buy and sell homes in New York. She later sold her business for millions.
I found myself laughing at her stories she illustrates growing up and the lessons her mother taught her of which she applied to business.
May 26, 2013
This wasn't bad, but it wasn't great, either. I liked her stories about her mother and her family, as she clearly appreciated them very much, but the folksy gimmick of having a business lesson followed by a memory started to grate after the tenth lesson or so. She has some creative ideas, but she really is a shark with killer instincts. I was pretty discouraged rather than encouraged by her sales lessons.
August 20, 2009
I have completed only part one of this three-part audio book. It's somewhat entertaining, but is told in an autobiographical format. Recently, my listening tastes have been geared toward formats that are immediately informative or instructive, with less extraneous detail. I don't think I'll revisit this book later to finish it off.
September 18, 2010
Didn't finish it. I liked the stories of her youth but didn't like the self help stuff. I don't think they should have been combined. I may go back later and read some more of the parts about her childhood if I get desperate for something to read.
October 29, 2016
Complete bull shit. She has two other books which have the same content as this one. She is shamelessly cashing in on her celebrity status by publishing multiple books with more or less the same content.
July 2, 2009
Cute stories about how her mother's techniques used to smoothly run her family, work in making decisions in the workplace. Not terribly deep, but interesting enough.
May 21, 2008
Best business book I have read. Every gal starting a business or career should read this.
February 27, 2009
I love reading about powerful, smart women! Quick and inspirational read!
July 28, 2013
Fun, easy and entertaining read. Especially appropriate for those new to the field of sales.
May 6, 2016
From what I remember, this was really an interesting book. I really admire B.C. & I think we can all learn a lot from her. We can learn how to encourage our children by reading this book.
July 22, 2025
loved this. direct. creative. and short. I think it's worth circling back to every year or so if your into business books. It certainly spurred some creative ideas for me. Barbara did a real nice job, the anecdotes about her life were engaging, how she grew her business was energizing. she's an interesting lady.
June 9, 2012
It's almost Valentine's Day, so naturally I'm reading books about business.
This book reminded me of All Over But the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg. In each case, the author wants to explain how s/he came from modest means and exceeded everyone's expectations . . . but in order not to brag, each says, "My mother taught me everything I know."
One of ten children, Barbara Corcoran grew up in a one-bath house in Edgewater, N.J. She founded The Corcoran Group, which eventually became a multibillion-dollar real estate firm. Here are some of the things her mother taught her:
* If you don't have big breasts, put ribbons on your pigtails. (In other words, use what you've got. Emphasizing the positive and minimizing the negative isn't a swindle--it's the secret of sales success.)
* If you want to be a cheerleader, you'd better know the cheers. (Overprepare whenever possible, especially when others are watching.)
* Offer the bigger piece, and yours will taste even better. (Be generous when negotiating.)
* Go stand next to Nana and see how big you are! (Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't do. Or as Theodore Roosevelt used to say, "Do what you can with what you have where you are.")
* When there are ten buyers and three puppies, every dog is the pick of the litter. (If you're a seller, do what you can--truthfully and legally--to make it a seller's market. The same goes for buyers.)
* You have the right to be there.
* You've got to bully a bully.
* Never be ashamed of who you are.
I liked the author's advice on business success, too, although I hope I never need her tips on how to pick a litigation attorney.
This book reminded me of All Over But the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg. In each case, the author wants to explain how s/he came from modest means and exceeded everyone's expectations . . . but in order not to brag, each says, "My mother taught me everything I know."
One of ten children, Barbara Corcoran grew up in a one-bath house in Edgewater, N.J. She founded The Corcoran Group, which eventually became a multibillion-dollar real estate firm. Here are some of the things her mother taught her:
* If you don't have big breasts, put ribbons on your pigtails. (In other words, use what you've got. Emphasizing the positive and minimizing the negative isn't a swindle--it's the secret of sales success.)
* If you want to be a cheerleader, you'd better know the cheers. (Overprepare whenever possible, especially when others are watching.)
* Offer the bigger piece, and yours will taste even better. (Be generous when negotiating.)
* Go stand next to Nana and see how big you are! (Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't do. Or as Theodore Roosevelt used to say, "Do what you can with what you have where you are.")
* When there are ten buyers and three puppies, every dog is the pick of the litter. (If you're a seller, do what you can--truthfully and legally--to make it a seller's market. The same goes for buyers.)
* You have the right to be there.
* You've got to bully a bully.
* Never be ashamed of who you are.
I liked the author's advice on business success, too, although I hope I never need her tips on how to pick a litigation attorney.
April 20, 2012
I'm not normally a huge consumer of business books and business memoirs, but I loved this. It may well prove to be my favorite read of the year.
Synopsis: phenomenally successful real estate broker and businesswoman Barbara Corcoran outlines the trajectory of her career, highlighting key moments in her business's growth and explaining how she made it through these moments by drawing upon wisdom from her mother--a stay-at-home mom who raised 10 kids in a 2-bedroom apartment in New Jersey. The story begins with her opening a real estate brokerage company alone with a borrowed $1000 and ends with her selling her company about 25 years later for a personal profit of over $45 million.
The charming thing about this book is that every anecdote Corcoran presents makes sense. You think, "Of course this home spun wisdom would help her." So much of business is about common sense, gumption, resourcefulness, and likability, all of which she and her mother display in great abundance.
From a writer's standpoint, this book may be the tiniest bit flawed (the dialog can come off as a little hokey in spots), but the structure is solid, the story is inspiring, and the narrative voice is charming.
I got a little misty-eyed at the last line and loved that she acknowledged all of her employees (hundreds of them) at the back of the book.
Synopsis: phenomenally successful real estate broker and businesswoman Barbara Corcoran outlines the trajectory of her career, highlighting key moments in her business's growth and explaining how she made it through these moments by drawing upon wisdom from her mother--a stay-at-home mom who raised 10 kids in a 2-bedroom apartment in New Jersey. The story begins with her opening a real estate brokerage company alone with a borrowed $1000 and ends with her selling her company about 25 years later for a personal profit of over $45 million.
The charming thing about this book is that every anecdote Corcoran presents makes sense. You think, "Of course this home spun wisdom would help her." So much of business is about common sense, gumption, resourcefulness, and likability, all of which she and her mother display in great abundance.
From a writer's standpoint, this book may be the tiniest bit flawed (the dialog can come off as a little hokey in spots), but the structure is solid, the story is inspiring, and the narrative voice is charming.
I got a little misty-eyed at the last line and loved that she acknowledged all of her employees (hundreds of them) at the back of the book.
June 26, 2017
Learn Practical Lessons From This Book
The public sees one side of Barbara Corcoran on the ABC Shark Tank. She is a cool headed real estate investor. USE WHAT YOU’VE GOT gives listeners insight about Corcoran and her large New Jersey family. Her mother had a profound positive influence on Corcoran and her early life lessons.
For example Corcoran’s mother developed systems to handle laundry, make lunches, etc. with her family. It taught Barbara that she had to develop a system to handle her real estate business. When she launched her first solo real estate business, Corcoran poured high organization and system into the creation of her business which helped it thrive. As Corcoran said, “Good systems make plans happen. The simple systems I introduced at our first Monday meeting gave The Corcoran Group the footing it needed to build a solid company and those simple ideas can be attributed to my mother’s genius of good planning.”
Corcoran not only reads this book but from time to time she includes little family songs and sings on the audiobook. Overall it is the family stories combined with her business principles that make this book shine. I loved the story about how the trumped Donald Trump with her Cocoran Report on the New York real estate market.
USE WHAT YOU’VE GOT made for interesting listening and I heard the book cover to cover. I recommend it.
The public sees one side of Barbara Corcoran on the ABC Shark Tank. She is a cool headed real estate investor. USE WHAT YOU’VE GOT gives listeners insight about Corcoran and her large New Jersey family. Her mother had a profound positive influence on Corcoran and her early life lessons.
For example Corcoran’s mother developed systems to handle laundry, make lunches, etc. with her family. It taught Barbara that she had to develop a system to handle her real estate business. When she launched her first solo real estate business, Corcoran poured high organization and system into the creation of her business which helped it thrive. As Corcoran said, “Good systems make plans happen. The simple systems I introduced at our first Monday meeting gave The Corcoran Group the footing it needed to build a solid company and those simple ideas can be attributed to my mother’s genius of good planning.”
Corcoran not only reads this book but from time to time she includes little family songs and sings on the audiobook. Overall it is the family stories combined with her business principles that make this book shine. I loved the story about how the trumped Donald Trump with her Cocoran Report on the New York real estate market.
USE WHAT YOU’VE GOT made for interesting listening and I heard the book cover to cover. I recommend it.
June 19, 2018
I have a real bias: I love success stories. The more improbable, the better. The more determined the success seeker, the better. The humble origins? All the better! And always, always, a key background character (here, it's mom) who sees the hero through, asking nothing in return.
The best stories are a lot of reality and a little luck. The nonsense stories are the ones that tell you no work is involved (hah!).
Imagine being an ordinary Jersey Girl, becoming a multi-millionaire, and having the good sense to get out when it no longer was for you. (And along the way made a few others millions).
I have no idea where Barbara Corcoran is now or what she does. I surely would like to meet her.
Later! Well, she's on Shark Tank! Shows that I have been busy reading and not watching TV. But I must check this out, because I am eager for more Barbara Corcoran.
The best stories are a lot of reality and a little luck. The nonsense stories are the ones that tell you no work is involved (hah!).
Imagine being an ordinary Jersey Girl, becoming a multi-millionaire, and having the good sense to get out when it no longer was for you. (And along the way made a few others millions).
I have no idea where Barbara Corcoran is now or what she does. I surely would like to meet her.
Later! Well, she's on Shark Tank! Shows that I have been busy reading and not watching TV. But I must check this out, because I am eager for more Barbara Corcoran.
June 9, 2015
As a fan of "Shark Tank," I was curious to learn more about Corcoran's road to success. It also doesn't hurt that I enjoy a good rags to riches story. After reading this book, I have to say I truly admire Corcoran's ability to hustle--she kept her business going by thinking fast and making smart business moves.
This book isn't really a how-to book, though. I think the tips are useful, but pretty common sense.
The unique feature of this book is Corcoran introduces a tip that she learned from her mother, a homemaker, and applies it to business. The book cuts back and forth in time between Corcoran's childhood and her journey to success in business.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy books about business, especially books with a personal twist.
This book isn't really a how-to book, though. I think the tips are useful, but pretty common sense.
The unique feature of this book is Corcoran introduces a tip that she learned from her mother, a homemaker, and applies it to business. The book cuts back and forth in time between Corcoran's childhood and her journey to success in business.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy books about business, especially books with a personal twist.
October 25, 2016
I listened to the audio version of this book and LOVED that Barbara narrated it herself.
Full of personality, good stories, and insights about Barbara's career. She relates a story from her tenacious and strong mother, back to a lesson she learnt in business during her early years.
The stories about building The Corcoran Group from scratch - and even making deals with Donald Trump - are fascinating for any entrepreneur.
It is a light-hearted book, but don't be fooled. I took away some pretty good business & life lessons from Barbara's own experience. Looking forward to reading (or listening!) to it again.
Full of personality, good stories, and insights about Barbara's career. She relates a story from her tenacious and strong mother, back to a lesson she learnt in business during her early years.
The stories about building The Corcoran Group from scratch - and even making deals with Donald Trump - are fascinating for any entrepreneur.
It is a light-hearted book, but don't be fooled. I took away some pretty good business & life lessons from Barbara's own experience. Looking forward to reading (or listening!) to it again.
April 10, 2020
I think overall the book is pretty good. It's an easy read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone thinking about or just starting out in a sales career. My only objection is that sometimes, for someone who is not involved in real estate, some of the examples are hard to understand and I wish she would have gone into more detail.
October 27, 2011
This is the story of how Barbar Corcoran came from a little town in NJ moved to NYC and started her real estate empire. It's inspirational to see how she did this using common sense advice from her upbringing and her mom - no fancy business school here!
If you are a woman seeking to start your own business or if you work in sales, this book is filled with great little pieces of advice. Neither of these statements particularly apply to me, but I still loved the book. It made me think about myself and my world a little differently.
If you are a woman seeking to start your own business or if you work in sales, this book is filled with great little pieces of advice. Neither of these statements particularly apply to me, but I still loved the book. It made me think about myself and my world a little differently.
January 21, 2014
Barbara Corcoran is awesome. (Everyone on Shark Tank is awesome, except in the deals that seem suspiciously scripted. I usually like Barbara's offers the most, though.) It was fascinating to read about Barbara's experiences in starting her own business and developing it to become a multimillionaire. Her dealings with Donald Trump are particularly shrewd and interesting. The gimmick where every "business lesson" goes back to something she experienced as a child did get slightly irritating at times, but overall, this is a great read.
June 4, 2008
This was a fast-paced, interesting how-to book. It was humorous and lively. Barbara Corcoran shares real-life experiences and advice in how she went from a poor, one of ten children, "stupid" girl to owning the #1 New York real estate firm.
t is a mix of biography, and instruction with insight and humor in the lessons she learned while growing up, mostly from her mom.
A neat look into her family life and that of the NY real estate (she does business with Donald Trump)
t is a mix of biography, and instruction with insight and humor in the lessons she learned while growing up, mostly from her mom.
A neat look into her family life and that of the NY real estate (she does business with Donald Trump)
July 21, 2011
Inspirational and touching, candid and no-nonsense, this woman tells about her journey from the $1000 "gift" she received and the partnership that was born out of it to the multi-billion-dollar company that she eventually sold for many millions. Corcoran is very interesting and this book was a quick and very helpful read, providing unique insight into one of America's brightest and most successful businesswomen and how she was inspired by her mother, who taught her that she "could."
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews