Barbara Corcoran   Although  Barbara Corcoran  may have gotten straight D's in high school and college, her grit and desire to succeed made those D's not matter. Corcoran took a $1000 loan to start the real estate empire known as The Corcoran Group. Since selling her company, Barbara has written numerous books, invested in dozens of companies, and has not stopped smiling and enjoying the ride. What's most important to her is that she is investing in great people.