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The Street
The Street
Danni Button

How a wool coat helped Shark Tank's Barbara Corcoran gain confidence

In sales, “fake it till you make it” can be a very real strategy to success when the going gets tough. Particularly for women, whose luxury purchase choices tend to come under more scrutiny. But if Barbara Corcoran is an example, a big spend on the right item might be the best investment of all.

In a video posted on Instagram, Corcoran invites her followers in for a “get ready with me” style video. As her stylist dabs powders and highlighters on her face, she tells the story about a very fancy wool coat that gave her a boost on her journey to success.

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"When I first started my brokerage business, I realized that everyone successful looked the part,” she says. “At the time, I was still wearing my old navy blue peacoat from New Jersey and knew it was going to be a while before I could afford a new one.”

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But that day had a surprise in store for Corcoran. She managed to rent an apartment her first week in the business. “I put that $340 commission check right in my pocket. I ran right over to Bergdorf Goodman's to buy the fanciest coat in the store.”

“She was the one made out of real wool with a big brown and white print, with a high collar and cuffs to match,” she reminisces as an old photo appears on the screen. “And for only $320, plus tax!”

Corcoran remembers giving the sales clerk her old peacoat and strutting out of the store with her new coat draped over her shoulders. “My new coat made me feel just like the big deal I hoped to become.”

“The lesson I learned, and never forgot, was that perception creates reality,” Corcoran tells her viewers. “Not the other way around. You've got to look the part of who you want to become."

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