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Greetings - It’s David here.
Carter Reports is formatted as a One Must-Read newsletter. Each week I send you one story and explain why it's worth your time. My choices include key issues for growing companies; different points of view, and hidden gems. These are the stories I know will give you a competitive edge.
After watching entrepreneurs pitch their dreams on Shark Tank, Barbara Corcoran has gotten pretty good at spotting winners and losers. What caught my attention is that it's not about the business idea at all—it's about one simple trait she watches for in those crucial first six months.
I appreciate your trust and readership. Best. David
One Must-Read Article
I found this recent Fortune article about Shark Tank judge Barbara Corcoran motivating and timely. She sold her real estate company for $66 million and has spent 17 seasons on Shark Tank investing in new businesses. She’s learned something fascinating: there’s one trait that tells her almost immediately whether an entrepreneur will make it or not.
The Insight
“The minute an entrepreneur starts blaming the next guy, I know it’s over and they’re going to lose my money.”
She goes on to explain that It’s not about the product, the market timing, or even the business model. It’s about accountability. Six months after any investment, something always goes wrong—suppliers miss deadlines, products have defects, team members drop the ball. What matters is how entrepreneurs respond.
What Successful Entrepreneurs Have In Common
Corcoran has noticed patterns among the winners:
They’re comfortable with risk and fiercely competitive
They bring genuine enthusiasm to their work
They know how to bounce back from setbacks
When it’s a partnership, the founders balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses
Early in her career, Corcoran invested $75,000 in VHS tapes of property listings. Complete flop—agents wouldn’t use them. Years later, the internet arrived, and she uploaded those same videos to her website. Within a week, two homes sold sight unseen to buyers in London. The failed idea became her breakthrough.
Why This Matters
The other Shark Tank investors see it the same way. Kevin O’Leary puts it simply: “I’m not scared to fail.” Robert Herjavec notes that failures which don’t sink your business are actually blessings that push you harder.
Corcoran’s philosophy resonates: “All my best successes happened on the heels of failure. 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.”
Here’s My Take
With a net worth around $100 million, Corcoran has learned that the person matters more than the product. When things go sideways—and they will—the entrepreneurs who own it are the ones who build something lasting.
You’re either earning or learning!
Worth reflecting on: When your next challenge hits, how will you respond?
That’s A Wrap
Successful companies aren't necessarily the smartest or the most well-funded—they're the ones who've learned to work with uncertainty instead of against it. It's not about having all the answers—it's about staying nimble enough to find them as you go.
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All the best-
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© 2025 David Paul Carter. Photo Credit: John Kelly | iStock
Thanks to Claude Sonnet4.5 for helping me streamline and sharpen my ideas in this article.
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