Table Of ContentContents Introduction: 10 Kids, 1 Bath xi MOM'S LESSON #1: If you don't have big breasts, put ribbons on your pigtails. 1 MOM'S LESSON #2: Paint the rocks white and the whole yard will look lovely. 9 MOM'S LESSON #3: If the sofa is ripped, cover it with laughter. 16 MOM'S LESSON #4: Use your imagination to fill in the blanks. 23 MOM'S LESSON #5: Offer the bigger piece, and yours will taste even better. 31 MOM'S LESSON #6: Put the socks in the sock drawer. 39 MOM'S LESSON #7: If there's more than one kid to wash, set up a bathtime routine. 51 MOM'S LESSON #8: If you want to be in two places at once, borrow a reel-to-reel. 58 MOM'S LESSON #9: It's your game, make up your own rules. 70 MOM'S LESSON #10: There's always room for one more. 78 MOM'S LESSON #11: Go play outside. 86 MOM'S LESSON #12: When the clubhouse is quiet, they're probably not making spaghetti. 99 MOM'S LESSON #13: If you want to be a cheerleader, you better know the cheers. 107 MOM'S LESSON #14: Go stand next to Nana and see how big you are! 119 MOM'S LESSON #15: If you want to get noticed, write your name on the wall. 128 MOM'S LESSON #16: Sweep the corners and the whole house stays clean. 137 MOM'S LESSON #17: In a family, everyone helps mash the potatoes. 147 MOM'S LESSON #18: Moms can't quit. 154 MOM'S LESSON #19: When there are ten buyers and three puppies, every dog is the pick of the litter. 158 MOM'S LESSON #20: Jumping out the window will make you either an ass or a hero. 169 MOM'S LESSON #21: You have the right to be there. 179 MOM'S LESSON #22: You've got to bully a bully. 192 MOM'S LESSON #23: Never be ashamed of who you are. 199 MOM'S LESSON #24: The joy is in the getting there. 209 Bonus Manual! What I Wish Every Salesperson Knew 217 Credits 245 Index 255
SynopsisCorcoran illustrates her mother's wisdom and insight with 25 "how to's" for getting ahead in business. Each lesson is brought to life with real business scenarios, an outrageous childhood adventure story, and tips garnered from Corcoran's years in the most competitive real estate market in the world., As one of ten kids in a blue-collar family in Edgewater, New Jersey, Barbara Corcoran didn't have many material advantages. She shared her bedroom with five sisters and shared her socks in a communal sock drawer. Yet she grew up to have plenty of self-confidence, because her mother had an amazing gift for nurturing the unique talents in each of her children. Barbara's mom didn't know much about business, but she understood how the world works, and how to make the most of what you've got. In the early 1970s, Barbara borrowed $1000 from her boyfriend to get her start in real estate. That led to the birth of The Corcoran Group, which today is New York's premier residential real estate brokerage, with over $1 billion in annual revenue. Her amazing rise to the top has become the stuff of legend and inspiration. Barbara -- now nicknamed the Queen of New York Real Estate -- credits her success to not just to hard work and determination, but to her mom's enormously valuable advice. Not just the standard maternal wisdom, but real gems such as, "If the clubhouse is quiet, they're probably not making spaghetti." In Use What You've Got, Corcoran illustrates her mother's wisdom and insight with twenty-five "how tos" for getting ahead in business. Each lesson is brought to life with real business scenarios, an outrageous childhood adventure story, and tips garnered from Corcoran's years in the most competitive real estate market in the world. Her mother's winning advice includes: ¥ "There's always room for one more." ¥ "It's your game, make up your own rules." ¥ "You've got to bully a bully." With a tell-it-like-it-is attitude, Corcoran offers her keys to success -- from dressing the part and overcoming obstacles to the nuts and bolts of hiring, firing, motivating, marketing, and much, much more.