If you're going to build something from nothing, you've got to know what really works.

I took a thousand dollar loan and built a five billion dollar business, and now I make smart investments in new businesses on Shark Tank. This is Barbara

Corcoran and you're listening to Business Unusual. Today I'm Business Unusual

I'll answer your questions about business, motivation, life, or anything

else on your mind.

But first, over the years I've gotten really good at creating happy teams.

I did it building my real estate

company and do it with all the businesses I buy on Shark Tank. And a happy team is

what you'll need if you're going to build any great business. I used to hire some miserable people but I quickly

learn that one miserable person in a pool of 30 happy people brings a whole team

down. I finally realized that if someone's parents couldn't give them a positive

attitude before they came to work for me, there was nothing I could do to make them

happier once they were hired. I personally love firing chronic complainers. The way I looked at it, I was simply

protecting my happy family from being sucked down by someone miserable. And in sales,

one negative person is like poison to the entire sales team because only

positive people are able to sell.

Once you surround yourself with a group of pleasant people to work with, it's easy for a boss to make all her happy people even happier.

By recognizing every good deed that's done.

If you can make every person feel appreciated and valued for the role in the team,

everyone does a better job.

I specialize in giving recognition to every good deed and accomplishment at work.

I often gave spontaneous bonuses and I gave out a huge

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