Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran reveals why she doesn't trust women founders who cry: "You're giving..."
"Shark Tank" seems like a fun show with innovative pitches that are often entertaining, but that's until the sharks get down to business and ruthlessly scrutinize businesses. This can be hard for some, as they're hit by harsh words and outright rejection, which is heartbreaking. Mikki Bey made a confident entry into "Shark Tank" with the idea of expanding her eyelash extensions business in 2015 during season seven. She sought $300,000 in exchange for 20% equity and demonstrated her eyelash extensions on Mark Cuban while pitching her business model. However, the moment she mentioned $130,000 in sales, her efforts fell flat, and the sharks remained unimpressed. Bey couldn't control her tears while trying to convince the millionaire investors, which irked Barbara Corcoran, who said, "I love the emotion, but you've got to give up this crying stuff." She further added, "The minute a woman cries, you're giving away your power. You have to cry privately."
As per Business Insider, the beauty entrepreneur retorted against Corcoran's views by stating that tears were "a type of strength to show vulnerability." "No, no, no," the real estate mogul countered and said, "Not in business. I'm sorry - not in business. I have hired men, women my whole life. When I get a woman who's crying, I re-file her in my head in terms of potential because I don't trust her in terms of keeping a cap on her emotion." Lori Greiner appeared to sympathize with Bey and stood up for her, claiming that she was being sincere and in the moment, which she valued. Meanwhile, Kevin O'Leary agreed with Corcoran and stated, "Don't cry for money. It never cries for you."
Bey ended up without any investment deals from the sharks. As per Huff Post, she went on to criticize Corcoran with a special opinion piece, in which she wrote, "I welled up because I felt my life was on the line. I recalled all the sacrifices I had made to be in front of my television mentors. Crying does not discredit all of a woman's potential and accomplishments." In her piece, she went on to cite famous women from the political and entertainment spheres who believed in the power of tears. Interestingly, Bey claimed that she went through an audition process and was selected among 30,000 other entrepreneurs to appear on the show.
According to Women, Bey's business thrived on the same street as the "Shark Tank" Los Angeles studio, and one of the producers became her regular customer. The eyelash extension expert revealed this during her appearance on the "Girl Stop Playin" podcast in 2022. The businesswoman confessed that she landed a slot on the coveted show with the help of the specific insider; however, after the appearance, Bey shut down her business and moved into pharmaceuticals, serving as U.S. vice president and general manager of Scientis. She has also used her business skills to become a manifestation coach and started Mikki Bey Consulting.
She now regularly appears on podcasts discussing emotional regulation and relieving stress. In August 2024, she released an e-book titled 'Relaxed and Regulated,' which is based on how to maintain an emotional balance in life.
