"I'm all for insecurity": When Shark Tank investor Barbara Corcoran shared her "Imposter Syndrome Theory"

Shark Tank investors Barbara Corcoran and Jamie Kern Lima shared their thoughts on many things, including insecurity and more in the latter's podcast. The December 3, 2025 episode of The Jamie Kern Lima Show Podcast features Barbara sharing her "Imposter Syndrome Theory" and her thoughts on facing insecurity.

Fans might be surprised after learning that Barbara mentioned being "successfully insecure," which says a lot. While opening up about that, the Shark Tank investor, Barbara Corcoran stated:

"I'll do a better job because of the insecurity. So I'm all for insecurity. I think I'm successfully insecure but definitely insecure and I hope to be for the rest of my career."

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Shark Tank mentor Barbara Corcoran shares her "Imposter Syndrome Theory" and more about being "successfully insecure"

In a discussion with fellow Shark Tank investor Jamie Kern Lima, Barbara Corcoran opened up about her "Imposter Syndrome Theory." She stated that she had never met an individual who didn't have the said syndrome.

"I have a theory on imposter syndrome. I have never met a worthwhile person who didn't have imposter syndrome. I think the more you're self-conscious about maybe are you the real deal, are you faking it, how did I really get here and you're answering to your insecurities as an individual."

Shark Tank judge mentioned that it "pushes" individuals ahead and helps them be "over-prepared."

Sharing her personal experiences, Barbara mentioned that despite doing something "a hundred times before," she would ask herself:

"Oh my God, I'm not like preparing for this today, I was thinking. What is she going to talk about? What do I do and I had clear thoughts in my head of what I wanted to cover. And that comes from insecurity. If I was secure, I'd just walk into your set and say, "Hey, how are you doing? What are your questions?"

However, instead of doing that, Barbara mentioned that she would do a "better job" if she was insecure. Taking that approach in a positive way, she stated that she hoped to be "successfully insecure" for the rest of her career.

Jamie referred to it as a "cool perspective." She told Barbara that she thought that sometimes people know they're insecure so then they think somehow they're not qualified to do what

Jamie then asked Barbara if she dealt with insecurity a lot, and if she saw it as a "strength." In response, Barbara stated that being "insecure" was a human condition. However, she mentioned the "tape" that goes in her head; that's the thing that helped her "tremendously" to be less insecure.

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Fans can catch both female entrepreneurs on the latest Shark Tank Season 16 streaming on ABC Network.