Barbara Corcoran releases book.

Growing up, Barbara Corcoran shared one floor in a three-family house in New Jersey with her parents and nine brothers and sisters. She had few luxuries, but she was blessed with something money can't buy: an amazing mom who nurtured the unique talents in each of her kids and raised them to have self-confidence. 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.

After getting straight D's in high school and college, and falling at 22 other jobs, Barbara borrowed $1,000 from a boyfriend, quit her job as a diner waitress, and day, a tiny real estate office in New York City. Today with over $2 billion in revenues and 700 salespeople in 11 offices, The Corcoran Group is New York's premier real estate company, and Barbara is richer than her wildest childhood dreams. She credits her success to three things: hard work, fierce determination, and her mom's offbeat, kitchen-table advice.

In "Use What You've Got" (Portfolio, pub date Feb. 10), Corcoran shares her hilarious stories about growing up, getting into trouble, failing miserably, and then starting over again. And in each chapter, she comes back to one of her mom's 24 unconventional lessons, and applies it to the real world of business. For instance:

* If you don't have big breasts, put ribbons on your pigtails.

* When the clubhouse is quiet, they're probably not making spaghetti.

* If you want to be a cheerleader, you better know the cheers.

* When there are 10 buyers and three puppies, every dog is the pick of the litter.

* Jumping out the window will make you either an ass or a hero.

* You've got to bully a bully.

Along with her outrageous and inspiring stories, Corcoran offers top-notch advice about starting and growing a business, marketing yourself, hiring the right people, motivating your staff, and much more -- including a bonus manual called "What I Wish Every Salesperson Knew."