Barbara Carey is a mother, businesswoman, inventor, entrepreneur and author. As an inventor and entrepreneur she has brought more than 100 products to market, launched seven companies, and been awarded more than a dozen patents. Barbara is sole owner of her privately held holding company, CareyCo which manages her investment portfolio of consumer product companies.

When you visit Barbara in her modest offices in Orinda, CA – you would never guess that this jeans and t-shirt clad woman made $40M in 14 months with her invention of Hairagami®, a very popular hair accessory that has been sold worldwide in 37 countries as well as on QVC Network. You also wouldn't guess that she is currently in the mascara race going up against the “big boys” of the cosmetic industry.

Everything about Barbara exudes warmth, confidence and a large dose of fun. It is not uncommon to hear her break out into peals of laughter as she discovers the latest YouTube video that sparks an idea for a new marketing campaign. Don’t mistake her fun-loving personality for someone who isn’t serious about her business. She is one of the toughest retail negotiators you’ll meet.

Barbara embraced entrepreneurship at an early age, selling metal social security cards door-to-door at the age of 9 (she was attracted to the advertisement’s promise of “financial independence”), and again at the age of 23 – when she drove across the country to make what would be her first sale to K-Mart, with only a handmade prototype living off a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread.

Barbara has been described as smart, sassy, creative, optimistic, tenacious, unwilling to fail, and a knock-out. Barbara’s story is one that inspires and encourages women of all ages as well as entrepreneurs and inventors.