| The Profit | |
|---|---|
Lemonis sitting on a throne of bills
| |
| Genre | Reality show |
| Presented by | Marcus Lemonis |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 8 |
| No. of episodes | 72 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Amber Mazzola |
| Production company | Machete Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | CNBC |
| Release | July 30, 2013 (2013-07-30) – September 28, 2021 (2021-09-28) |
| Related | |
| The Partner | |
The Profit is an American documentary-style reality television show broadcast on CNBC. In each episode, Marcus Lemonis typically offers a capital investment and his expertise to struggling small businesses in exchange for an ownership stake in the company, but a series of "Inside Look" episodes have commentary by Lemonis and executive producer Amber Mazzola as they watch past episodes. Some episodes simply show a business, city, or industry without any investment by Lemonis. The Partner is a spin-off series that aired in 2017, also featuring Lemonis.
Season 1 premiered on July 30, 2013;[1] season 2 premiered on February 25, 2014. The second part of the second season returned October 2014. After a successful second season, with ratings going up 115% from the first season, the third season premiered on May 12, 2015.[2][3] The Profit returned for a fourth season on August 23, 2016.[4] A fifth season premiered on November 21, 2017 and started with a "recap" episode that looked back at different companies Lemonis had invested in and said whether they were a "win" or a "loss".[5] The sixth season premiered on December 4, 2018. On October 14, 2019, it was announced that the seventh season will premiere on November 5, 2019.[6]
On September 28, 2021 Marcus Lemonis posted on his Twitter feed "2013 - 2021 thank you", indicating that season 8 will be the last season for the show.[7]
Lemonis does not get paid by the production company, Machete Productions, nor do they help fund his investments.[8] Occasional promotions for AT&T, Chase, and LegalZoom have appeared.
A 2017 spin-off, The Partner, featured Lemonis searching for a business partner to help run businesses featured in The Profit.[9]
A special titled "The Profit in Cuba" aired on November 15, 2016; it featured Lemonis travelling to Cuba to explore new business opportunities in the country.[10] It was watched by 478,000 viewers.[11] Other specials looked at Puerto Rico and both the legal and illegal marijuana industries in California. Another special was titled "Top 10 Rules for Success".
On April 3, 2019, it was announced that a 90-minute original documentary titled The Profit: My Roots would air on April 9, 2019.[12]
| Episode | Title | Location | Original Offer | Outcome | Air Date | U.S. Viewers | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "1 800 Car Cash" | New York City, NY | $200,000 + licensing partnership for 1/3 of business | Deal | July 30, 2013 (2013-07-30) | 254,000[13] | S2, Ep2 S2, Ep18 S3, Ep9 |
| 2 | "Jacob Maarse Florists" | Pasadena, CA | $100,000 for 25% of profits | No Deal | August 6, 2013 (2013-08-06) | 173,000[13] | S1, Ep6 S2, Ep18 |
| 3 | "Planet Popcorn" | Newport Beach, CA | $200,000 for 50% of the business, 100% financial control | No Deal | August 13, 2013 (2013-08-13) | 248,000[14] | S2, Ep16 |
| 4 | "Eco-Me" | Pomona, CA | $500,000 for 20% of the business | Deal | August 20, 2013 (2013-08-20) | 248,000[15] | N/A |
| 5 | "LA Dogworks" | Los Angeles, CA | $1,000,000 for 50% of the business, full operational control | No Deal | August 27, 2013 (2013-08-27) | 259,000[16] | N/A |
| 6 | "Mr. Green Tea" | Keyport, NJ | $600,000 for 35% of the business | Deal | September 3, 2013 (2013-09-03) | 314,000[17] | S2, Ep18 S3, E21 |
| Episode | Title | Location | Original Offer | Outcome | Air Date | U.S. Viewers | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Athans Motors" | Morton Grove, IL | $3,500,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | February 25, 2014 (2014-02-25) | 439,000[18] | S2, Ep18 |
| 2 | "A. Stein Meat Products" | Brooklyn, NY | $1,000,000 for 50% of the business | Partial Deal | March 4, 2014 (2014-03-04) | 441,000[19] | S2, Ep18 |
| 3 | "Michael Sena's Pro-Fit" | Dyer, IN | $50,000 for 50% of protein bar business, $250,000 for 75% of gym business | Partial Deal | March 11, 2014 (2014-03-11) | 488,000[20] | S2, Ep18 |
| 4 | "WorldWide Trailers" | Tampa, FL | $700,000 for 50% of the business | No Deal | March 18, 2014 (2014-03-18) | 497,000[21] | S2, Ep18 |
| 5 | "Skullduggery" | Anaheim, CA | $1,100,000 for 30% of the business, full financial control | No Deal | March 25, 2014 (2014-03-25) | 537,000[22] | N/A |
| 6 | "Sweet Pete's" | Jacksonville, FL | $750,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | April 1, 2014 (2014-04-01) | 577,000[23] | S3, Ep9 S3, E17 S2, Ep18 |
| 7 | "Amazing Grapes" | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | $300,000 for 51% of the business, 25% for staff | Deal | April 8, 2014 (2014-04-08) | 590,000[24] | S3, E22 |
| 8 | "Key West Key Lime Pie Co." | Key West, FL | $450,000 for 51% of the business | Deal | April 15, 2014 (2014-04-15) | 594,000[25] | S3, Ep2 |
| 9 | "Courage.b" | Greenwich, CT | $800,000 for 30% of the business | Deal | October 14, 2014 (2014-10-14) | 536,000[26] | S3, Ep9 |
| 10 | "Artistic Stitch" | Queens, NY | $660,000 for 50% of the business, full financial control forever | Partial Deal | October 21, 2014 (2014-10-21) | 702,000[27] | S3, Ep2 |
| 11 | "Swanson's Fish Market" | Fairfield, CT | $1,000,000 for purchase of the building, 0% of the business | No Deal | October 28, 2014 (2014-10-28) | 594,000[28] | N/A |
| 12 | "Unique Salon & Spa" | Long Island, NY | $250,000 for 20% of the salon business, 51% of the product line | Deal | November 4, 2014 (2014-11-04) | 514,000[29] | S3, Ep2 |
| 13 | "West End Coffee Company" | Greenville, SC | $200,000 for 51% of the business | No Deal | November 11, 2014 (2014-11-11) | 640,000[30] | N/A |
| 14 | "Coopersburg Sports" | Coopersburg, PA | $630,000 for 30% of the business + 3% royalty | Deal | November 18, 2014 (2014-11-18) | 586,000[31] | S3, Ep2 |
| 15 | "Shuler's Bar-B-Que" | Latta, SC | $500,000 for 40% of biscuit distribution, 40% of restaurant business | Deal | November 25, 2014 (2014-11-25) | 579,000[32] | S3, E22 |
| 16 | "ASL Sign Sales & Service" | Surfside Beach, SC | No offer made | N/A | December 2, 2014 (2014-12-02) | 647,000[33] | N/A |
| 17 | "My Big Fat Greek Gyro" | McMurray, PA | $350,000 for 55% of the business | Deal | December 9, 2014 (2014-12-09) | 748,000[34] | S3, Ep20 |
| 18 | "A Progress Report" | N/A | N/A | N/A | December 16, 2014 (2014-12-16) | 743,000[35] | N/A |
| Episode | Title[36] | Location | Original Offer | Outcome | Air Date | U.S. Viewers | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "SJC Drums" | Southbridge, MA | $400,000 for 33% of the business | Deal | May 12, 2015 (2015-05-12) | 408,000[37] | S3, E22 |
| 2 | "Progress Reports" | N/A | N/A | N/A | May 19, 2015 (2015-05-19) | 398,000[38] | N/A |
| 3 | "Tonnie's Minis" | New York City, NY | $125,000 for 25% of the company | Deal | May 26, 2015 (2015-05-26) | 442,000[39] | N/A |
| 4 | "Standard Burger" | Staten Island, NY | $130,000 for 30% of the company | Deal | June 2, 2015 (2015-06-02) | 741,000[40] | S3, Ep14 |
| 5 | "Fuelfood" | West Palm Beach, FL | $300,000 for 51% of the company | No Deal | June 16, 2015 (2015-06-16) | 450,000[41] | N/A |
| 6 | "Grafton Furniture" | Miami, FL | $1,500,000 for 45% of the company, full financial control | Deal | June 23, 2015 (2015-06-23) | 708,000[42] | S3, E22 S4, Ep7 |
| 7 | "Precise Graphix" | Emmaus, PA | $270,000 for 33.3% of the company + 100% control over all decisions | Deal | June 30, 2015 (2015-06-30) | 690,000[43] | N/A |
| 8 | "The Lano Company" | Kansas City, MO | $500,000 for 30% of the company | Deal | July 7, 2015 (2015-07-07) | 612,000[44] | N/A |
| 9 | "A Progress Report #3" | N/A | N/A | N/A | July 14, 2015 (2015-07-14) | 526,000[45] | N/A |
| 10 | "Bentley's Corner Barkery" | Chicago metro area, IL | $400,000 for 25% of the business + $1.3M for acquisitions (Total 40%) | Deal | October 28, 2015 (2015-10-28) | 1,922,000[46] | S5, Ep6 |
| 11 | "Blues Jean Bar" | San Francisco, CA | $900,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | November 10, 2015 (2015-11-10) | 489,000[47] | N/A |
| 12 | "Kensington Garden Rooms" | Hilmar, CA | $150,000 for 12%, 10% to staff | Deal | November 17, 2015 (2015-11-17) | 622,000[48] | N/A |
| 13.1 | "Da Lobsta" | Chicago, IL | $210,000 for 51% of the business | No Deal | November 24, 2015 (2015-11-24) | 505,000[49] | N/A |
| 13.2 | "Betty's Pie Whole" | Encinitas, CA | $75,000 for 25% of the business | Deal | November 24, 2015 (2015-11-24) | 505,000[50] | N/A |
| 14 | "Showdown at Standard Burger" | Staten Island, NY | N/A | N/A | December 1, 2015 (2015-12-01) | 710,000[51] | N/A |
| 15 | "Wick'ed" | Burbank, CA | $200,000 for 33% of the business | Deal | December 8, 2015 (2015-12-08) | 667,000[52] | N/A |
| 16 | "Kota Longboards" | Denver, CO | $300,000 for 40% of the business | No Deal | December 15, 2015 (2015-12-15) | 356,000[53] | N/A |
| 17 | "Vision Quest" | Ronkonkoma, NY | $375,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | January 5, 2016 (2016-01-05) | 540,000[54] | N/A |
| 18 | "Inkkas Shoes" | Brooklyn, NY | $750,000 for 51% of the business | Deal | January 19, 2016 (2016-01-19) | 605,000[55] | N/A |
| 19 | "240sweet" | Columbus, IN | $100,000 for 46% of the business | No Deal | January 26, 2016 (2016-01-26) | 697,000[56] | N/A |
| 20.1 | "Farmgirl Flowers" | San Francisco, CA | $1,000,000 for 20% of the business & $500,000 Credit for Facilities | No Deal | February 2, 2016 (2016-02-02) | 679,000[57] | N/A |
| 20.2 | "My Big Fat Greek Gyro (follow-up)" | TBA | N/A | N/A | February 2, 2016 (2016-02-02) | 679,000[58] | N/A |
| 21 | "Growing Pains at Mr. Green Tea" | Keyport, NJ | N/A | N/A | February 9, 2016 (2016-02-09) | 577,000[59] | N/A |
| 22 | "A Progress Report #4" | N/A | N/A | N/A | February 16, 2016 (2016-02-16) | 668,000[60] | N/A |
| Episode | Title | Location | Original Offer | Outcome | Air Date[61] | U.S. Viewers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour Restaurants" | Southern CA | $750,000 for 51% of the business | Deal | August 23, 2016 (2016-08-23) | 530,000[62] | |
| 2 | "DiLascia" | Los Angeles, CA | $200,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | August 30, 2016 (2016-08-30) | 452,000[63] | |
| 3 | "The Soup Market" | Milwaukee, WI | $315,000 for 50% of the business | No Deal | September 6, 2016 (2016-09-06) | 542,000[64] | |
| 4 | "Flex Watches" | Los Angeles, CA | $400,000 for 40% of the business | Deal | September 13, 2016 (2016-09-13) | 488,000[65] | |
| 5 | "Honest Foods" | Chicago, IL | $300,000 for 33% of the business | Deal | September 20, 2016 (2016-09-20) | 406,000[66] | |
| 6 | "Murchison-Hume" | Los Angeles, CA | $250,000 for 30% of the business and 70% of the trademark "Best in Show" | No Deal | September 27, 2016 (2016-09-27) | 437,000[67] | |
| 7 | "Pacific Hospitality" | Los Angeles, CA | $300,000 for 40% of the business (together with Grafton Furniture) | Deal | October 4, 2016 (2016-10-04) | 384,000[68] | |
| 8 | "Tea2Go" | Texas | $350,000 for 70% of the business | Partial deal | October 11, 2016 (2016-10-11) | 532,000[69] | |
| 9 | "Bowery Kitchen Supplies" | New York, NY | $350,000 for 40% of the business. Counteroffer of $350,000 for 33% | Deal | October 18, 2016 (2016-10-18) | 436,000[70] | |
| Special | "The Profit in Cuba" | Cuba | N/A | N/A | November 15, 2016 (2016-11-15) | N/A | |
| 10 | "Los Gemelos" | Port Chester, NY | $150,000 for 1/3 of a new business entity, owner gets 1/3 of the new business, 1/3 to George Lopez (for his endorsement & referral) | Deal | November 22, 2016 (2016-11-22) | 466,000[71] | |
| 11 | "Susana Monaco" | New York, NY | $600,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | November 29, 2016 (2016-11-29) | 475,000[72] | |
| 12 | "Swim by Chuck Handy" | North Miami Beach, FL | $600,000 for 55% of the business | Deal | June 6, 2017 (2017-06-06) | 431,000[73] | |
| 13 | "Windward Board Sports" | Chicago, IL | $500,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | June 13, 2017 (2017-06-13) | 399,000[74] | |
| 14 | "Ashtae Products" | Greensboro, NC | $300,000 for 25% of the business | Deal | June 20, 2017 (2017-06-20) | 513,000[75] | |
| 15 | "Overtone Acoustics" | Orlando, FL | $200,000 for 40% of the business | Deal | June 27, 2017 (2017-06-27) | 428,000[76] | |
| 16 | "Bodhi Leaf Coffee Traders" | Orange, CA | $1,750,000 for 30% of the business & 10% to the Bodhi Red Beard team. | Deal | July 11, 2017 (2017-07-11) | 379,000[77] | |
| 17 | "Hip Pops" | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $100,000 for 50% of the business | No Deal | July 18, 2017 (2017-07-18) | 455,000[78] | |
| 18 | "Zoe's Chocolate Co." | Waynesboro, PA | $200,000 for 40% of the business | Deal | July 25, 2017 (2017-07-25) | 539,000[79] | |
| 19 | "Top 10 Rules for Success" | N/A | N/A | N/A | August 1, 2017 (2017-08-01) | N/A | |
| 20 | "Marijuana Millions" | CA | N/A | N/A | August 8, 2017 (2017-08-08) | 529,000[80] | |
|
In this special episode, Marcus shows how the legal pot industry will change California.
| |||||||
| Episode | Title | Location | Original Offer | Outcome | Air Date[61] | U.S. Viewers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Biggest Wins and Most Heartbreaking Losses" | N/A | N/A | N/A | November 21, 2017 (2017-11-21) | 409,000[81] | |
| 2 | "Tumbleweed Tiny Homes" | Colorado Springs, CO | $3,000,000 LOAN (to be paid back) for 75% of the equity | Deal | November 28, 2017 (2017-11-28) | 559,000[82] | |
| 3 | "Detroit Denim" | Detroit, MI | $300,000 for 51% of the business | Deal | December 5, 2017 (2017-12-05) | 517,000[83] | |
| 4 | "Monica Potter Home" | Garrettsville, OH | $100,000 for 50% of the business. At the end of the episode Lemonis and Monica Potter decided to cancel the deal, as Potter was uncomfortable with not being in charge of the business. | No Deal | December 12, 2017 (2017-12-12) | 404,000[84] | |
| 5 | "Mr. Cory's Cookies" | New York City, NY | $100,000 for 40% of the business | Deal | December 19, 2017 (2017-12-19) | 451,000[85] | |
| Special | "The Profit in Puerto Rico: An American Crisis" | Puerto Rico | N/A | N/A | December 26, 2017 (2017-012-26) | 507,000[86] | |
| Special | "The Profit in Marijuana Country" | Humboldt County, CA | N/A | N/A | January 2, 2018 (2018-01-02) | 492,000[87] | |
|
Marcus visits the Emerald Triangle to show how business operate there.
| |||||||
| 6 | "Rayjus / Bentley's Pet Stuff" | Morris, IL | No offer made | No Deal | January 9, 2018 (2018-01-09) | 547,000[89] | |
|
Marcus initially visits Rayjus, a company that manufacturers custom T-shirts for fishermen. He was unwilling to make an offer, citing his concerns with a second job held by one of the owners.[88] The majority of the episode re-visits one of his previous investments, Bentley's Corner Barkery (now Bentley's Pet Stuff), that is going through growing pains as it has expanded to over 80 stores.
| |||||||
| 7 | "JD Custom Designs" | Fullerton, CA | $300,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | January 16, 2018 (2018-01-16) | 447,000[90] | |
| 8 | "Faded Royalty" | New York City, NY | $150,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | January 23, 2018 (2018-01-23) | 536,000 [91] | |
| 9 | "Southern Culture" | Atlanta, GA | $75,000 for 34% of the business | Deal | February 6, 2018 (2018-02-06) | 486,000[92] | |
| 10 | "Fighting for Farrell's" | Southern CA | N/A | N/A | February 27, 2018 (2018-02-27) | 466,000[93] | |
| 11 | "Tankfarm & Co." | Huntington Beach, CA | $500,000 in equity and $500,000 in line of credit for 33.33% of the business | Deal | June 12, 2018 (2018-06-12) | 365,000[94] | |
| 12 | "The Casery" | Los Angeles, CA | $700,000 for 31% of the business and 51% of the voting shares, buyout a $350,000 loan to the company | No Deal | June 19, 2018 (2018-06-19) | 439,000[95] | |
| 13 | "Ellison Eyewear" | Chicago, IL | $350,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | June 26, 2018 (2018-06-26) | 396,000[96] | |
| 14 | "Diaper Dude" | Los Angeles, CA | $200,000 for 60% of the business | Deal | July 3, 2018 (2018-07-03) | N/A | |
| 15 | "Simply Slices" | Crestwood, IL | $200,000 for 50% of the franchise business. The owner agreed to the deal initially, but ended the deal later on as he and Lemonis had disagreements about running the business. | No Deal | July 10, 2018 (2018-07-10) | N/A | |
| 16 | "Hangout Lightning" | Chicago, IL | $200,000 for 25% of the business with 5% of that going to a shared bonus program for employees. | Deal | July 17, 2018 (2018-07-17) | N/A | |
| 17 | "Montiel" | Los Angeles, CA | $750,000 for 45% of the business. | No Deal | July 24, 2018 (2018-07-24) | N/A | |
| 18 | "Baby Bump" | New Orleans, LA | $100,000 for 50% of the business. | Deal | July 31, 2018 (2018-07-31) | N/A | |
| Episode | Title | Location | Original Offer | Outcome | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "NYC Bagel Deli" | Chicago, IL | $250,000 for 25% of the business | Deal | December 4, 2018 (2018-12-04) |
| 2 | "Queork" | New Orleans, LA | $120,000 for 1/3 of the business | Deal | December 11, 2018 (2018-12-11) |
| 3 | "Santas Toys" | Santa Claus, IN | $75,000 for 50% of the online business | Deal | December 18, 2018 (2018-12-18) |
| 4 | "Ben's Garden" | New York City, NY | $400,000 for 40% of the online business | Deal | January 15, 2019 (2019-01-15) |
| 5 | "After the Casery (Everkin)" | Los Angeles, CA | $2,000,000 for 49% of the new company | Deal | January 23, 2019 (2019-01-23) |
| 6 | "Jackie's Cookie Connection" | Los Angeles, CA | No offer made | No Deal | February 12, 2019 (2019-02-12) |
| 7 | "Lyles BBQ" | Lexington, KY | $100,000 for 65% of Mall location and new business opportunities, plus son of owners given job with Lemonis' company | Deal | February 19, 2019 (2019-02-19) |
| 8 | "Snowdays" | New York City, NY | $300,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | February 26, 2019 (2019-02-26) |
| 9 | "FEAT Socks" | Los Angeles, CA | No offer made. Lemonis wanted to test out the owners’ marketing skills with a concept called ‘Marcus Lemonis Community’, but were eventually dismissed. | No Deal | March 5, 2019 (2019-03-05) |
| 10 | "SmithFly" | Troy, OH | $1,000,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | March 12, 2019 (2019-03-12) |
| 11 | "Handi Products" | Libertyville, IL | $1,000,000 for 15% of the business and an option to invest another $1,000,000 for 15% within 4 years | Deal | March 19, 2019 (2019-03-19) |
| Episode | Title | Location | Original Offer | Outcome | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Dante's" | Rockaway, NJ | $30,000 loan to be repaid whenever the owner of the business felt comfortable. | Deal | November 5, 2019 (2019-11-05) |
| 2 | "CocoTaps" | Las Vegas, NV | $100,000 down payment for exclusive taps distribution license in Florida, contingent on utility patent being issued. Utility patent was denied 4 times and Vinny hid it from Marcus. | No Deal | November 12, 2019 (2019-11-12) |
| 3 | "Skinny Latina" | Daytona Beach, FL | $200,000 for 40% of the business in partnership with another investor. | Deal | November 19, 2019 (2019-11-19) |
| 4 | "Polar Bear Coolers" | Atlanta, GA | $540,000 revolving line of credit (5% interest) for 25% equity. | Deal | November 26, 2019 (2019-11-26) |
| 5 | "Macaron Queen" | Atlanta, GA | Five tier investment, each tier is $100,000 for 10% of the business. | Deal | December 3, 2019 (2019-12-03) |
| 6 | "Hatbox & Ramp" | Austin, TX & Park City, UT | No offer for Hatbox, $1,250,000 for 33% of Ramp | No Deal | December 10, 2019 (2019-12-10) |
| 7 | "Las Vegas Mini Gran Prix" | Las Vegas, NV | Funding for real estate purchase | No Deal | December 17, 2019 (2019-12-17) |
| 8 | "First Look: Mississippi River Cleanup" | Grafton, IL | TBA | TBA | January 7, 2020 (2020-01-07) |
| 9 | "Floodtown" | TBA | TBA | TBA | January 21, 2020 (2020-01-21) |
| 10 | "B Sweet" | Los Angeles, CA | $250,000 for 50% of the beverage part of the business. | Deal | January 28, 2020 (2020-01-28) |
| 11 | "Cover your Hide" | Los Angeles, CA | $115,000 for 50% of the business under the condition to rename the company (renamed from Lumillamingus to Lumilla) | Deal | February 11, 2020 (2020-02-11) |
| 12 | "Who's the Big Cheese" | New York City, NY | $125,000 for one third of the Ideal Cheese Shop company as a preferred investor. The deal was later restructured and Lemonis investment became a loan. | Deal | February 18, 2020 (2020-02-18) |
| 13 | "A Crash Course in Van Life" | Los Angeles, CA | No Offer | No Deal | February 25, 2020 (2020-02-25) |
| Episode | Title | Location | Original Offer | Outcome | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Mo Honey, Mo Problems" | Salt Lake City, UT | $1,050,000 ($650,000 cash, $400,000 letter of credit to vendor) for 25% of the business | Deal | August 10, 2021 (2021-08-10) |
| 2 | "Any Way You Slice It" | Santa Monica, CA | $20,000 loan that the owner agreed to pay back $30,000 | Deal | August 17, 2021 (2021-08-17) |
| 3 | "Checks and Balances" | Los Angeles, CA | $200,000 for 20% of the business | Deal | August 24, 2021 (2021-08-24) |
| 4 | "Sweet Dreams Are Made of This" | Salt Lake City, UT | $50,000 for 10% of the business | Deal | August 31, 2021 (2021-08-31) |
| 5 | "Who's the Boss?" | Petaluma, CA | $300,000 for 25% of the business | No Deal | September 7, 2021 (2021-09-07) |
| 6 | "A New Leash of Life" | Draper, UT | $500,000 for 50% of the business | Deal | September 14, 2021 (2021-09-14) |
| 7 | "Claws and Effect" | Brooklyn, NY | $100,000 for 10% of the business | Deal | September 21, 2021 (2021-09-21) |
| 8 | "Raise the Roof" | Cedar City, UT | $1,000,000 for 30% of the business | Deal | September 28, 2021 (2021-09-28) |
In Australia, the series airs on A&E.[97]
In Netherlands, the series airs on RTL Z.
In Brazil, the series airs on History Channel and on Band.
In Portugal, the series airs on SIC Radical.
In Romania and later in Hungary, the series airs on Digi Life.
In New Zealand, the series airs on Bravo.
Will Yakowicz of Inc. described the show as embodying "the American faith in second chances and reinvention" in a 2018 article discussing the aftermaths of Lemonis's investments. Yakowicz, however, argued that the most successful businesses had already been in a healthy financial condition. Mr. Green Tea (from season one), for example, made $1.2 million in revenue the year before Lemonis invested in it. Other businessowners interviewed by Yakowicz alleged that Lemonis acted "more like a callous private equity investor than a small-business savior" and accused him of exploiting them for entertainment purposes. Inc. obtained a copy of the show's contract, which included the use of hidden cameras and warnings that the production company may "portray [a] company" that appears on the show "in a false light."[98]
Multiple businessowners also filed lawsuits against Lemonis and the production company. These included Michael and Kathleen Ference, the owners of Big Fat Greek Gyro from season two. The Ferences alleged Lemonis never paid them the promised $350,000 in exchange for 55% of the business. During the episode, the restaurant was renamed to The Simple Greek. The Simple Greek, however, operated as a separate company controlled by Lemonis with no involvement from the Ferences. In a statement to Courthouse News Service, Lemonis described The Simple Greek as "a brand new concept that I created" and added that "I don't just create a concept and then just hand it over to people for doing nothing."[99]
Nicholas Goureau and Stephanie Menkin, the owners of Courage.B (also from season two), filed a separate lawsuit against Lemonis. The pair alleged that Lemonis defrauded them and saddled their company with debt. Courage.B was folded into another company controlled exclusively by Lemonis.[100] Over fifty businesses later joined Goureau and Menkin's lawsuit. Lemonis described the suit as "a grand shake down from people who are not entitled to anything."[101]
Fans of the show also purportedly harassed businessowners who did not do a deal with Lemonis on social media. This harassment led to death threats in some instances.[98]
