User Reviews (24)

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  • Just happened to flip to CNBC for an after market trading check, but this show happened to be on. I ended up watching a rerun at 6 pm and the new episode later that night. What I really like about the show is that it doesn't always end in success. In the first episode I watched, Lemonis walked out on them. In the second episode, he almost did, but the owners came though. Their final product was very, very well done and seemed both viable and thoroughly thought out for sustainable, long term success.

    I agree with a previous reviewer, it would be really cool at the end of each season to do check-ins with the businesses to see what aspects of their plans worked and what parts failed. I hope this show continues for many seasons to come and that the variety of businesses remains plentiful.
  • Marcus Lemonis takes the viewer on an excursion of behind-the-scenes business dealings. He is the proverbial fireman of small business owners as he is invited by the owners of those struggling/failing businesses to come and offer his guidance and help.

    Typically, he does an introduction of the business, a overview of the business's market, strategies, successes, and failures. Like a doctor who reviews the patient's ailments, Mr. Lemonis then offers a diagnosis and a cost for his cure. Typically the cost of the cure means that he injects some of his own capital investment, and in return, requires a percentage of ownership and initial control over the decision making.

    Once the owner and Mr. Lemonis make a handshake deal, he begins the process of interjecting his ideas and taking the owner(s) to meet specialists to assist with their particular business. Mr. Lemonis's black book is full of a virtual who's who of business contacts that most business owners would dream to possess and to know. Using his skills and contacts, Mr. Lemonis on The Profit demonstrates how a sinking ship can be made to float and once again sail....most often with lower costs, higher sales and distribution, and larger profit margins.

    It is fascinating to see the variety of troubled businesses, but also to see how despite this variety, often the problems are very similar. Mr. Lemonis's techniques and his business savvy are well-known and he is highly respected for this. However, it must be said that perhaps equally as important and equally as skilled is Mr. Lemonis's people skills which often come into play as he strives to lift the business from the red into the black.

    This is one of the very few shows that my wife and I enjoy watching together. She loves watching a variety of reality shows which don't hold my interest and I have a love for shows such as Undercover Boss or The Profit which spotlight business choices and decisions and their results. I may not always agree with Mr. Lemonis's choices, but his results are remarkable. Each show is similar and also unique. Unlike a well written mystery that often has a happy ending, this show also displays the underside of failure due to toxic people and not every episode ends with a predictable success.

    You should watch at least 3 shows before you form an opinion, and in doing so, I believe that you will find viewing the series "Profitable". Highly recommended.
  • This season(8) they've added music to the show. It's too loud and not needed. I hate to do it but I'm going to stop watching.
  • A reality show with some similarities to Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares. Marcus Lemonis is a self made millionaire who specialises in investing in struggling small businesses and turning them around.

    Unlike some of the other reviewers, I have watched all available episodes and can tell you, it doesn't always finish with hugs between Marcus and the business owners. Lemonis puts up his own money on a handshake with the owner and makes a deal that he will run the business for 7 days for a share of future profits. Sometimes the owners are on board, sometimes it's a struggle and sometimes they try and screw Lemonis after he shows them the way.

    A great show if you have any interest in small business and why so many small businesses with a great idea, fail.

    Well worth a look.
  • As another reviewer accurately wrote, this is similar to shows like Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares and Hotel Hell, it is also like Bar Rescue. However, the Profit is geared towards not only saving the business, but increasing its earning potential. Why? because the owners and he make money then. This isn't as selfish as it may seem since many of the businesses are often family owned or are at the center of a community.

    While one reviewer broke it down simply to a deal is done or not, sure that is true at the end of every episode. However, it is recommended to watch more than a couple. There has been criticism about some drama within the episodes, but what reality TV show does not have some drama, real or contrived? I disagree with the reviewer that was dubious of Lemonis' success. A successful business person is not just someone who wins everyday and makes money with every deal. A successful business person knows what to do everyday, fix what is broke and learn from mistakes made, and move on. I would suggest you may read Lemonis' bio and you might see the man differently.

    There is a lot to be learned through each episode and keeping in mind Lemonis' 3 P's of People, Process and Product. Lemonis walks away when the people are an unfixable problem. Truth is people will fail a business before anything else.

    My only criticism is there is no review or follow-up episodes to date.
  • anyone who has a small business needs to watch this show. Marcus is a foremost a businessman and the main objective is to make money but he's willing to get his hands dirty and work with some really unworkable people. I am actually starting a small business and I've learned a lot. He often talks about 3 P's, product, process, and people. And in many of the businesses he tries help, it's often the people(owners) that bring businesses down and it's amazing to see how they can't see the golden opportunities to make a crap more load of money if they are willing to change and just follow what Marcus tells them to do and put in the effort. Anyhow I watch this every week with my wife. It's also her favorite show now. Also, I made a IMDb account just to review this show. Hopefully the ratings increase so that the show can go on for long time.
  • The Profit is a reality TV show where businessman Marcus Lemonis works with failing businesses in attempts to save them from going belly up by offering the business heads his knowledge and a $2 million dollar fund.

    Much of the reality shows on TV are non-fiction (of course), but filmed and written with the ultimate goal of game-playing, Hollywood star power and entertainment value - shows like "Survivor," "The Biggest Loser" and "Hell's Kitchen." However, shows like "The Profit" involve more real, serious situations in which the action and choices made by the show's people will effect their everyday lives, and have the ability to effect the world as well.

    This show is all about business management, making choices, financial skills and transforming work in successes or failure. There is no game-play, nor overzealous drama, real work and diligence and personal decisions - all with some entertainment and suspense mixed in. Great stuff here!

    Grade A
  • The inside look shows they are doing now are amazing. I have seen every show that they have done on the inside look, but I love them all over again. I dream about working with or even for Marcus. This show is so educational for people that own or even just manage a small business. I love it.
  • I've been working for startups for the last 6 years and I was blown away by this show. Despite some of the criticism you might have read online, what Marcus says is simple and extremely effective. If people stick to the principles he says out i.e. People, Process and Product it's hard to see why a business would still fail. Marcus deals with many different problems on the show and tackles them with the same formula which is amazing in itself. The more you watch it, the more you understand the nuances of how his fundamentals work and the clarity this guy has.

    I recommend this show to not just budding entrepreneurs but also anyone who is interested in just a great show.
  • This show gives lots of great tips on how to turn around a business that isn't doing the best. Whether the episode is in your field or not there's always a lot to learn that is pretty interesting
  • mafnpafn23 March 2022
    Just a great show The Profit is. Marcus act more as a healer of a business and people then someone that is there just for the money. I watched every single episode and learn a ton of stuff I can use in my day to day life. I have a huge admiration and respect for Marcus while there are not many people capable of repairing so many businesses and having such a huge soul at the same time. Kudos.
  • I'm a successful entrepreneur and I've recently binge-watched several seasons of The Profit. Here's what I think; it's very informational but it also creates a lot of un-needed drama. It feels that business owners are taken advantage of more often than not. Whether these businesses deserved to be called out or not, it's still off-putting watch every week.

    You don't see Chef Ramsey or other reality show hosts trying to use their position to leverage people into giving up their company for a week's worth of advice and some money. I know there are investors and banks that could help half those businesses and not cost them 100% control of their business in the process.

    I'm not saying Marcus is a bad guy, we just don't share the same business ethics. However, I refuse to watch the show for the above reasons. To gain my viewership, I want more profit less drama. Either drop the bidding phase or give the business owners more options. Otherwise, it comes off unfair, rushed and overall dis- service to business in general. -Thanks
  • Listeners have to strain to decipher words when recorded on site. The characters aren't actors. They mumble and speak with a breathy quality. Nobody is listening to the Profit for the music. The Pizza Slice had an Italian theme so the dramatic background music didn't even fit.
  • lindabeck-4148715 April 2020
    I don't own a business, and yet I still find the show absolutely fascinating.
  • Marcus is a beast, love this show

    Love his style and business acumen

    Merica
  • It's really fun to make some the absolute a-holes you see on the show. Just MMMMMMMMMMMM SERIOUSLY TRY IT
  • jamesleggio18 June 2017
    Marcus is the real deal. You can't fake his business acumen, or humanity. He's a "bailout" for the small business person, and yet the amount of resistance he gets is incredible! I've also learned a ton. I wish I had the opportunity to partner with him during the Great Recession.

    For me, this is the best of what realty television has to offer.
  • rmmil1 September 2020
    First of all, I have to admit I was originally a huge fan of this show and Marcus, but the more I watched this, the worse it became.

    I loved the original premise, and I've seen nearly every episode, but after many viewings I can wholeheartedly say Marcus is a conman / showman / jerk.

    I heard the various claims by previous individuals who had been on The Profit and were sour about the experience and thought they were just poor losers. Marcus decided to back out and they wanted to get back at him.

    But then I really listened to their claims, and they are mostly that he's all show, and a predator who preys on businesses down on their luck, not a working man's hero as the show portrays him.

    I can't say I disagree with them.

    Also, for being such a wonderful businessman, if you really look into Marcus' life story, he basically fell backwards into wealth from a young age due to his familial ties. He isn't the "self-made" successful person that those kinds of people always make themselves out to be.

    Every single episode is so repetitive. Marcus seems friendly. Then he picks his "whipping boy of the week" and then incessantly hounds one person and really gives them hell. Every episode. Look for it. Always a specific whipping boy. And the offers themselves are so bad that you can tell these people are truly desperate to accept them. "Mr business owner, for your business that you built over 30+ years, I'm giving you 300k, about 1/10th your businesses' value, for 50% of your future business, essentially making you my employee for life."

    Such a "hero".

    Also, about 30-50% of the episodes on this show are "progress reports" or looking back on older episodes with a random producer, so in seasons 5+ there are very few "new" episodes anyway.

    The show can be entertaining at times, but I just can't like a show run by a fundamentally bad person.
  • I've watched some of the older episodes as well as a recent one, and IT'S ALL THE SAME THING: Owner meets Marcus, owner cries, owner gives away half his business, owner fights with Marcus, and then either they hug at end or Marcus walks away. I'm not sure if they hand everyone a script but clearly the plot of each segment of each episode is discussed with the owners and all involved. I would not be at all surprised if they take 2 or 3.

    Case in point: Marcus is driving along somewhere else but with a camera on as he drives. Hmm, why would he do that? Well, the phone rings and its an owner telling Marcus something that gets him upset. Gee, aren't we lucky that camera just happened to be on to capture it all. Another time the cameras just happen to be rolling as an ex-girlfriend of an owner shows up "unannounced". This is real like I'm the Pope.

    Look, I get it: It's entertainment. Who cares if it's real or not. Well I do. If you tell me what I'm watching is real, I expect to see real things, not scripted or staged things.
  • Marcus seems to like family businesses, mothers who are struggling with children, and cares about workers. while he seems so smart, he invests in people and businesses that clearly are losers. sometimes he walks off, after investing. It's not just the money it's time. It seems he takes failing businesses, invests $250K, 500K, and revamps them. He could start from scratch. It seems that half are ungrateful. they have businesses that are about to go into bankruptcy, and complain they don't want to "give away" their businesses Marcus is a self made millionaire, with millions to invest- so he can't be inept. but he takes on businesses, that should be left to die. also he partners with people who just don't have integrity. it's informative on a level, but it is also disturbing.
  • For the first few episodes I liked the show, but very soon it became clear than this was a "reality" show first, with reality far down the list. The show had mostly good workers and bosses mixed in with a few AH business owners, and along with Marcus they all did the same/similar thing throughout each show. Life, and business, is not like that. Every episode has much drama added, with disagreements, tears, crying, hugs, etc. and everyone ending up happy except for the few that don't work out. Do any of the shown companies even exist? I have never seen any sign of any of them. The last show I saw, the owner was definitely mugging for the camera and it all came clear to me. It's fake. I'm through with the show even as I do like Marcus and think he is a great businessman. Sorry they could not be honest about the show instead of phony just to get ratings(and money!).
  • pajapan22 January 2020
    Just read the article "Exclusive: 20 Business Owners Claim There's a Dark Side to Marcus Lemonis's Reality TV Show 'The Profit'" by Inc.

    You'll know what happens in the editing room and what the business owners have to sign (and lose their voice in the process.)
  • I have watched this show 2 times in the last 2 weeks. One of the episodes involved a company called Skullduggery (Toy Company). I do not remember the other episode name. I cannot see how anyone can claim he is successful when the both times I saw this show he lost money. In the SkullDuggery episode he invested 370,000 and could not overcome the family resistance to him being in charge. They could not make changes in their approach and they did not like Marcus telling them what to do. A similar thing occurred in the other episode. Being a successful business man involves much more than just looking at the numbers, and this is where he is seriously lacking.
  • (Disclaimer: I have only seen 7 episodes of "The Profit".) I tried hard to get into the show because I really like the idea of teaching the audience (and me) the basics of how to run a business. However, this show fails in at least three important ways: (1) The episodes tend to follow very similar formats (e.g., a small business with great potential but with some sort of "people problems"), (2) We never find out what *really* happens to each business after Lemonis works with it, and (3) Lemonis never seems to actually help a business. In the 7 episodes I watched, Lemonis got involved in every one (financially and with advice), but then ultimately walked away from each.

    My advice to Lemonis and the producers is similar to the advice that Lemonis gives each business owner: Focus on being great rather than on being popular or making money. If you're lucky, the money will follow.

    This show has great potential, but I'm not holding my breath.