o_19grqq7snim9mn019q11f7ds26a.pdf

eported by judy magness
THE
PROFIT
Marcus Lemonis:
A Miracle Worker
Profit host, Marcus Lemonis grew up knowing
that his parents adopted him when he was
9-months old. Leo and Sophia Lemonis, a Greek
couple living in Miami, Florida were open and
honest with their son. They explained to him
that he was born in war-torn Beirut, Lebanon,
in the midst of civil unrest and foreign incursions
in 1973. His parents told him endlessly
that he was a blessing in their lives—a gift
to them. And, as he grew up surrounded by
their love and warmth, and with the understanding
of the conditions they rescued
him from as an infant, he felt it was he
who had received the greatest gift.
Perhaps, understanding Lemonis’ upbringing
offers personal insight into the
businessman America has recently come
to know through the acclaimed reality series,
“The Profit,” airing on CNBC. In it,
Lemonis swoops in to save struggling businesses
and invests his own time and money
to do it. Following his parents’ example, Lemonis
is candid with business owners about the viability
of their troubled businesses. Holding nothing
back, he tells them how they got there, and where
they are headed if they stay on the same course.
Avid viewers of the show can recite the self-created
guiding principle Lemonis uses to evaluate of every
business—People, process, and product.
Lemonis wasn’t anointed as “The Profit” because
his charm and good looks made him stand out at a
casting call. He stood out to CNBC executives because
he is chairman and CEO of Camping World,
the country’s largest RV and outdoor retailer—and
Good Sam, the largest RV owners’ organization in
the world. And, he stood out because he is considered
an entrepreneurial trailblazer with investments
in over 100 other businesses. He stood out because
he had his own TV show idea similar to the premise
of The Profit. And, he stood out because he was
willing to go on television and use his own money
THE SUIT MAGAZINE p.13