Ep 13. Windward Boardshop

Marcus Lemonis, the self-made millionaire and businessman, is back to transform more struggling businesses on this episode of The Profit season 4. In episode 13 titled "Windward Boardshop," Marcus heads to Hawaii to help a boardshop owner who is struggling to keep his business afloat.

The episode starts with Marcus visiting James, the owner of Windward Boardshop, to assess the state of his business. Although James has been in the boardshop business for over 10 years, he is still struggling to make a profit. After analyzing the shop's financials, Marcus finds that the boardshop is not generating enough revenue to cover its costs, let alone make a profit.

Marcus is astounded by the shop's potential and the loyal customer base that James has built over the years. However, he is disappointed to see that the shop has not kept up with the times and is not catering to the new generation of boarders. The shop is still stuck in the past, and Marcus is determined to modernize it and bring it up to date.

Marcus also discovers that James has been running the shop using an outdated, manual system. This means that there is a lot of waste, and James has no way of tracking the business's performance accurately. Marcus believes that the shop needs to transition to a more efficient and modern point-of-sale (POS) system to help streamline operations and maximize returns.

To increase the store's profitability, Marcus decides to revamp the shop's product offerings. He suggests that Windward Boardshop adds new products, such as surfboards, which are high in demand in Hawaii. He also encourages James to add a cafe to the store, which will bring in additional revenue. Marcus believes that this is a powerful and failsafe combination that can turn the shop's fortunes around.

Marcus goes on to organize a focus group, bringing in several expert boarders and surf experts to provide feedback on potential products and services that can be added to the shop. This is a critical step in determining what the store needs to add to its portfolio to win customers over.

Marcus sets about training James and his staff on how to use the new system and how to handle customer inquiries and complaints. He imparts valuable insights on how to deal with customers to build long-lasting relationships with them.

As always, Marcus brings in a team of experts to help push through these significant changes. This time, he brings in a Hawaiian entrepreneur, Jesse James, to provide critical advice and guidance on what Hawaii's surf and board community needs.

Overall, the episode is an incredible exploration of the struggles of running a surf and board shop in Hawaii. Through Marcus's guidance and expertise, James can revamp his business and reignite his passion for boardshop ownership. As Marcus sets out to help James, he demonstrates the importance of modernizing and evolving businesses to stay viable in the highly competitive market.