S03.E17: Vision Quest

[Tara Ariano]

A custom-lighting company in New York suffers from slumping sales.

[attica]

Well, geez, all they need is Matthew Modine and Linda Fiorentino! (I am old. I loved that movie when I wasn't.)

Edited January 4, 2016 by attica

[Primetimer]

And other questions about The Profit.

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[PepperMonkey]

I know I'm the only one who feels this way, but here goes:

When Marcus arrived, I thought, oh wow, look at all those unique lights and fixtures, which Marcus will promptly dumb down to light bulbs or wal-martesque lamp shades and then make them start a retail line which he can put in Camping World!!!

Look, I like this show and I mostly love Marcus, but I still hate what he did to those Wicked Candle people a couple episodes ago. I DO understand his theory that everyone should be able to expand to increase their sales, but the candle company looked like almost every other candle company product already out there and I saw no need for it. Also, I STILL want to know what happened to the hand-dripped candles that I loved so much??!?

I liked Larry, though, and he was so excited for Marcus' help, it was pretty endearing.

I hope they have success. The stuff he did at Sweet Pete's was pretty inspired.

[sarthaz]

I know I'm the only one who feels this way, but here goes:

When Marcus arrived, I thought, oh wow, look at all those unique lights and fixtures, which Marcus will promptly dumb down to light bulbs or wal-martesque lamp shades and then make them start a retail line which he can put in Camping World!!!

 

First thought I had too. I expected the classic "Make me a product we can produce for $XX" scene we get when he comes into any custom shop and changes their business entirely. This turned out to be an excellent episode, though -- perhaps the best in the series. It had an honest owner (mostly) who was just making some poor business decisions (not the embezzlers and liars of previous seasons), it had a good product that made sense to integrate with Marcus's other businesses, and it wasn't one of those "I need X in my portfolio, so let's gut this company and pretend I'm fixing a failing business" episode. Really enjoyed it and loved Larry's sincerity and enthusiasm.

[seacliffsal]

This was such a good episode. I loved the tech show and Marcus analyzing costs and savings. I also liked that the owner was totally receptive to Marcus' ideas and direction. I am so tired of the episodes in which there are arguments, hard headedness, etc. The creative lighting in Sweet Petes was...sweet. I think Larry is creative and just needed to leave the management of the company to a competent general manager. I would like more episodes like this.

[Gregg247]

I liked the part at the lighting show where Marcus was demonstrating how to determine the payback of a new piece of equipment.  However, it seems like you could "play" with the numbers enough to make it work, if you needed to.  The key was how often a machine is used and how much of a savings you would get from the new one.  For the new "bender" machine, they were estimating that they would use it 8 hours a day.  That seems very high.  Do they actually have enough business where they need to bend metal constantly, all day every day?  The existing machine looked like something they would pull out to use every day or two.

 

The new equipment is definitely better, I just don't know how fast it would actually take to pay for itself.

 

I liked Larry.  I hope Marcus can bring in enough new business to keep the company going.  Larry needs to be in the backroom, "creating" while a floor manager makes sure the place doesn't fall apart around him.

[Cranky One]

That gummi bear light was so cool! I liked this episode and cracked up when Larry told his wife, "He's so shiny!" lol

[eddy]

I also thought the equipment payback calculations were optimistic.  8 hours/day usage is an assumed number.

 

As for the one guy who can produce twice as much in the same time as others - I'd devote 2 hours of his time each day training others until they come up to speed!

 

Finally, I'm unclear on just what owning 50% of a business entitles Marcus (or any investor) to have.  Does he draw a salary (he still devotes time to the business)?  Does he just get 50% of the profits after the original owner pays himself a salary?  How does Marcus re-coup his original cash investment?  Is it over time as he collects profits, or is there an accelerated payback as if treated as a loan?

[Amarsir]

I have to admit - I did not figure they'd get a Sweet Pete's plug into a lighting show. But I liked it. Similar to Precise Graphix, Marcus used the synergy we know he wants as a proving ground for the new business.  This was a better episode though, due to a likable owner instead of brother drama.  Quality work, too.

 

Finally, I'm unclear on just what owning 50% of a business entitles Marcus (or any investor) to have.  Does he draw a salary (he still devotes time to the business)?  Does he just get 50% of the profits after the original owner pays himself a salary?  How does Marcus re-coup his original cash investment?  Is it over time as he collects profits, or is there an accelerated payback as if treated as a loan?

It's a good question. I assume unless stated otherwise that there is no salary and they're doing equivalent disbursements as needed by the original owner. Which tilts the deals in Marcus' favor since there's no way he's putting as many hours in as they are.  But there could be a negotiated salary. We don't know.

[nobodyyoucare]

 

Which tilts the deals in Marcus' favor since there's no way he's putting as many hours in as they are.

What he puts in that makes someone sign 50% is contacts, assets in other businesses that he may own such as factories, experience, also personnel such as accountants lawyers etc.

 

Often times the contacts can bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars of profit to millions. Like the Nascar guy. Those two idiots from the toy company botched a deal not only worth hundreds of thousands in revenue up front but also botched the chance to get into more retailers. Walmart is one of the biggest retailers including toys. You get Nascar deal you get a foot in the door in many shops that would then give you more negotiation in having your products in the store as well. 

[attica]

I'd devote 2 hours of his time each day training others until they come up to speed!

 

Some trainees, however, just can't. It's the hardest thing about training a workforce, if you ask me. Some people just don't have the muscle memory, or the neural synapses, or whatever it is that makes one person more efficient than another. You can show a person all the streamline tactics you know, and it still might have little to no effect. Doesn't mean they're stupid or lazy or bad at the gig. Which is why assembly lines are such a gargantuan accomplishment in manufacturing -- they take those variables (or many of them , anyhow) out of the equation.

 

I totally agree with Sarah about the utter risibility of a one-day delay meaning anything to any contractor in the NYC area. In my experience, one is safe to assume that any project will take 3 times longer than estimated. A delay of only a day would be a miracle!  I would have like to have seen the installation of that hospital gizmo and get their reaction to it, but I can fully understand why filming in a surgical theater would not get approved.

 

I once spent a day working on focusing lighting for the grand opening of a retail store. It's way more interesting than just flipping the 'on' switch, figuring out how to aim them so that shadows are minimized and product is featured to its best advantage.

[mojito]

Aww, another nice episode. I sure liked Larry and his acknowledgment that he needed help, and then how he didn't get defensive when he got it. He seemed to be a creative guy who knew his stuff, but knew this didn't translate to good business sense. For his sake, I hope he eventually can hire a numbers guy/gal, since it's clear that all of this analysis stuff is not his cup of tea. 

 

Loved the wife's deer-frozen-in-the-headlights look when Marcus asked if she knew that he'd used their home for collateral. A combination of "I don't recall our home being in the equation, did he tell me that?" and "I don't want to say I didn't and make Larry look bad". 

 

Also noteworthy: though his co-workers saw his business weaknesses, they didn't overtly resent him. I related so much to the after layoffs-shock of the survivors. I'll bet their stomachs were churning when Marcus gathered them together.

[Josiah Bounderby]

1. Enough with the Sweet Pete's already.

2. That wasn't Chicago. It was Winnetka IL. (Right? Am I right?)

3. I think viewers can understand the concept of "suburban Chicago" or "near Chicago" (or, my favorite, "Chicagoland.")

4. Bunty is right...the deadlines were poorly handled.

5. Still, a solid episode.

6. I want to see a classic The Profit shitstorm episode now with dishonest dirtbags. I miss those sorts of owners.

[Josiah Bounderby]

I was wrong...Sweet Pete's store in in Lake Forest...really looked like Winnetka to me...

[guilfoyleatpp]

I totally related to this guy. His good designs and genuine excitement and lack of impulse control reminds me of my ADD self (well, minus the good designs).

 

I was really happy this one worked out. Good episode!