"I am a big believer that you are who you do business with," Lemonis says in an episode of "The Profit" that aired in January 2018. In that episode, Lemonis ended up walking away from potentially investing in an athletic apparel company that's pulling in $1 million in revenue per year.
The reason Lemonis walked away from the investment opportunity is because he learns that the small business owner, Ray Odom, has a side gig as a radio host in which he portrays a character who Odom himself describes as "a sexist, egotistical, racist pig."
Lemonis admits that Odom's second job made him feel "uncomfortable really fast," even though Odom claimed that his on-air personality did not fully represent him. "The fact that you think I would do business with you because you do that, whether it's your personality or not, I just can't," Lemonis tells Odom.
Ultimately, Lemonis did not want someone controversial for a business partner.
"I can get over business problems — fix the process, make it safe, put the air conditioner in, figure out how to pay the taxes, create a better work environment, sell more, diversify the product — I can fix those," Lemonis told Odom in the episode. "I can't fix you for being a racist and a sexist, but here's the good news: I won't have to fix it because I'm not going to be here."
CNBC's "The Profit" airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET
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