The Profit: Jacob Maarse Florists

The second episode of The Profit about Jacob Maarse Florists of Pasadena, CA ends with one of the most unforgettable displays of immaturity (and worse) that you can ever expect to witness. While Hank Maarse isn’t the first or the last person to try to weasel out of an agreement, he certainly made the situation far worse by doing it on camera for a nationally televised reality series. People who renege on deals usually attempt to do so in private with minimal witnesses in case it ever ends up in court.

In a nutshell, Hank inherited the family florist business after his entrepreneurial father Jacob died in 2010. The business quickly turned into a money loser under the lackadaisical leadership of the 49 year old man-child. The only thing that has saved the business to date are a number of substantial cash infusions by Hank’s long-suffering mom. She does this not so much for Hank as for the legacy of her late husband.

People, Product, and Process

People, Product, and Process

To minimize spoilers, let’s just say that Marcus as usual delivers on his promise. He not only implements a large number of changes that will serve to quickly turn the business around, but he spends his own money doing so. Although the precise figure in not revealed it’s definitely over $150,000. In return for his investment of time and money, Marcus is supposed to be rewarded with 25% of the company as per the agreement.

Although it’s only a verbal agreement, it is recorded by the television cameras.

On the day of the relaunch, with both staff and customers in great spirits, Hank decides to stay at home and hide under his bed to mope. When he finally does show up a day or two later, he attempts in the most unconvincing manner possible to deny that Marcus has made improvements in order to justify weaseling out of their agreement. This key scene begins around minute 36:00.

However, the real pay off in the episode comes from watching Marcus work his magic on a dying business.

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Hank Maarse and Marcus Lemonis

Hank Maarse reneges on his deal with Marcus Lemonis

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61 Responses to The Profit: Marcus and Hank Maarse

  • What a greedy little pig. I suspect Hank was telling himself that since Marcus had already made all the changes needed to save the shop, he was no longer need.

  • Hmmm, not so good. Marcus is batting .333. One win, one disaster, and one walk-away. The woman with the pop-corn business was even a worse character than the Hank.

    • I wonder if the $400k was candy up her nose?

      • It was clear that she doesn’t understand that her accountant is booking the cash as it come sin the door before she takes it home and puts it in her safe.

        Obviously what she was thinking was that after Marcus gave her all of his great ideas now she can just use her stored cash to do it on her own but she fails to realize two important things; Marcus will sue her and win AND the I.R.S. will be auditing her now.

    • Naw! Hank is much worse. But I wouldn’t spend a penny at either place.

  • Man-child is definitely the appropriate word for this business owner. Not only does he not understand appreciation, integrity, or respect, but he doesn’t even have the social intelligence to not act like a teenager (at age 49) on national TV… it’s so crazy, I can’t help but find it funny.

  • Hank, you said it yourself in the car – and on camera. Marcus dropped far more than $100K on your business. YOU said it was more like $150K.

    But don’t guesstimate – add the numbers up.

    You need an exorcism to drive out the 10 year old who possessed you in the final minutes of the episode. That was, without a doubt, one of the most embarrassing stunts I’ve ever seen an “adult” pull. And you did it ON CAMERA. Are you completely clueless?

    Marcus made the investment as promised, repurposed the staff and the business – gave it the necessary jolt to wake it out of that Rip Van Winkle spell you cast over it.

    Downplaying the transformation Marcus created just made you look even more foolish.

    • Would like to know the status with Marcus and the owner of Maarse Florists?
      Good show. Too bad some dumbass has to try something like that.
      What about his employees?
      Thanks

  • Marcus said he would put a lean on the building and do what was necessary to get his money back. I hope he did. What is the present situation with the business and with Marcus getting his money back?

  • I read somewhere that Hank’s mom paid Marcus back the $150,000 he spent on the shop.

    • I hope that is an accurate report. Hank has a much better business now that Marcus got in there and straightened it out but with Hank’s immaturity and lack of work ethic, that 2nd generation business will not succeed.

  • I knew Jacob Maarse and I know Hank Maarse since the last 30 years. Jacob was a very efficient, hard working borderline greedy business man, a good man overall. Hank on the other hand was and he still is and spoil brat that he never since I remember amounted to anything by himself. He has been living off of his parents money since I know him. “He work at the flower shop” enjoying the benefits of his father hard work for years. His father passed in 2010 since then he became in charge as he call himself the man in charge and the owner of the company and look at what happened since then, the business went down and it will continue in that direction, because Hank Maarse as I know him is a man who needs psychological help. Watching this report I concluded that his mental state is not better than the Hank I knew in the past, who was already showing clear signs of dysfunctional behavior, neurotic reactions to say the least.

    • David, thank you for your post. It is good to have someone who really knows and has experienced in reality the situation. You confirmed what I thought. It is really sad.

      I know a third generation newspaper owner/publisher who put his family business in such a hole by borrowing $30 million on new printing presses and equipment and the business was not generating ad revenue to cover that huge debt. He sold the business just recently and family members will have a few million to divide but no more legacy built by their grandfather about a 100 years ago.

      The mis-management by 2nd and 3rd generation family members is pandemic. There appears to be a sense of entitlement and apathy oftentimes.

      • While I agree with you on the one hand- the sense of entitlement of the folks born after about 1980-1985 or so…not all, but the majority, I have to point out that the newspaper business is collectively circling the drain of obsolescence. In 10-15 years, they will be relics of a distant past. Sad, but undeniable. Yes, there will still exist the NY Times, the WSJ, the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press, ….you know, the elite ‘majors’….all the rest will be gone. They will be forced to merge with local TV stations…IF they can lure them in to a dying business.

        BTW….Hank Maarse is a LOW weasle, smarmy, classless and extremely immature, and most of all, just DUMB, and unaware of his surroundings

  • Why would anyone in Pasadena ever want to support this business? After the show concluded, I thought to myself, what an embarrassment to the mother, employees, even his father. I am glad CNBC aired this program and just can’t believe one of Hank’s closest advisors convinced him to go off on a tangent on national TV. What a shame to the people who really care about the business and are desperately trying to make the business successful.

  • Hey this guy Hank is riding on Daddy’s coat-tails.
    It’s obvious he’s not fit to run a business.
    As for the popcorn lady that couldn’t find the 400k profit, considering her lax accounting and physical appearance the first place I would look is up her nose……

    • I think hank and the popcorn lady are perfect for eachother!

      • Good match! One appears to feed her nose, and the other feeds his ego.

      • I agree. I have a 67 year old sister in law with the same emotional level of a 9 year old. She acts the same way as Hank. I believe she is bi-polar, because of her forgetfulness of what she has said in the past along with her anxiety and mood swings. Most of all she has a personality disorder expressed in her child like affect in all good and not so good moods. If Hank doesn’t hook up with popcorn lady he can have my sister in law !

        • 😥 I can’t understand why you would lump his bad behavior as a mental problem People with bi-polar cannot help themselves as they are ill. Shame on you. He is not ill, only spoiled rotten. He will never grow up as long as he has mama to bail him out.

  • Just watching this for the first time, good grief the middle aged loser son of the late Jacob Maarse deserves to lose the family business, what a disappointing useless son, he had 40 some years to learn,

  • What an episode, this could have been a textbook home run, how could any of the employees put up with the spoiled brat mankid. The mother should have used better judgement and sold the business when her husband passed. Give it six months, it will be worth a fraction of a fraction!

  • Hank Maarse is a joke. Shame on him.

  • Great show

  • he really behaves 14 and not his actual age as marcus pointed out, i just watched it yesterday in class and the whole class went so crazy, sizing and hissing at hank… he behaved really childish, not good!

  • Hank probably wears Disney pull-ups and bottle feeds. What a disgrace for the legacy of his dad. I wonder how many Hanks exist in the small businesses in our neighborhoods. No wonder the majority goes under!!!

  • Is it true that the shop has closed for good?

  • If this were my site I would ask Mr. Lemonis to endorse the Tycoon Playbook. Lots of people want to be like him so you would get more enrollments.

  • Hank is a stupid lazy jerk. His mother should cut off all money to him. What a disgusting human. I really hope he goes out of business and ends up homeless.

  • I just checked Yelp. They are still in business. I wish I lived near there. I have managed many businesses and out of work. I would contact the mother to take over, fire her son and get this business back in shape.

    • Joe, I sure wish you would be able to turn it around. Someone really needs to. Hank is pitiable. Somewhere his parents did not do right by him, or he changed when he became an adult, but this man has huge problems. He would have long been out of business in a smaller market with more competition, such as the area in which I live.

  • What’s the latest news on the lawsuit?

  • Just viewed Hanky’s disgusting childish display concerning The Profit. His lack of business acumen is obvious, as is his lack of maturity. His father must be rolling in his grave. I see no reason whatsoever that this boy should ever profit from his dads business. May he fade away and stop sucking his mother dry.

  • I concur. Hank is a revolting toad with neither ambition nor social skills. He may need to have his meds adjusted.

  • While watching the episode I told my husband, Hank probably was a spoiled brat who did nothing on his own. Daddy and mommy undoubtedly supported him all these years. Now that Hank’s dad has passed away, mom will continue to support her good for nothing son. Someone needs to tell her to stop enabling him. If he were my son I wouldn’t give him a dime.

  • What a shame. I really believe that this son is just waiting for mom to die. Then he will get all the money and not have to ask mom for checks. A large part of the problem was that Hank never learned to be a man. He never wanted anything fixed cause it was not broken. It doesn’t help that Hank is not very smart

  • Jacob Maarse did the flowers for our wedding and our reception at the Valley Hunt Club in 1968. The flowers were wonderful and helped make a dream wedding come true.
    It is so sad to see the business being destroyed by a spoiled brat.
    Not only that – what will this mean to 32 loyal employees and their families.
    Hank is a great embarrassment to his family and Pasadena.

  • Hank your a pathetic joke. I won’t spend my money with you anymore. Momma you need to wash his mouth out with soap for lying and spank him for trying to steal. Again you just lost our family business for your unethical dealings. When the show came on I was excited for the business. Now I can’t tell a soul I was a customer for years. Hank your a half wit! Payback the money. Employees look elsewhere fast that ship is sinking.

  • I worked at a Fire suppression company for several years. The owner died and his son Jason took over and immediately everything changed for the worse. He was not as charismatic as his father nor very sociable. Customer satisfaction fell and we started to lose contracts. On top of this I trained the Managers son for a week to do my job, which I learned over several years, then was fired. So I was replaced with a kid who didn’t know his job nor had any real interest in this field as a favor to his mother. I was not surprised to learn that they closed down two years later; about 40 employees lost their job. What is surprising is facts show that 2nd generation owned companies have a success rate of only 15%, the other 85% closing within several years, that figure is astonishing.

  • During the final confrontation, did anyone besides me wonder if Hank was drunk?

    • The whole show, my feeling was Hank was on drugs, legal or illegal….whatever, definite personality disorder that needed attention with therapy or legal prescriptions…..mom and dad have some of the credit for the making of this sorry son

  • Hank needs to come out of the closet already. What a drama queen.

  • I worked there for over 5 years WHILE Jacob was alive. A WONDERFUL TALENTED KIND man who built an AMAZING floral business.
    Just to say something nice.

  • Hank Maarse is nothing but a pathetic 49 year old momma’s boy.

  • What a wasted opportunity to have the talent and help of Marcus Lemonis come into your business and spend his time to mentor and put your business on track to be successful! Only a true Dumb-Ass would waste time not listening and following every recommendation Marcus makes to recreate your business. I left a company after 17 years and went in business and had to shut the doors after 3 years and go back to work–I would give Marcus whatever % he ask for to be involved with a business with me! What a total fool you must be not to listen to Marcus!!!

  • What goes around will come around!! Hank M will get his punishment. I will never give him my business, nor will many others who saw the show on TV or are reading the many posts.

  • wau what an episode. feel only sorry for the employees. first of all i blame mama for the creation of hank. if he is not mentally disabled i blame the parents. this is what happens if you don’t close the $ faucet ever!

  • I retired from UK to Brazil just 15 years ago leaving my two sons to run my garden centre and tropical fish business. I have seen many business revamp programmes but this was the most realistic with sound no frills advice from Marcus I have seen. There is light at the end of the tunnel because when Jacob Maarse inevitably closes its obvious now to any investor who buys it that with Hank out of the way how much more its really worth . This factor may even enhance the value of its potential and get mom a bit more. I bet she’s now had lots of good offers for the business without Hank. Fortunately my sons are dedicated, ambitious and switched on, but even we would welcome advice from a person such as Marcus to swing that profit-o-meter higher.

  • I just watched the episode, and feel compelled to write, even though this happened almost 2 years ago. I am going to do some amateur psychoanalysis here. I will assume, for argument’s sake, that Hank is not mentally ill or under the influence. I think he never felt like he could live up to his father’s legacy, and at best, his feelings about his father are ambivalent, with some degree of hostility, either deserved or undeserved. He experiences his father’s reputation, and that of the firm bearing his name, as a burden. Perhaps his destruction of the firm is a way to get back at his father. Whatever. Marcus comes in, in his rather severe way, and assumes the paternal role, and in this case, the disapproving father. Quite possible this was exactly the relationship Hank had with Jacob. This presses just about every button Hank has, blows all of his fuses. And we saw the consequence. Pure, unmanageable, rage – the most animation Hank showed in the whole series. But it was rage at Marcus for making Hank feel – again – so inadequate. I think the smiling face of the Dad who is revered by all, was an unbearable burden for the son, either b/c he couldn’t live up to it, or b/c the dad never accepted him, or worse. And we saw the consequence. This was family pathology at its worst. We will never know, but that is the only rational explanation for such irrational behavior on national television. Marcus had it pegged – this was the tantrum of a 14 year old against a dad he never felt he could please.

  • Yes, Hank is a “you know what”! But what is this “handshake” stuff all about? Doing all that on a handshake doesn’t sound like good business to me — unless the producers pay Lemonis a LOT for his time and expertise to accomplish so much in a week — only to have a deal fall through. If the producers want us intellectually involved and not just emotionally involved, they need to give loyal viewers a lot more information, including follow up. At 😳 this point, I’m just as down on producer/director/talent manipulation as I am on Hank’s manipulation.

  • Oddly demented, poor Hank talks about excitement to live up to the legacy that “they” (his family) began. Not exactly the words of a true owner there.

  • I just watched this episode. I couldn’t believe my ears. Hank Maarse what a joke, his mother is probably absolutely embarrassed along with the employees. How disgusting it was to actually watch himsay the things he did. Did he lose his brains or has he never really had any?
    I would love to know what the outcome of this
    partnership {pretend to hank} has been.

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