In this series premiere, ten candidates arrive in Chicago to compete for a position working alongside Marcus Lemonis and an equity stake in his multi-million dollar company. Marcus puts the finalists to the test by challenging their communication skills. Who will crack under the pressure, and who will take the next step toward becoming The Partner?

Marcus gets to know who the five remaining candidates really are in a series of character tests. First, they must create a marketing campaign to show who they are as a brand. Then, Marcus challenges their backbones during a complex investment assessment.

Marcus gives the candidates their most difficult task yet: teamwork! Their leadership, salesmanship, and communication skills are put to the test during two group challenges. But as pressure rises, the candidates begin to turn on each other.

Things get personal when Marcus puts the candidates to work in his current Chicago stores. Some excel and some fall behind when faced with real-life business challenges. It's crunch time for the candidates to prove that they really knows their stuff and can take the heat.