Alex Polizzi is called to an unusual family firm in dire need of help: Denver Mills, a working windmill in Norfolk. Just before Alex arrives, a tragedy has struck. Three of the sails have crashed off the windmill, leaving the Abel family absolutely bereft. A business already in trouble has just hit rock bottom. Alex finds a business that does not know what it is, with the site comprising of the windmill itself, a tea shop, gift shop, function room and rental cottages. She also finds a family that, although passionate about milling flour, are clueless about how to run a business. Relationships have also started to implode, with mother Lindsay not knowing anything about their finances and son-in-law Duncan angry that the family care more about milling than money. Alex has a huge challenge on her hands. She needs to get the family focussed, and fast. Identifying that the shop and the cafe are profitable ventures, she gets the family to concentrate on those areas.

Alex Polizzi is called in to a faltering fancy dress shop in Essex - Props and Frocks. Last year, owner Adele took out emergency bank loans to prevent the business going bust. When Alex arrives, she discovers one of the main reasons why - literally thousands and thousands of lines of stock, filling not only the shop but garages and outhouses too. Adele is a stockaholic. She's also a workaholic who can't leave the shop as she doesn't trust anyone else, and has a hugely emotional attachment to the costumes. She's smothering the business and needs to take a step back. The family meanwhile see the shop as an extension of their home. Adele's own mother Joy, who also works in the shop, cannot stand anyone touching any of the goods. Alex tackles the problems by getting son and daughter Rhys and Ellis to start taking some initiative in the business and she confronts Adele's addiction to ordering stock head on.

Alex Polizzi lends her considerable expert business skills to a failing family car repair garage in Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester. Mum and co-owner Jan Lord despairs of getting the business out of the increasing trouble it's in with too few customers and not enough work to fill the mechanics' days. Without improvement, she faces the nightmare scenario of losing her home and making her own children unemployed. Alex discovers that the family are their own worst enemies - their customer service skills are not up to scratch, the garage is a mess, and not only that Jan's youngest son and MOT supremo Adam spends more time messing around than actually working. And worse, Jan herself is hiding the true state of the company from her sons and daughter. Alex sends the family to Manchester City football club's lauded hospitality operation to learn good customer service, and younger son Adam to one of her family's five star hotels - the prestigious Lowry - to try to instil a work ethic in him.

Alex Polizzi is called in to a family-run furniture store in Yeadon, just outside Leeds. Kettley's Furniture has been run by John Butler and his family for 33 years, but it just hasn't moved on in that time, stocking furniture which is more care home than dream home, and in recent years profits are down as customer numbers have dwindled. The business has been almost completely centred on serving the elderly and infirm, but the over 65s buy less furniture than the 25 to 45 year olds, as big ticket purchases like furniture are mostly driven by moving home or home improvement. Currently Kettley's looks like an outdated shop with old-fashioned stock, and is a total turn off to couples and young families, who outnumber the over 65s in the local area. Alex also needs to sort out the family struggles.

Alex has been asked to help a family bakery in dire straits in scenic Padstow, Cornwall. The Chough Bakery, owned and run by the Eade family, does well in the summer months when over five million people visit the county, but they virtually go out of business every winter. Every year they lurch along, but with growing competition in this upmarket foodie town their pasties, cakes and loaves look shabby and the lack of year round trade threatens their very existence. But beyond the business problems is a family in crisis. Mum Elaine rules the roost and decides on everything that happens. Her controlling ways mean that her children Greg and Luisa feel powerless to take the business on to the next level - and now the tension between brother and sister has boiled over. Luisa has spent all her adult life in the pasty kitchen to earn her directorship of the business, while brother Greg, also a director, has recently arrived and only visits the business once a week.

Alex is called in to help a failing family bridalwear business in Kettering, Northamptonshire. Despite remortgaging her home to keep the business afloat, owner Anne Preece is watching the profits fall year on year, and to make matters worse her two daughters Rhiannon and Bethan, who also work in the shop, argue constantly. Even though most brides are willing to pay over their budget for the dress of their dreams, Courtyard seems unable to turn fittings into sales. Plus the shop itself is tired, dated and overstocked. Alex works with the family to try to pull the business back from the brink. But this isn't just business - it's personal too. Alex questions the whole family dynamic and forces them all to re-evaluate their positions in the company. After months of work, the shop relaunches by getting nine former customers to renew their wedding vows wearing Courtyard Bridal Boutique's new collection.