Forbes ran an article this week about 50 small business owners who are suing Marcus Lemonis and MSNBC. They contend that Lemonis and MSNBC use the show "The Prophet" as a guise to defraud and ruin small businesses.
While the courts will finally speak to the outcome of the litigation, there is an important lesson here not to always judge a book by its cover. While this rule can apply to all parts of life, I often see it in the small business and entrepreneurship world.
Companies and individuals love to present their brands as the "hero" of small businesses. It' a great marketing message that pulls on people's emotions. But sometimes, you have to dig a little deeper and find out precisely what they are marketing and who they are. I promise you; it's often not "as advertised."