In this introduction to the series we meet the ex-cons who become Redemption Inc's participants, and Brian O'Dea - a former drug dealer and Kevin's eyes and ears in each week's business challenge.
Kevin O'Leary tasks the participants with selling raffle tickets for a sports charity. They get help from soccer legends Danny Dichio and Jimmy Brennan. Toronto FC is a Major League Soccer team based in Toronto, that draws an average of 20,000 rowdy fans to BMO stadium every game. This week, the ex-cons must sell a minimum of $3,500 dollars in 50/50 tickets to a crowd of beer-fed spectators to raise money for the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Team Up Foundation, a youth sports initiative run by Executive Director Mike Bartlett. But when certain team members fail to show up and secrets get revealed in Kevin's office, it leaves the team emotionally bankrupt.
The participants are tasked to develop a new men’s bath product line for a soap company. Will they deliver the goods on the product line on time, or will they put a dent in the bottom line?
The participants are tasked to successfully sell contemporary art. With works by some of Canada’s most acclaimed artists, the participants must sell a collection worth a quarter of a million dollars – can they master the fine art of a soft sell?