Alex Polizzi: The Fixer

Alf Onnie's interiors shop, specialising in fabric and curtains, has been going in East London since it was set up in 1920. It's approaching its centenary but the recession and house market slump have hit curtain sales hard.

Run by three brothers, both they and the shop are stuck in a time warp, almost as far back as the shop's beginning. And what's more they are paralysed by indecision about how to move the business forward.

When mum Andy beat a life-threatening illness she saw it as the inspiration to follow her dream and set up a portrait studio with her three daughters, but a struggle to find customers and pay the rent has turned the dream into a nightmare, as they must deal with the realities of their lack of business knowledge and expertise. The business depends on mum's savings and if it folds she will be left with nothing and no money for her retirement.

Alex attempts to turn them around by giving them the chance to work with a celebrity photographer who has worked with a huge range of A listers including Keira Knightley, Lindsay Lohan and Angelina Jolie. But when Alex tries to expand their client base by introducing them to commercial photography, the girls' failure to put any effort in leaves Alex frustrated and doubting that their mum is up to being their boss.

Dad David set up funeral directors Holmes and Sons five years ago and he has struggled to make any money from it. He is desperate to make it work so he can pass his business on to his two young sons, but neither of them are sure they even want to work there.

What's more he has employed an office manager, Sheena, who is convinced they aren't doing anything wrong and refuses to change.

Alex takes on Martinis, a struggling salon in Essex set to close in six months if things do not improve. She is forced to tackle a family at loggerheads, and even draws on the expertise of Britain's most famousentrepreneur, Richard Branson, to help steer things in the right direction.

Setting up this business had always been Asti's dream and she has invested her life savings in it. Now she stands to lose everything. She runs it with her mother and younger sister Dee Dee but the sisters' constant division is crippling the business. What's worse, Alex quickly discovers that the place itself is a mess and when she sends in leading industry experts undercover she also learns the service is nowhere near up to scratch.

Pisces fish and chip shop was set up in the 1940s by the parents of the current owner Kipper. But lunchtime trade has fallen off a cliff, and Kipper and wife Julia can't agree on how to move the businessforward. Their constant arguments have put a real strain on their relationship. They've drafted in daughter Juki to take over as manager, but neither of them are supporting her and the business is in a total mess. Can Alex get the parents to sort out the infighting and bring the daughter up to speed?

Established 30 years ago, Oak garden centre withered under the battering of last year's freezing winter and the poor financial management of dad David. It was forced into liquidation, leaving David and his wife Lynn distraught and in tears.

Son, Ross, stepped into relaunch the business but with no money to play with he is only keeping it afloat by maxing out his credit card. What's more, David is finding it impossible to let his son take the reins and the father and son's relationship is on the verge of total breakdown. The business can't move forward until their resentments are laid to rest.

In this episode, Alex returns to Chough's Bakery in Cornwall and Kettley's furniture shop in Yorkshire. When she first arrived both businesses were suffering from controlling parents, leaving the children feeling frustrated and undervalued - and their sales were also suffering from a major slump.

In this episode, she returns to Denver Mill - a mill, bakery and café business in Norfolk - and Courtyard Bridal Wear in Kettering. At both places their dreams had turned into nightmares, perhaps not surprisingly given the poor handle on finances these two families showed.