Start a Made in the Shade Franchise in 2024

2024 Franchise 500 Rank: #352 Ranked #331 last year

Initial investment: $75K - $101K

Units as of 2024: 138 16.0% over 3 years

Made in the Shade Blinds offers a convenient shop-at-home service for window treatments. Cathy Morse was an interior design home professional who enjoyed her work's freedom, flexibility, and profitability. Morse started the company with a vision to expand a home-based business for people looking to grow their careers.

The company is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, and began to franchise in 2013. Made in the Shade Blinds has over 110 locations across Canada and the U.S. As franchisees join their team, they'll get Made in the Shade Blinds name-brand window coverings at some of the deepest discounts in the industry.

Why You May Want to Open a Made in the Shade Blinds Franchise

Made in the Shade Blinds has a one-of-a-kind business model that meets the demand of individuals who want to operate a window coverings business. Made in the Shade Blinds’ exclusive franchise program reduces franchisees' startup costs through its brand name manufacturer relationships. The company also offers a discount off the franchise fee for veterans.

With the constant demand for updated windows and window dressings, Made in the Shade Blinds may have a steady stream of clients for you to serve. Made in the Shade Blinds brings the showroom to clients, possibly turning a referral into a client due simply to the ease of conducting business.

As you make your decision regarding whether to open a franchise with Made in the Shade Blinds, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

What Might Make a Made in the Shade Blinds a Good Choice?

With Made in the Shade Blinds, franchisees can operate the business right from the convenience of their home. Franchisees don't need a storefront, ample inventory, or numerous employees. Franchisees will also receive a protected territory with their franchise agreement, ensuring other Made in the Shade Blinds franchisees don't commandeer potential clients.

Made in the Shade Blinds is in partnership with a web marketing team to give franchisees complete online marketing tools, which is a significant advantage over the competition. Made in the Shade Blinds continues to help you market your company and offer sales support throughout the lifetime of your franchise.

How Do You Open a Made in the Shade Blinds Franchise?

Franchisees can invest with Made in the Shade Blinds by paying various fees, including a franchise fee. Fees may help pay for training, company services, and support. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

Initial franchise inquiries may foster an interview process with Made in the Shade Blinds franchise representatives. Potential franchisees may have the opportunity to speak with current franchisees, answering questions about the opportunity. If all parties involved agree upon a franchise deal, you may be on your way to operating a Made in the Shade Blinds.

Company Overview

About Made in the Shade

Industry	Home Improvement
Related Categories	Window Coverings
Founded	2004
Parent Company	Made in the Shade Blinds and More LLC
Leadership	Josh Morse, CEO
Corporate Address	2523 Boardwalk St. San Antonio, TX 78217
Social	Facebook, LinkedIn

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2013 (11 years)
# of employees at HQ	7
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises in the following international regions: Canada
# of Units	138 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Made in the Shade franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$64,000 - $71,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$74,500 - $101,200
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$50,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	$5,000 off franchise fee
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	$100/mo.
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

In-House Financing	Made in the Shade offers in-house financing to cover the following: franchise fee
Third Party Financing	Made in the Shade has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	15 hours
Classroom Training	44 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Ad Templates Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	Yes
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	Yes
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes