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Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Blind Man of America vs Compagnia del Mobile including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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Investment | $45,500 - $69,100 | $60,000 - $130,000 |
Franchise Fee | $15,000 | $5,000 |
Royalty Fee | 4.3% | 2% |
Advertising Fee | - | - |
Year Founded | 1991 | 1939 |
Year Franchised | 1996 | 1960 |
Term Of Agreement | 5 years | 5 years |
Term Of Agreement | 5 years | 5 years |
Renewal Fee | $1K | $1K |
Business Experience Requirements |
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Experience | - | |
Financing Options |
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In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
Franchise Fees | No/No | No/No |
Start-up Costs | No/No | No/No |
Equipment | No/No | No/No |
Inventory | No/No | Yes/No |
Receivables | No/No | No/No |
Payroll | No/No | No/No |
Training & Support |
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Training | - | - |
Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line | Meetings, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations |
Marketing | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising |
Operations |
Franchise can be run from home. 0% of all franchisees own more than one unit
Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 20% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 2 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (70% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Expansion Plans |
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US Expansion | Yes | - |
Canada Expansion | No | No |
International Expansion | No | Yes |
The Blind Man of America is a home-based business providing customers with in-home selection of custom-made blinds, shades, shutters and more. We work from home and travel in the "blind mobile", our full-service vans containing everything we need to provide our customers with an unsurpassed selection of products with professional installation.
Our concept is framed in its simplicity. The idea is this - most of today's home owners know what they want in window coverings, but they want someone else to do the critical measuring and installation. That's where Blind Man of America comes in. We provide a huge selection of quality products, provide expert measuring and installation, and guarantee it all!
We provide this service to our customers in the comfort of their own home and all with unmatched customer service. It's a concept that consumers love and a system that's easy to implement for our franchisees. But, does it work? Judge for yourself. As a whole, our company averaged a 59% closing ratio in 2004 which means 6 out of every 10 estimates we've converted to sales. Our franchisees in business three years or more averaged a 55% repeat and referral business as well.
Compagnia del Mobile specializes in offering the general public, trade professionals, residential and commercial developers, distributors, independent dealers, and franchisees a full line of italian designer home furnishings including dining rooms and bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, designer doors, custom-made closets, and living rooms. We are the exclusive manufacturer and distributor for the family of products of FEG, and Salvarani. Our several departments -wholesale, retail and residential construcion- work together to bring these italian designed masterpieces into the market. Since its inception, Salvarani has made its name not only with it fine products but also creating a cycling championship team, sponsoring events such as the Beatle's first concert in Italy in 1965, and being present at the famous Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York with its awarded Long Line Model. Today, the Salvarani manufacturing plant is housed in a 1,300,000 sq. ft. facility in Giussano, near Milan. Italy's first kitchen cabinet maker updated and rebuilt its factory to include the latest technology and at the same time preserving the italian tradition of fine craftmanship. Gruppo Feg adopted an industrial dimension by specializing in the design and creation of large scale furniture and the production of veneers. In the early 1990s. Feg started expanding its range to all types of home furniture in collaboration with famous designers, including modular systems for the living area, custom-made closets, beds and soft furnishings.