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Updated RecentlyBlind Man of America vs Mr. Sandless/Dr. DecknFence Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Blind Man of America vs Mr. Sandless/Dr. DecknFence 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 | $26,810 - $77,385 |
| Franchise Fee | $15,000 | $5,000 - $20,000 |
| Royalty Fee | 4.3% | 3%+ |
| Advertising Fee | - | 1% |
| Year Founded | 1991 | 2004 |
| Year Franchised | 1996 | 2005 |
| Term Of Agreement | 5 years | - |
| Term Of Agreement | 5 years | - |
| Renewal Fee | $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 | -/Yes |
| Start-up Costs | No/No | -/Yes |
| Equipment | No/No | -/Yes |
| Inventory | No/No | -/Yes |
| Receivables | No/No | -/Yes |
| Payroll | No/No | -/Yes |
Training & Support |
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| Training | - | On-The-Job Training: 40 hours Classroom Training: 10-20 hours |
| Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line | Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform |
| Marketing | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks | Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing |
| 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) | Absentee Ownership Allowed Number of Employees Required to Run: 2 |
Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | Yes | Yes |
| Canada Expansion | No | - |
| International Expansion | No | Yes |
Company Overviews
About Blind Man of America
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.
About Mr. Sandless/Dr. DecknFence
If you sign a multi-unit option agreement to develop multiple Mr. Sandless franchises, you will pay a $5,000 option fee for each additional franchised business you wish to develop, plus an additional territory fee of $10,000 for each additional franchised business you wish to develop. Your total initial investment will depend on the number of franchised businesses you will develop. If you choose to develop 3 additional franchised businesses, the estimated initial investment for the multi-unit option is $41,810 to $92,385. This includes $20,000 to $48,000 that must be paid to the franchisor and/or its affiliate, as appropriate. The multi-unit option is not available for Dr. DecknFence franchises.
Veteran Incentives: 50% off equipment package
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