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Updated RecentlyMiracle-Ear vs Smile Source Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Miracle-Ear vs Smile Source including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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| Investment | $119,000 - $352,500 | $27,800 - $435,000 |
| Franchise Fee | $30,000 | N/A |
| Royalty Fee | $48.80/aid | - |
| Advertising Fee | $75/aid | - |
| Year Founded | 1948 | 2006 |
| Year Franchised | 1983 | 2006 |
| Term Of Agreement | 5 years | - |
| Term Of Agreement | 5 years | - |
| Renewal Fee | $2K-10K | - |
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 | -/- |
| Start-up Costs | No/No | -/- |
| Equipment | No/No | -/- |
| Inventory | No/No | -/- |
| Receivables | No/No | -/- |
| Payroll | No/No | -/- |
Training & Support |
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| Training | Ongoing training as needed | - |
| Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives | - |
| Marketing | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising | - |
| Operations |
80% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 3 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. | - |
Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | Yes | Yes |
| Canada Expansion | No | - |
| International Expansion | No | - |
Company Overviews
About Miracle-Ear
Kenneth Dahlberg started Dahlberg Electronics in 1948 and began
manufacturing the first Miracle-Ear hearing aids. Today, Miracle-Ear is a
subsidiary of Italian hearing aid distributor Amplifon, with U.S.
headquarters in Plymouth, Minnesota.
Miracle-Ear's retail locations offer free hearing tests and
consultations and offer service, warranty and after-care packages with
their hearing aids.
Ken Dahlberg, a World War II aviator turned electronic inventor, created the pillow radio for hospital patients' private listening. Ken's employer rejected the idea, and this inspired the founding of Dahlberg, Inc., which became the foundation of Miracle-Ear.
A few short years later, we were the first to offer an in-the-ear hearing aid. Since then, Miracle-Ear has continued to introduce innovative technology to remove the barriers of hearing loss. We've taken the size of hearing aids down to models that fit entirely in the ear canal. We've made technological improvements that allow us to customize a hearing solution to your individual hearing loss profile. And we've developed customer service practices to help ensure that you are completely satisfied with the products and support you receive from your Miracle-Ear representatives nationwide.
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Miracle-Ear®
franchise is from $119,000 to $352,500. This includes from $35,000 to
$45,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate for an
exclusive territory of up to 250,000 persons. This amount may be higher
if the size (population) of your exclusive territory is larger.
Veteran Incentives
10% off franchise fee!["Entrepreneur]("https://d3fg11dgb68kbp.cloudfront.net/assets/photos/franchise-badge-22686037fc120ba1bd59c2c9fd6e0fbf.png"){kind=icon}
#98 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#84 in Franchise 500 for 2021.
About Smile Source
!["Smile]("https://fddexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Smile-Source-300x47.png")
Smile Source is dedicated to preserving the elite business of
independent dentistry and providing highly personalized services
delivered through a unique heritage of shared expertise.
There is no initial franchise fee. The total investment necessary to
begin operation of a Smile Source franchise is $60,500 to $435,000 if
you open a new office and $27,800 to $86,200 if you convert an existing
office. None of this amount is paid to the franchisor or any affiliate.