Made in the Shade
Disclosure honesty
Made in the Shade discloses earnings (Item 19) — but the grade is how honestly. We graded it C.
What their own earnings claim actually says
Survey of 69 franchisees (65% response rate). Average revenue $730,016; median $496,655. Only 33% met/exceeded average revenue. High variability: low $40K, high $3.07M.
Is Made in the Shade worth it? — how it compares to 85 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 4% of sales | lower than most (median 8%) |
| Startup cost | from $78,000 | cheaper than most (median $119,850) |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade C | less honest than most of the category |
| Closure rate | 2.3% of outlets | about average |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 0 | fewer than most |
Benchmarked against every home & trade services franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a Made in the Shade
The franchisor's framing: Survey of 69 franchisees (65% response rate). Average revenue $730,016; median $496,655. O… We reconstruct what an owner actually keeps, from their own FDD.
- Reconstructed owner P&L — net take-home after royalty, ad fund, rent, labor & debt
- Break-even timeline + cash-on-cash ROI
- Full fee stack + required-purchase markups
- Decoded real failure / closure rate
- How it ranks vs comparable franchises
- Validation-call playbook — the exact questions to ask
See a full sample report → · 30-day guarantee
Made in the Shade franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a Made in the Shade franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $78,000–$107,700, including a $67,500 initial franchise fee.
- How much do Made in the Shade franchise owners make?
- Survey of 69 franchisees (65% response rate). Average revenue $730,016; median $496,655. Only 33% met/exceeded average revenue. High variability: low $40K, high $3.07M. We grade this disclosure C for honesty.
- What is the Made in the Shade franchise failure rate?
- 3 ceased 2025; 2 terminations 2025; wide revenue variance signals risk
- Is a Made in the Shade franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. Made in the Shade scores C on disclosure honesty, carries about 4% of sales in ongoing fees. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Compare Made in the Shade to similar franchises
See all franchises ranked by disclosure honesty →
Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with Made in the Shade or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.