Marigold Academy Franchise
Cost, fees, owner earnings, closure rate and litigation for a Marigold Academy franchise — pulled from the franchisor's own public FDD (2026), not its sales material.
Disclosure honesty
Marigold Academy discloses earnings (Item 19) — but the grade is how honestly. We graded it C.
What their own earnings claim actually says
Two company-owned outlets reported. Bloomfield: $2.6M sales, 25.99% EBITDA. Randolph: $1.4M sales, 21.56% EBITDA. Data adjusted for franchisee fees not incurred by company outlets.
What a Marigold Academy franchise actually costs to run
| Fee | Disclosed | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50,000 | Item 5 — paid up front, before you open |
| Royalty | 7% of gross sales | Item 6 — charged on revenue, not profit |
| Advertising fund | 1% of gross sales | Item 6 — brand marketing, spent at the franchisor's discretion |
| Total recurring fees | 8% of gross sales | Before rent, labor, food or debt service |
| Total initial investment | $956,900 – $1,095,100 | Item 7 — franchisor's own low/high estimate |
Royalty 7% (4% first 6 months); Brand Development 1%; Local marketing 1% or $1,500/month; Technology $750/month.
Royalty and ad-fund percentages are charged on gross sales — an owner pays them whether or not the location is profitable.
Marigold Academy system size and owner turnover
| Total outlets | 2 |
| Ceased operations | 0 |
| Terminated by franchisor | 0 |
| Transferred to new owners | 0 |
| Closure rate | 0.0% of outlets |
No franchises operating; only 2 company-owned outlets. Early-stage system.
From Item 20 of the FDD 2026. Terminations and ceased operations are the franchisor's own count of owners who stopped — the number the sales pitch leaves out.
Is Marigold Academy worth it? — how it compares to 60 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 8% of sales | lower than most (median 9%) |
| Startup cost | from $956,900 | pricier than 81% of peers |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade C | typical for the category |
| Closure rate | 0.0% of outlets | better than most (median 1.4%) |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 0 | fewer than most |
Benchmarked against every children's education & childcare franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a Marigold Academy
The franchisor's framing: Two company-owned outlets reported. Bloomfield: $2.6M sales, 25.99% EBITDA. Randolph: $1.4… 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
Marigold Academy franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a Marigold Academy franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $956,900–$1,095,100, including a $50,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do Marigold Academy franchise owners make?
- Two company-owned outlets reported. Bloomfield: $2.6M sales, 25.99% EBITDA. Randolph: $1.4M sales, 21.56% EBITDA. Data adjusted for franchisee fees not incurred by company outlets. We grade this disclosure C for honesty.
- What are the Marigold Academy franchise fees?
- Marigold Academy's FDD discloses a $50,000 initial franchise fee, a 7% royalty on gross sales, a 1% advertising-fund contribution, for roughly 8% of gross sales in recurring fees before rent, labor, or debt service. Royalty 7% (4% first 6 months); Brand Development 1%; Local marketing 1% or $1,500/month; Technology $750/month.
- What is the Marigold Academy franchise profit margin?
- Marigold Academy does not publish a franchisee net-profit margin — almost no franchisor does. What Item 19 actually shows: Two company-owned outlets reported. Bloomfield: $2.6M sales, 25.99% EBITDA. Randolph: $1.4M sales, 21.56% EBITDA. Data adjusted for franchisee fees not incurred by company outlets. Recurring fees alone take about 8% of gross sales, before rent, labor, food or debt service. Margin has to be reconstructed from the disclosure, not read off it.
- What is the Marigold Academy franchise failure rate?
- No franchises operating; only 2 company-owned outlets. Early-stage system.
- How many Marigold Academy locations are there?
- Marigold Academy's FDD reports 2 total outlets, with 0 that ceased operations in the most recent reporting year and 0 transferred to new owners. Item 20 is where system health shows up before the marketing does.
- Does Marigold Academy have complaints or lawsuits?
- Marigold Academy discloses no material litigation in Item 3 of the filing we reviewed. That's a positive signal, though it covers only what the franchisor is required to report.
- Is a Marigold Academy franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. Marigold Academy scores C on disclosure honesty, carries about 8% of sales in ongoing fees. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Compare Marigold Academy to similar franchises
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Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with Marigold Academy or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.