Made in the Shade Blinds and More

Made In The Shade Blinds And More is a home based, mobile franchise selling custom window treatments, with an estimated investment of $78,000 to $107,700. The company was founded in January 2004 by Cathy Morse, who has more than 25 years of home interiors experience. She first expanded her own successful home based business before turning it into a franchise system. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, the brand began franchising in 2013. Its 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document reports 117 franchised units across the United States and Canada, with every location owned by a franchisee and no company owned units. Cathy Morse's son Josh Morse is now CEO. Before taking that role, he owned and operated a Made In The Shade franchise in San Antonio with his wife Jessica. The company serves the $12 billion U.S. window coverings industry through a shop at home, consultant led model. Franchisees bring samples and professional guidance to residential customers, offering a customized experience that large home improvement chains cannot structurally duplicate. Entrepreneur Magazine named the brand to its Top 150 Strongest Growing Franchises list in 2020. Made In The Shade also appeared on Entrepreneur's Top 500 Franchises list each year from 2020 through 2025. These factors make the concept relevant to buyers considering home services, mobile businesses with limited overhead, or window treatment franchises.

The window coverings market is supported by smart home adoption, residential renovation demand, and the continuing shift toward remote and hybrid work. U.S. industry sales currently total $12 billion, and projections call for $17 billion by 2030, representing roughly 42% growth over the decade. Grand View Research valued the global blinds and shades market at approximately $14.82 billion in 2024 and projects it will reach $24.63 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 9.1% from 2025 through 2030. North America held 39.25% of global revenue in 2024. The U.S. market is projected to reach $2.73 billion by 2026 and grow at a CAGR of 8.2% from 2025 to 2030. Motorized and smart treatments are the fastest growing part of the category. Automatic blinds and shades are forecast to grow at a CAGR of 10.5% from 2025 through 2030, while smart units represented more than 18% of global installations in 2023. Made In The Shade offers motorized treatments, giving franchisees access to this segment without a separate capital investment or a change in the business format. Demand is also supported by interest in energy efficient treatments, materials such as bamboo, recycled polyester, and biodegradable plastics, and customized home interiors. Residential customers account for more than 55% of the market. Blinds held a 67.91% share of the broader window coverings category as of 2026. Local custom treatment services remain fragmented despite large retailers, leaving room for a consultative in home model.

The franchise has a lower overhead structure than many brick and mortar retail concepts. According to the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the initial franchise fee ranges from $67,500 to $77,500. The fee reflects an exclusive protected territory along with the training and support provided at launch. Total estimated initial investment ranges from $78,000 to $107,700. Cost variables include a vehicle and vehicle wrap at $1,500 to $2,500, computer hardware and software at $100 to $2,000, initial marketing at $3,000 to $6,000, professional fees at $2,000 to $3,000, insurance at $1,000 to $4,000, initial training at $500 to $1,000, licenses and permits at $300 to $500, office supplies at $100 to $200, and furniture, fixtures, and equipment up to $1,000. Three months of additional working capital is estimated at $2,000 to $5,000. A home office, no vehicle wrap expense, and limited permitting needs can support the lower end of the investment range. A more formal operating presence can push the cost toward the upper end. The company states that it does not charge an ongoing royalty based on a percentage of revenue. Competing home services franchises commonly charge royalty rates of 5% to 8%. The advertising fund contribution is $100 per month plus 3% of gross sales. Reported minimum liquid capital is $50,000, and the net worth requirement is $75,000. The PeerSense Loan Activity Score is 64, classified as Moderate, reflecting a growing mid scale franchise in a stable and expanding category.

The operating model centers on consultative sales conducted in customers' homes. The franchisee or a trained team member brings product samples to residential appointments, measures windows, makes design recommendations, and closes the sale before arranging professional installation. The mobile format avoids retail lease obligations and much of the capital and overhead associated with a storefront. The product catalog includes blinds, shades, shutters, draperies, and motorized window treatment systems. Early staffing is generally lean, with the owner acting as the primary consultant and salesperson. Employees or subcontractors can be added as revenue increases. The Operating Principal and one additional trainee must complete the initial management training program. That program covers product knowledge, sales methods, and operating procedures. More than two initial trainees cost $750 for each additional attendee. Support continues for the life of the franchise relationship and includes online forums, discussion groups, annual conferences that franchisees consistently rate highly, continuing education, and a dedicated web marketing team that provides online marketing tools and digital campaign management. Each franchisee receives an exclusive protected territory under a formal protected territory agreement. Other Made In The Shade franchisees cannot operate within the defined boundaries. This protection is not offered universally in franchising and is frequently cited by franchisees as a key distinction. The model suits an owner who wants direct involvement in sales and customer relationships, while the staffing structure can support a semi absentee transition after a team is established.

Third party sources based on that FDD provide different revenue benchmarks that prospective buyers should examine closely. The platform says that figure is more than 15% above the window coverings subsector average. The absence of a traditional percentage royalty also affects cash flow. Unit results will vary according to owner commitment, local market density, the initial marketing investment, and personal sales ability. The company states that earnings potential is limitless but depends on individual drive and business capability. The difference between Franzy's $855,525 average and Vetted Biz's $439,036 figure makes it especially important to understand how each source collected and calculated its data.

Made In The Shade has grown since it began franchising in 2013. The 2017 FDD documented 64 franchised locations across 30 U.S. states, compared with 117 total units in the 2025 FDD. That represents approximately 53 additional units over eight years, or roughly 6 to 7 net new units per year. The South was the largest regional concentration in 2017, with 31 of the 64 locations. That record suggests an established home market and room to expand in less represented Northern and Western U.S. territories. Lori Tobia joined the company in 2024 as Vice President of Franchise Development. She brings more than 20 years of experience specifically in the window fashions industry. Noah serves as Director of Digital Marketing and focuses on campaigns intended to increase franchisee lead generation and online visibility. This role supports a category in which smart treatment buyers increasingly research products and begin purchase decisions online before meeting an in home consultant. The brand's competitive position rests on exclusive protected territories, premium products from top manufacturers, the absence of percentage royalties, and a shop at home model aligned with a global market projected to reach $24.63 billion by 2030. Near term plans call for greater coverage throughout the United States and Canada. The company is actively recruiting entrepreneurs across North America, indicating that many markets still have territory availability relative to the growth goal set by the corporate team.

The intended candidate is a motivated entrepreneur with interpersonal and consultative sales ability, comfort with a mobile service business, and the discipline to develop customers through local marketing and referrals within an exclusive territory. Experience in home interiors, design, construction, or window treatments can help, but it is not required. Initial training provides product knowledge and sales methods from the beginning. The concept can fit people seeking schedule flexibility along with income growth. Franchisee testimonials consistently mention setting their own schedules and building a business around family commitments while producing consistent year over year sales growth. The financial entry requirements are $50,000 in liquid capital and a $75,000 net worth. Those thresholds reach a broader group of buyers than concepts requiring $150,000 or more in liquid assets. Opportunities extend across North America, with particular room in regions outside the South where current unit counts are lower. Prospective franchisees are encouraged to identify and secure a territory early because exclusive territories are assigned on a first come basis. The franchise agreement provides full operating rights within the exclusive protected territory. Multi unit and absentee paths are available for franchisees who build the team infrastructure needed to grow beyond an owner operated business.

For a buyer studying window treatments, Made In The Shade combines an estimated investment of $78,000 to $107,700 with a global market projected to reach $24.63 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 9.1%. Entrepreneur recognized the brand on its Top 500 Franchises list from 2020 through 2025. In 2024, the company added leadership experience tied directly to the window fashions industry. Its operating model is connected to demand for smart and motorized treatments, energy efficient products, and shop at home service. The PeerSense Loan Activity Score of 64, classified as Moderate, reflects documented unit growth and accessible entry economics, balanced against the risks associated with a mid scale franchise that is expanding its network. PeerSense provides independent franchise research that includes SBA lending history, Loan Activity Score scoring, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and comparison tools for evaluating Made In The Shade against window treatment and home services concepts. Buyers should use the available information alongside the current FDD and conversations with franchisees when assessing the opportunity.