Ivybrook AcademyFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Ivybrook Academy franchise requires a total initial investment of $461K – $798K, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2024 FDD, average unit revenue was $927K[2]. SBA 7(a) loans show a 0.0% charge-off rate across 43 loans[1]. Verdict grade: A. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $461K – $798K
- 54th pct Education
- Avg gross sales
- $927K
- 33rd pct Education
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 6th pct Education
- Units
- 34
- 43rd pct Education
- SBA default
- 0.0%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Education · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Education avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Only 0.0% of 43 SBA loans charged off, well below the 16% franchise average.
The system grew 27% year-over-year. Fast growth means demand, but can strain support.
34% cash-on-cash return (based on EBITDA). Above the 20% threshold most investors target.
Bottom line
- Total investment $461K – $798K including a $50K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- Average unit revenue of $927K/year (median $838K), with an estimated 34% cash-on-cash return (based on EBITDA).
- Verdict A (Top Quintile) with a risk score of 12/100. SBA loan charge-off rate of 0.0% across 43 loans (well below the franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2024).
- System growing at 94.1% CAGR over 3 years with 34 total units. Strong expansion trajectory.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- IVYBROOK FRANCHISING, LLC
- Incorporated in
- NC
- HQ
- 9801 Suzanne Court, Weddington, NC 28173
- Auditor
- REESE CPA LLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $1.4M
- vs $1.8M prior year
Overview
About
Ivybrook Academy franchisees operate private educational institutions (likely early childhood/preschool through elementary based on brand positioning). Day-to-day responsibilities include curriculum management, hiring and supervising teachers/staff, student enrollment and parent relations, facilities maintenance, compliance with educational standards, and managing tuition-based revenue operations.
- CEO
- Drew McWilliams
- Headquarters
- NC
- Founded
- 2015
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 10
FDD Item 7 · 2024 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50K | $50K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $20K | $30K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $391K | $718K |
| Total initial investment | $461K | $798K |
Source: Ivybrook Academy 2024 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Single-unit · estimated
Returns at a glance
Indicative numbers using FDD Item 7 / Item 19 inputs and category-benchmarked cost ratios. Full single-unit, 25-unit portfolio, and LBO models (with every input editable to stress-test your own scenario) live on the financials page.
Store EBITDA · annual
$148K
16.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
23%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
4.4 yrs
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $461K – $798K
- Near category avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $20K – $30K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $50K
- Near category avg vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- Gross Revenue · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 7.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
- Payback period
- 2.9 yrs
- From FDD / Item 19
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $250 |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Total fee load | 7.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $927K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $838K
- Avg ebitda
- $216K
- Reported as EBITDA in FDD Item 19
- Cash-on-cash
- 34.3%
- Based on EBITDA / investment midpoint
- Item 19 type
- gross_sales
- Sample size
- 16 units
- vs category median 14
- Range (low → high)
- $482K→$1.4M
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Transparency
- 10 / 5
- vs category median 4 / 5 · above
Compared against 237 Education brands
vs Education averages
How Ivybrook Academy Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 34
- Opened
- 8
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 1
- Turnover rate
- 2.9%
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 97%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- +26.9%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- +94.1%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 10 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
Fast growth in a small system. Newer franchisors expanding quickly may not yet have the support infrastructure of larger systems.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 43
- Loan volume
- $26.3M
- Median loan
- $611K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 100.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 0.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 18
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Ivybrook Academy's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 10 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 14 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 9-year lending trend
- SBA 504 real estate/equipment data
Instant access. No subscription.
With a 0.0% charge-off rate across 43 loans, banks have historically viewed this brand favorably for lending.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Ivybrook Academy presents moderate-to-elevated risk due to undisclosed financial performance data, going concern status, high capital requirements relative to profitability claims, and rapid expansion that may outpace operational support.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · REESE CPA LLC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 12 / 100 rating
- 01MEDNo Item 19 Financial Performance Representations disclosed — cannot independently verify claimed $926.7K average revenue or $216.3K net income figures
- 02HIGHGoing Concern status is False — suggests potential financial instability or undisclosed structural challenges with the franchisor
- 03MEDHigh initial investment ($461K-$798K) relative to disclosed net income ($216.3K) creates 2.1-3.7 year payback period with significant risk
- 04MINORRapid unit growth (26.9% YoY) may indicate aggressive recruitment masking underlying unit economics or franchisee satisfaction issues
- 05MED6% royalty on gross revenue provides limited margin for error given 23.3% net profit margin assumption and operating cost volatility
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 15 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Radius/Population |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | North Carolina |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 80 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- POS system
- The Student Hub
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: The Student Hub
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
33 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Ivybrook Academy · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Ivybrook Academy franchise?
The total investment to open a Ivybrook Academy franchise ranges from $461K – $798K, with an initial franchise fee of $50K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Ivybrook Academy franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Ivybrook Academy FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $927K. The median is $838K. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Ivybrook Academy's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Ivybrook Academy has a charge-off rate of 0.0% across 43 loans, meaning 0.0% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many Ivybrook Academy franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Ivybrook Academy has 34 total units in the United States, including 17 franchised units and 1 company-owned units. 8 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Ivybrook Academy a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Ivybrook Academy as a A-grade franchise with a risk score of 12 out of 100, based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.