Sign Gypsies Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $4K – $10K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Under 10 loans (2)
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Sign Gypsies is a yard-greeting franchise that rents and installs personalized lawn-sign displays, big letters, numbers, and themed decor, for birthdays, graduations, and celebrations. Franchisees run a home-based operation setting up and removing booked displays within a local territory.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A SIGN GYPSIES franchise requires a total initial investment of $4K – $10K, including a $1K franchise fee. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: medium - issued 12 to 24 months ago; a newer filing is likely on file
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored3 of 3 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $4K – $10K
- 1st pct Business Serv…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- Not extracted
- Units
- 588
- 62nd pct Business Serv…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Business Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Business Services median · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $4K – $10K including a $1K franchise fee.
- RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 50/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHNegative: net -78 franchised outlets in the latest year (31 opened, 7 closed) (Item 20).
- FLAG35 units terminated last reporting year (6.0% of the system). Ask existing franchisees why.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Sign Gypsies Franchising, LLC
- Predecessor
- Sign Gypsies, LLC
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- President
- Stacey Hess
- CEO experience
- 10 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- Texas
- HQ
- 601 S. Ohio Drive, Celina, Texas 75009
- Auditor
- Desroches Partners
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $538K
- vs $572K prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Stacey Hess
- Headquarters
- TX
- Founded
- 2019
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 45
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 95% below the typical business services franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown11 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franchise feenot refundable | $1K | $1K | |
| Initial Inventory of Sign Piecesnot refundable | $3K | $3K | |
| Site leasenot refundable | $0 | $1K | |
| Marketingnot refundable | $0 | $350 | |
| Hand toolsnot refundable | $0 | $250 | |
| Telephone/cell phonenot refundable | $0 | $750 | |
| Insurancenot refundable | $50 | $750 | |
| Licensing and permitsnot refundable | $0 | $1K | |
| Uniformsnot refundable | $0 | $200 | |
| Legal/Accountingnot refundable | $0 | $2K | |
| Additional funds (3 months)not refundable | — | — | |
| Total initial investment | $4K | $10K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $4K – $10K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $0 – $0
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $1K – $1K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- $1,000 per year minimum purchase of Sign Pieces
- Ad fund
- No advertising fund or cooperative; franchisor has no con…
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty (flat) | Minimum required annual purchase of Sign Pieces: $1,000/year (exclusive of discounts and shipping) |
| Transfer fee | $1K |
| Renewal fee | $1K |
| Inventory (initial) | $3K – $3K |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
SIGN GYPSIES makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one SIGN GYPSIES unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, royalty rate, ad fund rate, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Disclosure
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator retention
System contracting at -22.1% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven consolidation or franchisee exits.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Business Services medians
How Sign Gypsies Compares
Category median of published Business Services brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 588
- Opened
- 31
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 7
- Terminated
- 35
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 32
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 12.6%
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -22.1%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -22.1%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 35
- Not renewed
- 32
- Transferred
- 49
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 0
- 0.00 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 53
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Transfer rate
- 8.3%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
- Continuity rate
- 84.3%
- Units that stayed open
- Termination rate
- 11.4%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
- Ceased ops
- 1.2%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 45 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
45
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
A system losing more than 10% of its units year-over-year is a red flag. Check whether closures are concentrated in specific regions.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 2 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 2
- Loan volume
- $36K
- Median loan
- $18K
- average
- Charge-off rate
- Under 10 loans (2)
- Insufficient SBA coverage: 2 loans, rate hidden below 10
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- Under 10 loans (2)
- 5-yr charge-off
- Under 10 loans (2)
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 1
- Defaults
- N/A
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Six state regulatory actions (2019-2023) for selling unregistered franchises across CA, WA, VA, IL, MN, MD, resolved via consent orders with penalties and rescission offers. No Item 19 disclosure and unit contraction (-22.1%, 588 units) add concern despite positive net income ($21,183).
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (defendant).
Six administrative proceedings by state regulators alleging violations of franchise disclosure and registration laws. All settled via consent orders or assurance of voluntary compliance between 2019-2021. No admission of liability in any case. Penalties and investigative costs totaling approximately $33,250 plus refund/rescission obligations.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Desroches Partners
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
FY2024 total revenues $538,456 (franchise fee revenue $469,876, transfer fees $50,000, territory change fees $4,200, non-compliance fees $8,900, late fees $5,480); FY2023 $571,911; FY2022 $555,506
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 50 / 100 verdict
- 01MINOR6 regulatory consent orders for unregistered franchise sales
- 02MINORNo Item 19 disclosure
- 03MINORNet unit growth -22.1%
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 1 year |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 1 year |
| Territory type | Exclusive territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory sizeℹ | Zip codes, physical boundaries, travel time and distance, and map |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 20 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | AAA offices in city where franchisor's principal business office is located (currently Celina, Texas) |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Texas |
| Litigation count | 6 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Six administrative proceedings by state regulators alleging violations of franchise disclosure and registration laws. All settled via consent orders or assurance of voluntary compliance between 2019-2021. No admission of liability in any case. Penalties and investigative costs totaling approximately $33,250 plus refund/rescission obligations.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 7 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- Training location
- Virtual Classroom Training
- Ongoing training
- Optional
- Field support
- 0 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- Time to open
- 1 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee (no franchisor site selection assistance; home office permitted if allowed by jurisdiction)
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
1 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a SIGN GYPSIES franchise?
The total investment to open a SIGN GYPSIES franchise ranges from $4K – $10K, with an initial franchise fee of $1K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do SIGN GYPSIES franchise owners earn?
SIGN GYPSIES makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns SIGN GYPSIES?
SIGN GYPSIES is franchised by Sign Gypsies Franchising, LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the SIGN GYPSIES FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the SIGN GYPSIES FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is SIGN GYPSIES's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for SIGN GYPSIES (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many SIGN GYPSIES franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, SIGN GYPSIES has 588 total units in the United States, including 587 franchised units and 1 company-owned units. 31 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is SIGN GYPSIES a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates SIGN GYPSIES as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 50 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. 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.
For franchisors
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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.