Starz Program Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $42K – $131K
- Disclosed sales
- partial, no system average
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Starz Program is a mobile children's franchise providing fitness and skills programs, including sports, dance, cheer, and yoga, delivered at preschools and schools. Franchisees run home-based operations, managing instructors and school partnerships.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Starz Program franchise requires a total initial investment of $42K – $131K, including a $39K franchise fee and an ongoing 8.0% royalty[2]. The 2026 FDD on file does not yield a unit-revenue figure we can publish. FranchiseVerdict grade: C (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: low - issued within the last 12 months
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 scored4 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing; the rest are marked “Not cited” beside the figure.
Overview
- Investment
- $42K – $131K
- 3rd pct Health & Fitn…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Partial period
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- 72nd pct Health & Fitn…
- Units
- 7
- 30th pct Health & Fitn…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Health & Fitness · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Health & Fitness 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 $42K – $131K including a $39K franchise fee, 8.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSItem 19 discloses MONTHLY figures only; no annual revenue is stated anywhere in the filing. FPR#2 covers the six franchisee outlets for FY2025 (year ended December 31, 2025) and reports average monthly gross sales $10,007 and median $11,123; average monthly expenses $3,241 and median $3,729; average monthly net profit $6,765 and median $5,234; highest monthly gross sales $31,025 and lowest $2,257; and 2 of 6 units (33 percent) attained or surpassed the average monthly gross sales. These cannot be annualized: only four of the six outlets operated a full calendar year - one ran 8 months and one ran 4 months - and the program is a seasonal, part-time school-based business in which a location may 'operate at only a few hours per week based on the school year in session and summer', with owners working 20 hours a week or less. The monthly net profit figure deducts school givebacks, royalties, staff wages and vendor costs but NOT owner compensation, rent, depreciation or taxes, so it is an owner-benefit measure, not net income. A separate FPR#1 covers the single company-owned outlet (monthly gross sales $16,263.24, monthly net profit $10,478.77, adjusted to $9,177.72 after imputing an 8 percent royalty); it is excluded here because the franchisor states its territory is twice the size of the territory now offered and it has operated since 2005.
- RISKVerdict C (Average), verdict score 44/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHPositive: net +2 franchised outlets in the latest year (2 opened, 0 closed) (Item 20).
- DATAItem 19 reports revenue for a partial period rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable. Ask franchisees directly for full unit-level revenue.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Starz Program Worldwide LLC
- Parent company
- The Starz Program, LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 10 of the 2026 FDD
- Predecessor
- Sophie's Choice Industries, LLC (renamed Sophies Choice, LLC, then The Starz Program, LLC)
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Managing Member
- Sophia Wastler
- Incorporated in
- VA
- HQ
- 10307 W. Broad St., #121, Richmond, VA 23060
- Auditor
- Metwally CPA PLLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $57K
- vs $56K prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Sophia Wastler
- Headquarters
- VA
- Founded
- 2004
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 3
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 78% below the typical health & fitness franchise.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2026 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $39K | $39K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $500 | $1K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $3K | $91K |
| Total initial investment | $42K | $131K |
Source: Starz Program 2026 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $42K – $131K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $500 – $1K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $39K – $39K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- Set by a formula · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 0.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 10.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 8.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 0.0% |
| Transfer fee | $4K |
| Renewal fee | $8K |
| Inventory (initial) | $300 – $4K |
| Total fee load | 10.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
No Item 19 revenue figure for Starz Program is on file. 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 Starz Program 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, 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: 2026 FDD
Financial Performance
Item 19 discloses MONTHLY figures only; no annual revenue is stated anywhere in the filing. FPR#2 covers the six franchisee outlets for FY2025 (year ended December 31, 2025) and reports average monthly gross sales $10,007 and median $11,123; average monthly expenses $3,241 and median $3,729; average monthly net profit $6,765 and median $5,234; highest monthly gross sales $31,025 and lowest $2,257; and 2 of 6 units (33 percent) attained or surpassed the average monthly gross sales. These cannot be annualized: only four of the six outlets operated a full calendar year - one ran 8 months and one ran 4 months - and the program is a seasonal, part-time school-based business in which a location may 'operate at only a few hours per week based on the school year in session and summer', with owners working 20 hours a week or less. The monthly net profit figure deducts school givebacks, royalties, staff wages and vendor costs but NOT owner compensation, rent, depreciation or taxes, so it is an owner-benefit measure, not net income. A separate FPR#1 covers the single company-owned outlet (monthly gross sales $16,263.24, monthly net profit $10,478.77, adjusted to $9,177.72 after imputing an 8 percent royalty); it is excluded here because the franchisor states its territory is twice the size of the territory now offered and it has operated since 2005.
Covers a partial period, not a full year
- Item 19 type
- partial-period revenue
- Sample size
- 6
- vs category median 11
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2026
- Disclosed in the 2026 filing, covering 2025
- Transparency
- 6 / 10
- vs category median 4 / 10 · above
Compared against 173 Health & Fitness brands
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 10.0% (near the Health & Fitness median).
Disclosure
Item 19 reports revenue for a partial period rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
Multi-unit rate
Only 1% of franchisees own multiple units. Could indicate challenging economics or a young system where operators haven't had time to expand.
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 Health & Fitness medians
How Starz Program Compares
Category median of published Health & Fitness 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 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 7
- Opened
- 2
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- N/A
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 86%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 1.0%
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 0
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 0
- 0.00 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 2
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 3 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.
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
5 current owners across 3 states.
- FL 2
- VA 2
- NC 1
Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20; 2 entries carry no state. Names and phone numbers are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
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
Financial distress flagged with negative net worth of -$96,087 and a net loss of -$43,539. No litigation or bankruptcy; audited with Item 19. Small 7-unit system with low avg gross sales of $120,084 and zero turnover.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
No litigation disclosed in Item 3
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Metwally CPA PLLC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
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 44 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORNegative net worth -$96,087, net loss -$43,539
- 02MINORSmall 7-unit system, low AUV $120,084
- 03MINORNo litigation/bankruptcy
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 10.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Protected territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory population | 150,000 |
| Online sales rights | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 5 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 15 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Richmond, Virginia |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | VA |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation disclosed in Item 3
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 4 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 4 hrs
- Training location
- Richmond, Virginia (or another location designated by franchisor); may be offered online/virtually
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Site selection
- Franchisee operates from home office; no required site selection process
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- QuickBooks Online and Enrollsy (classroom management/billing)
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: QuickBooks Online and Enrollsy (classroom management/billing)
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
7 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 Starz Program franchise?
The total investment to open a Starz Program franchise ranges from $42K – $131K, with an initial franchise fee of $39K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Starz Program franchise owners earn?
Item 19 of the Starz Program FDD discloses figures for part of the system but no single average across all outlets. These are gross sales figures, not profit; the Revenue section shows what the filing reports and on what basis. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Starz Program?
Starz Program is franchised by Starz Program Worldwide LLC. Its parent company is The Starz Program, LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2026 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Starz Program 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 Starz Program FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Starz Program's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Starz Program (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 Starz Program franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Starz Program has 7 total units in the United States, including 6 franchised units and 1 company-owned units. 2 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Starz Program a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Starz Program as a C-grade franchise with a verdict score of 44 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.