Wonderly LightsFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A WONDERLY LIGHTS franchise requires a total initial investment of $82K – $115K, including a $20K franchise fee and an ongoing 10.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2024 FDD, average unit revenue was $158K[2]. Verdict grade: A. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 21, 2026 · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $82K – $115K
- 22nd pct Home Services
- Avg gross sales
- $158K
- 3rd pct Home Services
- Royalty
- 10.0%
- 43rd pct Home Services
- Units
- 32
- 34th pct Home Services
- SBA default
- 0.0%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Home Services · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Home Services 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
The system grew 121% year-over-year. Fast growth means demand, but can strain support.
The franchisor's auditor raised doubt about continued operations. This is a serious risk signal.
130% cash-on-cash return (based on P&L Bottom Line). Above the 20% threshold most investors target.
Bottom line
- Total investment $82K – $115K including a $20K franchise fee, 10.0% ongoing royalty.
- Average unit revenue of $158K/year (median $119K), with an estimated 130% cash-on-cash return (based on P&L Bottom Line).
- Verdict A (Top Quintile) with a risk score of 46/100.
- Auditor disclosed a going-concern note, which flagged doubt about the franchisor's ability to continue operations. Verify against the latest FDD.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- BFB LIGHT FRANCHISING, LLC
- Parent company
- BFB Light Holdings, LLC
- Incorporated in
- DE
- HQ
- 2829 Guardian Lane, Suite 100, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
- Auditor
- Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $26K
- vs $187K prior year
- ⚠ Going-concern note
- Disclosed in FDD 2024
- Status as of 2024; may have been resolved in a later filing we don't yet have.
Overview
About
Wonderly Lights franchisees operate seasonal holiday lighting installation and design businesses, managing customer acquisition, site design consultations, installation crews, and year-round maintenance contracts. Day-to-day operations include scheduling installations, managing crews, client communication, and marketing services primarily during Q3-Q4 peak season with potential spring/fall upsells.
- CEO
- Kevin W. Wilson
- Headquarters
- VA
- Founded
- 2022
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 14
FDD Item 7 · 2024 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $20K | $20K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $6K | $15K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $56K | $80K |
| Total initial investment | $82K | $115K |
Source: WONDERLY LIGHTS 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
$11K
7.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
10%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
9.9 yrs
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $82K – $115K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $6K – $15K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $20K – $20K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 10.0%
- Gross Sales · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 12.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
- Payback period
- 0.8 yrs
- From FDD / Item 19
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 10.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $325 |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Total fee load | 12.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $158K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $119K
- Avg p&l bottom line
- $127K
- Reported as P&L Bottom Line in FDD Item 19
- Cash-on-cash
- 129.5%
- Based on P&L Bottom Line / investment midpoint
- Item 19 type
- Franchisee and Company performance
- Sample size
- 12 units
- vs category median 25 · small
- Range (low → high)
- $28K→$376K
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Transparency tier
- none
- Categorical assessment of disclosure depth
- Transparency
- 10 / 5
- vs category median 4 / 5 · above
Compared against 349 Home Services brands
vs Home Services averages
How Wonderly Lights Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 32
- Opened
- 17
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 97%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- +121.4%
- Net unit change last year
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 14 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.
14
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
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 loan disclosures. This brand has only 1 7(a) loan on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 1
- Loan volume
- $150K
- Median loan
- $150K
- 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)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 1
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Wonderly Lights's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 1 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 1 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 1-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Wonderly Lights presents a STRONG risk profile with solid unit economics, rapid growth, and no litigation, though the unusually high growth rate warrants validation of franchisee satisfaction and sustainability.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer⚠ Going-concern note flagged
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 46 / 100 rating
- 01MEDItem 19 financial data provided suggests strong unit-level economics, but reliance on disclosed averages without distribution/median data obscures potential outlier performance
- 02MINOR121.4% YoY unit growth is exceptional and may indicate aggressive recruitment outpacing organic sustainability
- 03MINOR10% royalty rate on gross revenue is relatively high and could compress margins during seasonal downturns typical in holiday lighting businesses
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 | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Households |
| 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 | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Virginia |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 30 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 24 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and off-site
- POS system
- Integrated Business Management System
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Integrated Business Management System
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
2 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
WONDERLY LIGHTS · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a WONDERLY LIGHTS franchise?
The total investment to open a WONDERLY LIGHTS franchise ranges from $82K – $115K, with an initial franchise fee of $20K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do WONDERLY LIGHTS franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the WONDERLY LIGHTS FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $158K. The median is $119K. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is WONDERLY LIGHTS's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for WONDERLY LIGHTS (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 WONDERLY LIGHTS franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, WONDERLY LIGHTS has 32 total units in the United States, including 14 franchised units and 1 company-owned units. 17 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is WONDERLY LIGHTS a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates WONDERLY LIGHTS as a A-grade franchise with a risk score of 46 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.