Franchise Deep Dive: Marigold Academy’s Franchise Cost, Fees, Profit and Data

Marigold Academy founders Jay and Kruti Shah turned to franchising as a means to expand their business and offer accessible childhood education programs to as many communities as possible.

By Jeff DwyerStaff Writer

11:11AM • 02/28/24

LAST UPDATED: January 2024
FRANCHISE WEBSITE: https://marigoldacademy.com/franchising/
NUMBER OF LOCATIONS: 2+
REPORTED COST TO GET IN: $605,700 to $819,900
REPORTED ROI (Item 19): N/A

Marigold Academy is an early childhood education franchise for children aged from infant to 13 years old. Marigold offers age-specific educational programs that balance academics with social-emotional learning in a high-quality, safe, healthy, nurturing and fun learning environment.

Marigold Academy was initially established as Education Station Day Care Center in Bloomfield, New Jersey, in 1989. However, in 2019, the company was acquired by Kruti and Jay Shah, who just four years later would rebrand to Marigold Academy.

The Shah duo created Marigold as a result of their own love and passion for childcare and early education, and aim to instill confidence and prepare children for a lifetime of achievement. Through their mission to make an impact on as many children as possible, the pair also began franchising Marigold in 2023.

How Many Marigold Academy Locations Are There?

As of December 2023, there are two corporate-owned Marigold Academy locations in New Jersey. The brand also recently signed with its first multi-unit owners, who are planning to open new centers across Princeton, West Windsor and Hamilton, New Jersey.

What Is Marigold Academy’s Business Model?

Marigold Academy’s business model puts children’s health, enrichment and kindergarten readiness first. As noted on its website, Marigold’s turnkey operational systems empower entrepreneurs to deliver five-star early education programs that set the younger generation up for “big futures.”

The brand began offering franchise opportunities in 2023 as a way to allow new owners and operators to build personal legacies making positive impacts within their communities. Despite being relatively new to franchising, Marigold has already signed with multi-unit operators to open three new locations in New Jersey. Marigold believes this success can be attributed to its “balanced curriculum, safe facilities, use of technology, and positive school culture.”

The brand’s approach to education balances purposeful play with teacher-facilitated lessons in everything from literacy, STEM, arts and social-emotional learning. Marigold also has low student-teacher ratios that enable individualized attention for each student.

“Our programs prepare children with the critical social-emotional, cognitive and academic skills that set them up for lifelong achievement,” said Co-Founder and President Kruti Shah.

The ideal Marigold Academy franchisee should have the following qualities:

Self-motivated and driven for excellence and success
Dedicated to early childcare education
Have strong business acumen and can follow and work within the proven system
Adaptable, coachable and have a passion for learning
Have the financial resources to support the operation of a Marigold Academy center

For new owners, Marigold offers a wide range of support services, including site selection and analysis, design and construction support, targeted marketing strategies, extensive hiring and operations training and ongoing mentoring.

How Much Can Marigold Academy Franchise Owners Make?

Marigold Academy does not have a publicly available Item 19. To learn more, contact the team about reading the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), which will state the total earnings of any company or franchise-owned unit as a reference.

How Much Does It Cost To Open a Marigold Academy Franchise?

As of the publishing of this story, the initial investment required to open a Marigold Academy franchise ranges from $605,700 to $819,900. Interested candidates must also have a minimum net worth of at least $1,000,000 and no less than $250,000 in liquid assets.

What Is the Franchise Fee for Marigold Academy?

The franchise fee required to open a Marigold Academy franchise is $50,000. Franchise owners are also required to pay an ongoing royalty fee of 7% of gross revenue and a brand ad fund of 1%.

Who’s On Marigold Academy’s Leadership Team?

Jay Shah – Co-Founder and CEO
Kruti Shah – Co-Founder and President

What Helpful Articles Can I Read to Learn More About Marigold Academy?

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