Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranked

San Antonio, TX Made in the Shade Blinds & More recently ranked in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500®, the world’s first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. Placement in the Franchise 500® is a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry making it one of the company’s most competitive rankings ever. Recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees, the Franchise 500® ranks Made in the Shade Blinds & More as #229 for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power.

“The 500 companies on this list all have something in common: They understand what consumers want now,” says Entrepreneur editor in chief Jason Feifer. “They may be an upstart in a brand-new category, or they may be a brand like Dunkin’ that’s ranked highly on our list for decades. But either way, making our list means they’re forward-thinking, nimble, and closely in touch with their customers’ needs—because in an ever-changing business environment, that’s what a franchise must do to thrive.”

The key factors that go into the evaluation include costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500^® in ranking order.

Moving Forward into 2020…

Over its 41 years in existence, the Franchise 500® has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisers and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. Made in the Shade Blinds & More’s position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity.

To view Made in the Shade Blinds & More in the full ranking, visit www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500. Results can also be seen in the January/February 2020 issue of Entrepreneur, available on newsstands January 14th.

The post SEE HOW MADE IN THE SHADE REACHED ENTREPRENEUR’S TOP RANKED 500 IN 2020 appeared first on Made in the Shade.

Display what you love. Use color freely, and don’t be afraid to break the rules. More important than creating that magazine perfect room is making certain your home is a reflection of you.

Tell A Story

Display the story of you and where you have been. What items do you treasure? What do you collect? Find a spot where you can display your collections with pride. What and who is important to you? Show us.

Break the Rules

Interior Decorating has a lot of rules about how to create a home that’s pleasing to the eye. These rules are to guide you but don’t take them too seriously by going for the perfect. Add personality and break some rules.

Make Your Home Unique

There should always be items in your home that are unique or one of a kind. What makes you different or sets you apart?

Color, color, color!!!

Probably the most feared element in decorating. Let me make it easy for you. “All colors go together.” You can decorate with almost any colors and make them look good together. Play with colors to find combinations pleasing to the eye but use color freely. We spend too much time worrying about what goes with what. Patterns, colors, textures. Mix them up. I’d rather see variety and interest than boring.  Get some ideas from our inspiration page.

Be Confident

Be confident in your style and taste. We tend to go “safe” which can be boring. Don’t try to copy someone else. Decorate with things you love and you will be amazed how a room can pull itself together.

Be Passionate About What You Love And Your Home Will Be A Beautiful Reflection Of You!

-Kerri Keufler | Made in the Shade Blinds of South Central Alberta

The post Love Your Home appeared first on Made in the Shade.

As window coverings professionals across the U.S. and Canada, our Made in the Shade franchisees offer complimentary shop-at-home design consultations for our valued clients. This means that in addition to precise laser measuring and free estimates, we spend quality time with our clients to educate them on the features and benefits of our name brand products. This helps us to determine not only what our clients like, but also what they need.

Sometimes, our clients know exactly what they want because they have seen a certain type of window covering elsewhere, or even had them installed in a previous home. Other times, they haven’t a clue what they want, and that’s where our expertise rises to the occasion! Whether you are considering shutters, draperies or soft treatments, Romans shades, cellular shades, pleated shades, roller shades, solar shades or any one of our extensive blind collections, the best choice depends on several factors:

• Your decorating style: Is it formal or casual, modern or chic? Do you like bold colors for a more dramatic look, or subtle hues for a more neutral, earthy look?
• Light and privacy: How much light do you need? Do you want a bright and airy room? Is your goal to block out light for snug sleep in the bedroom or room darkening in a media room? These factors will influence the style and fabrics you choose.
• Function: We just addressed light control and privacy, but how important is energy efficiency, view, protection from glare and heat, protection from cold air entering the room, or loss of heat? We have the perfect solutions for each scenario!
• Your budget: Are you showcasing one window or covering all the windows in your house? You may consider spending more on certain key windows and scaling back on others. Keep in mind that the size of your windows, certain fabric selections, specialty shapes (like arches) and added upgrades may also contribute to the final cost.
• Child/Pet Safety: Do you have small children or pets where cordless or motorized blinds and shades are a must?

In terms of the relative costs of window coverings, we can categorize the different types of window treatments to give our clients an idea of price points. Some of our higher end window coverings would include Shutters, Custom Drapes, Soft Sheer Shades and Roman Shades. Our medium priced window coverings may include Honeycomb or Cellular Shades, Wood Blinds, Natural Shades, Roller Shades and Pleated Shades. Our lower cost window treatments include Aluminum Blinds, Faux Wood Blinds, and Vinyl blinds. ALL of our premium products are backed with our manufacturers’ limited lifetime warranties, to ensure your peace of mind and enjoyment for many years.

Regardless of what look and function you would like to achieve, there is a window covering for every décor preference and purpose. Let us help you find the perfect solutions for your home or business.

Contact your nearest Made in the Shade dealer to schedule your FREE in-home design consultation. We specialize in the product expertise and excellent customer service you deserve!

The post The Best Window Coverings For Your Home appeared first on Made in the Shade.

Our horizontal faux wood blind collections give you the best of both worlds! They have the look of luxurious real wood blinds at a price of about 15 to 25% less. Because faux wood blinds are made from a synthetic material (usually PVC or a polymer), they also offer easy maintenance and care.

You won’t have to worry about warping, cracking, or splitting in environments of high moisture or high humidity, making this an ideal product for bathrooms, kitchens, garages, kid’s play areas, etc. Available in solid vinyl, or in a composition of vinyl and wood for added strength, faux wood blinds provide superior insulation.

Wood blinds, on the other hand, offer a warm and inviting look to any decor. Wood has long been associated with strength and aesthetic beauty. Richly stained or painted wood blinds offer a wider selection of colors than faux wood, as well as other upgraded options and features.

We often recommend real wood blinds when our clients need to match a particular wood stain or a custom paint trim color.  Keep in mind that there is no comparison between faux stains and the rich beauty of a true wood stain, but we do carry wood grain-like options in our faux collections as well.

Wood blinds are also an ideal choice for wider windows. Because of the lighter weight of real wood blinds, we can generally accommodate a wider window opening with a single blind. This is always a preferred choice over two blinds in one window opening!

You can order your wood blinds with the popular no-holes option to stop light from leaking into your rooms, or opt for decorative fabric tapes. Some of our wood blind collections are available with a motorized or cordless option, for ease of operation and child safety.

Both faux wood and real wood blinds come with a decorative valance at the top as a standard feature.  Both are aesthetically pleasing choices to dress up your windows!  It really comes down to personal preference and/or budget.  With either selection, you can’t go wrong.  After all, 2″ horizontal blinds continue to be the #1 choice in window coverings across North America for more than a decade.

Call one of our window covering professionals today for your FREE in-home consultation! Find a dealer near you by using our convenient dealer locator. We look forward to being of service to you!

The post Faux Wood vs Real Wood Blinds appeared first on Made in the Shade.

No worries! We have the perfect solution: Solar Shades. Solar screen shades provide an environmentally friendly window treatment that protects the inside of a home or business, while still allowing light to filter in.

Best of all worlds!

Solar shades are designed to be the best of all worlds. These solar mesh fabrics reduce glare and solar heat gain, while providing daytime privacy, as well as maintaining a nice view of the outdoors.

Energy Savings and Environmentally Friendly

Solar shades reflect the sun’s rays and absorb heat so you don’t have to spend extra money cooling your home or office. Less use of air conditioning means less harmful emissions polluting the air. Solar shades are made out of recyclable, biodegradable materials that won’t cause excessive harm to the environment.

Why spend your summer days sitting in a darkened room just to keep the heat out? Solar shades to the rescue! They protect you from the heat while still allowing natural light to diffuse into the room. They block the direct glare of the sun and reflect heat, so you don’t have to hide from the sun.

Besides keeping the temperature even indoors, solar shades provide you with daytime privacy. No more nosy neighbors peeking in! Solar shades obscure their view while still allowing you to enjoy your outside view.

Functional and Long-Lasting Fabrics

Solar shade fabrics are widely used in both commercial and home use for solar protection, energy savings, pleasing visual aesthetics and acoustical comfort. These virtually indestructible fabrics can be cleaned if required, and also prevent fading of furniture and upholstery by blocking out ultraviolet rays.

Ready for Solar Shades – Call Your Made in the Shade Expert today!

You’ve got so many options when choosing solar shades for your home or business. Do you have tall or hard to reach windows? Choose our innovative motorized options for your solar shades. Worried about cords around pets or small children? We’ve got you covered with our cordless option. We are confident that you’ll be able to find the solar shade that suits your specific needs.

Call one of our trusted window fashions experts and let us help you find the perfect window treatments for your home or business!

The post How Solar Shades Can Save You Money! appeared first on Made in the Shade.

Did you know that shutters are the ONLY window covering that can actually add resale value to your home?  Well, it’s a proven real estate fact!  Whatever you spend on your shutters, you can add back to the selling price of your home.  This makes your shutter purchase more of an investment than just an aesthetic addition.  Shutters are like premium furniture for your windows.  In addition, they offer superior insulation, reducing heat/cold transfer from your windows to your room. They are also great for sound absorption, reducing noise pollution.

Our shutters are available in fine quality wood, vinyl or composite (a blend of the two).  We offer custom paint finishes, specialty shapes (such as custom arched panels, angled windows, and odd shapes), different size louvers (2 1/2″, 3 1/2″ and 4 1/2″) and even hidden tilt bars for a clean, contemporary look.

Some people ask us what the difference is between plain shutters and plantation shutters.  They are actually the same product reference!  “Plantation shutters” refer to a generic description of the style, rather than the brand.  The name was derived from the old mansions on the cotton or sugar plantations in the South, where these were commonly found.  The term plantation shutter has endured throughout the decades and many companies still use this description for this timeless classic.

Wood blinds also add market value to your home with their own aesthetic signature!  They are priced significantly less than their shutter rival, so if your budget stands in the way, these offer a pleasing alternative.  We even carry “shutter blinds” that have the look and size of a shutter louver for less!

Most of our clients who recognize the added value of shutters are willing to splurge a little on luxury!  Shutters never go out of style, add traditional elegance and classic beauty to your home, and provide impressive curb appeal.

By the way, there are 3 upgrades that add that all-important RESALE value to your home…Do you know what they are?  If not, here are the answers!

• SHUTTERS!
• Hardwood floors
• Granite counter tops

Go ahead…treat yourself and put your windows on the BEST DRESSED list!!  Your home (and your neighbors) will thank you!

Set up your complimentary, shop-at-home appointment today with one of our window covering experts nearest you, and we’ll show you the best quality products at the most competitive prices in the industry!

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