Once Upon A Child vs Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids
Compare franchise fees, investment range, royalties, SBA lending performance, unit growth, and Item 19 transparency with a permanent shareable URL.
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Once Upon A Child
Child Services
Investment
$356K to $486K
Franchise fee
$25,000
Item 19 status
No Item 19
Units
10
Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids
Child Services
Investment
$197K to $336K
Franchise fee
$45,000
Item 19 status
No Item 19
Units
22
Lower entry cost
Leans right
Based on minimum initial investment.
Better disclosed economics
Even
Uses Item 19 availability and transparency status.
Lower SBA default risk
Leans left
Treat low-loan brands carefully, sample size matters.
| Metric | Once Upon A Child | Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids |
|---|---|---|
Franchise Fee | $25,000 | $45,000 |
Min Investment | $356K | $197K |
Max Investment | $486K | $336K |
Royalty Rate | 5.0% | N/A |
Ad Fund Rate | 3.0% | 0.0% |
Total Ongoing Burden Royalty plus ad fund when available. | 8.0% | N/A |
Median Revenue (Item 19) | $1.2M | $419K |
Cash-on-Cash Return Estimated when revenue and margin assumptions are available. | 61.6% | 47.1% |
Payback Period | 1.6 yrs | 2.1 yrs |
Revenue per Dollar Invested | 2.80x | 1.57x |
Franchised Units | 10 | 22 |
1-Year Net Unit Change | 4 | 7 |
Net Unit Growth Rate | 80.0% | 26.9% |
Net Closure Rate Net closure proxy based on disclosed unit change. | N/A | N/A |
SBA Default Rate | 2.6% | 4.5% |
SBA Loan Count Use this to judge whether SBA default data is statistically meaningful. | 177 | 72 |
Average SBA Loan Size | $252K | $174K |
Item 19 Status | No Item 19 | No Item 19 |
Has Item 19 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Quality Score | 100 | 85 |
What stands out
- • Once Upon A Child opens at $356K to $486K, while Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids ranges from $197K to $336K.
- • Once Upon A Child shows an Item 19 disclosure; Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids shows an Item 19 disclosure.
- • Once Upon A Child has 10 franchised units versus 22 for Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids.
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Last updated: April 2026