Own the only territory in a category of one.
A Dearly Departed franchise is a home services business with no national competitors. Under the ghost paint, it runs like pest control or HVAC: territory-based, van-and-crew, per-job revenue plus recurring maintenance contracts.
- Franchise fee
- About $50,000
- Royalty
- 6%
- Brand fund
- 2%
No real estate, no kitchen, no fit-out. A van, a kit, two weeks at the Academy, and the phone goes live.
Why own a Dearly Departed
Whitespace, which never happens.
Every franchise category an operator looks at is saturated. This one has zero national competitors. You aren't getting a slice of a market. You're getting the whole map of one.
Economics you already understand.
Territory-based service, a van-and-crew model, per-job revenue plus recurring contracts, a seasonal spike you staff for, and route density improving margins. A pest control or HVAC operator can evaluate it in ten minutes.
Marketing that markets itself.
Every case file is content, every local station wants the story, and every October brings free press. The owner in Leadville doesn't buy ads. He gets profiled.
Recurring revenue from day one.
Every resolved case converts to an annual maintenance contract, and commercial accounts renew on their own. Recurring revenue is what makes a service business sellable someday.
Being the interesting person in town.
Nobody at a barbecue asks the sandwich franchisee about his day. The Dearly Departed owner is the most interesting business owner in any room, forever.
Values that don't embarrass anybody.
This brand treats the dead with dignity, gives the town its history back, and tucks houses in. You can be proud of it at church, and it's funny.
Low buildout, fast start.
No real estate, no kitchen, no fit-out. A van, a kit, two weeks at the Academy, and the phone goes live at $140K to $175K all-in.
Operators, not enthusiasts.
You don't need to believe in ghosts. You need to believe in route density, recurring revenue, and treating people right. The ghosts will take care of themselves.
The ideal owner
Years in home services, field operations, or running someone else's P&L, and a want for a brand worth owning.
Who we say no to
The ghost-hunter hobbyist with a YouTube channel and no operating experience. Anyone who wants to commune more than invoice. Anyone who says "content opportunity" in the first meeting.
Coco handles the woo. Corporate handles the brand. Franchisees handle the trucks.
What you get
- Two-week certification at the Dearly Departed Academy
- The protocol manual, the van wrap, the uniform, and the kit
- The Specialist Network, vetted and insured in your territory
- National marketing, including the Case Files podcast, which feeds local calls
The path to ownership
Colorado mountain towns first, then historic towns beyond.
- LeadvilleSOLD
- [OPEN TERRITORY LIST OR TERRITORY-CHECK FORM]
Franchise questions
The franchise fee is about $50,000, with a total all-in investment of $140,000 to $175,000. Ongoing fees are a 6% royalty and a 2% brand fund contribution. See the FDD for full details.
No. We train every owner at the Academy. We look for home services and operations experience.
No. The business runs from a van, with no real estate or build-out.
Request received.
Next on the path: an intro call with our development team.
This information is not an offer to sell a franchise. An offer can only be made through a Franchise Disclosure Document. [State registration language per franchise counsel.]