From the filed FDD — automated extraction, check the source
2026 FDD
INSTANT IMPRINTS
Promotional products & custom apparel · parent company: not identified
Instant Imprints is a branding-services franchise producing custom t-shirts and apparel, signs, banners, embroidery, and promotional products. A franchisee operates a retail production center with printing and embroidery equipment, serving local businesses, teams, and organizations that need branded merchandise.
INSTANT IMPRINTS net unit count declined 14.8% over 2023–2025 per its FDD Item 20.
New to franchising? Start here
A franchise is a business where you (the franchisee) pay a company (the franchisor) for the right to open and run a location using their brand and system — think a local Anytime Fitness or Taco John's owned by a small-business owner, not the corporation.
Before you can buy in, U.S. law requires the franchisor to give you a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) — a long legal filing covering its fees, finances, and history. Most numbers on this page come from that document; others come from federal SBA loan records and labor and census data, each labelled with its source:
- Franchise fee — the one-time cost to buy in.
- Royalty — the ongoing cut of your sales you pay the franchisor.
- Item 20 — how many locations opened, transferred and left the system, the main basis for our verdict, which rates how strong the disclosed record is, or says when the system is too new, the filing too old, or the disclosure too thin to judge.
Our rating · opinion
Weaker disclosed record
As we extracted it, the audited financial statements in this brand's 2026 FDD include going-concern language — a statement of "substantial doubt" that the franchisor (or, in some filings, its parent) can continue operating for a year. Where it appears (the auditor's report, management's notes, or the state cover page) is shown in the franchisor-finances section below; confirm it in the FDD's financial-statement exhibit. We cap the rating whenever it appears.
Exit rate · fiscal 2025
9.5%
vs 6.0% median across 48 comparable systems (business services)
Cost to open
$78K–$365K
Item 7 total investment range
SBA loan losses · vs same-year loans
1.8×
22 of 45 charged off vs ~12 expected
Market density · Colorado
Typical density
9% denser than the national average
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Data as of 2026-10-29. Figures come from INSTANT IMPRINTS's public FDD filings (latest: MN 2026, extracted 2026-07-22) and SBA FOIA loan records (through FY2026), extracted by us and possibly containing errors. The rating is our opinion, not investment, legal, or tax advice. Franchisor or owner and see something wrong? Report a correction — we review every request.
What each source says
FDD record · SBA loans · model · auditor
The going-concern disclosure in Item 21 comes first: whatever the unit or loan record says, the filing itself raises doubt that the company selling the franchise, or the parent behind it, can keep operating.
FDD record · Item 20
Weaker operating record
Units fell 15% (2023–2025: 27 → 23); exit rate 9.5% (fiscal 2025) vs 6.0% median.
SBA loans · vs same-year loans
Far more defaults than expected (1.8×)
22 charge-offs among 45 resolved loans approved FY2004–2020; about 12 expected.
Modeled risk
Higher modeled risk
Riskier than 87% of scored systems.
Auditor opinion · Item 21
Going-concern doubt
In the auditor's report in the 2026 FDD.
Behind the verdict
the record, factor by factor · Item 20
latest consecutive years · Item 20 Table 1
terminations + ceased-ops vs. all exits · Table 3
transfers vs. base · Table 3
actual vs. projected openings · Table 5
Item 19 disclosure + completeness · shown, not counted in the verdict
Systemwide units
2023–2025
Survival record
FDD Item 20 · outlet status by year
In fiscal 2025, 2 of 21 franchised outlets left the system — an exit rate of 9.5% (fiscal 2025), vs a 6.0% median across 48 comparable systems (business services). An exit is not a failure: this counts terminations, non-renewals and "ceased — other reasons" as reported, and excludes transfers to new owners.
Show the outlet tables ↓Hide the evidence ↑
| Status (FTC) | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outlets at start | 26 | 27 | 25 |
| Opened | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Transfers | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Terminations | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Non-renewals | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Reacquired by franchisor | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ceased — other reasons | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Outlets at end | 27 | 25 | 23 |
| Net change | +1 | -2 | -2 |
The franchisor's own finances
FDD ITEM 21 · AUDITED STATEMENTS · 2026 FDD
Hinzman & Associates, Certified Public Accountants, A Professional Corporation's report in the 2026 FDD includes a going-concern paragraph: substantial doubt about the franchisor's ability to continue; revenue rose 3% from FY2023 to FY2025.
Hinzman & Associates' report dated April 15, 2026 on No Frill Franchising, Inc.'s FY2025/FY2024 statements carries a "Going Concern" paragraph (p. 170); its April 11, 2025 report on FY2024/FY2023 (p. 192) says the same factors "raise substantial doubt". Opinion not modified. The state cover page also lists it as a risk (p. 5).
Audit opinion
Going-concern paragraph in the auditor's report
Hinzman & Associates, Certified Public Accountants, A Professional Corporation · p. 170
Revenue · FY2025
$988K
extracted · not cross-checked
Net income · FY2025
$60K
p. 174 · matched to statement
Where FY2025 revenue came from
71% royalties
0% initial / development fees
Show the statement figures ↓Hide the evidence ↑
| Fiscal year | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue | $959Kextracted · not cross-checked | $1.1Mextracted · not cross-checked | $988Kextracted · not cross-checked |
| Royalty revenue | $777Kextracted · not cross-checked | $697Kextracted · not cross-checked | $701Kextracted · not cross-checked |
| Initial / development feesline: Franchise sales commissions; Regional franchise sales | not extracted | $33Kp. 174 | $0p. 174 |
| Net income (loss) | $100Kp. 196 · matched to statement | $115Kp. 174 · matched to statement | $60Kp. 174 · matched to statement |
| Equity (deficit) at year end | not extracted | $707Kp. 173 | $766Kp. 173 |
| Cash at year end | not extracted | $5,191p. 173 | $5,688p. 173 |
The lender's view
SBA 7(a)/504 loan outcomes · compared with franchise loans of the same years
Banks have made 54 SBA-backed loans to INSTANT IMPRINTS franchisees since 2004. Of the 45 approved FY2004–2020 that have resolved, 22 charged off — where about 12 would be expected for franchise loans made in the same years. That is 1.8× the expected rate: these loans defaulted far more often than comparable franchise loans.
All-time, 22 of 45 resolved loans charged off (48.9%). That raw figure mixes every approval year since 2004 — loans made in 2006–08 failed at several times the rate of loans made in 2010–13 across all franchises — so it is shown as evidence, not as the score.
1.8×
22 of 45 resolved (FY2004–2020) vs ~12 expected
48.9%
22 of 45 resolved, every approval year
65.6%
charged-off $ ÷ approved $, defaulted loans
$150,000
what recent franchisees borrowed
51 mo
approval → charge-off, defaulted loans
1 vs 3
distinct banks — fewer than FY16–20 (loan volume and SBA name coding affect this)
Charge-off rate by loan approval year (%) · dashed line = all franchise loans that year
Loan performance by state
SOURCE: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA LOAN DATA (DATA.SBA.GOV), FY1991–PRESENT · MATCHED TO INSTANT IMPRINTS BY SBA FRANCHISE NAME/CODE · RESOLVED = CHARGED-OFF + PAID-IN-FULL · EXPECTED = SAME-YEAR RATE ACROSS ALL SBA FRANCHISE LOANS, LOANS ≥ ~6 YEARS OLD
The owner's side of the deal
FDD × federal loan record
Who finances it
Stearns Bank National Association
22.2% of this brand's loans
That lender charges off 12.0% of its resolved SBA loans to other franchise brands in the FOIA file, vs 14.8% nationally — a read on that lender's portfolio mix, not a finding about the bank.
Who buys it
Too few identified operators
Does experience help here?
Not enough resolved loans to split
Computed from 54 SBA 7(a)/504 loans matched to INSTANT IMPRINTS by SBA franchise code in the SBA FOIA file. Debt service assumes level amortization at the average disclosed term and rate. Owner-level splits rely on borrower-name matching and may misclassify. A lender's rate excludes its loans to this brand, so it reads the lender, not the brand.
What it costs — and what it drags
FDD Items 5–7 · fees, investment, royalty
Buying in means a $39,950 franchise fee (Item 5) and a total investment of $78K–$365K (Item 7). The franchisor publishes an earnings claim (Item 19) — read its methodology closely.
To open (Item 7)
$78K–$365K
all-in investment range
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$39,950
upfront, one-time
Royalty (Item 6)
6%
of sales, ongoing
Starts at the Item 19 median of $411K from INSTANT IMPRINTS’ latest FDD. Read which units built that figure, then check it with current and former owners.
Royalty you'd pay / yr
$24K
6% of sales, before profit
Over a 10-yr term
$240K
royalties alone, excl. ad fund
This estimate is computed by software from the brand's public filings and any inputs you enter. No CPA prepared it for you and no assurance is provided on it. Actual results will differ, and the differences may be material.
This is not profit. It covers what the FDD fixes: what you put in, and the royalty you owe on sales. Your take-home depends on labor, rent, supplies, and the months to breakeven, none of which the FDD fixes for your unit (some Item 19s include cost data — read it).
Build a real pro-forma for INSTANT IMPRINTS with a buyer-paid CPAHow the earnings claim is built
FDD ITEM 19 · BASIS · 2026 FDD
This filing makes an Item 19 earnings claim; we have not yet read how it is built. Open Item 19 and check which units it covers, which it leaves out, and whether it shows costs.
Show the basis ↓Hide the evidence ↑
Modeled risk
FDD Risk Score · a prediction from disclosure and loan-file features
Modeled from the public record, this brand looks riskier than 87% of the systems we score (higher-risk band).
Observed · vs same-year loans
1.8×
22 of 45 seasoned loans charged off
Risk percentile
87th
Checkable · higher = riskier
Modeled · vs same-year loans
1.7×
≈ 26.8% at the all-loan vintage mix
Top drivers: System size (log units) (raises) · Non-clean audit opinion (raises) · Share financed by high-loss lenders (lowers) · Item 20 exit rate (raises). The brand has 30+ seasoned resolved SBA loans, so the score can be checked against its own record. A linear scorecard trained on brands' vintage-adjusted SBA loss records; full spec and cross-validated accuracy on the methodology page. A score is context, not a verdict.
Public records
Bankruptcy, closure & federal court records · coverage is selective · dockets are not scored
We have no verified public-record signals published for INSTANT IMPRINTS. This is not evidence that no events exist. Check PACER, the FDD's Item 3 (litigation) and Item 4 (bankruptcy), and recent news yourself.
12 questions to ask an INSTANT IMPRINTS franchisee
Built from this brand's own disclosures · take it to your validation calls
The franchisor will give you a list of owners to call. Most buyers ask whether they like it. These questions come from what INSTANT IMPRINTS has disclosed. Each one carries the number it came from, so you can check the answer against the record.
- 01
INSTANT IMPRINTS’ own Item 20 shows 2 of 21 franchised outlets left the system in fiscal 2025 — about 9.5%. Do you know any of those owners, and do you know why they left?
A franchisor will call these “transitions.” An owner three doors down usually knows whether they sold at a profit or handed the keys back.
FDD Item 20 · FY2025
- 02
The system went from 27 units to 23 over 3 disclosed years. What's the explanation you've been given, and do you believe it?
A shrinking system means fewer owners funding the ad fund and support staff you're paying for.
FDD Item 20 · FY2023–FY2025
- 03
SBA loans to INSTANT IMPRINTS franchisees approved 2004–2020 defaulted far more often than franchise loans made in the same years: 22 charge-offs among 45 resolved loans, where about 12 would be expected (1.8×). Did you finance with an SBA loan, and how close did your first two years come to trouble?
This is the lender's view of how these loans ended, from public federal records matched by SBA franchise code — independent of anything the franchisor discloses — compared with franchise loans made in the same years. A charge-off is a loan outcome, not proof the business closed.
SBA 7(a)/504 loan record, seasoned loans FY2004–FY2020 · 1.8× of same-vintage franchise loans
- 04
Item 7 says the low end to open is $78K; the average recent SBA loan to INSTANT IMPRINTS franchisees was $150K. What did you actually spend to open, all in — and did your loan cover anything beyond the build-out?
Lenders size loans to the project they finance. If owners say they spent near the loan figure rather than the Item 7 floor, budget from what they spent.
FDD Item 7 vs SBA approvals FY2020+
- 05
You pay 6.0% royalty on gross sales, plus the ad fund, before any of your own costs. On your actual revenue last year, what did you take home as the owner — not revenue, take-home?
Royalty is charged on sales, not profit. This is the number the brochure never shows and the one your life actually runs on.
FDD Item 6
- 06
INSTANT IMPRINTS makes an earnings claim in Item 19. Does your unit look like that number — and do you know which units they included to build it?
Item 19 is legal to build from a flattering subset. Ask whether they excluded new units, closed units, or company stores.
FDD Item 19 · 2026
- 07
How many months did it take to cover your own costs, and how much cash did you burn getting there?
Ramp-to-breakeven working capital is the most underestimated line in any franchise purchase, and the most common reason otherwise-good units fail.
Not disclosed in any FDD — ask an owner
- 08
Our extraction of the franchisor's audited financials (Item 21) found going-concern language — confirm it in the filing. Has support or supply changed for you in the last year?
If the franchisor fails, your agreement, your supply chain and your brand can be sold to someone whose plans you never agreed to.
FDD Item 21 · audited financials
- 09
Item 3 discloses 3 legal matters. Do you know what those were about, and were any brought by franchisees?
Franchisee-brought suits over territory, fees or support tell you how the franchisor behaves when there's a disagreement.
FDD Item 3 · 2026
- 10
What does the franchisor charge for that you didn't expect — required tech fees, mandatory remodels, approved-supplier pricing?
Required spending appears across Items 6, 8 and 11 rather than in one place, so buyers routinely miss the total.
FDD Items 6, 8, 11
- 11
If your agreement came up for renewal tomorrow at current terms, would you sign again?
The single most predictive question you can ask. A hesitation is the answer.
Ask every owner you speak to
- 12
Who else should I call — including someone who left?
The franchisor's list is curated by definition. Former franchisees are where the unflattering truth lives, and current owners usually know how to reach them.
Ask every owner you speak to
Want this as a checklist you can take to the calls?
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A broker is usually paid by the franchisor to place you. I'm paid only by you, never by a franchisor you're considering — and the job is pressure-testing INSTANT IMPRINTS’ numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.
This page is what buyers see before they call you for validation. If the record above is wrong — or right in a way the numbers can't show — say so. Franchisors: send corrections with the page reference and we will review them against the filing and update or annotate the page. Corrections are checked against the filings; nothing you write is published with your name unless you agree to it.
INSTANT IMPRINTS franchise questions, answered from the filings
How many INSTANT IMPRINTS franchised outlets left the system last year?
In INSTANT IMPRINTS's latest FDD Item 20 (fiscal 2025), 2 of 21 franchised outlets left the system — an exit rate of 9.5% — compared with a 6.0% median across 48 comparable systems (business services) tracked here. That counts terminations, non-renewals, and "ceased operations — other reasons" as the franchisor reported them; it excludes transfers to new owners. The FDD does not say why each outlet left, and an exit is not the same as a failure.
How much does a INSTANT IMPRINTS franchise cost?
Per INSTANT IMPRINTS's 2026 FDD, buying in requires an initial franchise fee of $39,950 (Item 5) and a total initial investment of $78K–$365K (Item 7).
What royalty does INSTANT IMPRINTS charge?
INSTANT IMPRINTS charges an ongoing royalty of 6.0% of gross sales, per Item 6 of its 2026 FDD.
Does INSTANT IMPRINTS disclose earnings (Item 19)?
Yes — INSTANT IMPRINTS makes a financial performance representation in Item 19 of its 2026 FDD, reporting a median unit volume of $411K. Read it closely: franchisors choose which units and which metrics to include.
How often do SBA loans for INSTANT IMPRINTS franchises default?
SBA loans to INSTANT IMPRINTS franchisees approved 2004–2020 defaulted far more often than franchise loans made in the same years: 22 charge-offs among 45 resolved loans, where about 12 would be expected (1.8×). All-time, 22 of 45 resolved loans since 2004 charged off (48.9%); that raw figure mixes every approval year, so we compare with same-year loans instead. A charge-off is a loan loss, not proof the business closed. Source: public SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA data.