How to Finance a Resting Rainbow Franchise: Pet Cremation Costs
By Anthony Cornella
A Resting Rainbow franchise loan funds a pet aftercare business: private pet cremation, transportation of pets from homes and veterinary clinics, and memorial products for grieving families. Unlike most service franchises, this one is built around a cremation unit and a facility permitted to run it, so financing starts with equipment, site and permits, then moves to working capital while referrals grow.
This article explains what Resting Rainbow is, which costs to confirm in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), what the brand’s SBA Franchise Directory listing means and how lenders tend to view a young pet cremation franchise.
US Professional Funding is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Resting Rainbow or its franchisor, Resting Rainbow Pet Memorials and Cremation Franchise LLC; the names are used only to describe the business. Figures in the franchisor’s disclosure document can change, loan programs and terms vary by lender and borrower, and every loan is subject to approval. Nothing here is legal, tax or investment advice; review the current FDD and franchise agreement with a qualified franchise attorney and accountant.
Resting Rainbow Franchise Loan at a Glance
- Concept: private pet cremation and memorial services, including pickup and drop-off, urns and keepsake jewelry, and a certificate of cremation for the family.
- Origin: started in South Florida, with early locations in Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Deerfield Beach.
- Franchisor: Resting Rainbow Pet Memorials and Cremation Franchise LLC, a Florida company.
- Ownership styles: the company has described owner-operator as well as semi-involved options with a small staff.
- Fees and investment: we could not verify the franchise fee, royalty, Item 7 investment range or capital requirements from the franchisor’s own materials or FDD; get them from the current FDD.
- SBA Franchise Directory: listed as Resting Rainbow Pet Memorials and Cremation under code S8108, with a note about the lease rider when real estate secures the loan.
What Is Resting Rainbow?
Resting Rainbow grew out of personal loss. Its founders lost pets of their own and found few aftercare providers that were both efficient and sympathetic, so they built a company around private cremation, quick turnaround and emotional support for families. The business began in Florida and has been expanding through franchising.
Private cremation, where a pet is cremated individually and the remains are returned to the family, is the core service. Around it, the company has offered pickup from homes and clinics, memorial services, urns and keepsake jewelry. It has also said its cremation equipment is designed to meet government emissions and air quality standards, which matters for any owner who needs environmental permits.
Who the customers are. Families are the end customers, but much of the work typically arrives through veterinary clinics and animal hospitals that need a trusted aftercare partner. A franchisee’s referral network matters as much as its marketing.
Why lenders look at it the way they do. Pet aftercare is needs-based, and the company has described the model as resistant to downturns. But Resting Rainbow is an emerging system, so lenders cannot lean on years of franchisee results. They focus on the owner, the local veterinary market, equipment and permitting costs, and reserves for the ramp-up. Our article on financing an emerging franchise explains what changes when a system is young.
Resting Rainbow Franchise Costs
Items 5, 6 and 7 of the FDD hold the verified numbers. Since we could not confirm them from the franchisor’s own materials, use this section as a checklist of what to pull from the document.
Initial franchise fee. Item 5 states the fee, when it is due, whether any part is refundable and whether additional territories are discounted.
Facility and build-out. The site must allow cremation under zoning, fire code and air permits. Operators often look at light industrial or flex space with a garage door, ventilation, a floor that can carry the cremation unit, refrigerated holding and a quiet room for family visits.
Cremation equipment and vehicle. The cremation unit is usually the largest equipment cost, followed by refrigeration, processing equipment and the gas, electrical and venting work to install them. Pickups require at least one dedicated, discreet transport vehicle. Ask whether the franchisor designates suppliers and confirm the package in Items 7 and 8.
Opening costs and working capital. Permits, insurance, deposits, memorial inventory, outreach to veterinary clinics, training travel and additional funds for the first months all belong in the budget.
Total investment. Read the full Item 7 table for each line’s low and high estimate. Lines to look for include:
- Initial franchise fee
- Lease deposits and rent before opening
- Leasehold improvements, ventilation and utility work
- Cremation unit, installation, refrigeration and processing equipment
- Transport vehicle
- Permits, licenses and professional fees
- Opening inventory of urns, keepsakes and supplies
- Training expenses and grand opening marketing
- Additional funds for the initial operating period
Confirm the period “additional funds” covers. Clinic referrals take time to build, so lenders want reserves sized to a realistic ramp.
Ongoing Fees and How They Affect Your Loan
Royalty and brand fund. Item 6 lists the royalty, any brand fund contribution and how each is calculated. Flat or minimum fees apply even in slow early months, which matters to a lender during ramp-up.
Other fees and maintenance. Look for technology, call handling, training, transfer and renewal fees. Cremation units also need regular maintenance and periodic relining, which belongs in projections as a recurring cost.
How lenders factor these costs in. Lenders deduct royalties, brand fund contributions, rent, payroll, fuel, utilities and maintenance from projected revenue before measuring how comfortably cash flow covers debt service.
Franchisor Requirements for New Owners
We could not verify minimum net worth, liquid capital or experience requirements from Resting Rainbow’s own materials. Ask the franchisor for its current criteria in writing and compare them with the FDD. Owners of a pet aftercare business generally need comfort working with grieving families, the ability to manage permits and recordkeeping, enough liquidity for an equity injection plus reserves, and time to build clinic relationships.
The approval process. Expect an inquiry, introductory calls, delivery of the FDD, a review period, a discovery meeting and franchisor approval before signing.
Ways to Own a Resting Rainbow
A new territory. Most new owners open a new location, underwritten on projections, the business plan and the borrower’s experience and liquidity. Our page on franchise start-up financing covers the basics.
Buying an existing location. A resale brings clinic relationships, permitted and installed equipment, and historical financials a lender can review. The franchisor must approve the transfer. Our article on buying a franchise resale explains the steps.
Financing Options for a Resting Rainbow Franchise Loan
SBA 7(a) loans. Because Resting Rainbow is on the SBA Franchise Directory, an SBA 7(a) loan can fit a new location or a resale, potentially covering the franchise fee, build-out, equipment, vehicle and working capital, subject to underwriting.
SBA 504 loans. If you buy a building for the facility, an SBA 504 loan can finance the real estate and, in some cases, long-lived equipment such as the cremation unit.
Conventional term loans. Borrowers with strong credit, collateral and liquidity can consider conventional business loans, especially for expansion.
Equipment financing. The cremation unit, refrigeration and transport vehicle can be financed separately, with the equipment as collateral. Learn more about equipment financing for funeral and cremation businesses.
Working capital and lines of credit. Payroll, fuel, utilities and inventory continue while referrals build. See our funeral and cremation working capital options.
Seller financing on resales. A seller may agree to carry part of the price. A seller note is typically subordinate to the senior loan, and SBA programs may limit how it is structured.
SBA Loans for Resting Rainbow Franchisees
The SBA Franchise Directory lists brands whose agreements have been reviewed for SBA eligibility. SBA lenders generally require a brand to appear there before making an SBA-guaranteed loan to a franchisee. A listing does not approve any borrower.
Resting Rainbow’s listing. The brand appears as Resting Rainbow Pet Memorials and Cremation under code S8108. The directory note says that when the real estate where the franchise business is located will secure the SBA-guaranteed loan, the lease rider may not be executed.
What the note means. A lease rider is a lease addendum that typically gives the franchisor rights in the premises, such as stepping in if the franchisee defaults. That fits a rented site. If the franchisee owns the building and pledges it as SBA collateral, the rider should not be signed, so the franchisor’s rights do not compete with the lender’s interest in the property.
SBA application tips. Bring the FDD, franchise agreement, a business plan with monthly projections, equipment quotes, a site plan, zoning and permit status, your personal financial statement and tax returns. The SBA 7(a) program maximum is currently $5 million, though program rules can change. Our SBA loan calculator can help with early payment estimates for planning only.
How Lenders Evaluate a Resting Rainbow Deal
Personal credit and financial history. Lenders review credit, tax returns and a personal financial statement, and typically require a personal guarantee.
Net worth and liquidity. For an emerging brand with a ramp-up period, post-closing reserves carry extra weight.
Industry and management experience. Experience in veterinary practice, funeral service, pet care or managing a staffed service business strengthens a request.
Business plan and projections. Show how many clinics and animal hospitals sit in the territory, which ones you have contacted and how quickly referrals may build. Our article on how lenders read an FDD explains which items matter most.
The FDD and franchise agreement. Lenders check term, renewal, territory and transfer terms. Review Items 3 and 4 with your attorney.
Site and permits. Lenders ask whether the site is zoned for cremation, whether air permits are in hand and how long the lease runs. A permit delay pushes back revenue, so progress before closing helps.
Historical financials for resales. Expect to provide several years of profit and loss statements, tax returns and referral data by clinic.
Equipment, Permits and Chain of Custody
The cremation unit is a heavy, long-lived asset that needs a proper foundation, utility connections and venting, and eventual relining or replacement. Local and state rules may cover zoning, air quality, fire safety and recordkeeping, and a lender may condition funding on key permits. Tracking and documentation that return each family’s own pet are part of the brand’s promise.
Multi-Unit Growth and Development Agreements
A second territory might use its own facility or, if the agreement and permits allow, share an existing cremation unit while adding transportation coverage. Lenders will weigh the first location’s results, management depth and combined debt service. Our article on multi-unit franchise financing covers development schedules and growth.
Real-World Scenarios
A practice manager opening a new territory. A former veterinary practice manager leases a flex building. An SBA 7(a) loan covers the franchise fee, build-out, cremation unit, vehicle and working capital, and her clinic contacts support the projections.
An investor buying the building. A buyer purchases a small industrial building and uses an SBA 504 loan for the real estate and cremation unit. Because the building secures the loan, the lease rider is not executed.
A buyer acquiring an existing location. A buyer purchases an operating location. The lender reviews referral data and financials, the franchisor approves the transfer and the seller carries a subordinated note.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Signing a lease before confirming zoning and air permits
- Underestimating installation and venting costs for the cremation unit
- Projecting referrals without first meeting local clinics
- Ignoring the lease rider note when real estate will secure an SBA loan
- Leaving too little working capital for the ramp-up
For more pitfalls, read the franchise loan mistakes that cost owners the most.
Next Steps to Finance Your Resting Rainbow Franchise
Step 1: Review the FDD. Study Items 5, 6, 7, 10, 17 and 19 with a franchise attorney and accountant.
Step 2: Confirm requirements. Ask for the current net worth, liquidity and experience criteria in writing.
Step 3: Study your market. Map veterinary clinics in the territory and ask some about their current aftercare provider.
Step 4: Check sites and permits. Identify sites where cremation is allowed and learn how long permits take.
Step 5: Build your plan. Gather equipment quotes, build-out estimates and conservative monthly projections.
Step 6: Apply and close. Submit your Resting Rainbow franchise loan request with the FDD, plan, site documents and personal financials, then coordinate funding with permits, equipment delivery and training.
Resting Rainbow Franchise Loan FAQs
How much does a Resting Rainbow franchise cost?
The estimated initial investment appears in Item 7 of the current FDD. We could not verify the range from the franchisor’s own materials, so review each line, especially equipment, build-out and additional funds.
What are the franchise fee and royalty?
Item 5 states the initial franchise fee, and Item 6 lists the royalty, any brand fund contribution and other recurring fees.
How much liquid capital or net worth do I need?
We could not verify the franchisor’s requirements. Ask Resting Rainbow directly, and expect a lender to look for an equity injection and post-closing reserves.
Can I get an SBA loan for a Resting Rainbow franchise?
Yes, the brand is listed on the SBA Franchise Directory under code S8108, so SBA 7(a) and 504 loans can be options, subject to lender approval.
Can I finance the cremation unit separately?
Often, yes. The cremation unit, refrigeration and vehicle can be financed through equipment financing, with the equipment as collateral.
Does Resting Rainbow offer financing?
Item 10 of the FDD discloses whether the franchisor offers financing. Most franchisees arrange their own loans with outside lenders.
Can a first-time business owner qualify?
Yes, if the franchisor approves the candidate and the lender is comfortable with the plan, credit and reserves.
Can I buy an existing location?
When an owner sells, a buyer can use SBA or conventional loans and sometimes a seller note, subject to franchisor approval.
How long is the franchise term?
Item 17 and the franchise agreement set the term, renewal conditions and transfer rules.
Does the FDD include financial performance information?
Check Item 19 to see whether it includes financial performance representations, and build projections from your own market research.
Final Thoughts
A Resting Rainbow franchise loan combines three needs: a permitted facility, a heavy piece of cremation equipment and enough working capital to carry the business while veterinary referrals take hold. Buyers who confirm permits early, budget realistically and understand the brand’s SBA directory note will be in a stronger position with any lender.
US Professional Funding helps franchise owners and buyers finance start-ups, acquisitions, equipment, working capital and real estate. Learn more about our franchise financing and funeral home and cremation financing solutions.
