How to Start a Sculpture Hospitality Franchise in 7 Steps: Checklist

Sculpture Hospitality’s public franchise page describes an initial sales path of speaking with a franchise developer, submitting a candidate application, attending a discovery day if qualified, and then moving into validation and legal review. The 2026 FDD does not turn those marketing-stage steps into guaranteed approval milestones, so an applicant should treat them as the franchisor’s current public sales workflow rather than contractual rights.

Before any binding franchise agreement or payment to SHH Group, LLC or an affiliate, the current federal rule requires delivery of the FDD at least 14 calendar days in advance. The trigger is FDD receipt, not discovery day or orientation. The current 16 CFR Part 436 and the FTC’s FDD guidance confirm this timing.

The 2026 FDD does not publish a numeric net-worth, liquidity, or credit-score minimum for a new unit applicant. It does require sufficient financial ability to perform the transaction and fund the franchise obligations. The Franchise Agreement also states that SHH Group, LLC grants franchises to people who meet its qualifications and commit full-time efforts; inaccurate or materially incomplete eligibility information can become a non-curable default after signing.

No physical customer-facing site is required. The Franchise Agreement says the Franchised Business does not require an office, Item 11 says SHH Group, LLC provides no site-selection assistance, and Item 12 says the franchisor does not approve an administrative-office site. If a franchisee chooses an office, it must be inside the Territory, but the office may be relocated within that Territory without prior franchisor approval.

This makes territory definition—not real-estate approval—the critical location issue. The protected Territory is described in Attachment A using jurisdictions and ZIP Codes and is sized around approximately 150, 250, or 500 liquor-licensed Establishments. A buyer should verify the final map, the establishment count methodology, National Account rights, and any open-area client transition rules before signing.

The Required Trainee is the franchisee or, for an entity, one owner. Before the Franchised Business begins operating, that person must complete Phases 1 and 2 of New Franchisee Training to the franchisor’s satisfaction. Phase 1 uses SculptureU eLearning, video sessions, simulations, and assessments; trainees must complete the self-paced modules with scores of 80% or higher.

Phase 2 combines technical field training by the Regional Director or approved trainer, on-site inventories, and sales training. The trainee must conduct and be assessed on at least three independent inventory services and score 95% or higher on assessments. Phase 3 covers advanced business operations, marketing, sales, and growth strategy; it is completed as scheduling permits and requires a business growth plan reviewed and approved by corporate trainers or designated persons.

Training location is not fixed. In-person components may occur in the franchisee’s Territory, another Territory, or a combination chosen by SHH Group, LLC. A disability accommodation request must be submitted in writing at least 14 days before training begins. Certification requires all program components to be marked complete in SculptureU; the FDD says successful trainees receive a Certificate of Achievement valid for two years.

The franchisee must obtain the insurance required by the Operations Manual or written standards and submit the initial policies to SHH Group, LLC before initial training starts. The current FDD lists commercial general liability, errors and omissions, hired and non-owned auto, workers’ compensation, and employer’s liability coverages, while allowing the franchisor to change required types and limits.

The franchisee must also secure and maintain all licenses, permits, and certificates that actually apply to the business and comply with general federal, state, and local laws. Item 1 says there are no industry-specific regulations disclosed for this franchise model, so there is no single nationwide permit checklist to copy. The franchisee is responsible for confirming entity registration, tax, employment, privacy/data, and any local business-license requirements with the relevant authorities and advisers.

The 2026 unit FDD covers one Franchised Business in one Territory. It offers three Territory sizes, not three different operating formats, and it does not disclose an Area Development Agreement, Development Agreement, or mandatory multi-unit development schedule. The FDD expressly says Regional Director franchises are offered, if at all, under a separate and distinct disclosure document, so that path should not be combined with this unit-opening process.

A resale or transfer is a different acquisition path. The existing franchisee cannot transfer the Franchise Agreement, the Franchised Business, substantially all operating assets, or a controlling ownership interest without prior written approval. For a controlling transfer, the transferee may have to meet the franchisor’s educational, managerial, business, character, reputation, credit, and financial standards; sign the then-current Franchise Agreement and ancillary documents; receive required legal documents; and complete training. Item 11 states that a transfer buyer or Required Trainee must attend initial training.

Yes. The base Franchise Agreement makes the initial franchise fee and training/onboarding fee due at execution, but current state addenda can change payment timing. A buyer should match the state addendum to both residence and operating location before assuming that the standard signing-day payment trigger applies.

Also compare any public sales materials with the current FDD before relying on them. The official franchise overview and official franchise guide are useful for brand context, but contractual requirements come from the current FDD, Franchise Agreement, attachments, and applicable state addenda.