About Supporting Strategies Franchise
Supporting Strategies is a professional services franchise that provides outsourced bookkeeping and accounting support to small and mid sized businesses.
Each franchise owner builds a team of experienced bookkeepers who serve local clients on a recurring basis, handling tasks like accounts payable, accounts receivable, financial reporting, and payroll processing.
The brand has been franchising since 2013.
Supporting Strategies Franchise Cost & Fees
Minimum Investment
$77K
Average Investment
$90K
Maximum Investment
$103K
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $60,000 | One-time payment upon signing |
| Royalty Fee | 10% of Gross Sales for Year 1; the greater of 10% of Gross Sales or $12,000 Year 2; $24,000 Year 3; $36,000 Year 4; $48,000 Year 5 and each year for the remainder of the term of gross sales | Ongoing; paid monthly |
| Marketing/Ad Fund | 2% of Gross Sales (if instituted) | National brand fund |
| Total Investment Range | $76,570 – $103,190 | Includes build-out, inventory, working capital |
The investment range of $77K–$103K reflects variability in build-out costs, store size, lease terms, and market. The combined royalty (10% of Gross Sales for Year 1; the greater of 10% of Gross Sales or $12,000 Year 2; $24,000 Year 3; $36,000 Year 4; $48,000 Year 5 and each year for the remainder of the term) and marketing fee (2% of Gross Sales (if instituted)) are ongoing costs paid as a percentage of gross sales.
Investment Breakdown (Item 7)
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $60,000 | $60,000 |
| Real Estate | $0 | $0 |
| Equipment and Furniture | $0 | $500 |
| Supplies & Misc. Expense | $0 | $250 |
| Insurance | $2,850 | $3,000 |
| Sandler Sales | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Travel and Living Expenses while Training | $0 | $3,000 |
| Virtual Cloud or Virtual Key (2 users for first 3 months) | $600 | $1,200 |
| Internet Access | $120 | $240 |
| Legal | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| Additional Funds (first 6 months) | $10,000 | $30,000 |
Additional Fees (Item 6)
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer Fee | 20% of the then-current initial franchise fee |
| Renewal Fee | 10% of the then-current initial franchise fee |
| Technology Fee | $100 - $200 per month per user |
| Audit Fee | Cost of audit plus interest on underpayment |
| Reimbursement for Products, Services, etc. | Actual costs |
| Insurance | Cost of insurance and, if not obtained by you, you must reimburse our procurement expense |
| Client Complaints | 100% of the cost to satisfy the client complaint |
| Interest | 1.5% per month or the highest rate allowed by applicable law |
| Costs and Attorneys’ Fees | Cost of collection and attorneys’ fees |
| Indemnification | Cost of liability |
Training Program (Item 11)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Total Duration | estimated 30 hours of online self-paced video training and an additional 5-10 hours of one-on-one virtual orientation sessions |
| Classroom Training | 47 |
| On-the-Job Training | 5-10 hours |
| Training Location | Virtual (for initial training). Sandler Sales training can be virtual or at locations in Beverly, Boston, Cambridge, or regional sites. |
| Additional Training | Additional training programs, workshops, seminars are offered, currently provided virtually at no charge. A Sandler 2-day Bootcamp Sales training program is required within one year of signing the Franchise Agreement. |
Territory Rights (Item 12)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Territory Type | Designated Territory |
| Exclusive Territory | Yes |
| Territory Size | minimum of 20,000 to a maximum of 25,000 small businesses (defined as businesses with 1 to 100 employees) |
| Description | The territory is identified by a database of business establishments, employment, occupation, and retail sales, compiled by Applied Geographic Solutions. The size can vary based on demographic information and business population density (e.g., urban city vs. suburban county). The territory name is based on the municipal location and is subject to franchisor approval. The franchisor reserves the right to modify the territory name. |
Renewal, Termination & Transfer (Item 17)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Initial Term | 10 years |
| Renewal Term | 2 additional 10 year terms |
| Renewal Fee | 10% of the then-current initial franchise fee |
| Renewal Conditions | Timely notice, not in default, no more than 3 default notices in prior term, sign new franchise agreement (which may have different terms/conditions including royalty), sign release, refresher training if required, pay renewal fee. |
| Transfer Fee | 20% of the then-current initial franchise fee |
| Transfer Conditions | Not in default at time of transfer, sign a release, proposed transferee meets new franchisee qualifications, signs then-current franchise agreement, completes training, transfer fee paid. |
| Termination for Cause | Having interest in a competitor, failure to make payments, failure to maintain Franchised Business according to standards, failure to follow Operations Manual, failure to get permission when required, default in other terms and covenants not separately identified. Non-curable defaults include cessation of business for 3 consecutive days, misuse of trademark/licensed rights, repeated defaults, abandonment, deliberate understating of sales, bankruptcy, creditors attaching/foreclosing business property, felony conviction/no contest plea, false statements on franchise application, unauthorized transfer, failure to maintain independent contractor status. |
| Non-Compete Period | 2 years after termination/expiration |
| Non-Compete Details | During the term of the agreement and for two years thereafter, the franchisee (and controlling persons) may not directly or indirectly solicit/divert business to a competitor, or own/manage/invest in/advise/perform services for a competitive business (defined as providing bookkeeping/controller services to small businesses) in the United States. Permanent restriction on using licensed rights. |
Operations & Supply (Items 8 & 15)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Owner-Operator Required | Yes |
| Participation Details | The franchisee (or one of its owners if a business entity) or a designated General Manager must devote full time and best efforts to the management and operation of the Franchised Business during peak hours. This individual must take an active role and successfully complete the Initial Franchisee Training program. General Managers must be approved by the franchisor and complete training within 30 days of hire. |
| Required Suppliers | The franchisor is the only approved supplier of the proprietary Virtual Key and Virtual Cloud and the software necessary to operate the Franchised Business. They are also the only approved vendor for various client reimbursable pass-through products and services including QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Enterprise accounting software, HubDoc, Desktop Hosting, and other related software products. Additionally, the franchisor is the only designated supplier of its proprietary Business Fundamentals Bootcamp program. |
| Supply Restrictions | Franchisees must lease and install computer equipment and accounting/business management software as directed, and refrain from installing unapproved software. They must license and utilize all required software, which are cloud-based products distributed or developed by the franchisor, and are restricted from using any other software without prior written approval. Franchisees are required to use either the Virtual Key computer or Virtual Cloud for business operations and may not use them for personal purposes. All products and services for which standards or specifications have been established must be purchased from approved suppliers (which may include the franchisor or its affiliates). |
| Franchisor Revenue from Suppliers | As of December 31, 2021, the franchisor realized $1,313,800 in revenue from franchisee purchases, accounting for 23% of its total revenues of $5,758,880. The franchisor does not make a profit on client reimbursable pass-through products and services, nor does it charge a fee for the Business Fundamentals Bootcamp program. The estimated proportion of the cost of goods and services purchased or leased from the franchisor, its affiliates, or other approved suppliers, to the total cost of purchases and leases required in establishing and operating the Franchised Business is 24% to 30%. |
Financing (Item 10)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Financing Available | No |
| Description | We do not offer direct or indirect financing. We do not guarantee your note, lease, or obligation. |
Supporting Strategies Franchise Earnings — Item 19
Average Revenue
$475K
Median Revenue
$296K
Revenue Range
$1K – $4.2M
Sample Size
69 units
Past financial performance does not guarantee future results. Individual results will vary.
Supporting Strategies Litigation & Risk Flags
Clean Litigation RecordSupporting Strategies has no pending litigation actions listed in their FDD. There is also no bankruptcy history disclosed.
Litigation and bankruptcy data is sourced from Items 3 and 4 of the FDD. Always verify current status directly from the most recent FDD.
Supporting Strategies System Growth
Total Units
103
Franchised
103
Company-Owned
0
Supporting Strategies currently operates 103 franchised locations and 0 company-owned units. Unit count data is sourced from Item 20 of the FDD.
Unit History (Item 20)
| Year | Opened | Closed | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 9 | 1 | 99 |
| 2020 | 5 | 4 | 100 |
| 2021 | 4 | 1 | 103 |
Transfers: 3 | Closures: 0
State Registrations
Registered in 14 states: CA, HI, IL, IN, MD, MI, MN, NY, ND, RI, SD, VA, WA, WI
Franchisor Financials (Item 21)
Revenue
$5.8M
Net Income
$241K
Total Assets
$2.7M
Audited by S&G, LLP for year ending December 31.
Supporting Strategies Franchise — FAQ
The total investment to open a Supporting Strategies franchise ranges from $76,570 to $103,190, per their Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the initial franchise fee of $60,000. The investment covers build-out, inventory, equipment, signage, working capital, and other startup costs.
Supporting Strategies charges a royalty fee of 10% of Gross Sales for Year 1; the greater of 10% of Gross Sales or $12,000 Year 2; $24,000 Year 3; $36,000 Year 4; $48,000 Year 5 and each year for the remainder of the term of gross sales, plus a 2% of Gross Sales (if instituted) contribution to the marketing/advertising fund. These fees are paid on an ongoing basis.
You can download the Supporting Strategies Franchise Disclosure Document free on this page. The FDD is a public document filed with state franchise registries. Always also request the current FDD directly from Supporting Strategies to ensure you have the most up-to-date version.
According to the Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD, Supporting Strategies franchise owners report average revenue of $475K and median revenue of $296K. This is based on a sample of 69 units. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Supporting Strategies has been franchising since 2013. The FDD shows an investment range of $76,570-$103,190, a 10% of Gross Sales for Year 1; the greater of 10% of Gross Sales or $12,000 Year 2; $24,000 Year 3; $36,000 Year 4; $48,000 Year 5 and each year for the remainder of the term royalty, and includes an Item 19 earnings disclosure. There is no pending litigation. Review the full FDD and contact current franchisees listed in Item 20 before making any investment decision.
The franchise fee is $60,000 and the total investment ranges from $76,570 to $103,190 depending on location size and market. A minimum of $10,000 in liquid capital is required. Contact the franchisor directly for current net worth and liquid capital requirements, territory availability, and application details.
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Data Source & Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only. It is not an offer to sell or buy a franchise. This profile is based on publicly available FDD data sourced from state franchise registry filings. All information is for research purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Data may be outdated or contain errors. Always obtain the current FDD directly from Supporting Strategies and consult a qualified franchise attorney before making any investment decision. FranchiseOverview.com is operated by Franchising Compliance, LLC and is not affiliated with Supporting Strategies or any of its subsidiaries. To report an inaccuracy: info@franchiseoverview.com