From the filings

HQ-led decisions

Appell Striping

Automotive services

Software purchasing at Appell Striping sits with its founder-led HQ in Utah. The franchisor mandates Intuit QuickBooks and operates a tiny, nine-unit system—eight franchised, one company-owned—spread across Indiana, South Dakota, and Hawaii. For vendors, the addressable market is single-digit but concentrated, with renewal-driven tech refresh windows baked into the five-year franchise term.

For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.

Live signals

Total units
9
8 franchised
Unit growth YoY
vs prior filing
AUV
Item 19, 2025
Royalty
8%
of gross sales
Ad fund
1%
national + local
Initial fee
$5K
per unit
Investment range
$105K–$274K
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Franchisor controlled
from the filing
Item 19
Claims
from the filing

Ongoing fee load

What the operator pays every month

The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.

9%of gross sales (FY2025)

Ongoing fees: 9% of gross sales (FY2025)Royalty 8%, Ad fund 1%. Total 9% of gross sales. Drawn against a 15% reference scale.

15% reference

Royalty 8%Ad fund 1%

Mandated & recommended tech

The systems vendors compete with

1 of these are mandated in the franchise agreement. Each is named in Item 11 of the filing, the incumbents a challenger must displace or integrate with.

QuickBooks
Mandatory
AccountingItem 11

th the Franchised Business, including without limitation: (i) a laptop or other computer that meets our System specifications and is capable of running accounting software such as QuickBooks; (ii) pri

Facebook
MarketingItem 11

ning a splash page or other presence on the Internet through any social networking site in connection with the operation of your Franchised Business, including without limitation, Facebook, LinkedIn,

Instagram
MarketingItem 11

resence on the Internet through any social networking site in connection with the operation of your Franchised Business, including without limitation, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter,

LinkedIn
MarketingItem 11

ash page or other presence on the Internet through any social networking site in connection with the operation of your Franchised Business, including without limitation, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, I

Pinterest
MarketingItem 11

cial networking site in connection with the operation of your Franchised Business, including without limitation, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Plaxo, TikTok and Pinterest, that uses

TikTok
MarketingItem 11

ough any social networking site in connection with the operation of your Franchised Business, including without limitation, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Plaxo, TikTok and Pinterest

Twitter
MarketingItem 11

the Internet through any social networking site in connection with the operation of your Franchised Business, including without limitation, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Plaxo, TikT

YouTube
MarketingItem 11

r other presence on the Internet through any social networking site in connection with the operation of your Franchised Business, including without limitation, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram,

Franchisor behaviours

What the franchisor requires

21 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 3 explicit no's; 10 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.

Accounting

Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?

Yes

Item 11

You will also be required to purchase approved accounting software for your Computer System, such as QuickBooks which costs approximately $250.

Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?

Yes

Item 11

We have the right to independently access, monitor, and retrieve any data you input or collect electronically, including access to your Computer System or for any other purpose we deem necessary.

Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

within thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar quarter, a balance sheet and profit and loss statement for that quarter and Franchisee’s fiscal year to date;

How the franchisor buys

Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?

Yes

Item 8

We, our affiliate or a designated third party may be one of several, or the only, Approved Supplier of any item.

Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?

Yes

Item 8

We reserve the right to modify the System Standards from time to time in writing and which you must comply with such modification within the time period we prescribe.

How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?

0

Item 8

During our fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, we did not derive any revenue from required purchases and leases.

Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?

Yes

Item 8

These suppliers currently pay us rebates equal to approximately 3% on account of franchisee purchases.

Item 8 gives this proportion in one of two shapes: separate percentages for establishing the business and for operating it, or one figure covering "establishing and operating" together. Where they are separate, answer with the operating percentage; where the passage gives only the combined figure, answer with that. What percentage of the franchisee's purchases must come from designated or approved suppliers?

19

Item 8

approximately 19% to 24% of your ongoing costs to operate the Franchised Business after the initial start-up phase.

Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?

Yes

Item 8

If we incur any costs in connection with testing a particular product or evaluating an unapproved supplier at your request, you must reimburse us for our reasonable testing costs, regardless of whether we subsequently approve the item or supplier.

Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?

Yes

Item 8

If you wish to purchase any unapproved item, including inventory, and/or acquire approved items from an unapproved supplier, you must provide us the name, address and telephone number of the proposed supplier, a description of the item you wish to purchase, and the purchase price of the item, if known.

Communications

Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Upon the expiration, transfer, or termination of this Agreement for any reason, Franchisee shall terminate Franchisee’s use of such telephone number(s) and listing(s) and assign same to Franchisor or Franchisor’s designee.

Franchise management

Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?

Yes

Item 11

We may revise the Operations Manual, as we deem necessary or prudent in our sole discretion, which may, among other things, provide new operations concepts and ideas.

Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee may operate the Franchised Business only at the approved location identified in the Data Sheet (the “Approved Location”).

Marketing

Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?

Yes

Item 11

Unless you obtain our prior written consent, you are prohibited from establishing or maintaining a separate website, or otherwise maintaining a splash page or other presence on the Internet through any social networking site in connection with the operation of your Franchised Business, including without limitation…

Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?

Yes

Item 11

You are required to expend at least $7,400 to promote and advertise the opening of your Franchised Business (the “Grand Opening Advertising”), which must be expended over the period(s) of time prior to, during and/or after the opening of the Franchised Business that we designate or otherwise approve in a separate…

Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?

Yes

Item 11

you must expend a minimum of either: (a) $500 per month, or (b) two percent (2%) of the Gross Sales of your Franchised Business each calendar month (based on the Gross Sales of the Franchised Business during the preceding calendar month), whichever is greater, on local advertising and marketing.

Payments

Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?

Yes

Item 6

Your Royalty Fee, as well as any other fees payable to us or our affiliates under the Franchise Agreement, may be collected by us via EFT from the bank account you are required to designate solely for use in connection with your Franchised Business (your “EFT Account”).

People

Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?

Yes

Item 15

Your Franchised Business must, at all times, be staffed with at least one individual who has successfully completed our initial training program.

Point of sale

Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?

Yes

Item 11

We have the right to independently access, monitor, and retrieve any data you input or collect electronically, including access to your Computer System or for any other purpose we deem necessary.

Training

Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?

Yes

Item 11

We may charge you our then-current training tuition fee to provide remedial training, and you will be solely responsible for: (i) any expenses we incur in providing any on-site remedial training; and (ii) any expenses you incur in attending any remedial training at our corporate headquarters or other designated…

Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?

Yes

Item 11

We will hold an Annual Convention every year in which attendance is mandatory.

The filing answers no to 3 questions
  • Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?Item 11
  • Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?Franchise agreement
  • Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11

The vendor opportunity at Appell Striping

Appell Striping is an automotive-services franchise headquartered in Utah, with a total footprint of nine units—eight franchised and one company-owned. The system’s unit count has not shown disclosed year-over-year growth in the most recent FDD, and the average unit volume is not reported. For software vendors, the immediate addressable market is small: nine locations across three states (Indiana, South Dakota, and Hawaii). Every unit is operated by a single-unit franchisee; no multi-unit operators appear in the 2025 disclosure.

Despite the modest size, the franchise carries an 8.0% royalty and a five-year initial term. Renewals are conditional on a detailed set of requirements, including a mandatory technology refresh. That renewal clause creates a recurring, contract-driven moment when franchisees must evaluate and potentially replace software. Vendors who align with the franchisor’s mandated stack—or who can demonstrate compliance with “then-current System standards”—may find an entry point during those windows.

Who controls software purchasing

The buying center at Appell Striping is concentrated at the top. The 2025 FDD lists four individuals in Item 1: Founder/CEO Bryan M. Appell, COO Michael Appell, and Partners Ryan Combe and Ryan Hicks. No parent company exists; the brand appears independently owned. With fewer than ten units and no disclosed IT or procurement staff, software decisions almost certainly flow through Bryan or Michael Appell. Vendors should prepare to engage a founder-led HQ where the CEO and COO are directly involved in operational and financial systems choices.

Mandated and current tech stack

The only technology system mandated in the 2025 FDD is QuickBooks by Intuit Inc. No other POS, CRM, field-service management, or inventory platform is named as required or recommended. This suggests a lean tech stack centered on financial management. For vendors selling complementary tools—scheduling, estimating, fleet tracking, or customer communication—the absence of a mandated alternative means the door is open, but adoption will likely require convincing both the franchisor and individual franchisees.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

Item 8 of the 2025 FDD does not provide an extract describing a designated-supplier or approved-supplier program. Without that signal, the procurement model remains unspecified in the current disclosure. Vendors should assume that purchasing authority may be decentralized to the franchisee level, subject to franchisor standards.

Renewal timing is more concrete. Item 17 requires franchisees to complete all maintenance, refurbishing, and updates to hardware and software no later than 90 days before the five-year term expires. Franchisees must also execute the then-current franchise agreement, which may materially differ from the original, and satisfy any new training requirements. The renewal fee is not quantified in the extract, but the obligation to bring technology into full compliance with current System standards is explicit. For a vendor, this means each unit’s renewal date is a potential sales trigger—though with only eight franchised units, the total number of annual renewal events is small.

How to read the Appell Striping FDD

The full 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document is embedded below. It contains the legal and operational detail behind every fact cited on this page: the executive roster, the QuickBooks mandate, the unit count by state, the renewal conditions, and the absence of a disclosed procurement framework. Reading the FDD directly is the fastest way to confirm whether your software fits a gap in their stack or aligns with a compliance requirement. For vendors building a ranked target list across multiple franchise systems, FranCloud can surface the signals that matter—unit counts, tech mandates, renewal triggers, and HQ buyer names—without manual FDD review.

Questions vendors ask

Appell Striping, answered from the filing

Founder/CEO Bryan M. Appell and COO Michael Appell are the named executives in the FDD. With no parent company and a nine-unit system, purchasing authority almost certainly rests with this small leadership group.
The 2025 FDD mandates QuickBooks by Intuit Inc. No other operational, POS, or field-service platforms are named as required or recommended systems.
Nine total units: eight franchised and one company-owned. Units are located in Indiana (1), South Dakota (1), and Hawaii (1), with the remaining locations not individually mapped in the FDD.
The FDD does not extract an Item 8 procurement signal. Without a disclosed designated-supplier or approved-supplier framework, the procurement model remains unspecified in the current disclosure.
Renewal conditions require franchisees to update hardware and software to then-current standards at least 90 days before the five-year term ends. This creates predictable refresh windows tied to each unit’s expiration date.
The 2025 FDD was filed with state franchise regulators. You can review the full document in the embedded PDF viewer below—no need to visit a separate depository.
Source

Read the filing itself

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Appell Striping2025 FDDView only

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The brands you can actually sell into, from the filings.

Operator footprint

Who runs the locations

3 operators run 3 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.

Operators by units owned

Single-unit3

Top states by locations

IN1
SD1
HI1

Related Automotive services brands

Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.