QuickBooks OnlineIntuit
Mandatoryare specified by us. In particular, you must purchase from us or from our approved vendors, all testing materials, instructional materials, student progress books, business forms, QuickBooks Online, c
From the filings
HQ-led decisions
GradePower Learning
EducationSoftware purchasing at GradePower Learning is controlled at the corporate headquarters in Ontario, where CEO Robert Nicholas Whitehead and President Joshua Cadoch oversee a 153-unit franchise network. The system mandates a proprietary education platform, online module system, and management information system, creating a specific integration landscape for vendors. Every location is franchised, with no company-owned units reported in the 2026 FDD.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
153
153 franchised
Unit growth YoY
—
vs prior filing
AUV
—
Item 19, 2026
Royalty
12%
of gross sales
Ad fund
3%
national + local
Initial fee
$25K
per unit
Investment range
$113K–$222K
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
Non-compete
2 years
from the filing
Item 19
No 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.
15%of gross sales (FY2026)
15% reference
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.
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
25 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 5 explicit no's; 4 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?
YesFranchise agreement
You must use our designated bookkeeping and financial software vendor unless we approve another vendor in advance in writing.
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We may have independent access to the information required in our reports, and to information generated and stored in your Computer Systems, without limitation.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
You must periodically deliver to us accounting, tax, and other information (or copies of documents), as we request, including a monthly financial statement with profit and loss and balance sheet.
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
We are currently an approved vendor for curriculum materials, furniture and some advertising materials and the only approved supplier of the management information system software.
Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?
YesItem 11
We formed and sponsored the FAC.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 8
We may issue standards and specifications to you in manuals or directives, in writing or electronically, and we may modify them at any time.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
190820Item 8
In our last fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, we derived revenues from the sales of products and services to franchisees in the approximate amount 190,820, representing approximately 14.5% of our total revenues of $1,314,425.
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?
4Item 8
During the operation of the franchised business, required purchases or leases from us or our affiliates, or that we specify are estimated to be approximately 4% of your annual operating expenses.
Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
YesItem 8
If you request us to approve a new supplier, there is no fee for supplier approval unless we require third-party testing, in which case you will pay the actual cost of the tests.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
If you request us to approve a new supplier, there is no fee for supplier approval unless we require third-party testing, in which case you will pay the actual cost of the tests.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesFranchise agreement
All telephone, email, Internet domain name, Internet directory, and listings of all kinds for the Business are our property, and will revert to us on termination or expiration, at our option.
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
We or our agents may examine all of your operations, books, and records of your business during regular business hours and without any prior notice to you.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 11
We will loan you a Manual, in one or more volumes, or in electronic media, or on an Intranet or password protected portion of the Internet, and which may be amended, supplemented, or replaced at any time.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
The franchise agreement grants a franchise for a particular location which you select, subject to our approval.
Marketing
Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?
YesFranchise agreement
All advertising, marketing, and promotion by you must be approved by us in advance in writing, as to media, form, and content, and we generally will not approve independent internet sites, including your own website or other social media presence.
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesItem 11
In addition, you will spend the amount determined by us on an initial marketing campaign within three months after opening.
Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
YesFranchise agreement
In addition to the Advertising Fee contribution discussed above, you will spend a minimum of $6,000 per fiscal quarter on local advertising and promotion in such media and such times as we approve.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
You must purchase all such goods and services from approved or designated sources.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesFranchise agreement
You must purchase all such goods and services from us or approved or designated sources.
Payments
Must the franchisee use a payment processor or merchant-services provider designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 8
You must acquire computers, mobile smart devices, smart processors in hardware including point of sale devices, software and related hardware, accounting systems and a payroll system, and systems to access the Internet and to communicate remotely, all as we specify (collectively, the “Computer Systems”), at a cost…
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesFranchise agreement
I (we) hereby authorize G.B. Tokani, Inc. (“Franchisor”) to initiate Electronic Funds Transfer (“EFT”) charges to my (our) bank account (indicated below) for payment of fees owed by me (us) to Franchisor.
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 8
You must acquire computers, mobile smart devices, smart processors in hardware including point of sale devices, software and related hardware, accounting systems and a payroll system, and systems to access the Internet and to communicate remotely, all as we specify (collectively, the “Computer Systems”), at a cost…
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We may have independent access to the information required in our reports, and to information generated and stored in your Computer Systems, without limitation.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesFranchise agreement
You and your employees must complete, within the timeframe we specify and to our satisfaction, any initial, additional, or advanced training we may reasonably require.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesItem 11
You will attend and successfully complete all ongoing or supplementary training programs and conferences in the operation of a Franchised Business as we may require.
The filing answers no to 5 questions
- Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?Item 8
- Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?Franchise agreement
- Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?Item 8
- Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Franchise agreement
- Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?Franchise agreement
The vendor opportunity at GradePower Learning
GradePower Learning operates 153 franchised tutoring centers, all of which run on a tightly controlled, proprietary technology stack mandated by the franchisor. For software vendors, this represents a single-point-of-sale opportunity: convince the corporate leadership team in Ontario, and you gain access to every location in the system. The 2026 FDD does not disclose average unit volume, so vendors will need to model revenue potential based on the 12% royalty rate and the education sector's typical per-student economics. With no company-owned units reported, the entire addressable market consists of independent franchisees who must comply with HQ's technology directives.
Who controls software purchasing
The buying center sits at the corporate level. The FDD identifies Robert Nicholas Whitehead as CEO, Joshua Cadoch as President, Lynne Killinger as CFO, and Martin Robertson as Director of Operations. Jessica Ferstera handles franchise development and may serve as a gatekeeper for vendor inquiries. Because the franchisor mandates specific systems, any software that touches operations, student management, or curriculum delivery will require approval from this group. There is no parent company on file, suggesting decisions are made internally without external private equity or conglomerate influence.
Mandated and current tech stack
GradePower Learning requires franchisees to use three proprietary systems: the GradePower Learning education system, an online/module system, and an online management information system. These are described as mandatory in the FDD, meaning franchisees cannot substitute third-party alternatives for core instructional or administrative functions. The document does not name any third-party POS, CRM, payroll, or scheduling vendors, which may indicate either that those functions are embedded in the proprietary stack or that they remain open for franchisee choice. Vendors offering complementary tools that integrate with mandated systems should position themselves as enhancing, rather than replacing, the existing tech foundation.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
The FDD does not include an Item 8 extract detailing procurement rules, so the specific supplier approval process is not publicly documented. Vendors should ask directly whether GradePower Learning uses a designated supplier model or maintains an approved vendor list. On timing, the franchise agreement runs for a 10-year initial term, with renewal conditioned on modernizing equipment every five years and again three months before renewal. These modernization requirements create natural evaluation windows where new software could be considered. Renewals also require franchisees to meet "then-current standards for new franchisees," which may include updated technology mandates that vendors can help fulfill.
How to read the GradePower Learning FDD
The 2026 FDD is embedded below for full review. Key sections for software vendors include Item 11 (franchisor's obligations), which details the mandated proprietary systems, and Item 17 (renewal, termination, transfer), which outlines the modernization triggers that can open technology buying cycles. Item 1 lists the executive team you will need to engage. Because no operator footprint is mapped in our corpus, the FDD remains the primary source for understanding unit locations and ownership structure. For a ranked target list of franchise systems that match your software category, FranCloud can help prioritize your outreach based on tech mandates, decision-maker concentration, and unit growth signals.
Questions vendors ask
GradePower Learning, answered from the filing
The executive team controls purchasing. The 2026 FDD lists Robert Nicholas Whitehead (CEO), Joshua Cadoch (President), Lynne Killinger (CFO), and Martin Robertson (Director of Operations) as key decision-makers.
Franchisees must use three proprietary systems: the GradePower Learning education system, an online/module system, and an online management information system. No third-party POS or operational vendors are named in the FDD.
The 2026 FDD reports 153 total units, all of which are franchised. The document does not disclose a state-by-state breakdown or the number of company-owned locations.
The FDD does not include an Item 8 extract detailing procurement restrictions. Vendors should clarify during discovery whether the franchisor uses a designated supplier, approved supplier, or open procurement model.
With a 10-year initial term and renewal cycle, contract windows may align with franchise agreement lifecycles. Renewal requires modernization of equipment every five years, which could trigger technology evaluation periods.
The 2026 FDD was filed with state franchise regulators. You can review the full document using the embedded PDF viewer below to analyze tech mandates, executive contacts, and unit economics directly from the source.
Source
Read the filing itself
Every number on this page traces back to this document. Read it in full, page by page. Buy the original PDF to download, search, and annotate it.
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FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
We’ll email you the moment GradePower Learning files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
4 operators run 4 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit4
Top states by locations
| WI | 1 |
|---|---|
| FL | 1 |
| ID | 1 |
| TX | 1 |
Ownership
The portfolio behind GradePower Learning
unknown of brightfutures 1.
Related Education brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.