Payroll Vault Franchising

The vendor opportunity at Payroll Vault

Payroll Vault Franchising operates 61 total units—60 franchised and one company-owned—with a footprint concentrated in Colorado (8), California (7), Texas (6), Michigan (5), and Florida (5). The system grew 11.1% year-over-year, adding new locations that each need the mandated tech stack from day one. For software vendors, the immediate addressable market is 61 locations, but the growth trajectory and the 10-year renewal structure mean every unit will revisit its tech commitments on a predictable cycle.

The franchisor does not disclose average unit volume in its 2025 FDD, so revenue-based sizing is unavailable. However, the royalty rate is 6.0% on gross revenue, and the initial franchise term is five years. With 95 mapped operators and zero multi-unit franchisees, every location is independently owned. That single-unit operator profile means HQ exerts strong control over technology decisions, and vendors sell into the franchisor, not a fragmented base of large franchisees.

Who controls software purchasing

Software purchasing authority sits at the corporate level. The 2025 FDD lists R. Sean Manning as Founder and Managing Member, but day-to-day operational and technology decisions are driven by Co-Founder and CEO Tricia Petteys and VP of Sales and Client Business Development Tim Loehfelm. CMO Jessica Martin oversees marketing, communications, and public relations, making her the likely buyer for marketing automation, analytics, or customer engagement platforms. VP of Operations Training & Support Heather Boemker is the gatekeeper for tools that touch franchisee onboarding and support workflows.

No CIO, CTO, or VP of Technology appears in the FDD, which is consistent with a 61-unit franchisor where technology selection is handled by the executive team rather than a dedicated IT function. Vendors should start conversations with Petteys or Loehfelm for core operational software and with Martin for anything that touches lead generation, brand, or franchise development.

Mandated and current tech stack

The 2025 FDD mandates four categories of software: CRM software, iSolved, payroll software, and QuickBooks Online by Intuit Inc. iSolved is the named HR and payroll platform, and QuickBooks Online handles accounting. The FDD does not name a specific CRM vendor, only that CRM software is required, which creates an opening for vendors in that category. The generic “payroll software” mandate likely overlaps with iSolved, but the separate listing suggests franchisees may have flexibility to run additional payroll tools alongside the core system.

Because the FDD does not disclose a point-of-sale system, vendors selling POS, scheduling, time-tracking, or benefits administration should note that these categories are not mandated and may be open for recommendation. The absence of a named CRM vendor is the most actionable gap in the current stack.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

Item 8 of the 2025 FDD contains no extract on procurement, meaning the franchisor does not publish a designated supplier list or approved-vendor program. In practice, this likely means Payroll Vault mandates specific software categories and named systems but does not restrict franchisees from purchasing through a single channel. Vendors can engage HQ for an endorsement and then sell directly to franchisees.

The initial franchise term is five years, and Item 17 provides for two additional 10-year renewal terms, called “Successor Franchise Rights Terms,” if all obligations are met. Additional renewals beyond those two 10-year terms are by mutual agreement. This structure means every franchisee will face at least two major renewal events over a 25-year horizon, and each event is a natural trigger for software evaluation. With 11.1% unit growth, new-unit openings provide a parallel entry point that does not require waiting for a renewal cycle.

How to read the Payroll Vault FDD

The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document is the authoritative source for the facts in this profile. Item 1 lists the executives who control purchasing. Item 11 details the mandated technology stack. Item 17 defines the renewal terms that create software evaluation windows. The embedded PDF viewer below contains the full FDD text. For software vendors, the most valuable sections are Items 1, 8, 11, and 17—read those first to understand who buys, how they buy, what they require, and when they are most likely to switch.

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