QuickBooks OnlineIntuit
Mandatoryre not income to us. We will have the right to expend the funds accumulated in the Brand Fund in our sole discretion. 4) We require you to use our approved software, RBM Velocity, Quickbooks Online Pl
From the filings
HQ-led decisions
RunningBoards Marketing
Professional servicesRunningBoards Marketing is a 14-unit professional-services franchise based in New York, 13 franchised and 1 company-owned. President and CEO Richard C. "Calvin" McNeely III leads the HQ team, and the 2022 FDD mandates QuickBooks Online for every franchisee.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
14
13 franchised
Unit growth YoY
—
vs prior filing
AUV
—
Item 19, 2022
Royalty
6%
of gross sales
Ad fund
1%
national + local
Initial fee
$40K
per unit
Investment range
$87K–$289K
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.
7%of gross sales (FY2022)
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.
FacebookMeta
ower in accordance with the rules of the cooperative as we may determine in our sole discretion. You may wish to use Social Media Platforms (defined as web based platforms such as Facebook, Instagram,
GeotabGeotab
rson, and you want them to have their own instance. c) Additional DAV: There will be an addition to the Software Fee for each additional DAV leased or purchased. This fee includes GeoTab, Assured Tele
InstagramMeta
cordance with the rules of the cooperative as we may determine in our sole discretion. You may wish to use Social Media Platforms (defined as web based platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,
LinkedInLinkedIn
e cooperative as we may determine in our sole discretion. You may wish to use Social Media Platforms (defined as web based platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, blogs and
SalesforceSalesforce
e, RBM Velocity, Quickbooks Online Plus, Adobe Photoshop, Google Suite and any proprietary software we require. The Software/Technology Fee is for on (1) license for RBM Velocity, Salesforce Maps, Par
TwitterX
th the rules of the cooperative as we may determine in our sole discretion. You may wish to use Social Media Platforms (defined as web based platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Li
Whip AroundWhip Around
ave their own instance. c) Additional DAV: There will be an addition to the Software Fee for each additional DAV leased or purchased. This fee includes GeoTab, Assured Telematics, Whip Around, and Xib
YouTubeGoogle
advertising with other Runningboards Marketing franchisees in your area, with our prior written approval. You may not maintain any business profile on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or any other
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
22 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 5 explicit no's; 7 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We reserve the right to have independent access to your sales information and customer data generated by and stored in your system.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall generate a profit and loss statement monthly based on the Franchisor’s required format and process as specified in the Operations Manual.
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
Our affiliate, RBM Manufacturing Corp., is currently the only approved supplier to modify and equip your vehicle.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 17
Modification of the agreement Sections 9.4, 14.6, No oral modifications generally, but we may 19.1.4 and 22.4 change the Operations Manual and System standards at any time.
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?
35Item 8
approximately thirty five to forty five percent (35% to 45%) of the purchases and leases required for ongoing operations
Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
YesItem 6
We will charge you $500 for our review and evaluation, plus our actual cost of any testing.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
If you would like us to consider another item or supplier, you must make such request in writing to us and have the supplier give us samples of its product or service and such other information that we may require.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee, at the option of Franchisor, shall assign to Franchisor all rights to the telephone numbers of the Franchised Business and any related public directory listing or other business listings and execute all forms and documents required by Franchisor and any telephone company at any time, to transfer such…
Data and IT
Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee is solely responsible for maintaining the security and integrity of the computer and payment processing systems used in the Franchised Business and the customer and other data stored therein.
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 11
conduct inspections of your Franchised Business, at the frequency and duration that we deem advisable.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 17
Modification of the agreement Sections 9.4, 14.6, No oral modifications generally, but we may 19.1.4 and 22.4 change the Operations Manual and System standards at any time.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 12
If you wish to relocate, you must identify a new location for the Franchised Business that meets our approval, in accordance with our then-current site selection procedures, within 90 days.
Marketing
Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall not establish any website or other listing on the Internet except as provided and specifically permitted herein.
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesItem 6
During the first ninety (90) days after opening the Franchised Business, you must spend a minimum of $4,500 on Grand Opening marketing activities, including a ribbon cutting ceremony and market introduction.
Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?
YesItem 11
If a cooperative is established during the term of your Franchise Agreement, you must sign all documents we request and become a member of the cooperative according to the terms of the documents.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
You must purchase all items outlined in the Operations Manual, and any equipment or materials bearing the Marks in accordance with our specifications.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
You must purchase all items outlined in the Operations Manual, and any equipment or materials bearing the Marks in accordance with our specifications.
Payments
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall pay the Royalty and Brand Fund payment, as defined and more particularly described in Article 13, directly to the Franchisor via ACH on the same day they submit Gross Revenue Reports for the week.
Point of sale
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We reserve the right to have independent access to your sales information and customer data generated by and stored in your system.
Sales and CRM
Must the franchisee use a CRM system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
RBM Velocity is a software owned by us, that you will use to handle your Customer Relationship Management (CRM), sales process, advertising schedule and publishing media to their Digital Advertising Vehicle.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 6
If we provide you with additional training, we reserve the right to charge you for such training.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesItem 11
If we require it, you must attend mandatory training programs that we offer for up to five (5) days each year, and an annual conference or national business meeting for up to three (3) days each year, at a location we designate.
The filing answers no to 5 questions
- Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?
- Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?Item 11
- Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?Item 8
- Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?Item 11
- Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?Franchise agreement
The vendor opportunity at RunningBoards Marketing
RunningBoards Marketing is a 14-unit professional-services franchise based in New York, 13 franchised and 1 company-owned, on a 6% royalty and a 10-year term per the 2022 FDD. The filing makes no financial performance representation. It is a small system, but one with a franchise-wide software mandate already in place.
Who controls software purchasing
Item 2 names President and CEO Richard C. "Calvin" McNeely III and Co-Founder/EVP Zachariah J. Yelle. With QuickBooks Online mandated for every franchisee, HQ — not individual operators — sets the baseline tech stack.
Tech named in the FDD, and what is actually required
Item 6 makes QuickBooks Online by Intuit mandatory for every franchisee. Facebook, Geotab, Instagram, LinkedIn, Salesforce, Twitter by X, and Whip Around are all named in the same item without being required.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
Item 8 runs an approved-supplier list: franchisees must buy from suppliers the franchisor designates, or items meeting its specifications, from written lists kept in the Operations Manual, and can request approval for new products or suppliers. The initial term runs 10 years, with a matching 10-year successor agreement for franchisees in good standing.
How to read the RunningBoards Marketing FDD
The FDD was filed with state franchise regulators in 2022. The embedded viewer below covers Item 8 for procurement, Item 6 for the QuickBooks Online mandate, and Item 19 for the financial performance disclosure. Talk to FranCloud for a ranked list of franchise systems like this one that fit your product.
Questions vendors ask
RunningBoards Marketing, answered from the filing
With QuickBooks Online mandated franchise-wide, HQ sets the tech baseline — President and CEO Richard C. "Calvin" McNeely III and Co-Founder/EVP Zachariah J. Yelle are the named executives to reach.
QuickBooks Online by Intuit is mandated under Item 6 — every franchisee must run it. Facebook, Geotab, Instagram, LinkedIn, Salesforce, Twitter by X, and Whip Around are all named in Item 6 without being required.
14 locations as of the 2022 FDD — 13 franchised and 1 company-owned — in the professional services segment.
An approved-supplier list: franchisees must buy from suppliers the franchisor designates, or items meeting its specifications, drawn from written lists in the Operations Manual, with room to request approval for new products or suppliers.
The initial term runs 10 years, with a matching 10-year successor agreement for franchisees in good standing — that renewal point is the clearest opening for a new vendor to get in.
The FDD was filed with state franchise regulators in 2022. Use the embedded viewer below to read Item 8, Item 6, and Item 19 directly.
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.
View only A one-time purchase: the original filing, yours to keep.
FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
We’ll email you the moment RunningBoards Marketing files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
1 operators run 1 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit1
Top states by locations
| WI | 1 |
|---|
Related Professional services brands
Primary franchise filings · updated September 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.