From the filings
Software purchasing at Sit Still Kids Salon is controlled at the corporate level, with executives like CEO Stephanie Knepp and Head of Marketing Azalia Duran shaping technology decisions. The franchise currently mandates a computer system across all 24 franchised locations, creating a concentrated addressable market for vendors. With a 41.2% year-over-year unit growth rate and a 10-year initial term, the system is expanding quickly, opening recurring procurement and renewal windows.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Ongoing fee load
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.
8%of gross sales (FY2025)
15% reference
Franchisor behaviours
31 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 2 explicit no's; 1 question 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
Franchisee shall use such customer data management, sales data management, administrative, bookkeeping, accounting, and inventory control procedures and systems as SSF may specify in the Manual or otherwise 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
Franchisee shall provide such periodic financial reports as SSF may require in the Manual or otherwise in writing, including without limitation the following: (i) a monthly profit and loss statement and balance sheet for the Business within 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter of SSF’s fiscal year, and (ii)…
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
As of the issuance date of this disclosure document, we and our affiliates are the only approved suppliers for certain proprietary and branded merchandise and certain multi- area marketing programs, such as Internet marketing, national accounts, co-branding programs, and loyalty programs.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesFranchise agreement
SSF may change any such requirement or change the status of any vendor.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
0Item 8
For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, our revenue from Franchisees’ required purchases or leases of equipment, supplies, etc. was $0, which was 0% of our total revenue.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
We and our affiliates may receive rebates, price adjustments, or discounts on products or services sold to you by recommended or approved suppliers.
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?
95Item 8
We estimate that of the total ongoing purchases and leases of goods and services that you must make to operate your business, approximately 95% of those purchases and leases are required to be made from us or our affiliates, or in another form that we specify or approve.
Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
YesItem 8
If you want to purchase any product of an unapproved brand, you must notify us, and we may charge you a processing and testing fee of $500 and/or may require you to reimburse any of our evaluation costs, including third party testing.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
However, if there are goods or services for which we have provided a list of approved (rather than mandated) suppliers, and if you want to use a supplier that is not on that list, then you must request our approval in writing.
Data and IT
Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must at all times comply with payment card industry data security standards (PCI-DSS).
Franchise management
Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall participate at its own expense in programs required from time to time by SSF for obtaining customer evaluations and/or reviewing Franchisee’s compliance with the System, which may include (but are not limited to) a customer feedback system, customer survey programs, and mystery shopping.
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
SSF may enter the premises of the Business from time to time during normal business hours and conduct an inspection.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 11
This Manual is confidential and remains our property, and we may modify it at any time.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
Your site is 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
Franchisee shall not conduct such marketing or commerce, nor establish any website, social media, or other Internet presence independently, except as SSF may specify, and only with SSF’s consent.
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesItem 11
In addition, you must spend at least $5,000 on a grand opening promotional campaign in compliance with our specifications and subject to our approval.
Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
YesItem 11
After you open, you must spend at least 4% of gross sales or $1,000per month, whichever is greater, on marketing and promotion in such media and such times as we approve.
Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?
YesFranchise agreement
At its own expense, Franchisee shall sell or otherwise issue gift cards, certificates, or other pre-paid systems, and participate in any customer loyalty programs or customer incentive programs, designated by SSF, in the manner specified by SSF in the Manual or otherwise in writing.
Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?
YesFranchise agreement
If a Market Cooperative for the geographic area encompassing the Location is established during the term of this Agreement, Franchisee shall become a member of such Market Cooperative within 30 days.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
You must purchase chairs, clothing, gifts, hair accessories, and hair products for resale, as well as your hair care supplies, from our designated suppliers.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
You must purchase chairs, clothing, gifts, hair accessories, and hair products for resale, as well as your hair care supplies, from our designated suppliers.
Payments
Must the franchisee use a payment processor or merchant-services provider designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must acquire, continually maintain, and annually upgrade those Computer Systems (including for accounting, inventory control, point of sales, Internet, payment processor, customer relationship management, business analytics, video conferencing, and security and video surveillance) as SSF may prescribe.
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must make all payments to SSF by the time specified in this Agreement, or if not specified, by the time SSF requests, and by any method SSF specifies, including check, cash, certified check, money order, credit or debit card, automatic pre- authorized payment plan, electronic funds transfer, ACH (automated…
Must the franchisee participate in a gift card program?
YesFranchise agreement
At its own expense, Franchisee shall sell or otherwise issue gift cards, certificates, or other pre-paid systems, and participate in any customer loyalty programs or customer incentive programs, designated by SSF, in the manner specified by SSF in the Manual or otherwise in writing.
People
Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall cause its personnel to comply with any dress attire, uniform, personal appearance and hygiene standards set forth in the Manual.
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 8
You may only use the Computer Systems and technology that we specify, and no other.
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.
Sales and CRM
Must the franchisee use a CRM system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must acquire, continually maintain, and annually upgrade those Computer Systems (including for accounting, inventory control, point of sales, Internet, payment processor, customer relationship management, business analytics, video conferencing, and security and video surveillance) as SSF may prescribe.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 6
The cost for all such training will be $2,000 per session, plus travel, food, and accommodations and all other necessary expenses, subject to reasonable increase by us.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesFranchise agreement
The Designated Owner and/or general manager shall attend all in- person meetings and remote meetings (such as telephone conference calls) that SSF requires, including any national or regional brand conventions.
Sit Still Kids Salon operates 24 franchised locations in the youth services segment, with no company-owned units disclosed in the 2025 FDD. The system reported an average unit volume (AUV) of $312,679 and a 41.2% year-over-year unit growth rate, signaling a rapidly expanding footprint. For software vendors, this means a small but fast-growing addressable market where every new location must adopt the mandated technology stack from day one. The franchise charges a 6.0% royalty and signs franchisees to a 10-year initial term, creating long, stable customer lifecycles for any integrated software.
Technology decisions at Sit Still Kids Salon are made at the corporate level. The FDD Item 1 lists five executives: Stephanie Knepp (Chief Executive Officer), Nhu Vo (Director), Hannah Gillihan (Director of Brand Support), Azalia Duran (Head of Marketing), and Amy Leclerc (Director). CEO Stephanie Knepp and Head of Marketing Azalia Duran are the most likely points of contact for software vendors pitching operational, marketing, or customer-experience platforms. Because the franchisor mandates a computer system, the buying center is centralized; franchisees do not independently select core operational software. Vendors should prepare to engage this small HQ team directly.
The 2025 FDD Item 11 mandates that franchisees use a Computer Systems solution. The available data does not name the specific vendor or platform, so it is not publicly clear whether the system is a point-of-sale, a salon-management platform, or a broader operational suite. Vendors selling complementary or replacement technology should investigate whether the current mandate covers booking, payments, inventory, or CRM. The absence of a named vendor in the extract may indicate the franchisor reserves the right to designate or change systems, which creates an opening for competitive displacement if the current solution underperforms.
The FDD does not include an Item 8 procurement extract, so the franchise’s supplier designation model—whether designated, approved, or open—is not disclosed. This gap means vendors must clarify procurement rules during initial conversations with HQ. On the renewal side, Item 17 provides a clear window: franchisees may obtain up to two additional 5-year successor terms, contingent on advance notice, a renewal fee, compliance, renovation to then-current standards, and signing the then-current franchise agreement (including a general release unless prohibited by law). These renewal triggers—especially the renovation requirement—often force technology upgrades or re-evaluations, creating natural sales cycles for software vendors every 5 to 10 years per unit.
The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document is the authoritative source for Sit Still Kids Salon’s technology mandates, executive roster, and contractual terms. The embedded PDF viewer below contains the full filing. Key sections for software vendors include Item 11 (mandated systems), Item 1 (executives and ownership), Item 8 (procurement restrictions, if present), and Item 17 (renewal and transfer conditions). Because the brand appears independently owned with no parent company on file, all decision-making authority rests with the HQ team listed above. For a ranked target list of franchise systems aligned with your software category, FranCloud can help you prioritize outreach.
Questions vendors ask
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FDD alert
We’ll email you the moment Sit Still Kids Salon files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
21 operators run 21 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Top states by locations
| TX | 3 |
|---|---|
| NY | 2 |
| AZ | 2 |
| OH | 2 |
| KY | 1 |
Ownership
unknown of sit still.
Related Youth services brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.