FacebookMeta
Mandatorys. (Franchise Agreement, Section 7.3). You must disclose to us all social media accounts which you set up and follow all requirements set forth in the Brand Guidebook. The primary Facebook business pa
From the filings
HQ-led decisions
The Salon Professional Academy
EducationSoftware purchasing at The Salon Professional Academy is controlled at the headquarters level, with Co-CEO/CFO Jodi Brown and COO Heather Kelts as key operational decision-makers. The franchise mandates QuickBooks and SSTA Management across its 34-unit system. With an average unit volume of $1,875,313 and a fully franchised footprint concentrated in Texas and Michigan, vendors face a small but premium addressable market.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
34
34 franchised
Unit growth YoY
-5.556%
vs prior filing
AUV
$1.88M
Item 19, 2023
Royalty
6%
of gross sales
Ad fund
2%
national + local
Initial fee
$49K
per unit
Investment range
$1.03M–$2.02M
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
Non-compete
2 years
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.
8%of gross sales (FY2025)
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.
QuickBooksIntuit
y two years. (Franchise 6615\FDD-NY-2025-2025_1003.docx 04.08.202513:47\04.04.202517:37 29 Agreement, Section 4.9). We estimate the initial cost to maintain, upgrade and/or update QuickBooks will be b
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
26 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 2 explicit no's; 6 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?
YesItem 11
supply you with a standardized chart of accounts and designate Software that you must acquire (Franchise Agreement, Section 2.4);
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We have the right to independently access and retrieve any data and information from your Computer System.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Within 30 days after the end of each of its fiscal quarters, Franchisee shall submit to Franchisor an interim quarterly balance sheet and income statement prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
Our affiliate Fuel Productions, LLC is an
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 8
We may revoke a supplier’s authorization at any time.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
202756Item 8
Our revenues from required purchases or leases in 2024 was approximately $202,756.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesFranchise agreement
Suppliers that provide Franchisee with products or services may pay Franchisor rebates, or provide it with other benefits, based on franchisees’ purchases of those products and services.
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?
75Item 8
After you open, the cost of all purchases and leases that we require (including from designated sources or according to our specifications) is estimated to represent approximately 75-80% of your total purchases in relation with the operation your Franchised Business.
Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
YesFranchise agreement
However, if Franchisor does do so, Franchisee or the prospective supplier must pay a charge not to exceed the reasonable cost of evaluating the supplier, its goods or services, and the actual cost of testing any goods or services.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
If you want to use products or services from a supplier or source that has not been previously approved by us, you (or the supplier) must first submit a written request to us for our approval.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall also immediately cease using any telephone and internet listings and any related numbers or contact information for the Franchised Business used at any time before such expiration or termination.
Data and IT
Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
Your Computer System must comply with US Department of Education Cybersecurity requirements as described on the following government website: https://fsapartners.ed.gov/title-iv-program-eligibility/cybersecurity.
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
At any reasonable times during the Term, and during the three-year period beginning on the expiration or sooner termination of this Agreement, and at Franchisor’s expense, Franchisor and its representatives may examine and copy Franchisee’s books and records, as well as inspect all cash-control devices and systems…
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor may periodically revise and change the contents of the Manuals; provided, that such changes will not modify the Royalty Fee.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 12
Your franchise is granted for a specific location that you select and we approve if acceptable.
Marketing
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall spend during each month a minimum of 2% of each immediately prior month’s Gross Revenues on Advertising.
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
Franchisee shall spend during each month a minimum of 2% of each immediately prior month’s Gross Revenues on Advertising.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
To the extent we may periodically require, you must purchase or lease equipment, supplies, advertising materials, various printed goods, training materials and other products and services used to operate your Franchised Business according to our standards and specifications and solely from suppliers, including…
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall purchase or lease equipment, supplies, inventory, advertising or marketing materials, and any other products and services used to operate the Franchised Business solely from suppliers, including Designated Brand Manufacturers and other manufacturers, Franchisor authorizes
Payments
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesFranchise agreement
All required payments by Franchisee to Franchisor or to any of its affiliates must be effectuated by a payment system using pre-authorized transfers from Franchisee’s operating account through the use of electronic fund transfers, or by any other payment system designated by Franchisor (the “Payment System”).
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesItem 15
Your Franchised Business must be supervised by an operations director (your “Operations Director”).
Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
ensure that all of Franchisee’s employees and students, when at the Premises, wear the distinctive school uniforms or other approved attire, if any, as specified by Franchisor
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
To operate your Franchised Business, you must obtain and use a Computer System according to our specifications.
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We have the right to independently access and retrieve any data and information from your Computer System.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor may also offer refresher, advanced or additional programs and seminars over and above the Regular Training (“Advanced or Refresher Training,” and collectively with the Regular Training, “Post-Opening Training”).
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesFranchise agreement
Without limitation, the Franchise Owner, Operations Director and any other person Franchisor designates must, unless waived in writing by Franchisor, attend any annual franchise convention that Franchisor offers.
The filing answers no to 2 questions
- Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?Item 11
- Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11
The vendor opportunity at The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy operates 34 franchised locations, all owned by single-unit operators. The system generated an average unit volume of $1,875,313, according to the 2025 FDD. Unit count contracted by 5.6% year-over-year, signaling a consolidating footprint rather than an expanding one. For software vendors, this is a small, premium target: 34 units with above-average revenue per location in the beauty education segment. The operator base is concentrated in Texas (5 units), Michigan (3), Virginia (2), Indiana (2), and New York (2), with the remaining units dispersed across other states. No multi-unit operators exist in the system, meaning every sale is a single-decision, single-location deal. The franchisor appears independently owned, with no parent company on file.
Who controls software purchasing
Headquarters controls the technology mandate. The FDD lists Samuel Shimer as Chair of the Board of Managers, with Co-CEOs Jodi Brown (also CFO and Treasurer) and Jill Krahn (also EVP-Franchise Sales and Secretary) sharing executive leadership. Anthony Civitano serves as Vice Chair and President, and Heather Kelts is Chief Operating Officer. No chief information or technology officer is named, placing the software evaluation burden on the Co-CEO/CFO and COO. Vendors should direct outreach to Jodi Brown for financial and operational systems and Heather Kelts for academy-level operational tools. The absence of a dedicated IT executive suggests a lean HQ where purchasing decisions may be made by the same small team that manages finance and operations.
Mandated and current tech stack
The 2025 FDD mandates two systems: QuickBooks by Intuit Inc. for accounting and SSTA Management for operational management. SSTA Management is a student salon and spa management platform, indicating the franchisor standardizes clinic operations and point-of-sale functions through this vendor. No other mandated software is disclosed. The mandate creates a clear wedge for complementary tools that integrate with QuickBooks and SSTA Management—think scheduling, payroll, or marketing automation that sits alongside the required stack without displacing it. Vendors offering replacements for either mandated system face a high barrier, as the franchisor has codified these requirements.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
Item 8 of the FDD contains no extract, leaving the procurement model undisclosed. It is unknown whether the franchisor designates suppliers, maintains an approved vendor list, or allows franchisees to choose freely. This opacity means vendors must test the waters directly with HQ to understand the path to system-wide adoption. Renewal terms run 15 years, and franchisees must sign a Successor Franchise Agreement that may include increased royalty and technology fees. The franchisor can require renovation, equipment replacement, and a release of claims. With only 34 units and negative recent growth, renewal-triggered technology evaluations will be rare. The more practical entry point is likely a direct pitch to HQ for a system-wide endorsement or mandate expansion.
How to read the The Salon Professional Academy FDD
The 2025 FDD is embedded below. Focus on Item 11 for the full technology mandate language, Item 17 for renewal conditions that may trigger software re-evaluation, and Item 1 for the executive team. Item 8, while empty in our extract, should be reviewed in the full document for any supplier restrictions. The operator footprint in Item 20 confirms the single-unit nature of the system and the geographic concentration. For vendors building a ranked target list, FranCloud can map these 34 locations against your ideal customer profile and identify the highest-propensity units to pitch.
Questions vendors ask
The Salon Professional Academy, answered from the filing
The buying center includes Co-CEO/CFO Jodi Brown and COO Heather Kelts. The FDD lists no dedicated CIO, so operational and financial leadership likely evaluate and approve software.
The 2025 FDD mandates QuickBooks by Intuit Inc. for accounting and SSTA Management for operational management. No other mandated systems are disclosed.
There are 34 total units, all franchised. The system is entirely single-unit operators, with no multi-unit owners on file. Unit count declined 5.6% year-over-year.
The procurement model is not disclosed in the most recent FDD. Item 8 contains no extract, so it is unclear whether the franchisor designates, approves, or leaves supplier selection open.
Renewal terms are 15 years, requiring a Successor Franchise Agreement that may include increased royalty and technology fees. With 34 units and recent negative growth, renewal-driven opportunities will be infrequent.
The 2025 FDD is filed with state franchise regulators. You can review the full document in the embedded PDF viewer below for detailed Item 11 tech mandates and Item 17 renewal conditions.
Source
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Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
32 operators run 32 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit32
Top states by locations
| TX | 5 |
|---|---|
| MI | 3 |
| VA | 2 |
| IN | 2 |
| NY | 2 |
Related Education brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.