From the filings
Software purchasing at The Tutoring Center is controlled by its franchisor headquarters, with Dr. Edward Thalheimer listed as the agent for service of process in the 2024 FDD. The system mandates TrackVia for operational tech across all 82 franchised locations. With 69 mapped single-unit operators concentrated in Texas, this represents a small, centralized addressable market for vendors.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Franchisor behaviours
23 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 4 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 have the right to full independent access to your computer information such as sales, enrollment, student and operations information and data, and other information that we may need.
How the franchisor buys
Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?
YesItem 20
We created the following franchisee organization: The Tutoring Center Franchise Advisory Board (FAB) 3750 Long Beach Blvd, Suite 100 Long Beach, California 90807 ops1@tutoringcenter.com (562) 984-0830
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor has the unrestricted right to change or modify any elements of the System in response to or anticipation of changing market conditions, in an effort to improve the operation of the Center or for other reasons and purposes.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
294428.33Item 8
In our last fiscal year that ended December 31, 2023, we derived revenue from such sales in the amount of $294,428.33, representing approximately 14% of our total revenue of $2,147,559.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor and Franchisor Affiliates reserve the right to receive rebates, incentive amounts, discounts and other economic benefits from any supplier to the Centers and to earn a profit on any sale of Products or Services to you and or other Tutoring Centers.
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?
50Item 8
We estimate that required purchases/leases make up 50-70% of your total initial investment and 50-60% of your annual operating expenses.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesFranchise agreement
If Franchisee proposes to offer for sale or use at the Center any product or to use any service that is not then approved by Franchisor, or to purchase from a supplier not designated as an approved vendor, Franchisee shall first notify Franchisor in writing and request Franchisor’s consent to do so.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesItem 14
You assign all telephone numbers appearing under our trademarks to us and we keep them when you no longer are our franchisee.
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor, in its discretion, may at any time conduct a live Compliance Tour at the Center, with or without notice, or Franchisor can use the Computer Security System to conduct an Internet Compliance Tour, that will be done with no less than five (5) days prior written notice from Franchisor.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor reserves the right to prescribe, in writing, additions to, deletions from or revisions of, the Operations Manual.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall operate a single Center at one location approved by Franchisor in its sole discretion and identified in Schedule A (the “Approved Location”).
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, Internet directory listing or any other presence on the Internet relating to the Center or the Franchised Business or publish any information or statements using the Marks in any manner, including but not limited to social networks and related media, without the prior…
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesItem 11
Before opening, we require you to advertise the grand opening of your Center, and that you spend cumulatively between $4,500 and $7,500 on this advertising within the period that begins 30 days before you open and for 60 days after you open.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall purchase all designated Products and Services in accordance with the Approved Vendors and Supplies List.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
Currently, you must purchase certain equipment (including furniture, start up inventory, supplies, equipment, inside signage, and computer hardware and software) and teaching materials (including Student Workbooks and other materials) from us, our affiliate, or approved suppliers.
Payments
Must the franchisee use a payment processor or merchant-services provider designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 8
As of the date of this Disclosure Document, we have sole approved suppliers for interior wall signage, workflow management software, credit card processor, and for printers and printing services.
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesItem 6
The fees due under the Franchise Agreement will be autodrafted (withdrawn) directly by electronic funds transfer or otherwise from your bank checking account or credit card.
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesFranchise agreement
I. Designated Owner, Center Director and Head Instructor The Franchisee must have a “Designated Owner”.
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor shall have the right to require Franchisee to a) obtain, use and maintain computer systems, software, operating systems and databases, Internet technology, communications devices, Security Camera Systems, and other systems/items/equipment meeting Franchisor’s specifications and compatibility requirements…
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We have the right to full independent access to your computer information such as sales, enrollment, student and operations information and data, and other information that we may need.
Sales and CRM
Must the franchisee use a CRM system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor shall have the right to require Franchisee to a) obtain, use and maintain computer systems, software, operating systems and databases, Internet technology, communications devices, Security Camera Systems, and other systems/items/equipment meeting Franchisor’s specifications and compatibility requirements…
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 11
We may, in our sole discretion, require that you attend a refresher training programs at our corporate training facility in Long Beach, California, or at another location we designate.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor reserves the right to hold an annual or periodic convention, the attendance at which shall be mandatory for all franchisees.
The Tutoring Center operates a small, fully franchised network of 82 locations. The 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document shows a year-over-year unit decline of 3.529%, with no company-owned units on file. For software vendors, the addressable market is capped at these 82 units, which are run by 69 mapped operators. No multi-unit operators exist in the system; every mapped franchisee controls a single location. This fragmentation means any sale will likely require buy-in from both the franchisor and individual operators, though the franchisor’s mandate power is the primary lever.
The geographic concentration is notable: 33 units are in Texas, followed by 7 in South Carolina, 6 in New Jersey, 5 in Florida, and 2 in California. The brand is headquartered in California and appears independently owned, with no parent company on file.
Control sits at the headquarters level. The FDD’s Item 1 lists Dr. Edward Thalheimer as the agent for service of process, making him the primary executive contact on record. No chief information officer, chief technology officer, or VP of technology is named in the disclosure. For a vendor, the path to a pilot or system-wide deal starts with this centralized leadership. The absence of a named technology buyer suggests a lean corporate structure where the top executive is directly involved in operational decisions, including software mandates.
The 2024 FDD mandates TrackVia, a low-code operational workflow platform. This is the only named technology vendor in the disclosure. No point-of-sale system, learning management system, scheduling tool, or accounting platform is specified. This creates a clear wedge for complementary software: if TrackVia handles custom workflows, there may be gaps in dedicated education management, billing, or parent communication tools. However, any vendor must be prepared to integrate with or operate alongside the mandated TrackVia instance.
Procurement rules are not detailed in the FDD. The Item 8 extract, which typically outlines designated or approved supplier requirements, is absent from the filing. This means the franchisor’s ability to compel technology adoption is not publicly defined, though the TrackVia mandate demonstrates they exercise this power in practice.
Contract timing is tied to the franchise lifecycle. The initial term is 10 years. Renewals are for 5 years and require the franchisee to not be in default, to comply with current specifications and standards, to maintain their leased premises, to meet qualification and training requirements, to provide 90 to 180 days’ written notice, to be current on all financial obligations, to sign the then-current franchise agreement, to pay a $5,000 renewal fee (subject to inflation adjustment), and to provide a General Release. With negative unit growth and no multi-unit operators, renewal-driven technology refresh cycles are likely infrequent. Vendors should focus on the franchisor’s strategic initiatives rather than a predictable renewal calendar.
The full 2024 FDD is embedded below. Review Item 1 for the franchisor’s background and executive contacts, Item 7 for the estimated initial investment, Item 11 for the franchisor’s obligations around technology and support, and Item 17 for renewal and termination provisions. The absence of an Item 8 procurement disclosure is itself a signal: the franchisor retains flexibility in how it directs supplier relationships. For a ranked target list of franchise systems that match your software category, FranCloud can help you prioritize based on unit counts, tech mandates, and decision-maker access.
Questions vendors ask
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FDD alert
We’ll email you the moment The Tutoring Center files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
68 operators run 69 mapped locations. 1 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Top states by locations
| TX | 33 |
|---|---|
| SC | 7 |
| NJ | 6 |
| FL | 5 |
| CA | 2 |
Related Education brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.