Coaching Matters, LLC Franchise Review (2026): Costs, Fees, Revenue Potential

• Category: Fundraising / B2B services
• Initial Investment: $79,550 to $84,027
• Franchise Fee: $60,000 for the first territory
• Royalty: 8% of gross sales
• Marketing / Ad Fee: 3% brand fund contribution if re-established
• Key additional recurring fees: Technology & Brand Marketing Fee of $750 to $3,250 based on number of territories
• Number of locations: 51 franchised outlets at year-end 2024
• Best Fit: The disclosure does not clearly establish whether this is best suited to owner-operators or semi-absentee owners

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The estimated initial investment ranges from $79,550 to $84,027, which places this in a relatively low startup band compared with concepts that require real estate buildout or heavy equipment. The largest identified upfront cost is the $60,000 initial franchise fee for the first territory.

The disclosure also shows declining franchise fees for additional territories: $55,000 for the second, $50,000 for the third, $45,000 for the fourth, $40,000 for the fifth, and $35,000 each for the sixth through tenth territories. That means expansion can materially increase total capital required even if the first-territory entry point is modest.

Another startup cost driver appears to be the Technology & Brand Marketing Fee, which starts at $750 for one territory and rises with territory count. The disclosure states that the initial franchise fee, training fee, and technology and brand marketing fee are not refundable.

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• Royalty fee: 8% of gross sales
• Brand fund contribution: 3% if re-established
• Technology & Brand Marketing Fee: $750 for 1 territory, $1,250 for 2, $1,500 for 3, $1,750 for 4, $2,000 for 5, $2,250 for 6, $2,500 for 7, $2,750 for 8, $3,000 for 9, and $3,250 for 10

Overall, the recurring fee load is moderate. The main burden comes from the 8% royalty on gross sales, with the potential for an additional 3% brand fund contribution, plus a territory-based technology and marketing charge that adds fixed overhead as territory count increases.

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Yes, the FDD includes Item 19 financial performance data, but it is presented as gross sales, not profit. The disclosure expressly states that these figures do not reflect cost of sales, operating expenses, or other expenses that must be deducted to obtain net income or profit.

The Item 19 sample includes 29 franchisee-owned outlets that had been operating for a full year as of December 31, 2024. It excludes 22 franchisee-owned outlets that had been open for less than one year. The disclosure does not clearly establish whether the figures are audited.

Single-territory owners

| Tier | Franchisees | Average Gross Sales | Median Gross Sales | Range | |---|---:|---:|---:|---:| | Upper third | 4 | $1,304,117 | $1,887,544 | $1,117,842 to $1,636,308 | | Middle third | 4 | $859,063 | $1,303,286 | $744,749 to $979,840 | | Lower third | 5 | $375,445 | $413,677 | $149,904 to $634,584 |

Additional operating metrics for single-territory owners:

• Average fundraisers operated: 150 upper third, 109 middle third, 40 lower third
• Average fundraiser sale: $9,269 upper third, $7,956 middle third, $8,946 lower third
• Highest average fundraiser sale in tier: $12,268 upper third, $8,877 middle third, $11,973 lower third
• Lowest average fundraiser sale in tier: $6,761 upper third, $6,770 middle third, $6,517 lower third

Multi-territory owners

| Tier | Franchisees | Average Gross Sales | Median Gross Sales | Range | |---|---:|---:|---:|---:| | Upper third | 2 | $1,364,724 | $1,364,724 | $1,178,371 to $1,551,007 | | Middle third | 2 | $1,113,724 | $1,113,724 | $1,023,667 to $1,203,780 | | Lower third | 2 | $395,900 | $395,900 | $383,167 to $408,633 |

Additional operating metrics for multi-territory owners:

• Average fundraisers operated: 159 upper third, 93 middle third, 40 lower third
• Average fundraiser sale: $8,569 upper third, $12,035 middle third, $9,897 lower third
• Highest average fundraiser sale in tier: $9,177 upper third, $12,943 middle third, $10,215 lower third
• Lowest average fundraiser sale in tier: $7,961 upper third, $11,126 middle third, $9,579 lower third

What the numbers suggest

The gross sales spread is wide. For single-territory owners, the lowest disclosed result is $149,904 and the highest is $1,636,308. That indicates meaningful variability in execution, territory performance, or both.

The tables also suggest that volume of fundraisers operated matters. In both single- and multi-territory groups, higher-performing tiers operated substantially more fundraisers than lower-performing tiers.

The disclosure also provides average cost of goods sold by product category:

• $30 products and donation-based fundraisers: 70.91%
• Products priced under $30: 72.20%

That is important because even before royalties, brand fund contributions, labor, travel, and other operating expenses, a large share of gross sales may be absorbed by product costs. Revenue should therefore not be treated as profit.

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• B2B or B2C: B2B
• Revenue pattern: Appears transaction-driven and recurring only to the extent the franchisee repeatedly runs fundraising campaigns
• Key operational characteristics: Territory-based model, fundraising program execution, technology/brand marketing fee, and no clear indication of a required storefront or heavy equipment base

The model appears to depend on sourcing and managing fundraising activity within a protected territory. The disclosure indicates exclusive territory protection, which may help define market boundaries, but the owner involvement model is not clearly established.

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Advantages

• Initial investment is relatively modest at $79,550 to $84,027
• The FDD includes Item 19 gross sales data for 29 mature franchisee-owned outlets
• Exclusive territory protection is indicated
• The system reached 51 franchised outlets at year-end 2024

Considerations

• The $60,000 initial franchise fee is a large share of the total startup investment
• Ongoing fees can reach an effective 11% of gross sales when the 8% royalty and 3% brand fund contribution both apply, before fixed technology and marketing charges
• Gross sales vary substantially across operators, including a low disclosed single-territory result of $149,904
• Item 19 excludes 22 outlets open less than one year, so the data reflects more seasoned operators only
• Average cost of goods sold is high at roughly 71% to 72% for the disclosed product categories

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This franchise may fit someone looking for a territory-based B2B model with a lower initial capital requirement than a buildout-heavy concept, and who is comfortable with sales-driven operations tied to fundraising activity.

It likely does not fit someone seeking a passive ownership structure, a simple fixed-demand retail model, or a concept where gross sales convert cleanly into profit. The disclosure does not clearly establish whether semi-absentee ownership is practical.

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• Franchised outlet count declined from 59 to 51 in 2024
• The franchisor states it does not own or operate any businesses of the type franchisees will operate
• Litigation is indicated in Item 1
• The franchise term is 10 years, which creates a long contractual commitment
• Arbitration is to take place where the franchisor’s headquarters is located, subject to applicable state law

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Coaching Matters, LLC presents a tradeoff between a relatively low entry cost and a revenue model that appears highly variable across operators. The main question is not whether gross sales can be high in some cases, but whether a given franchisee can generate enough fundraiser volume to cover high product costs, royalties, possible ad contributions, and operating expenses.

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