Breakaway BA Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $11K – $35K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Breakaway is a financial services franchise offering fractional bookkeeping, controller, and CFO services to small and midsize businesses. Franchisees run local practices, building client accounts and managing service delivery teams.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Breakaway BA franchise requires a total initial investment of $11K – $35K and an ongoing 25.0% royalty[2]. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. FranchiseVerdict grade: C (Average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: medium - issued 12 to 24 months ago; a newer filing is likely on file
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored3 of 3 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $11K – $35K
- 2nd pct Financial Ser…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 25.0%
- 61st pct Financial Ser…
- Units
- 39
- 34th pct Financial Ser…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Financial Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Financial Services median · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $11K – $35K, 25.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- RISKVerdict C (Average), verdict score 45/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHPositive: net +17 franchised outlets in the latest year (19 opened, 2 closed) (Item 20).
- FLAGAuditor disclosed a going-concern note, which flagged doubt about the franchisor's ability to continue operations. Verify against the latest FDD.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- BREAKAWAY BA, LLC
- Parent company
- BREAKAWAY BOOKKEEPING & ADVISING, LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 6 of the 2025 FDD
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer (Co-Founder)
- Shea Keats
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- OR
- HQ
- 22467 SW Ash St., Sherwood, Oregon 97140
- Auditor
- Fordham & Co LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $2.8M
- vs $2.0M prior year
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
- ⚠ Going-concern note
- Disclosed in FDD 2025
- Auditor flagged doubt about continued operations. Verify against the latest FDD before deciding.
Overview
About
- CEO
- Shea Keats
- Headquarters
- OR
- Founded
- 2020
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 17
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 76% below the typical financial services franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown9 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Feenot refundable | — | — | |
| Rent, Utilities, and Security Deposit - 3 monthsnot refundable | $0 | $5K | |
| Equipment, Fixtures, Furnishings, Computer Hardware and Software, and Suppliesnot refundable | $3K | $10K | |
| Initial Advertisingnot refundable | $0 | $3K | |
| Licenses and Permitsnot refundable | $1K | $2K | |
| Professional Feesnot refundable | $1K | $2K | |
| Additional Insurance (Annually)not refundable | $500 | $3K | |
| Miscellaneous Opening Costsnot refundable | $0 | $1K | |
| Additional Funds - 3 monthsnot refundable | $5K | $10K | |
| Total initial investment | $11K | $35K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $11K – $35K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $5K – $10K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- N/A
- Paid to franchisor at signing
- Royalty
- 25.0%
- Tiered by sales volume · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- No advertising fund. Franchisor does not require franchis…
- Total fee load
- 25.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 25.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $75 |
| Transfer fee | $3K |
| Renewal fee | $0 |
| Total fee load | 25.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Breakaway BA makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Breakaway BA unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, ad fund rate, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 25.0% — above the Financial Services median of 16.5%.
Disclosure
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator retention
System expanding at 126.7% CAGR over 3 years across 39 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Financial Services medians
How Breakaway BA Compares
Category median of published Financial Services brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 39
- Opened
- 19
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 2
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 5.1%
- Company-owned
- 5
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 87%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +126.7%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +126.7%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Projected new
- 20
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Ceased ops
- 5.1%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 17 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
17
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
Fast growth in a small system. Newer franchisors expanding quickly may not yet have the support infrastructure of larger systems.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
The auditor flagged going-concern doubt (Item 21) — the single biggest risk here.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Early-stage franchise with aggressive growth metrics, opaque financials, high royalty rates, and no territory protection presents elevated risk for franchisee profitability despite low entry cost.
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation required to be disclosed
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Fordham & Co LLP⚠ Going-concern note flagged
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Item 21 references audited financial statements as of Dec 31 2022/2023/2024 in Exhibit A, but the financial statement pages in this OCR text are image-only with no extractable numbers; all Item 21 figures unavailable.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: No
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 45 / 100 verdict
- 01MEDNo average revenue or net income disclosed — impossible to validate ROI on $10.5k-$34.5k investment
- 02MINORExtremely high royalty burden (20-25%) leaves minimal margin for profitability on small revenue base
- 03MINORZero franchise fee suggests potential cash flow issues or aggressive unit acquisition strategy masking unit quality
- 04MINOR39 units showing 100% YoY growth is unsustainable and indicates either new system or aggressive recruiting over retention
- 05MINORNo protected territory creates direct competition risk between franchisees within same market
- 06MINOR10-year term is unusually long without performance milestones or exit clauses
- 07MINORGoing Concern status with no financial disclosure creates uncertainty about franchisor stability
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 25.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Territory type | No territory protection |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Arbitration location | Multnomah County, Oregon (mediation required before litigation) |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | OR |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 5 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- Training location
- Online / At-home
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Field support
- 0 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- Time to open
- 2 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- franchisee (subject to franchisor approval)
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
3 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Breakaway BA franchise?
The total investment to open a Breakaway BA franchise ranges from $11K – $35K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Breakaway BA franchise owners earn?
Breakaway BA makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Breakaway BA?
Breakaway BA is franchised by BREAKAWAY BA, LLC. Its parent company is BREAKAWAY BOOKKEEPING & ADVISING, LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Breakaway BA FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Breakaway BA FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Breakaway BA's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Breakaway BA (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many Breakaway BA franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Breakaway BA has 39 total units in the United States, including 34 franchised units and 5 company-owned units. 19 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Breakaway BA a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Breakaway BA as a C-grade franchise with a verdict score of 45 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.