Gradum Gswing Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $330K – $680K
- Disclosed sales
- partial, no system average
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Gradum Gswing is a youth sports franchise providing baseball hitting instruction using proprietary swing-analysis technology. Franchisees run training centers, managing instructors, lessons, and enrollment.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Gradum Gswing franchise requires a total initial investment of $330K – $680K, including a $50K – $250K franchise fee and an ongoing 8.0% royalty[2]. The 2024 FDD on file does not yield a unit-revenue figure we can publish. FranchiseVerdict grade: C (Average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Limited operating history: franchising since 2024. A system this young has fewer than three years of Item 20 outlet history and rarely enough SBA loans for a charge-off rate, so its grade rests on less evidence than an established system's. Read its Item 20 tables and talk to its first franchisees before relying on the grade. Other new franchisors
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: partial✓ 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 scored4 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing; the rest are marked “Not cited” beside the figure.
Overview
- Investment
- $330K – $680K
- 14th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Company-owned onlyNet sales1 outlet
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- 37th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 13
- 16th pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Full-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Full-Service Restaurants 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 $330K – $680K including a $50K franchise fee, 8.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSItem 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands.
- RISKVerdict C (Average), verdict score 39/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHNegative, pipeline stalled: 22 agreements signed but not yet open against 13 open outlets (Item 20).
- DATAItem 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands. Ask franchisees directly for full unit-level revenue.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- GradumGswing Franchising, LLC
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- William Pfaffmann
- Incorporated in
- FL
- HQ
- 7872 SW Jack James Drive, Unit 4, Stuart, Florida 34997
Affiliated brands
- Gradum in a Box
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- William Pfaffmann
- Headquarters
- FL
- Founded
- 2023
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 3
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 25% below the typical full-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2024 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50K | $50K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $15K | $35K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $265K | $595K |
| Total initial investment | $330K | $680K |
Source: Gradum Gswing 2024 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $330K – $680K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $15K – $35K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $250K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 10.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 8.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Inventory (initial) | $3K – $7K |
| Total fee load | 10.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
No Item 19 revenue figure for Gradum Gswing is on file. 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 Gradum Gswing 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, 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: 2024 FDD
Financial Performance
Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance
Reported as net sales, not gross sales
Based on a single outlet - not a system average
- Item 19 type
- net sales
- Sample size
- 1 outlet
- vs category median 18 · small
- Reporting year
- 2023
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2024
- Disclosed in the 2024 filing, covering 2023
- Transparency
- 6 / 10
- vs category median 3 / 10 · above
Compared against 801 Full-Service Restaurants brands
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 10.0% — above the Full-Service Restaurants median of 7.0%.
Disclosure
Item 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands.
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 Full-Service Restaurants medians
How Gradum Gswing Compares
Category median of published Full-Service Restaurants 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 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 13
- Opened
- 7
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 2
- Turnover rate
- 15.4%
- Company-owned
- 8
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 39%
- vs corporate-owned
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Reacquired
- 2
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 22
- 1.69 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 3
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 3 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.
3
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
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?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (plaintiff).
GradumGswing Franchising LLC et al v. Alexander Erro et al - breach of franchise agreement including violations of restrictive covenants related to confidentiality and IP use after termination; pending in Miami-Dade County, Florida
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
No audited financials on file
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Item 21: New franchisor (franchising less than 3 years). Exhibit E contains only an UNAUDITED opening balance sheet as of November 15, 2024 (no income statement, no audit). Total Assets $44,302.02; Total Liabilities $0 (none listed); Total Equity/net worth $44,302.02. Equity includes Net Income $123,666.92, Distributions -$74,520.29, Retained Earnings -$2,622.71, Contributions -$2,500.00. No CPA opinion. No franchisor revenue figures disclosed.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 39 / 100 verdict
- 01HIGHActive litigation against former franchisee for IP/confidentiality violations suggests operational or enforcement issues
- 02MINOROnly 13 units system-wide with unknown growth trajectory — unable to verify expansion momentum or franchisee success sustainability
- 03MINORHigh investment range ($330K-$680K) combined with modest average revenue creates extended breakeven risk
- 04MINOR20-year term locks franchisees into relationship with a franchisor showing financial weakness
- 05MINORLack of transparent unit growth data suggests possible system contraction or underperformance being obscured
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 10.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 20 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Exclusive territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory radius | 5 mi |
| Territory population | 250,000 |
| Online sales rights | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 25 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Miami-Dade County, Florida |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | FL |
| Litigation count | 1 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
GradumGswing Franchising LLC et al v. Alexander Erro et al - breach of franchise agreement including violations of restrictive covenants related to confidentiality and IP use after termination; pending in Miami-Dade County, Florida
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 40 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 152 hrs
- Training location
- Port St. Lucie, Florida
- Ongoing training
- Optional
- Time to open
- 3 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- franchisor (via Gradum in a Box affiliate)
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Mindbody, V1 Sports, and High Level
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Mindbody, V1 Sports, and High Level
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Gradum Gswing franchise?
The total investment to open a Gradum Gswing franchise ranges from $330K – $680K, with an initial franchise fee of $50K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Gradum Gswing franchise owners earn?
Item 19 of the Gradum Gswing FDD discloses figures for part of the system but no single average across all outlets. These are gross sales figures, not profit; the Revenue section shows what the filing reports and on what basis. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Gradum Gswing?
Gradum Gswing is franchised by GradumGswing Franchising, LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2024 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Gradum Gswing 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 Gradum Gswing FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Gradum Gswing's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Gradum Gswing (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 Gradum Gswing franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Gradum Gswing has 13 total units in the United States, including 5 franchised units and 8 company-owned units. 7 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Gradum Gswing a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Gradum Gswing as a C-grade franchise with a verdict score of 39 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.