Ultimate Sustainability Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Ultimate Sustainability is a services franchise providing side-by-side life-skills training and community-based programs for young adults with autism. Franchisees run the centers, managing staff, participants, and community programming.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Ultimate Sustainability franchise requires a total initial investment of $115K – $235K, including a $60K franchise fee. The 2024 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: C (Average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $115K – $235K
- 36th pct Education
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Company-owned only
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- 3
- 12th pct Education
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Education · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Education avg · 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 $115K – $235K including a $60K franchise fee.
- RETURNSItem 19 disclosed $602K average from 3 affiliate-owned outlets. This is franchisor-operated data, not franchisee results.
- RISKVerdict C (Average), verdict score 43/100 (higher is better).
- FLAGBankruptcy history disclosed in the FDD. Review Item 4 for details before proceeding.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Ultimate Sustainability Group, LLC
- Incorporated in
- WY
- HQ
- 5240 12th Avenue East, Shakopee, Minnesota 55379
- Auditor
- Naper CPA Group
- Audited financials
Affiliated brands
- Ultimate Sustainability has operated Ultimate Sustainability in Shakopee
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Kathryn Marshall
- Headquarters
- MN
- Founded
- 2018
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 1
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 74% below the typical education franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown18 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $60K | $60K | |
| Rent and Lease Security Deposit | $4K | $12K | |
| Utilities | $250 | $1K | |
| Leasehold Improvementsnot refundable | $10K | $25K | |
| Market Introduction Programnot refundable | $1K | $3K | |
| Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipmentnot refundable | $5K | $15K | |
| Computer Systemsnot refundable | $2K | $3K | |
| Insurancenot refundable | $400 | $2K | |
| Vehiclenot refundable | $0 | $45K | |
| Signagenot refundable | $2K | $5K | |
| Office Expensesnot refundable | $500 | $1K | |
| Licenses and Permitsnot refundable | $500 | $2K | |
| Dues and Subscriptionsnot refundable | $100 | $500 | |
| Professional Fees (lawyer, accountant, etc.)not refundable | $2K | $5K | |
| Travel, Lodging and Meals for Initial Trainingnot refundable | $3K | $6K | |
| Additional Funds (for first 3 months)not refundable | $25K | $50K | |
| Additional Initial Franchise Fees (Multi-Unit Development Agreement)not refundable | $52K | $208K | |
| Business Planning and Miscellaneous Expenses (MUDA)not refundable | $1K | $5K | |
| Total initial investment | $168K | $448K |
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
- $115K – $235K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $25K – $50K
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $60K – $60K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- $3,000 per month or 6% of Total Collections, whichever is…
- Ad fund
- -n/d
- Total fee load
- 6.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Total fee load | 6.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Ultimate Sustainability did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Ultimate Sustainability unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
49%
Within the 30–60% "attractive franchise" band
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
Item 19 disclosed $602K average from 3 affiliate-owned outlets. This is franchisor-operated data, not franchisee results.
Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance
- Item 19 type
- Affiliate-Owned Units
- Sample size
- 3
- vs category median 17 · small
- Transparency tier
- revenue_only
- Categorical assessment of disclosure depth
- Source filing
- FDD 2024
- The FDD edition these figures were read from
- Transparency
- 3 / 10
- vs category median 4 / 10 · below
Compared against 204 Education 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 6.0% — below the Education average of 10.6%.
Disclosure
Item 19 reports Affiliate-Owned Units rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
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 Education averages
How Ultimate Sustainability Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 3
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 3
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 0%
- vs corporate-owned
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 0
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
No multi-year history disclosed and no opening/closing activity in the last reporting year.
Item 12 · 1 state 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.
1
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
New brand (franchising 2024) with 3 company-owned units and 0 franchised. No litigation, bankruptcy, or going-concern; audited financials and Item 19 disclosed with $602K average gross sales. Limited operating history is the primary concern.
Litigation (Item 3)
0 case reference(s): 0 pending, 0 settled.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Disclosed in last 7 years
Bankruptcy Code; (b) obtained a discharge of its debts under the bankruptcy code; or (c) was a principal officer of a company or a general partner in a partnership that either filed as a debtor (or had filed against it) a petition to start an action under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or that obtained a
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Naper CPA Group
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Must buy proprietary products: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 43 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORVery new brand, 3 units, 0 franchised
- 02MEDLimited operating history
- 03MEDMitigant: audited, Item 19 disclosed, clean legal/financial profile
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 6.0% 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 | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Radius/Population |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 1 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Wyoming |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
0 case reference(s): 0 pending, 0 settled.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 57 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 40 hrs
- Training location
- franchisor location and on-site
- POS system
- Pavillio Software, QuickBooks Online
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Pavillio Software, QuickBooks Online
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Ultimate Sustainability franchise?
The total investment to open a Ultimate Sustainability franchise ranges from $115K – $235K, with an initial franchise fee of $60K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Ultimate Sustainability franchise owners earn?
Ultimate Sustainability does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the Ultimate Sustainability 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 Ultimate Sustainability FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Ultimate Sustainability's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Ultimate Sustainability (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 Ultimate Sustainability franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Ultimate Sustainability has 3 total units in the United States, including 0 franchised units and 3 company-owned units.
Is Ultimate Sustainability a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Ultimate Sustainability as a C-grade franchise with a verdict score of 43 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. 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.