Runningboards Marketing franchise

2022 filing · April 30, 2022Growing

Runningboards Marketing at a glance

A mobile advertising business that runs customizable video and digital ads on a digital advertising vehicle. At the end of 2021 there were 14 Runningboards Marketing locations in the US, 13 franchised and 1 company-owned.

The business

Industry: Mobile; Also listed in business services
Franchisor: RBM Franchising Corp; The company that sells the franchises
Who runs it: Manager; A trained manager can run it day to day
Franchising since: 2019; 3 years of selling franchises
Franchisor based in: Watertown, New York

What you pay

Cost to open: $87K–$289K; Fee, build-out and opening working capital
Franchise fee: $40,000; Paid once, when you sign
Royalty: 6%; The greater of 6% of gross revenues or $500 a month, paid monthly, plus currently 1% to the brand development fund (up to 2%)
Brand fund: 1%; 1% of gross revenue a month, paid with the royalty; it can rise to 2%
Agreement length: 10 years
Territory: Protected; Protected territory
SBA Franchise Directory: Not listed; Lenders check this list before an SBA loan

Where it is

US locations, 2021: 14; Franchised and company-owned
Franchised: 13
Company-owned: 1
Change in 3 years: +13; Franchised locations, 2019–2021
States: 10; Most in Florida, Illinois and New York

Support and records

Shares sales figures: No; Ask current owners what a location makes
Lawsuits disclosed: None
Bankruptcy disclosed: None
Latest filing: Apr 30, 2022; 2022 filing

From RBM Franchising Corp’s 2022 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.

Estimate your costs Model the payback

Where it ranks

Runningboards Marketing among all franchises with the same figure.

Figure	Runningboards Marketing	Among all franchises
Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate	$187,950	Costs less than 71% of franchises
Franchise feePaid once, when you sign	$40,000	Lower than 46% of franchises
RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor	6%	Higher than 35% of brands with a set rate
US locationsFranchised and company-owned	14	Fewer than 56% of franchises

How much a Runningboards Marketing franchise costs

Opening one Runningboards Marketing costs an estimated $87,400 to $288,500. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital. It is one of the low-cost franchises.

Source: RBM Franchising Corp, 2022 filing, page 16

Runningboards Marketing franchise fee

The franchise fee is $40,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.

Source: RBM Franchising Corp, 2022 filing, page 8

Royalty and ongoing fees

Royalty	The greater of 6% of gross revenues or $500 a month, paid monthly, plus currently 1% to the brand development fund (up to 2%).
Brand or marketing fund	1% of gross revenue a month, paid with the royalty; it can rise to 2%.
Software/Technolo gy Fee	Currently $750 per month, subject to increases
Additional Training	Currently $200 per person per day plus expenses incurred.

The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.

Source: RBM Franchising Corp, 2022 filing, page 9

Other fees as filed, from pages 9–11. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.

Sales and earnings

No figures Runningboards Marketing does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.

Source: RBM Franchising Corp, 2022 filing, page 37

How Runningboards Marketing compares

Of the 139 mobile franchises on this site, Runningboards Marketing is the 62nd cheapest to open and the 60th largest by number of locations.

Figure	Runningboards Marketing	Typical mobile brand	Typical franchise
Cost to open, low end	$87K	$96K	$222K
Cost to open, high end	$289K	$167K	$477K
Franchise fee	$40K	$35K	$40K
Royalty	6%	7%	6%
Brand fund	1%	2%	2%
US locations	14	10	21
Closed or left per year	50%	6.6%	–
Shares earnings figures	No	91 of 139	2,147 of 3,352

Typical is the median across the 139 brands in mobile franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.

Locations opened and closed

14 opened

1 closed or left

Franchised locations, last 3 years

2019

0 opened0 closed or left

0 (0)

2020

2 opened0 closed or left

2 (+2)

2021

12 opened1 closed or left

13 (+11)

Year	Franchised	Company-owned	Opened	Closed
2019	0 (0)	1	0	0
2020	2 (+2)	1	+2	0
2021	13 (+11)	1	+12	−1

Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.

See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.

More in the guides: franchise failure rates.

Source: RBM Franchising Corp, 2022 filing, page 38

Source filing (2022, PDF)

Where Runningboards Marketing locations are

At the end of 2021, Runningboards Marketing had locations in 10 states. The most are in Florida, Illinois and New York.

Florida2
Illinois2
New York2
Texas2
Connecticut1
Kentucky1

State	Franchised	Company-owned	Total
Florida	2	0	2
Illinois	2	0	2
New York	1	1	2
Texas	2	0	2
Connecticut	1	0	1
Kentucky	1	0	1
Louisiana	1	0	1
Massachusetts	1	0	1
Michigan	1	0	1
New Jersey	1	0	1

Source: RBM Franchising Corp, 2022 filing, page 38

Who owns Runningboards Marketing?

Runningboards Marketing franchises are sold by RBM Franchising Corp. Its filing names no parent company.

From RBM Franchising Corp’s 2022 filing, page 6.

Lawsuits and bankruptcy

Lawsuits and regulatory actions	None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed.
Bankruptcy	None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed.

Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.

Source: RBM Franchising Corp, 2022 filing, litigation on page 8, bankruptcy on page 8

Source filing (2022, PDF)