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THE SCOUT GUIDE
The Scout Guide franchise enables operators to establish and operate an advertising publication business specializing in the production and distribution of high-quality advertising guides under the 'The Scout Guide' or 'TSG' brands. Franchisees sell advertising space in these print guides to local businesses and distribute them to upscale consumers, with additional digital promotion via websites, social media, and newsletters. The business model relies on advertising revenue from primarily small businesses in developed markets, with year-round sales.
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Franchise Costs
10% royalty + $175/mo technology fee
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
This franchise did not provide Item 19 financial performance data.
Be careful if you are interested in investing. The lack of financial performance representations may indicate limited data or varying results across franchises.
Extracted Item 19 Section
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Unlock financial performance dataTHE SCOUT GUIDE Franchise Analysis
What if a franchise doubled down on luxury print ads in a digital world, posting impressive unit growth while keeping turnover low? The Scout Guide's FDD hints at a tight-knit system with few exits, but skips Item 19 earnings disclosure entirely—a red flag that leaves revenue potential shrouded. Does this upscale model thrive on quality over quantity, or is the growth spurt masking thinner margins?
Item 7 lays out the financial entry: initial investment ranges from $136,600 to $245,900, including a $50,000 franchise fee. Ongoing fees hit hard at 10% royalty on gross sales plus a $175 monthly technology fee, which could squeeze profits in a sales-driven ad business reliant on local upscale markets. No Item 19 means no disclosed earnings or profit figures from existing franchisees, forcing investors to scrutinize alternatives like the three SBA loans on record averaging just $39,333—suggesting either lean operations or reluctance to borrow big for this $137K+ startup.
System health per Item 20 shows promise with 88 franchise locations (one corporate), up 21% from 73 in 2022, alongside minimal disruptions: one termination, two non-renewals, and five transfers. Yet projected new units for 2024 sit at just one, tempering the expansion hype despite franchising since 2012. For ad sales pros eyeing business services, this paints a stable but slow-burn opportunity—growth metrics beat many peers, but absent earnings data and modest loan uptake signal caution on ROI in competitive local markets.
Analysis based on the 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document. All figures should be independently verified before making investment decisions.
How THE SCOUT GUIDE Compares
Key Insights
- Higher than average SBA loan default rate in Business Services
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
THE SCOUT GUIDE Current | $137K – $246K | $50K | 10.0% | 88 |
| Bimbo Foods Bakeries Distribution, LLC | $14K – $607K | N/A | N/A | 6,454 |
| THE UPS STORE (TRADITIONAL) | $216K – $609K | $30K | 5.0% | 4,500 |
| RE/MAX | $37K – $337K | $35K | 1.0% | 2,994 |
| JACKSON HEWITT TAX SERVICE | $71K – $105K | $25K | 15.0% | 2,744 |
| CRUISE PLANNERS | $2K – $21K | $11K | 3.0% | 2,655 |
Business Services Average 198 franchises | $121K – $289K | $47K | 10.4% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 198 Business Services franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2023)
Outlets by state across the United States
+19 more states
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Unlock location growth dataSBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for THE SCOUT GUIDE franchisees (2022 – 2025)
Loans by Year
SBA 7(a) loan activity over time
* Data sourced from SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records. Default rate calculated from charged-off loans.
3 SBA loans on record
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Unlock SBA loan historyFranchisee Contacts
88 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
88 Contacts Available
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Unlock contactsDue Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
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Unlock due diligence reportsFrequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a THE SCOUT GUIDE franchise ranges from $136,600 to $245,900. This includes a franchise fee of $50,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 10.0% of gross sales.
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