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THE SCOUT GUIDE

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.

93locations
$132K–$317K
Since 2012
ServicesCharlottesville, VATSG Holding Company LLCwww.thescoutguide.comDisclaimer

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Franchise Costs

Franchise Fee
$50,000
Initial Investment
$132,100 – $316,600
Royalty Rate
10.00%
Brand Fund
N/A
Fixed Monthly Fees
$275 – $275

10% royalty + $100/mo national ad fund + $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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How THE SCOUT GUIDE Compares

Key Insights

  • Higher than average SBA loan default rate in Business Services
FranchiseInvestmentFeeRoyaltyLocations
THE SCOUT GUIDE
Current
$132K – $317K$50K10.0%93
Bimbo Foods Bakeries Distribution, LLC$14K – $607KN/AN/A6,454
THE UPS STORE (TRADITIONAL)$216K – $609K$30K5.0%4,500
AMERICAN POOLPLAYER'S ASSOCIATION INC$15K – $23K$10K20.0%3,562
RE/MAX$37K – $337K$35K1.0%2,994
JACKSON HEWITT TAX SERVICE$71K – $105K$25K15.0%2,744
Business Services Average
200 franchises
$120K – $289K$46K10.2%–

* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 200 Business Services franchises by location count.

SBA Loan History

Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for THE SCOUT GUIDE franchisees (2022 – 2025)

Total Loans
3
Average Loan
$39,333
Total Volume
$0.1M
Default Rate
0.0%

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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Franchisee Contacts

73 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.

73 Contacts Available

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Due Diligence

Litigation (Item 3)

Franchisee Cases0
No litigation involving franchisees reported

Bankruptcy (Item 4)

Bankruptcy HistoryNo
No bankruptcy history reported

System Health (Item 20)

Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year

Terminations
7
Non-Renewals
3
Reacquired
0
Ceased Ops
0
Transfers
10
Sold to Franchisees
0
Projected New
15

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Frequently Asked Questions

The total initial investment to open a THE SCOUT GUIDE franchise ranges from $132,100 to $316,600. This includes a franchise fee of $50,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 10.0% of gross sales.