In this FDD Talk post, you’ll learn the following:
- Section I – Background information on the 101 Mobility franchise opportunity, including relevant news updates
- Section II – Estimated initial investment for a 101 Mobility franchise, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2021 FDD
- Section III – Initial franchise fee, royalty fee, marketing fee, and other fees for a 101 Mobility franchise, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2021 FDD
- Section IV – Number of franchised and company-owned 101 Mobility outlets at the start of the year and the end of the year for 2018, 2019, and 2020, based on Item 20 of the company’s 2021 FDD
- Section V – Presentation and analysis of 101 Mobility’s financial performance representations, based on Item 19 of the company’s 2021 FDD, including information on the:
- 2019 and 2020 average, median, highest, and lowest Area of Primary Responsibility (APR) sales and APR rebates for the 50 101 Mobility franchisees (operating 144 Franchised Businesses) whose Franchised Businesses were in operation during the full 2019 and 2020 calendar years and had not been transferred (grouped by quintile)
Section I – Background Information
13 Things You Need to Know About the 101 Mobility Franchise
Welcomes New President
1. In mid-February 2020, 101 Mobility welcomed Mark Baker as its new president. Baker has more than 20 years of franchise leadership experience, having held several executive positions within the real estate and home services franchise industry.
2. Baker intends to oversee the growth of 101 Mobility as the company expands its footprint across North America. The brand has a presence in 30 states and several locations in Canada. Over the next three years, Baker hopes to double the size of the current system and anticipates adding 60 more franchisees.
3. Baker said, “101 Mobility has a great network, and we hope to have a presence in every state. We intend to make this a household name. Every community needs someone like us, and 101 Mobility’s franchise owners make a difference in people’s lives. As we get repeat business, our reputation will precede our work – and that helps our franchisees grow.”
4. Baker formerly served on the board of the International Franchise Association (IFA), Institute of Certified Franchise Executives. He is also a former board advisor for the Metropolitan State University Center for Innovation’s franchising program. He has earned the IFA’s Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) designation.
5. It was during his 20 years of service in the military that Baker gained much of his leadership experience. He served on active duty in the U.S. Army as an infantry officer and retired from the U.S. Army Reserve at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Baker acknowledges and appreciates 101 Mobility’s efforts to assist our country’s veterans, both by helping clients with disabilities and by offering a discount to veteran franchisee candidates.
Offers Unique Lifton Home Elevator
6. 101 Mobility offers a wide array of home elevators to meet anyone’s needs. One of its most innovative home elevators is the Lifton Home Elevator (called the Stiltz Trio Lift on the 101 Mobility website). Different than the old-fashioned residential elevator, which is bigger, difficult to install, and requires a substantial amount of space (which most homeowners don’t have), and the stair lift which many see as unattractive and “un-cool,” the Lifton is the perfect solution for two widely divergent demographics: 1) today’s senior citizens, sometimes referred to as the “Rock and Roll Generation,” and 2) a much younger, hip, and trendy generation, always on the lookout for the latest thing.
7. What these two generations have in common is their love of style. The active, vibrant seniors, who grew up in the Rock and Roll era, now in their 70s-80s, like to think of themselves as the first really cool generation of seniors – discerning about fashion, music, food, and entertainment – and passionately pro-active about aging in place. This means they are good at finding solutions to protect their lifestyles – even before they need them.
8. According to Dave Muti, then-president of 101 Mobility, “Most of our clientele are senior citizens. The home staircase can become Mt. Everest. I’ve seen people literally go up and down on their hands and knees. Couple this with the determination of this generation of seniors to stay in their own homes, the Lifton is a perfect solution. It’s different than anything else on the market. It’s modern and cool. Owners are the envy of the bridge club. The grand kids love it. And it makes homes more marketable.”
9. Some of the highlighted benefits of the Lifton Home Elevator include:
- It is relatively easy to install, usually taking just one or two days. Traditional elevators are difficult to install and can take a week or longer.
- Its design is sleek, modern, and reflective of the way the Rock and Roll Generation perceive themselves.
- It gives owners peace of mind that they can freely go from one floor to another without fear of falling or any other hesitations.
- It adds value to a house, making it more saleable and opening it up to a senior market.
- As an added benefit, the Lifton is a perfect dumb waiter and can reduce injuries caused by carrying heavy items up and down stairs – like suitcases and vacuum cleaners.
Company History
10. 101 Mobility was founded in 2008 by Kevin Barnhardt, Luke Sampson, and Dave Pazgan in North Carolina. The company’s goal is to deliver mobility and accessibility solutions to an underserved yet growing market of people with limited physical mobility.
11. 101 Mobility was the first franchise provider of mobility and accessibility equipment in North America. The company’s core products include stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, vertical platform lifts, vehicle lifts for mobility devices, pool lifts, turning automotive seats, and residential elevators, among others.
12. Barnhardt, Sampson, and Pazgan began franchising 101 Mobility in 2010. Three years later, 101 Mobility grew to about 30 locations and entered into an equity partnership with the Cortec Group, a New York-based private equity firm. Today, there are 101 Mobility locations across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500
13. 101 Mobility ranked No. 474 on Entrepreneur’s 2021 Franchise 500 list.
Section II – Estimated Costs
- Detailed estimates of 101 Mobility franchise costs, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2021 FDD.
Section III – Initial Franchise Fee, Royalty Fee, Marketing Fee, and Other Fees
- Detailed information on 101 Mobility’s initial franchise fee, royalty fee, marketing fee, and other fees, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2021 FDD.
Section IV – Number of Franchised and Company-Owned Outlets
Franchised
2018
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 158
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 160
- Net Change: +2
2019
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 160
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 154
- Net Change: -6
2020
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 154
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 155
- Net Change: +1
Company-Owned
2018
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 2
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 4
- Net Change: +2
2019
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 4
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 6
- Net Change: +2
2020
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 6
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 15
- Net Change: +9
Section V – Financial Performance Representations (Item 19, 2021 FDD) and Analysis
- As of the end of the 2020 calendar year, 101 Mobility had 50 franchisees (operating 144 Franchised Businesses) whose Franchised Businesses were in operation during the full 2019 and 2020 calendar years and had not been transferred.
- A 101 Mobility Franchised Business provides services and equipment within a designated Area of Primary Responsibility (“APR”). In the chart below, 101 Mobility groups these 50 franchisees into 5 quintiles, from the top performing quintile to the bottom quintile for each calendar year, and presents each quintile’s average per APR Sales and average per APR Rebates.
- While these 101 Mobility franchisees operated anywhere from 1 to 8 APRs each, 101 Mobility divided their total annual Sales and their total annual Rebates by the number of APRs each operated at the end of 2019 for the 2019 “per APR” averages and the number of APRs each operated at the end of 2020 for the 2020 “per APR” averages in the chart below.
2019
First Quintile
- Average Per APR Sales: $965,410.41
- High Per APR Sales: $1,488,877.69
- Low Per APR Sales: $672,487.01
- Median Per APR Sales: $954,200.48
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
- Average Per APR Rebates: $36,615.78
- High Per APR Rebates: $58,655.80
- Low Per APR Rebates: $23,991.14
- Median Per APR Rebates: $34,304.68
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
Second Quintile
- Average Per APR Sales: $574,138.74
- High Per APR Sales: $640,196.84
- Low Per APR Sales: $512,172.95
- Median Per APR Sales: $571,311.08
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
- Average Per APR Rebates: $18,118.21
- High Per APR Rebates: $25,032.42
- Low Per APR Rebates: $9,473.26
- Median Per APR Rebates: $19,036.73
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
Third Quintile
- Average Per APR Sales: $427,665.41
- High Per APR Sales: $503,468.38
- Low Per APR Sales: $358,013.92
- Median Per APR Sales: $430,830.82
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
- Average Per APR Rebates: $17,082.43
- High Per APR Rebates: $23,066.92
- Low Per APR Rebates: $10,391.29
- Median Per APR Rebates: $17,515.30
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
Fourth Quintile
- Average Per APR Sales: $298,859.22
- High Per APR Sales: $354,215.41
- Low Per APR Sales: $263,182.88
- Median Per APR Sales: $292,927.29
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
- Average Per APR Rebates: $10,434.48
- High Per APR Rebates: $14,715.83
- Low Per APR Rebates: $6,084.35
- Median Per APR Rebates: $10,262.76
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
Fifth Quintile
- Average Per APR Sales: $233,645.76
- High Per APR Sales: $262,333.73
- Low Per APR Sales: $171,254.24
- Median Per APR Sales: $255,029.56
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
- Average Per APR Rebates: $8,381.79
- High Per APR Rebates: $13,417.37
- Low Per APR Rebates: $5,017.35
- Median Per APR Rebates: $8,074.08
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
All
- Average Per APR Sales: $499,944
- Average Per APR Rebates: $18,127
2020
First Quintile
- Average Per APR Sales: $900,683.86
- High Per APR Sales: $1,252,450.54
- Low Per APR Sales: $696,056.89
- Median Per APR Sales: $870,437.26
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 4 of 10
- Average Per APR Rebates: $31,037.02
- High Per APR Rebates: $53,004.93
- Low Per APR Rebates: $6,802.70
- Median Per APR Rebates: $30,175.72
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
Second Quintile
- Average Per APR Sales: $588,515.30
- High Per APR Sales: $678,111.83
- Low Per APR Sales: $532,482.82
- Median Per APR Sales: $559,508.46
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
- Average Per APR Rebates: $19,325.30
- High Per APR Rebates: $24,468.00
- Low Per APR Rebates: $11,666.03
- Median Per APR Rebates: $19,594.33
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
Third Quintile
- Average Per APR Sales: $465,081.66
- High Per APR Sales: $501,367.80
- Low Per APR Sales: $405,587.07
- Median Per APR Sales: $474,144.40
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
- Average Per APR Rebates: $16,881.20
- High Per APR Rebates: $23,248.39
- Low Per APR Rebates: $10,401.33
- Median Per APR Rebates: $17,461.24
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
Fourth Quintile
- Average Per APR Sales: $333,430.02
- High Per APR Sales: $401,962.04
- Low Per APR Sales: $286,461.04
- Median Per APR Sales: $328,113.10
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
- Average Per APR Rebates: $13,280.11
- High Per APR Rebates: $20,370.92
- Low Per APR Rebates: $9,292.02
- Median Per APR Rebates: $11,513.76
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
Fifth Quintile
- Average Per APR Sales: $243,092.68
- High Per APR Sales: $279,246.56
- Low Per APR Sales: $201,049.41
- Median Per APR Sales: $251,224.43
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
- Average Per APR Rebates: $8,432.81
- High Per APR Rebates: $12,669.48
- Low Per APR Rebates: $4,433.65
- Median Per APR Rebates: $8,601.26
- Number That Met or Surpassed the Average: 5 of 10
All
- Average Per APR Sales: $506,161
- Average Per APR Rebates: $17,791
- The term “Sales” as used in the above chart are the revenues reported by 101 Mobility franchisees in 101 Mobility’s proprietary MOBILINK software and is the amount on which franchisees paid Royalty Fees during the relevant calendar year.
- Franchisees’ total annual Sales were divided by the number of APRs each franchisee operates, and the per APR Sales were then ranked from highest to lowest in the grouping and averaging of the above quintiles.
- The term “Rebates” as used in the above chart includes the total dollar amount of all manufacturer and supplier rebates that each franchisee listed as earned in each calendar year (but for which some payments may have been made to the franchisee in the following year).
- As stated in the disclosure document, all manufacturer and supplier rebates are granted at the sole discretion of each manufacturer and supplier and are subject to change.
- Currently, 101 Mobility elects to pass rebates on to franchisees, although it does retain the right to modify or discontinue this practice.
- In the above chart, as franchisees were ranked by per APR Sales, the per APR Rebate averages represent the per APR Rebate averages for those franchisees already grouped within the quintile on the basis of their per APR Sales. Therefore, franchisees in higher or lower quintiles may have earned more or less in Rebates than some franchisees in any given quintile.
- The figures reflected in the above charts were compiled from unaudited information reported to 101 Mobility, and/or input into 101 Mobility’s proprietary MOBILINK software, by 101 Mobility franchisees. 101 Mobility has not independently verified any of the sales or cost information on which this financial performance representation is based.
- As stated in the disclosure document, franchisees are permitted to offer and provide products and equipment in areas surrounding their APR which have not yet been granted to 101 Mobility franchisees. These sales are also included in the above chart. Once these surrounding areas are granted as APRs to other franchisees, sales in these areas will no longer be permitted.
- Some outlets have earned this amount. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you will earn as much.
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