The Salon Professional Academy
Suite Management Franchising
Company Information
4377 15th Avenue South,Fargo, ND 58103
We are a North Dakota limited liability company, reorganized in North Dakota on December 23, 2015 (from its original organization in Minnesota on July 13, 2004), and doing business under the name SPEC. Before December 24, 2012, the name of the company was APS, LLC. Our principal business address is 4377 15th Avenue South, Fargo, ND 58103. Our agent for service of process is listed on Exhibit D to this disclosure document.
A franchise grants you the right to own and operate a distinctive beauty school that trains students in hairstyling, cosmetology, esthetics, barbering, nails and/or massage services The franchised business may be operated under one of two different-sized models that you may choose from Each model is substantially the same in all respects except the square footage of the facility As noted, our schools may also offer training in massage services, but most do not Because some do, and you may elect to do so also (if you have sufficient space), references in this disclosure document to a beauty school or beauty services apply also to massage services to the extent you choose to offer training in this type of service Each franchise operates under the trademarks The Salon Professional Academy or Elevate Salon Institute You choose which trademark you prefer to use for your beauty school You may use only one of the two and your choice is known as your "Selected Trademark " When you choose your Selected Trademark you are entitled to use a particular line of products at your school that corresponds to your Selected Trademark Specifically, under our current requirements, if you choose The Salon Professional Academy you use Redken products and if you choose Elevate Salon Institute you use L'Oreal Professionnel products Your choice of Selected Trademark determines which SPEC-authorized brands you want to be associated with The method of applying or teaching the use of certain hair products (like coloring or cutting techniques) may differ based on brand, but the same types of hair products are used in all of our concepts regardless of which Selected Trademark you choose All of our topics of instruction, and all of our operating requirements, are the same among all of our concepts regardless of which Selected Trademark you choose No other material differences exist among our concepts In addition to these trademarks, our franchise system features uniform standards and procedures for business operations, ongoing training in the operation, management, and promotion of the franchised business, advertising and promotional programs, quality education facilities, customer development and service techniques, student recruiting and development, and other technical assistance
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Franchise Rating
Franchimp Summary Rating
4/10
Earning Transparency
7/10
Investment Accessibility
1/10
Summary of potential earnings
$1,276,793 / unit
Average Revenue During 2020Education-Related
Franchise System Development
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Distribution of The Salon Professional Academy Franchisee
Employee Contact Database
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Summary of Investment Costs
Upfront Franchise Fees
Minimum: $45,000 Maximum: $45,000
Upfront franchise fees are the one-time payments required to secure rights to operate under an established brand, typically ranging from $20,000 to $100,000+ depending on brand value.
These fees grant access to proprietary business systems, training programs, intellectual property rights, and often territorial exclusivity—essentially purchasing the blueprint for a proven business model.
While separate from ongoing royalties, investors should evaluate these fees against expected returns, comparing fee-to-earnings ratios across opportunities and assessing how effectively franchisors reinvest these funds into system improvements.
Total Investment Costs
Minimum: $532,800 Maximum: $1,670,800
Ongoing Fees
Ongoing franchise fees, typically structured as royalties ranging from 4-8% of gross sales, represent the continuous payments franchisees make to maintain brand affiliation and support services.
These recurring fees fund the franchisor's operational assistance, marketing initiatives, technology updates, and continued brand development—creating a partnership where the franchisor's revenue grows alongside the franchisee's success. In addition to royalties, franchisees often contribute to national advertising funds (usually 1-3% of sales) and may incur technology fees, supply chain markups, or renewal fees depending on the franchise agreement.
Investors should carefully analyze these ongoing costs within their financial projections, as they directly impact profit margins and cash flow throughout the entire franchise relationship.
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