Is Brain Balance required to assist franchisees in obtaining, installing, or maintaining hardware, local area network (LAN), or Internet connectivity?
Brain_Balance Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We are not required to provide or assist in your obtaining, installing or maintaining of the hardware, local area network (LAN), or Internet connectivity.
You need to have access to the Internet with a minimum download speed of 50 MB per second. You also are required to have up to date virus protection software on all PC or Mac computers. Any associated costs with connectivity, router, wireless access point, firewall, anti-virus software, and hardware are your responsibility.
To ensure full operational efficiency and optimum communication capability among computer systems installed by you, us, and other franchisees, you must, at your own expense, keep the computer system in good maintenance and repair, and promptly install such upgrades, additions, changes, modifications, substitutions, and/or replacements to the computer hardware, software, networking/connectivity devices and configurations, telephone and power lines, and other computer-related facilities as we may direct.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEM, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 36–47)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Brain Balance's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Brain Balance is not required to assist franchisees in obtaining, installing, or maintaining the hardware, local area network (LAN), or Internet connectivity needed to operate a franchise. The franchisee is responsible for these tasks.
Specifically, franchisees must install, maintain, and upgrade an Internet connection and a Brain Balance Center domain email account during the term of the Franchise Agreement. The franchisee must also use the most recent version of Google Chrome. The cost of purchasing the computer system is estimated to range from $24,000 to $27,000 for a Standard Center and from $15,000 to $20,000 for a Satellite Center.
The franchisee is responsible for any associated costs with connectivity, router, wireless access point, firewall, anti-virus software, and hardware. Brain Balance has no obligation to provide ongoing maintenance, repairs, upgrades, or updates to the franchisee's computer hardware system, nor have they contracted with any third parties to do so. To ensure full operational efficiency and optimum communication capability among computer systems installed by the franchisee, Brain Balance, and other franchisees, the franchisee must, at their own expense, keep the computer system in good maintenance and repair, and promptly install such upgrades, additions, changes, modifications, substitutions, and/or replacements to the computer hardware, software, networking/connectivity devices and configurations, telephone and power lines, and other computer-related facilities as Brain Balance may direct.