What is the Minimum Start Date (MSD) for a new Brightstar Care agency defined as?
Brightstar_Care Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
If you are acquiring a franchise for a new Agency to be operated in a "standard" size territory, beginning the first 12 months of operations after your Minimum Start Date, your monthly performance must meet or exceed the Monthly Performance Standards appearing in the chart below. Your Minimum Start Date ("MSD") will be the Agency's Opening Date (defined as the earlier of the date of your first billing or 180 days after signing the Franchise Agreement). You are initially required to obtain whatever licensure may be required to perform Companion and Personal in-home care services in your state. In states where it may take longer than 180 days to obtain the license to perform those services, the Minimum Start Date will be the Monday following the receipt of licensure which enables you to perform Companion and Personal in-home care services. You must diligently and actively pursue all licenses to enable you to perform the fullest extent of the BrightStar business model. If you acquired the Agency as a result of a transfer, the Minimum Start Date will be the effective date of the transfer (and the applicable Monthly Performance Standards will be reflected in a Standard Resale Addendum to Franchise Agreement (Exhibit O) and will depend on your selling franchisee's actual performance before the transfer's effective date).
Source: Item 6 — OTHER FEES (FDD pages 17–34)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Brightstar Care's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Minimum Start Date (MSD) for a new agency in a standard territory is defined as the agency's opening date. This opening date is the earlier of either the date of the first billing or 180 days after signing the Franchise Agreement. This MSD is important because it marks the beginning of the period used to evaluate a franchisee's performance against the required Monthly Performance Standards.
However, there is an exception to this rule. In states where it takes longer than 180 days to obtain the necessary licensure to perform Companion and Personal in-home care services, the Minimum Start Date will be the Monday following the receipt of the required licensure. Brightstar Care requires franchisees to diligently pursue all licenses necessary to operate the fullest extent of the BrightStar business model.
For franchisees acquiring an existing Brightstar Care agency through a transfer, the Minimum Start Date is the effective date of the transfer. The Monthly Performance Standards applicable to a transferred agency will be detailed in a Standard Resale Addendum to the Franchise Agreement and will depend on the selling franchisee's performance prior to the transfer.