Is there a fee charged to complete the initial Card My Yard training program?
Card_My_Yard Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Before the opening of your Card My Yard business, your Principal Owner and your General Manager (if different from the Principal Owner) must have completed our initial training program to our satisfaction. You will not be permitted to open your Card My Yard business unless and until the Principal Owner and your General Manager (if different from the Principal Owner) have completed our initial training program to our satisfaction. We anticipate that the initial training program, including our on-line instruction courses, will take approximately 22 hours to complete. The initial training course can be completed remotely (either via the Internet or otherwise at your home), and we will not charge a fee for you to complete the initial training program. Once the online training is complete, a mandatory training call is required to review this information. Additionally, we may, at our option, schedule additional follow-up phone calls with you as we deem necessary. The Principal Owner and General Manager are required on the call (Franchise Agreement, Section VIII.A.)
The training program will be conducted online or, if you choose, at our headquarters in Springville, Utah or a regional training location designated by us. We provide online training materials at no charge, but if you choose to travel to our Austin headquarters for training you must pay all expensesthat you and your personnel incur in initial training, including costs of travel, lodging, meals and wages. We may charge a reasonable training fee for training all successor or replacement personnel. (Franchise Agreement, Section VIII.A.)
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 34–43)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Card My Yard's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are not charged a fee to complete the initial training program. The initial training program, including online instruction courses, is anticipated to take approximately 22 hours to complete. This training can be completed remotely. However, if a franchisee chooses to travel to Card My Yard's headquarters in Springville, Utah, or a designated regional training location, they are responsible for covering all expenses, including travel, lodging, meals, and wages for themselves and their personnel.
Card My Yard may require the Principal Owner and General Manager to attend additional training programs and seminars from time to time (up to a maximum of 2 days each year, except that Card My Yard can require additional training if they deem appropriate due to a franchisee's failure to comply with their Business System standards) at a location designated by them. Franchisees must also attend annual franchisee conventions (aka "Cardferences") in person if Card My Yard chooses to host such conventions, and franchisees must pay Card My Yard a non-refundable $200 Cardference Fee for each franchise location they own. Card My Yard has the right to charge a reasonable fee for these additional training programs, conventions and seminars. Franchisees must pay all expenses they or their personnel incur in any training program, convention or seminar, including the cost of travel, lodging, meals and wages.
This is a benefit to prospective franchisees as it reduces the initial investment costs. Many franchisors charge a training fee to offset their costs of providing the initial training. However, franchisees should be aware of the potential costs associated with travel and accommodation if they choose to attend training at the headquarters or other designated location. Also, franchisees should be aware of the additional fees associated with the Cardferences.