How much does an ActionCOACH franchise cost in Minnesota and Wisconsin?
The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document for the ActionCOACH PARTNER Business Coach franchise offered by Buji, LLC estimates a total initial investment of $64,300 to $136,849. The range applies specifically to the Minnesota and Wisconsin offer described in that document; it should not be applied to other U.S. regions or international offers.
Estimated Initial Investment. The 2026 PARTNER range includes the $45,000 Initial Franchise Fee, the $15,000 Franchisee Training Fee, a $2,500 reimbursable Initial Marketing Fee, setup costs, and expenses for the first three months. It does not resolve all later working-capital needs. Source: 2026 FDD Item 7, pp. 13–17.
Data basis: legal franchisor/master licensee Buji, LLC; national franchisor and system licensor ActionCOACH North America, LLC; FDD issued May 1, 2026; PARTNER Business Coach offer for Minnesota and Wisconsin; Items 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, and 17 reviewed; information checked July 18, 2026.
The official pricing overview states that pricing varies by region. No matching public copy of the current regional disclosure was located on a brand-controlled domain, so document references in this article are identified by Item and page but are not clickable. The state franchise registration lookup is the appropriate government tool for checking filing status.
PARTNER format; first three months included.
Non-refundable; VetFran discount may reduce this fee only.
For the owner or Managing Director Coach.
Before opening and during the first three months.
Of Gross Revenues; $1,950 monthly base minimum applies on the disclosed schedule.
What is included in the $64,300 to $136,849 range?
The official total combines fixed system payments with variable third-party costs and three months of early operating expenses. The $45,000 upfront franchise payment is only one part of the capital requirement.
Core payments and training-related costs
| Expenditure | Amount | Payment timing |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $45,000 | Contract schedule says when the Franchise Agreement is signed; State deferral language is discussed below. |
| Franchisee Training Fee | $15,000 | At signing and no later than the disclosed training deadline. |
| Travel to Franchisee Training | $500–$2,500 | As incurred; estimate is for one trainee traveling to Las Vegas. |
| Refundable Initial Marketing Fee | $2,500 | At signing; reimbursable with acceptable paid receipts for approved local marketing in the first 90 days. |
| ACNA conference registration during initial period | $0–$1,500 | Before the conference or as incurred if a required event falls within the first three months. |
| Monthly Technology Fee during initial period | Printed as $0–$405 | Monthly; the table and its footnote do not reconcile, as explained below. |
Source: disclosure Item 7, pp. 13–16.
Business setup and first-three-month costs
| Expenditure | Amount | What drives the range |
|---|---|---|
| Computer, Telephone & Office Equipment | $0–$2,000 | Existing compliant equipment can reduce the initial outlay. |
| CRM | $0–$399 | Buji provides a CRM at no additional investment; the high end reflects an optional third-party choice. |
| Opening Marketing Materials & Supplies | $0–$2,500 | Additional printing, media, stationery, and materials beyond the online selection supplied at startup. |
| Insurance | $1,000–$2,000 | Required before starting business; coverage must meet the stated minimums and legal requirements. |
| Rent and Security Deposit | $0–$3,000 combined | Each line is $0–$1,500. A home-based start can avoid both; traditional commercial fit-out is not estimated. |
| Grand Opening Launch Event | $0–$5,000 | Venue, attendance, food, beverages, and vendor choices. |
| Salaries and Wages | $0–$30,000 | The low case assumes no employees and no owner salary; the high case includes a small Managing Director Coach salary. |
| Additional Funds | $0–$25,000 | Deposits, licenses, memberships, legal and accounting costs, supplies, and other early operating expenses. |
Source: disclosure Item 7, pp. 14–17.
These are category maximums, not a recommended allocation and not a separately summable budget.
Interpretation: the top of the official range is driven primarily by the fixed franchise and training payments plus optional staffing and working-capital assumptions. Source: 2026 FDD Item 7, pp. 13–17.
The investment table prints the first-three-month technology charge as $0 to $405. Note 7 says the low case assumes one owner at $100 per month and the high case assumes the owner plus one administrative employee at $150 per month. That produces a derived three-month range of $300 to $450, and those values reconcile exactly to the official $64,300 and $136,849 totals. This article preserves the official total and flags the row discrepancy rather than silently replacing the disclosure.
The $0 to $25,000 working-capital line covers only the period before opening and the first three months. Note 16 separately warns that a franchisee may require up to $100,000 or more in additional working capital during the early growth period, especially when the business must support personal income needs. That warning is not an amount to add automatically to the official total; it is a separate planning uncertainty that depends on the buyer’s circumstances.
When is the startup money paid?
The disclosed payment schedule is concentrated around contract signing, the training deadline, the pre-opening period, and the first three months. Buyers in that state face an additional timing issue because Item 5 contains a state-imposed fee deferral that does not fully align with the table’s “due at signing” language.
Franchise Agreement stage
The schedule identifies a $45,000 franchise payment and $15,000 training payment at signing, plus the $2,500 marketing deposit upon signing. The marketing payment is included in the initial investment even though it can be reimbursed after approved spending is documented.
Training preparation
Training-related deadlines can occur 28 days before the session. The franchisee pays travel as incurred; the $15,000 fee includes accommodations, meals, and transfers between the hotel and training venue during the in-person program, but not transportation to Las Vegas or incidental expenses.
Before business starts
Insurance must be in place, and any computer, software, office equipment, rent, security deposit, or opening materials are paid to third parties as needed. The document says the typical period from signing and full funding to starting business is approximately one to two months.
First three months
Technology, conference registration when applicable, salaries, wages, marketing, supplies, and other operating funds are incurred during the initial period. The percentage-based royalty and marketing obligations begin immediately under the fee table.
Item 5 says payment of initial fees is deferred in Minnesota until the master licensee has met its initial obligations and the franchisee has commenced business, because of a state financial-assurance requirement. The same section also says the franchise and training fees are due upon signing. The document does not clearly reconcile those statements. A buyer in that state should obtain a written, line-by-line payment schedule before signing or paying; a Wisconsin buyer should confirm whether any deferral applies. The Minnesota Department of Commerce registration guidance explains the state filing framework, while the FTC franchise buying guide explains the federal 14-day disclosure period.
Which fees continue after opening?
The main continuing obligations are the Royalty Fee, Marketing and Advertising Fee, and Monthly Technology Fee. The royalty and marketing percentages begin immediately, while their stated minimums begin on the earlier of the first month after the owner or Managing Director Coach completes training or 120 days after signing.
| Continuing fee | Amount or basis | Due date and trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Royalty Fee | 10% of Gross Revenues; minimum $1,950 monthly | $1,950 due on the 1st; any balance due on the 5th. Percentage starts immediately; minimum starts on the disclosed training/120-day schedule. |
| Marketing and Advertising Fee | 5% of Gross Revenues; $100 minimum; $1,000 monthly cap | Due on the 5th. Percentage starts immediately; minimum starts on the disclosed training/120-day schedule. |
| Monthly Technology Fee | $100 owner; $75 additional Business Coach; $50 General Team Member | Due on the 1st of each month. |
| Annual ACNA National Conference | $749–$1,500 per person | 28 days before the conference; required, with separate travel, accommodation, and meal costs. |
| Great Lakes Region Conference | $250–$750 per person | 28 days before the conference; required, with separate travel, accommodation, and meal costs. |
| Optional ActionCOACH Email Account | $256 per year per Key Personnel | Only when Key Personnel use an ActionCOACH email account. |
Source: disclosure Item 6, pp. 8–10.
- Gross Revenues
- Total cash-basis receipts from ActionCOACH services and products, including fair-market value of barter and business-interruption insurance proceeds; sales and similar taxes collected and remitted are excluded.
- Royalty minimum
- The $1,950 base is a minimum, not a cap. When 10% of Gross Revenues is higher, the percentage calculation controls.
- Marketing cap
- The 5% contribution is subject to both a $100 minimum and a $1,000 monthly cap under the regional disclosure.
- Annual adjustment
- The fee table says certain fees may be increased no more than once per calendar year, prospectively, by no more than the applicable 12-month CPI-U change.
How can the cost change if the owner adds more Business Coaches?
The initial opening range is for the PARTNER format. A Firm Addendum can add separate one-time seat, training, launch-support, and monthly technology costs when the franchisee expands beyond a single-coach operation.
Team-expansion cost stack
The following charges are not automatically included as a multi-coach package. Each applies only when its stated trigger occurs.
The official franchising FAQ describes the broader distinction between a solo start and a team-based firm. For this regional offer, the controlling amounts are the current disclosure figures above.
Are specific liquid capital or net worth amounts required?
The current document discloses no minimum Liquid Capital, Net Worth, or Non-Borrowed Funds threshold. That absence does not reduce the Estimated Initial Investment or the need to fund early operations.
- Personal GuaranteeIf a business entity acquires the franchise, each owner must sign a personal guarantee. Source: 2026 disclosure Item 1, p. 1.
- Standard financingThe master licensee does not maintain a standard financing program, generally does not offer direct or indirect financing, and does not guarantee third-party obligations. Source: Item 10, p. 21.
- Exceptional arrangementsThe financing section permits limited, individually negotiated financing or payment arrangements at its sole discretion for qualified candidates; approval and terms are not guaranteed.
- Third-party borrowing costsInterest, lender fees, collateral requirements, and debt-service needs are not included in the opening total unless expressly listed.
The official ActionCOACH U.S. franchise website provides general franchise information, but it does not replace the region-specific capital disclosures and payment terms in the current regional disclosure.
Which later events can create additional fees?
Renewal, transfer, relocation, team expansion, late payment, audit findings, early termination, default, and requested contract changes can all create costs outside the opening range. Some are fixed; others depend on a sale price, actual expenses, remaining contract term, or the nature of a breach.
The bars compare fixed disclosed amounts only. Percentage formulas, actual-cost reimbursements, and damages are excluded from the geometry.
Interpretation: a sale or out-of-region relocation carries the largest selected fixed lifecycle charge, while team expansion can layer multiple per-coach payments. Source: 2026 FDD Item 6, pp. 9–12.
| Event | Fee | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal | $5,000 | Due when signing the Renewal Franchise Agreement after the seven-year term. |
| Transfer when franchisee finds buyer | $15,000 | Due with the request for transfer approval. |
| Transfer when Buji finds buyer | Tiered % of sale price | 10% of first $1 million; 7.5% of second; 5% of third; 2.5% above $3 million. |
| Relocation | $15,000 | Only for a move from the Territory to another master licensee’s territory; not for a move within theTerritory or another territory owned by Buji. |
| Requested amendment | Estimated $500–$700 | Reimbursement of reasonable amendment and legal costs. |
Source: disclosure Items 6 and 17, pp. 9–12 and 36–41.
- Late paymentInterest is 1.5% per month or the maximum legal rate, payable with the underlying amount.
- Audit understatementActual Big Four examination or audit costs, including travel, are payable if the audit finds an understatement of 5% or more.
- Insurance failureThe franchisee reimburses the amount paid if the master licensee or national franchisor obtains required coverage on the franchisee’s behalf.
- Early terminationThe formula is the lesser of $25,000 or remaining royalty payments after the second anniversary; before that anniversary, it is $25,000 plus remaining royalty payments through the second anniversary.
- Default terminationLiquidated damages use the present value of average monthly Royalty and Marketing and Advertising Fees over the stated lookback or remaining term, less saved expenses.
- Marks, confidentiality, or restrictive-covenant breachThe disclosed liquidated damages are $250,000 plus enforcement costs if Buji prevails.
- Enforcement and indemnificationActual investigation, collection, legal, and covered loss amounts may be payable under the conditions stated in the fee table.
What should a prospective franchisee verify before relying on the cost range?
The most important verification work is not to replace the official range with an informal estimate, but to identify which disclosed assumptions match the buyer’s actual operating plan.
- Confirm that the current disclosure and Franchise Agreement are the Minnesota or Wisconsin versions issued by the correct legal entity.
- Obtain a written reconciliation of the state fee deferral and the “due at signing” payment language.
- Ask for written confirmation of the first-three-month Technology Fee because the printed technology row conflicts with Note 7 and the official total.
- Decide whether the business will begin from a home office, shared office, or traditional commercial space; the disclosure does not estimate a conventional commercial fit-out.
- Separate the three-month Additional Funds allowance from any personal living reserve and from the separate warning about potentially higher early working capital.
- Confirm whether the VetFran discount applies. The maximum $5,000 reduction applies only to the franchise payment, not every opening category.
- Model the royalty, marketing contribution, and technology charge using the exact contractual bases and start dates without converting percentage fees into unsupported annual dollar estimates.
What is the practical capital takeaway?
For the current Minnesota and Wisconsin PARTNER offer, the verified official opening range is $64,300 to $136,849. The largest disclosed sources of variation are staffing, working capital, office choices, launch spending, and training travel. That total is distinct from the $45,000 upfront franchise payment, and the document does not publish separate minimum Liquid Capital or Net Worth thresholds.
The buyer’s most important unresolved cost questions are the precise state payment schedule, the inconsistent first-three-month Technology Fee row, the amount of working capital needed beyond the first three months, and whether later Firm Addendum, transfer, relocation, renewal, or default-related charges could become relevant.