Loyalty Brands Leadership

John T. Hewitt is a distinguished American entrepreneur renowned for his significant contributions to the tax and business services industry. With a career spanning over five decades, he has left an indelible mark through the creation and expansion of notable ventures.

In 1969, while pursuing his education at the University at Buffalo, Hewitt’s journey in tax preparation began when he enrolled in a tax preparation course offered by H&R Block. The course sparked his fascination with the world of taxation, setting him on a path that would lead to remarkable achievements. Impressed by his talent and dedication, H&R Block swiftly hired Hewitt as a tax preparer, launching his career in the industry.

Hewitt’s rapid ascent through the ranks at H&R Block demonstrated his exceptional aptitude for the business. By 1980, he had become the youngest regional director within the company, overseeing 250 offices. However, his visionary instincts drove him to recognize the need for technological innovation within the tax sector.

In pursuit of this vision, Hewitt decided to forge his own path, departing from H&R Block to seize the opportunity for innovation. Collaborating closely with his father, he embarked on pioneering the development of cutting-edge decision-tree tax preparation software. Initially, this groundbreaking technology was intended for sale to H&R Block. However, Block was hesitant to embrace this transformative approach, failing to foresee the inevitable role of computers in their industry.

This pivotal moment in Hewitt’s career led him to explore alternative avenues to harness the efficiency and potential of the new technology. His entrepreneurial spirit and determination drove him to create Jackson Hewitt, a tax preparation service that would fully leverage the power of this groundbreaking software.

Even before this transformation, as early as 1986, Jackson Hewitt was at the forefront of embracing technology to enhance the tax preparation experience. It was during this year that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began to acknowledge the advantages of computerized tax filing. In a historic move, the IRS initiated testing of the electronic filing process, allowing taxpayers to directly submit their tax returns electronically, bypassing the traditional method of mailing paper returns entirely.

Jackson Hewitt, as a leader in utilizing technology to facilitate tax preparation and filing, was quick to adapt to this evolving landscape. This forward-thinking approach not only positioned the company as an industry pioneer but also laid the groundwork for the expansion of their franchise model throughout the United States.

Through John’s relentless pursuit of innovation and commitment to revolutionizing the tax industry, Jackson Hewitt became a beacon of efficiency and convenience in the world of tax preparation, reshaping the way individuals filed their taxes and setting new industry standards along the way. By 1992, Jackson Hewitt was one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States, according to Inc. Magazine, attaining a secure second place ranking in its industry.   The company became publicly traded in 1994 and was sold for $483 million in 1997 at which time it was operating nearly 1500 offices.

After leaving Jackson Hewitt, John was contractually barred from competing with Jackson Hewitt until 2000 in most of the United States.  However, he decided to launch a new company which would be the vehicle for further innovations. In order not to infringe on the terms of the non-compete agreement the new company initially focused its operations in Canada.  Liberty Tax Service was launched when John purchased a Canadian tax company on September 1, 1997. The new concern quickly achieved a huge measure of success opening over 4000 locations in North America by 2012, making it the fastest growing major tax preparation company in history.   Liberty Tax is best known for the costumed “wavers” dressed as the Statue of Liberty used as marketing mascots in front of offices across the county.  John left Liberty in 2018 to found Loyalty Brands. 

Loyalty Brands is a synergistic group of franchise businesses and services designed to dovetail together to help the franchise buyer to prosper both quickly and over the long term. Decades of documented and proven franchise and business success has enabled Loyalty Brands to develop a business system that drives customer loyalty, repeat business and financial stability. The proven systems allow a franchise business to run smoothly and efficiently while achieving consistent and measurable growth.

Each of the Loyalty franchise concepts are easily knitted together to provide interested prospects a portfolio of businesses that are exciting for them to consider.  The brands under the Loyalty umbrella include ATAX Tax Service, Zoomin Groomin, Loyalty Business Brokers, CR3 Exterior Remodeling, Little Medical School, The Inspection Boys, Salty Dawg Pet Salon + Bakery, and Ledgers Accounting and Business Services.

John’s enduring legacy is marked by his role as a pioneer in the development and utilization of specialized tax preparation software, now regarded as an industry standard. His entrepreneurial journey continues to inspire and shape the landscape of the tax and business services sector, embodying a true entrepreneurial spirit dedicated to innovation and excellence.

Honors and Accolades:

• International Franchise Association-Entrepreneur Of The Year (2006)
• Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People (2000-2012)
• Author of best-selling book, ICompete: How My Extraordinary Strategy of Winning Can Be Yours
• Brought in over 5000 franchisees
• Founded two Top 100 retail franchise chains (Jackson Hewitt and Liberty Tax Service)
• Celebrating 55^th year in the tax preparation industry “The Grandaddy of Taxes”
• Visit loyaltybrands.com for more information

John Hewitt’s remarkable journey from humble beginnings to tech titan serves as an exhilarating tale of ambition, innovation, and the power of the human spirit. His story continues to inspire countless individuals around the world to dream big, think outside the box, and dare to become mavericks in their own right. John Hewitt, the visionary who dared to reach for the stars, will forever be known as a pioneer in the world of technology and a true inspiration to all.