John Hewitt, Liberty Tax Service1

Founder and CEO
Virginia Beach - VA United States

The big idea: In 25 words or less, please tell us how this Fast 50 Nominee is helping to address the planet's problems.

Liberty Tax Service has demonstrated explosive growth in 11 years due to its innovative marketing and cause-related marketing techniques, and commitment to customer service.

Please describe how this nominee is using business as a force of positive change. What technology, idea, or strategy is the nominee using -- and what problem, such as global warming, poverty, or pollution, does it address? (suggested length: 100 words)

Costumed characters are a vital guerrilla marketing tactic behind Liberty Tax Service’s record brand growth and success in the last eleven years. Lady Liberty is in good company these days, whether she’s dancing with a “Mr. Pickle” in Lodi, California or with another mascot on a street corner near one of the company’s 2700 offices.

John Hewitt’s vision of Lady Liberty waving in customers to a new and fun tax preparation company all started with a business plan that was scribbled onto a napkin in San Diego, California in 1996. The strategy was to establish a new income tax franchise that would be the world’s biggest and best, where franchisees and employees could “have some fun every day.” In four months, over $1,000,000 was raised in start-up capital to purchase a Canadian tax company, and open for business in June of 1997. Liberty’s strategy quickly became aggressive guerrilla marketing in place of deep advertising pockets, and use of creative ways to bring great people into the company.

Lady Liberty characters have generated excitement at the many benefit “roadside parties” that Liberty has held for the March of Dimes, Cell Phones for Soldiers, and other worthy causes. Liberty Tax Service partnered with the March of Dimes in 2008 as a new national sponsor, and is now one of only six corporate sponsors for the nationally-branded March for Babies event.

Free return tax preparation is also one of the ways that Liberty Tax gives back to its local communities. Each year “appreciation weeks” honor service professionals like police, firefighters, teachers, and others by offering them free tax preparation. This year, as the economic tax stimulus plan was unveiled, many elderly, disabled, and low-income persons normally not required to file a return needed to file in order to receive a tax stimulus check. Liberty Tax offered free return preparation for them from February 15-March 31, 2008.

Liberty Tax Service CEO and Founder John Hewitt is the only person who has founded two of the top three income tax preparation companies. There is no other CEO in the industry who has completed 39 tax seasons. John Hewitt’s personal mission is ending world hunger in his lifetime. In 1998, Hewitt and Reverend Ray Buchanan launched a world crusade against hunger by founding Stop Hunger Now, a non-profit 501(c) (3) international relief organization headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. Since its inception, Stop Hunger Now has provided over $44 million of emergency food, medicine and life-saving supplies in over 60 countries.
Liberty Tax Service continues to support Stop Hunger Now with contributions from CEO John Hewitt, Liberty franchisees and employees, and by various companywide fundraising efforts and incentives such as Operation Sharehouse events.

What are the results, both financial and social? How has the nominee's business performed, and what impact has it had on the problem it addresses? (suggested length: 100 words)

Liberty grew in 2008 while making a difference with commitment to worthy causes. The company will finish fiscal year 2008 with a 17% growth in number of tax returns prepared and a 30% growth in revenue. The company has added just under 2,000 offices since 2002. For the sixth year in a row, Liberty grew by more returns (raw numbers) than its two major competitors combined.

• Liberty is #23 overall best franchises on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500.)

• Hispanic Enterprise magazine ranked Liberty Tax on its “Top Franchises for Hispanics” for the last two years.