Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue I, 2015 | Page 38

RECONNECT
BY KERRY PIPES

Staying the Course

T

The future looks bright for Ken Leese

he past five years have been
tough for those in the tax business, but things are looking up
and Ken Leese’s positive attitude
has never waned.
“With the state of the economy,
you look at how fewer people working
translates into fewer tax returns that
need preparing,” says the 47-year-old
Jackson Hewitt franchisee. “Our business has struggled somewhat to remain
status quo, and one of the realities we
discovered is that the tax business is not
so recession-proof.” Regardless, Leese
has remained steadfast and has made
calculated and strategic moves since
we profiled him in 2010.
He’s divested all of his Delaware territories and replaced them with Jackson
Hewitt units in Southern New Jersey,
his home base. He still has a few locations in Pennsylvania but the core of his
operation is now in New Jersey. Proof
that the market is picking up? He’s

grown from 40 locations at the end of
2013 to 45 today.
When we last spoke with him, Leese
had grown his Play N Trade stores
from one to three, but has cut back to
a single location. “That business model
is struggling and there has been a lot of
change in computer gaming,” he says,
adding that there’s a new management
team at the brand and he’s eager to see
what they have in store.
Leese is “cautiously optimistic” about
the Jackson Hewitt brand. He points
to the brand’s recent change of ownership and leadership changes at the top.
“I plan to stick it out. I like to say I’m
cautiously growing,” he says.
And he certainly knows how to do
that. Early in his Jackson Hewitt career, Leese was overseeing more than
100 locations up and down the East
Coast. It was tough but lucrative work
that involved a lot of travel. But when
kids came along, a twin boy and girl,

PERSONAL
First job: Accounting firm.
Formative influences/events: Working in franchised businesses during
high school and college.
Key accomplishments: Jackson Hewitt Hall of Fame 2003, Jackson Hewitt
National Advisory Council President 2003–2006.
Biggest mistake: Overexpansion without enough capital.
Smartest mistake: Overexpansion without enough capital.
Decision I wish I could do over: Not diversifying early enough.
Work week: I work around my time with my kids. Currently Mondays,
Wednesdays, and Fridays are short days (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and Tuesdays and
Thursdays are longer days (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.). I am generally always available
to my team 24/7.
How do you spend a typical day? During tax season, I read reports
in the morning, and then visit offices to encourage the team and give out impromptu awards.
Favorite fun activities: Concerts and sporting events, tennis, fishing, and
being with my kids.

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Exercise/workout: Not enough, but starting to walk, bike, and play tennis
more often.
Favorite tech toys: iPhone.
What are you reading? I like reading about history. Currently, I am reading
a book about George Washington and his spy ring during the Revolutionary War.
Do you have a favorite quote? I came, I saw, I conquered.
Best advice you ever got: Make sure you are working at something you
enjoy!
What gets you out of bed in the morning? Teaching each of my children to become a better person each and every day.
What’s your passion in business? To allow my management team to
retire when I do.
How do you balance life and work? Through technology, I make myself available 24/7 to my team whether I’m in the office or not.
Last vacation: Palm Beach.
Person I’d most like to have lunch with: Julius Caesar.

MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE IS S UE I, 2015

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