Forty Under 40: Craig McCollough

Craig McCollough had a stable job in sports marketing when he had an opportunity to go into business for himself.

“I’ve always had a lot of faith in myself that I can get the job done,” he said. “But that was definitely a leap.”

McCollough, a 2004 marketing management graduate of the Uni-versity of Arkansas, bought three Tax Mart locations in Northwest Arkansas in the summer of 2007.

After three successful years — and a growth strategy of 100 stores in 10 years — McCollough was seen as a threat locally by H&R Block and approached about a buyout.

“We were growing and we were taking market share from them,” he said.

Instead, he began negotiating to merge his company and buy a group of HRB stores in Northwest Arkansas.

Today, McCollough owns six HRB locations, employing about 70 people in tax season, including 40 tax professionals.

Annually, the business prepares almost 7,000 returns and has increased client retention.

McCollough, who said he’s in the process of a sizable acquisition, believes customer service is the chief philosophy of the company.

“We’re not building widgets; this is a client-service business,” he said.

Married with one daughter, McCollough is an avid golfer — a sport he played at  the UA — and a charter member of the Fayetteville Future Fund, which supports local nonprofits through the Arkansas Community Foundation.