One of my frustrations as a CPA for many years was spending hours every day on short phone calls with clients giving them advice without much context and they rarely anticipated getting a bill for my time. Lawyers don’t have any problem billing a minimum of 15 minutes for any call!
So, here’s my theory: I don’t understand why any CPA or lawyer ever has to pay for their own lunch. Buying your trusted advisor lunch gives you 2 things for a cheap meal (certainly if you take your CPA!): First, it allows your advisor to be invested in your business with an update on how things are going. Second, it allows your advisor to help plan prospectively rather than just deal with things once they have happened. “How do I need to structure that purchase?” “Should I pay that guy contract labor or wages?” “Should I buy the facility in a different entity when the company is financing it?” “I’m thinking of…” Getting great prospective advice from an invested (personal) capable advisor for the price of lunch is a no-brainer priority for every business owner!
This is exactly what we tell all of our prospective clients. It is never too early to think about what it takes to sell your business. We work for food! Just let us know when and where!