The Best Plans Start with a Conversation

Authored by: Kim Wegner — Partner, CPA, CVA, CGMA | Date Published: January 16, 2026

Culver’s is built on hospitality. It’s not just about serving ButterBurgers and Fresh Frozen Custard. It’s about knowing that Mrs. Johnson always orders extra crispy fries, that the Thompson family comes in every Friday after their son’s baseball games, and that your team members feel valued enough to stay year after year. You’ve built a business where people feel welcomed, heard, and understood. That same principle of genuine connection applies to something far beyond your dining room: the financial conversations that shape your future.

Running a Culver’s requires attention to countless details. You create staff schedules, manage inventory, and maintain high standards that keep your guests coming back. With your days packed between the lunch hour rush and planning local community events, it’s easy to put off the bigger financial questions. Decisions about opening another location, preparing for retirement, or talking with your family about the future often get pushed aside because there never seems to be a good moment to tackle them.

As your business grows, you face new questions and hurdles. Many owners end up making big decisions without having a dedicated place to sort through all the possibilities and how they might shape the future. That’s why finding time for honest conversations can make such a difference as you think about what comes next.

Why Do Financial Conversations with Accountants Feel Transactional?

Most restaurant owners interact with their accountants twice a year: tax season and year-end. You receive reports, sign forms, and go over compliance requirements. While these tasks are required, they rarely touch on the questions that really matter to you.

Business owners often focus so heavily on day-to-day operations that they overlook connecting their daily efforts with where they want to go. When your relationship with financial professionals’ centers only on reports and returns, you miss opportunities to discuss your family’s future, your plans for growth, and what success looks like for you.

Running a restaurant means dealing with constant change. Staffing issues, supply chain hiccups, and shifting customer tastes keep you on your toes. When you know where you want to go, your daily decisions start to add up to something bigger instead of just keeping up with the rush.

What Happens When You Move Beyond Basic Accounting Reports?

Meaningful financial planning conversations start with your goals and what you want to achieve, not just a review of last quarter’s numbers. These conversations leave room to talk honestly about what’s uncertain and any challenges you’re working through

When you establish a dedicated space for these conversations, several things shift:

You discuss goals before addressing problems: Instead of simply reacting to tax issues or cash flow concerns, you create a plan that supports your long-term vision.
Family considerations enter the equation: Planning naturally includes topics such as your children’s education, your retirement date, and the kind of legacy you want to leave.
Expansion decisions gain clarity: Whether you are thinking about expanding to a new location or upgrading your current space, these choices connect back to your broader goals.
Exit planning stops feeling intimidating: Discussing succession or possible sale options becomes a regular part of your planning process, rather than something considered only during stressful periods.

About 74% of businesses in the United States lack a formal succession plan, even though most plan to transition their business within the next decade. This gap exists because owners have not created a comfortable space to discuss these sensitive topics.

How Do You Build Ongoing Financial Conversations for Your Restaurant?

Good financial discussions depend on strong relationships, not just technical know-how; it’s the relationship. Recent 2025 insights from the Forbes Business Development Council show that trust is the ‘hardest currency’ in business; it’s the reason clients work with professionals they respect and why they rely on those trusted networks when making the decisions that define their future.

To build these relationships, it’s important to move away from quick, transactional conversations and focus on working together and creating a partnership.

Here’s what that looks like:

Start with your vision: Before diving into spreadsheets and projections, talk about what you’re building toward. What drew you to Culver’s in the first place? What do you want your business to provide for your family? How do you define success beyond profit margins?
Schedule regular check-ins: Don’t wait for tax deadlines to reach out to your financial partners. Set clear goals and check in regularly to keep your business steady and make smart choices. Quarterly conversations let you adjust as things change, celebrate wins, and address concerns before they grow.
Bring your whole situation to the table: Remember, your business finances are just one part of your overall financial life. Topics such as college savings, retirement planning, estate matters, and company growth all influence each other. Discussing how these connect leads to smarter decision-making.
Ask the uncomfortable questions: Don’t shy away from topics that might seem tough to discuss, such as what happens if you face a health challenge, how you will pay for a big renovation, or when to start planning for a sale. Giving these questions attention now makes future decisions easier.

Why Is Trust Important in Financial Partnerships for Restaurant Owners?

As Culver’s owners, you know that strong relationships are at the center of a successful business. Greeting regulars by name, supporting your team as they develop, and engaging with your community all contribute to your restaurant’s success. These same values matter in your financial partnerships as well.

When your accountant or advisor truly understands your goals, they can become much more than just service providers. They turn into partners who keep your interests in mind, bring new ideas to you, and celebrate your achievements right alongside you.

I enjoy catching up, learning, and celebrating the incredible journey as a brand grows from a small town to a national presence. That’s the spirit financial partnerships should have: ongoing conversations between people who care about each other’s success.

Running a restaurant always brings new challenges. Customer preferences shift, competition grows, and the economy can change quickly. When you have a dedicated space to talk about these changes with a trusted advisor who knows your story, it’s easier to move forward with confidence.

What Qualities Define a Strong Financial Partnership for Restaurant Owners?

At MBE CPAs, we want to help you reach your goals and have the conversations that matter. Our focus is on creating a space where you can talk comfortably about what’s important to you.

Your financial future should be shaped through thoughtful conversations, not rushed meetings right before deadlines. Take time to explore new ideas, talk through your questions, and plan for the future you wish to create.

Ready to Start the Conversation?

Creating this dedicated space doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your current financial relationships. It starts with simple shifts:

Initiate a conversation focused on vision: Set up a meeting with your financial team that centers on your long-term goals, moving beyond just the numbers for this quarter.
Identify topics you’ve been avoiding: Make a list of the financial questions that are on your mind. These are exactly the topics that deserve attention.
Establish a regular rhythm: Reserve time each quarter for financial conversations that are about more than just compliance and reporting.
Include key stakeholders: Invite others who are involved in your business or succession planning to join these discussions from the beginning.

The best time to create this space was when you opened your first Culver’s location. The second-best time is now. Your business has grown, your skills have deepened, and your vision for the future has changed. Your financial conversations should change, too.

What’s Next?

When you start building real partnerships, not just focusing on reports and returns, everything feels different. You get answers to your questions, worry less, and spot new possibilities as your concerns become part of a confident plan.

You’ve already shown you can build something special. The next step is creating a space where you can talk openly about your goals and what comes next. Having walked alongside other franchise owners through the growth of one location to three, I’ve seen firsthand how these conversations turn uncertainty into a confident plan.

At MBE CPAs, we focus on building genuine relationships, not just handling your accounting needs. We’re here to celebrate your progress, support your plans, and provide a place for the conversations that matter most to you and your family. Let’s talk about your financial future together.

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