Chris Barrett

CPA, Accounting & Tax Specialist in Acquisitions

Chris Barrett is a registered CPA and founder of Midwest CPA. He is an accountant and tax professional who provides CPA services to entrepreneurs looking to acquire businesses

Chris leads the team at Midwest CPA and works with clients to help them assess business deals, conduct due diligence and manage their finance and compliance requirements.

Chris has written a number of insightful articles and spoken at various events and webinars on entrepreneurship through acquisition.

Chris Barrett, CPA

Managing Director/Owner

Webinars With Chris Barrett

More Articles And Content From Chris

Woman buying from a vending machine at night.
ETA
Chris Barrett

Machine to Money: What to Know Before Buying a Vending Machine Business

The Allure of the Vending Machine Business
The idea of buying a vending machine business is appealing for one main reason: passive income. With relatively low startup costs and minimal staffing requirements, vending machines look like the perfect business opportunity, especially in an era obsessed with side hustles and financial freedom.
But while this industry does have potential, it’s not as passive or easy as it may seem.

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frustrated man in a gray shirt with two stacks of books and papers
SMB
Chris Barrett

Customer Concentration Risk: Lessons from a Failed Acquisition

When buying a small business, financial red flags aren’t always obvious. Though commonly overlooked, customer concentration risk is one of the most dangerous red flags. We recently worked on a deal where the seller claimed their largest customer only accounted for 20% of revenue. But after a deeper dive in the quality of earnings (QoE) process, we uncovered that the real figure was over 60%. That discovery ultimately killed the deal.

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black and white image of a calculator with the edge of a laptop keyboard and a bar chart showing revenue over a period of time
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Chris Barrett

Cash vs. Accrual: The Importance of Revenue Recognition

When it comes to accounting methods, cash basis accounting is often favored by small business owners for its simplicity. Under this approach, revenue is only recognized when cash is received, and expenses are recorded when cash is actually paid. While easy to manage, this method can distort the financial picture by failing to align revenue and expenses with the periods they relate to, resulting in inconsistent, “lumpy” financials.

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a calculator and open pen on top of business accounting paperwork
SMB
Chris Barrett

What Determines Your Accounting Quote at Midwest CPA?

Starting or running a small business means balancing growth, cash flow, and operational priorities. One key partner in that journey is your accountant or CPA. 

Perhaps you’re just looking into your small business accounting options, or maybe you’ve already decided to check out our pricing guide to compare it with other options out there, and want to know why different firms charge so differently.

In this post, we’ll walk you through how Midwest CPA determines pricing for monthly accounting services. You’ll learn what drives the costs, what’s included in each of our service tiers, and why our fixed‑fee model offers clarity and consistency for business owners.

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a book and notebook with a crumpled page, indicating frustration with a deal breaker.
ETA
Chris Barrett

Under LOI? Here’s When Walking Away Is the Smart Move

Signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) is a big step in acquiring a business. It signals serious intent, begins due diligence, and often involves commitments of time, effort, and money. But being under LOI does not guarantee you should go all the way to closing. Sometimes walking away is the smartest decision you can make. In this article, you’ll discover three critical reasons to walk away before closing so you can avoid buying the wrong company and instead, invest in the right one.

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