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Strategic Business Advisory Services in St. Louis
Advisory for closely held companies in the $5M to $40M range. A BDO Alliance member firm, serving Greater St. Louis since 1998.
- BDO Alliance member firm
- CPA led, founded 1998
- Closely held businesses only
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Tell us where the business is now. We will come back to you directly.
Meet The Owner
Stewart “Stu” Mueller, CPA
Founder and Managing Member, cHb Advisors, LLC
- 40 years and counting in accounting and financial systems
- Passed all four sections of the CPA exam on the first attempt, 1996
- Original member of the QuickBooks ProAdvisors since 1998
- Served on the Intuit Customer and Accountant Advisory Panel, 2005 and 2006
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Bachelor of Science
- Personally manages the Advisory and Consulting division
Stu founded cHb Advisors in 1998 and has since applied the same strategic foresight to his clients that he applied to the firm, work that has facilitated changes across thousands of entities.
From his profile at chbadvisors.com/our-team
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Why closely held businesses stay
The credentials behind the advice
Our goal is to partner with you and grow to become your trusted business advisor in St. Louis through proactive communication and timely delivery.
Member firm since October 2023, with access to BDO USA resources in over 160 countries
1998
Founded in St. Louis. Over 25 years serving closely held businesses
CPA led
Accounting, tax and advisory under one roof, so tax strategy is part of the conversation
$2M to $60M
Client net worth range, domestic and foreign, across the United States
What an engagement covers
Business advisory for closely held companies
cHb has been providing strategic advisory services to closely held businesses across Greater St. Louis since 1998. These are the pieces most engagements draw on, in whatever combination your situation needs.
Strategic planning
Where the business is going over the next one to three years, and what the numbers have to do for that to happen.
Financial analysis
The reporting your leadership team needs to make a decision, rather than the reporting your software happens to produce.
Overhead and pricing reviews
What each job, product or client is really costing you once overhead is allocated honestly.
KPI development
A short list of numbers that actually predict the outcome, reported on a rhythm you will keep.
Ownership transition
Planning the handover of a closely held business well before the year you intend to do it.
Tax strategy alongside
Because the same firm handles your tax compliance, advisory decisions get tested against their tax consequences as they are made.
How the relationship works
Strategic advisory when it matters most
Whether you are planning your growth strategy, preparing for an ownership transition, or working through a period of rapid change, our advisory team is ready to help.
- Advisory relationships extend naturally into tax strategy, because our team includes experienced CPAs
- One trusted partner across both disciplines rather than two firms that do not talk to each other
- National level resources through the BDO Alliance, with the same people staying on your account
Where we have done this before
Industries our advisors have worked in directly
Our professionals have worked directly with clients in these industries, which is what lets a conversation start with your numbers rather than with an explanation of how your business works.
Law firms
Manufacturing
Specialty trade and general contractors
Nonprofit organizations
Wholesale and distribution
Medical
Personal services
We work in the systems you already run, including QuickBooks Desktop and Online, Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Neos for case management in law firms.
Straight answers
Questions we get before the first call
What do business advisors actually do?
For a closely held business, the work is strategic planning, financial analysis, overhead and pricing reviews, and KPI development, so the leadership team always has the insight it needs to move forward. It extends naturally into tax strategy because our advisors are CPAs.
What size businesses do you work with?
Closely held companies in the $5 million to $40 million revenue range. Across the firm our clients range from $2 million to $60 million in net worth, domestic and foreign.
Do you only work with St. Louis businesses?
No. We are based at 4111 Telegraph Rd in St. Louis and we serve clients across the United States, including both domestic and foreign clients.
What does BDO Alliance membership actually mean for me?
cHb joined the BDO Alliance USA in October 2023. It means that when your question is bigger than a local firm, we draw on the resources of BDO USA and the wider alliance, which operates in over 160 countries, while you keep the same people on your account.
Will tax be part of the conversation?
Yes. Our team includes experienced CPAs, so tax advisory guidance sits alongside your broader financial and business planning rather than being a separate engagement with a separate firm.
Who will I actually work with?
Stu Mueller manages the Advisory and Consulting division personally. His direct extension is 0 on (314) 845-6680.
Talk strategy with a CPA advisory team
Whether you need fractional CFO support, business advisory, or a trusted financial partner for the long term, cHb brings the depth of a BDO Alliance firm to every relationship in Greater St. Louis.
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