About
Hi. I'm Curt.
CPA. CFO. Former SBA Lender. 40 Years in the Trenches.
Forty years as a CPA, CFO, and SBA lender puts you on both sides of the table on a lot of small business deals — the ones that closed clean and the ones that never should have gotten to the LOI.
I built Main Street Ledger to explain what buyers and owners actually need to know about acquisitions, SBA financing, franchise ownership, and business finance — grounded in the actual sources: SBA guidelines, FDD filings, IRS publications, and government data.
We explain what those sources mean, not what they say.
A Little About Me
Life Outside the Work
My beautiful wife Shari Lee and I split our time between the sunny shores of New Smyrna Beach, FL, and the picturesque mountains of Blowing Rock, NC. We share our lives with our two goldendoodles, Charlie and Brodie, and are blessed with a big, loving family — four grown children and nine amazing grandkids.
Even in retirement, my curiosity and passion for learning keep me moving forward. I earned my Master of Science in Entrepreneurship at the University of Florida and graduated December 2025.
Professional Background
Business and Career
Curt Roese, CPA, Real Estate Broker — recently retired after a 40+ year career spanning Small Business Lending (SBA), Public Accounting, Finance, Real Estate Brokerage, Home Building, Sales, and Construction.
Westmont Homes — Former founder and co-owner of an award-winning custom home building company
Fountainhead — Former CFO of a large non-bank SBA lender, helping small businesses secure growth funding. Retired June 2023.
University of Florida — Pursued M.S. Entrepreneurship after retiring. Graduated December 2025.
Main Street Ledger — Founder and editorial lead of a channel explaining small business acquisitions, SBA lending, franchise ownership, and business finance
Licenses, Designations and Education
Certified Public Accountant (CPA inactive — Ohio)
Real Estate Broker (Florida)
B.S. Accounting — University of Akron
M.S. Entrepreneurship — University of Florida (2025, 3.94 GPA)
Semi-finalist and Entrepreneurial Spirit Award — UF Big Idea Competition (2025)
Luby Microgrant Pitch Competition Winner — UF Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (2024)
What People Say
From Colleagues and Partners
W. Riley Allen, Esquire
"Curt has the innate entrepreneurial spirit you cannot teach. He is the epitome of the exceptionally personable, passionate, honest, and never to be dissuaded Energizer Bunny. Just as importantly, he has a very well-rounded perspective on life that is complemented by his love of family, music, and new challenges."
James Rahman, Westmont Homes
"I had the privilege of partnering with Curt on a home building venture. I owe an incredible debt of gratitude for the foundational input that Curt provided through our ten years of partnership. A brilliant tactical business mind and an even better human being, I highly recommend Curt for any business venture he may pursue."
Matt Greenberg, Esquire
"I worked very closely with Curt for several years and always found him to be very detailed and careful in his work, while always remaining extremely solutions oriented. He is friendly and approachable, with a knack for ensuring that all of those who worked with him were able to grasp the complex matters."
Follow the Channel
For buyers evaluating their first acquisition, and owners navigating what comes next.
New videos cover the full arc of Main Street ownership — evaluating an acquisition, navigating SBA financing, franchise research, business credit, and the financial decisions every owner faces after closing. No hype. No guesswork. Just what the sources actually mean, explained by someone who has done this work.
Still Building.
Curt Roese, CPA | Founder, Main Street Ledger