Business By The Numbers

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File Are you setting sales goals that actually make you more money — or just more tired? What if your biggest growth goal is quietly setting your shop up for failure? In this episode, Hunt Demarest breaks down one of the most common (and dangerous) mistakes shop owners make when planning for growth: setting sales targets without understanding the real co...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File Are you making end-of-year tax decisions that truly save you money, or just creating future headaches? What if the moves you think are smart tax strategies are quietly costing you more than they save? In this episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, walks shop owners through the most important end-of-y...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File Health insurance premiums keep climbing — but 2026 could bring the biggest shakeup in years. In this episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, breaks down what’s happening in the small-business health insurance landscape after recent ACA subsidy changes — and why a new Republican-backed House bill could...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File Training might be the most misunderstood investment in the auto-repair industry — and one of the most expensive when done wrong. In this week’s episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, sits down with David Boyes, President of Today’s Class, to unpack why so many training programs fail, how to actually...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File Are you leaving money on the table before the tax year closes? In this end-of-year episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, walks through the essential tax moves shop owners must make before December 31st and the costly assumptions that lead many to overpay the IRS. From retirement contributions and HS...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File What would it take to double your shop’s success? I.e., 200% of your current sales, gross profit, and net profit? In this special 200th episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA at Paar Melis & Associates, breaks down the math, mindset, and milestones behind scaling your shop’s numbers without burning out your team or outgrowing you...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File Are you rewarding your team, or paying extra taxes to do it? Could a few words on your payroll save you thousands a year? In this episode, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar, Melis & Associates, explains why the difference between an allowance and a reimbursement could save both you and your employees thousands of dollars a year. From cars and cell ph...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File Should you lease or buy your next vehicle or piece of shop equipment? In this episode, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis and Associates, walks through the real-world math behind leases and loans, from tax deductions to depreciation traps, so you can make decisions based on dollars and sense, not dealer pressure. Using simple examples (from a $25K C...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File What if the biggest problems facing auto repair shops today aren’t what you think they are? And what if the future of the industry is being shaped right now, quietly, behind the scenes, by the conversations shop owners aren’t having? In this episode, Hunt Demarest sits down with Chris Jones, the editorial force behind Ratchet+Wrench and several of t...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File How much does it really cost your shop to win a new customer, and is it worth it? Most shop owners don’t realize they’re spending hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars just to bring in a single new face, and in some cases, they’re losing money on every “win.” In this episode, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis and Associates, breaks down the real...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File “How much should I actually spend on advertising?” In this week’s episode of Business by the Numbers , Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, tackles one of the most misunderstood questions in the auto repair world. You’ve probably heard the “3–6% rule” a hundred times, but Hunt pulls back the curtain on why that simple percentage can...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File In this episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest of Paarmelis & Associates breaks down one of the most misunderstood metrics in the automotive repair world: effective labor rate. Many shop owners chase “higher door rates,” but as Hunt reveals, that number often has little to do with your actual profit. From oil changes to state inspecti...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File After years of waiting, many shop owners are discovering that their long-anticipated Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) checks may never come — and worse, some are facing IRS audits they didn’t see coming. In this week’s episode of Business by the Numbers , Hunt Demarest, CPA at Paar Melis & Associates, breaks down the chaos behind the ERTC de...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File Every shop owner knows the feeling — the harder you work, the less time you seem to have. But what if you could have both? In this week’s Business by the Numbers , Hunt Demerast, CPA, explores the hidden link between profit and time — and why the goal isn’t working harder, but working smarter . From understanding your “hourly rate” as an owner to id...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File Ever been charged for someone else’s part? Or failed to get a credit on a return you were sure you’d handled? You’re not alone—and those small leaks could be costing your auto shop thousands each month. This week, Hunt Demerast breaks down how to uncover where your money is really going, how to reconcile your parts purchases with your accounting, an...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File Every fall, tax season brings the same loaded question: “Can I write that off?” From flat-screen TVs to four-wheelers, the temptation to blur the line between personal and business expenses is real. But where’s the line between smart tax strategy and a dangerous gray area? This week, Hunt Demarest, CPA at Paar Melis & Associates, breaks down the...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File Auto shops aren’t going broke because they charge too little—they’re going broke because they’re measuring wrong. In this episode, CPA and host Hunt Demerest unpacks the gap between what your shop management system tells you and what your financials know to be true. From the hidden drag of switching techs from flat rate to hourly to the simple tweak...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File What happens when a shop owner calls to say they’re going broke—only to discover they’re actually profitable on paper? The truth is, profit doesn’t always equal cash flow. And without cash, even the healthiest shops can collapse. In this episode of Business by the Numbers , Hunt Demarest, CPA of Paar Melis & Associates, tackles one of the most d...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File What would happen if your shop—or any business—was hit with a wage and hour audit tomorrow? The answer might shock you. For many owners, even those with the best intentions, missteps in overtime, classification, or documentation could result in penalties large enough to shut doors permanently. In this episode of Business by the Numbers , Hunt Demare...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File Welcome to another episode of Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demerast, CPA at Parmelis & Associates. This week, Hunt digs into a deceptively simple question every shop owner should be asking: when and how should you look at your financials? Too often, business owners flip through their QuickBooks file or shop management system without clarity...

Thanks to our partner Promotive Most shop owners assume their shop management system and QuickBooks are telling the same financial story. But what happens when they don’t? In this episode, Hunt DeMarest unpacks the pitfalls of running “two sets of books”—and the costly mistakes that come when your systems are out of sync. Hunt shares a jaw-dropping client story that began with a routine inventory...

Thanks to our partner Promotive Being married while owning a business isn’t just about love and partnership—it’s about liability, taxes, estate planning, and protecting your family’s future. In this episode of Business By The Numbers , Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paarmelis & Associates, pulls back the curtain on one of the most common yet misunderstood questions business owners face: should your s...

Thanks to our partner Promotive  The mega-money players have arrived—and they’re changing the game for independent auto repair shops. Private equity is buying up some of the best shops in the country, often paying prices that make long-time owners’ jaws drop. But what does this mean for you—the shop owner still running your business day-to-day? Should you be worried, or is there a hidden opportun...

Thanks to our partner Promotive Still judging your advertising budget by a percent of sales? Thinking of buying an alignment rack or even an entire shop? What about paying down that 2.75% mortgage? Hunt is here to challenge your assumptions and break down how ROI—Return on Investment—should guide every major decision you make. In this week’s episode, Hunt pulls back the curtain on the real math be...

Thanks to our partner Promotive Whether you're thinking of buying your first auto repair shop, selling your third, or investing in new equipment, understanding return on investment (ROI) is essential—not just in theory, but in real-life dollars and decisions. In this episode of Business by the Numbers , Hunt Demarest, CPA at Paar Melis & Associates, breaks down ROI in plain English, with examp...