Business By The Numbers

Thanks to our partner Promotive This week, Hunt Demerast, CPA, dives into three hot-button business questions—each with surprising consequences for your bottom line. From covering weight loss meds for your employees to falling into the payroll HR trap, and even how the IRS is tightening the screws on your gambling losses—this episode breaks it all down, minus the legalese. What You’ll Learn: (00:0...

Thanks to our partner Promotive This week on Business by the Numbers , Hunt Demerast, CPA at Paar Melis & Associates, returns to break down what the new “Big Beautiful Bill” really means for shop owners and employees. From tax-free overtime myths to what counts as a "qualified" tip, Hunt pulls back the curtain on the IRS's latest updates and what they actually mean for your bottom line. He als...

Thanks to our partner Promotive A 900-page monster of a law just dropped—and it’s about to change how you pay taxes, deduct expenses, and run payroll at your repair shop. This week, Hunt Demerast, CPA at Paar Melis & Associates, breaks down the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) and how its sweeping tax reforms affect your shop, your employees, and your personal finances. You’ll hear what staye...

Thanks to our partner Promotive In this final episode of our Benchmark Report series, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis and Associates, uncovers what truly separates the top shops from the rest—productivity, profit margins, and owner involvement. Key takeaways: Top-performing shops average 55%+ productivity, while bottom-tier shops hover around 41%. That 15-point gap translates to $13,000 more sa...

Thanks to our partner Promotive In this second part of our 2025 Benchmark series, Hunt Demarest, CPA, with Paar Melis and Associates, breaks down performance trends by region, shop size, and shop type, using real-world data from auto repair businesses across the U.S. Key points: Regional profit trends with the West leading and the Southeast lagging Why higher productivity—not labor rate—drives bet...

Thanks to our partner Promotive Welcome to Part 1 of our annual Benchmark Report—hosted by Hunt Demarest, CPA, from Paar Melis & Associates. We dig into real financial data from hundreds of auto repair shops across the U.S., based on actual bookkeeping, not surveys. Download your free 2024 Automotive Industry Benchmark Report: https://info.paarmelis.com/2024-automotive-industry-benchmark-repor...

Thanks to our partner Promotive Planning for taxes shouldn’t feel like rolling the dice. In this episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt walks through how smart shop owners use real data, not hope, to forecast and manage their tax obligations all year long. Why Q2 and Q3 are the real moneymakers for accurate tax forecasting When it actually makes sense to buy that truck for the write-off How and...

Thanks to our partner Promotive Expanding your auto repair business is an exciting venture, but it brings forth critical decisions, especially regarding entity formation. In this episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA at Paar Melis and Associates, delves into the complexities of creating a new entity for your business expansion. Key Topics Covered: Ownership Implications:...

Thanks to our partner Promotive In this episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest answers three key listener questions that auto repair shop owners face all too often. From handling warranty job accounting to navigating the financial fallout of divorce, Hunt gives practical, no-nonsense advice. ​In this episode, you'll learn:  The right way to b...

Thanks to our partner Promotive Are you charging enough for labor at your shop? In this week’s Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest of Paar Melis and Associates tackles one of the most misunderstood metrics in autorepair profitability—you...

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound Watch Full Video Episode In our Episode Today: Our host Craig O’Neill welcomes friend and newly minted Certified Speaking Professional - Jimmy Lea to talk about his journey! The NSA Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation is a notable achievement that involves many phases of approval.  This is...

Thanks to our partner Promotive In this episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA of Paar Melis and Associates, explores the details behind what former President Trump is calling the "largest tax cut in U.S. history." What’s actually in the proposed bill? Will any of it pass Congress? And most importantly, what could it mean for auto repair shop owners and other small business operato...

Thanks to our partner Promotive Credit card fees are eating into shop owners' profits — but should you be passing those costs onto customers? In this episode of Business By The Numbers, Hunt revisits the hot-button topic and shares&nbs...

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound Watch Full Video Episode In our episode today, we welcome guest Hunt Demarest, CPA ABV. Hunt is the host of Business by the Numbers and, as our host Craig O’Neill will tell you… Hunt uses words really well for a numbers man! This episode came to be after Craig found himself on a walk and listening to one of H...

Thanks to our partners, NAPA TRACS and Promotive In this week's episode of Business by the Numbers , Hunt Demarest, CPA at Paar Melis & Associates, tells a jaw-dropping real-world story: how one automotive repair shop owner — and his wife — ended up spending days in jail  over mishandled sales tax payments. If you're an auto repair shop owner, this episode is a must-listen. Sales tax isn’...

Thanks to our partners, NAPA TRACS and Promotive April 15th is behind us — but your tax strategy shouldn’t stop there. In this episode, Hunt Demarest, CPA at Paar Melis, shares exactly what auto repair shop owners need to be doing base...

Thanks to our partners, NAPA TRACS and Promotive Tariffs might sound like a foreign concept—until they hit home. In this episode of  Business by the Numbers , Hunt breaks down the real-world impact tariffs can have on your auto repair shop, using a powerful shop-vs-shop analogy to explain rising costs, disappearing jobs, and economic ripple effects. Whether you're in the weeds of part pricing...

Thanks to our partners, NAPA TRACS and Promotive What if your auto repair shop is losing money every single day — and you don’t even know it? In this episode, Hunt sits down with Alex Saladna, CEO of  Wicked File , to talk about the hidden financial leaks happening in shops just like yours and how AI is helping owners plug those holes fast. From missed parts and uncredited returns to unauthor...

Thanks to our partners, NAPA TRACS and Promotive “Do I have enough to retire?” It’s the question every business owner eventually asks—but most never answer. In this episode, Hunt breaks down why your retirement isn’t about hitting a number… it’s about building a life you don’t need to escape from. What You'll Learn: Why there’s  no universal retirement number  (and what to focus on inste...

Thanks to our partners, NAPA TRACS and Promotive Is your shop struggling with fewer repair orders and dropping sales? It may not be about losing customers—your clients could just be driving less. In this episode of  Business by the Numbers , Hunt Demarest, CPA, walks you through a real-life example of how customer driving behavior (and simple mileage tracking) revealed critical insights for a...

Thanks to our partners, NAPA TRACS and Promotive In this episode of  Business by the Numbers , Hunt Demarest, CPA, dives into a major economic issue that could impact your auto repair shop: stagflation. With inflation staying high and economic growth slowing, what does this mean for your business? Should you be concerned about a recession, and how can you prepare? Hunt breaks it all down with...

Thanks to our partners, NAPA TRACS and Promotive In this episode of  Business by the Numbers , Hunt Demarest, CPA, dives into the world of financial projections—what they are, why they matter, and how to build a solid financial story that banks will take seriously. Whether you’re looking to secure a loan, expand your shop, or simply set better financial goals, this episode will help you navig...

Thanks to our partners, NAPA TRACS and Promotive This week on Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis and Associates, breaks down the latest market news and legislative updates that directly impact auto repair shop owners. From the return of the BOI (Beneficial Ownership Information) report to evolving tax policy discussions and IRS processing delays, Hunt provides a no-nonsens...

Thanks to our partners, NAPA TRACS and Promotive Closing your shop on Saturdays might sound like a risky move, but could it actually improve your business? In this episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA, explores the real financial and operational impact of shutting down on Saturdays. Is it worth it? What factors should you consider before making the switch? Whether you're thinking...

Hunt examines technician cost management within automotive repair shops shop management systems. He explores the issue of inaccurately reported labor costs, which frequently misrepresent the true financial health of the business. Hunt discusses the underlying reasons for this discrepancy, and how they calculate technician compensation. The episode talks to various methodologies that can be employe...