Business By The Numbers

Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, and Overdryve

Did your health insurance renewal just land with another double-digit increase? Paying $800 a month for a group plan your techs could buy themselves for $500? Why can’t you just hand them the difference? Stephanie from Five Creek Automotive asked Hunt that question.

Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, opens his own books. His premiums are up about 10% again, and covering one middle-aged employee in Maryland runs roughly $900 a month. He explains why rates keep climbing, and why a healthy 26-year-old tech will skip a $10,000-a-year policy. He also explains why a plan you won’t help pay for can cost your team more than the exchange. His rule of thumb: if you can’t cover at least half of single coverage, don’t offer it.

Then come the rules that trip owners up. You can’t reimburse employees for plans they buy themselves, which is why business plans often cost up to 25% more. A group plan through payroll turns a $1,000 premium into about $250 in tax savings and lets employees pay their share pre-tax. Hunt covers how to help a long-time tech without breaking anti-discrimination rules. He finishes with four options for when costs get out of hand: a raise in place of benefits, a high-deductible plan with an HSA, a PEO for larger shops, and a QSEHRA for smaller ones.

Whether you’ve offered a group plan for years or are pricing your first, this episode shows what the IRS will actually let you do.

What You'll Learn…

00:00 Intro

04:20 Why premiums keep climbing

07:13 Why young techs skip coverage

08:55 The 50% rule for group plans

09:44 Can you reimburse exchange plans?

13:13 Why business plans cost more

14:21 The tax math on group plans

16:02 Same job, same benefits

18:23 High deductible plan plus HSA

19:09 When a PEO pays off

19:58 QSEHRAs for small shops

21:00 Don’t switch on price alone

Thanks to our partner, Promotive

Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit info.gopromotive.com/hunt

Thanks to our partner, WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Thanks to our partner, Overdryve AI

Overdryve is your AI-powered marketing operating system. It predicts slow weeks before they happen, automatically launches revenue-driving campaigns, tracks ROI down to the dollar, and optimizes performance in real time. Demo the Marketing Intelligence Platform at https://getoverdryve.ai/

Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair

Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com

Email Hunt: [email protected]

Get the FREE 2026 Auto Shop Benchmark Report: https://hubs.ly/Q04j-grh0

Download a Copy of My Books Here:

• Beyond the Bays: A Financial Playbook for Auto Repair Shop Owners
• Wrenches to Write-Offs
• Your Perfect Shop

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion

Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life.

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching.

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest.

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level.

Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, and Overdryve

What is your shop actually worth, and who will pay it? Two of Hunt’s clients want to sell someday, but neither knows who the buyer will be. As Hunt explains, that answer decides whether you retire today or three years from now.

Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, explains why your shop’s value is a range, not a number. At $400,000, a good shop might draw 20 buyers. At $800,000, there may be one, if you can find him. He ranks three buyer groups from the lowest price to the highest: family and key employees, private parties, and private equity. He also covers how sweat equity works, why a 10% discount is the most common, and why the worst deals he sees are with family, where parents sometimes hand their retirement shortfall to the kids.

Then he gets practical. Ninety percent of his clients already know the person who ends up buying their shop. Hunt shares how to approach a likely buyer without looking desperate, why your tool truck and coaching group often know who’s buying, why an NDA “means nada,” and when a broker is worth the fee. For owners who want top dollar, he lays out what private equity looks for: size, bay count, location, the hub-and-spoke model, and, above all, a shop that truly runs without its owner.

Whether you plan to sell in five years or hand the keys to your service advisor, this episode shows how your choice of buyer shapes your price and your timeline.

What You'll Learn…

00:00 Intro

03:52 Does it really run without you?

05:15 $400K easy, $800K hard

06:48 Camry shop, Ferrari price

10:36 Three buyers, three prices

12:12 Family and key employees

13:38 Why family deals go wrong

14:33 The 10% sweat equity rule

19:22 Your buyer is already in your Rolodex

23:50 When to call a broker

25:51 What private equity wants

29:41 The hub and spoke model

If you plan to sell someday, the time to figure out who’s buying is now. This episode is essential listening.

Thanks to our partner, Promotive

Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our partner, WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Thanks to our partner, Overdryve AI

Overdryve is your AI-powered marketing operating system. It predicts slow weeks before they happen, automatically launches revenue-driving campaigns, tracks ROI down to the dollar, and optimizes performance in real time. Demo the Marketing Intelligence Platform at https://getoverdryve.ai/

Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair

Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com

Email Hunt: [email protected]

Get the FREE 2026 Auto Shop Benchmark Report: https://hubs.ly/Q04j-grh0

Download a Copy of My Books Here:

• Beyond the Bays: A Financial Playbook for Auto Repair Shop Owners
• Wrenches to Write-Offs
• Your Perfect Shop

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion

Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life.

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching.

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest.

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level.

Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, and Overdryve

Thought interest rates had peaked? So did most of the country. So what happens when a customer needs a $10,000 repair, owns a home with hundreds of thousands in equity, and still can't pay?

Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, returns to interest rates for the first time in over a year. He explains the Federal Reserve's quarter-point hike and why the relief expected in 2026 keeps slipping away. The Fed rate sits under every credit card, car note and mortgage your customers carry. Hunt shows why one good inflation report proves little when it's measured a new way, and how the K-shaped economy pays savers 4.5% while borrowers sink. He also says today's stock market looks like a shop that lives off three AI customers.

Then he looks at what this means for your customers. The 30-year mortgage is near 7.5%, up from 6.5% a year ago. Customers holding 3% mortgages can't or won't borrow against their homes to cover a big repair. Commercial loans written near 3% in 2021 are resetting around 9%, and some landlords locked into 10-year leases are telling their banks to take the building. Hunt explains why shops that own their buildings are better protected, why rising costs justify raising your prices, and why savers have rarely had it better.

Whether you're carrying a variable-rate loan, facing a commercial refinance, or watching customers turn down big repairs, this episode explains what's driving rates and how long they may stay high.

What You'll Learn…

00:00 Intro

02:17 Why the Fed rate sets yours

05:07 0% vs. 30% on the same truck

06:43 The inflation report that changed the math

09:00 The K-shaped economy

10:13 A stock market riding on three companies

12:14 Why 2026 didn't go to plan

16:37 The quarter-point hike and what's next

19:26 What high rates mean for your customers

21:04 Home equity customers can't touch

23:31 Commercial loans: 3% to 9%

25:29 Why landlords are handing back the keys

If you're ready to stop waiting for rates to fall and start planning your pricing, your debt and your cash around the rates we have now, this episode is essential listening.

Thanks to our partner, Promotive

Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our partner, WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Thanks to our partner, Overdryve

Overdryve is your AI-powered marketing operating system. It predicts slow weeks before they happen, automatically launches revenue-driving campaigns, tracks ROI down to the dollar, and optimizes performance in real time. Demo the Marketing Intelligence Platform at https://getoverdryve.ai/

Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair

Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com

Email Hunt: [email protected]

Get the FREE 2026 Auto Shop Benchmark Report: https://hubs.ly/Q04j-grh0

Download a Copy of My Books Here:

• Beyond the Bays: A Financial Playbook for Auto Repair Shop Owners
• Wrenches to Write-Offs
• Your Perfect Shop

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion

Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life.

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching.

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest.

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level.

Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, and Overdryve

Did you buy a truck last December just to shrink your tax bill? Is the year-end bonus you pay yourself actually handing the IRS more money?

In part two of his tax series, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, moves from tax planning to the part every shop owner wants to hear about: paying less. He walks through six strategies and flags where owners get each one wrong. A $6,000 compressor saves you $1,500 but leaves you $4,500 poorer, while a $6,000 IRA contribution saves the same $1,500 and you keep every dollar. Hunt also explains why a small 401(k) can cost you thousands a year in fees, how an HSA works like a second retirement account, and why an S corp owner who bonuses profit onto payroll pays more tax. He closes with entity structure, where one election saved a client $25,000 in a year, and a simple rule for equipment: decide what you need first, and let taxes decide only when you buy it.

Whether you've never opened a retirement account or you're wondering if your entity setup still fits a shop that has doubled in size, this episode gives you a clear list to take to your accountant before year-end.

What You'll Learn…

(00:00) Intro

(03:39) Hunt's money-back guarantee

(05:03) Why a $6,000 compressor is a weak deduction

(06:23) Retirement: time beats dollars

(07:32) When your 401(k) costs more than it saves

(09:11) HSA vs. FSA explained

(13:36) The S corp bonus mistake

(15:42) The $70K to $80K salary sweet spot

(16:59) Why gaming expense timing backfires

(18:21) Entity structure: the real found money

(20:18) Buying a truck to save taxes? Do the math

(21:40) When taxes should change your purchase timing

If you're ready to stop buying equipment just to dodge a tax bill and start paying yourself in a way that keeps more money out of the IRS's hands, this episode is essential listening.

Thanks to our partner, Promotive

Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our partner, WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Thanks to our partner, Overdryve

Overdryve is your AI-powered marketing operating system. It predicts slow weeks before they happen, automatically launches revenue-driving campaigns, tracks ROI down to the dollar, and optimizes performance in real time. Demo the Marketing Intelligence Platform at https://getoverdryve.ai/

Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve

Do you actually know what you'll owe the IRS next spring, or are you just hoping it works out? And if your accountant has been extending your taxes for years, is that actually saving you anything?

This week, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, kicks off a two-part series on taxes by tackling the piece most shop owners skip entirely: tax planning. Hunt draws the line between tax preparation (backward-looking, mandatory, and reactive) and tax planning (forward-looking, optional, and the thing that actually keeps you from getting blindsided). He walks through the exact five-minute math he uses to annualize a shop's net income from partial-year numbers, why extending your return "to lower audit risk" is a myth, and the personal-return landmines, like ACA marketplace credits and phased-out child tax credits, that catch shop owners off guard even when the business side looks fine.

Whether you've never run a tax estimate in your life or you just want to sanity-check what your accountant is telling you, this episode gives you the framework to stop being surprised every April.

What You'll Learn…

(02:29) Why this isn't the tax-saving episode you expected

(05:00) Tax prep vs. tax planning: it's about timing, not paperwork

(05:53) The financial-analysis cycle behind every good tax plan

(07:14) Why most shops never build a real tax plan

(09:08) Busting the "extending lowers my audit risk" myth

(09:57) When it's time to fire your accountant over extensions

(11:30) The annual tax planning calendar Hunt runs for clients

(15:04) How to annualize your own net income in five minutes

(17:09) Red flags: when your numbers swing too high or too low

(18:27) The 25% rule for ballparking what you'll owe

(19:53) Kids, credits, and the ACA surprise that blindsides shop owners

Thanks to our partner, Promotive

Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our partner, WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Thanks to our partner, Maverick Shop Owners

You're working on growing a more profitable shop - that's critical. That's exactly what the 24-video Blueprint course by Maverick Shop Owners addresses - customers, sales, profit, people, systems, and freedom. Get free access for our listeners only at https://maverickshopowners.com/blueprint

Thanks to our partner, Overdryve

Overdryve is your AI-powered marketing operating system. It predicts slow weeks before they happen, automatically launches revenue-driving campaigns, tracks ROI down to the dollar, and optimizes performance in real time. Visit https://overdryvemarketing.com/

Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair

Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com

Email Hunt: [email protected]

Get the FREE 2026 Auto Shop Benchmark Report: https://hubs.ly/Q04j-grh0

Download a Copy of My Books Here:

• Beyond the Bays: A Financial Playbook for Auto Repair Shop Owners
• Wrenches to Write-Offs
• Your Perfect Shop

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Download the ARPN APP for your smartphone and listen to all our network shows: arpn.app

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion

Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life.

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching.

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest.

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level.

Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve

Would you take the job you're offering your own technicians? Could a candidate's spouse be the real decision maker in your next hire, and do you know what she needs to hear?

Hunt Demarest sits down with Sam Freeman and Lisa Coyle from Promotive, the recruiting firm that places technicians, service advisors, and shop managers across the country, to talk about why so many good candidates never make it past the first ninety days, and why so many good shops can't fill a seat no matter how much they raise pay. Lisa and Sam walk through the data points that predict a bad hire before it happens, why flat rate is becoming a harder sell with both technicians and consumers, and why one in three shops is losing candidates over a benefits package that just isn't competitive. They also dig into the stat driving a lot of the industry's anxiety right now: seventy percent of people who take their first automotive job leave the trade within twelve months and never come back.

Whether you're struggling to fill a single bay or running a shop with a full crew, this episode is a reality check on what candidates are actually evaluating when they walk through your door, and what you can control when the market itself is working against you.

What You'll Learn...

00:10 Meet Sam and Lisa from Promotive

02:40 The 58% red flag before day one

04:02 The three-benefit tipping point

07:16 The case for hybrid pay over flat rate

11:16 What top techs ask before they say yes

16:53 Why 70% quit the trade and never look back

22:29 Everybody wants an A-tech, nobody wants to build one

26:23 The licensing trap costing shops candidates

32:46 Building the bench before you need it

40:33 Inside Promotive's portal, pricing, and guarantee

47:31 Your team is your best billboard

Thanks to our partner, Promotive

Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our partner, WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Thanks to our partner, Maverick Shop Owners

You're working on growing a more profitable shop - that's critical. That's exactly what the 24-video Blueprint course by Maverick Shop Owners addresses - customers, sales, profit, people, systems, and freedom. Get free access for our listeners only at https://maverickshopowners.com/blueprint

Thanks to our partner, Overdryve

Overdryve is your AI-powered marketing operating system. It predicts slow weeks before they happen, automatically launches revenue-driving campaigns, tracks ROI down to the dollar, and optimizes performance in real time. Visit https://overdryvemarketing.com/

Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair

Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com

Email Hunt: [email protected]

Get the FREE 2026 Auto Shop Benchmark Report: https://hubs.ly/Q04j-grh0

Download a Copy of My Books Here:

• Beyond the Bays: A Financial Playbook for Auto Repair Shop Owners
• Wrenches to Write-Offs
• Your Perfect Shop

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Download the ARPN APP for your smartphone and listen to all our network shows: arpn.app

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion

Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life.

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching.

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest.

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level.

Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve

Do you actually know your break-even point, or just a number that feels close enough? And if you hit it, would you even know why?

This week's episode started with a phone call. Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, was walking a client through his numbers through July when he realized something: most shop owners can eyeball their break-even point, but almost none of them understand what's actually driving it. Hunt breaks down the fastest way to find your break-even using your own monthly financials, why a sales target is really just a stand-in for what you actually need (gross profit), and how to turn that number into real targets for cars, hours, and average repair order that your team can actually use. He also tackles the messy middle ground of cost of goods sold versus overhead, and why the math works out the same either way as long as you're consistent.

Whether you've never once run this calculation for your shop or you set your break-even years ago and haven't touched it since, this episode is a practical field guide to knowing the one number that tells you if your shop is actually working.

What You'll Learn…

(00:00) Intro

(00:44) Housekeeping: the book, the sponsors, and how to ask Hunt anything

(02:48) The client call that inspired this episode

(03:14) The fastest way to find your break-even: your own monthly numbers

(04:43) The reality check: making sure it's a true break-even month

(05:53) Sales targets vs. what your team actually needs to hear

(07:33) Cost of goods sold vs. overhead: the literal breakdown

(11:21) Building your gross profit target from three financial categories

(16:25) The margin math: why 50% gross profit beats 30%, every time

(17:45) The revolving cycle: why this number needs regular updates

Thanks to our partner, Promotive

Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our partner, WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Thanks to our partner, Maverick Shop Owners

You're working on growing a more profitable shop - that's critical. That's exactly what the 24-video Blueprint course by Maverick Shop Owners addresses - customers, sales, profit, people, systems, and freedom. Get free access for our listeners only at https://maverickshopowners.com/blueprint

Thanks to our partner, Overdryve

Overdryve is your AI-powered marketing operating system. It predicts slow weeks before they happen, automatically launches revenue-driving campaigns, tracks ROI down to the dollar, and optimizes performance in real time. Visit https://overdryvemarketing.com/

Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair

Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com

Email Hunt: [email protected]

Get the FREE 2026 Auto Shop Benchmark Report: https://hubs.ly/Q04j-grh0

Download a Copy of My Books Here:

• Beyond the Bays: A Financial Playbook for Auto Repair Shop Owners
• Wrenches to Write-Offs
• Your Perfect Shop

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Download the ARPN APP for your smartphone and listen to all our network shows: arpn.app

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion

Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life.

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching.

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest.

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level.

Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve

Are you accidentally paying taxes on money you're never actually going to collect? Could the way you're deleting a bad ticket in your shop management software be costing you more than the deadbeat customer ever did?

This week's episode started as a text message. Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, answers a question from fellow podcaster Chris Cotton of AutoFix Shop Coaching and The Weekly Blitz: how should shops actually handle bad debt? Hunt breaks it down from the ground up, what bad debt is, how cash versus accrual accounting changes the math, and why deleting or discounting a ticket instead of writing it off properly can quietly inflate your tax bill and hide real problems in your production numbers. He walks through the exact steps for building a "bad debt" payment type into your shop management software, how to automate the accounting through Back Office and Accounting Link (or handle it manually with a journal entry), and where chargebacks, bartering, and shop vehicles fit into the picture.

Whether you've never had a customer stiff you or you're staring down an invoice right now that you know you'll never collect, this episode is a practical field guide to keeping your books, and your tax bill, accurate.

What You'll Learn…

(00:00) Intro: Chris Cotton's bad debt question kicks off the episode

(00:46) Housekeeping: the book, the sponsors, and how to ask Hunt anything

(03:11) The four part question: where it goes, how it's recorded, and chargebacks

(05:28) What actually is bad debt: cash basis versus accrual, explained

(07:58) The tax trap: why ignoring bad debt means overpaying the IRS

(08:50) PSA: your AR is only as accurate as your shop management software

(12:21) The correct way to book a loss: sales, cost, and the bad debt line

(13:51) Why deleting the ticket hides your real production story

(16:54) The nuts and bolts: creating a bad debt payment type

(19:03) Automate it: Back Office, Accounting Link, and manual journal entries

(21:03) Chargebacks, bartering, and shop vehicles: same rules or different?

(23:10) Closing thoughts and how to reach Hunt

Thanks to our partner, Promotive

Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our partner, WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Thanks to our partner, Maverick Shop Owners

You're working on growing a more profitable shop - that's critical. That's exactly what the 24-video Blueprint course by Maverick Shop Owners addresses - customers, sales, profit, people, systems, and freedom. Get free access for our listeners only at https://maverickshopowners.com/blueprint

Thanks to our partner, Overdryve

Overdryve is your AI-powered marketing operating system. It predicts slow weeks before they happen, automatically launches revenue-driving campaigns, tracks ROI down to the dollar, and optimizes performance in real time. Visit https://overdryvemarketing.com/

Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair

Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com

Email Hunt: [email protected]

Get the FREE 2026 Auto Shop Benchmark Report: https://hubs.ly/Q04j-grh0

Download a Copy of My Books Here:

• Beyond the Bays: A Financial Playbook for Auto Repair Shop Owners
• Wrenches to Write-Offs
• Your Perfect Shop

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Download the ARPN APP for your smartphone and listen to all our network shows: arpn.app

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion

Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life.

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching.

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest.

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level.

Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve

Are you chasing being rich, or are you actually building wealth? Could the shop owner making $150,000 a year retire with more freedom than the one clearing $800,000? Hunt Demarest has seen both, and the answer might surprise you.

In this solo episode, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, steps away from the usual business valuation talk to tackle something he says matters even more to a shop owner's future: personal finances. Drawing from a four hour class he taught at the STX Conference, Hunt breaks down why so many disciplined, profitable shop owners still end up with disorganized personal finances, and why that gap, not their business's sales or profit, is the real predictor of a happy retirement. He walks through the difference between being rich and being wealthy, tells two real client stories with opposite outcomes, and unpacks the habits, from unchecked debt to keeping up with the Joneses, that quietly derail decades of hard work.

Whether you're chasing a bigger number on your P&L or wondering why your bank account never seems to reflect it, this episode is a mirror check on the financial decisions that actually determine your future.

What You'll Learn…

(00:00) Intro: STX Conference recap and a preview of this week's topic

(03:04) Why chasing business value misses the real retirement risk

(06:11) Rich versus wealthy: the distinction most shop owners get wrong

(08:01) The client who went broke rich, and the one who quietly built wealth

(09:29) How consistent saving beat a six figure income, a paid off real estate story

(15:07) Why the market has zero interest in educating you about your money

(16:47) The rat race: keeping up with the Joneses, personally and in the shop

(17:40) The one number most owners can name for their business but not their life

(21:08) Debt is easier than ever: the $2 million sale that couldn't cover the bills

(23:11) Mortgaging your future: what really keeps shop owners working past retirement age

(23:43) Closing thoughts and how to reach Hunt

Thanks to our partner, Promotive

Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our partner, WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Thanks to our partner, Maverick Shop Owners

You're working on growing a more profitable shop - that's critical. That's exactly what the 24-video Blueprint course by Maverick Shop Owners addresses - customers, sales, profit, people, systems, and freedom. Get free access for our listeners only at https://maverickshopowners.com/blueprint

Thanks to our partner, Overdryve

Overdryve is your AI-powered marketing operating system. It predicts slow weeks before they happen, automatically launches revenue-driving campaigns, tracks ROI down to the dollar, and optimizes performance in real time. Visit https://overdryvemarketing.com/

Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair

Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com

Email Hunt: [email protected]

Get the FREE 2026 Auto Shop Benchmark Report: https://hubs.ly/Q04j-grh0

Download a Copy of My Books Here:

• Beyond the Bays: A Financial Playbook for Auto Repair Shop Owners
• Wrenches to Write-Offs
• Your Perfect Shop

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Download the ARPN APP for your smartphone and listen to all our network shows: arpn.app

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion

Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life.

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching.

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest.

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level.

Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve

Why do two auto repair shops with virtually identical profits sell for wildly different amounts, one at a nine-time multiple and another at three? And if you're not planning to sell anytime soon, does any of this even apply to you?

Recording a preview of the class he's teaching live at the STX World Pac Conference in DC, Hunt Demarest breaks down the factors that quietly decide what your shop is actually worth when a buyer sits down at the table. Hunt walks through why timing your exit three to five years out changes everything, why one client's prized fleet contract almost killed his sale, and why buyers pay for a business that runs without you, not a high-paying job with your name on it. Along the way, he covers the optics of clean financials, how far you can push ad backs before a bank or a buyer walks away, and why new equipment won't add a dollar to your sale price, even though old equipment will cost you one.

Whether you're planning to sell next year or you never plan to sell at all, this episode lays out the groundwork every shop owner needs long before a buyer ever walks through the door.

What You'll Learn…

01:18) Why Hunt is previewing his STX class on maximizing shop value

(03:40) The World Pac Conference and why this class exists

(05:54) Why identical shops sell for wildly different multiples

(06:20) Timing: the 3 to 5 year rule before you sell

(08:09) Your shop is your retirement plan, whether you planned it that way or not

(10:31) Customer concentration: the fleet account red flag buyers watch for

(12:52) The ambulance contract that nearly killed a client's sale

(15:21) Continuity: buyers pay for a business, not a job

(17:17) Clean financials: why optics matter as much as the bottom line

(19:16) Ad backs: how much "creative" bookkeeping a buyer or a bank will accept

(21:36) Equipment: the double-edged sword of new gear

Resources Mentioned

Get the FREE 2026 Auto Shop Benchmark Report: https://hubs.ly/Q04j-grh0

Get Hunt's Book: Beyond the Bays, on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0iQ3UuOL

Got questions or feedback, connect with Hunt Demarest at:

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.paarmelis.com

Thanks to our partner, Promotive

Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our partner, WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Thanks to our partner, Maverick Shop Owners

You're working on growing a more profitable shop - that's critical. That's exactly what the 24-video Blueprint course by Maverick Shop Owners addresses - customers, sales, profit, people, systems, and freedom. Get free access for our listeners only at https://maverickshopowners.com/blueprint

Thanks to our partner, Overdryve

Overdryve is your AI-powered marketing operating system. It predicts slow weeks before they happen, automatically launches revenue-driving campaigns, tracks ROI down to the dollar, and optimizes performance in real time. Visit https://overdryvemarketing.com/

Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair

Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com

Email Hunt: [email protected]

Get the FREE 2026 Auto Shop Benchmark Report: https://hubs.ly/Q04j-grh0

Download a Copy of My Books Here:

• Beyond the Bays: A Financial Playbook for Auto Repair Shop Owners
• Wrenches to Write-Offs
• Your Perfect Shop

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Download the ARPN APP for your smartphone and listen to all our network shows: arpn.app

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Storytelling and Open Discussion

Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life.

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching.

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest.

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level.