Business By The Numbers

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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 cashflow. And without cash, even the healthiest shops can collapse.

In this episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA of Parmels & Associates, tackles one of the most dangerous misconceptions in business: why s...

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 Demarest sits down with Jamie Hasty, Vice Pre...

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 on what they’re really trying to unc...

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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 review and ended with a shocking disc...

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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 spouse be on the business, the payroll...

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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 opportunity in all this change?

In this episode...

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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 behind smart business moves and how mos...

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 examples shop owners can actually use.

What...

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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:

(00:00:00) Introduction

(01:02) Can you writ...

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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 also dives into one surprising tax change...

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 stayed the same, what changed unexpectedly...

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 sales per technician and $12,000 more...

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 better profits
• How overhead impacts sma...

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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-report

Key Takeaways:

• Average monthly sa...

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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 when to adjust your tax estimates (...

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: Understanding how different owner...

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 book internal and pa...

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—your labor rate. Spoiler...

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound

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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 a hard earned achievement, which to o...