{"podcast":{"title":"Business By The Numbers","slug":"business-by-the-numbers-5045738","podcast_index_feed_id":5045738,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/huntdemarest/","website_url":"https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/74da9917-c9d9-4429-8179-0c0ac4dfe2d9/Hunt-Demarest-CoverArt-2025.jpg","author":"Hunt Demarest","episode_count":235,"summary":"Hunt Demarest, CPA has consistently provided his financial business acumen to help move the industry toward greater heights of success and profitability. Hunt was recently referred to as a \"terrific advocate of the aftermarket.\" He is the author of the book, Your Perfect Shop: How to Start, Run & Sell a Profitable Shop. In this book, he compiled some of the best practices for auto repair shop owners, whether they are just starting or have been in the business for years. Hunt's podcast will provide a core understanding of the financial aspects of running an auto repair shop.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-11T14:21:19.474181+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-by-the-numbers-5045738"},"episode":{"title":"How Cutting Costs Doesn't Always Mean Keeping More Profit [E221]","slug":"how-cutting-costs-doesn-t-always-mean-keeping-more-profit-e221","published_at":"2026-05-07T04:15:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-by-the-numbers-5045738/how-cutting-costs-doesn-t-always-mean-keeping-more-profit-e221","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-by-the-numbers-5045738","url":"https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/how-cutting-costs-doesnt-always-mean-keeping-more-profit-e221","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/65cce5ad-21af-4ade-99d4-1f6708678448.mp3","summary":"Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve You bought a slower machine to save money. You kept the cheap tech to avoid risk. You sent the customer home with the cheaper repair to do right by them. What if every one of those decisions quietly cost you more than the thing you were trying to avoid? In this solo episode, Hunt Demarest, CPA at Paar Melis & Associates, breaks down three real conversations with auto repair shop owners — each one a different version of the same costly mistake: confusing what something costs with what it's actually worth . From a sluggish alignment rack to an underperforming technician to a parts decision that looked smart on paper and cost $45,000 in lost production, Hunt walks through the math behind each scenario with blunt clarity. Whether you're staring down a lease payment you think you can't afford, debating whether to upgrade a technician, or choosing between a $4,000 and $6,000 parts ticket — this episode reframes how you look at time, labor, and money in a way that will change how you run your shop. (00:00) Intro, sponsor roll, and the week's theme: time and money are inseparable (02:53) Equipment: why a $2,500/month alignment rack lease would pay for itself (10:12) The takeaway: time is the only thing auto shops are truly selling (14:09) People: why spending $400 more on a better tech generated more profit (21:08) Parts: the cheaper job that cost the shop $45,000 in lost production (26:45) Buy once, cry once — quality in equipment, people, and parts always connects If you've ever kept old equipment running to avoid the expense, convinced yourself that the cheap tech is better than no tech, or assumed you were doing a customer a favor by choosing the lower-cost repair — this episode is essent…","meta_description":"Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve You bought a slower machine to save money. You kept the cheap tech to av…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1763,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/business-by-the-numbers-5045738/episodes/how-cutting-costs-doesn-t-always-mean-keeping-more-profit-e221/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-by-the-numbers-5045738/how-cutting-costs-doesn-t-always-mean-keeping-more-profit-e221.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}