{"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":"The Big Four: Why Your Overhead Isn't the Problem — Until It Is [E223]","slug":"the-big-four-why-your-overhead-isn-t-the-problem-until-it-is-e223","published_at":"2026-05-21T04:15:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-by-the-numbers-5045738/the-big-four-why-your-overhead-isn-t-the-problem-until-it-is-e223","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-by-the-numbers-5045738","url":"https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/the-big-four-why-your-overhead-isnt-the-problem-until-it-is-e223","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/cf7557dc-fdfe-4fb7-869e-1d8e15f426c9.mp3","summary":"Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve Is your advertising budget working for you, or quietly draining you? Are you paying a credit card processing premium you didn't even know existed? When did insurance stop being a routine expense and start becoming one of your biggest threats? And is that rent number on your P&L actually telling you the truth? In this solo episode, Hunt Demarest, CPA at Paar Melis & Associates, breaks down the four overhead categories that show up most often in his firm's annual benchmark report — and the ones where shop owners are most likely throwing money away without realizing it. From the 3% advertising rule to why the cheapest insurance policy might be the most expensive decision you ever make, Hunt walks through real numbers, real client stories, and a framework for getting your overhead under control without kneejerk cost-cutting that tanks your business. Whether you're a two-bay shop trying to understand your first P&L or a multi-location owner wondering why your margins keep shrinking despite steady revenue — this episode is essential listening. What You'll Learn... (02:45) The overhead mindset reset — why cutting costs isn't always the answer when profit is down (04:38) How to benchmark without lying to yourself — why comparing the wrong shop misleads you (05:52) The 3% advertising benchmark — what it means and when it actually matters (08:40) The one overhead expense where spending more makes it relatively cheaper (11:34) Credit card fees decoded — the 2.5% benchmark and why your card mix matters more than your rate (13:53) When paying more for integrated processing is the right call — and when it isn't (20:25) Why insurance is a relationship, not a commodity — and the two-shop fire…","meta_description":"Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve Is your advertising budget working for you, or quietly draining you? Are…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1797,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/business-by-the-numbers-5045738/episodes/the-big-four-why-your-overhead-isn-t-the-problem-until-it-is-e223/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/the-big-four-why-your-overhead-isn-t-the-problem-until-it-is-e223.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}