Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File
What if the reason your team isn't hitting your numbers is simply that they don't know what the numbers are?
How do you go from being the guy fixing the cars to the guy running the business — and what does it cost you if you never make that mental switch?
Hunt Demarest sits down with Brian Rooney, a client, shop owner in Iowa, and author of Protecting Outcomes. Brian's story is one that will resonate with many listeners: a technician who took over the shop he worked in, figured out the financial side on the fly, and built a business he's proud of. He found Hunt through Your Perfect Shop, cold-emailed Paar Melis & Associates from the plane ride home, and has been a client ever since. Now, he's turned his hard-won lessons into a book of his own.
This episode covers the full journey — from not knowing what gross profit was to tracking GP percentage, GP dollars, and effective labor rate as his top daily KPIs. Brian shares how going all-hourly works for his team, how he tackled the DVI rollout, and how his shop went from an $85 labor rate in 2019 to $186.70 today. Most importantly, he talks about the single biggest change he'd make if he could go back to day one: communicate your targets to your team from the start.
Whether you're a technician thinking about ownership, a newer shop owner still finding your footing with the numbers, or a seasoned operator looking to get better buy-in from your crew, this one is worth your time.
What You'll Learn...
(03:40) How Hunt and Brian met and more about Vision.
(05:25) How Brian grew into mastering the numbers side of the business
(07:25) The story behind Brian's book, Protecting Outcomes
(09:50) Why communication is at the root of every shop problem
(13:10) How Brian built his metrics knowledge one step at a time
(18:55) Why Brian runs an all-hourly team — and how he handles the productivity conversation
(21:50) Brian's top three daily KPIs and how he improved his effective labor rate
(26:00) The one thing Brian would change if he could go back to day one
PROTECTING OUTCOMES: Why Thinking Like an Owner Changes Everything by Brian Rooney
Rooney's Auto and Tire Center
Thanks to our partner Promotive
It’s time to hire a superstar for your business; what a grind you have in front of you. Introducing Promotive, a full-service staffing solution for your shop. 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/
Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair
Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com
Email Hunt: podcast@paarmelis.com
Text Paar Melis @ 301-307-5413
Download a Copy of My Books Here:
- Wrenches to Write-Offs
- Your Perfect Shop
The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/
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