Breaking Down The Cost Of Doing Business episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 3, 2026 · 44 MIN

Breaking Down The Cost Of Doing Business

from Repair Shop Reckoning · host Kevin Brown

Most shop owners don’t have a pricing problem. They have a numbers problem and it’s costing them more than they realize.In this episode, Kevin breaks down what actually happens to every dollar that comes into a shop and why so many owners are busy, working nonstop, and still wondering where the money went. Because the truth is, you can be doing millions in sales and still be losing money if you don’t understand your numbers.Kevin walks through a simple breakdown of a $100 repair order to show exactly where the money goes from the true cost of doing the work to the overhead that eats away at your margins every single month. Payroll, insurance, subscriptions, fuel, taxes… it all adds up faster than most owners realize.This isn’t theory. This is real shop math and real-world patterns that show up every single day. In this episode, we get into:• The difference between gross and net—and why most people get it wrong• Why being busy doesn’t mean you’re profitable• How overhead creep quietly destroys your margins• Fixed vs variable pay—and who’s actually carrying the risk• Why discounting jobs to make payroll is a losing game• How bad pricing decisions start before the job is ever sold• Why QuickBooks and a real shop management system are non-negotiableAt the core of this episode is a hard truth too many shop owners are guessing. Guessing on pricing, guessing on margins, and guessing on what it actually costs to run their business. And when you guess long enough, it catches up to you.If you don’t know your numbers, you don’t have control. And if you don’t have control, you don’t have a business.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/repair-shop-reckoning--6688688/support.

Most shop owners don’t have a pricing problem. They have a numbers problem and it’s costing them more than they realize.In this episode, Kevin breaks down what actually happens to every dollar that comes into a shop and why so many owners are busy, working nonstop, and still wondering where the money went. Because the truth is, you can be doing millions in sales and still be losing money if you don’t understand your numbers.Kevin walks through a simple breakdown of a $100 repair order to show exactly where the money goes from the true cost of doing the work to the overhead that eats away at your margins every single month. Payroll, insurance, subscriptions, fuel, taxes… it all adds up faster than most owners realize.This isn’t theory. This is real shop math and real-world patterns that show up every single day. In this episode, we get into:• The difference between gross and net—and why most people get it wrong• Why being busy doesn’t mean you’re profitable• How overhead creep quietly destroys your margins• Fixed vs variable pay—and who’s actually carrying the risk• Why discounting jobs to make payroll is a losing game• How bad pricing decisions start before the job is ever sold• Why QuickBooks and a real shop management system are non-negotiableAt the core of this episode is a hard truth too many shop owners are guessing. Guessing on pricing, guessing on margins, and guessing on what it actually costs to run their business. And when you guess long enough, it catches up to you.If you don’t know your numbers, you don’t have control. And if you don’t have control, you don’t have a business.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/repair-shop-reckoning--6688688/support.

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Breaking Down The Cost Of Doing Business

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Driving Change at ATI Geoff Berman This podcast was created to improve our members' experience and further assist with their growth. Tune in each month to hear another inspiring story from a fellow shop owner to “drive change” in your shop. If you have an inspiring story you would like to share, you can email me, Geoff Berman, at [email protected]: If you have issues accessing a podcast, please contact us at [email protected] to request a transcript. Please include the episode title and date you are interested in. Explicit Monster Shop Metal Monster Shop The Monster Shop is your go-to podcast for all things heavy. Whether you're a die-hard fan or new to the genre, we've got you covered with weekly episodes featuring the latest news, album reviews, interviews with top musicians, and in-depth discussions on everything from classic tracks to up-and-coming bands. Our hosts are passionate metalheads with a wealth of knowledge and experience, and they're always ready to share their insights and opinions with listeners. From Black Metal to Death Metal, Power Metal to Progressive Metal, Prog to Grunge, we cover it all! Explicit Tales Trails and Taverns Joseph Gelinas Here we will be exploring haunted woods, forests, taverns, bars and breweries. Any where I can visit that has a storied or haunted history, will be explored and discussed. As long as there's a personal story in a haunted location, and somewhere close by I can get a beer, it'll be on this podcast. Hiking Stories by "Tales Trails and Taverns"Written and Produced by Joseph GelinasSpreadshirtTalestrailsandtaverns.compatreon.com/Talestrailsandtaverns Explicit HVAC Masters of the Hustle JDubMoneyMaker This PodCast is directed toward the HVAC industry. On this pod cast we will talk too high volume closers and learn the secrets to their success. We will also talk shop talk as well of the everyday life of sale, HVAC Tech, and Dispatchers. You will learn the insides and outs of how to prepare your self daily to insure that to make it to the top 1%. Explicit

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How long is this episode of Repair Shop Reckoning?

This episode is 44 minutes long.

When was this Repair Shop Reckoning episode published?

This episode was published on April 3, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Most shop owners don’t have a pricing problem. They have a numbers problem and it’s costing them more than they realize.In this episode, Kevin breaks down what actually happens to every dollar that comes into a shop and why so many owners are busy,...

Is there a transcript available for this episode?

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