Guest Posts
When do you decide to hire another tech? Here’s the math I’m using
Every shop owner I talk to wrestles with the same question: Do we need to hire another tech, or can we stretch the team a little longer? I’ve been working on a simple framework that uses actual shop data instead of gut feel. It boils down to tracking a few numbers for each tech every…
Estimated Tax Payments Due September 15: What Auto Repair Shop Owners Need to Kn
If you own an automotive repair business, there’s a date you don’t want to ignore: September 15. That’s the deadline for making your third-quarter estimated tax payment for 2025. While it might feel like just another item on your already full to-do list, estimated taxes are a critical part of keeping your business in good…
What the New R&D Expensing Law Means for Your Auto Repair Shop’s Bottom Line
How small businesses can benefit from investing in innovation under new tax provisions. If you’re improving how your shop runs, whether that’s testing new tools, tweaking your internal systems, or upgrading your tech, you could be sitting on a hidden tax break. Thanks to a recent change in tax law, immediate R&D expensing is now…
Managing Vacation Payrolls: Steps to Prepare for PTO in Your Auto Repair Shop
Running an auto repair shop means keeping things running smoothly under the hood and in your business operations. But what happens when your technicians, service writers, or admin staff start taking vacation time? If you’re not prepared, managing paid time off (PTO) can throw a wrench in your payroll process. Here’s how to get ahead…
How to Adjust Your Auto Repair Shop Business Plan for the 2nd Half of the Year
If you’ve already done a mid-year financial checkup, you’re ahead of the game. But knowing your numbers is just the beginning. The next step is using those insights to revise your business strategy and strengthen your shop’s game plan for the rest of 2025. Whether you had a strong first half or hit a few…
Mid-Year Financial Checkup for Auto Repair Shops: How to Strengthen Your Shop’s
Running an auto repair shop means staying busy with customer vehicles, managing your techs, ordering parts, and trying to find time to breathe. But halfway through the year is the perfect moment to hit pause and look under the hood of your auto repair business finances. A mid-year financial checkup for auto repair shops helps…
Optimizing Your Parts Inventory to Reduce Costs
When it comes to running a profitable auto repair shop, every dollar counts. One of the easiest places to lose money—or save it—is your parts inventory. If you’ve ever opened a drawer and found a dusty part you forgot you had (or ordered twice), it might be time to take a closer look. Let’s walk…
Improving Cash Flow in Your Auto Repair Shop
Running an auto repair shop comes with a unique set of challenges, and managing your finances is a big one. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale, understanding cash flow management for auto repair shops is crucial to your long-term success. In this post, we’re sharing practical, actionable strategies to help you take…
What to Do If You Miss the Tax Deadline
April 15th has come and gone, and you missed the tax deadline for your auto repair shop. It can be so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind of managing your customers, your shop, and your staff that the tax filing deadline just slips away. If you find yourself skipping the date, don’t…