217 - Stop Guessing: An Accountant Explains Your Shop's Finances - With Jerry Cecco
Release Date: 03/27/2026
217 - Stop Guessing: An Accountant Explains Your Shop's Finances - With Jerry Cecco
DO IT FOR A LIVING
Most shop owners glance at their P&L once a year at tax time and have no idea what it's actually telling them. In this episode, accountant Jerry Cecco breaks down exactly how a profit and loss statement should be structured for a performance shop – and how to generate accurate numbers from your daily operations. Jerry spent years installing accounting systems for automotive dealerships before bringing that same financial discipline to small motorsports businesses. He's also an HPDE instructor at Eagles Canyon Raceway, so he gets the industry from both sides. We cover: Cash vs....
info_outline
216 - Performance Shop Owners: You're Working Harder for Less Money. Here's Why.
DO IT FOR A LIVING
You're doing highly skilled work, working harder than the general repair shop down the street — and making less money per hour. In this episode, Richard interviews Kevin to break down exactly why performance, restoration, and custom fabrication shops struggle financially compared to general repair, and what to do about it. We cover the "book time" billing model that lets general repair techs flag 50-60 hours in a 40-hour week, why performance shops are stuck at or below 100% efficiency, the parts markup gap, and the two metrics every shop owner needs to track: door rate and shop...
info_outline
215 - Mastering Manufacturing in Performance Automotive: Lean, Kanban, and Error-Proofing Explained!
DO IT FOR A LIVING
Unlock the hidden secrets that are transforming manufacturing efficiency worldwide. In this deep dive, Richard and Kevin explore the powerful concepts that can revolutionize your production line—from error-proofing and Pokeyoke techniques that prevent costly mistakes, to lean manufacturing principles that maximize value while minimizing waste. Plus, learn practical examples—from how to design parts that only assemble one way to organizing complex hoses for faster, error-free installation. You'll uncover: The difference between error-proofing and Pokeyoke, and how to implement them...
info_outline
214 - Rebuilding shocks with Chris Hagen of Inertia Laboratory
DO IT FOR A LIVING
In this episode, Kevin and Richard sits down with Chris Hagen, owner of Inertia Laboratory. Chris specializes in high-performance damper rebuilds, revalving, dyno testing, and sells high end coilover systems. Before starting Inertia Lab, Chris worked as an engineer for a major vehicle manufacturer, and spent time at AST/Moton - so he brings both OEM engineering credibility and real-world motorsports experience to the table. We dig into what it actually takes to run a suspension service business - from the technical side of shock dyno testing, to the business operations side of managing parts...
info_outline
213 - Manufacturing Systems for Small Shops with Richard Fielder
DO IT FOR A LIVING
In this episode, Kevin and co-host Richard Fielder break down the manufacturing systems used by large-scale factories and show you how to implement them in your small shop. Richard is a controls engineer at Peterbilt where he works with the systems that manufacture semi trucks at scale, and he brings that expertise to help small fabricators, tuners, and parts manufacturers work smarter. Whether you're making one-off custom parts or producing small batches, these principles will make you faster, more consistent, and more profitable. We cover 5S for organizing your workspace, shadow boards for...
info_outline
212 - Pablo and Alejandro Moreno Update us about Tandem Offroad
DO IT FOR A LIVING
In this episode of Do It For a Living, we sit down for a followup with brothers Alejandro and Pablo Moreno, co-owners of Tandem Offroad. Their shop specializes in off-road truck builds and general maintenance, serving customers who demand both performance upgrades and reliable day-to-day service. The brothers share their journey of building a business together, the challenges of manufacturing their own products, and how they've grown their customer base in a competitive market. One of the biggest challenges they faced was manufacturing their own products without properly understanding their...
info_outline
211 - Zach Denney of ECU Master USA returns
DO IT FOR A LIVING
In this episode of Do It For a Living, we welcome back Zach Denney for a follow-up to his first appearance on episode 083. Back then, Zach was running Wholesale POwer (WHP), the US distributor for ECU Master, as a one-man operation out of an 1,800 square foot facility, hoping to hire his first employee. Fast forward to today, and he's now importing several brands including ECU Master, Verkline, and Delta ABS, as well as manufacturing harnesses and components to compliment those product lines. Zach shares how he scaled from solo importer to running a full team, the challenges of navigating...
info_outline
210 - Emily and Zach from the 2025/26 UNT Formula SAE Team
DO IT FOR A LIVING
In this episode of Do It For a Living, we sit down with two students from the University of North Texas Formula SAE team. This marks our first video episode and a new format where we explore the next generation of motorsports talent. Emily Gooden is the Operations Manager and Zach Warren is the EV Powertrain Lead - both are seniors studying engineering at UNT. Kevin, who has an FSAE background, discusses what it takes to run a student racing team with Emily, and put Zach's powertrain work to the test in a "Shark Tank" style technical challenge. Emily shares how she discovered FSAE, worked...
info_outline
209 - Peter Agapoglou of Autosport Fabrication
DO IT FOR A LIVING
In this episode of Do It For a Living, I talk with Peter Aggapoglou, founder of Autosport Fabrication, about his deep roots in the motorsports industry. Before launching his own shop, Peter built his expertise working for several high-end European and race shops, honing his skills in fabrication, chassis setup, and race car development. Peter also shares his challenges and solutions to running a business that caters to exclusively race cars. We dive into: His journey through prestigious race and performance shops before going solo The turning point that led him to...
info_outline
208 - Joseph Potak with HP Cult
DO IT FOR A LIVING
In this episode of Do It For a Living, I sit down with Joseph Potak, host of the new HP Cult podcast. We talk about his journey in the high-performance world, including his history with Texas Speed and how he became an expert in LS engine building. Joseph shares insights from the several books he has written on building LS motors and swapping them into different vehicles, and what led him to start his own podcast. Along with the podcast, he has created a website to share his wealth of knowledge, and his desire to bring back automotive web forums. Whether you're an LS enthusiast or just love...
info_outlineMost shop owners glance at their P&L once a year at tax time and have no idea what it's actually telling them. In this episode, accountant Jerry Cecco breaks down exactly how a profit and loss statement should be structured for a performance shop – and how to generate accurate numbers from your daily operations.
Jerry spent years installing accounting systems for automotive dealerships before bringing that same financial discipline to small motorsports businesses. He's also an HPDE instructor at Eagles Canyon Raceway, so he gets the industry from both sides.
We cover:
- Cash vs. accrual accounting – when each makes sense and how the same job looks completely different under each method
- Revenue categories – why separating parts, labor, and divisions (like web sales vs. service) changes everything
- COGS vs. expenses – what goes where and why most shops get it wrong
- The parts procurement spectrum – from simple bank syncs to purchase orders to full inventory tracking
- Gross margin benchmarks – what's healthy for parts vs. service
- Multi-division businesses – how to see if your e-commerce side is actually making money
- Using your P&L to make real decisions – pricing, hiring, and spotting problems early
If your books are a mess or you've never really understood your financial reports, this is the episode to fix that.
If you need help with your business accounting, reach out to Jerry at JerryCecco@gmail.com