DO IT FOR A LIVING is a podcast where YOU, the performance racing industry enthusiast and shop owner can hear from the best minds in the performance racing industry talking about business and tech. We discuss new products and services and the best resources used by the big dogs. You can listen on your way to work or in the shop. With new episodes coming out every Monday, you'll find interesting topics and valuable information you can use to build your performance business. Now take this information and use it to build the next record-breaking car or innovative product.
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Todd Earsley & Kevin Dubois interview the big players in motorsports and pr
217 - Stop Guessing: An Accountant Explains Your Shop's Finances - With Jerry Cecco
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. 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
2 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT
216 - Performance Shop Owners: You're Working Harder for Less Money. Here's Why.
Host Richard Fielder interviews Kevin Dubois, exploring why performance shops earn less than general repair shops and offering actionable strategies for improved profitability.
12 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
215 - Mastering Manufacturing in Performance Automotive: Lean, Kanban, and Error-Proofing Explained!
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 effectively
How to design parts with built-in Pokeyoke features that save time and reduce errors
Step-by-step strategies to run a lean shop, from shadow boards to labor tracking
The role of Kanban in managing workflows, inventory, and customer experience
Practical tips to adapt lean and just-in-time principles for small, custom shops
Ignoring these insights can mean wasting thousands of dollars on excess inventory, rework, and lost productivity. Conversely, mastering these methods opens the door to faster throughput, higher quality, and greater profitability—regardless of your company size.
Perfect for manufacturers, shop owners, or anyone striving to eliminate inefficiency, this episode reveals proven strategies to boost your bottom line. Implement these ideas today and start working smarter, not harder.
Be sure to like and subscribe to the channel! the more viewers we have, the more high quality guests we can attract!
www.Doitforaliving.net
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Inside a recent episode
217 - Stop Guessing: An Accountant Explains Your Shop's Finances - With Jerry Cecco
Published 27 Mar 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Okay. Yeah. Okay, and then before we get too deep into the P&L, this is a topic that I have to help people out with a lot too. Because my software kind of splits the two, but cash versus accrual. Sure. Small shops, I see a lot of people defaulting to accrual, whereas I think cash helps certain types of businesses. But can you explain the difference between the two of them? A cash business is typically... is what happens through the bank account. Yeah. So if you have revenue when the check clears and not any day before that, and you have expenses when your checks clear and not a day before that. […]
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