Ambrook

Happy 200th issue, Offrange.

"We’re humans, we’re not robots. Ambrook is for humans." Ella is the office manager at KB Building & Supply, a post-frame construction company that’s locally owned and operated in Montana's Gallatin Valley. It means she runs everything from the books to payroll and marketing, and much more in between. Anything needed to support the operation’s 10-person crew. She used to do KB’s books with QuickBooks Online, but over time, there were small snags in the workflows that became frustrating. Ella would make a minor edit to a transaction and it would trigger other changes she didn’t expect. She started looking for something else, and that’s when she found Ambrook. Since switching over, Ella has tagged 1,200+ transactions with the support of Ambrook’s AI suggestions, tracked profit across 28 jobs, and managed 300 bill payments in bulk. Most importantly, she can confidently make changes to the books on her own terms. Katie Ellig recently got to visit Ella in person and learn more about how she’s using Ambrook. Read her full story in the comments.

We're looking for talented students to join Ambrook as engineering co-ops for the spring 2027 cycle! Come join us and help family-run businesses stay independent. https://lnkd.in/g9MrwnnA

Here's a fun one: if you're in New York, drop into our jam session / earthly delights / jazz night on Thursday at Ambrook HQ. RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/g3ftCJtv. And message me if you want to perform!

For over 100 years, the Colorado Farm Bureau has advocated for agriculture at the Capitol. They've brought together thousands of Colorado agriculture supporters, from producers to veterinarians, teachers, scientists, and more. Today, Ambrook is honored to join their community as a partner. Together with Farm Bureau, we'll help more business owners access tools and educational resources to see their numbers clearly and build profitable operations. Colorado Farm Bureau members can sign up for a discounted Ambrook subscription at the link in the comments.

Tommy King is on the road for the National Grazing Lands Coalition's bus tour this week. At the first stop, Amo Creamery in Minnesota, he got to tour the family-run operation's pasture, farm stand, and dairy facility. He learned how they're evolving the creamery over time, from diversifying the grass they plant to producing A2 milk. It's been an exciting time on the tour so far, hearing how operators are stewarding the grazing lands while building their businesses. Onto the next stop!

New in Ambrook: Schedule E mapping Tracking rental or royalty income and expenses just got simpler. You can now assign any category to a Schedule E line, just like with Schedule F and C. Just set it up once, keep tagging transactions the way you already do, and your rental numbers are ready to hand to your accountant when tax time comes around. Available today for all Ambrook customers.

What does it look like to go from 20+ years in tech and education to buying a ranch in Texas? A little over a year ago, Chad A. Stevens, Ph.D. did exactly that. He balanced a demanding tech job with all the responsibilities of ranching, learning everything from scratch: how to steward the land, care for 3 horses, and run cattle. From the start, Chad wanted to build an operation he could eventually pass down to his kids. To do that, he needed to make it financially viable and have the land pay for itself. Here are 3 financial moves he focused on right away: 𝟭. 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. Chad renovated the ranch's bunkhouse and turned it into a rental, then worked out that it would take 18 months to recoup the cost. 𝟮. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. He bought the ranch from a retiring couple who left $100,000 in equipment behind. Those assets became his overnight, and he started tracking their depreciation right away. 𝟯. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆-𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀. In previous businesses like tech consulting, Chad never had to handle expenses like fuel or supplies. He caught up quickly on how to categorize those costs for ranch bookkeeping. With Ambrook as his financial foundation, Chad set up multiple entities to manage the ranch, bunkhouse rental, and consulting work in one platform. Having a strong grasp of the finances helped him keep up with both a career in tech and starting a ranch. One year later, he has a financial system that's so efficient, he doesn't have to spend much time worrying about it. "The north star for me is freedom," he said, the freedom to do the work he's passionate about and care for the land he loves. Read Chad's full story at the link in the comments.

What happens when you build a farm around the customer instead of just the commodity? Tanner and Corey sit down with Tom Brown of The Meadowlark Farm, Orchard & Cidery near Wichita, Kansas, to talk direct-to-consumer farming, agritourism, diversification, value-added products and farm profitability. From fruit and pumpkins to hard cider and farm experiences, Tom has built a business that looks different from the typical row-crop operation - but the goal is the same: farm for profit. Learn more about the farm at themeadowlarkfarm.com and learn more about Ambrook, the accounting software helping Meadowlark keep the business side straight, at ambrook.com. #Farm4Profit #Farm4Fun #Agriculture #Farming #Agritourism #FarmBusiness #FarmProfitability #Ambrook