4-Part Series, Fall 2025

Virtual Ranch Management

October 7th • October 14th • October 21st • October 28th

12PM-1:30PM MST

Platform: Zoom

Ranch Management Through the Seasons

From Ledger to Livestock: Ranching by the Numbers

Ranch management requires mastering multiple skill sets: managing people, livestock, land, and finances. This fall, join us for a focused 4-part series designed to enhance your financial management skills and transform how you analyze your ranching operation's profitability.

Whether you're actively managing a ranch or looking to deepen your understanding of agricultural finances, this series offers valuable insights and practical strategies for making your financial statements work for you, not just your lender.

Participants will gain actionable tools to understand cash flow patterns, create meaningful budgets, conduct enterprise analysis, and obtain knowledge to make informed decisions that improve operational profitability and sustainable business practices.

Bonus: All registrants will receive full access to recordings of last fall's Virtual Ranch Management sessions.

What To Expect

  • Session 01

    Making Your Balance Sheet Work for You Learn how to set up financial statements that serve your operation, not just your lender. We'll explore why certain expenses don't appear where you expect them and how to structure your balance sheet to truly reflect your ranch's financial health.

  • Session 02

    Budgeting That Actually Works Discover the difference between cash flow and enterprise budgeting, and determine which approach best serves your operation. Master timing your cash flows and predicting enterprise breakeven costs to make informed marketing decisions.

  • Session 03

     Enterprise Analysis - Are You Profitable? Transform your profit and loss statements into powerful decision-making tools. Learn to accurately track enterprise costs, account for non-monetary expenses like your own labor, and convert cash-based statements to accrual basis for true cost analysis.

  • Session 04

    Your Questions & Custom Solutions Bring your specific operational questions for personalized guidance. We'll discuss enterprise separation strategies, working with your accountant on depreciation, and address any challenges you've encountered applying the concepts from previous sessions.

Each session builds on the previous one, but don't worry if you miss one - all participants receive access to recorded sessions.

Meet our Sponsor

The Plank Stewardship Initiative's commitment to supporting women in agriculture has made this innovative virtual series possible, responding directly to our community's call for more accessible educational opportunities.

Building on the success of our in-person Ranch Management Weekends, this virtual format allows us to reach more participants while maintaining the collaborative, hands-on learning approach that defines these programs. Through the generous support of the Plank Stewardship Initiative, we can continue expanding access to critical ranch management education.

Ready to strengthen your ranch's financial foundation? Register for the series below.

Meet your facilitator

Caroline Wild

Caroline is the founder of Wild Ranch Solutions and is a Brunswick, Maine, native who came to Montana in 2014 to pursue a degree in cows. She graduated from Montana State University with a degree in Livestock Management and Industry before spending the next five years working in and around the ranching community of Montana. From running the DNA department at the American Simmental Association to organizing pens of cattle at Headwaters Livestock Auction, she learned early on to love problem-solving on the go.

She has baled hay and fixed fences from north of Yellowstone up to the plains and breaks of Central Montana. Most recently, she earned her Master's in Ranch Management from the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management. Her passion lies in helping rural producers, especially women, understand enterprise analysis to help them identify economically sustainable actions and practices in order to keep farming and ranching a vital part of the rural landscape. Her most recent adventure is founding Wild Ranch Solutions, a financial consulting and education company that provides practical and accessible solutions to ranchers to aid in simplifying their finances to allow them to spend time doing what they love.

She takes on the world with her dog, Moxie, a frequent participant in her adventures, whether road-tripping obscene distances, hiking to alpine lakes, or devouring a book on the front porch. They currently call Parkman, WY home. 

We are committed to building power through equity, and we’re excited to offer this programming in an accessible virtual format and at no cost.

While registration is free, a one-time donation of $30 or any amount you choose helps us sustain and expand our offerings.

Thank you for your support!

Support Our Mission

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Virtual Ranch Management Series is a 4-part workshop designed to enhance skills in examining and managing finances related to ranching. It focuses on financial analysis, not tax preparation, and is ideal for women currently managing or running a ranch business.

  • This series is designed for women who are currently running a ranch business and have some information about production and costs. While it is not specifically for those just starting a business, it is open to anyone with an interest in improving their financial management skills.

  • Participants should be familiar with using financial software to create an income statement. However, the series will not cover tax preparation or require advanced financial expertise.

  • While there will be optional ‘homework’ for those who have their own financial books, you do not need to prepare anything from your own books before the series begins. The sessions will provide financial information for analysis.

  • The Virtual Ranch Management Series is offered free of charge. However, if you wish to support our mission and help fund future programming, we encourage a one-time donation of $30 or any amount you choose.

  • All sessions will be conducted virtually via Zoom. You will receive access to all recording and pdf’s after the series concludes.

  • The information collected during registration and in the post-event survey helps us enhance your event experience, improve future events, and secure proper funding. We use this data for event logistics, tailoring content to meet your needs, gathering feedback for continuous improvement, and fulfilling grant reporting requirements. Rest assured, your privacy is important to us, and all information is handled with confidentiality.

Join Us Virtually