A story of courage, resilience, family, and building something from the ground up.
Most people know BRC for what it is today — a modern seedstock brand with global reach, proven genetics, and a reputation built on integrity, transparency, and results. What most people don’t know is the real story of how it began back in September 2019.
For many family ranches, the topic of long-term direction, estate planning and ranch succession is a challenging topic. These were conversations that spanned generations, long before Brandon or I were adults.
By the time we started raising our own young family, it became clear that we wanted to build our own legacy, not wait to inherit one 1-2 generations down the line.
So, with my grandfather’s guidance, we spent nearly a decade quietly building our own foundation. We started buying land, acquiring cattle, expanding leases, and creating assets the old-fashioned way: through work, sacrifice, and faith.
In 2019, after we had built our own program to around 200 head and 300 acres of land, we were given the opportunity to be part of a new partnership that required us to give up a portion of the assets we had spent years building. When we expressed that we couldn’t agree to that, we were given the choice of join the new structure or strike out on our own, immediately.
The Day BRC Started
After making that decision, in less than 24 hours, we had a name.
We sketched out a brand.
We already had our own cattle.
We already had our own land.
We already had a dream, it just started moving faster than we had imagined.
And so we got to work — not with bitterness, but with focus.
The Support That Held Us Steady
One of the most important parts of this story is this: we had family and people that stood with us every step of the way. We immediately started getting widespread encouragement from friends and other breeders around the world offering support and encouragement. People coming out of the woodwork to help us, offer us support, let us borrow their trailer, and offer to help in any way.
Some of the most important were people like Brandon’s parents, Craig and Sandra Cutrer, and Rachel’s grandparents Sloan and Mollie Williams, and Sammie Johnston. They were never against us. They were never hurtful. They were always loving, kind, and encouraging.
In that first year, I fondly remember the support from Nana and Dadaw, especially. During this time, Brandon and I were “dividing and conquering.” We were temporarily operating out of the Heritage show barn, which is about 20 minutes away. We didn’t have a huge team, and so we were always working separately.
I fondly remember my grandpa, in his 80s, sitting in his pickup truck shining headlights into our pens so I wasn’t working alone in the dark. He was physically unable to help me at that point, but he was there just so I wasn’t alone and had someone there with me.
Nana, also in her 80s, would randomly show up around 6 p.m. and just take-over at bedtime, taking care of getting Mollie and Annie fed, bathed, and in bed while Brandon and I pushed through late-night ranch work. One one occasion, Brandon was on a late night haul coming back from the Dixie National show. Nana and Dadaw insisted on staying with me at the house until he got back, because they knew I didn’t like staying at home alone at night.
I remember Dadaw rolling his scooter down the aisle at our first National Show as BRC, the first where our cattle weren’t showing as part of his showstring. It was a bittersweet moment for us both, but he proudly looked at me and said, “I’m proud of you, Rachel. Your cattle look good.” And he was one of the first to congratulate us when Dutton was reserve champion bull at that show.
These are just a few reasons why you always see BRC being grateful and thankful for the role that Nana and Dadaw played in our lives. We acknowledge them for so much of our success. From the beginning of our marriage up until his death, Dadaw was truly a mentor who helped us every step of the way.
The Financial Foundation That Made It Possible
Launching a full-scale seedstock ranch overnight, with no warning, is not something most people could do. The only reason we were able to do it was because we had spent the first nine years of our marriage building disciplined financial habits.
We followed Dave Ramsey principles religiously. We used the envelope system. We avoided unnecessary debt. We kept our household lean and intentional. Because of that:
• we had no debt besides land notes,
• we had an emergency savings fund,
• and we already ran our household, and our businesses, with financial discipline.
Those habits became our lifeline.
Prior to starting BRC, we had bits and pieces of equipment but we shared everything openly with my grandpa. So, when BRC began, we suddenly had to purchase equipment and infrastructure we previously shared. Our first tractor was financed through John Deere. Everything else — pens, facilities, improvements — we built slowly with cash as we had it.
We reduced personal spending to the bare essentials. We ate at home every night. We cut out luxuries. We bought only what the ranch needed for survival and growth.
It wasn’t glamorous, but it gave us freedom.
It gave us sustainability.
And it gave us resilience.
Even today, we still live conservatively because we see ourselves as builders. And, builders always think long-term.
The Team That Helped Build the Foundation
BRC also owes so much to our first two employees: Harley Wade and Frank Garcia.
In those early months:
• we had very little infrastructure,
• no completed show barn,
• no sale pens,
• and often not enough tools or equipment.
So we improvised.
We problem-solved.
We found a way — every single time.
Harley, Frank, Brandon, and I built pens, moved cattle, repaired fences, and made infrastructure happen with creativity instead of cash. The physical work was intense, the hours were long, but our team refused to quit.
The Two Mightiest Members of BRC
There is another part of this story that deserves to be said with pride:
Mollie and Annie helped build BRC every bit as much as any adult.
They were eight and four years old — but the work they did, the heart they put in, and the grit they showed was extraordinary.
When Brandon was out of town judging shows, and Harley and Frank were operating out of the Heritage show barn temporarily, it was the “three girls” on the ranch:
• feeding cattle
• doing chores
• sorting
• assisting however they could
They never complained.
They never backed down.
They learned resilience, responsibility, and the priceless reward of building something with your own hands.
Those two little girls were, and still are, an essential part of the early BRC story.
Forward Momentum Without Looking Back
Of course when we announced the creation of BRC, barn talk started flowing. Few, if any people knew the true story. And of course, anytime there’s big news like this, some people responded with positivity, and some people responded with negativity.
We chose not to respond to rumors or speculation in the early days. Actually, we never do.
We chose not to explain ourselves or engage the noise.
We believed our work and our actions would tell the truth far better than our words.
And it did.
It has.
From A Fast Choice to Fierce Momentum
The years that followed speak for themselves:
• We have bred more national and international champions in the past decade than any other breeder in the country.
• BRC genetics are part of the top Brahman ranches around the world.
• We expanded into Angus and Hereford.
• We built a retail store, museum, and multiple thriving businesses.
• We assembled a world-class team.
• We were named BIF Seedstock Producer of the Year
• And we earned our place among the most respected, progressive seedstock brands in the industry.
Not a Story of Conflict — A Story of Courage
We share this story because it explains the heart of who we are:
A family who builds rather than waits.
A ranch founded on integrity, not entitlement.
A team forged through grit, not shortcuts.
A business shaped by financial discipline, with a little bit of risk.
A beginning defined by resilience, not resentment.
BRC was created by courage.
And what we’ve built since that day is a legacy rooted in hard work, honesty, and a vision for the future of American cattle that we are proud to stand behind every single day.
Year One wasn’t just our beginning — it proved what’s possible when courage meets calling.
If you’re a rancher, breeder, or dreamer who’s ready to build something of your own, BRC is here to help you take the next step.
