Meet Brooke!
Brooke is our AMAZING bookkeeper here at The Big Lake and we couldn't be more excited about it! Since joining our team just one year ago, she has brought a new level of ease, clarity and knowledge to our books. 2020 was absolutely crazy, uncertain and wild…. However, I felt incredibly lucky and secure in my financial literacy, in my "current" numbers, all because of Brooke. I can’t stress enough how important and life giving it is to a small business owner, to know that her books are in such amazing care and the ability to pull accurate numbers at a moment's notice when needed. I could not be more grateful for Brooke and her business, Cross River Consulting.
We are so blessed here at The Big Lake to have Brooke on our team. She is an absolute joy to be around and holy cats is she ever an extraordinary bookkeeper. She also excels at gentle (yet persistent) reminders for me to “get my shit done” (those are 100% my words, not hers!) which I desperately need. All is calm when Brooke is around. Her words of affirmation bring such happiness and confidence to myself and my coworkers here at The Big Lake. When she is around, you can tell that she is there with a mission to build up those around her. She has incredibly powerful and kind energy.
Check out some of Brooke's favorite things at The Big Lake HERE.
Keep reading to learn more about our amazing number crunching Brooke!!
Tell us a little bit about yourself! How did you find yourself on The North Shore?
My husband Brad and I with our three kids moved up the Gunflint Trail from Duluth in 2016 to run a wilderness camp called Adventurous Christians. Brad is a Minnesota boy with his compass always pointing North. I’m from Colorado and vowed never to be a flat-lander ;) This North Shore landscape (both physically & figuratively) is a perfect fit to live and do life together. However our deepest passion, outside loving on our kids, has always been exploring how we can faithfully serve and care for others.
We have since left our post up the Trail and live in town. I started a bookkeeping business for a handful of lovely local businesses. My husband after serving as pastor for over 20 years and an interim School Counselor at ISD166 last year, has launched a new non-profit called North Point, Inc. Our mission is to end hopelessness among teens in Cook County. We are temporarily renting space in the old pharmacy and new Art Colony studio space on Hwy 61 with hopes to have permanent space for mentoring and supporting youth in 2021. It has been a slow start with a pandemic, but we are forging ahead.
What is your favorite thing about living up north in the winter?
Skiing at Lutsen!!! Growing up we had to wake up at the crack of dawn to drive up to the ski resorts in CO, ski a full day open to close to get your money’s worth and then fight traffic all the way home. Now I can drive 20 minutes and see my car from the chalet! I love running into friends and conversations on the lift. (If summer - hands down our annual family Boundary Waters trip with our Glørud Design paddles).
Do you have a favorite winter holiday tradition?
Brad’s whole family from the Cities coming up to jam in our house for New Year’s (pre-covid) to sled, sauna, play games, lots of coffee & themed food, and have thoughtful conversations.
If you were to give your mom one thing from the shop, what would you choose?
Natalie Sobanja snow mug set.
If your daughter was to walk into The Big Lake right now, what would she be most drawn to?
Stickers!
What’s your favorite part about working at The Big Lake?
Abby and her team. They are awesome. It’s obvious Abby has created a place where she desires to empower people and their craft. I love knowing exactly where to go to get a gift for dear ones and it’s just a super happy place to add to your day!
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