Blueprint for smart, scalable finance

Client background

JFB Construction and Development is a public real estate development and construction firm that blends residential, commercial and hospitality expertise. Known for building luxury equestrian estates, shopping centers and multifamily housing across 36 states, JFB prioritizes craftsmanship, strong client relationships and repeat business. Unlike many of its peers, JFB is a publicly traded company [NASDAQ JFB] and accountable to outside investors. That structure brings a higher level of scrutiny to everything they do — from how projects are managed to how financials are tracked, reported and audited.

The pressure was on — JFB had just secured $69.5 million in new contracts and posted a 93% year-over-year revenue increase in Q1 of 2025. “We are growing very quickly,” Ruben explains, “We needed real-time visibility, audit readiness and a system that could keep up with the pace of our growth.”

The business challenge

When Ruben Calderon joined JFB as CFO, he immediately saw the need to upgrade the company’s back office. “We were on QuickBooks and spreadsheets — dozens of spreadsheets. There was no formal approval workflow, no audit trail, no visibility. And we’re a public company,” he says. “That setup wasn’t going to cut it.”

Without true project accounting or automated controls, routine financial processes — like budget-to-actuals, purchase order tracking and close activities — required hours of manual intervention. Teams were spending too much time chasing paperwork and not enough time analyzing results. “We had strong project leaders, but the systems weren’t giving them the data they needed to manage effectively,” Ruben says.

As JFB began planning for new initiatives — including property development and facilities management services — it became clear the company needed a smarter, more scalable foundation. “We’re not a massive company, but we run complex operations,” he explains. “We need the same level of visibility and control that a much larger organization would expect. And we needed a partner who could help us get there.”

Strategy and solution

A platform — and an alliance — for high-performance finance
JFB turned to Baker Tilly to help reimagine its financial operations. Together, they implemented Sage Intacct to replace QuickBooks and establish a modern, audit-ready foundation. From the start, Baker Tilly took a consultative, future-focused approach — designing a system that would meet current needs while scaling for growth.

Approval workflow adds structure without complexity
To help standardize and enforce approval workflows across the organization, JFB also adopted Baker Tilly’s Advanced Approvals, a purpose-built enhancement for Sage Intacct that simplifies routing, visibility and control of purchase requests.

“It gives us structure without complexity,” Ruben says. “Before, I’d have to email a project manager and say, ‘Did we approve this invoice?’ Now it’s all in the system — clear, traceable and real-time,” Ruben says. “That’s a huge shift in how we operate.” The tool provides consistent oversight across entities and integrates seamlessly with Sage Intacct’s purchasing module, supporting tighter controls and faster turnaround times.

The finance team also collaborated with Baker Tilly to implement Procore, a construction project management platform that now integrates smoothly with Sage Intacct. “We had been using a much less robust application for managing construction projects,” Ruben remembers. “Procore is the industry standard, and it helps our project managers oversee field operations, and the integration means everything flows back into finance. It’s a win for both sides.”

Controlling cost and risk without sacrificing speed
One of the most significant gains has been in project controls. Ruben and his team use Sage Intacct to establish clear project budgets upfront, then monitor variances as work progresses. “We’ve created guardrails that weren’t there before,” he says. “We can stop cost overruns before they happen. That’s how you protect margin — by seeing it in advance, not after the damage is done.”

Even with those new controls, the company hasn’t lost its agility. When JFB wins a new job or establishes a new legal entity, the finance team can move quickly.

"Sage Intacct is built for this. I can spin up a new entity in minutes. That used to take days — and the setup wasn’t consistent. Now, everything is standardized. That’s essential for audit and reporting.”

Powering public company reporting with lean resources
As a public company, JFB has additional reporting demands — from board-level financials to quarterly and annual filings. Sage Intacct gives them the precision and structure they need — without requiring a large back-office team. Ruben can pull clean, GAAP-compliant reports with confidence, knowing that all transactions are tracked, categorized and reconciled in real time.

Outcome

Since teaming up with Baker Tilly and adopting Sage Intacct, JFB has transformed its financial operations. The company now runs leaner, faster and smarter — able to manage complex projects and regulatory requirements without adding headcount. Ruben credits the success to both the technology and the collaboration. “Baker Tilly has been fantastic. They didn’t just implement software — they helped us rethink how we manage finance,” he says. “It’s a true alliance, and it’s set us up for long-term growth. With this foundation, we’re ready to keep scaling — quickly, smartly and with confidence.”