Summary
As a premium U.S.-based coffee chain expanded its footprint across the United States, the finance team encountered growing complexity in its accounting and back-office functions. With more vendors, higher transaction volumes, and tighter reporting needs, the internal team was stretched thin.
To maintain operational efficiency and financial accuracy while scaling, the company partnered with 1840 & Company. The engagement began with a single accounts payable analyst and quickly evolved into a five-person offshore finance team—streamlining workflows, maintaining compliance, and saving the company over $195,000 annually.
The Challenge
The company’s rapid growth in the hospitality industry required a finance operation that could scale just as quickly. With over 50 café locations and a high volume of vendor transactions, their internal finance team was facing:
- Limited bandwidth to manage increasing accounts payable workloads
- The need to reduce the cost of expanding in-house support staff
- Pressure to maintain accurate and timely billing and reporting cycles
- Inefficiencies in time-consuming, manual back-office tasks
As the company’s VP of Finance, Andrew Clarke was tasked with finding a way to support continued growth without compromising quality or incurring the costs of scaling internally within a high-wage market.
The Solution
The company selected 1840 & Company for its ability to source and manage high-performing offshore finance talent with speed and precision. Leveraging 1840’s Global Talent Cloud, the company was able to access skilled professionals in the Philippines who met both technical and cultural fit requirements.
Key elements of 1840’s solution:
- Strategic Team Expansion
Started with one AP analyst and scaled to four analysts and one accountant as business needs evolved. - Flexible Engagement Model
1840 provided transparent monthly billing, allowing client to forecast and manage costs with confidence. - Integrated Workflow Support
Offshore team members were trained on internal processes and systems, ensuring alignment with U.S.-based operations. - Email-Based Communication
Day-to-day collaboration was managed efficiently through email, enabling a clear flow of tasks, updates, and approvals.
This approach gave the company a dependable back-office extension, with the agility to adapt as operations grew more complex.
The Outcome
Since the engagement began in January 2022, 1840 & Company has become a trusted partner in the company’s finance operations.
Business outcomes include:
- $195K+ in annual cost savings through offshore hiring—equating to roughly $40K saved per role
- Stronger accounts payable execution, enabling faster vendor payments and improved cash flow visibility
- Reduced internal workload, allowing in-house staff to focus on higher-value financial planning and strategy
- Scalable staffing—the team continues to expand in response to operational growth
The finance team now benefits from improved speed and accuracy in daily operations, with less administrative overhead and more flexibility to adjust as the business evolves.
Why It Worked
The company’s success with 1840 & Company can be attributed to a few critical factors:
- Specialized Talent Access
1840’s presence in the Philippines made it possible to source qualified AP analysts and accountants rapidly, without compromising on capability or professionalism. - Seamless Team Integration
By embedding offshore talent into existing workflows, the company avoided the disruptions often associated with outsourcing transitions. - Agile, Cost-Efficient Model
The offshore team could scale without the friction of new local hires, office space, or complex onboarding cycles—resulting in a more nimble finance operation.
With over three years of ongoing collaboration, the relationship has proven durable, flexible, and performance-driven.
