How Blazing Bagels Unlocked Cash Flow, Clarity, and Sale-Readiness with Puget Sound CFO

Industry

Retail & Food Manufacturing

Challenge

Blazing Bagels, an established multi-location bakery, faced stalled growth, repeated cash crunches, unreliable profitability data, and operational headaches due to fragmented systems and leadership turnover. The company lacked accurate cash flow forecasting and real-time financial visibility, putting growth plans and family succession goals at risk.

Results

With Puget Sound CFO's help, Blazing Bagels migrated off a failed ERP and rebuilt their finance function from the ground up. They recovered $750K in missing cash, slashed month-end close times, and built reliable budgeting and forecasting tools. The business is now ready for intergenerational succession, confident in its valuation, and equipped to drive both profitable growth and a future business sale between generations.

Funding Profile

Self-funded

www.blazingbagels.com

$750k

Cash Recovered

Faster Close

Channels Unified

Cash Crunches

“Puget Sound CFO got our cash under control, fixed our reporting, and helped us finally see the real profitability of every part of the business. Now we’re ready for the financial transition to the next generation.”

Whitney Ballen

CEO

Company Overview

Blazing Bagels is a leading bakery and food producer in the Pacific Northwest, operating five locations and selling through to distributors, wholesalers, and catering customers statewide. As a family-owned business, they have ambitious plans for expansion and growth.

The Challenge

By early 2025, Blazing Bagels’ leadership faced “fire drill” finances: persistent cash flow surprises, unexplained profit swings, and incomplete reporting. Outdated systems and leadership gaps left them unable to answer critical questions—how profitable each store and channel really was, where cash was leaking out, and whether the company was ready for the next growth stage.

The Solution

Blazing Bagels partnered with Puget Sound CFO to launch a rapid finance transformation. They migrated off a failing ERP, resolved persistent AP challenges, and recovered over $750K in missing cash, and replaced guesswork with data-driven cash flow forecasting and profitability reporting by location and channel. Puget Sound CFO provided hands-on cleanup, rebuilt core SOPs, and set up comprehensive financial reporting. The team now operates with clear financial rhythms and real-time insight—foundational for both daily decisions and long-term valuation.

"We’re a family business planning for our next chapter. Having clean, reliable numbers—and a clear roadmap—makes all the difference as we look toward an eventual transition."

The Results

$750,000+ in cash recovered and redeployed for growth
Fully implemented new ERP / accounting system
Month-end close reduced from 30+ to under 10 days
First-ever cash flow forecast implemented
Profitability visibility by store, channel, and product line
Finance SOPs and reporting for a future-ready family business
Foundation set for succession, valuation, and growth