Real-time cash management, seamless credit: How Birddogs left legacy banking behind
About Birddogs
Birddogs is a premium men’s apparel brand known for bold design, irreverent marketing, and a fast-growing customer base. Behind the scenes, that growth demanded a sharper financial operation—one that could keep pace with the brand’s velocity without getting bogged down in outdated systems.
The problem: Old banking slowed them down
Birddogs had the product and momentum—but their financial infrastructure couldn’t keep up.
Chris Wink, COO & CFO of Birddogs, remembers what it was like before the switch:
"We were running a modern brand on archaic systems. Five-hour calls with our legacy bank, no visibility into our cash, and no idea how much capital we could access in real time. It was exhausting."
Cash management was slow and manual. Their banking UI looked like it hadn’t been updated since the 90s. Getting a question answered meant opening a support ticket and waiting days—sometimes weeks—for a response. Meanwhile, treasury management and borrowing base updates lived in spreadsheets that were always a step behind.
“We needed visibility. We needed speed. But our old setup gave us neither,” Chris says. “The line of credit was there, technically—but using it was such a pain, it almost wasn’t worth it.”
The switch: One platform, two partners, zero friction
Birddogs turned to Highbeam for a modern capital and cash management solution—and got more than they expected.
They started by putting their capital payback on autopilot. Instead of delays and paperwork, the change was done in 24 hours. Their DACA was set up seamlessly across both Highbeam and their ABL, enabling real-time cash visibility and capital access through Highbeam’s platform.
“We asked to move to daily updates and it just happened. No pushback, no delay. It was smooth,” says Sam Vaughn, Head of Finance at Birddogs. “And the DACA? Set up without a hitch.”
At the center of it all was Highbeam’s modern UI—clear, simple, and easy to use. The Birddogs team could see cash position, draw capital, and analyze cash flow trends—all in one place.
“Compared to what we used before, it’s night and day. It’s fast, it’s clean, and it gives us exactly what we need,” Sam says. “Honestly, it’s the best finance UI I’ve ever used.”
The result: Seamless capital, proactive cash management
Today, Birddogs has full visibility into their capital management, can borrow in real time, and operates on a treasury system that matches their pace.
“If I had to describe it in one word: seamless,” Sam says. “We’re finally set up to make fast decisions with confidence.”
The biggest surprise? The human side. Chris and Sam talk about how they’re able to reach the Highbeam team with ease. “We text, call, or email and get a real response—same day. No tickets, no escalations, just people who understand what we’re doing,” Sam says. What used to take hours and guesswork is now instant and clear. Birddogs spends less time managing banking—and more time scaling the brand.
“We’re not thinking about whether the capital is there or if the cash position is accurate. We just know,” Chris says. “Highbeam gave us speed, clarity, and peace of mind.”'
If you're interested in learning more about Highbeam and how we can unlock growth for your brand, book a demo here.
