How a NYC Restaurant Director Paid Off $41,000 in Debt in 7 Months Using Sequence

NYC Restaurant Group

July 29, 2025

💰 $41,000 debt paid off in 7 months

⏱️ 90 minutes saved weekly

💵 $1,000 extra found monthly

📊 51% total debt reduction

🎯 100% spending controlled via virtual cards

Sequence gave us a forward-looking approach we never had before. The automation, the clear categorization—everything just clicked. It's been an unreal help in paying down our debt and getting our finances in order.Dave Eselgroth, Director of Operations

THE CHALLENGE

Dave Eselgroth, Director of Operations for a restaurant group in New York City led by famous sommelier André Hueston Mack, faced mounting financial pressure. After a failed e-bike business and pandemic setbacks, Dave and his wife Natalie accumulated $84,000 in credit card debt with minimum payments of $2,100 monthly.

Existing tools weren't helping:

Traditional budgeting apps only showed past transactions
Manual spreadsheets required constant maintenance
No system provided forward-looking control
Living costs in NYC amplified financial stress

Trying to get out of debt while living in New York City, the most expensive market in the country, was really taxing. Our perception of how much money we had to work with was really flawed. Dave Eselgroth, Director of Operations

THE SOLUTION

Sequence provided Dave and Natalie three key tools to transform their finances:

1. Automated Income Allocation

Broke down income into targeted categories
Directed every dollar purposefully upon deposit
Enabled flexible adjustments for evolving goals

2. Virtual Debit Cards

Assigned specific cards to each spending category
Created clear spending limits
Eliminated overdrafts and surprise charges

3. Automated Debt Repayment

Set up automatic weekly debt payments
Implemented systematic repayment strategy
Ensured consistent progress toward debt reduction

All the other, all the personal finance apps...show your debits and your credits. But it's all exercise in the rear view mirror. Dave Eselgroth, Director of Operations

THE RESULTS

In just 7 months using Sequence, Dave and Natalie achieved remarkable progress:

Debt Reduction:

Reduced credit card debt from $84,000 to $43,000
Achieved 51% total debt reduction
Found extra $1,000 monthly for debt repayment

Time & Control:

Saved 90 minutes weekly on financial management
Controlled 100% of discretionary spending
Automated all bill payments and transfers

Beyond the numbers, Sequence transformed their relationship with money:

It's almost been like the United Nations between my wife and me. Instead of arguing over what's left in the account, we trust the process. We see exactly what's available, and it's made those conversations much easier. Dave Eselgroth, Director of Operations

NYC Restaurant Paid Off $41K in 7 Months with Sequence