How Red River Lumber Built a Credit Culture That Wins | LBM Talks Credit

Описание: What does it look like when a CEO is deeply involved in credit management?

In this episode of LBM Talks Credit, Thea Dudley sits down with Mike Craven, CEO of Red River Lumber, an LBM Journal 2026 Dealer of the Year, to discuss how credit can become a strategic advantage—not just a back-office function.

From navigating volatile markets and customer overextension to maintaining loyalty while enforcing financial discipline, Mike shares how Red River Lumber built a culture where credit and sales work together—not against each other.

In this episode, they also discuss:
Monitoring customer behavior (including social media 👀)
Managing cash flow through weather and market volatility
Weekly AR and sales alignment meetings
When to work with customers—and when to take legal action
The biggest credit risks facing LBM dealers in 2026

If you're in the lumber and building materials space and want to strengthen your credit culture, this episode is packed with practical insight.

Learn more about us at lbmjournal.com.
Learn more about our sponsor at nuvo.com.
Get in touch with Thea at [email protected].

00:00 – Sponsored Message from Nuvo
00:52 – Why Credit Management Is a Strategic Advantage
04:49 – Balancing Customer Loyalty with Financial Discipline
06:51 – Managing Credit Through Market Volatility & Storms
11:23 – Weekly AR & Sales Alignment: Line-by-Line Accountability
16:05 – Biggest Credit Risks Facing Dealers in 2026
21:03 – How Credit Managers Can Elevate Their Role
26:11 – Industry Involvement, LMC Membership & Leadership Development