Rick Schumacher

If the lumber/building material industry is a roller coaster (some would argue convincingly that it is), then keep holding on, because the adventure’s not...

As a group, your salespeople have stopped pursuing new business, because the company is already doing well. You need to shake things up. But...

“To say that this year in the lumber and panel markets is unprecedented, would be an understatement.” That comment from Todd Hixson, division manager...

As a young, motivated college grad, you're frustrated that the LBM dealer you went to work for has no interest in change. What would...

What’s a dealer to do when several key, long-term associates are nearing retirement, and young pros aren’t exactly lined up to take their place?...

A key vendor is marketing product—and prices—directly to a big builder customer, taking pricing control away from you and killing your margins. What would...

When it comes to supplying material to high-volume production builders, there are clear pros and cons. On the one hand, the large volume of...

There's no question about it: our reality is far more “wired” than ever before. The internet is a formidable tool that has transformed virtually...

A large, high-margin customer expects you to come to the rescue with immediate deliveries because of his poor planning. What would you do? Like LBM...

While business remains rock-solid in most markets, economists remind us that a slowdown is inevitable. It’s impossible to know when that’s going to happen,...