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It might have been under less-than-ideal circumstances that Tim Woudenberg came to join the credit and collections industry, but in just a few short years, he has found a home and learned that it doesn’t matter how you get somewhere, but what you do when you get there that matters. His love for helping get the trains to run on time and desire to show people that they matter have helped cement him as a rising leader in the industry. Read on to learn more about Tim, how he makes reading books to his kids fun, and what he does to unwind at the end of a long day.
Name: Tim Woudenberg
Job Title: Director of Operations
Company: Creditors Bureau USA
Length of time at current company: 2.5 Years
Length of time in industry: 2.5 Years
How did you get your start in the industry?
This is a fun one.
Prior to CBUSA, I was working in operations at a tech startup in Fresno that launched coding apprenticeships and helped place graduates into software roles. On Memorial Day 2023, we had an all-hands meeting where everyone was laid off, and then we found out the CEOs were under FBI investigation for wire fraud, which definitely was not on my bingo card. A week later, my wife and I found out we were pregnant with twins, so yeah, timing was pretty wild.
Through a connection between my former boss and Courtney Reynaud, I ended up finding my way into this industry. It was a wild path to get here, and honestly it has not slowed down since. Looking back, I would not change it.
What is your career highlight so far?
One of the biggest highlights so far has been attending my local chapter’s Legislative Days, which might be some recency bias, but still. I never imagined I would be walking into legislators’ offices and having real conversations about issues that impact our industry. It has been eye-opening to see how much those conversations matter and how normal those interactions actually are. It is also just been a really cool and unexpected part of the job.
When or how are you most productive?
I am definitely most productive either early in the morning or later at night. Basically, any time before the office gets busy or before my kids decide my home office is their playground. Give me some music, low lights, and uninterrupted time and I can knock out a lot. Once the chaos kicks in, it just becomes a different kind of productivity.
Which industry professional do you admire most?
There are honestly a lot of people I could list here. I really respect the leaders who are out there speaking, sharing what they know, and trying to move things forward instead of just sitting on the sidelines. People like Kelli Van Cleave, Joey Nichols, Megan Hebert, Tim Collins, Adam Parks, and Heath Morgan all stand out to me. It is cool to see people willing to share and help others get better.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
In my role, I have to be a bit of a “jack of all trades,” bouncing between operations, IT, sales, and whatever else pops up that day. One thing I think I do really well is seeing how all the moving pieces connect and how each part impacts the bigger picture. I like figuring out how everything works together instead of just focusing on one thing. I also lean a lot on building relationships to connect people and processes in a way that actually works.
What do you like most about this industry?
It might sound cliché, but it really is the people. There are so many different backgrounds, experiences, and personalities all working toward the same goal. That makes every interaction a little different, which I enjoy. I like building relationships, so getting to connect with so many people across the industry is a big part of what I enjoy.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
If I could change one thing, it would be the overall culture. We see at conferences how fun and collaborative this industry can be, and I think that same energy should exist back in the office too. People do their best work when they do not dread showing up every day. If more places leaned into that, I think it would help both employees and how people view our industry overall.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
Honestly, I am not entirely sure, but I have always been drawn to things like podcasting or voice acting. I enjoy sitting down and having real conversations with people about life, interests, and whatever they are passionate about. I have also always liked doing impressions or making up different character voices for my kids when we are reading books.
Realistically, I would probably be doing something similar to what I am doing now, just in a different industry. I like optimizing things and making them work better for people and businesses, so I would probably still be “the operations guy” somewhere.
Describe a typical work day.
I think if I had a typical work day, that would probably mean something is off. Most days are a little different, which keeps things interesting. That said, there are a few things that are pretty consistent.
It usually starts with some form of caffeine, then checking systems, looking for any technical issues, and trying to get through emails before the rest of the team gets online. After that, it turns into a mix of operations and IT work, troubleshooting issues, helping the team, and jumping into whatever needs attention.
At the end of the day, it is less about routine and more about making sure things are running smoothly and people have what they need. That is about as “typical” as it gets.
What is your guilty pleasure?
I am an avid gamer and have been since I was a kid. At this point, it is just as much about staying connected with friends as it is about the games themselves. It is an easy way to unwind and hang out. I am also big into disc golf, which is basically my excuse to get outside without chasing tiny white balls everywhere.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
One quote that has stuck with me throughout my career is, “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” It is a good reminder that failure is part of the process, not the end of it. You are going to mess things up along the way, that is just how it goes. The key is not letting that kill your momentum.
What are you currently reading?
I am not as big of a reader as I used to be, but I try to keep something going when I can. Right now, I am working through “The Memory Project” by Heath Morgan and “Strengths Based Leadership” by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
If there is one thing I would want people to know, it is that people matter. Whether it is employees, vendors, industry peers, or consumers, everyone we interact with has a real life behind the scenes. That perspective affects how I approach my work. If more people kept that in mind, I think it would make a difference.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
I would love to see Aaron Reiter and Michael Giesecke take a shot at these.
