Tripoint Coversations

Kristina Lowe
  • 5.0 (16)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Tripoint Conversations uncovers what it takes to build something meaningful, one story, one decision, one conversation at a time. Hosted by Kristina Lowe, founder of Tripoint Strategic Group, this podcast features entrepreneurs, changemakers, and community builders who are shaping businesses, nonprofits, and ideas that make a difference. Each episode explores strategy, storytelling, and the purpose behind growth, reminding us that meaningful progress often starts with honest dialogue and the courage to begin.

Episodes

  1. 3D AGO

    Ann Brown: Leadership Is a Contact Sport, Building People, Culture, and Real Impact

    I sat down with Ann Brown, founder of Development Edge, for a conversation that goes far beyond HR and leadership theory. Ann has spent more than 30 years working across corporate, nonprofit, and consulting environments, helping organizations build stronger teams, develop better leaders, and create workplaces where people actually want to stay. But what makes this conversation different is how she thinks about people. We talked about why leadership is a “contact sport,” and what that really looks like in practice. Not from a place of authority, but from showing up, understanding people, and creating a path for them to succeed. Ann also shares: What most companies get wrong about onboarding and developing employeesWhy leaders struggle when they make everything about “I” instead of the teamThe importance of doing the “lonely work” when building a businessHow mentorship shaped her career, including lessons that still guide her todayAnd how faith has played a role in the impact she continues to make This is a conversation about leadership, but more importantly, it’s about people. If you’re leading a team, building a business, or trying to grow into a better leader yourself, there’s something in this episode for you. About Ann Brown Ann Brown is the founder of Development Edge, a consulting firm focused on HR strategy, leadership development, coaching, and workplace culture. With over 30 years of experience, she partners with organizations to build inclusive, high-performing teams and stronger leaders. Learn more: https://www.thedevelopmentedge.com/ About Tripoint Conversations Tripoint Conversations is hosted by Kristina Lowe, founder of Tripoint Strategic Group.   The podcast goes beyond titles and resumes to explore the real stories behind leadership.   Through conversations with founders, executives, and community leaders in Louisville and beyond, the show explores what drives them, what they have learned along the way, and how they are building businesses, organizations, and communities that create lasting impact.   For more information or to be a guest, visit: www.tripointstrategicgroup.com/podcast

    36 min

  2. MAR 17

    Jessica Wuchterl & Lisa Stephens of Xtreme Coating Solutions | Rebuilding Culture and Trust

    In this episode of Tripoint Conversations, Kristina Lowe sits down with Jessica Wuchterl, owner and Chief Visionary Officer, and Lisa Stephens, CEO of Xtreme Coating Solutions, a Kentucky-based company specializing in epoxy flooring, concrete coatings, concrete repair and resurfacing, flooring restoration, and commercial surface protection. But this conversation is not really about flooring.   It is about what happens when a growing family business reaches a breaking point and leadership has to decide whether to keep operating the same way or rethink how the company runs.   Jessica shares the moment she realized that even though the company looked successful from the outside, she was burned out and questioning whether the business was worth it. That realization led to years of reflection, working with coaches, and eventually making one of the most difficult decisions a founder can make: bringing in outside leadership.   That decision led to hiring Lisa Stephens as CEO.   When Lisa stepped into the role, the company was dealing with internal conflict, teams blaming each other, and a culture where people were afraid to make mistakes. Instead of focusing only on operations or sales, they started by rebuilding trust.   Together, Jessica and Lisa reshaped the organization by focusing on transparency, leadership accountability, and putting people in roles where they could succeed.   In this conversation, they talk about: Why many business owners struggle to let go of controlWhat changes when a company commits to improving its cultureHow transparency and profit sharing motivate employeesWhy allowing people to make mistakes creates stronger teamsWhat it takes for a founder to admit they may not be the right person to lead day to day  Within a year, the results were dramatic. The culture shifted, employee engagement improved, and the business began growing in new ways.   If you are a business owner, CEO, or leader trying to improve company culture, grow a team, or navigate leadership change, this conversation offers a real look at what that transformation takes.   About Xtreme Coating Solutions Xtreme Coating Solutions is a Kentucky-based company specializing in epoxy flooring, concrete coatings, concrete repair and resurfacing, and flooring restoration for both commercial and residential spaces.   From warehouses and industrial facilities to garages and retail environments, the company helps clients protect and restore surfaces with durable coating systems designed to extend the life of concrete and improve functionality and appearance.   Learn more: https://xtreme-coat.com/   About Tripoint Conversations Tripoint Conversations is hosted by Kristina Lowe, founder of Tripoint Strategic Group.   The podcast goes beyond titles and resumes to explore the real stories behind leadership.   Through conversations with founders, executives, and community leaders in Louisville and beyond, the show explores what drives them, what they have learned along the way, and how they are building businesses, organizations, and communities that create lasting impact.   For more information or to be a guest, visit: www.tripointstrategicgroup.com/podcast

    50 min

  3. MAR 10

    Linda Ruffenach | From CEO to Advisor: Helping Leaders Build Businesses That Last

    What happens when a leader spends nearly two decades building a company… and then steps away to help others do it better?   In this episode of Tripoint Conversations, Kristina Lowe sits down with Linda Ruffenach, founder of Execuity.   Linda spent 19 years helping grow a company from startup to more than 3,000 employees across four countries, serving in roles across operations, finance, and eventually CEO. Along the way she experienced something many leaders quietly face: the isolation and weight of leadership.   Today through Execuity, Linda works alongside business owners to bring financial clarity, strategic discipline, and long-term thinking to the way companies grow and transition. But this conversation goes deeper than spreadsheets and strategy.   We talk about the emotional weight of leading thousands of employees, why chasing revenue alone can actually hurt a business, the mistakes founders make when they don’t understand their financials, and what it really means to build a company that has lasting value beyond the owner.   We also explore Linda’s passion for mentorship, the unexpected lessons she learned building the Whiskey Chicks community, and why confidence, in business and in life, often comes from experience.   In this episode we discuss: • The loneliness that often comes with leadership • Why many business owners misunderstand their financials • The difference between revenue growth and real business value • Lessons learned scaling a company to thousands of employees • Helping founders think like investors, not just operators • The role of mentorship and paying knowledge forward • Why leaders need purpose beyond their business   About Linda Ruffenach Linda Ruffenach is the founder of Execuity, a consulting firm that helps business owners accelerate value, improve financial discipline, and prepare their companies for long-term growth or transition.   Before launching Execuity, Linda spent nearly two decades helping build a global customer engagement company that grew to more than 3,000 employees across multiple countries. She later served as CEO before transitioning into advisory work helping other leaders navigate the challenges of growth, strategy, and succession. She is also the founder of Whisky Chicks, a community that began as a way to connect women through bourbon education and has grown into a network of hundreds of members.   Learn more at: https://execuity.com https://whiskychicks.com/     About Tripoint Conversations   Tripoint Conversations is hosted by Kristina Lowe, founder of Tripoint Strategic Group. This podcast goes beyond titles and resumes to explore the real stories behind leadership: the pivots, doubts, discipline, and decisions that shape a life and a business.   Through conversations with leaders in Louisville and beyond, we explore what drives them, what they’ve learned the hard way, and how they’re building meaningful impact in their communities.   Because the most meaningful growth rarely happens on the surface.   Listen to more episodes at: www.tripointstrategicgroup.com/podcast

    36 min

  4. MAR 3

    Anora Morton | Redefining the Plan on Her Own Terms

    What happens when the “safe plan” falls apart? In this episode of Tripoint Conversations, Kristina Lowe sits down with Anora Morton, founder of The Nori Project, to talk about setbacks, identity, entrepreneurship, and what it actually takes to build something from nothing.   Anora’s path started with a full ride to college and a 20-year plan to become a lawyer. It led her through law school, two failed bar exams, public defense work, corporate burnout, and eventually into entrepreneurship.   What began as an idea to modernize food access through smart vending infrastructure became Nori, a company that challenged outdated distribution models and pushed Kentucky’s vending and agriculture industries into new conversations.   This episode covers: • Failing the bar exam after doing everything “right” • The pressure of public expectations • Walking away from a traditional career path • Starting a hardware based startup from scratch • Raising capital and navigating accelerators • Pivoting when the market pushes back • And why every company has a season   Since this conversation was recorded, Nori has officially ceased operations after accomplishing what it set out to do. As Anora recently shared, it closed not with apology, but with impact.   This is not a story about vending machines. It’s about resilience. It’s about risk. It’s about learning you are not defined by a test, a title, or a single chapter.   If you are in a pivot, questioning the path you chose years ago, recovering from something that did not go as planned, or building something that feels bigger than you, then this episode is for you.   About Anora Morton Anora Morton is the founder of The Nori Project, a category creating company that reimagined food access through tech enabled vending infrastructure. Through grants, accelerator programs, and early adoption partnerships, Nori introduced new models for distributing healthy food in underserved communities and influenced regional food systems conversations.   You can review Nori’s archived impact at: https://thenoriproject.com Follow Anora’s next chapter at: https://anoraplease.com   Tripoint Conversations is hosted by Kristina Lowe, founder of Tripoint Strategic Group. This podcast explores the real stories behind leadership, pivots, discipline, and the decisions that shape a life and a business.   Learn more at: www.tripointstrategicgroup.com/podcast

    1h 6m

  5. FEB 24

    Cathi Bingaman | From Idea to 12-Year Business and the Decision to Go For It

    What happens when the vision comes before the confidence? In this episode of Tripoint Conversations, Kristina Lowe sits down with Cathi Bingaman, founder of InSync with You, a Louisville-based personal concierge and home management company serving busy professionals, physicians, executives, and families. For over a decade, Cathi has built a trusted, word-of-mouth business designed to help high-capacity women reclaim time, reduce decision fatigue, and create more peace inside their homes and careers. But this conversation goes deeper than errands or organization. We talk about: The moment she realized people were already coming to her for “her thing”Why nothing about building a business is linearThe gap between vision and confidenceDecision fatigue and the mental load many women carryWhy asking for help is not weakness, it’s leadershipSurrounding yourself with people who inspire youAnd why life is too short to ignore what keeps tugging at you Cathi shares the real behind-the-scenes of entrepreneurship, the doubts, the near quitting moments, the business coach investment, and the discipline it takes to stay the course. If you're: Thinking about starting a businessBuilding something slowly on the sideFeeling stretched thin in your home or careerOr wondering if your idea is already showing up in your life This episode is for you. About Cathi Bingaman Cathi Bingaman is the founder of InSync With You, a personal concierge and lifestyle management company based in Louisville, Kentucky. Her team provides high-level, white glove support including home management, organization, move coordination, vendor management, event planning, and ongoing household reset services through programs like “Lighten the Load.” She is also a board member of NAWBO Kentucky (National Association of Women Business Owners) and a nominee for Today’s Woman Most Admired Woman. Learn more at: https://insyncwithyou.com/ About Tripoint Conversations Tripoint Conversations is hosted by Kristina Lowe, founder of Tripoint Strategic Group. This podcast goes beyond titles and resumes to explore the real stories behind leadership, the pivots, the doubts, the discipline, and the decisions that shape a life and a business. Through conversations with leaders in Louisville and beyond, we examine what drives them, what they’ve learned the hard way, and how they’re building impact in their communities, their companies, and their families. Because the most meaningful growth rarely happens on the surface. Learn more at: www.tripointstrategicgroup.com/podcast

    28 min

  6. FEB 17

    From Corporate to Compassion: Vic Roos on Leading with Love and Clarity

    In this episode of Tripoint Conversations, I sit down with Vic Roos, founder of VPR International and a leadership advisor with more than 30 years of corporate experience. Vic spent decades inside organizations like GE Appliances before realizing something was missing. In the middle of COVID, while leading global procurement teams, he had a simple but radical insight: organizations don’t just need performance, they need kindness. That insight led him to bring the Working Genius framework into GE Appliances, shift into internal consulting, and eventually step away from corporate life entirely. The tipping point came on a park bench in Seneca Park, when the same encouragement he once gave his wife was returned to him. Now, through VPR International, Vic works with leaders and teams to build clarity, trust, and compassion inside organizations, helping them replace politics with vulnerability and ego with humility. We talk about: • Why organizational health outlasts short-term metrics • How Working Genius changes team dynamics • The courage it takes for leaders to say “I don’t know” • And why love might be the most underestimated leadership principle Learn more about Vic at: www.vprinternational.com — Tripoint Conversations is hosted by Kristina Lowe, founder of Tripoint Strategic Group in Louisville, Kentucky. Listen to more episodes at: www.tripointstrategicgroup.com/podcast To receive updates or recommend a guest, visit the podcast page and join the email list.

    31 min

  7. FEB 17

    Alison Moulder on Growth, Culture, and Meaningful Work

    In this episode of Tripoint Conversations, I sit down with Alison Moulder, founder of Simplicity and Style, a Louisville-based organizing, styling, and relocation company. Alison didn’t start with a five-year plan. She started with three young kids, a season of wanting more, and an encouraging friend who told her to stop overthinking and hit “publish” on a website. What began as a few organizing projects has grown into a boutique business built intentionally, one that allows women to work around school bus schedules, lead with compassion, and create spaces that bring real peace into people’s lives. We talk about building slowly instead of scaling fast, protecting culture as your team grows, pricing your work with confidence, and why organizing a storage room can sometimes mean giving someone room to breathe again. This conversation is about meaningful work, and creating something that fits your life while inviting other women into it along the way. Learn more at: www.simplicityandstyle.com — Tripoint Conversations is hosted by Kristina Lowe, founder of Tripoint Strategic Group in Louisville, Kentucky. Learn more at: www.tripointstrategicgroup.com/podcast To receive updates or recommend a future guest, visit the website and join the email list.

    31 min

  8. FEB 17

    The Story Behind Tripoint Conversations

    Welcome to Tripoint Conversations. In this first episode, I’m sharing the story behind why I launched this podcast, the career pivots, the unexpected turning points, and the moment I realized it was time to stop waiting for perfect and just begin. After years working in strategy, marketing, and leadership across industries, I found myself at a crossroads. Instead of going back to what was familiar, I decided to build something new, a space for real conversations with the leaders shaping Louisville and beyond. Tripoint Conversations is about the moments in between success headlines, the pivots, the risks, the uncertainty, and the resilience it takes to build something meaningful. If you’re navigating your own next chapter, this podcast is for you. Subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming conversations with local founders, nonprofit leaders, authors, and community builders. Learn more at: www.tripointstrategicgroup.com/podcast If you’d like to receive updates or recommend a guest, head to the website and join the email list. I’m glad you’re here. Let’s get started. Tripoint Conversations is hosted by Kristina Lowe, founder of Tripoint Strategic Group in Louisville, Kentucky, offering fractional strategy, marketing, and development support for growing organizations.

    7 min
  • 8 Episodes

5
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

Tripoint Conversations uncovers what it takes to build something meaningful, one story, one decision, one conversation at a time. Hosted by Kristina Lowe, founder of Tripoint Strategic Group, this podcast features entrepreneurs, changemakers, and community builders who are shaping businesses, nonprofits, and ideas that make a difference. Each episode explores strategy, storytelling, and the purpose behind growth, reminding us that meaningful progress often starts with honest dialogue and the courage to begin.

Information

  • Creator
    Kristina Lowe
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Kristina Lowe
  • Show Website
    Tripoint Coversations

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