About the Owner

Travis Tripodi

Owner and Primary Consultant

Several years ago, I heard the quote “Quality is the building into an object of truth” while listening to a podcast, and something about it stuck in my head. I re-listened to that section of the podcast several times, wrote the quote down, and left it on my desk. I looked at the quote every day as I performed my job as supplier quality engineer and manager, trying to integrate the concept into my daily work. Eventually, after it became clear that most managers do not have an appreciation for philosophizing employees, I quit my full time job to focus more on how to better communicate my quality philosophy on to the industry. Shortly after, I started my own quality consulting company, where this quote would help me frame my mission.

I have always been drawn to quality, in particular supplier quality, as the area where the quality system and business operations seem to work together with the least amount of friction. It was always a point of frustration for me that the organizations I worked for, and with, seemed to view Quality as an afterthought, layering their quality systems on top of their business processes in order to meet regulatory obligations. This is a common problem, and there are a lot of quality consultants out there that understand it. However, the problem seems to persist, and there are more organizations popping up every day that are making the same mistake. I was interested, not just in what the problem is, but why. So, I began an investigation in an attempt to identify the root cause. My findings were the following: the effectiveness of a quality system depends substantively on the leadership and management teams having an appreciation of Quality and its value to business operations and there is a significant knowledge deficiency on these teams regarding exactly what Quality is. In an attempt to understand exactly what Quality is, I have spent the last several years conducting an independent study, focusing on this history of quality, through a lens of philosophy, psychology, and economics. My study is ongoing, but I believe I have an understanding of the concept that, if it can be communicated to decision-makers, will serve to reduce the friction between quality and business operations that has been accepted as inevitable throughout the industry. Communicating what Quality is to decision-makers is the primary purpose of Tripodi Quality Consulting.

The second purpose of Tripodi Quality Consulting is to provide high efficiency quality contracting solutions to the industry. As I have ventured into the independent contracting world, I have identified what I believe to be perverse incentives that are causing clients and contractors to be dishonest with each other and as a result, are impacting the efficiency of the market. The involvement of third parties and the lack of transparency around pricing causes contractors to accept deflated rates for guaranteed hours they have no intention of working, often stacking contracts, so they can make an hourly rate more in line with their productivity. So, I have decided to build a new model. My proposal is simple, let’s be honest with each other. I work fast and I work efficiently. What staffing firms will try and convince you takes 40 hours, I can likely accomplish in half the time. My rates are set accordingly and my commitment to client satisfaction is unwavering. The network of contractors that we are building will be of the same mindset and capability. The reality is that clients don’t need a contractor’s time; they need projects to be completed on time and under budget. At Tripodi Quality Consulting, we work with clients to scope projects based on that reality, not based on how many hours we can bill.

Sincerely,

More About Travis Tripodi

Experienced quality professional with a decade of quality operations experience in the medical device industry. Strong background managing contract manufacturing organizations (CMO) and critical supply bases within regulated environments. Proven success operating in organizations of all shapes and sizes. Proven experience in Quality Management System (QMS) remediation, development and post-acquisition integration.

Technical background in Mechanical Engineering that enables quality input to be constructive and solutions oriented. Experienced Lead Auditor, having performed over 100 quality audits, both external and internal. Experienced auditee, having successfully navigated several inspections from the FDA and other regulatory bodies.

Diverse background in all types of manufacturing processes: high-level assembly, injection molding (plastic/metal), machining (plastic/metal), fabrication, casting, forging, diamond turning, thermoforming, screen printing, surface mounting, additive manufacturing, cable assembly, optics assembly, surface coating (metal/biologics), surface finishing (passivation, heat treating, shot peening, bead blasting, polishing, anodization), ceramics, sterile/non-sterile packaging, cleaning, EO/Gamma sterilization.