Always Lifting
Always Lifting is a new video podcast hosted by Karen Norheim, CEO of American Crane & Equipment Corporation. It’s part of a broader content platform exploring leadership, innovation, wellness, heritage, and grit – all through the lens of curiosity, resilience, and storytelling.
Always Lifting
Martin Guitar's Artist CEO | Always Lifting Ep.9
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Today’s guest is Thomas Ripsam, CEO of C.F. Martin & Company, the legendary guitar maker founded in 1833 and revered by musicians worldwide. As Martin’s first non-family CEO, Thomas shares what it takes to honor nearly 200 years of history while still pushing the brand forward.
In this conversation, we talk about:
• Leading through change while protecting what makes a brand special
• Craft, creativity, and the role of the artist in leadership
• Culture, community, and building teams that stay connected
• Curiosity, learning, and staying relevant in a fast-moving world
• Sustainability and the future of making
Thomas is a reminder that great leadership is not only strategy. It is imagination, intention, and heart.
Subscribe for more episodes of Always Lifting.
To learn more about Martin Guitars, check out https://www.martinguitar.com/
Check out their playlists on https://open.spotify.com/album/2kLoVVEePr57PFAeulX4f7?si=zPctb95QREyEXsPstkoZAQ
Connect with Thomas on https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-ripsam/