Inside Track

About Inside Track

InsideTrack is a mission-driven nonprofit organization that provides personalized coaching to support learners in achieving their educational and career objectives. Established in 2001 by Alan Tripp and Kai Drekmeier, the organization emerged from the founders' prior experiences in the education sector. Tripp, a Stanford MBA graduate and former Wall Street Journal editor, had previously founded and sold SCORE! Educational Centers, while Drekmeier also had a background in education ventures. Their combined experience informed the creation of InsideTrack's coaching methodology.

The organization operates as a social enterprise, partnering with higher education institutions, workforce development boards, employers, and state agencies. Its business model is twofold: directly providing virtual coaching services to its partners' learners, and offering capacity-building programs that train and certify staff at other institutions to implement InsideTrack's coaching methods themselves. This approach allows partners to either outsource student and employee support or develop sustainable, in-house coaching programs. Revenue is generated through contracts with these partner organizations for coaching services and training.

InsideTrack's core service is its evidence-based coaching, which has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education's What Works Clearinghouse. The coaching is delivered remotely through a variety of channels, including phone, video, email, and a proprietary platform called uCoach. This platform facilitates communication and allows coaches to track student engagement. The service is designed to support individuals throughout their entire journey, focusing on improving enrollment, retention, completion, and career advancement. A specialized Crisis Support Services team is available to provide learners with immediate assistance for non-academic challenges like housing insecurity or financial distress.