Owners at Work

It is well known within the employee ownership community that employee-owned companies do better in times of crisis compared to conventionally owned companies. However, this not a law of gravity, it is the result of countless actions taken by and processes created within employee-owned firms. In this episode we speak with five experts in the field of employee ownership and look at what actions ESO...

In this episode we speak with five experts in the field of employee ownership about the process of selling a business to employees via an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Each interview focuses on a particular aspect of the process. Taken together, the interviews provide a general primer for anyone interested how the process works as well as what key issues should be considered at different points w...

There is a large body of research demonstrating that employee owned companies outperform their conventional counterparts. However, much of this research focuses on company level characteristics. In this episode we sit down with Nancy Wiefek, Research Director at the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) to talk about the groundbreaking research she conducted that looks at how employee owne...

he world of employee ownership is made up of a vast array of stories, experiences, and journeys. Within this diversity, there are certainly differences, but also, in our view, an overriding commonality - broadened ownership of productive assets is good for employees, the businesses they work for, and the economy at large. In this episode we sit down with Kristen Barker of Coop-Cincy and Michael Pe...

Based on a recent webinar this episode includes a conversation with two financial experts, Eric Zaleski and Sean Kelleher, who talk about where we are now, and how to successfully get to the other side. We cover general market conditions; the lending and finance markets for privately held companies; managing cash flow and debt load (and staying solvent); managing your SBA loan to ensure compliance...

The sale of a private business to an ESOP can seem like a very different beast than a typical business transaction. There are, of course, components of a sale to an ESOP that you won't find in a third-party sale or a family transfer, but there also similarities. For this episode we talk with attorney Avery Chenin of SES ESOP Strategies on outlining, and demystifying, a sale to an ESOP. We discuss...

For this episode we , we talk to IntrustIT CEO (and selling owner) Tim Rettig, a new ESOP company in the Cincinnati area. Tim talks about why he chose to sell his business to the employees, and the impact the decision has had on the company; the benefits of open-book management; how the company is faring in the current crisis; and his plans to be a one-man employee ownership venture capitalist. **...

For this episode we head out to California and check in with Corey Rosen, Founder of the National Center of Employee Ownership (NCEO) located in the Bay Area; and Kim Blaugher, who recently became the Executive Director of the Beyster Institute at UC San Diego. Our conversation with Corey Rosen begins with the impact of the current crisis on the operations of the NCEO, how the crisis is effecting...

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, good strategies for building culture and facilitating communication are more important than ever. Whether it is social distancing, remote workplaces, or the stress and uncertainty that comes with an unknown future.  In this episode we connect with Jim Bado and Cathy Ivancic of Workplace Development. First up, Jim Bado in a postscript to a free webinar on...

In this episode we discuss two aspects of leadership. First, we talk with Tim Jamison and Tom DeSimone of Prairie Capital Advisors on planning for leadership succession in your employee owned company, we discuss processes, procedures, and best practices. In the second half we talk with Jeff Evans former CEO of The Will-Burt Company, an employee-owned company in Orrville, OH. Jeff discusses hist pe...

There are a lot of things that create value in an employee-owned company. Some of those things are bottom line related: sales, customer satisfaction, repurchase obligations, or external market pressures within or across industries. But, when we begin to talk about what motivates employees to think, act and feel like owners we move to the area of values. As you might expect, the two are closely rel...

In this episode we introduce the Ohio Employee Ownership Center's new podcast Owners at Work , which aims to talk about everything and anything dealing with employee-ownership.  We hope to make the podcast about the issues important to you, your company, or organization.  ***If you have a topic you would like to hear about, or a story or experience you would like to share please contact us at oeoc...