Direct Ownership & Alternatives
There are companies organized in unique ways for whom none of the standard methods is a great fit. For them something else must be devised. Our firm is known for creating such alternative structures. We created one-vote-per-person ESOPs at Republic Container and Carris Reels, and a slate voting system at Maryland Brush Company. We helped Once Again Nut Butter to create its Decision Making System using Sociocracy .
Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, which is a non-legal governing body that operates on consensus, did not want to roll its 11 businesses up as subsidiaries of a corporate parent; and its Path to Partnership structure did not fit the co-op model. So we helped them devise an arrangement that permits every employee in the 11 companies to buy shares in their shared intellectual property company while retaining the different equity interests of the partners who have been the entrepreneurs of each of the separate businesses.
EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP THAT FITS YOUR NEEDS
We can smoothly transition your privately-owned business to a worker-owned one that meets the seller’s objectives, is socially responsible and includes employee participation. Learn more
TESTIMONIAL
Our firm would not be the strong, participative, growing ESOP company it is today without Atty. Deborah Groban Olson’s guidance over the past 15 years. When we hired Deb, our company was undergoing major changes and the employees almost lost ownership of the company. Deb helped us work through complex legal matters to make difficult, but necessary decisions. She helped labor and management understand necessary changes and took the heat out of many discussions between them which led to our current cooperative relationship. Deb’s work has been thorough and prompt and she has been available to speak with us whenever needed. -Mary Landry, retired Board Chair, MBC Ventures, Inc
