Common Trust helps business owners design and execute a sale to a customized trust that is run by key stakeholders and experts. The process allows owners to get cash out on day one, while offering competitive sale pricing, tax advantages, long-term upside and perks for management.

Common Trust

Common Trust is a financing platform that equips small business owners to exit to their employees and community. Using purpose trusts, our methodology is based on the idea that owners should be able to transition their business profitably while protecting their legacy, purpose and people through a sale, ensuring both high performance and community impact for generations to come.

🎉 Last week in Frisco, Texas, something truly extraordinary happened – a historic assembly of business leaders came together around a shared ambition: advancing long-term employee ownership and stewardship across America. 

At the heart of this event were the people – over 1,000 employees were represented by their forward-thinking leaders.

The inaugural Stewards Circle 2024 wasn't just about discussing Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) and Perpetual Purpose Trusts (PPTs); it was a celebration of doing good work, real community impact, and the power of sharing success.

From high-tech to auto repair and everything in between, leaders across diverse industries shared their inspiring stories of transition and the profound difference employee ownership has made and will make in their businesses and communities.

🌟 Something special happens when employees become owners, not just workers. Rick Plympton from Optimax reflected on hundreds of millions in community wealth generated, and more to come over the next 10 years, while Miren Oca of Ocaquatics Swim School illustrated how empowering employees can uplift an entire community. Brad Herrmann shared the story of their years-long journey to find just the right way to preserve the special business and culture at Text-Em-All. Kevin Clegg showed us the tangible benefits of employee ownership: doubled profits and record-high customer satisfaction. These are just a few examples.

More importantly, these aren't just success stories; they're beacons of hope and possibility for the future of business across the nation.

📈 As we stand on the brink of a generational shift, where 3 in 5 small businesses look towards transition, the group at Stewards Circle 2024 demonstrates the massive potential of trust ownership to redefine success, community, and legacy. 

Let's celebrate the pioneers, the communities, and the lives touched by this powerful movement. 

#EmployeeOwnership #EOT #PurposeTrust #PerpetualPurposeTrust #CommunityImpact #FutureOfWork

Join us! We're hosting a webinar aimed at helping business owners understand the benefits and challenges of transitioning to an employee-owned model. Our panel of employee-owned business leaders in manufacturing and industrial industries will share their insights and experiences to guide you through this process.

It's clear that if we bring together small to medium sized asset holdings into financially and legally connected networks we can compete with/protect against runaway corporatism and monopoly. 

After a year of work on the subject, I'm pleased to see the incredibly positive response to Assets in Common: www.assetsincommon.org. What an immense privilege to add to the field of alternative economics with book that tells the story of people making it happen. This book isn't just an anthology though, it's a blueprint for infrastructure that safeguards against extraction. 

📚 'This extensively researched book reveals a powerful strategy for transforming the U.S. economy through increasing connectivity between assets in shared ownership and steward-ownership. "Assets in Common" is filled with in-depth case studies and practical approaches, such as: innovative shared balance sheet structures, steward-owned holding companies, and shared services cooperatives.'

🪢  Throughout my career I've served as a builder and pragmatic strategist for visions which improve our world. As a serial entrepreneur in spaces of political economy and governance, I was excited when Derek and Zoe of Common Trust invited me to lead a research program last May. I have been in awe of their persistent effort to carve out real paths to a more just economy. This project wove together multiple long-term collaborations. Evan has been a creative thought partner over the years, with long conversations around "what's the next chicago school?", and his work with Justin led to generous financial backing of this project. So too with the team at Purpose Economy and Purpose US: I was involved in the founding days of Purpose in 2016 but it took til this effort to draw those threads all back together.

🎢 Designing the research in this book started a year ago in the territory of 'how might we expand the resilience and competitiveness of small to medium assets in a monopoly captured economy'. By August 23 we hired a team and dug deep into dozens and dozens of case studies of where this is already working. In January 24 I realized we had more material than any report could do justice. So I pitched a book and did more editing than I've ever done before, and produced a podcast to top it off 🧁 . A month ago we released the book. It's heavy too!

✨ Many hands made this possible. It takes a skilled and trusting team to inquire into the details of how other peoples' companies and communities operate without making anyone feel like a lab rat. The outcome is never just what's on paper, it's making sure people feel intact in relationship with the research. "I will say, the chapter on us, our founders said it’s probably one of the best captures of our organization that we’ve seen!" - Aaron from The Industrial Commons said at the book launch event.  As we say in Aotearoa, "Ngā mihi nui" to Charity and Jay for rallying so many times over, and for crafting real quality outputs which respect the builders.

Join us on June 26th in Orem, UT, for an exclusive event in partnership with Clegg Auto, a successful employee ownership case study. Learn how transitioning to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) model helped Clegg Auto double its profits and achieve record-high customer satisfaction. A light breakfast will be provided.

This event is for small to medium-sized business owners, exit planners, succession strategy experts, wealth managers, financial advisors, accountants, CPAs, business consultants, and business brokers who are interested in exploring innovative and rewarding succession strategies. If you want to ensure your business's long-term success, retain your company's legacy, and empower your employees, this event is for you. Discover how employee ownership can provide a win-win solution for all stakeholders involved in the business transition process.

A few months ago we brought together a group of operators from employee owned businesses and I had the pleasure of meeting Joe Nussbaum, the founder of ACP International. 

ACP might fly under the radar, but you probably run into their product everyday – they’re behind the manufacturing of many of the street signs you see at traffic stops and telephone poles. 

When asked to reflect on why he chose an employee ownership trust, Joe’s response had the whole room laughing: “You might make more money selling a different way, but you’ll be left with a fat wallet and a broken heart." 

Joe will be sharing his story on June 25th alongside two other business operators who’ve chosen the employee ownership pathway. If you’re a business owner who’s thinking about your exit – whether it’s this year or in 3 years – join us to hear from Joe firsthand on the different considerations that went into his decision and how it’s working. Hosted by Derek Razo my Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Common Trust

📍 RSVP here:

We’re excited to announce that Jeanne Taylor, CEO of ShopBot Tools, Inc, will be joining our webinar panel, Owners Session: Employee Ownership For Manufacturing Businesses on June 25th! Jeanne brings a unique perspective, having transitioned from a long-time employee to the CEO role at ShopBot after their shift to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).

ShopBot Tools based in Durham, North Carolina is a leader in the CNC industry, known for innovative products like the Handibot smart power tool and 5-Axis CNC router. They’ve partnered with institutions like MIT and Autodesk, making significant contributions in digital fabrication and education​.

Jeanne's insights into the pre- and post-transition phases of an EOT are invaluable. One thing she’s emphasized to us in our conversations is how an EOT, unlike other forms of employee ownership, provides immediate profit sharing, which is particularly important for today’s younger workforce​.

Join us on June 25th to hear Jeanne’s experiences and learn how ShopBot’s transition to an EOT has strengthened their company culture and ensured long-term success. Derek Razo, my Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Common Trust, will be moderating the panel.

📅 Date: June 25th
🕒 Time: 1-2 PM ET
📍 RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gemNi5jy

#EmployeeOwnership #BusinessSuccession #ExitStrategy #Leadership #Manufacturing #CNC #Innovation #DigitalFabrication #WorkforceDevelopment #LongTermSuccess

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Common Trust