Employee Ownership
Conversion



Align your business with your values. Sell to your employees.

Turning an established business into a worker cooperative or an employee-owned company is called an employee ownership conversion. At CCW, we help people in Metro Denver understand their choices to exit to employee ownership. We provide the resources, guidance, and support you need to make employee ownership conversion a reality, aligning your values with a transition that builds wealth for all.

Why Consider Employee Ownership?

  • Engage and Reward Employees: Foster loyalty and commitment.
  • Retain Jobs: Help your employees secure a stable future.
  • Create a Lasting Legacy: Preserve your vision and mission.
  • Grow Your Business: Benefit from motivated stakeholders invested in your company’s success.
  • Build Wealth: Share profits with your employees and the broader community.
  • Reduce Inequality: Promote fair wealth distribution, ensuring wealth stays in the community.
  • Secure Your Exit or Succession Strategy: Plan a smooth and rewarding transition.
  • Receive a Fair Price for Your Business and Enjoy Tax Benefits: Take advantage of tax incentives.
  • Slow Down: Prepare for a meaningful and intentional exit with peace of mind.

Start Your Journey to Employee Ownership

​At CCWB we can help your business convert to employee ownership in 5 supportive steps.

​We achieve this through comprehensive technical assistance packages customized to address your specific goals, needs, and timeline.

You can currently access our services (valued at over $20,000) at a reduced rate through scholarships provided through a one-time special state fund to cover part or all of the cost.

Applications are reviewed weekly, and applicants will be contacted within seven business days with next steps.

Our Technical Assistance Packages

​Below is a list of our tiered service packages supporting our 5-step employee ownership conversion model.
TIER 1 - ​Executive coaching
A package of four executive coaching sessions focused on exploring employee ownership (EO) as an exit or growth strategy.

Sessions include:
  • SMART Goal setting
  • Addressing concerns and navigating barriers as they arise
  • Customized roadmap for your conversion path
  • Ongoing support throughout the transition
Coaching helps clarify why EO is the right choice for you and your company while providing ongoing support to help you be successful.
Who participates: This service is designed for founders, owners, leadership, management, and the transition committees.
Timeline: Suggested cadence of one session per week over a month, but can be scheduled to based on convenience. Businesses can purchase one or multiple coaching packages as needed to support and guide the transition.
Tier 2 - ​Transaction Feasibility Assessment
Assessing and affirming the legal, financial, and organizational feasibility of the transition through a discernment process.

This service includes:
  • A co-developed strategy to engage interested employees and provide training on worker ownership
  • An employee survey to measure attitudes that support ownership culture
  • A curated list of EO service providers for legal, valuation, accounting, and feasibility analysis
  • A project timeline and a checklist of necessary documentation
  • A live session to guide businesses through the Colorado Employee Ownership Tax Credit and Grant application
Who participates: business owner, service providers, and a select set of employees.
Who participates: approximately 3-6 months to complete
Tier 3 - ​Becoming Worker Owned
Comprehensive support for Transition Committees, including creating and implementing a change management plan with an appropriate timeline.

This service includes:
  • Introducing the worker cooperative conversion model to all employees or key staff
  • Establishing a representative Transition Committee and facilitating regular meetings
  • Providing training and guidance for the Transition Committee on legal, financial, and organizational aspects
  • Conducting a skills inventory to identify skill gaps and develop a training or hiring plan
  • Creating a detailed change plan with project management support
  • Supporting financial literacy development with group and one-on-one coaching sessions
  • Working with the Transition Committee, owner(s), and support professionals to establish sale terms, amend governing documents, communicate the business plan, convert/form an EO structure, and secure financing
Who participates: The Transition Team consists of the business owner and a group of 3-7 employees who steer and inform the transaction, with specific and defined all-staff touchpoints along the way.
Who participates: approximately 6-12 months to complete
Tier 4 - ​Worker-Owner Training and Culture Plan
​A pre-transaction training and education plan to prepare businesses converting to worker cooperatives to develop and establish an ownership culture.

This service includes:
  • Preparing and training the first cooperative board in governance, decision-making, fiduciary duties, and custom training
  • Creating a tailored training plan to embed ownership culture in professional development and onboarding
  • Writing an annual EO education calendar
  • Providing access to an online learning platform for broad-based EO training, including democratic process, governance, cooperative finances, and ownership culture
Who participates: the Transition Committee, an Education Committee, or a Human Resources team
Who participates: approximately 1-3 months to complete with access to the online platform for one year.
Ongoing Training and Support for Worker Owners and Employees
This is personalized support provided on a fee-for-service basis. Please contact us directly at michaela@communitywealthbuilding.org.
For Business OWners

Get support to grow your business or explore employee ownership.

For Anchor Institutions

Partner with us to align your spending with community wealth building.

For Community Members

Invest in transformative economic change.

For Supporters

Invest in transformative economic change

Resources and Case Studies

For Business OWners

Get support to grow your business or explore employee ownership.

For Anchor Institutions

Partner with us to align your spending with community wealth building.

For Community Members

Invest in transformative economic change.

For Supporters

Invest in transformative economic change

Have questions?
Email: eo@communitywealthbuilding.org
Phone: (720) 295-3591