Upcoming Webinar: The ESOP Exit Strategy
Donāt miss this opportunity to discover how ESOPs can align your business goals with the needs of employees and stakeholders.
Congress Passes the Retire Through Ownership Act: What Clearer ESOP Valuation Rules Mean for Owners
For fifty years, the hardest question in employee ownership was not how to finance the deal or how to structure the tax benefits. It was what "adequate consideration" actually meant. Congress has now answered it ā and the answer is narrower, and more useful, than the headlines suggest.
Why Growing AEC Firms Outgrow Relationship-Only Marketing
Most contractors say they win work on relationships, and most are right, up to a point. What happens when the people who hold those relationships retire, or when the firm tries to grow into a market where nobody knows its name?
Section 1042: How the ESOP Tax Deferral Works, and What It Can Cost
A seller who elects Section 1042 on a $100 million ESOP transaction can defer roughly $33 million in capital gains tax, potentially for life. The same election, structured without care, can leave that seller carrying leverage on a securities portfolio for decades. The difference is in how the portfolio is built.
Building an ESOP Ownership Culture That Actually Works
Two companies can have identical ESOP structures on paper and produce completely different results. The difference usually comes down to three specific things ā and most companies get at least one of them wrong.
2026 ESOP Market Trends: A Midyear Check-In
Halfway through 2026, the ESOP market looks different than it did in January ā bank lending is more competitive, private equity firms are eyeing ESOPs as an exit, and legislation is moving. Here's what's actually changed.
How a 40-Year ESOP Powered CCI Systems’ Growth From Cable Contractor to National Infrastructure Firm
Most business owners assume they have to choose between selling to an ESOP and pursuing aggressive growth. CCI Systems has spent 40 years proving otherwise ā growing to more than 1,000 employee owners while its share value climbed an average of 10% a year. Here is how they did it.
How ESOP Financing Is Changing in 2026
ESOP financing has been one of the biggest obstacles for business owners considering employee ownership. In 2026, that's starting to shift, from how banks structure loans to how Washington is treating ESOP oversight.
How a 45-Year-Old Water Well Company Sold 49% to Its Employees
Fogle Pump & Supply spent six years working toward an ESOP closing, sold 49% to employees while keeping the next generation of family leadership in place, and walked away from the transaction with the business intact. This is what a carefully planned partial ESOP looks like in practice.
What ESOP Participants Should Know Before They Touch Their Account Balance
Accumulating wealth inside an ESOP is one thing. Knowing what to do with it ā and when ā is a different problem. For many participants, the decisions made around diversification and retirement distributions carry more financial weight than the years of accumulation that preceded them.
Blach Construction Becomes 30% Employee-Owned with Menke Guidance
Blach Construction, a California-based commercial general contractor, has completed a transition to 30% employee ownership through a new ESOP, with guidance from Menke.
ESOP Momentum Builds: Washington Advocacy, New Legislation, and a Strong Lending Market
Recent developments in Washington, D.C. and the lending marketplace point to growing momentum for employee ownership. From proposed legislation and regulatory support to increased bank participation, ESOPs continue to strengthen as a succession planning and wealth-building strategy.
Do ESOPs Really Increase Productivity? New Research Says Yes.
New Rutgers research shows measurable productivity gains tied to employee ownership. Trevor Gilmore and Ben Spadt explain what the data means for ESOP companies and business owners considering succession options.
How Entrepreneurs Are Using Retirement Capital to Build Businesses
Jeremy Ames, CEO of Guidant Financial, joins ESOP Radio to discuss how entrepreneurs use retirement funds to launch businesses through ROBS strategies and why ownership fundamentally changes behavior.
From Endurance Racing to ESOP Ownership: Building a Company for the Long Run
What do 100-mile races and ESOPs have in common? More than you think. Dave Odell shares how Tynan Group chose employee ownership over a traditional saleāand what it takes to build a resilient, long-term business.
EBSA Signals a New Enforcement Era: From āWar on ESOPsā to Principles-Based Oversight
The Department of Laborās latest guidance signals a decisive shift in EBSA enforcement priorities. For ESOP companies, this means a move away from unpredictable, litigation-driven oversight toward a more transparent, principles-based framework grounded in fiduciary law.
How M-Group Used Pre-Funding to Build an Orderly ESOP Transition
A Bay Area urban planning firm shares how early planning, ESOP pre-funding, and consistent employee communication helped create a smoother ownership transition.
Ownership Culture: How ESOPs Help Companies Attract and Retain Top Talent
ESOPs are becoming a key strategy for attracting and retaining talent, with companies using employee ownership to build stronger cultures and long-term success.
Why ESOP Companies Command Higher Valuations in AEC
A data-driven look at why ESOP companies in the AEC industry are commanding higher valuations. This episode breaks down the key driversābacklog, tax efficiency, EBITDA multiples, and riskāthat influence long-term value.
From $2,000 to ESOP: A Founderās Perspective on Ownership and Growth
From a $2,000 startup to employee ownership, this founder shares what really changes after an ESOPācovering leadership, governance, and long-term strategy.
Why Employees Want Equity ā And How ESOPs Deliver
Discover how ESOPs help Central Valley companies attract talent, boost performance, and plan succession through employee ownership.
EOS + ESOP: Aligning Ownership and Execution
An ESOP creates ownership.But ownership alone does not guarantee alignment. In Episode 15 of ESOP Radio, we explore how EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) strengthens employee-owned companies by creating clarity, accountability, and disciplined execution. Why EOS Matters in an ESOP Company Employee ownership creates long-term alignment between employees and company value. EOS creates: Clear leadership accountability…
The Great Ownership Transfer: Why the Next Decade Will Redefine Business Succession
The Great Ownership Transfer could shift $5T in small business value, impacting jobs, wealth, and economic mobility across the U.S.
Top 10 ESOP Predictions for 2026
Discover the top 10 ESOP predictions for 2026, from AI-driven owner awareness to private equity exits, bank lending growth, and rising demand.
DOLās 2026 Report to Congress: Structural Shift in Federal Employee Ownership Policy
In January 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor released its long-awaited Employee Ownership Initiative Report to Congress, fulfilling its mandate under the WORK provisions of SECURE 2.0. Unlike prior federal commentary on employee ownership, this report does more than celebrate ESOP growth. It formally establishes a new institutional framework inside the Department of Labor ā…
ESOP vs Private Equity: Why Legacy Utility Chose Employee Ownership
Legacy Utility CEO shares why he chose an ESOP over private equity, pairing EOS with employee ownership to drive long-term growth and alignment.
ESOP Boot Camp, Part 10: What Employees Actually Experience in an ESOP
Discover how ESOP employee ownership shapes culture, engagement, and long-term wealth building in Boot Camp Part 10.
ESOP Boot Camp, Part 9: Life After the ESOP Transaction
Explore what happens after an ESOP transaction, from employee rollout to annual valuation, governance shifts, and long-term execution.
ESOP Boot Camp, Part 8: Who Works for Whom in an ESOP Transaction?
Episode 8 breaks down ESOP roles, fiduciary duties, and who represents the seller and trustee in an ESOP transaction.
ESOP Boot Camp, Part 7: How an ESOP Transaction Actually Works
Discover how an ESOP transaction unfolds, from trustee selection and due diligence to negotiations and closing mechanics in Part 7.