Plain-English guides, playbooks, and webinars to help owners and executives evaluate, execute, and operate ESOPs with confidence.
Growth & Succession ā¢ Tax Optimization ā¢ ERISA/409(p) Know-How
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ESOPs from First Call to Close
A practical walkthrough of valuation, financing, trusteeship, and the post-closing playbook.
Featured & New
Ten Steps to a Successful ESOP (Guide)
A simple roadmap from first conversation to closingāand what to expect at each step.
ESOP Pros and Cons (Booklet)
A balanced view of benefits, costs, and fit so you can decide with confidence.
22 ESOP Myths and Misconceptions (Booklet)
We separate fact from folkloreāfinancing, control, valuation, and more.
ESOP Articles (Foundations)
Consider an ESOP as a Better Alternative When It Comes Time to Exit Your Business
Compare ESOPs to third-party sales and family transfers; see where ESOPs excel.
[Read article]Why Selling To An ESOP Gives Better Financial Returns vs. Other Options
After-tax proceeds, control premia, and how ESOPs can outcompete market bids.
[Read article]ESOPS and Employee Productivity
Why ownership culture lifts retention and operating marginsāand how to measure it.
[Read article]ESOPS vs. Profit Sharing Plans
Design trade-offs and when equity beats cash for long-term alignment.
[Read article]ESOPs: Uses, Advantages, and Illustrative Case Histories
Real-world applications across industries with outcomes and lessons learned.
[Read article]Exit Strategies
ESOP vs. strategic sale vs. recapitalizationāframeworks to choose the best path.
[Read article]ESOP Marketability Discounts: Is the āPut Optionā Argument Fallacious?
A technical look at marketability discounts and participant āputā rights.
[Read article]Four Ways That a Cash Flow ESOP Can Be Used To Help Your Company Survive the Credit Crunch
Tactics for liquidity, bank relationships, and capital efficiency.
[Read article]The Perfect Solution to the Perfect Storm: How an SR ESOP Can Be Used to Save Your Business from Bankruptcy
When (and how) an ESOP-led restructuring makes sense.
[Read article]Seven Common ESOP Myths and Misconceptions
A quick myth-buster you can share with boards and lenders.
[Read article]
Articles for Existing ESOP Companies
S Corporation Rules Involving Section 409(p)
Anti-abuse testing, disqualified persons, and avoiding non-allocation years.
[Read article]Options for Mature ESOPs
Rollover strategies, secondary sales, and sustaining employee ownership.
[Read article]Stock Distributions ā An Occasional Trap for the Unwary
Distribution mechanics that can surprise participants and sponsors.
[Read article]The Use of ESOPs to Finance Mergers and Acquisitions
Acquiring with ESOP leverage: valuation, fairness, and trustee considerations.
[Read article]
On-Demand ESOP Webinars
Articles by John D. Menke (Thought Leadership)
The Employee Stock Ownership Trust ā A New Trend In Employee Benefits and Corporate Finance
How ESOTs transformed corporate finance and employee benefits.
[Read article]Faltering Economy Highlights Need for a Restructuring of America
A policy case for broad-based ownership to strengthen the middle class.
[Read article]An Open Letter to Business Owners
Why owner succession and employee ownership go hand-in-hand.
[Read article]Why Should You Consider an ESOP?
The core business, tax, and cultural argumentsāin one place.
[Read article]The Origin and History of the ESOP and Its Future Role as a Business Succession Tool
From Kelso to present: how ESOPs became a mainstream solution.
[Read article]A Modest Proposal for a New, New Deal
Expanding capital ownership as an economic growth strategy.
[Read article]Restoring The American Dream
Share-in-success models that build durable prosperity.
[Read article]ESOPs and PHILANTHROPY: What Non-Profit and Tax-Exempt Organizations Should Know about ESOPs
Intersections of philanthropy, tax policy, and employee ownership.
[Read article]Why Giving To The Esop Foundation Is Now Critically Important
Advancing research, education, and best practices in the field.
[Read article]
Mergers & Aquisitions Articles
- Strategies for Selling to a Third Party
A step-by-step playbook to run a competitive sell-side process, compare bids, and choose the tax-smart deal structure.
[Read Article] - Management Buyout Strategies
How owners and managers evaluate, finance, and execute an MBOāplus when to layer in ESOP options.
[Read Article]
- Strategies for Selling to a Third Party
