Alternative Exit

What happens when you stop looking for a younger version of yourself and start fixing what's actually broken?

Colin Wade tripled revenue at a Scottish coatings manufacturer by doing succession differently.

About the episode:

Most founders approach succession by searching for someone just like them — younger, with decades of niche expertise, ready to replicate what made the business successful. Colin Wade's founder at Chemco International tried that approach multiple times. It never worked. The business didn't need another technical genius. It needed someone to cherish the strengths whilst fixing the weaknesses.

Colin joined Chemco in 2018 specifically to lead its transition to 100% employee ownership — an unusual move for a seasoned MD, but one inspired by David Erdal's book about Loch Fyne Oysters. He started with a simple SWOT analysis, recruited to fill the gaps, and spent two patient years building a culture where factory floor workers became self-empowered shareholders. Chemco now runs a hybrid model with a 51% EOT and up to 49% direct shares distributed equally to all employees.

This conversation explores deliberate succession planning, why manufacturing employees can absolutely embrace ownership, and how quarterly "shareholder meetings" change the relationship between management and workforce.

Guest Information:

🔗 Colin Wade — Managing Director, Chemco International LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinwade1967/

🔗 Chemco International: https://www.chemcoint.com

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction 01:52 - Actively seeking employee ownership 03:05 - Why founders seek younger versions of themselves 04:26 - Inspired by David Erdal's book 06:22 - The succession unicorn problem 08:05 - Starting with SWOT analysis 09:10 - Cherishing strengths, recruiting for weaknesses 10:05 - Succession planning & EO transitions 11:30 - Collaborative problem-solving 12:43 - Can manufacturing embrace ownership? 13:18 - The settling-in period 14:33 - Resistance to change 15:30 - Two years to build the right team 16:24 - When self-empowerment feels overwhelming 18:17 - Quarterly shareholder meetings 20:04 - Hybrid model: 51% trust, 49% direct shares 22:31 - Skin in the game 24:17 - Patience in culture change 25:42 - Leadership in employee-owned businesses 27:46 - Best of capitalism and cooperation 28:38 - Advice for owners on succession 31:27 - Fast round 34:03 - Connect with Colin and Chemco

About The Alternative Exit:

A podcast exploring employee ownership as a succession planning strategy, hosted by Andy Farquharson of a better monday.

🔗 Host: Andy Farquharson — https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyfarquharson/

🔗 Learn more: https://abettermonday.me

Links & Resources:

• Chemco International: https://www.chemcoint.com
• "Local Heroes" by David Erdal (Loch Fyne Oysters story)
• Employee Ownership Association UK: https://employeeownership.co.uk
• Scottish Enterprise Employee Ownership support

#EmployeeOwnership #EOT #Manufacturing #SuccessionPlanning #Scotland #EmployeeOwned #BusinessSuccession #AlternativeExit #Leadership #Coatings

What if every business owner played a different game? Mark Hand has spent his career asking that question, first in community development in Latin America, then as an impact investor, and now as a scholar mapping the ownership economy.

His weekly newsletter, The Stakehold, tracks everything from ESOPs to worker co-ops to purpose trusts, revealing an ecosystem most people don't realise exists.

In this conversation, Mark breaks down the three dimensions of alternative ownership (purpose, profit distribution, and power), explains why 'fat wallets and broken hearts' is the real cost of traditional exits, and challenges us to help business owners surface what actually matters to them beyond maximising financial returns.

Key Takeaways:

💡 Three dimensions of ownership transformation — companies are experimenting with purpose (why we exist), profit distribution (who benefits), and power (who decides), and these dimensions can be approached independently or together

✅ Structure makes purpose real — benefit corporations, purpose trusts, and employee ownership lock in commitments that signal to stakeholders this isn't lip service, it's irrevocable

🌟 As many employee owners as union members — in the US, employee ownership already touches as many workers as labour unions, but most employee owners don't see themselves as part of a movement

🎧 Owners are playing multiple games — business owners aren't just profit-maximisers, they're parents, community members, congregation members with different identities that get triggered by how you approach the conversation

📈 Fat wallets and broken hearts — many owners who sell to private equity leave wealthy but regretful, watching their companies dismantled and their employees laid off

💼 Democracy works in complex systems — if countries can operate democratically without dictators, companies (which are simpler than nations) can too

Notable Quotes:

"I saw friends of his sell to private equity companies and they left with fat wallets and broken hearts. Humans have wallets and we also have hearts."

"Our commitment to shareholder value maximisation has actually blinded us to the ways that humans interact with each other and what is possible."

"If you can figure out how to run a country democratically, why wouldn't we be able to do that in a company, which is actually a much simpler structure?"

Links & Resources:

🔗 Guest: Mark Hand — https://www.linkedin.com/in/markchand

🔗 The Stakehold (weekly newsletter): https://www.thestakehold.com

🔗 PTON (Purpose Trust Ownership Network): https://trustownership.org/

🔗 Mark's website: https://markclaytonhand.com/

📖 Recommended: Rutgers CLEO website (compilation of academic learning on employee ownership)

🔗 Host: Andy Farquharson — https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyfarquharson/

🔗 a better monday: https://abettermonday.me

On 1st January 2026, Denmark made history. For the first time, the country passed dedicated legislation creating a vehicle for employee ownership — the EOC, or Employee Ownership Company. This is the story of how it happened. Andreas Pinstrup Jørgensen spent seven years cold-calling politicians, uniting seven parties across the political divide, building coalitions with unions and universities, and publishing a book that sparked a national conversation. What started as a bottom-up grassroots initiative became landmark legislation. In this episode, Andreas walks through the blueprint for making employee ownership law — and what Denmark does next to make the revolution real.

Key Takeaways:

🌟 Denmark's EOC law creates a level playing field for the first time — previously it was always easier to sell to family or an external buyer than to employees

✅ Cross-party unity was the secret weapon — seven parties from across the political divide agreed because employee ownership solved four shared problems: succession, productivity, worker welfare, and community resilience

💡 Three implementation lessons from the UK — create early champions, build the advisor ecosystem, and rigorously document everything so the law can be refined

🎧 Lower barriers accelerate uptake — Denmark only requires a 33% minimum sale to employees (vs 50% in the UK's EOT), making it easier for cautious owners to take the first step

📈 Capital infrastructure is next — five financial institutions are already in discussions on loan guarantees and strategic employee ownership lending

🔗 The employees are genuinely in control — unlike some models, Denmark's EOC gives employees 100% ownership of the holding vehicle and seats on the board

Notable Quotes:

"I have never been in a room where we could agree so much across the radical left and radical right. I've not seen anything like it since the climate movement in Denmark."

"You have an opportunity to make history. This is a way to preserve your legacy — by turning your company over to the employees. That will make your company more stable in the future."

"We are in great debt to the UK, the EOA, Graham Nuttall, Campbell. We've got all these people that have helped us — and that's the only reason I have quite a bit of optimism that this might create, within a few years, an ownership revolution."

Links & Resources:

🔗 Guest: Andreas Pinstrup Jørgensen — https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-pinstrup-j%C3%B8rgensen-021ba3a8/

🔗 Think Tank for Democratic Businesses: https://demokratiskerhverv.dk/

📖 Book: Medejer (Co-Ownership — the art of overtaking competitors through democratic ownership), 2020

📖 Recommended reading: Making One Dragon (White & White) | The Citizen's Share (Blasi, Freeman & Kruse, 2013)

🔗 Host: Andy Farquharson — https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyfarquharson/

🔗 a better monday: https://abettermonday.me

What if the most powerful way to create employee owners wasn't one company at a time - but through strategic acquisitions?

Michael Morosi is proving that existing employee-owned companies can become acquisition engines that transform entire industries. As Co-Founder of 40 Million Owners and Managing Partner at Southeast Acquisition Capital, he's pioneered a model where ESOPs use M&A to grow, create value, and expand employee ownership at scale.

About the episode:

This conversation dives deep into the mechanics and mindset of ESOP acquisitions. Michael shares his journey from managing $100M in equity funds in Madrid to building Southeast Acquisition Capital from zero to $25M in revenue through strategic ESOP acquisitions. We explore why ESOPs have structural advantages as acquirers, how to build culture across a portfolio of employee-owned companies, and why the upcoming wave of Baby Boomer exits could create 40 million new employee owners. Whether you're running an ESOP considering growth through acquisition or a business owner exploring succession options, this episode reveals a playbook for building sustainable, employee-owned enterprises.

Guest Information:

🔗 Michael Morosi - Co-Founder, 40 Million Owners & Managing Partner, Southeast Acquisition Capital LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-morosi/

🔗 40 Million Owners: https://40millionowners.com

🔗 Southeast Acquisition Capital: https://www.southeastacquisition.com

Chapters/Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Michael Morosi

04:32 - From Global Equity Management to Employee Ownership

12:15 - The Birth of 40 Million Owners

18:45 - Why ESOPs Make Excellent Acquirers

27:30 - Southeast Acquisition Capital's Model

35:20 - From Zero to $25M in Revenue Through Acquisitions

42:15 - The Mechanics of ESOP M&A

51:00 - Building Culture Across Multiple Companies

58:30 - The 3LS Acquisition Story

01:04:20 - Vision for 40 Million Employee Owners

About The Alternative Exit:

A podcast exploring employee ownership as a succession planning strategy, hosted by Andy Farquharson of a better monday.

🔗 Host: Andy Farquharson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyfarquharson/

🔗 Learn more: https://abettermonday.me

Links & Resources:

• 40 Million Owners website: https://40millionowners.com
• Southeast Acquisition Capital: https://www.southeastacquisition.com
• Michael's article "The Force Multiplier": https://40millionowners.com/2025/03/12/the-force-multiplier/

#EmployeeOwnership #ESOP #MergersAndAcquisitions #SuccessionPlanning #ImpactInvesting #PrivateEquity #BusinessGrowth #EmployeeOwned #CorporateDevelopment #AlternativeExit

Episode Summary:

What if the solution to America's wealth inequality crisis was hiding in plain sight?

Noelle Lentz is mobilising millions in capital specifically designed for employee ownership transitions. As CEO of Allivate Impact Capital, she's launched one of only two ESOP-focused funds in the US, providing the subordinated debt that makes employee ownership financially viable for selling owners. With over 50% of business owners aged 55+, Noelle explains why employee ownership isn't just good for workers it's the smartest succession strategy for preserving legacy, stabilising supply chains, and creating economic equity at scale.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction
01:42 - From International Development to Community Finance
04:54 - Founding Allivate Impact Capital
08:56 - The Silver Tsunami and Employee Ownership
12:45 - How the Elevate Employee Ownership Fund Works
18:30 - Target Companies and Investment Criteria
22:15 - The Capital Gap in ESOP Transitions
27:09 - Scaling from $10M to $150M Through SBIC Licensing
30:08 - Finding Deal Flow and Partnerships
31:04 - Quick Fire Round

Key Takeaways:

✅ Over 50% of US business owners are 55+ and facing succession decisions in the next decade
💡 Employee-owned companies show higher productivity, retention, and morale than traditional structures
🎯 Most ESOP transitions require 70-80% seller financing because banks won't subordinate debt
💰 Allivate provides $1-2M in subordinated debt (15% of deal value) to make transitions financially viable
📈 The fund is targeting $150M through SBIC licensing to create thousands of employee owners
🌟 Employee ownership receives rare bipartisan political support due to economic stabilisation benefits

Notable Quotes:

"This is not just a payday, this is your legacy. And if there's a way to preserve that legacy, empower your employees, and still get the financial return you've worked so hard for, it's really worth considering."

"When you're not just coming to work to check your time card and clock out, you're really thinking like an owner and contributing to not just the company's bottom line, but your own bottom line."

Links & Resources:

🔗 Noelle Lentz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noellestclair
🔗 Allivate Impact Capital: https://allivate.com

Keywords

Employee Ownership, ETA, ESOP, Acquisition, Leadership, Business Strategy, Employee Engagement, Company Culture, Value Creation, Business Transition

Summary

In this episode of the Alternative Exit, host Andy Farquharson interviews Jeff Easterling, CEO of ART and Associates, who shares his unique perspective on employee ownership through the lens of entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA). Jeff discusses the moral imperative behind his leadership style, the challenges and strategies involved in transitioning to an employee-owned company, and the cultural shifts necessary for success. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration, transparency, and the long-term benefits of employee ownership for both employees and business owners. The conversation also touches on the barriers to employee ownership in the ETA space and offers advice for business owners and ETA searchers considering this path.

Takeaways

• Geoff Easterling emphasizes the moral imperative behind employee ownership.
• The transition to employee ownership requires cultural shifts within the company.
• Collaboration and transparency are key to successful leadership in employee-owned businesses.
• Employee ownership can create a legacy that benefits both employees and owners.
• The acquisition process can be structured to minimize personal risk for the buyer.
• Long-term strategies are more beneficial than short-term profit maximization.
• There are significant barriers to understanding and implementing ESOPs in the ETA space.
• Business owners should consider employee ownership as part of their exit strategy.
• ETA searchers can find creative financing options through ESOP funds.
• Building a strong network is crucial for success in the acquisition process.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Employee Ownership and ETA

02:48 The Unique Perspective of Employee Ownership

05:48 Navigating the Acquisition Process

08:51 Moral Imperative in Business Leadership

12:12 Cultural Shifts in Employee-Owned Companies

14:47 Value Creation Strategies Post-Acquisition

17:50 Challenges of Transitioning to Employee Ownership

20:58 The Knowledge Gap in Employee Ownership

24:03 Advice for Business Owners and ETA Searchers

In this live episode from the EOA Conference in Telford, Andy sits down withIn this live episode from the Employee Ownership Association Conference in Telford, with Andreas Jørgensen, one of the architects behind Denmark’s renewed push for democratic ownership.

Andreas shares how a cold winter classroom at Yale, a pregnant French professor, and exposure to extreme inequality in the US set him on a path to dedicate his career to employee ownership and cooperatives. That journey ultimately led to the creation of Denmark’s first national think tank focused on democratic business models.

The conversation covers why Scandinavia forgot its own cooperative roots, how Denmark quietly rebuilt the infrastructure for democratic ownership, and why new legislation coming into force marks a genuine inflection point for employee ownership across Europe.

Key themes discussed

• Why employee ownership barely featured in Danish academic or policy circles for 30 years
• How exposure to US-style inequality changed Andreas’ worldview
• Pre-distribution vs redistribution and why ownership matters more than tax after the fact
• The scale of cooperatives in Denmark and why most employees don’t feel like owners
• The limits of “EO light” models in consumer cooperatives
• Building a movement and a knowledge base at the same time
• Denmark’s new Employee Ownership Company model and how it compares to the UK EOT
• Indivisible reserves, long-term stewardship, and preventing extractive behaviour
• Why democratic ownership is politically acceptable across party lines
• What other countries can learn from Denmark’s approach

Why this matters

Denmark went from almost zero employee-owned transitions to passing national legislation in under a decade. Not because of ideology, but because ownership structures solve real economic problems: succession, inequality, engagement, and long-term resilience.

This episode is a reminder that employee ownership doesn’t need reinvention. It needs infrastructure, patience, and people stubborn enough to stick with it.

Links

• Andreas Jørgensen and his work: https://demokratiskerhverv.dk/
• Learn more about employee ownership at abettermonday.me

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by EOT Expert by Christian Wilson – providing technical expertise and compliance support for EOT transitions and ongoing governance. 

Learn more at eotexpert.co.uk

Episode: Measuring What Matters - Jonathan Winchester on Customer and Employee Experience

In this live episode from the EOA Conference in Telford, Andy sits down with Jonathan Winchester, CEO of Insight6, a customer experience specialist who keynoted at last year's conference with a memorable twist: he mystery shopped the audience.

Key Takeaways:

Jonathan brings a unique outside perspective to employee ownership. Insight6 helps businesses transform customer experience through six methods: mystery shopping, inquiry handling, employee and client listening platforms, online feedback analysis, focus groups, customer journey mapping, and mentoring/coaching/training.

The conversation reveals a critical gap in how most organisations listen to their teams. Annual surveys with 30-40 questions that 50% of staff fill out begrudgingly, followed by months of board review and often no action. Jonathan shares the story of an optician where deep listening revealed the problem wasn't massive - it was the tea room. Old sofa, broken coffee machine, no milk. Basic stuff. But the CEO ripped it out over a weekend and satisfaction went up.

The key insight: CX is all about making people feel special through human connection. And that requires asking the right questions at the right cadence. Not annual surveys - regular net promoter scores every two months. Not questions written by "Mary" who doesn't understand what you're trying to achieve. And critically, taking visible action so people feel listened to.

Memorable Moments:

• "You bugger" - how attendees greeted Jonathan after last year's mystery shopping exercise
• EO businesses handle inquiries three times better than accountants (and twice as good as most sectors)
• The tea room transformation story and why deep listening matters
• "If you were me, what would you do?" - the simple question that unlocks real feedback
• Why asking the wrong questions is worse than not asking at all
• "No knobs" - the rule of business Jonathan loved hearing at the conference

Guest: Jonathan Winchester, CEO at Insight6

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanwinchester/overlay/photo/
• Company: https://www.insight6.com
• Email: [email protected]

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by EOT Expert by Christian Wilson – providing technical expertise and compliance support for EOT transitions and ongoing governance. Learn more at eotexpert.co.uk

Episode: The Power of People - Andrew Lane on Building Real Employee Ownership at Union Industries

In this high-energy live episode from the EOA Conference in Telford, Andy sits down with Andrew Lane, Managing Director of Union Industries, a Yorkshire-based manufacturer of high-speed industrial doors. If you've bought food from a supermarket, it's been through one of their doors somewhere in its life.

Key Takeaways:

Andrew brings a unique perspective: he led a failed employee ownership transition in 2008, learned from every mistake, and then joined Union Industries in 2014 specifically to spearhead their transition into employee ownership. His biggest lesson? Start from the right place. If an owner's primary motivation is "tax-free money," it's probably not the right decision.

Union Industries' former owners wanted their money over 14 years. The owner was 78. That's when Andrew knew they were in it for the right reasons. The business paid them off years early "because they'd done a benevolent transaction that empowered their employees."

The conversation dives deep into Union's distinctive approach: equal bonuses regardless of tenure or salary ("You can't be in it together, but I get more money than you do"), weekly financial updates with numbers-graphs-traffic lights for every learning style, and a managing director who walks the floor weekly to keep ownership real for every fabricator and welder.

Memorable Moments:

• The forklift truck driver who's been the biggest bonus recipient for five years straight
• Why Andrew spent his energy on the 20% who didn't care (spoiler: you can't convert them)
• The service division employee who created a marketing campaign that sold £30,000 in three weeks
• "Don't come with a problem that doesn't have a matching solution"
• Why the business took a step change when the detail-grinding bottleneck was removed
• Andrew's closing challenge: "Tell me the reason not to"

Guest: Andrew Lane, Managing Director at Union Industries

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-lane-1b2b9815/
• Company: https://www.unionindustries.co.uk/

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by EOT Expert by Christian Wilson – providing technical expertise and compliance support for EOT transitions and ongoing governance. Learn more at eotexpert.co.uk

Episode: Building Ownership Culture from Day One - Shelley Poole on HR in Employee-Owned Businesses

In this live episode from the EOA Conference in Telford, Andy talks with Shelley Poole, founder of Wellington HR, who started her business in 2019 with the intention from day one to grow it into an employee-owned business. She also conducted doctoral research on employee voice in EO organizations, making her uniquely positioned to bridge academic research and practical implementation.

Key Takeaways:

Wellington HR proves that employee ownership can work at micro scale - they're a team of six (soon to be seven). Shelley waited until the business was financially sound before transitioning, not because of a magic number of employees, but because she wanted to demonstrate that EO "isn't all scary" when you have money in the bank and stable operations.

The conversation reveals a powerful insight from Shelley's doctoral research: people need information, but they also need to understand that information to have intelligent contributions to make. Otherwise, employee voice stays superficial - "where should we go for the Christmas party?" - rather than meaningful strategic input.

At Wellington HR, they practice radical transparency: everyone knows everyone's salaries, the team looks at P&L statements, and they spent significant time educating the team on how to read financials. Shelley's research identified that barriers to voice often come from how information is shared and made available, not just whether it's shared at all.

Memorable Moments:

• Starting a business in 2019: "Great year to be starting a business just as we go into a pandemic"
• The horror story: "When did you find out you were becoming employee owned?" "On the day we transitioned"
• Why salary transparency and financial education matter before expecting meaningful voice
• How HR can lead by example: consulting employees on maternity policy rather than just announcing it
• The succession gap: new leaders thrown in the deep end when founders exit without preparation
• Robert Oakeshott's legacy of dividing not just profit but power and voice

Guest: Shelley Poole, Founder at Wellington HR

• LinkedIn: [Shelley's LinkedIn Profile - you'll need to add this]
• Company: [Wellington HR website - you'll need to add this]
• Resource: Shelley's doctoral thesis summary available via Wellington HR

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by EOT Expert by Christian Welsom – providing technical expertise and compliance support for EOT transitions and ongoing governance. Learn more at eotexpert.co.uk