Succession
For some owners, the best buyer already works for you. Employee ownership can work well, but only if the business can run without you first. That is the part we help with.
Three common ways
There are other ways to share ownership too. These are the three owners ask about most.
A special retirement plan buys shares of the company from you, often with a loan the company pays back over time. Employees build up shares in their retirement accounts. It comes with federal rules and an outside valuation every year, so it costs real money to set up and run, and it tends to fit larger companies.
A trust owns the company on behalf of the employees for the long term. Employees do not hold shares themselves, but they share in the profits. You are usually paid over time out of the company's profits. It is often simpler to set up than an ESOP.
Employees buy in and become members. Members usually get one vote each and share in the profits. It is often used by smaller companies where the team wants a real say in how the business runs.
Our role
A sale to employees only works if the business can stand on its own. If every decision still runs through you, the new owners inherit a problem, and a lender or valuation firm will see it.
We are not an ESOP firm, a law firm or a valuation firm. We are operators. We do the operating work that has to happen before and during a sale, and we work alongside the specialists you hire.
Colorado help
Colorado has a state office that helps owners look at employee ownership. It is part of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. As of October 2026, its website lists:
Visit the Colorado Employee Ownership Office and its tax credit page to see what is open today and the current limits. Programs and limits change, so check them with your own attorney and CPA.
Questions
Many owners can. Common ways are an ESOP, an employee ownership trust and a worker cooperative. Which one fits depends on the size of the business, your goals and your team. Your attorney, CPA and a valuation firm can tell you what works for you.
No. That work belongs to an ESOP or business attorney, a valuation firm and your CPA. Our job is the operating side: getting the business ready to run without you, and working alongside your advisors.
Yes. The Colorado Employee Ownership Office, part of the state Office of Economic Development and International Trade, offers a free online course, referrals to employee ownership groups, and a state tax credit for qualified conversion costs. Check the office's website for what is open today.
Not yet, and we will not pretend otherwise. Our experience is running and fixing owner-led businesses, which is the work a business needs before any sale. The conversion itself is led by specialists you hire.
This page is general information, not legal, tax or valuation advice. Employee ownership has real legal and tax rules. Talk to your own attorney, CPA and a qualified valuation firm before you decide anything. We are not affiliated with the State of Colorado.
See also: Succession Operating Partner
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