From Founder to Future: A Business Road Map to Impact, Longevity, and Employee Ownership

“When workers are sailing on the ship that they’ve built and charting its course, great things can happen to the economy, our democracy, and the quality of people’s lives,” asserts Abrams (Companies We Keep) in this standout guide to a more democratic workplace. He encourages businesses to become a “CommonWealth company,” one that focuses on the common good. Becoming one requires five transitions: from proprietary ownership to “widely shared”; from “original” leadership to “next generation”; from an “unprotected” to a “permanent” mission; from top-down control to democratic; and into a certified B Corp. He offers plenty of guidance for each—the concrete steps he outlines for becoming employee-owned include creating a value proposal and a steering committee, for example. Though he’s a strong advocate for co-ops, Abrams also presents a fair share of alternatives, including employee stock ownership plans and employee ownership trusts. Along the way, he draws on his experience with the architecture and energy firm he cofounded in 1973 and transformed into a worker co-op in 1987. Zealous without being preachy, Abrams makes a solid case that small businesses can “spread wealth more equitably.” The result is a must-read for business owners looking to put more power in the hands of employees. (June)