Employee Ownership Resources and Educational Programming
Colorado Employee Ownership Office Resources
“Intro to Employee Ownership” course
To learn more about the benefits and employee ownership options, the Employee Ownership Office has produced an introductory course. This is a free online course available on demand and accessible to Colorado-headquartered small business owners interested in investigating employee ownership. To get started with this introductory course, click on the Colorado Business Learning online platform, scroll up to the “exit pathway”, click on the “learn more” button. Select “Introduction to Employee Ownership” course to enroll in the course. You will need to create a free account prior to the course launching.
After completing the course, you will be able to “connect with a consultant” to learn more about next steps on your conversion journey and receive a referral to an employee-ownership organization.
Exit Planning for your Business
To learn more about Exit and Succession Planning, the Employee Ownership Office has produced an introductory course. This is a free online course available on demand and accessible to Colorado-headquartered small business owners interested in learning why succession planning is essential to your current business strategy, how to think about the real value of your business, and learning the basics of business valuation.
To get started with this introductory course, navigate to the “to strengthen” track of the Colorado Business Learning online platform and click on the “Exit Planning for your Business” course to instantly enroll in the course. As you work through the course, there will be points where you will need to schedule time to speak with a Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Consultant. The Consultant’s role is to assist with calculations and estimates, answer questions, and offer additional guidance as needed. You can request consulting for this program and others through your local SBDC.
In 2022, the office partnered with the Exit Planning Institute to release the Colorado State of Owner Readiness Report, (PDF) and Quicklook Brochure, (PDF) to provide insight into how prepared Colorado businesses are to transition ownership, including selling to employees.
Calling all Service Providers and Technical Assistance Providers! Ensure you're in the loop for future programming on succession, exit, and continuity planning. Register now through the Service Providers Registration form.
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The following resources are available to Colorado business owners, free of charge, from third parties. We encourage you to learn more about how employee ownership can benefit your business and your employees, while sustaining strong communities across our state.
External Resources List
Founded in 2012, the Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center (RMEOC) supports the launch and conversion of employee-owned businesses across rural Colorado. Leveraging experienced staff and a strong referral network of service providers, RMEOC serves as a one-stop-shop to support business owners with feasibility studies, business planning, employee ownership workshops, and resource referrals.
The Center for Community Wealth Building (CCWB) offers robust bilingual support to emerging and existing cooperatives and conversions to employee ownership in urban Colorado. CCWB provides cooperative education, development, and ecosystem cultivation as a powerful tool for building wealth and creating an inclusive economy.
The NCEO is a leading organization in the field of employee ownership and offers a variety of resources, including networking educational opportunities. The NCEO is offering a free 6-month membership to all Colorado businesses. Please fill out this Colorado Trial Membership form to access the trial membership.
CSG has launched a Colorado Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Awareness & Education Campaign to enhance ESOP literacy and share information on ESOP financing.
Prairie is a leading financial advisory firm specializing in creating and executing ownership transition strategies for middle-market companies nationwide. For over 25 years, Prairie has helped hundreds of companies structure, value, and sustain their ESOP.
Since 1997, PCE has blended the sophistication of a full-service investment bank with the personal touch of a boutique firm. With an office in Colorado, they specialize in growth strategies, exit events, valuations, and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). Their expertise spans traditional merger and acquisition transactions and ESOP liquidity strategies, ensuring they present all potential liquidity options to their clients.
This course from Rutgers University's Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing introduces employee share ownership to business owners, employees, and anyone interested in building a more equitable economy. The course consists of a series of short, engaging videos presented by 15 experts, including a Colorado Employee Ownership Commissioner, which students can view at their own pace. The course is free. Register with Coursera (click "Join for Free") for full access.
Already an Employee-Owner? Check out this list of resources available for converted businesses
For over 43 years, The ESOP Association (TEA) has successfully represented the interests of millions of Employee Owners and their companies in Washington, DC and state capitals across the nation. Their mission is to educate and advocate for employee ownership with an emphasis on ESOPs. The Rocky Mountain Chapter of The ESOP Association is made up of more than 90 ESOP companies and professional service providers in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
Certified Employee-Owned (EO) exists to help build an employee-owned economy. By setting a standard people know and trust, Certified EO amplifies the voice of employee ownership. They maintain tools that create visibility including a directory of every employee-owned business in the United States. Certified EO also works directly with employee-owned companies to provide them the tools they need to share their ownership story.
Carta's mission is to create more owners. They have products and services to automate and maintain capitalization tables, a fundamental tool for any company with shared equity. Check out Carta’s LLC Blueprints, a first-of-its kind free interactive resource to help LLCs understand how to transition employees into employee owners.
Morrow is a financial platform built for employee owners. With Morrow's suite of employee ownership educational resources, administrators have a tool to educate and engage their employees in their employee ownership program.
Morrow's range of customized resources make the often complex world of employee ownership simple to understand. Their tailored videos break down your company’s ESOP plan to craft an educational experience that gets employees engaged and invested in their ownership journey.
ESOP One provides software solutions to support companies with an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Their proprietary solution provides employee stock valuation, company financial modeling, human resource communications, and digital document storage. ESOP One makes engaging, motivating, and educating your employee-owners simple. They come alongside your existing TPA to illustrate the long-term value of your ESOP while alleviating the administrative burdens of education and communication.
Connect Further
Service Providers
If you are a service provider and/or technical assistance provider with a resource that you feel would be helpful to Colorado business owners assessing an employee ownership conversion or formation, please reach out to Libby Lukens.