You’ve spent years building your business from the ground up, investing your time, energy and countless late nights to bring your vision to life. But while it might feel unusual to think about leaving this creation behind, crafting the right exit or succession plan is a powerful way to protect everything you’ve worked so hard to build.
I’ve had the pleasure of serving as a non-executive director on the board of Valloop for several years. My journey with Valloop began when I was introduced to Stephen and Jim and their innovative approach to employee ownership shortly after chairing the ‘Ownership Dividend’ inquiry
Business owners are increasingly adopting Employee Ownership (EO) as their new exit strategy, recognising its potential to safeguard their company’s legacy, enhance social impact, and offer financial benefits. This model not only empowers workers but also ensures a smoother transition by involving those who know and value the company’s mission.
In any team, conflict is inevitable. But instead of viewing disagreements as a negative, they can be used as stepping stones to innovation and growth.
As companies explore new collaborative business structures, Employee Ownership could be an appealing model. However, many think the change to such a new way of working is laden with multiple challenges.
2025 is bringing big shifts to the workplace, for senior leaders and managers, keeping up with these shifts is necessary to ensure the culture and morale remains as well as it can be.
As any festive or holiday season approaches, it’s a time that invites us to pause, reflect, and ponder upon the various facets of our lives – our journey, our dreams and the bonds that tie us together.
Simply ticking off boxes on a diversity checklist is not enough to create a truly inclusive environment. Real inclusivity goes beyond metrics and encourages a culture where everyone feels valued, heard, and empowered to contribute. Building such an environment requires continuous efforts, intentional strategies, and, most importantly, action.
When considering the move to an employee-owned business requires careful planning and foresight. At the heart of this lies the cornerstone of the business known as the business plan –sounds simple but sometimes it’s harder than you think.
Traditionally, leadership has been associated with top-down authority and decision-making. However, lately we have seen the dynamics shift. Leadership needs to adapt to a more collaborative, inclusive and participative role.
