
Alternative Exit
Alternative Exit is a dedicated to educating small business owners about the possibilities, benefits, and challenges of transitioning to an employee ownership model.
There are over 200m SMEs with an owner who will be retiring in the next 10 years, many of which will never find a buyer for their business, forcing them to close their doors.
There is an alternative. This show will explore various the different forms of employee ownership and best practices for successful transitions.
Each episode features interviews with experts in employee ownership, business owners who have made the transition, and consultants who facilitate these changes.
Episodes
27 episodes
Alternative Exit #27 | From Awareness to Action: Scaling EO Through Tech and Trust
Episode Summary:What if small business owners could explore employee ownership with clarity, confidence, and tools built just for them? In this episode, I’m joined by Sonali Kothari, Co-founder, Chief Product Officer, and Chief Operating Of...
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Episode 27
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40:13

Alternative Exit #26 | Leading with Heart: Arabella Lewis-Smith on the Power of EO
What does it take to let go of your business—and hand it over to your team? In this episode, I sit down with Arabella Lewis-Smith, founder and managing director of the creative agency Salad, to explore her journey from sole owner to 100% employ...
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Episode 26
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39:27

Alternative Exit #25 | Turning Scraps into Soil and Shared Power: The Rust Belt Riders Story
Episode Summary:Ever wondered what it really takes to turn a grassroots composting hustle into a thriving, worker-owned enterprise? This conversation with Michael Robinson, co-founder of Rust Belt Riders, takes us inside that transformat...
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Episode 25
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39:51

Alternative Exit #24 | Unlocking the Donut Economy Through Employee Ownership
Episode Summary:In today’s episode of The Alternative Exit, I’m joined by Erinch Sahan, Business and Enterprise Lead at the Donut Economics Action Lab. Erinch brings a bold new lens to our conversations on ownership, rooted in his work w...
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Episode 24
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34:23

Alternative Exit #23 | From Employee to Owner: Igniting the Entrepreneurial Mindset
Episode Summary:Today’s episode offers a fresh perspective—from the employee’s seat. I’m joined by the brilliant and energetic Sam Moles, who brings a front-line view into what employee ownership actually looks like day-to-day. As a Tru...
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Episode 23
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39:26

Alternative Exit #22 | Building a European Future Through Employee Ownership
Episode Summary:In this episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Tej Gonza—researcher, author, and co-founder of the Institute for Economic Democracy in Slovenia. Tej is a powerful voice in the global employee o...
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Episode 22
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47:22

Alternative Exit #21 | Scaling Employee Ownership, One State at a Time
Episode Summary:For today's episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, I'm joined by Steve Storkan, Executive Director of the Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX). With over 25 years of experience in the employee ownership sp...
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Episode 21
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34:25

Alternative Exit #20 | Building Ownership That Lasts: Daniel Goldstein on Culture, Governance, and the Power of ESOP Holding Companies
Episode Summary:In this episode of The Alternative Exit, I’m joined by Daniel Goldstein an experienced executive, former CEO of Foliance, and a dedicated advocate for employee ownership. With a career spanning corporate g...
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Episode 20
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42:28

Alternative Exit #19 | The 'Whoosh' Effect of Employee Ownership
Episode Summary:For today's episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, Andy Farquharson is joined by Deb Oxley, a prominent advocate for employee ownership and the Chair, NED, Mentor, and Specialist in Employee Ownership. <...
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Episode 19
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40:54

Alternative Exit #18 | Employee Ownership as a Legal and Financial Transaction
Episode Summary:In this episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, Andy Farquharson interviews Chris Mackin, a luminary in employee ownership who has spent four and a half decades in this field. He is the founder and president of Owner...
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Episode 18
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42:35

Alternative Exit #17 | The Barriers to Employee Ownership for SMB
Episode Summary:In this episode of The Alternative Exit, Andy Farquharson speaks with John Guzek, a researcher and practitioner specializing in Employee Ownership and Organizational Behavior. Recently, he co-authored an article c...
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Episode 17
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38:10

Alternative Exit #16 | The Culture Shift to Employee Ownership via Co-Operative
Episode Summary:For today's episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, Andy Farquharson is joined by Beth Spong, CEO of Dean's Beans Organic Coffee. She had a career working in a non-profit and a respected leader in employee owners...
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Episode 16
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33:53

Alternative Exit #15 | Protecting and Preserving the Company with Employee Ownership
Episode Summary:For today's episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, Andy Farquharson is joined by Alex Moss, a pioneer in the field of employee ownership and is currently the president of Praxis Consulting Group. Alex has decades...
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Episode 15
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56:27

Alternative Exit #14 | The Real Power of Ownership through Employee Ownership
Episode Summary:In this episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, Andy Farquharson is joined by Alison Lingane, a dedicated social entrepreneur who spent her career leveraging the business. She co-founded a non-profit call...
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Episode 14
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38:00

Alternative Exit #13 | How Can Employees Adopt the Direct Employee Ownership Model?
Episode Summary: In this episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, Andy Farquharson interviews Drew Mousetis, the Executive Director of Tandem Centre for Shared Business Success. Drew shares his experience working in Cargas a...
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Episode 13
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41:44

Alternative Exit #12 | Building Stronger Companies Through Cooperative Transitions with Rob Brown
Episode Summary:In this episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, host Andy Farquharson sits down with Rob Brown, Director of Business Ownership Solutions at the Cooperative Development Institute (CDI), to discuss the tran...
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Episode 12
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38:03

Alternative Exit #11 | A Path to Economic Equity and Community Empowerment with Maureen Conway
Episode Summary:In this episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, Andy Farquharson hosts Maureen Conway, Vice President at the Aspen Institute and Executive Director of its Economic Opportunities Program. Together, they de...
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Episode 11
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34:53

Alternative Exit #10 | Unlocking Innovation Through Employee Ownership with Matt Hancock
In this episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, Andy Farquharson sits down with Matt Hancock, a consultant at Praxis Consulting Group and co-founder of Chicago Tech Academy, to explore how organizations can create thriving ownership c...
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Episode 10
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47:27

Alternative Exit #9 | Legacy, Empowering Teams, and Thriving Beyond Leadership with Simon Morton
Episode Summary:In this episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, Andy Farquharson interviews Simon Morton, founder of Eyeful Presentations and author of Employee Ownership: A Guide to Transitioning from Boss to Benefa...
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Episode 9
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40:34

Alternative Exit #8 | Creating Lasting Legacies with Employee Ownership Trusts with Chris Budd
Episode Summary:In this episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, Andy Farquharson interviews Chris Budd, founder of the Eternal Business Consultancy, to explore how employee ownership trusts (EOTs) can help business owner...
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Episode 8
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41:19

#7 | How Employee Ownership Boosts Community and Company Resilience with Matt Cropp
Episode Summary:In this engaging episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, Andy Farquharson interviews Matt Cropp, Executive Director of the Vermont Employee Ownership Center, who sheds light on the far-reaching impact of ...
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Episode 7
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38:40

#6 | Championing Employee Ownership Trusts to Revolutionize Wealth Distribution with Jon Shell
Episode Summary:In this episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, Andy sits down with Jon Shell, Chair of Social Capital Partners, to explore the transformative potential of employee ownership. Jon shares insights from his journey ...
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Episode 6
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39:15

#5 | Revolutionising Business Exits with Employee Ownership Trusts with Derek Razo
Episode Summary:In this episode of The Alternative Exit Podcast, host Andy Farquharson talks with Derek Razo, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Common Trust, about the transformative role of Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) in he...
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Episode 5
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34:22

#4 | Unlocking Business Legacy Through Employee Ownership with Professor Ajay Bhalla
Episode Summary:In this episode of The Alternative Exit, Andy talks to Professor Ajay Bhalla, PhD, a Professor of Family Business at Bayes Business School and an expert in employee ownership. Ajay discusses the profound benefits a...
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Episode 4
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38:55

#3 | Achieving Financial Freedom Through Employee Ownership with James De le Vingne
In this episode of The Alternative Exit, Andy sits down with James De le Vingne, CEO of the Employee Ownership Association in the UK, to discuss the rise of employee ownership as a viable business model for succession. James shares how the intr...
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Episode 3
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39:45
