Making Employee Ownership the Norm

40 Million Owners has joined the Expanding ESOPs coalition to broaden employee stock ownership across America

At 40 Million Owners, we believe employee ownership is one of the most powerful ways to build a more inclusive, resilient, and prosperous economy. We are proud to support the growing movement to make employee ownership the norm rather than the exception in this country.

That is why we are thrilled to be part of Expanding ESOPs, a coalition of more than 80 organizations including foundations, financial institutions, advisory firms, and advocacy groups working together to broaden employee stock ownership across America. By advancing stronger policies, better guidance, and more targeted outreach, Expanding ESOPs is helping make employee ownership more accessible and impactful for businesses of every size. Their mission to build wealth for workers, reduce turnover, boost engagement, and strengthen communities deeply resonates with our values and our commitment to inclusive prosperity.

At 40 Million Owners, we focus exclusively on helping employee-owned companies grow through thoughtful, strategic acquisitions. Our work is centered on designing ESOP-centric acquisition frameworks that align the interests of all stakeholders from executives and board members to employee-owners themselves. We believe ESOP growth through acquisitions can be a powerful engine for expanding employee ownership when designed with care and intention.

Our model supports ESOPs at every stage of the acquisition journey, providing:

• Strategic roadmap development that helps leadership teams align around clear goals, criteria, and governance
• Target sourcing and screening that ensures opportunities are consistent with the mission and values of employee ownership
• Preliminary valuation analysis and term sheet negotiation to secure fair and viable deals
• Diligence management with an emphasis on cultural fit and long-term impact on employee-owners
• Post-close integration focused on aligning people, processes, and systems while strengthening the culture of employee ownership

We believe this holistic, purpose-driven approach gives ESOPs the confidence to grow through acquisition while preserving and enhancing the ownership culture that makes them unique. In doing so, these companies can expand their impact, create durable value, and extend the benefits of employee ownership to more workers and communities.

Expanding ESOPs is building a powerful library of real-life stories, expert insights, and operational best practices that are becoming invaluable to the field. By capturing the lived experiences of employee-owned companies and pairing them with practical guidance from seasoned professionals, the initiative is equipping leaders, advisors, and policymakers with the tools they need to navigate and grow employee ownership with clarity and confidence. These resources are critical to driving awareness and enabling the policy changes needed to scale the movement nationwide.

We look forward to contributing to the mission of Expanding ESOPs and to playing our part in making employee ownership not just an idea for a few, but a powerful reality for millions. To learn more about Expanding ESOPs and their important work, we encourage you to connect with them on LinkedIn.