Category: Uncategorized
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ESOPs as Vehicles for Growth, The Acquisition Opportunity in 2026
For decades, ESOPs have been framed primarily as a succession solution, a thoughtful and values-aligned exit for retiring founders. That narrative is no longer complete. As we move into 2026, employee-owned companies are increasingly being recognized not just as responsible stewards of legacy businesses, but as engines for growth, disciplined capital allocators, and credible, competitive…
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Expanding Employee Ownership Through Acquisitions
The podcast episode explores the story behind the creation of 40 Million Owners and highlights how the firm expands the capabilities of ESOPs by giving them the strategic and operational support needed to pursue M&A with confidence and clarity.
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How Smart ESOPs Link Repurchase Planning with Acquisition-Driven Growth
An ESOP repurchase obligation forecast is a long-term projection of the cash required to meet the plan’s distribution commitments in accordance with its policy on timing, form, and method. At its best, it serves as a framework for sustaining the company’s financial health and long-term viability. Too often, however, repurchase obligation studies can be treated…
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The Dual Mandate – Linking RPO and Growth Through Acquisition
Many ESOPs think of the repurchase obligation study as a financial exercise, a way to forecast future cash needs. But what if it could do more? This week, Mike Brady, Managing Director at 40 Million Owners, and Ryan Kuchta, Director of Client Services at ESOP Partners, are joining members of the The National Center for…
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Rethinking the Exit: Why Selling to an ESOP-Owned Buyer Might Be the Best Deal You Haven’t Considered
At 40 Million Owners, we’ve built our advisory platform around a simple but powerful idea: employee-owned companies should be active, strategic acquirers. When an ESOP acquires a privately held business, it doesn’t just drive growth—it expands the circle of ownership to workers who might never otherwise have access to equity. That’s why we’re so pleased…
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Offense is the Best Defense: Why ESOPs Need an M&A Playbook Now
Employee-owned companies can capitalize on a dynamic small business M&A market and use acquisitions to compete, grow, and fulfill their fiduciary duty. Small businesses that employ tens of millions of American workers will sell to new owners this decade, creating both a risk and an unprecedented opportunity to transition these businesses to long-term, sustainable ownership…
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Accelerating Employee Ownership through ESOP M&A
40 Million Owners is headed to Salt Lake City next week for the The National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) Annual Conference. There’s growing momentum around combining the proven benefits of ESOPs with innovative capital structures, forward-looking policies, and practical market tools. At 40 Million Owners, we’re focused on accelerating this movement through strategic M&A—one…
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Let’s Vote
We’re excited to share that our proposed session for SOCAP25 has advanced to the Community Voting round! At 40 Million Owners, we’ve witnessed how Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) is reshaping the small business economy. As more investors, searchers, and business owners turn to ETA as a succession solution, the model has grown rapidly—but too often,…
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THE EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Navigating this opportunity demands careful planning to ensure the chosen approach aligns with the company’s vision and maximizes its benefits. Each model comes with its own set of legal, financial, and operational considerations—ranging from tax implications to governance structures and funding strategies. For business owners, the key lies in identifying a path that aligns with…
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THE EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP SCENARIO
We often encounter two distinct scenarios among business owners considering employee ownership. The first involves owners and their partners who are in the early stages of exploring employee ownership as a potential cornerstone of their growth strategy and long-term succession plan. These owners are seeking guidance on whether employee ownership aligns with their vision and…
40 MILLION OWNERS 