Latest news with #EmployeeStockOwnershipPlans
Business Journals
02-06-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Lazear Expands Texas Presence with the Addition of Tommy Schulte
Lazear Capital Partners (Lazear) is expanding its national footprint across Texas with the addition of Director Tommy Schulte, who will lead the firm's efforts throughout Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Texas ranks third nationally in the number of employee-owned companies, reflecting the demand for legacy-minded exit strategies. Tommy joins Dallas-based Managing Director Doug Janowski in helping business owners explore tax-advantaged exit strategies through Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). With a focus on the construction industry, one of the most popular sectors for employee ownership, Tommy will help business owners explore ESOPs as a strategic exit option that rewards employees and preserves company culture. Based in Austin, Tommy brings more than a decade of experience in the construction and development space. Most recently, he served as Director of Business Development at The Beck Group, a regional commercial construction and architecture firm, with previous roles at Millis Development & Construction and the Texas A&M Foundation. A native Texan, he earned his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and holds a Master of Public Administration from Sam Houston State University. 'Tommy understands the values that drive Texas businesses, and those values shape how owners think about their exit,' shared Lazear Partner Mike Morosky. 'With so many business owners evaluating succession options, his industry background is a perfect fit to help owners unlock tax-free exits through employee ownership.'
Economic Times
02-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Can middle class depend on salaried employment? Saurabh Mukherjea gives 10 commandments of entrepreneurship
Live Events 1) Take risks 2) Simplify your life 3) Be patient 4) Embrace failure 5) Be happy standing out 6) Be caring 7) Be curious; keep learning; ignore credentialing 8) Relax and refresh (don't reflect) 9) Build trust outside your comfort zone 10) Nurture the next generation (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel Arguing that stable, salaried employment—both in the public and private sectors—is increasingly a thing of the past, PMS fund manager Saurabh Mukherjea has said that the core of India's middle class needs an attitudinal shift to capitalise on opportunities in the country's vast, underdeveloped free-market a recent LinkedIn note, Mukherjea outlines how building businesses in India differs significantly from the Western model and proposes a set of principles—The Ten Commandments of Indian Entrepreneurship—that reflect the unique realities of Indian in the United States—where large, professionally managed public corporations dominate—the Indian business landscape is still characterised by family-run enterprises, community-based networks, and a conservative approach to ESOPs (Employee Stock Ownership Plans) are common in the West, they remain rare in Indian businesses, which typically rely on profit-based bonuses instead. Additionally, capital costs are much higher in India (over 12%) compared to the U.S. (under 6%), which influences how Indian entrepreneurs approach scaling and these challenges, entrepreneurship in India continues to grow—driven by a large domestic market, digitalisation, and a new generation of younger business leaders. To thrive in this environment, Mukherjea proposes a framework grounded in Indian realities:Focus on expected value (EV)-positive bets. Start small, build conviction, and scale up without risking your your daily routine with systems that enable deep work, creativity, and long-term entrepreneurship as an infinite game. Wealth creation is often back-ended—longevity matters more than is not a detour but part of the journey. Learn from it, adapt, and move forward without excessive emotional against the grain invites criticism. Stay focused on your goals and ignore external and nurture relationships—with colleagues, suppliers, customers, and distributors. Build an organisation rooted in learning and real skills and your 'inner scorecard'. Continuous learning should outweigh formal time to disconnect and reset. Avoid excessive brooding over the past or anxiety about the your network beyond your community or background. Cross-regional and cross-cultural ties build continuity. Train younger leaders who combine fresh perspectives with a deep understanding of capital and time.
Forbes
29-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Leaders Who Understand The Ownership Economy Thrive In Business
As the ownership economy takes hold, creators, employees, and communities are demanding a real stake ... More in the brands, platforms and ideas they help build. A quiet revolution is reshaping the global economy faster than most businesses can keep up. Over the past two years, new economic models have exploded onto the scene: the creator economy gave individuals the power to monetize their talent directly; the AI economy transformed one-person startups into scalable enterprises; the cultural wealth economy put a spotlight on the untapped value of diverse consumers; and the decentralized economy challenged who controls capital, content and influence. Across every sector, the rules are shifting. At the heart of this seismic change is the rise of the ownership economy, which redefines who builds wealth, controls brands and benefits from innovation. Rather than concentrating power and profits in the hands of a few executives or investors, the ownership economy prioritizes broad-based participation. It shifts the traditional business model by recognizing that those who contribute to building value, whether through creativity or labor, deserve a meaningful stake in the outcomes. The ownership economy began with employees, where workers gained real stakes in the companies they powered through models like Employee Stock Ownership Plans. In 2022 alone, according to the National Center of Employee Ownership, 292 new ESOPs were created, adding 31,616 employee-owners to a movement now spanning 6,548 active plans and over $1.8 trillion in assets. But today, ownership is no longer just an employee benefit; it's a creator's blueprint. As individuals build brands, monetize audiences and launch ventures around their own IP, the principles of employee equity are merging with the rise of the creator-led economy. What started in corporate boardrooms is now scaling across tech, media and commerce. Thai Randolph—a multi-hyphenate leader and former CEO of Kevin Hart's Hartbeat with a proven track record at the intersection of content, commerce, culture and capital—believes the ownership economy isn't just the future; it's already here. 'Consumers, creators and employees aren't just participating anymore,' Randolph says. 'They expect and deserve to own a piece of what they help build.' Thai Randolph and Kevin Hart at the Variety Cannes Lions Studio, Presented by Canva held at the ... More Canva Villa on June 20, 2023 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Vianney Tisseau/Variety via Getty Images) Randolph describes the rise of the ownership economy as a natural evolution that's unfolding across every corner of the marketplace. Consumers, creators and employees are no longer satisfied with playing supporting roles. They're moving from passive participation to active control, demanding real influence and real equity. The consumer journey has shifted from being spectators to sharers and now to stakeholders and stewards—individuals who don't just buy from brands but shape their direction through feedback, investment and advocacy. The creator journey has moved from endorsement to equity to full-blown enterprise as creators build their own channels, launch products and turn personal IP into scalable business models. And the employee journey has evolved from labor to loyalists to now leaders—team members driving innovation from within because they share in the outcome. While this transformation was already underway, AI is dramatically accelerating it. More than just a tool, AI has become an economic equalizer, slashing operational costs, democratizing access to funding and streamlining marketing and distribution. It's enabling more people, from solopreneurs to creative collectives, to launch and grow companies and actually own the brands, tools and communities they create. 'We're seeing solopreneurs and small brands scale in months, which used to take years and dozens of people,' Randolph notes. 'That's the power of the moment we're in.' Randolph's leadership proves what the data already suggests: cultural capital is scalable. At Hartbeat, she led the merger of Hart's two entertainment companies, Hartbeat Productions and Laugh Out Loud, into a $650 million global, multi-platform media conglomerate. Randolph secured a historic $100 million capital raise—one of the largest ever by a Black woman—and propelled Hartbeat onto Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies list as one of the fastest-growing creative engines for platforms, streamers and brands worldwide. During her tenure at Sony, she helped pioneer a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform for more than 200 artists, demonstrating that creators can own their distribution, monetize their audiences directly and build independent brand ecosystems with real commercial power. Additionally, as a founding limited partner in Braintrust Founders Studio, she supports the next generation of beauty and wellness brands founded by Black entrepreneurs. Now, she's building something even bigger: an operating system for the ownership economy. Randolph's mission is to ensure that cultural capital creates real, generational wealth. She invests in brands, founders and creators shaping the next economy, ensuring they retain meaningful stakes in the businesses they build. 'IP and influence shouldn't just be marketing tools,' she says. 'They should be treated like the infrastructure for economic engines.' Through AI, digital distribution and financial innovation, Randolph is scaling creator-led and entrepreneur-led ventures into platforms that could rival the legacy institutions of yesterday. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 12: Thai Randolph attends the 5th Annual Black Love Summit at ... More Hudson Loft on November 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) So, how can leaders adapt and thrive? Randolph outlines three critical steps: In the ownership economy, leadership isn't about control but about creating ecosystems where power, profit and influence are shared. Those who embrace it will redefine the future of business. Randolph emphasizes, 'Ownership isn't just an advantage anymore. It's the future.'
Bloomberg
27-04-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
The Benefits of Employee-Owned Companies
Room & Board, Publix and other companies have adopted Employee Stock Ownership Plans, which can have huge economic benefits for workers — and the country, explains Bloomberg Opinion columnist Beth Kowitt. (Source: Bloomberg)
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
An ex-HDFC Bank employee lost on Rs 25 crore ESOP jackpot by switching job too soon. But still his 'life is good', thanks to his SIPs
Gurmeet Chadha , now the chief investment officer at wealth advisory firm Complete Circle Consultants , has built his investment strategy on the back of a valuable life lesson. In 2006, he left his role at HDFC Bank for a 25% pay hike, a decision that cost him dearly in the long run. By exiting before his Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) vested, Chadha missed out on what could have grown into a multi-crore asset—estimated around Rs 15–25 crore, based on the success of HDFC stock over the years. But he took a disciplined approach to course-correct. He recently shared an important investing milestone. Today, four of his mutual fund SIPs and five stock SIPs have completed a full ten-year tenure. Despite the volatility and global uncertainty that have defined markets over the past decade, Chadha remains bullish on the power of time and discipline. Rather than chase market highs or rely on timing, he focuses on defined quantity targets—accumulating specific numbers of shares in companies he believes in. In his view, downturns serve as buying opportunities rather than causes for panic. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Donate to Jon Ossoff for Senate in GA Jon Ossoff for Senate Donate Now Undo — connectgurmeet (@connectgurmeet) In his current outlook, he projects that the 'new normal' for equity returns in the medium term may range between 10–12%. This moderation, he suggests, should prompt investors to adjust expectations and stay focused on process-driven investing. In a recent podcast, Chadha said that his own strategy now aims at building enough passive income through dividends to cover living expenses. — connectgurmeet (@connectgurmeet) Having worked at Citibank and Reliance Mutual Fund before co-founding his current firm, Chadha's investment approach is shaped as much by experience as by logic ."Despite all the ups and downs, markets have been kind. Life is good. Time + discipline is greater than timing + intelligence," he said.
