Is the owner of your company retiring? Are majority shareholders pulling out? Are you interested in co-purchasing the company that employs you along with your coworkers?
As an employee of your company, you take your business’s success and sustainability to heart. You are likely also very aware of how it works and what its main challenges are.
If you are interested in taking your business to the next level, and believe you have the skills that it takes, then the worker cooperative model is just what you’re looking for.
Does your team have the right profile to undertake a collective buyout?
You and your coworkers might be the ideal acquiring party if:
- You have a strong sense of belonging vis-à-vis your company;
- You are inspired by the thought of managing your company collectively and helping it grow, as a team.
- You have several key people in mind who could share responsibilities for its management and growth.
- You’re used to being consulted on, and participating in, some of the company decision-making processes.
- You’re ready to invest time and money in your company.
Take the Entrepreneurial Compass Test! (in French)
This test gives you a sense of whether the cooperative business model is a good fit for your values, interests, and ways of working.
Are you interested in purchasing your company collectively?
Several types of cooperatives are available for you to consider.
Numerous success stories of collective employee buyout can be seen across various sectors: manufacturing, information technology, education, health, telecommunications, and more.
Note that it is not a requirement for all employees to participate in acquiring their company. It may even be wise, in some cases, to build your project around a team of particular employees who are truly committed to launching a new business model based on such an acquisition.