Resources For Learning's Transition to a Worker Co-op

Meet Linda Wurzbach, who recently retired from a successful 12-person education consultancy using an employee ownership model. Resources for Learning’s path to a worker co-op showcases a successful transition and the win-win for Linda and her employees. 

In this episode you’ll hear about: 
Using revenue-based financing to make employee ownership work for their professional services business 
Landing the exit - getting fair value while preserving her legacy and team 
Bringing several advisors together who worked together as a transition team 
The Resources for Learning team bloomed as they embraced democratic co-op culture and decision-making
 

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to Resources for Learning 
02:53 The Journey to Employee Ownership 
05:18 Exploring Co-op Models 
07:50 Valuation and Financial Considerations 
10:11 Building a Support Network 
12:35 Transitioning to a Worker Cooperative 
14:19 Employee Perspectives on Ownership 
16:51 Challenges of Managing Change 
19:03 Finalizing the Transition 
21:36 Looking Ahead: The Future of the Co-op 
26:20 Decision-Making Dynamics in Co-ops 
30:03 Qualities of Effective Advisors 
32:39 Navigating Financing Challenges 
35:00 Building Relationships with Lenders 
38:26 Employee Ownership and Board Dynamics 
42:43 Pain Points in Transitioning to Employee Ownership 
46:58 Encouragement for Future Business Owners 
48:17 Outro and Call to Action