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Owners at WorkAuthor: Ohio Employee Ownership Center
Interviews leading experts on issues pertaining to employee ownership including building an ownership culture, management practices, succession planning, economic development, and so much more. Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship, Science, Social Sciences Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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40 Million Owners: Expanding Employee Ownership Through Acquisitions
Episode 5
Friday, 21 November, 2025
SUMMARY: In this episode of Owners at Work, we talk with Mike Brady of 40 Million Owners about how the firm helps ESOP companies grow through strategic, values-aligned acquisitions. Mike explains how their three-phase framework—design, execution, and integration—guides employee-owned firms through M&A while preserving their ownership culture. We discuss how 40 Million Owners fills a key gap for lower middle market ESOPs lacking internal deal expertise, and how its 2025 acquisition by 3LS demonstrates the model in action. Mike also shares lessons from his career at PwC and Greyston Bakery, and how employee ownership can drive lasting wealth and systemic change. OTHER INFO: NCEO Study Estimating Number of Employee Owners Due to Acquisitions: https://www.nceo.org/employee-ownership-blog/new-data-on-esop-companies-acquiring-non-esop-companies-1?utm_source=chatgpt.com Contact Information for Mike Brady Email: mbrady@40millionowners.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradymichael/ Watch Mike Brady Deliver His TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/mike_brady_and_dion_drew_why_we_hire_unemployable_people SUPPORT THE SHOW: We make all episodes of Owners at Work free and never place them behind a paywall. But they take time and money to produce. Consider making a DONATION today to help keep our work going. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We are always looking for new employee ownership stories to tell. Please contact us with your story at oeoc@kent.edu
