Owner To Owner Podcast Enhancing Business Value with Employee Ownership: Craig West Founder of Succession Plus
Nov 26, 2025
In a thought-provoking discussion, Dr. Craig West, founder of Succession Plus and expert in employee ownership, explores how these programs can elevate business value and enhance succession planning. He explains the crucial role of early exit strategies for success and how employee share plans help retain top talent. Additionally, Craig reveals how shifting mindsets towards ownership can transform company culture, boost resilience, and even benefit local communities. He predicts a growing trend in employee ownership as a mainstream exit option for business owners.
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Employee Ownership Boosts Value And Retention
- Employee ownership programs reliably improve bottom-line performance and business value when implemented successfully.
- These programs also lock in key staff and make employee groups a natural buyer for succession.
Teach An Ownership Mindset
- Train employees to think and act like owners by providing education, governance and decision frameworks.
- This shifts choices from "what's in it for me" to "what's best for us" and improves long-term business outcomes.
Two Practical Ownership Pathways
- Loan-funded employee share plans let employees buy the business and repay with dividends until ownership vests.
- Non-loan gradual sell-downs also work but take longer and rely on cash-flow and staged payments.
