The Next Mountain Podcast The Ownership Mindset: Kerry Siggins on Courage, Culture and Legacy
Jan 26, 2026
Kerry Siggins, CEO of StoneAge and author of The Ownership Mindset, who led her company to a 100% ESOP and writes about ownership and legacy. She talks about rising to leadership at 28, transforming company culture through employee ownership, scaling decision-making and autonomy, adapting ownership across global teams, and defining legacy as everyday impact.
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From Rock Bottom To CEO
- Kerry Siggins became CEO of StoneAge at 28 after moving home following an accidental overdose and personal recovery.
- She learned on the job, earned trust through a major facility move, and credits the role with saving her life.
Ownership Transforms Employee Commitment
- Employee ownership changed StoneAge from a paycheck company into one where people cared deeply and invested.
- Kerry sees ESOPs as a way for employees to build real wealth from company growth.
Use ESOPs To Exit Founders To Employees
- Use an ESOP trust to buy founders' shares and distribute ownership to employees via compensation allocations.
- Ensure participation is equal across eligible employees and consider mirrored programs for international staff.
