Mini-cast 234: Changing the Way We Talk About ESOPs

Bret Keisling shares clips from Steve Storkan of the Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX) and Darren Gleeman of MBO Ventures. Steve credits a previous episode of the Mini-cast for changing the way he talks about ESOPs. We share a clip of the 2021 episode where Bret gives his take on what would happen if ESOP-world ran the airlines, inspired by what Bret calls the "Gleeman Method" of ESOP communicating, developed by Darren. For too long, the ESOP community has focused on the potential downsides to a transaction, creating a general reputation that ESOP transactions are overly difficult and prone to serious problems. In essence, the Gleeman Method recognizes that ESOP experts are well-qualified to handle transaction, but de-emphasizes "doom and gloom" of what might possibly go wrong to focus on the benefits of transitioning to an ESOP. The video and full transcript of this episode are available on our website at https://www.theesoppodcast.com/post/mini-cast-234-changing-the-way-we-talk-about-esops