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Business Conversions


Some employee-owned businesses start off with a cooperative structure, but many others start as conventional companies. The ICA Group can help you assess whether employee ownership is right for your business and help you through the conversion of your business to a worker cooperative.

Benefits of Employee Ownership

  • Allows owners to have control over the sale of business on a timeline and with terms that fit the owner’s financial needs.

  • Recognizes and rewards employees who have worked hard for the business, understand how it works, and are committed to long-term success.

  • Keeps jobs in the local community that might otherwise be lost if the business closes or is sold to a larger firm.

  • Ensures the legacy of a business, maintaining the culture, customer relationships, and flow of goods and services to the community.

Interested in transitioning to employee ownership? We engage a five-step process to support your business:

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Establish goals

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Assess feasibility

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Plan the transition

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Complete the transition

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Operate as employee-owned

ICA will work with you to identify your financial goals and business needs and support you through the transition to employee ownership. We engage legal and financial experts to assist you with the process of selling your business, and provide continued support to ensure long-term success.

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Massachusetts Center for Employee Ownership


The ICA Group, in partnership with Working Wealth, administers the Massachusetts Center for Employee Ownership (MassCEO), with funding from the state. This means that we are able to provide business owners with free support for succession planning. If you are a Massachusetts business owner considering employee ownership (converting your company to a worker cooperative, ESOP, or other hybrid model) we can:

  • Help you identify your goals for exiting your business

  • Complete an initial valuation of your business

  • Assess whether a transition to employee ownership is financially and operationally feasible

  • Connect you with service providers who can assist you with a transition to the appropriate employee ownership model

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New York City


The ICA Group is part of the Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative (WBCDI), a network of ten organizations charged with supporting the creation and development of worker cooperatives in NYC. This work aims to connect New Yorkers with good jobs, stronger businesses, and a fairer economy. As part of this initiative, ICA is able to provide free consultation services to business owners looking to transition their businesses to worker owned cooperatives. If you are a business owner based in NYC who is looking to sell your company, we can:

  • Help you identify your goals for exiting your business

  • Complete an initial valuation of your business

  • Assess whether a transition to employee ownership is financially and operationally feasible

  • Connect you with service providers who can assist you with a transition to the appropriate employee ownership model

For more information or to sign up for a free consultation under the NYC program, contact Shelley Miller at smiller@icagroup.org or call 617-232-8765 ext. 1102.

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Resources on Worker Ownership

Go to Worker Ownership: What Does it Mean for Workers? PDF
Go to Worker Ownership: What Does it Mean for Your Business? PDF
Go to Six Myths About Worker Ownership PDF
Go to resources

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