Strengthening Small Business Through Employee Ownership
Small businesses are the backbone of American communities and form one of the nation’s most trusted institutions.
Restaurants and retail stores on Main Street, auto repair shops, construction contractors, daycare centers, beauty salons, barber shops, and various service-based businesses, among others, are a key part of the social and economic fabric of America. But they face a number of challenges, including accessing capital, high overhead costs, market development, talent recruitment and retention, and succession. In this discussion from the 2025 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, panelists discuss what employee ownership looks like in small businesses and how employee ownership can increase their strength and resiliency.
This video comes from the 2025 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Rutgers Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing. For clips and highlights from the Forum, subscribe to the Economic Opportunities Program on YouTube, and tune in to our podcast to listen to full discussions on the go. For more from the Forum — including audio, transcripts, and additional resources — click here.
Speakers
- Kevin Clegg, CEO, Clegg Auto
- Rachel Hockenberger, CEO and Director, Parman Holding Companies
- Sean-Tamba Matthew, Shareholder, SES ESOP Strategies
- Moderator: Anne-Claire Broughton, Founder and Board Vice Chair, North Carolina Employee Ownership Center
- Closing Remarks: Loren Rodgers, Executive Director, NCEO
Related Resources
- About Our ESOP Services | SES ESOP Strategies
- Employee Ownership and Equity in North Carolina – The Aspen Institute
- For Retiring Business Owners of Color, an Exit Strategy That Saves Jobs and Builds Wealth | Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations
- Interview with Kevin Clegg from Clegg Auto: From Family-Owned to Employee-Owned
- NCEOC – NCEOC
- Parman Holdings Corporation – Nashville, TN | Business View Magazine
About the Employee Ownership Ideas Forum
The Employee Ownership Ideas Forum brings together leading policymakers, practitioners, experts, and the media for a robust discussion on how we can grow employee ownership for the shared benefit of American workers and businesses. It is hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and Rutgers Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing.
About the Rutgers Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing
The purpose of the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing is to study the various models that have emerged and will emerge of employee ownership shares and profit shares in the corporation and society of the United States and around the world.
About the Economic Opportunities Program
The Aspen Institute’s Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.
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Strengthening Small Business Through Employee Ownership
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