The 2026 EOT Playbook
Common Trust
Paper · 1-2 hour read · For: Owners / executives
A practical guide for owners considering an Employee Ownership Trust. It compares EOTs with ESOPs and co-ops, walks through how deals are financed, and spends real time on what happens after closing: governance, profit sharing and how to talk to employees. Its line that the operating model matters as much as the deal structure is the reason it belongs in this catalog.
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Problems it helps with
- I want to retire but I don't want to sell to a competitor or private equity
- I've heard of ESOPs but they sound expensive and complicated for a company our size
- I don't know how employees would actually pay for the company
- What happens to governance and profit sharing after the deal closes?
What it covers
- What an EOT is and how it differs from ESOPs and worker cooperatives
- Deal structure and financing, with case examples from several industries
- Post-closing governance, profit sharing and communication with employees
- FAQ for owners, advisors and leadership teams
Topics: Community and collective governance · Hiring, firing and transitions · Ownership models