Business View Magazine - May 2024

network would look like, then look no further than the Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX). The organization initially began as a collaborative idea within the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) back in 2016. Since then, it has burgeoned into an expansive landscape of state advocacy centers supporting employee ownership across the nation. At the state level, it has established a clear strategy of fostering partnerships and alliances with like- minded organizations that share its vision for employee ownership to amplify the impact of its network and open new centers. In addition to collaboration and expansion, proper advocacy of employee ownership models such as ESOPs,worker cooperatives, and employee ownership trusts, also requires a component of support. As such, EOX maintains a strong foundation of grassroots engagement and community empowerment. From attending annual conferences to hosting quarterly workshops to personally nurturing relationships between businesses, EOX has made it its mission to have every interaction shape the narrative of employee ownership. By providing accessible resources, educational materials, and business owner to business owner mentorship opportunities, the network cultivates a supportive ecosystem where individuals and enterprises thrive. Executive Director Steve Storkan expresses the sentiment quite naturally, saying, “Ultimately, what we’re trying to do is to create wealth for employees and create a voice for them at work.” This is something that has already been well executed, as success for this organization has already manifested as employee ownership existing as not just a concept but a reality ingrained in the fabric of the communities it supports. FROM A FOUNDING VISION TO A NATIONWIDE NETWORK Back in 2016, the founder and several executive 81 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 05 EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP EXPANSION NETWORK