Jason Wiener woke up with a fully designed philanthropy model in his head, dreamed up for a fictional renewable energy co-op he calls "Amigos." In this post, he unpacks the blueprint: opt-in customer contributions, employee-led grant decisions, and community nominations that route funding straight to local projects. It's a fresh take on giving, one that swaps distant foundations for democratic, place-based participation. Read on to see how the pattern could apply well beyond solar installers.

Colorado just changed the game for artists. In this post, Jason Wiener explains how Senate Bill 26-133 created the world's first legal entity purpose-built for artist-owned businesses: the Artist Company, or A-Corp. It solves the age-old tension between creative control and outside capital, permanently anchoring governance rights with artists while still allowing investors to participate economically. Add in groundbreaking reversionary IP protections and a flexible capital structure, and this isn't just a new business form. It's a new foundation for the creative economy.

Employee Ownership Trusts and Perpetual Purpose Trusts are gaining buzz as mission-driven alternatives to ESOPs and traditional exits, but are they right for your business? Before committing to a fundamental re-wiring of ownership, control, and economic rights, every founder needs to ask the hard questions. Jason Wiener breaks down how these structures actually work, where they shine, and when simpler alternatives may serve you better.

In this reflective piece, Jason looks back as the firm approaches its 12th anniversary, tracing the leap that sparked its creation, the values that shaped its growth, and the impact built along the way. He shares how a belief in practicing law differently evolved into a thriving, mission-driven practice and why he’s more optimistic than ever about the future.

Colorado’s new Alternate Equity Structures (AES) are reshaping employee ownership. By going beyond traditional stock, AES give workers real stakes – whether through profit interests, phantom equity, or stock options – while requiring genuine rights and participation. This new blog post, by Jason Wiener, explores how AES work, why they matter, and how companies can creatively overcome governance challenges to build sustainable, shared ownership.

  If your cooperative or limited cooperative association (LCA) is [...]

Colorado just passed HB25-1021—a landmark law expanding tax incentives for businesses transitioning to employee ownership. Starting in 2027, business owners can subtract capital gains, worker co-ops can deduct up to $1M in income, and nonprofits and advisors are newly eligible for support credits. It’s a major win for inclusive, locally rooted economies and the employee ownership movement.

I recently returned from the Oxford Symposium on Employee Ownership, [...]

Employee ownership can be a powerful tool for businesses, providing [...]