How Employee Ownership Can Strengthen Your Business with John Stevens

About this episode

Sharon DeKoning interviews John Stevens about how employee ownership can provide a viable exit strategy for business owners and strengthen their companies.

Most business owners think selling is their only exit—but what if there was a way to pass your business on to your team instead? Sharon sits down with John Stevens, co-founder of Camilla Group, to unpack the growing conversation around employee ownership in Canada. John shares his deep experience helping small and medium-sized businesses explore succession planning through employee ownership trusts (EOTs) and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). Together, they discuss how these models can help business owners reward loyal employees, preserve their legacy, and create stronger long-term business stability. John explains the differences between EOTs and ESOPs, including who they are best suited for, what financial benchmarks businesses should consider, and why employee ownership can lead to stronger engagement, better retention, and greater operational care. He also highlights the new Canadian tax incentives around employee ownership trusts, including the significant capital gains exemption currently available, and why this could be a major opportunity for the right business. This episode is packed with valuable takeaways for business owners thinking about succession, employee…

People in this episode

Host: Sharon DeKoning

Guest: John Stevens

Topics covered

• employee ownership
• succession planning
• business stability
• employee engagement
• leadership development
• tax incentives

Keywords

• employee ownership
• EOTs
• ESOPs
• succession planning
• business legacy
• tax incentives
• employee engagement

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Camilla Group

Places: Canada

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