This special episode of Shared Success: The Employee Ownership Podcast was recorded live at the Empowering Employee Ownership event hosted by the University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Center at the Delta Innovation Hub in Athens, GA. In this episode, host Marie Davis sits down with local and statewide leaders who are advancing the cause of employee ownership. From SBA-backed financing strategies to real stories of transitioning to employee-owned models, this conversation highlights how businesses of all types and sizes can explore ownership succession through cooperative and employee-owned models. Whether you're a business owner, advisor, or advocate, these insights shed light on what's possible — and how to take the next step.

Featured Guests

• Melanie Bryant, Lender Relations Specialist, Small Business Administration (SBA)
• Jennell Taylor, Access to Capital Specialist, SBA
• Shea Smith, CFO, Sheridan Construction
• Robert Isherwood, CEO, Amback International
• Michelle Griffith, Chief Financial Officer, JOMA Construction
• Mackenzie Gallagher, CMO, JOMA Construction
• Judith Winfrey, Co-Founder, Love is Love Cooperative Farm
• Matthew Epperson, Local Outreach Coordinator, Georgia Center for Employee Ownership

Resources Related to This Episode

• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
• JOMA Construction
• Amback International
• Love is Love Cooperative Farm
• Sheridan Construction
• Georgia Center for Employee Ownership (GACEO)

CREDITS

• Stock Music provided by ikoliks / Pond5
• Produced by ChatWithLeadersMedia.com