From Founder to Future

"Learn how to transition leadership, implement shared ownership, and preserve your organization's core values-setting the stage for your business to thrive for generations to come. This visionary but practical handbook offers mission-driven business owners a roadmap for ensuring their company's lasting impact. Through inspiring real-world stories of B-Corps, worker co-ops, ESOPs, and employee ownership trusts, this book demonstrates how to create resilient organizations that benefit workers and communities. Abrams provides actionable strategies for navigating leadership succession, implementing shared ownership models, fostering participatory management, and codifying company purpose. Drawing on his 50-year journey with South Mountain Company and extensive research, Abrams outlines five critical transitions for mission-driven businesses: From founder to next-generation leadership; From sole ownership to widely shared; From hierarchical control to democratic management; From unprotected mission to preserved purpose; From business-as-usual to B Corp force for good. From Founder to Future is an essential guide for mission-driven leaders seeking to reshape their businesses for inclusivity, longevity, and positive impact. Whether you're a retiring owner planning your exit, a young entrepreneur building for the future, or an employee working in a purpose-driven business, this book offers a blueprint for creating enduring, values-driven enterprises in the emerging regenerative economy. As $10 trillion in assets prepare to change hands over the next two decades, this timely guide shows how to preserve your company's mission and legacy while empowering the next generation"--