From Founder to Future

“John Abrams has been one of the most passionate and convincing advocates for employee ownership and a great storyteller to boot. This new book is a compelling tale of his journey, and maybe yours as well.”

— Corey Rosen

founder, National Center for Employee Ownership

“In an economic landscape roamed by private equity pirates and hedge fund mercenaries, this book is a powerful reminder that there's another model for commerce available--one rooted in communities and in workers, producing stability and satisfaction. These pages can be a tool for sweeping change.”

— Bill McKibben

author Deep Economy

“Like Lincoln Steffens, John Abrams believes that he has “seen the future, and it works.” In fact, it’s working right now in the company he founded in 1973 when he was 23, although he no longer owns it, runs it, or has much to do with it. That future has been such a joy that he thinks everybody else would want it if they only knew how to get it. He wrote this book to guide them, and it is excellent. You should consult it whether or not you expect to follow his path.”

— Bo Burlingham

author Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big

“John Abrams has solved the legacy problem – how to preserve business purpose and prosperity beyond the founder. The answer is employee ownership – along with deliberate mission preservation, next generation leadership, and more. Here’s hoping many many businesses take up his model of the CommonWealth Company.  Our world needs this book”. 

— Marjorie Kelly

author, Wealth Supremacy and The Divine Right of Capital

“John Abrams has written the book I’ve long been looking for. It offers practical step-by-step instructions on how to create and grow successful worker-owned cooperative businesses dedicated to the wellbeing of all their stakeholders. Essential reading for every serious business owner, aspiring entrepreneur, and advocate of the human transition to an Ecological Civilization.” 

— David C. Korten

author, When Corporations Rule the World and The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community

“In 2007, as we were launching the B Corporation movement, we knew our success was dependent upon attracting leading business pioneers, and when it came to the employee ownership segment of the market, John Abrams was at the very top of our list. For the last 50 years, John has built an extraordinary purpose-driven worker co-op that has inspired countless others to follow. Now in “From Founder to Future,” he shares pragmatic advice about various employee ownership models, specifically targeting the “Silver Tsunami” of boomer-owned small businesses that are contemplating succession. A must-read for any entrepreneur who is considering an equitable transition that preserves purpose and mission, while building wealth for the next generation of the workforce and an economy that works for all.”

— Bart Houlahan

Co-Founder, B Lab, the non-profit behind the B Corporation movement

“John Abrams continues his legacy of extraordinary commentary about purpose in business, and particularly on the evolution, emerging models, and sustainability of broadly shared business ownership. He has achieved a rare and difficult balance: anchoring wise commentary grounded in clearly articulated values about the underlying purpose of business, with clear and careful discussion about the mechanics, strengths, and challenges of key alternative models and long-term continuity. To those who might say, ‘that's not what business is for,’ Abrams says, yes it is, or at least what it can and should be if we choose to make it so.”

— Alex Moss

President & Co-Founder of Praxis Consulting Group, a founding Certified B-Corp.

“The most comprehensive presentation and assessment of employee ownership models I've found. From Founder to Future will inspire you to make a difference and educate you on how to make it happen!  I wish I had this when I began my employee ownership exploration.” 

— Brad Herrmann

Founder & CEO, Text-Em-All 

“As a young Latina landscaper, I never imagined I would own a business—until I read John Abrams’ first book, The Company We Keep. Inspired by John’s vision, our leadership team and then-boss embarked on a transformative journey to convert our workplace into a worker-owned cooperative. In the ten years since, A Yard & A Half Landscaping Cooperative has become a leading example of how co-op conversions can build wealth and job quality for low-income workers of color.

Now, in From Founder to Future, John goes beyond his own story to provide practical options for founders who want to enjoy their next phase of life, while leaving behind a business that continues to create value for all of its stakeholders. This accessible and inspiring book is filled with stories of everyday people creating positive change for workers, communities, and the planet through thoughtful succession planning. 

Despite being at the center of one of the most celebrated success stories in employee ownership, John’s humility shines throughout, as he reflects on his 50 years at SMCo, where he cultivated an inclusive and participatory workplace.

From Founder to Future serves as both a source of inspiration and a practical guide for embarking on the mission preservation and succession journey—no matter your age or stage. John outlines five essential transitions to becoming what he calls a “CommonWealth company”, illustrating how these steps enhance business viability, worker satisfaction, and personal work-life balance.

More than just a how-to manual, this book envisions scaling good business through a robust ecosystem of mission-driven and employee-owned businesses that can drive regional change, proving that success is not solely about growth but about impact. I read a lot of this book with a smile on my face, and I was especially excited to find a discussion guide at the end. So many communities have embarked on life-changing cooperative projects by first holding a study circle. I look forward to getting this book into the hands of book groups hosted by Chambers of Commerce,  CEO mastermind groups, Main Street associations, and more.”

— Carolyn Lagomasino Edsell-Vetter

Program Director, Cooperative Fund of the Northeast