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.
Jason Wiener
Is an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT)/Perpetual Purpose Trust (PPT) the Right Tool for Your Business?
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.
Reflecting on 12 Years: Our History, Legacy, and Impact
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.
Alternate Equity Structures: A Flexible Pathway to Employee Ownership
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.
Why Business Entities Must Register to Do Business in Other States—And Why It’s Trickier for LCAs and Cooperatives
If your cooperative or limited cooperative association (LCA) is transacting business outside its state of formation, it likely needs to register as a “foreign entity” in that other state. While this is a standard requirement for LLCs and corporations, LCAs and cooperatives face additional complexities due to the varied and often unfamiliar cooperative statutes …
New Colorado Legislation Supercharges Employee Ownership with Tax Incentives
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.
Mad Markets – Legal Infrastructure for Innovating Impact Investing in Organic Food Systems
At Jason Wiener|p.c., we are honored to work alongside founders who are advancing a more equitable, climate-aligned economy—leaders like Alex Heilman and Phil Taylor, co-founders of Mad Markets. Building on the success of the Mad Cap spin-off from their parent company Mad Agriculture, which has supported over 100 farmers transition to regenerative practices across 30,000 acres, Mad Markets represents an innovative evolution in sustainable agriculture financing.
Learn how Mad Markets navigated a tough investment climate to close a transformative deal—and how our team helped design a scalable legal framework to fuel a new era of mission-driven acquisitions in sustainable food through a values-driven investment fund.
The Oxford Symposium on Employee Ownership
I recently returned from the Oxford Symposium on Employee Ownership, where I was one of 120 hand selected attendees. I joined fellow Colorado Employee Ownership Commissioners, Doug Dell, Jen Briggs and Stephanie Gripne as one of the largest delegations from around the world. We gathered in hallowed halls of Oxford University to discuss the current …
Overcoming Challenges: Navigating Employee Ownership Conversions
Employee ownership can be a powerful tool for businesses, providing a wealth of benefits such as increased productivity, higher job satisfaction, and improved financial performance. However, transitioning to this model can come with its unique set of challenges. Here, we outline some common hurdles in employee ownership conversions and provide practical strategies to address them. …
Reflections on MAPS Psychedelic Science 2023
The largest convening relating to psychedelics anywhere in the world at any point in known history took place at the Colorado Convention Center from June 19-23. With a few weeks to integrate the immensity of the experience, I have some personal and professional reflections to share: The multi-disciplinary and cross-sector nature of the psychedelics “space” …
