If the 18th century can be defined as the age of industrialization and competitive advantage of the nation state, the 19th century by the power of the corporation, and the 20th by corporate financialization, then, I believe, the 21st century will be defined by ownership.
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.
At Jason Wiener | p.c., we are honored to work alongside mission-driven founders building a more equitable economy. This includes leaders like the team at A Fairer Society (AFS), who are reimagining how businesses are structured, governed, and owned. Building on a deep commitment to cooperative principles, AFS is pioneering a multi-entity structure that places workers at the center of decision-making and economic returns – linking the act of working to the act of owning in a legally enforceable and genuinely transformative way.
Learn how AFS navigated uncharted legal territory to build a first-of-its-kind cooperative ecosystem – and how our team helped design a governance and membership framework grounded in sociocratic principles, worker ownership, and values-aligned enterprise.
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.
Using consumer AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude to research or strategize about a legal matter could seriously damage your case, and a landmark 2026 federal court ruling makes that clearer than ever. In a recent blog post, Jacqueline Radebaugh explains how publicly available AI platforms can destroy attorney-client privilege, expose confidential strategy, and create discoverable evidence in both litigation and routine business transactions. Before you type, read this first.
We’re proud to announce the promotion of Nathan Sisodia to Senior Associate at JWPC. Nathan has become a trusted leader in our cooperative, employee-ownership, and mission-driven business practice, known for his thoughtful judgment, client stewardship, and entrepreneurial initiative in launching new service offerings. This promotion reflects both his individual growth and our continued investment in a seasoned, values-driven team.
Cooperative founders often shoulder outsized risk, including unpaid labor, personal cash, and emotional strain, without clear guidance on fair compensation. In this plain-language guide, Jason Wiener and Jenny Kassan explore how dynamic equity can reward real contributions over time while staying true to cooperative principles. They outline practical, coop-friendly models that balance fairness, legality, and long-term mission.
The SEC has released its 2025 Staff Report from the Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, offering a data-driven look at how small businesses raise capital today. The report highlights persistent funding gaps, the outsized role of Regulation D, and how crowdfunding and mentorship networks support early-stage companies, especially outside traditional financial hubs.
In this Members Only video, Jason Wiener speaks with Kate Smith and Claire Christensen of Gimme Coffee about the company’s transition to worker ownership. They share lessons from converting a 25-year-old coffee business into a cooperative, including governance challenges, cultural shifts, and how centering workers has strengthened Gimme’s mission, workplace, and connection to the Ithaca community.
In our 3rd Members Only video, Jacqueline Radebaugh interviews Gwen Pasquarello of EMMA Technology Cooperative, a worker-owned consultancy of creative technologists. Gwen reflects on EMMA’s origins, why the founders chose a cooperative model over a traditional LLC, and how shared ownership supports stability, collaboration, and stronger decision-making in creative, experimental work.
A Fairer Society (AFS USA) is reimagining how businesses are owned, governed, and sustained. Operating at the intersection of ethical business acquisition, shared services, and cooperative governance, AFS builds a growing network that replaces extractive ownership with shared prosperity. This coop spotlights consent-based decision making, real worker ownership, and a scalable alternative that helps businesses and communities thrive for the long-term.
