Welcome to our Members Only video series, where we interview clients about the impact of shared ownership and the cooperative business model. Come along to hear from owners and cooperators about their challenges and experiences.

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In the third installment of our International Year of Cooperatives series, Jacqueline Radebaugh speaks with Gwen Pasquarello of the EMMA Technology Cooperative, a worker-owned consultancy of creative technologists working across interactive installations, games, and experimental digital experiences. Gwen shares how EMMA emerged from a familiar freelance frustration: the desire to make creative work less chaotic, more predictable, and more sustainable by working together.

Rather than forming a traditional LLC, EMMA’s founders chose the cooperative model to ensure equal ownership, shared decision-making, and freedom from investor pressure. Gwen explains that while the co-op structure brings real administrative complexity, especially around taxes, insurance, and compliance, it also creates tangible benefits. Other cooperatives actively seek EMMA out as collaborators, and more traditional clients appreciate the built-in continuity of a small team. If one member is unavailable, another can step in, offering a level of reliability beyond solo freelancing without the overhead of a large consultancy.

Jacqueline and Gwen also explore one of the most common questions about co-ops: how does decision-making actually work? Gwen emphasizes that scale matters. EMMA is intentional about staying small, and she says their collective decisions have consistently been stronger than what any one person would have made alone. Having trusted collaborators to pressure-test ideas and share responsibility has proven to be a strength, not a slowdown.

2025 has been designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Cooperatives, celebrating how cooperatives build a better world. EMMA embodies that vision through a model that supports stable livelihoods while leaving room for community-focused and experimental work, as well as collaboration with other cooperatives.

If you’re curious about cooperative consultancies, real-world lessons from co-op foundership, or Gwen’s core advice to start meeting, start governing, and worry about the legal structure later, this conversation is well worth your time.

👉 Watch the full interview on JWPC’s YouTube channel.