Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting the first EO Community Catalyst event alongside Still We Grow, bringing more than 40 employee-owners, trustees and independent trustees together at Campfield in Manchester. It was a brilliant morning: relaxed, open and full of conversations you only really get when you put people with shared experience in the same room.
As an employee-owned business ourselves, we understand how much difference it makes to know you’re not doing this alone. Other EO businesses have helped us, we’ve helped others, and that mutual support has been a really important part of our journey so far. That’s exactly why this event came to life: to give North-West EO businesses a space to connect, learn from each other and head home with something useful to think about.
The Panel: “Confessions from EO Businesses”
We started the morning with a panel hosted by Fran Spence from Still We Grow. I joined Gill Sherwin (Best of British Beer), Donald Moore (One+All) and Stephen Hadlow (Brabners) to talk about the things we’ve learned on our employee-ownership journeys - including the bits we only realised after missing the mark ourselves!
For me, it was a chance to reflect on my first full year as an employee-ownership trustee at I-COM. A lot of what I shared centred around the reality that EO isn’t something that just “happens” because a structure is in place. People need to understand it, feel connected to it and be given the tools to take part in it.
We talked about:
- How much a good company culture genuinely matters
- Why being open about finances helps people feel involved rather than on the outside
- The importance of trustees and leadership working closely together so that employees get the support they need
- And how there really is no single way to “do” EO - it looks a little different in every business
It was honest, warm and reassuring, and I think the openness from the panellists helped set the tone for the rest of the morning.
Breakout Session
After the panel, Matt Wilden from Still We Grow led us into a breakout session designed to get everyone thinking practically about what employee ownership can look like from the ground up. We split into four groups, and all worked through the same exercise, focusing on one central question:
What initiative or project could employees - not leaders - take ownership of in the next six months that would have the biggest impact on strengthening EO in their business?
Each group was asked to explore the idea properly, not just list it. That meant looking at:
- Why this should be an employee-led project rather than something driven by leadership
- What the impact would be - the real goals or outcomes
- How we’d measure success and prove the impact
- Who the stakeholders would be and where accountability sits
- And how the project would be reviewed and reported over time
In true EO style, we all tried to stay strictly on task… but naturally ended up veering off into swapping stories, comparing challenges, and sharing what’s worked in our own businesses. It was one of those moments that shows exactly why events like this matter - sometimes the best ideas come from the conversations you weren’t technically supposed to be having!
Once we’d scribbled down our thoughts, each group presented back to the room. The ideas were varied, grounded and genuinely useful, and it was great to hear the different approaches people were taking depending on where they were in their EO journey.
A Growing North-West EO Community
One of the best parts of the morning was simply seeing how many people turned up. Everyone in the room was a founding member of this new North-West EO community. There was a real sense of shared purpose - different businesses, different sizes, different stories, but the same belief in employee-ownership and what it can do for people.
We’re already looking forward to the next event and to seeing how this community grows. If last week was anything to go by, there’s a real appetite for connection, and plenty of good ideas to build on.
Thank You!
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, to Fran, Matt and Martin from Still We Grow for being such a great team to work on this with, and to the panellists who were so generous with their insights. It was exactly the kind of morning we hoped it would be: useful, honest and a reminder of just how much we can learn from one another!
We can’t wait to see you at the next one!
Talk EO to Us!
At I-COM, employee ownership has become much more than a business structure. It has shaped our culture, strengthened our commitment to clients, and created a more connected, accountable team. While the journey has involved learning and adjustment, the benefits for our business and our people have been lasting and rewarding.
We would be glad to connect and share our experience. Whether you have questions about how to keep engagement strong, or what to expect along the way, we’re always open to a conversation.
Get in touch with us to find out more about how employee ownership works in practice and how it could make a difference to your business.
