ESOP Radio
ESOP Radio is the official ESOP podcast—where real stories of growth, succession, and long-term wealth building are told.
Hosted by Trevor Gilmore, CEO of Menke, and Ben Spadt, ESOP Investment Banking Consultant at Menke, the show features conversations with business owners, executives, and advisors who have navigated employee ownership as a strategic path forward. Episodes explore why companies choose ESOPs, how those decisions shape culture and continuity, and what it takes to build durable, long-term ownership structures.
Alongside real-world stories, ESOP Radio examines the practical realities behind successful ESOPs, including fiduciary responsibilities, valuation, transaction structure, and regulatory considerations.
ESOP Radio is educational in nature and designed for listeners seeking a clear, grounded understanding of employee ownership and long-term succession planning.
ESOP Radio
Latest Episodes
How ISEC Moved from 450 Direct Shareholders to a Minority ESOP
Many companies that already share equity with employees eventually face a harder question: what ownership structure will sustain the business for the next generation? In this episode, the CEO and CFO of ISEC explain why their company, an interi...
Second Stage ESOP Transactions: Taking a Partial ESOP to 100% Ownership
Many business owners start with an ESOP that owns a minority stake in the company, then later consider selling the rest. This episode covers second stage ESOP transactions: what they are, how they differ from the initial sale, and what owners, ...
Scaling Past Relationships: Fractional CMO Leadership for AEC Firms with Perryn Olson
Many architecture, engineering, and construction firms grow on referrals and the personal relationships of their founders and senior leaders. That approach works until a company sets aggressive growth targets, enters a new market, completes an ...
Section 1042: How ESOP Sellers Defer Capital Gains Tax — and Where the Risk Hides
An owner who sells a C corporation to an ESOP can elect Section 1042 and defer the capital gains tax on the sale, potentially for life. On a $100 million sale with $10 million of basis, a California seller is looking at roughly 37 percent on $9...
What Actually Makes an ESOP Work: Certified EO's Joe Belsterling on Building an Ownership Culture
Owning shares in a company and acting like an owner are two different things, and the gap between them is what separates ESOP companies that outperform from ones that quietly underperform. In this episode, Trevor Gilmore talks with Joe Belsterl...
