EP 16 Miren Oca: Exit While They Slept; Employee Ownership & the Perpetual Trust

from Design Economics Podcast with Vinny Tafuro · host Institute for Economic Evolution, Inc.

Join host Vinny Tafuro for a conversation with Miren Oca, founder and CEO of Ocaquatics Swim School, who built a Miami swim instruction institution over 32 years before transferring 100% of it to her employees through a perpetual Employee Ownership Trust on the company's thirtieth anniversary. Miren walks through why she walked away from private equity, how the EOT compares to ESOPs and worker cooperatives, what the transaction actually looks like, and how the trust's structure protects the company's mission and keeps wealth in the community it serves. This episode also explores the Own It culture Miren built over three decades, the role of financial literacy in preparing employees for co-ownership, and how Ripples of Impact extends the company's purpose beyond the pool.Links ReferencedMiren OcaOcaquatics Swim SchoolRipples of ImpactPurpose Trust Ownership Network (PTON)One Percent for the PlanetFlorida for GoodB1G1Books ReferencedDelivering Happiness (Tony Hsieh)The Man Who Broke Capitalism (David Gelles)Purchase books from our Bookstore.org bookstore ★ Support this podcast ★

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This episode is 59 minutes long.

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This episode was published on May 4, 2026.

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