Why a Bay Area IT Firm Made the Transition From Owner-Operated to Worker-Owned to Secure Its Future

Meet Jerry Skomer, founder of Alternative Technologies, an IT and telecom services company that supports Bay Area nonprofits and progressive businesses. Jerry faced a crucial challenge: how to preserve the company’s values, protect employees’ jobs, and ensure continued community service. His solution? Transforming Alternative Technologies into a worker-owned cooperative. The transition wasn’t easy—COVID-19 included, Jerry financed a third of the sale, structured an earnout over six years, and retained management hiring control for three.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Balancing Agility and Risk AversionTrusting the ProcessThe Role of a Task ForceSharing the RiskClick here to watch this episode on the Zolidar YouTube Channel. MAILBAG | GET IN TOUCH WITH USWe’d love to feature your voice in an upcoming mailbag episode! Have a question for us? Leave a voicemail at 650-203-6565, or send an email to [email protected]. Voicemails make for more engaging episodes—we want to hear your actual voice!ZOLIDAR LINKS:Home Page: https://zolidar.comPodcast: https://zolidar.com/podcastBlog: https://zolidar.com/blogZOLIDAR FEATURES:Day Zero Guide: https://zolidar.com/exit-plan-guideAha! Planner: https://zolidar.com/exit-financial-planZolid AI: https://zolidar.com/dashboard?zolidai=trueZOLIDAR SOCIAL MEDIA:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zolidar/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@zolidarX: https://x.com/zolidarInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zolidar_comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/zolidarioCHAPTERS(00:00) - - Introduction and Personal Philosophy (04:36) - - Transitioning Out of Business Ownership (07:02) - - Planning the Exit Strategy (08:35) - - Forming the Task Force (10:52) - - Navigating the Pandemic's Impact (13:22) - - Understanding Business Valuation (15:34) - - Exploring Employee Ownership (17:47) - - Financing the Transition (20:10) - - The Role of the Lender (22:12) - - Trusting the Process of Transition (25:56) - - Transitioning to Governance: A New Role (28:51) - - Building a Supportive Team for Transition (32:13) - - Navigating Legal Complexities in Co-op Formation (33:08) - - The Impact of Technology on Transition Processes (39:13) - - Reflections on Employee Ownership as an Exit Strategy (42:06) - - Proud Achievements and Lessons Learned (43:09) - - First Steps for Business Owners Considering Exit (45:19) - - Call to Action (46:03) - - Podcast Outro Key Terms Used in This Episode:EBITDAValuation Multiples EarnoutIndicative ValuationCONNECT WITH ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIESWebsite: https://www.alternativetechs.com/Zolidar's Community: Alternative TechnologiesREFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:Jerry Skomer (Former Owner & President): Jerry SkomerShared Capital: Shared Capital CooperativeProject Equity: Project EquityClick here to view the episode transcript. © Copyright 2025 Zolidar, Inc.Note: This podcast is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host or Zolidar.LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST APP:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5U2Y5MEglF9gORUTm5PoEcApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-a-bay-area-it-firm-made-the-transition-from/id1793273251?i=1000698910452YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhVHuksMGDYAudible/Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e9fe6479-8499-4a29-9b51-cc164d686d79/episodes/6698256b-be4a-4469-a5ae-dc7edfccb68f/bicycle-for-the-eo-mind-why-a-bay-area-it-firm-made-the-transition-from-owner-operated-to-worker-owned-to-secure-its-futureYouTube Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMPJD1I37uw&list=PL8U8GQPqeIJh_1UfW234RmiPXJ6PYE1o1PocketCasts: https://play.pocketcasts.com/podcasts/62832590-c704-013d-7d6f-0affcdcd4ef3/96b63b6e-5b67-421c-8227-1707c070dd92Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/bicycle-for-the-eo-mind/why-a-bay-area-it-firm-made-the-transition-from-owner-operated-to-worker-owned-to-secure-its-future/PE:1317452291