>Anyone know some of the pitfalls of an employee-owned company like that, and proven ways to avoid them? I'd argue that when you look at companies with longevi

>Anyone know some of the pitfalls of an employee-owned company like that, and proven ways to avoid them? I'd argue that when you look at companies with longevity they tend to be held closely, either by a family or within a coop style model. They also don't have to be small companies - look at places like Kiewit. As someone working to energize a small town economy, there's a lot to be said by exploring these cooperative models, given that PE / VC ain't likely to come to rural America anytime soon.