Is Your Key Employee Ready for Ownership?
Start with these 8 factors to assess any employee you’re thinking of bringing into ownership of your closely held business.
Who this is for:
Owners and leaders of closely held or family businesses deciding whether to transfer a small block of equity to a key contributor.
Why it’s different:
Most resources discuss ESOPs or “ownership culture.” This worksheet helps you evaluate a specific person for actual ownership—filling a gap in widely available tools.
How it works:
Download the worksheet.
Score your candidate across the 8 factors.
Review your total and the “proceed / pause / not yet” guidance.
Use the prompts to plan communication, documentation, and next steps.
