My first experience as a business owner was at a popsicle stand. I was eight and my sister and I sold popsicles during garage sales. We were wildly successful in my mind (made a whole $10 each, which seemed like a fortune), even though we probably ate half of our product.
Employee ownership was in my DNA from the beginning. But I didn’t get the chance again until I came to Mead & Hunt. I was working for a boutique aviation planning firm when we got acquired by Mead & Hunt. Suddenly, I became a planner in an engineering firm, and I wasn’t sure how I would fit.
You see, my degree isn’t in engineering, business or anything similar. I studied, of all things, birds and bunnies (others might call it biology) and journalism. My plan included merging all my passions, protecting our environment, making our communities better and, in a perfect world, somehow squeezing my love for travel in there. So, while I never planned to work for an engineering company, Mead & Hunt gave me the one opportunity that I didn’t have anywhere else: the chance to carve out my own career path.
Finding My Way
How I got to Mead & Hunt is part of the story, but I think why I’ve stayed matters even more. After two years, I was selected to become an employee owner, and I’d like to say it was an easy decision. At the time, I was getting married, thinking about starting a family, and the thought (and actuality) of investing was a big lift.
Luckily, I did end up making the jump. That leap felt scary at the time, but it’s turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Every year since has only proven that a little discomfort up front was worth the security and sense of purpose it’s given me.
What Ownership Has Made Possible
Fifteen years later, I’ve had time to think about what employee ownership really means to me. People often talk about it in terms of financial stability, having a say in company decisions, and voting for leadership. All of that’s true for me as well. I was proud to be selected by the shareholders last year for our Board of Directors.
But more importantly, my reason for being here shows up in smaller, everyday moments that add up to something bigger.
A voice for sustainability. When I felt strongly that we needed a corporate sustainability plan, I was given the opportunity to help build one.
Room to grow. When I saw a chance to expand our sustainability and resilience services, I got the support to make it happen.
Support for traveling moms. When I became a mom and noticed how few resources existed for nursing moms on the road, I helped create policies to address this gap.
Better leave for new parents. When new parents were struggling, we improved our parental leave options.
Community through crisis. When COVID hit and so many of us lost childcare overnight, we built support groups to get each other through it.
A bigger way to give back. When we wanted to grow our giving program, we launched a nonprofit Foundation to expand what we can do for our communities.
In times of instability, I feel confident knowing that I get to be part of navigating these changes at Mead & Hunt. I have a seat at the table, and the uncertainty I feel in the world feels a bit more certain when I can help own a future for my kids.
Passing the Torch
Recently, I walked outside to find my kids setting up a lemonade stand as part of their neighborhood company (called Helpers of the Seasons). On the heels of Kiera and Rowan watching me run and get elected to the Mead & Hunt Board of Directors, they held elections for their lemonade leadership, including chair, secretary, as well as a couple of unique board positions (“snack getter” and “vibe setter”).
Watching that message of ownership flow down to my kids, seeing them rewrite the experience for themselves, I couldn’t be more grateful. Perhaps in their world, we’ll all vie for positions such as “vibe setter” and remember to take the time to ensure the lemonade tastes “just” right. If they carry even a fraction of that spirit into whatever they do next, I’ll know I did something right.
Mead & Hunt made becoming an employee owner easier than I expected, with helpful guidance and encouragement. You don’t have to wait for the perfect moment when all the stars align, because that rarely happens in life, and I hope my story gives you a glimpse of the benefits on the other side of that leap. So ask the questions, because it might be easier and more rewarding than you think to claim your seat at the table, where you’ll have real input into the company’s direction and a stake in the future you helped shape.
