Impact Stories
Mary Wilder of Shine Nurture Center
Mary Wilder during a coaching session at Shine Nurture Center.
Shine’s worker-owners celebrate after the business officially becomes worker-owned.
Mary Wilder knew nothing about the worker-owned model when the founder of Shine Nurture Center began the process of selling the childcare center. The idea of shared ownership appealed to her.
"I never wanted to own a daycare by myself," said Mary, who had worked at the center for 3 years. "Then the opportunity with worker-ownership came along with Shine. And it wasn’t just me."
Shine’s worker-owners now run the business together. Through the Business Legacy Fund, Co-op Cincy supported them as they took ownership in February 2022, helping finance their purchase of the business and assisting them in ongoing management through coaching.
“There were so many things we didn’t know about being a business owner. Ms. Ellen was like, ‘I’m going to help you guys. I’m going to train you guys and give you the resources you need,’” Mary said, referring to Ellen Vera, our Co-Director, who helps run the Fund.
With Co-op Cincy's ongoing support, Shine has flourished. The worker-owners bought the building in October 2022.
“I like the democratic idea of a co-op,” said Mary. “I love that we all get to make decisions about our everyday work life.”
Why did Mary decide to become a worker-owner?
“I made this decision for my kids. I want to be able to leave them something.”
Shine Nurture Center receives our support through training, weekly coaching, and loan access. Your donation will help more workers like Mary become worker-owners.
Nayeli Roblero of Cincy Cleaning Co-op
Nayeli Roblero was unaware of the worker-ownership option when she immigrated to Cincinnati from Guatemala at age 16. In the years that followed, she got married, had 5 children, and separated from her husband.
While working long hours as a cleaner, she learned of Cincy Cleaning Co-op, one of the worker-owned businesses in our network. In 2020, Nayeli joined the co-op as a worker-owner. She wanted to take control of her career.
“I feel supported,” said Nayeli. “I’ve always had a dream of owning a business and bettering myself.”
Cincy Cleaning Co-op receives our support through training, weekly coaching, and loan access. Your donation will help more workers like Nayeli become worker-owners.
Zeke Coleman of Our Harvest
After years working at a chicken processing plant, Zeke came to Our Harvest, the oldest co-op in our network. Listen to him talk about his experience being in a worker co-op and what that means to him.
Our Harvest receives our support through training, weekly coaching, and loan access. Your donation will help more workers like Zeke become worker-owners.
Brandon Z. Hoff of Heritage Hill
From left, the worker-owners behind Heritage Hill: Janeine Williams, Brandon Z. Hoff, & Marcus Bethay.
Brandon Z. Hoff started Heritage Hill in 2019 after noticing a lack of diversity in the world of collegiate merchandise. He planned to supply apparel to historically Black colleges while also enabling students to make products for their schools.
"The goal was to unify the Black entrepreneurial community with the Black consumer," Brandon said.
In 2021, Brandon expanded ownership to two employees through our Business Legacy Fund program. Hoff said he was looking for a way to "participate in capitalism without being predatory."
Co-op Cincy supported him as he expanded ownership and assists the business in ongoing management through coaching.
The co-op model appealed to Brandon because it centers fairness. "I really want people who work in the company to have an opportunity to benefit from the company."
Heritage Hill receives our support through training, weekly coaching, and loan access. Your donation will help more owners like Brandon expand ownership to their workers.
Yovany Gonzalez of Sustainergy
“I used to work in landscaping and gardening, and it was very different. In large companies; the people at the top only care about the work. They do not care about the workers. For example, if you get sick for a day or two and you don’t work, you are let go.
“Here at Sustainergy, we work together: Flequer, Lindsey, and the rest of the team. They understand if you’re sick and need to stay home for a day. I finally feel secure, because I know my team supports me.
“As a worker, each one of us has an opportunity. For example, where I am from in Honduras, we have cooperatives that help people. Seeing their success encourages you to become a part of it. Being an owner of the company gives you more reasons to work harder. Because if you work harder you know that it is a benefit for you and your team, and it becomes a motivation for you to give more of yourself.
“The Co-op Cincy network is important because there are a lot of people here who have worked a long time at other companies and have never had the opportunity to receive the support we get from each other in the cooperative.”
Yovany and the rest of Sustainergy’s team receive our support through training, weekly coaching, and loan access. Your donation will help more workers like Yovany become worker-owners.
