U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives
membership organization of U.S. worker cooperatives and allies.
Democracy at Work Institute
training and development arm of the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives
Grassroots Economic Organizing
Resources and articles related to the solidarity economy, including worker ownership.
Sustainable Economies Law Center
Legal organization dedicated to grassroots economic empowerment (including cooperatives).
MONDRAGON, SPAIN
Three short blog posts about Mondragon by Gilda Haas
– How Do You Become a Member?
– Mondragon Team Academy
– Mondragon: What is Solidarity?
EMILIA ROMAGNA, ITALY
“The Italian Region Where Co-ops Produce a Third of Its GDP,” by John Duda, YES! Magazine, July 23, 2016.
ARGENTINA
“The Take” is a great documentary by Avi Lewis and Naomi Klein about the recuperated factory movement in Argentina through the experience of one plant.
3 Kinds of Financial Statements from Worker-Owner Workbook: A Guide to Embracing the Worker-Owner Culture, Cincinnati Union Co-op Initiative, 2018.
13 Ways to Finance a Co-op by BRED
Excerpt from Raise Capital on Your Own Terms: How to Fund Your Business Without Selling Your Soul by Jenny Kassan
Financing Cooperatives by the Democracy Collaborative
Examples of Direct Public Offerings by Cutting Edge Capital
Democratic Governance: The Design of Governance Systems for Worker Cooperatives, ICA Group
“Secret #30: “Why Managing Ourselves Well Matters,” from Zingerman’s Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to Managing Ourselves
SELC: Co-op Law Governance Information, Sustainable Economies Law Center
DAWI Prezi: Governance and Management Modules for Small Organizations
Some of the best books on customer discovery and customer service were written by the co-founder of Zingerman’s, a deli and family of around 10 businesses that share the same brand in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Founded with a handful of folks in the 80s it now does $60 million in business a year, employs about 600 people, and is converting to a worker co-op!
Their “secret sauce” is all about how well they treat their customers and their workers, making Zingerman’s a great experience for all.
Here is a link to their publication list and some short excerpts:
“What Does “Great Service” Mean in Your Business?”
“Customer Service 301: Breaking the Rules & Moments of Truth”
Here is an article about Zingerman’s unique growth model which is in some ways similar to those of the Arizmendi Association of Cooperatives.
