This Guide is for worker-owners, cooperative developers, lawyers, technical assistance providers and others thinking about expanding worker cooperative businesses. We focus specifically on expansion through licensing and franchising.
The Guide explains in detail what licensing and franchising are and how they might apply to worker cooperatives. We also provide descriptions of cooperatives using these models. The Guide lays out questions that will help you determine whether you are ready to expand and what type of approach would be best suited to your cooperative. It also poses questions for you to consider and explains concepts that will help inform conversations with an attorney about expanding. Most importantly, it helps you to consider: How do you expand a worker cooperative while maintaining democratic worker control, autonomy, and independence?
