• Episode 283: Gina Schaefer on Business, Community & EO

  • May 29 2024
  • Length: 45 mins
  • Podcast

Episode 283: Gina Schaefer on Business, Community & EO

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  • Summary

  • Bret Keisling is joined by Gina Schaefer, founder, board chair, and retired CEO of A Few Cool Hardware Stores, which was founded in 2003 in Washington D.C. It has since expanded to 15 locations in the Washington D.C. and Baltimore, MD metro areas. In 2021 it became a partial ESOP with plans to eventually become majority and then 100% employee owned. Gina shares the origin story of A Few Cool Hardware Stores and its journey to employee ownership. Starting with her EO A-ha Moment, which is directly related to the civil protests that took place in Washington D.C. in 2020, Gina discusses how small businesses can support their employees and communities. She touches on the challenges and rewards of transitioning to employee ownership, emphasizing the importance of community and connection. Gina shares the inspiring story of how her neighborhood hardware store hired a number of people who were in treatment at a nearby addiction center, and how the hardware store came to be known in the community as "Recovery Hardware," which became the title of her book. For more information on Gina, A Few Good Hardware Stores, and a link to where you can buy “Recovery Hardware” while also supporting independent booksellers, visit our webpage for this episode here: https://www.theesoppodcast.com/post/283-gina-schaefer-on-business-community-eo
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