Becoming Indiana’s First Employee Ownership Trust (EOT)

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Guidon was built on a simple idea: create an architecture and engineering firm where people can do meaningful work, grow over time, and feel confident in the company’s future. Founder Luke Leising — a former U.S. Army Combat Engineer Officer and service-connected disabled veteran — grounded the firm on three core pillars: legacy and longevity, shared accountability, and steady, values-driven leadership.

Over the last decade, Guidon established itself as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) serving public and private clients across the country. But as the firm matured, a critical question emerged:

‍How do we remain independent in a consolidating industry — and ensure long-term success is shared across the entire firm?

That search for a sustainable, values-aligned path forward led Guidon to become Indiana’s first Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), and one of the first A/E firms in the country to adopt this ownership model.

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The challenge: Protecting identity & independence in a consolidating industry

As Guidon grew, the architecture and engineering landscape around it was shifting. Independent firms were being absorbed into national platforms, often losing their name, culture, and connection to the communities they served. Guidon’s leadership saw the trend clearly — and understood what it could mean for a firm built on shared accountability, transparency, and long-term stewardship.

For Luke, the question was about more than succession planning or a traditional business exit strategy. It was about preserving what made Guidon distinct: its autonomy, its mission of Improving Lives + Empowering People®, and the long-term opportunity it promised its team.

The leadership team wanted an ownership model that could: 

• Preserve Guidon’s identity in a consolidating industry

• Maintain cultural continuity, especially around transparency and shared accountability

• Provide a clear, stable long-term plan for employees and future leaders

• Broaden financial benefit beyond a small ownership group

• Support long-term resilience, not a short-term exit

The solution needed to strengthen Guidon for the long run — not simply deliver the highest sale price.

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The process: Exploring employee ownership models

Guidon conducted extensive research into the ownership models available to companies in the A/E space. The goal wasn’t just to understand how each model worked, but to determine which option most closely aligned with the firm’s culture, values, and vision.

Acquisition or external sale

The team briefly considered the idea of an acquisition — but while financially compelling, the risk of being absorbed into a larger organization directly conflicted with Guidon’s commitment to independence, continuity, and culture. As Luke noted, an external sale “didn’t check hardly any boxes.”

ESOP ownership

Guidon completed a full ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) feasibility study. The multi-month analysis evaluated tax treatment, cash requirements, administrative obligations, and governance implications.

While the ESOP model offered meaningful advantages, several tradeoffs didn’t align with how the firm wanted to lead or share accountability over time:

• Decision-making can unintentionally shift toward managing share price

• Benefit distributions can vary by tenure and timing, limiting broad participation

• Ongoing administrative and compliance requirements add long-term management complexity

Employee Ownership Trust (EOT)

Alongside the ESOP, Guidon explored an Employee Ownership Trust — a flexible employee ownership model in which an owner sells all or some of their shares to a trust that holds the company for the benefit of employees. The EOT feasibility study demonstrated how the trust-based model could protect independence, strengthen transparency, and broaden financial participation.

Guided by the data, the firm realized that the EOT was the strongest path to achieve its ownership objectives.

“Looking at the big picture, looking at the long term, and looking at the broader objectives — the EOT became, far and away, the best option for us.‍” — Luke Leising, Founder, Guidon

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The solution: An EOT to preserve identity and broaden ownership

Partnering with Common Trust, Guidon established a sustainable ownership structure that safeguards the firm’s independence, reinforces its cultural pillars, and supports steady leadership and shared financial participation — without adding unnecessary administrative burden.

Why the EOT worked

• Independence protection: Keeps Guidon an autonomous, independent firm in a consolidating industry

• Cultural alignment: Carries forward the firm’s pillars of transparency, shared accountability, and steady leadership

• Stable succession planning: Defines a predictable path for leadership continuity and long-term strategy

• Broad employee participation: Allows every employee to share in the company’s success — without personal buy-in or financial exposure

• Legacy preservation: Reflects Luke’s commitment to building a durable, mission-focused firm designed to outlast any individual owner

Designing the Employee Ownership Trust

Guidon’s EOT was designed to strengthen what already worked. The trust layers onto the company’s existing board and advisory board — keeping leadership, operations, and decision-making steady — while creating a phased path toward 100% employee ownership for the future.

The result is a structure that broadens financial participation without requiring employee buy-in and provides long-term clarity for the entire team.

After the transition: Continuity, transparency, and shared financial upside

In November 2025, Guidon became the first company in Indiana to transition to an Employee Ownership Trust — a milestone that formalized the firm’s long-term commitment to independence, steady leadership, and shared accountability. Inside the company, the shift was intentionally seamless. Day-to-day operations, leadership roles, and client delivery all remain unchanged.

What has changed is the clarity employees now have about the firm’s future. The EOT provides a defined, transparent ownership path, financial participation tied to shared values and behaviors, and a durable plan for what comes next.

“What I’m excited about isn’t tomorrow — it’s a year or two down the road, when the flywheel starts turning, and employees really get to share in the financial success of the company, without taking on the personal risk that comes with traditional ownership.” — Luke Leising, Founder, Guidon

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Lessons for leaders exploring employee ownership options

Guidon’s transition to an Employee Ownership Trust shows what’s possible when an ownership model is intentionally built to strengthen culture, preserve autonomy, and broaden financial opportunity within the firm.

• Lead with alignment. Clarify the non-negotiables — and prioritize what matters most — before comparing structures or financial outcomes.

• Let the data do the work. Objective feasibility studies can provide side-by-side comparisons so you can confidently choose the structure that supports your objectives.

• Broaden participation without adding barriers. Choose a structure that extends ownership benefits to employees without requiring personal buy-in, loans, or financial exposure.

• Protect what makes your company distinct. The right ownership model should strengthen your culture and mission, not reshape them.

• Design for continuity. Layer ownership into existing governance and leadership to ensure steady operations while adding long-term clarity for the team.

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Curious if employee ownership could support your succession plan?

Common Trust partners with business owners and leadership teams to understand employee ownership options and lead sustainable Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) transitions that strengthen culture, protect independence, and broaden employee participation.

Schedule a free advisory call to explore whether employee ownership could be right for your company.

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