A recent Forbes article by Mary Josephs features Austin Evans of the Nashville marketing agency 5by5, part of the 3LS family of companies, highlighting how employee ownership can give workers a real stake in the companies they help build. Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) allow employees to become co-owners, fostering accountability, stability, and purpose in their work.
Evans shared his experience as an employee-owner:
“The more I learned about this benefit and that I would receive it just by doing my job, the more interested I grew,” Evans says.
When 5by5 was acquired by 3LS, a 100% employee-owned holding company, Evans and his colleagues became full owners:
“Our first ESOP statement doesn’t come until later this year, but the ESOP already has made a difference in how I think about my future. Peace of mind has replaced anxiety – and that’s priceless,” he recalls.
Evans’ story demonstrates how employee ownership can transform financial security and workplace engagement, showing that ESOPs are more than a financial benefit—they are a tool for building long-term opportunity.
Source: Mary Josephs, “Labor Day And Employee Ownership: A New Way To Honor America’s Workers,” Forbes, Sept. 1, 2025.