Turning the Silver Tsunami into a Wealth-Building Wave: Project Equity’s Vision for Employee Ownership and Economic Resilience

Authors

  • Dallas Shelby Project Equity

Keywords:

Silver Tsunami, employee ownership, economic resilience, business succession planning, local economies, wealth building, retiring Baby Boomers, Project Equity, employee-owned businesses, economic inequality, worker cooperatives, ESOPs, Employee Stock Ownership Plans, intergenerational wealth, inclusive economy, business legacy preservation

Abstract

With nearly half of U.S. business owners nearing retirement and many lacking succession plans, communities risk losing jobs and wealth as businesses close or are sold to absentee investors. Project Equity sees employee ownership as a transformative solution that turns this crisis into an economic resilience strategy. We guide businesses through ownership transitions, advocate for supportive policies, and foster collaboration to scale employee ownership nationwide. The results—more profitable businesses, increased quality jobs, and wealth-building opportunities for workers—strengthen local economies and address systemic wealth inequities.

 

Author Biography

Dallas Shelby, Project Equity

Dallas is an experienced nonprofit leader passionate about leveraging his talents to bring about real change. At Project Equity, he leads the communications and marketing team, helping to shape the narrative of employee ownership through storytelling and media engagement strategies.

With a background that spans both commercial and nonprofit organizations, Dallas has worked as a journalist, a filmmaker, a writer, an entrepreneur, a teacher, consultant and marketing strategist. Before coming to Project Equity, he served as a Director at National Arts Strategies, a nonprofit that provides leadership training and coaching for nonprofit leaders in the arts and culture sector. He also consulted with purpose-driven organizations on strategy, planning, leadership development, branding and communications.

He is an active volunteer in his hometown of Carmel, Indiana, where he is involved in state and local politics as a communications consultant, Democratic Precinct Chair and Indiana State Convention delegate. He also serves as the President of the Board of Trustees of the Carmel Education Foundation, which provides scholarships to students and innovation grants to teachers.

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Published

2025-02-19

How to Cite

Shelby, D. (2025). Turning the Silver Tsunami into a Wealth-Building Wave: Project Equity’s Vision for Employee Ownership and Economic Resilience. Social Innovations Journal, 29. Retrieved from https://socialinnovationsjournal.com/index.php/sij/article/view/9426

Issue

Vol. 29 (2025): Trends in Employee Ownership and Not-for-Profit Fiscal Sponsorship Management Models

Section

Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Dallas Shelby (Author)

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