When Business Exits Build Generational Wealth: How ESOPs Empower Everyone with Matt Middendorp

“When we talk about the retirement crisis in this country … ESOP employees have a 92% greater median household wealth than a non‑ESOP employee.”

What if selling your business could change lives—not just yours, but everyone who shows up each day to work beside you? In this episode Steve Ramona sits down with Matt, a former banker turned ESOP expert, to explore how serving others through business isn’t just noble—it creates lasting impact.

Matt’s journey begins in banking, where he watched business owners sell out to private equity or competitors and saw the people who built those businesses—employees—get left behind. He discovered ESOPs (Employee Stock Ownership Plans) as a bridge between purpose and profit—a tool that ensures those who contribute see the rewards. Heated by lessons he learned personally making the difficult decision to exit his own business, Matt brings both empathy and strategy.

Together they dive into real stories (like construction workers who went from job‑hopping to earning hundreds of thousands at exit), the myths around ESOPs (you won’t always “lose” control or return), and what business owners need to know to evaluate if this path is right for them. This is more than finance talk. It’s about vision, legacy, and the power of leading with a servant’s heart.

P.S. If you are building something that matters—something you’ll one day pass on—listen close. There’s a path forward for you, and it’s more possible than you think. Start today.