Rethinking Startup Success: Beyond Traditional Venture Capital
Silicon Valley’s playbook often glorifies rapid growth and massive funding rounds. But a growing movement of founders is proving there are alternative paths to building sustainable, impactful businesses—ones that prioritize profits, users, and employees over venture capital demands.
Meet the Trailblazers at Disrupt 2020
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2020, three visionary leaders will share their unconventional approaches:
- Seth Besmertnik (Conductor CEO): Bought back his company from WeWork, creating a 90% employee-owned business
- Hays Witt (Driver’s Seat CEO): Built a ride-hail driver cooperative putting data control back in workers’ hands
- Aniyia Williams (Black & Brown Founders/Zebras Unite): Champions startups solving social problems while turning profits
Employee Ownership in Action: The Conductor Story
After selling to WeWork in 2018, Besmertnik realized the acquisition wasn’t serving his team’s best interests. His solution? A groundbreaking buyback that transformed Conductor into a majority employee-owned company:
- 250+ employees now hold ~90% ownership
- “Employee co-founders” can influence board decisions
- Profit-sharing aligns all stakeholders
“This structure lets us all participate in the company’s successes and challenges,” Besmertnik told TechCrunch.
The Cooperative Advantage: Driver’s Seat & Zebras Unite
These organizations demonstrate how cooperative models create sustainable value:
Driver’s Seat Cooperative
- Helps gig workers leverage their data to maximize earnings
- Legally requires ≥51% of profits to return to driver-owners
- Gives workers governance control through its LCA structure
Zebras Unite
- Supports mission-driven, revenue-generating startups
- Developing innovative ownership classes for ecosystem impact
- Proves businesses can thrive without compromising values
Why This Matters Now
As startup culture evolves, these models offer compelling alternatives:
- Greater alignment between company success and employee welfare
- Sustainable growth without growth-at-all-costs pressure
- Community-focused value creation over investor demands
Join the Conversation at Disrupt 2020
The fully virtual TechCrunch Disrupt 2020 (September 14-18) will dive deeper into these innovative approaches. Learn how to build businesses that balance purpose and profit—without traditional VC constraints.
🚀 Technology Solutions & Recommendations
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