Your Network Needs to Be in This Room — NC Employee Ownership Conference 2026

NC Employee Ownership Conference 2026

September 16, 2026 • 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM • McKimmon Center, Raleigh, NC • $25

 

I am reaching out because the work you do every day puts you in the room with the people who need this conversation the most.

On September 16, 2026, the NC Employee Ownership Center and Give It To The People® are hosting the NC Employee Ownership Conference 2026, North Carolina's first statewide conference dedicated to employee ownership as a succession planning, wealth-building, and community stabilization tool. We would love to have you there and we are asking for your help in getting the word out to your colleagues, clients, and members.

Here is why this matters right now.

More than 50% of small business owners have no succession plan. Baby Boomers, now between 62 and 80 years old, own millions of established businesses across this state, and most of them don't know that employee ownership through ESOPs, Employee Ownership Trusts, and Worker Cooperatives is even an option. On top of that, the recent elimination of North Carolina's HUB Office has removed a critical contracting pathway for minority-owned and historically underutilized businesses, making alternative business models and succession strategies more urgent than ever.

The NC Employee Ownership Conference was built for the people in your network:

• Business owners with 5+ years in business who are thinking about what comes next
• CPAs, exit planners, and attorneys who want to add employee ownership to their advisory toolkit
• Economic developers and municipalities looking for strategies to keep businesses and wealth locally rooted
• CDFIs, chambers of commerce, and SBCs whose clients are asking succession questions you may not yet have complete answers to

As an advisor or ecosystem partner, your attendance alone sends a signal to your clients and members that this is a conversation worth having. And bringing a client with you? That could be the moment that changes the trajectory of their business.

We are asking you to:

✅ Register to attend: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtc9vv
✅ Share this invitation with your clients, members, and colleagues
✅ Forward this email to anyone in your network who owns an established business or advises one

CE credit is available for eligible advisors in the Advisors Track.

📅 September 16, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
📍 McKimmon Center | 1101 Gorman St, Raleigh, NC 27606
🎟 $25 Registration

🔗 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtc9vv

One day. One room. The most important business conversation happening in North Carolina right now. We hope to see you, and your network on September 16.

Warm regards,

Chisa Pennix-Brown, MBA
Chief Experience Cultivator
Give It To The People®
hi@giveittothepeople.com | 336-809-8851
giveittothepeople.com

On behalf of Illa Burbank, Executive Director
North Carolina Employee Ownership Center (NCEOC)
info@nceoc.org | nceoc.org

 

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ON SEPTEMBER 16.

McKimmon Center
1101 Gorman St.
Raleigh, NC 27606

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Registration: $25

Register now: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtc9vv

In community,

 

The Browns

Give It To The People®

  Give it to the People   |   1060 Slater Road #406 Durham, NC 27703   |   3368098851   |   http://www.giveittothepeople.com  

If you haven’t already, take a moment to watch our recent feature on PBS Black Issues Forum. It’s a powerful conversation about where we are and where we’re going—and it sets the tone for everything we’re building in 2026.

 

 

👉 Watch now: www.giveittothepeople.com

This is our Year of Influence.

At Give It To The People®, we are intentionally shifting how we show up to create deeper, more meaningful impact. That means expanding access, strengthening relationships, and making sure our members, entrepreneurs, and entrepreneur service organizations are not just seen—but connected.

Connected to city leaders.
Connected to county decision-makers.
Connected to state representatives.
Connected to ministry and community voices shaping real change.

Because when we are in the right rooms—and recognized in those rooms—our collective reach multiplies.

That’s exactly why the NC Legacy Awards matters.

This is not just an event. This is a moment of alignment.

With endorsements and support from leaders such as Former Governor Roy Cooper, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee, Mayor Leonardo Williams, Mayor Pro Tem Stormie Forte, NC House Representative Zack Hawkins, NC Senate Member Natalie Murdock, County Commissioner Michelle Burton, Judges Doretta Walker and Myra Griffin, along with Bishop Ronald Godbee and Pastor Nathaniel Davis of NOW Church—this room is filled with influence, intention, and impact.

And yes—we’re proud of that. Because it reflects the trust, credibility, and work we’ve consistently delivered in our community.

Now it’s time to bring it all together.

This is your opportunity to be in a space where business meets policy, community meets leadership, and ideas turn into action.

We believe this is the moment for unification across North Carolina—to elevate conversations, increase awareness, and shape an environment that benefits all of us.

And we want you in the room.

This event also serves as a fundraiser to relaunch our nonprofit, allowing us to bring more awareness to politics and business in a way that is engaging, accessible, and yes—actually enjoyable.

Here’s how you can be part of it:

  • Attend the NC Legacy Awards

  • Share this with someone who needs to be in this room

  • Donate a ticket for someone else

  • Sponsor and align your brand with this movement

If you’re ready to connect, collaborate, and contribute—this is your invitation.

For sponsorships or questions, contact me directly at giveit2thepeople@gmail.com
Or book a quick chat: www.calendly.com/giveittothepeople

Let’s be clear—
Influence isn’t coming. It’s here. And we’re building it together.

— Chisa Pennix-Brown
Chief Experience Cultivator
Give It To The People®

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