Simon Jones: Own your exit strategy

I had the pleasure of meeting the owners of Optimum Coatings last week. Not all 74 of them, but a good number of people across different parts of the business. Since spring 2024, Optimum Coatings has been owned by its employees in an employee ownership trust (EOT), something that’s an uncommon company structure in the optical industry. 

There are several financial benefits for the company and staff now that it’s an employee ownership trust, but from a customer perspective dealing with the company day in, day out, I would be more interested in the level of engagement staff have in their jobs. It’s safe to say that attention to detail at Optimum Coatings was high before the change of structure, but with skin in the game, employees have found another level of engagement and motivation. Appetite for training in different areas of the business is high, and staff will often give talks on their specific roles. They also have a say in how the business is run and the investments it makes.