The pandemic has changed the way every aspect of New York’s hospitality and nightlife industry functions—from scheduling staff to forecasting supply to configuration to customer service strategies. The one constant that the industry as a whole has experienced is that flexibility and innovation will be key to survival and success in the future.

One business trend that is gaining momentum across the country is conversion to employee ownership—a business model that offers flexibility, unique financial benefits and has proven to be resilient under difficult market conditions. Since the onset of COVID-19, the majority of employee-owned businesses have retained four times more jobs than their non-employee-owned counterparts.

Join us on Thursday, May 6 at 12pm to hear directly from leading industry experts and business transition specialists on why conversion to employee ownership might be the way of the future.

Featured Speakers:

Ariel Palitz, Senior Executive Director of the Office of Nightlife at the NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment

Rafael Espinal, President of the Freelancers Union

Supporting Organizations:

Rebecca Lurie, Cooperative Solutions Working Group

Brooklyn Navy Yard

Consortium for Worker Education

Grant Associates

Henry Street Settlement

The Hope Program

Hot Bread Kitchen

Jobs First NYC

Lower East Side Employment Network

New York City Deputy Mayor's Office for Strategic Policy Initiatives

New York City Employment and Training Coalition

Nontraditional Employment for Women

Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow

Owner to Owners