Worker ownership, progressive business practices, architecture, high-performance building, renewable energy, interior design, affordable housing, community outreach. . .we think seriously about these topics and aim to share our findings as widely as possible.
Our physical work is limited to the island of Martha’s Vineyard, but our reach extends far beyond.
We communicate to a larger constituency in many ways: by writing, speaking, teaching, consulting, participating in peer group networks, and consistently providing internships for students and emerging professionals.
Writing
In 2005, Chelsea Green Publishing released SMCo Founder John Abrams’ book The Company We Keep: Reinventing Small Business for People, Community, and Place. In 2008, a significantly revised second edition was released, re-named Companies We Keep: Employee Ownership and the Business of Community and Place. The book found a following. Dr. John Todd, ecologist and University of Vermont professor, calls it “a sleeper. It’s a Pilgrim’s Progress of ecological and economic explorations, woven together with a deep-rooted sense of place.”
As a company, we also publish a series of newsletters chronicling the ins and outs of life at South Mountain.
Speaking
Several members of our staff are regularly contacted for speaking engagements: John (our founder) and Deirdre Bohan (our CEO) often headline on the topics of worker ownership, progressive business, and affordable housing; Director of Energy Technology Rob Meyers is a leading voice in New England’s energy arena; and Director of Production Newell Isbell Shinn has become an influential public face after serving as president of the Martha’s Vineyard Builders’ Association which we helped to form in 2012.
Consulting
We consult regularly with companies transitioning to worker ownership.
If you’re interested in any of the above, contact azell@southmountain.com.