Formerly Firefly Insights – We are now Ownership Design Group
We design employee ownership transitions — EOTs, ESOPs, MBOs & Hybrid approaches — for Canadian founders who care deeply about what happens after they exit.
We’re Employee Ownership Specialists — in Canada
Guiding Enduring Ownership Transitions Towards Value-Based Canadian Legacies
Our role is to help guide you on succession options built around your values & legacy. Not every exit looks the same. We work with owners to find the structure that protects employees, preserves culture, and honours the business you’ve built.
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Solution Models
However you choose to transition, the goal stays the same: protecting what you've built and the people who built it with you.
These aren’t rigid, all-or-nothing routes. Most transitions we design borrow from more than one approach — shaped around your goals, your timeline, and your team.
Your legacy isn’t just what you built. It’s what happens to it next.
Our Services
From first questions to long-term support
SUCCESSION PLANNING
Not sure where to start, or whether employee ownership is even right for you? This is where most owners begin. We run a diagnostic evaluation to understand your goals and values, then map out the models and pathways genuinely available to you — so you can see all your options clearly before committing to any of them.
CUSTOM OWNERSHIP DESIGN
Once you know the direction, the details matter. For owners actively building toward a transition, we handle the financial modelling, ownership allocation, and governance design along your chosen path — shaping the structure around your goals for retention, engagement, and a transition that holds up over time.
EDUCATION & COACHING
Becoming an employee owner is a shift in mindset, not just paperwork. We build education and resources for teams in employee-owned companies — whether you’re already there and want it working better, or preparing people for what ownership will actually mean day to day.
TRUSTEE SERVICES
An employee ownership trust needs a trustee who understands the structure and the responsibility. For companies that have completed a transition — or any employee-owned business needing an external trustee advisor — we provide that independent guidance.
EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP AUDIT
Already employee-owned but unsure your structure is working as well as it could? Our Employee Ownership Audit is a diagnostic review of the health and effectiveness of your model. We look at your governance, corporate materials, policies, and legal agreements to identify what’s working, where the gaps are, and what may need clarifying or strengthening — so your ownership model holds up for the long term.
TRAINING & SUPPORT
A successful transition doesn’t end at implementation. We provide ongoing support to help companies put employee ownership into practice in a way that’s meaningful and sustainable — governance training, decision-making and accountability frameworks, employee education, leadership development, communication support, and guidance for building a real ownership culture across the organization.
Get to Know Us, How We Work, What We Offer, and More.
Insights, News, Case Studies & More
Collectivist and Generative Leadership in Employee Ownership Trusts
Collectivist and generative leadership in Employee Ownership Trusts are essential to building an ownership culture…
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EOT vs ESOP in Canada: Which Employee Ownership Model Fits Your Business?
If you are a Canadian business owner exploring employee ownership, you have likely encountered two…
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How Employee Ownership Trust Financing Works
The most common question business owners ask when they first hear about Employee Ownership Trusts…
Read MoreYour Experience With Us - Matters
The Canadian Business Owner’s Guide to Employee Ownership - Digital Download
What’s Inside the Guide:
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Design Your Transition with Care
Partner with our dedicated team to turn your vision of employee ownership transition into reality.