Having a Stake!

'Karen and Jay share why having an ownership stake inspires pride, purpose, and better outcomes for everyone.'

There’s something wonderful that happens when people feel like they truly own a piece of what they’re doing. Everything changes. The enthusiasm. The pride. The attention to detail. Whether it’s a business, a home, or even a community project — having a real stake brings out our best. You see it everywhere in America. A neighborhood revived when families buy their first homes. A company transformed when employees become owners. A small shop in Portsmouth or Newport where the founder still turns on the lights every morning with joy in his heart. Ownership just has a magic to it.

And it isn’t only about economics — though that’s certainly part of it. It’s something deeper. The psychological lift that comes from saying, “This is mine. I’m part of this.” Entrepreneurs know that feeling well. So do first-time homeowners. And so do those community volunteers who show up in all seasons — because they want to leave their corner of the world a little better than they found it. Having a stake ties us more tightly to the things we love.

Think of what happens when people own their homes. Or co-own the businesses they work in. Or participate in cooperatives where every member has a share. The pride grows. The responsibility grows. The possibilities grow. Look at places like Detroit’s Fitzgerald neighborhood, or Boston’s Dudley Street, where residents became owners and the landscape changed almost overnight. Yards trimmed. Houses restored. Smiles bigger. People care for what they own — and it shows.

And of course, here in the Granite State, we see this spirit every day. In Littleton’s River District. In the revitalized corners of Franklin. In towns like Wolfeboro where people pitch in because they feel the place is theirs. That’s the heart of small-town America — the simple, beautiful truth that when people have a stake, they step up.

Imagine a truly broad “ownership society” here in America. Homes in reach. New entrepreneurs taking the leap. More employee-owned companies. More cooperatives. More chances for people to say, “I helped build this.” Yes, it will take creativity. Yes, it will take work. But the payoff — the pride, the dignity, the sense of possibility — would be immense. And so very worth it.

Here’s to “having a stake”… and to the joy it brings.

The Entrepreneur’s Edge: Pride You Can’t Buy

There’s nothing quite like the spark you see in entrepreneurs. That look in their eyes that says, “I’m building something that matters.” It’s the unmistakable energy that comes from ownership — from knowing that the late nights, early mornings, and every challenge in between are part of your adventure. Entrepreneurs chase dreams, yes. But what keeps them going is the tremendous pride that comes from having a stake.

Take Dean Kamen in Manchester, NH — a world-class inventor whose workshops buzz with creativity. DEKA isn’t just an engineering firm. It’s a place where people feel connected to the mission, because they’re contributing to something real. Or consider Bert and John Jacobs, founders of Life Is Good. Their early years weren’t glamorous — selling T-shirts from a van rarely is — but ownership gave them purpose. And purpose kept them moving forward.

Entrepreneurs don’t simply work hard. They care deeply. They care because the success of their businesses is intertwined with their personal sense of accomplishment. It’s not just income. It’s identity. It’s the story they’ll tell someday.

And that’s why small businesses remain the beating heart of the American economy. From bakeries in Concord to tech start-ups in Austin, you find the same pattern: people who pour themselves into their ventures because they feel that magical thing — ownership — pulling them onward.

So here’s to the entrepreneurs. The dreamers. The risk-takers. The men and women who show us what it means to build something with your own two hands. They remind us why having a stake matters so much.

Small Towns, Big Stakes: When Community Becomes Personal

In small towns, having a stake isn’t abstract — it’s personal. When the town flourishes, you flourish. When it struggles, you pitch in. It’s part of the unwritten contract of living in a place where the bookstore owner knows your name and the post office clerk asks about your family. You belong. And belonging inspires action.

Look at Littleton’s River District, where residents, business owners, and local leaders came together to revive a once-quiet area. They built trails, opened cafes, added public art. They made it a destination — because they believed in their town. When people feel a stake, wonderful things happen.

This spirit isn’t limited to New Hampshire. In Bar Harbor, Maine, a volunteer-led cleanup effort now draws hundreds each year, and the coast looks stunning because locals took ownership of their own shoreline. No one assigned the task. People just cared enough to do it.

Even small traditions tell the story. The volunteers behind the Deerfield Fair. The families who decorate Hampton Beach for the Christmas parade. They put in the work because the town is their town. It’s a reflection of them.

Communities thrive not because of programs, but because of people. When residents move from spectators to participants — from renters of community life to owners of it — everything changes. Pride deepens. Friendships strengthen. And the town becomes something truly special.

Home Sweet Home: Why Ownership Changes Everything

Nothing quite compares to the moment someone receives the keys to their first home. It’s more than a transaction. It’s a milestone. A fresh start. A promise. Homeownership brings stability, dignity, and a powerful sense of “this is mine.” And when homeowners care for their homes, neighborhoods begin to shine.

A beautiful example comes from the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative in Boston. Once struggling, the area transformed as residents purchased affordable homes through a nonprofit land trust. Blocks that were once empty or abandoned were filled with gardens, porches, and pride. Homeowners didn’t just improve their properties — they revived their community.

In Cleveland’s Slavic Village, a similar rebirth took place when longtime renters became first-time buyers. Paint went up. Fences were repaired. Children played outside again. Ownership didn’t just change the homes. It changed the people who lived in them.

New Hampshire has seen this too. Towns like Franklin and Berlin have welcomed new homeowners who’ve invested themselves in revitalizing older properties. The results speak for themselves — brighter streets, stronger neighborhoods, and families who feel rooted.

Owning a home is one of the most powerful ways to have a stake in life. It offers security. Purpose. And the quiet joy of improving something that belongs to you. A home is not just a building. It’s the center of a life.

When Employees Own the Company: A Win for Everyone

Some of the most successful, resilient companies in America share a simple but extraordinary trait: employees aren’t just workers — they’re owners. When people have a stake in the company’s success, everything shifts. Commitment rises. Collaboration deepens. And pride fills the hallways.

Publix Super Markets is a perfect example. As one of the largest employee-owned companies in the world, Publix thrives because its associates think like owners. They greet customers warmly. They solve problems quickly. They want the store to shine — because it’s their store.

New Belgium Brewing in Colorado grew into a nationally beloved brand with an employee-ownership model that empowered workers to shape sustainability goals, charitable initiatives, and company culture. Shared ownership created shared purpose.

Right here in northern New England, King Arthur Baking Company in Norwich, Vermont stands as a model of how employee-owned businesses can endure and grow for centuries. Literally centuries. When people feel connected to the outcome, results improve — steadily, sustainably.

And then there are cooperatives — a structure with enormous promise. Here in New Hampshire, where CCA Global, led by Howard Brodsky, is energizing coops across America and around the world – enabling family businesses to compete effectively and win.  Cabot Creamery (owned by farmers across the region), rural electric co-ops, food co-ops, and even worker-owned retail stores. Co-ops thrive because members have skin in the game. A voice. A vote. A stake.

Employee ownership is more than a business model. It’s a philosophy: people flourish when they feel invested. A great reminder of what America can do when we expand opportunity and trust people to help shape the future.

Profile of the Week: John Hope Bryant — Building Owners, Not Dependents

This week we highlight John Hope Bryant, a dynamic American leader whose life mission has been to help people become owners — of businesses, of homes, and of their financial futures. As the founder of Operation HOPE, Bryant has championed financial literacy and economic inclusion for millions, especially in communities where ownership once felt out of reach.

Growing up in challenging circumstances in Los Angeles, he learned early how transformative it can be when people gain access to opportunity — and how damaging it is when they don’t. That understanding became the heartbeat of his work. Bryant often says, “You build what you own,” and his career has been dedicated to helping others experience that truth.

Operation HOPE has launched entrepreneurs from barbers to bakers to tech innovators, equipping them with training, credit pathways, and the confidence that comes from believing, “I can do this.” It’s ownership in its most human form — the chance to turn effort into independence.

Bryant has also been a champion of homeownership initiatives, seeing firsthand how owning a home can stabilize a family and transform a neighborhood. His “1 Million Black Businesses Initiative” is one of the largest efforts in U.S. history to help new entrepreneurs plant roots and grow wealth that lasts.

John Hope Bryant personifies this week’s theme. He believes in people. He believes in opportunity. He believes in the enormous power of having a stake. And he’s spent his life helping Americans — from all backgrounds — become owners of their future.

Quote of the Week

“Ownership brings security, and dignity, and independence.”

— President George W. Bush