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The sustainable development of worker cooperatives and democratic workplaces is vital. It aligns economic, social, and environmental goals while empowering workers, promoting a more equitable and participatory economy, and furthering economic justice, job satisfaction, community development, sustainability, resilience, innovation, and more. Joining us to discuss these benefits are Ana Martina and Daniella Preisler, who are on a mission to democratize the workplace for the benefit of all. 

Ana is a community organizer and bilingual facilitator known for her deep understanding of workplace democracy. She aims to educate others on best practices for democratic governance and organizational accountability. Daniella has a multifaceted background, having worked as a consultant, coach, and trainer. With a wealth of knowledge and expertise, she emerges as a beacon of guidance in the realm of cooperative development. Both are cofounding members of Colmenar Cooperative Consulting, a bilingual consulting cooperative business managed and operated by its workers, which provides education and resources for the sustainable development of worker cooperatives and democratic workplaces. 

In today’s conversation, we delve into cooperatives as a business model and how to leverage them as drivers of change. We discuss why cooperatives have become so popular with communities, the benefits of the cooperative business model, and why sustainability is vital to building democratic workplaces. You’ll learn how the pandemic impacted Ana and Daniella’s work and perspective, exciting projects happening in the space, the biggest challenges of transforming the economy, and more. Tune in as we shape a future where cooperation, equity, and sustainability thrive, unlocking the potential of every worker and community!

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Key Points From This Episode:

•   The story behind Colmenar Cooperative Consulting. [0:03:52]

•   Exciting past and upcoming projects in the cooperative space. [0:08:00]

•   What inspired the name of the organization. [0:12:46]

•   How Daniella and Ana are helping to build the next economy. [0:14:25]

•   The biggest challenges of transforming the economy and what has been achieved. [0:20:03]

•   How they plan to grow the movement and what they have planned for the future. [0:26:47]

•   Final thoughts from Daniella and Ana on transforming economic systems. [0:30:30]

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Tweetables:

“I think we achieved the goal of providing an accessible resource for the community.” — Daniella Preisler [0:10:12]

“Right now, we are in a very interesting moment where we have seen the growth of cooperatives. Even in the last five or six years, the number of cooperatives has really increased in the States.” — Ana Martina [0:11:26]

“We are also thinking, ‘How do we connect this movement?’ Not only within the US but abroad.” — Daniella Preisler [0:17:15] 

“The work with the international community is very important to us.” — Ana Martina [0:17:57]

“For me, [people] are naturally communal. I think the best version of us is in community.” — Daniella Preisler [0:23:11]

“The reason why we formed a working cooperative and a non-profit is because we understand the challenges of our communities.” — Ana Martina [0:25:47]

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Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Ana Martina: https://colmenar.coop/ana-martina/

Daniella Preisler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniella-preisler-a823b5134/

Sustainable Economies Law Center: https://www.theselc.org/

Colmenar Cooperative Consulting: https://colmenar.coop/

U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC): https://www.usworker.coop/en/

International Organisation of Industrial and Service Cooperatives (CICOPA): https://www.cicopa.coop/

Prospera: https://prosperacoops.org/

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Next Economy MBA

This episode is brought to you by the Next Economy MBA.

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