Project Overview:

CoLab is a technology development cooperative helping social enterprises use technology to do good work in the world and better lives. LIFT started working with them pre-launch in 2010, helped them organize as a cooperative and set up structures, strategies and systems to grow their company. Developing a worker-owned cooperative from scratch involves overcoming challenges related to organization design (role and responsibility definition and organization area definition), governance systems development and refinement, recruiting, onboarding, training, budgeting, accountability systems and process development, and, perhaps most significantly, training and practice with communication and conflict transformation to maintain and grow a collaborative culture of belonging.

LIFT still works with CoLab today (as of 2024) on board governance process (LIFT facilitates most board meetings), board training, business development process, value proposition development, market positioning refinement, compensation and budget benchmarking, and ongoing support with mediation, conflict transformation, and nonviolent communication training as needed.

LIFT worker-owner, Phoenix Soleil, has worked with CoLab to support their communication collaboration. Below is a testimonial about the impact of that work for the organization. Find out more about this type of culture work here.

Client Results:

• They are now a going concern for over a decade with invested member-owners on three continents, and a larger collaborator member network in seven U.S. states and eight countries from Austin, Texas to Chandigarh, India.

• CoLab operates with a sociocracy-informed org area and board structure with an evolving impact goals navigation process and robust culture and business development systems.

• CoLab is a certified B Corp.

• Strategic positioning, marketing and business development strategy and tactics.
  

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