A thriving electrical contracting firm in mid-Wales town of Newtown, provides a case-study of successful employee-owned business principles at work, explains Andrew Bibby.

According to Gregory Cohn, coordinator of Tower Hamlets Co-operative Development Agency and a founder of Succession London, the aim is to find solutions for business owners wanting to retire or move on whilst at the same time helping existing employees keep their jobs. "Everyone can end up a winner this way," he says. Cohn argues that up to now business advice culture has paid insufficient attention to issues of small business succession, which can lead to unnecessary business liquidations.