Ownership model

Organa is an Australian company. This means there are shares, and someone has to own them.

So who owns Organa, how are new owners brought in, and what does ownership mean?

Our model is simple: anyone who has been at Organa for 2+ years can become an owner.

Why 2 years? Glad you asked :) Although we are picky with recruiting, we might screw up and bring in a bad apple. We trust that we’ll notice and get rid of a bad apple faster than 2 years! The 2 year rule reduces the risk that the bad apple is also a shareholder, which would complicate the getting-rid-of process.

Now you might thinking “Huh, so anyone is allowed to become a owner? Really?”.

Exactly. The idea is that, if we wouldn’t trust someone to co-own the company, why would we trust them to represent Organa at all? So if, after two years, we don’t trust a Member enough to offer them ownership, that’s a sign they shouldn’t be at Organa at all. So far this hasn’t happened.

So, every year around early March (to co-incide with an upcoming Board meeting) we send an invite to all non-owners who have been around for at least 2 years, and ask them if they want to become owners.

What does ownership cost?

As you’re read around this site, we work hard to to minimise the financial value of the company. Yes, you heard it right. I know, that’s like the opposite of what other companies do right. But remember, the purpose of Organa is not to enrich it’s owners. The purpose is to help Member be happy.

We’ve all seen consulting companies that work like pyramid schemes - where old-timers (partners) are like fat cats parasiting from the hard work of newcomers. Where rate cards are astronomical to partly remunerate those fat cats but to cover the costs of those fabulous paintings and plush carpets they tread on. That’s exactly what we don’t want to be.</rant>

So our shares are pretty fixed at the lowest possible price that complies with Australian law. This is currently set at AUD $1,500.

When you become an owner (which is entirely optional), you buy stock at that low price. You will have the exact same amount of stock as the other owners. And if/when you leave Organa, you must sell your stock back at basically the same price. For details, see Agreements.

This means there is no financial incentive to own stocks, no cashing out.

What does ownership actually mean?

Ownership means very little in practical terms. You won’t get rich, and you won’t gain more influence (power is gained through meritocracy, not ownership - see our decision process). In theory there are situations where ownership CAN make a difference, like if our normal decision process completely breaks down and we have to resort to shareholder voting for a critical decision. But that almost never happens.

So what’s the point of being a shareholder? Well, it’s mostly symbolic - the warm fuzzy feeling of co-owning our beautiful company. At at early 2019, all 2 of us have opted in. We can imagine some in the future will opt-in while others see ownership as just extra paperwork with no personal benefit and don’t bother. Either way is fine, and non-owners will keep getting the invite every year :)

What if someone buys Organa?

In theory someone could come along, smell our happiness and shell out a bunch of cash to buy Organa, and in the case the owners agree, we would in a sense cash out.

But with the current structure we see that as extremely unlikely. Organa itself is just a container, a platform, a Home. The real value is the Members, and they aren’t even employed by Organa. So although someone can technically buy Organa, they can’t really buy the people inside Organa. And besides, who would buy a company that explicitly strives to minimise it’s financial value :o)

But who knows. The world can be strange sometimes.