Family Business Connection · 2025-08-20 · 32 min
Scott Sletten of JDS Industries shares how employee ownership is shaping his company’s future and why legacy mattered most to his succession plan. Scott Sletten shares how JDS Industries, a thriving wholesale business, started as a local trophy shop, owned and run by his father. In the 1990s, Scott and his father transitioned from retail to wholesale, developing JDS Industries into the 13-warehouse international business it is today. As he started approaching 60, Scott began exploring exit strategies - outright sale, family succession, or something in between. Concerned about culture shifts and vendor disruption with a private equity sale, Scott listened to his leadership team’s bold proposal: a 100% ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). After visiting several companies that operate under ESOPs, meeting with investors, and consulting with his leadership team, Scott decided to sell his company to his employees in a manner that maximized long-term impact while minimizing personal risk. [28:07] “No path of you exiting your company is without risk. . . .
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