Hannah Sandmeyer, founder of Steward Market and CEO of Up & Over Advisors, joins Ryan Honeyman on Beyond the B to discuss how mission-driven companies can use mergers and acquisitions to grow and how founders can plan ownership transitions that protect their mission. They cover why B Corps often think about selling rather than buying, how acquisitions have helped employee-owned companies like 3LS grow, and what cultural integration requires after a deal closes. Hannah also explains how Steward Market, a marketplace for ethical exits, helps sellers, buyers, and capital providers find each other.

View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/ethical-exits-for-b-corps-w/-hannah-sandmeyer

Ryan Honeyman talks with Brigitta Nemes of B Lab about the purpose and stakeholder governance impact topic in the new B Corp standards. They discuss how it operationalizes the B Corp legal requirement, including public purpose, stakeholder mapping, materiality, responsible marketing, grievance procedures, and board oversight. Brigitta also explains what assurance providers are likely to look for and how ownership structures such as purpose trusts relate to protecting purpose over time.

View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/v2-standards-purpose-and-stakeholder-governance-w/-brigitta-nemes

Equator Coffees co-founder Helen Russell and Director of Coffee Culture Devorah Freudiger join Ryan Honeyman to share how the company has kept its founding values intact through 30 years of growth, pivots, and change. They explore how B Corp certification helped Equator codify and protect its values, why long-term supplier relationships sometimes require choosing partnership over short-term optimization, and how employee benefits, culture, LGBTQ+ visibility, and sustainability show up in everyday decisions. The conversation offers a practical look at what it takes to turn purpose from a set of intentions into the operating blueprint of a growing business.

View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/b-corp-as-a-blueprint-w/-helen-russell-devorah-freudiger