I Am Ceo Podcast Powered By Cbnation.co & Blue 16 Media #iamceo

Vernon Oakes hosts the leading weekly national radio program for the U.S. cooperative community and is a general partner in Everything Co-op Communications, LLC, a media company focused on cooperative business models.    Vernon shares his journey, starting with his upbringing in Bluefield, West Virginia, and his experience attending Bluefield State College.    He delved into real estate, property management, and eventually, co-op housing, specifically limited equity co-ops.   Vernon explains that co-ops are businesses owned and controlled by their members. A well-known example is worker co-ops, where employees have a say in business operations and profits.   Vernon emphasizes that co-ops allow workers to petition for better pay and benefits from the government.   He highlights the importance of involving underrepresented groups, like Black women, in decision-making and leadership roles, as they often don’t receive the recognition they deserve in capitalist systems.   Vernon discusses the importance of communi