Building Success, Together
We aim to build wealthier workers, stronger communities, and a thriving national economy by improving business succession through employee ownership.
Our values
Community
We believe in building strong, connected communities. Our portfolio companies actively contribute locally, and we cultivate a supportive, collaborative environment within our teams. For our business leaders, we provide peer support, resources, and growth opportunities, creating a positive impact for our communities and the CommonShares family.
Stewardship
We are dedicated stewards of the businesses we acquire, focusing on sustainable growth, employee well-being, and community impact. We empower local leadership, offering support while respecting their expertise to build resilient businesses for the future.
Ownership
We embrace ownership in all we do. We follow through on commitments, act responsibly with resources, take accountability seriously, and aren't afraid to roll up our sleeves. We practice open-book management and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
Humility
We value continuous learning and diverse perspectives. Humility keeps us open to feedback, helps us learn from setbacks, and ensures we make decisions that benefit all stakeholders. We celebrate achievements without arrogance and constantly seek ways to improve and adapt.
Our team
Charlie Iscoe
Co-founder
Charlie is a seasoned small business owner (Sunday Farms) and former public and private equities investor with experience at Emerson Point Capital, Goldman Sachs, and Conatus Capital.
Justine Janssen
Co-founder
Justine is a former small business owner and served as Chief Strategy Officer at Dayforce, where she scaled the company from $0 to a $10B enterprise value. She has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 and WXN’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women.
Mike Katchen
Executive Chairman
Michael Katchen is CEO and co-founder of Wealthsimple, leading fintech serving 3+ million Canadians with $50+ billion in assets. In 2024, he co-founded the startup studio, Simple Ventures. He's been named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young and currently sits on the board of Intact Financial and Wealthsimple Foundation.
Geoff Smith
Advisor
Geoff Smith is the Executive Chairman and former President & CEO of EllisDon, a $6 billion employee-owned construction services and technology company. He led EllisDon’s transition to employee ownership and has been recognized as an E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year.
Rich Brock
Advisor
Rich is the Founder of Brock Solutions, a global technology provider with over 1,000 employees, which he transitioned to 100% employee ownership. He serves as an active board member and Chairman of Logisense and Blackburn Media.
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Email us
hello@commonshares.ca
Careers
Interested in leading a company?
Apply here.
More information
For more information, download our brochure.