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+---
+title: E2C Primer
+date: '2025-06-24'
+draft: false
+type: resource
+section: resources
+layout: resource
+description: "A comprehensive introduction to Exit to Community concepts and strategies"
+---
+
+## Introduction to Exit to Community
+
+Exit to Community (E2C) represents a fundamental shift from traditional startup exit strategies. Instead of selling to the highest bidder or going public, E2C enables companies to transition ownership to their users, workers, and communities.
+
+## Core Principles
+
+**Community Ownership**: Users and stakeholders become actual owners of the platforms and services they depend on.
+
+**Democratic Governance**: Decision-making power is distributed among community members rather than concentrated in the hands of a few.
+
+**Value Alignment**: The organization's mission remains aligned with community values rather than solely focused on financial returns.
+
+**Sustainability**: Long-term community benefit takes precedence over short-term profit maximization.
+
+## Why Exit to Community?
+
+Traditional exit strategies often result in:
+- Mission drift as new owners prioritize profit over purpose
+- Loss of community input in product development
+- Extraction of value from the community that built the platform
+- Potential shutdown or radical changes that harm users
+
+E2C offers an alternative that:
+- Preserves the organization's original mission
+- Ensures community voices remain central to decision-making
+- Keeps value creation within the community
+- Provides long-term stability and sustainability
+
+## Getting Started
+
+Interested in exploring E2C for your organization? Consider:
+
+1. **Assess Readiness**: Evaluate your organization's maturity and community engagement
+2. **Explore Models**: Research different cooperative and community ownership structures
+3. **Legal Framework**: Understand the legal requirements and options in your jurisdiction
+4. **Community Engagement**: Begin conversations with your user base and stakeholders
+5. **Implementation Planning**: Develop a transition strategy that works for your specific context
+
+## Learn More
+
+Explore our [case studies](/case-studies/) to see real-world examples of E2C transitions, and review our [legal snippets](/legal-snippets/) for practical frameworks and documentation.
+