Big News at Capacity Interactive

Erik Gensler AUTHOR: Erik Gensler
May 17, 2023
3 Min Read
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I’m thrilled to be sharing some big news — Capacity Interactive has transferred 100% ownership of the company to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). 

CI was founded on a commitment to our employees and a commitment to the arts industry. Becoming employee-owned through an ESOP preserves those commitments for the future.


The Move to ESOP

Back in 2009, I left my full-time marketing role at New York City Opera to launch Capacity Interactive, with the goal of helping the arts industry market in an evolving new digital age. Over the past 15 years, CI has grown from my kitchen table in Brooklyn to an incredible team of passionate and dedicated people around the country. A company that started with just two clients now serves over 250 arts and cultural organizations through consulting work and thousands more through conferences and resources for the field.

As you may know, about a year and a half ago, I stepped back from the day-to-day of CI and appointed Priya Iyer Doshi as the new President.  Under Priya’s leadership, CI has continued to thrive and in new ways. I began to think about how to transition my ownership stake in CI in a way that would honor and preserve what we’ve built, and that benefits all of our stakeholders. The ESOP was that path forward. Through the ESOP, CI employees are allocated shares of CI stock, and so the long-term value of the company will go to employees and their families.


How will this Impact Day-to-Day Operations? 

Functionally, this will not change the day-to-day operations of CI or how we serve our clients and the broader arts field. Our commitment to the arts industry, our clients, and our team remains stronger than ever. Priya will remain President of CI and join our new board, I’ll serve as Chair of the Board, and our team will continue to work every day on our mission to help arts organizations like yours market smarter.

Through the ESOP, CI employees are allocated shares of CI stock, and so the long-term value of the company will go to employees and their families. We are very excited and confident about this next chapter in CI’s history and all that we will continue to do to serve the arts industry as an employee-owned company. 

We are excited and confident about this next chapter for Capacity Interactive and all that we will continue to do to serve the arts industry as an employee-owned company.