Field Notes: How Earth Sky + Water Became Employee-Owned

For more than 25 years, Earth Sky + Water has created recognizable nature-inspired products found in general stores, bookstores, gift shops, and other retailers across the country. In 2026, the Wilton-based publisher entered a new chapter when founder Steve Lewers sold the company to eight of its employees, transforming Earth Sky + Water into a worker-owned cooperative.

The transition involved much more than a change in ownership. The employee team had to work through financing, business planning, bylaws, and the details of a new cooperative structure. With support from the Cooperative Development Institute and guidance from NH SBDC Advisor Ed Miles, they built a plan that gave lenders confidence and helped the new owners feel prepared for what came next.

The company began 26 years ago as a one-off idea. Formerly in publishing at Houghton Mifflin in Boston, Steve started Earth Sky + Water as a second career with a single FoldingGuide™ to the shells of Sanibel and Captiva Islands. His idea quickly grew into a full line of nature-publishing products, including regional field guides and boxed notecards. The company also produces posters, stickers, and other illustrated products, all designed, manufactured, and assembled in Wilton, NH.

When it came time to think about retirement, Steve wanted the company to remain local and independent while staying connected to the community that built it. He decided to take a path few founders consider and offered his employees the chance to purchase the company.

An article he had read in the Boston Globe about worker cooperatives led him to Rob Brown of the Cooperative Development Institute (CDI) in Northampton, Massachusetts. CDI has supported employee-based businesses in the Northeast since 1994.

Becoming an Employee-Owned Cooperative

Steve called an all-employee meeting in November 2025 and told his team he wanted to sell Earth Sky + Water to them. From there, they formed a Steering Committee made up of Heather Carver, Brian Koester, and Thomas Post. With support from CDI, the committee would guide the company through the process of becoming a worker cooperative.

It wasn’t an undertaking for the faint of heart.

Heather, Thomas, and Brian had to write bylaws and determine what membership would actually mean. They also built a pro forma to answer the most basic question of all: Could they afford to buy the company they worked for?

CDI connected them with the Cooperative Fund of the Northeast, a lender that has worked with nonprofits and worker cooperatives since 1975. The financing allowed the team to purchase Earth Sky + Water without putting up personal equity beyond a share purchase price the committee worked hard to calibrate.

The amount needed to represent a meaningful commitment without being so high that it would price anyone out.

In April 2026, the transition became official. Earth Sky + Water was no longer a single founder’s company.

Instead, it belonged to eight owner-members.

Enter the NH SBDC

As the Steering Committee prepared a business plan to submit to lenders, Rob Brown at CDI pointed them toward another resource: the New Hampshire Small Business Development Center.

They were paired with NH SBDC Advisor Ed Miles, who helped them understand industry standards and wholesale and retail benchmarks. He also helped them strengthen the language lenders expected to see in their plan.

The partnership proved pivotal. Ed is a graduate of the Northeast Transition Initiative Fellowship which is a nine-month comprehensive training program for business advisors specifically designed to assist clients with employee ownership transitions.

He brought practical business guidance to the process and helped the member-owners strengthen the financial side of their plan.

Heather, Brian, and Thomas recall that at one point, Ed spotted a major gap in their business plan. He showed them how to address it clearly rather than leaving lenders to make assumptions. It was the kind of catch that comes from experience, and it helped strengthen the plan before it reached the lender.

Beyond the Numbers: Invaluable Support

The Steering Committee doesn’t hold back when talking about what Ed brought to the transition process.

“I found our meetings with Ed so reassuring, encouraging us that we were on the right path,” Heather says.

His calm and steady guidance made a significant impact on the team. They describe him as a great listener who brings both knowledge and practical advice to the table.

When he doesn’t know the answer, he says so. If he believes another resource would be more helpful, he points them in that direction.

Their work with Ed didn’t end at closing. He has continued advising the team as they navigate their new roles as business owners.

About the Products

Earth Sky + Water’s founding principles and core philosophy aren’t changing with new ownership.

The company creates high-quality products featuring illustrations from more than 100 artists around the world. All artists are compensated fairly for their work.

Every product is designed, manufactured, and assembled in the United States. The company also has a strict no-AI policy across the board. Its cards are printed on recycled and recyclable paper.

Growing Pains, Growing Team

Four months into the transition, the biggest challenge hasn’t been the cooperative structure itself. It’s been finding the time.

Where Steve once handled long-range planning largely on his own, that responsibility now belongs to the team collectively. They are taking on that work in addition to the responsibilities they already had.

Brian, previously focused on wholesale fulfillment, now also manages purchasing to keep inventory in stock as new titles launch.

Thomas and Heather have stepped into vendor relationships that, in some cases, are decades old. The work had to transition quickly, even if it wasn’t necessarily difficult.

The member-owners lean heavily on the company’s strong, longstanding relationships. Steve also remains involved for at least another year as the team finds its footing.

Future Growth

Looking ahead, the team hopes to bring on additional salespeople within the next year. They are also considering a small satellite office in Washington State to support West Coast growth.

Beyond that, they plan to continue expanding Earth Sky + Water’s reach across the U.S.

In Wilton, the first year as a cooperative is already beginning to find its own rhythm.

Advice 

Heather, Brian, and Thomas have simple and wholehearted advice for other New Hampshire business owners:

“Use the NH SBDC!”

“It took so much pressure off, knowing we’d written our business plan in a way that would actually be well received by a lender,” Heather says. “We can’t believe NH SBDC is free!”

From its humble roots, Earth Sky + Water has grown into a company whose work is cherished and recognized across the country. Today, it continues to flourish in the hands of the people who bring it to life every day.

Their story is also a reminder that NH SBDC’s work goes far beyond helping entrepreneurs write business plans. For business owners thinking about what comes next, whether that means buying a business, preparing to sell one, transitioning ownership to employees, or developing an exit strategy, NH SBDC advisors can provide confidential, no-cost guidance throughout the process.

Acquisition and exit planning can involve complex questions about financing, valuation, succession, operations, and long-term goals. As Earth Sky + Water’s transition shows, having an experienced advisor at the table can help business owners and prospective buyers navigate those decisions with greater clarity and confidence.

If you or someone you know is considering buying a business, selling a business, or planning for a future ownership transition, NH SBDC can help. Connect with an advisor at nhsbdc.org to get started.