EOT adviser in Poole

Bella Lewis-Smith – Salad Creative

Bella is the founder and Managing Director of Salad Creative, a 100% employee-owned brand agency based near Poole. Salad strategically create, revitalise, and elevate Beautifully Effective® brands. Having sold her agency to an Employee Ownership Trust in 2021, Bella now advises and partners with other founders considering the same path.

EOT experience

Bella's advisory work is grounded in lived experience. She led Salad Creative's transition to an EOT, navigating the full process from decision through to completion, and continues in a leadership role post-transition. She now works with other founders, particularly in the creative and brand sectors, who are exploring employee ownership as an exit route.

EOT expertise

Salad Creative works with purposeful, people-owned businesses on brand identity, employer brand, digital products and content. The Salad team also works closely with the employee ownership association (eoa) to deliver training and practical workshops on employee communications. Sessions focus on the helping businesses embed an ownership culture.

How Bella works with Go EO

Bella works alongside Go EO to support founders in the creative sector who are considering an EOT sale. Go EO manages the technical side of the transaction: valuation, legal documentation, tax clearance and trust registration. Bella brings a lived-experience perspective, helping founders understand what the journey really looks from the inside. She also supports the business through the unique cultural and organisational changes that come with an EOT.

What is an Employee Ownership Trust?

An Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) is a way for a business owner to sell their company to their people. Rather than selling to a trade buyer or private equity, the founder sells their shares to a trust, which repays them over time from profits. Staff benefit from any excess profits, the company stays independent, and the founder receives fair market value.

Why sell your business to an EOT?

Rewarding a loyal, talented team is one of the most compelling reasons founders choose an EOT. Rather than selling to an external buyer whose priorities may differ from your own, an EOT keeps the business in the hands of the people who know it best. Employees become invested in the future success of the organisation benefiting from a profit share when the business is performing successfully. It's an exit that feels good, because it is good: for your people, for your business, and for you.