Join us for an overview of how cooperatives work and why you might want to start one. Cooperative structures are democratic, flexible, and complex. This presentation will walk you through different types of coops, things to consider when launching a coop, next steps for setting the process in motion, and resources for continued learning.

Presenter: Devra Gartenstein – King County Farm Business Support Specialist, Business Impact NW

Devra Gartenstein founded Patty Pan Cooperative, a worker-owned coop and Seattle’s oldest farmers’ market concession. During COVID she started and ran New Day Cooperative Distribution, a producer coop for grocery home delivery. She has worked as a peer advisor with the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives and is currently part of Business Impact’s Food and Farm Business Services team.

This session was recorded on 6.12.2025