HATTIE: Hi. I'm Hattie Bryant. In the USA, there are over 25 million people who've started and are growing the business of their dreams.

They're not employees. They're business owners. Ownership is profoundly part of the American psyche, and today, we'll go inside three small businesses where that ownership is being shared. In one of these businesses, everyone is an owner, even entry-level employees. You'll hear from people like Meeko, a college student who already has her own retirement program in place. It's called an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, ESOP for short.

Unidentified Man #1: That's got to be fully integrated based on...

HATTIE: (Voiceover) These employees were given shares in the company after just 90 days on the job. Thousands of entrepreneurs have learned -- to attract, inspire and keep great people, it's good to give everyone a piece of the action. We began by speaking with Dr. Ray Smilor, president of the Beyster Institute. This non-profit organization provides free and low-cost consulting and seminars to business owners who want to make ownership part of their employees' compensation package.

RAY SMILOR (President, Beyster Institute): Research does show, and there's a lot of studies that do, that various forms of employee ownership, sharing stock, if it's combined with engagement and involvement, actually enhance and increase the productivity of a company at least 4 percent to 5 percent a year.

FREDDIE THODE: ESOPs are a fabulous vehicle.

RICK VALENCIA: We do have a stock option plan and we do reward people very generously with stock options right off the bat. FREDDIE: Your employees are what carry you on.

NED LESTER (Founder/CEO, Maxim Systems): The ownership is what will entice people to come.

FREDDIE: Founders get things rolling, but employees are the people that really are the implementers.

NED: To be able to offer a part of the company and part of the ownership of the company is a very significant attractor to good quality personnel.