We’ve been taught to see ownership as possession — a claim, a right, a wall around what’s “ours.” But life doesn’t work that way. We don’t belong through what we hold; we belong through what we’re connected to. Standing in front of my childhood home, I was reminded that relationship, not possession, is what makes something matter. Ownership in the living world is not control, but resonance — not exclusivity, but contribution. What happens when we stop defining ownership as having, and begin seeing it as the way we participate in the world we help create?

In this reflection on the life and legacy of Matt Perez, co-founder of Radical World and co-author of Radical Companies, Jose Leal shares the personal journey they walked together—from questioning traditional business norms to co-creating a vision rooted in co-ownership and co-management. The post honors Matt’s impact, his lessons from Nearsoft, and his unwavering commitment to building a world where organizations serve Life, not control.

A reflection on the evolution of co-ops and a call to reimagine them for the future—blending collaboration, co-ownership, and purpose into dynamic ecosystems that resonate with a new generation.

What if businesses were built on contributions, not competition? Fiat rewards capital; Radical rewards collaboration. It’s not a fix—it’s a new system where co-ownership grows from participation, not money. Like pioneers, we must unlearn competition and rediscover cooperation. In crises, we come together—what if work was built that way?

What if ownership was based on contributions rather than money? Radical offers a new way—no bosses, no hierarchy, just recognized contributions shaping co-ownership. With RADs, transparency, and public dashboards, this alternative system challenges the traditional Fiat model. Ready to rethink work and value?

What if work and society were designed to serve life, not control it? Radical World is a movement redefining collaboration, shifting from competition to connection. Rooted in two decades of exploration, it unites Radical Companies, RADs, Society 2045, and Serving Life under one vision: creating co-owned, life-serving systems. More than ideas, it’s action—a platform for stories, tools, and experiments that transform how we work and live. Radical World isn’t here to fix the old; it’s building something new. Ready to reconnect and co-create the future?