Building a Galaxy of Ownership in High-Tech Manufacturing
In 2024 Epoch had already become known as a pioneer of decentralization in high-tech manufacturing. It won a ZeroDX Award in the category of Emerging Excellence. Yet for its founders, simply moving beyond hierarchy was not the final destination of their journey. The past year has seen Epoch deepen its transformation by building a system that could integrate self-management into every aspect of daily work. This ambition reflects the conviction that real autonomy demands both freedom and clarity.
This blog post is part of 80+ case studies of progressive organizations we created for the ZeroDX awards 2025. These organizations embody the principles of RenDanHeYi in their work structures:
Zero Distance to customer: Decision what to build is based on insights from the marketplace
Autonomy: Small teams with full decision-making autonomy enable speed in execution
Shared Rewards: Everyone in the micro-enterprise participates in its financial success.
The concept guiding this phase is what Epoch calls the Galaxy model. It began with a recognition that while employees appreciated flexibility, they still needed a common language to define purpose and responsibility. As Foad Ghalili put it, “People understood a lot of these things, but there was no structure around them. Now, we are building that structure so the spirit of what we believe can take form.” This principle has shaped how the organization balances independence with accountability.
Throughout 2024, the leadership worked systematically with each of the small cells that form the Galaxy. Every team, typically three to four people, dedicated time to co-create a handbook defining why they exist, what decisions they can make independently, and how they interact with the rest of the organization. Each cell produced a decision-making matrix describing which issues required mandate, advice, consensus or consent. These efforts have given teams clarity and confidence to act without waiting for instructions.
The results of this structure were visible almost immediately. In Epoch’s Chinese facilities, many employees had grown up in workplaces where instructions flowed from the top down. When the handbooks were completed, this pattern began to shift. During a severe server outage, teams gathered without beinginstructed and worked out how to keep production going without any core systems. “Instead of identifying what we couldn’t do, the teams came to the table saying, ‘What can we do?’” Foad recalled. Operations continued without disruption.
Epoch also redesigned how performance and profit-sharing were understood. For years, the companydistributed 25 percent of profits to employees, but many still viewed this as a bonus rather than a result of shared value creation. That perception changed decisively when a year with no profits led to no distribution.“After that, it clicked,” Ladon said. “Either we all do well, or we don’t.” This shift strengthened the connection between contribution and reward.
Today, the way compensation is decided at Epoch combines clear goals with shared reflection. Half of each assessment is based on whether teams have met their objectives. The other half looks at how peoplebehave and whether they embody the company’s values in their daily work. Peer reviews have become part of the routine, encouraging everyone to hold each other accountable and celebrate contributions that go beyond individual performance.
What makes Epoch’s approach stand out is how it connects business results with personal growth. The company’s mission calls for supporting both the material and the spiritual well-being of employees. This commitment shows up in conversations about real issues, like the pressure many young people feel in China’s education system or the stress families face in fast-changing cities. “We don’t see these aspects as separate,” Foad said. “They are fundamental.” This way of thinking has shaped a culture where success is measured not just by profit but by the differencethe company makes in people’s lives.
After completing the first wave of Galaxy implementation, Epoch moved into a second wave with more confidence. The company now has standardized templates and the experience to guide new teams more quickly. At the same time, continuous improvement cells, which used to operate informally, are being brought into the same framework. Each temporary team will soon have its own handbook and clearprocesses, ensuring consistency without losing flexibility.
The next phase may be the most ambitious: connecting the Galaxy structure across Epoch’s operations in China, India and the United States. For the leadership, this is a test of whether the same principles can flourish in very different cultural settings. “How are they going to see each other as one entity and not as segregated entities?” Foad asked. That question has become the focus of planning for the year ahead.
Reflecting on the past year, Ladon noted that the process has been deliberate rather than rushed. “We were not trying to build a perfect system overnight. This is a process of learning together.” In an industry where efficiency and profit are often the only measures of success, Epoch’s story suggests something different. It shows that by combining clear structures, distributed authority, and a focus on purpose, a manufacturingcompany can become a place where people are not only productive but also truly engaged. In this way, Epoch’s Galaxy demonstrates that self-management can thrive when it is anchored in transparency, trust and shared growth.
