Your Equity Is Real. Your Liquidity Isn’t.
You joined early, took less cash than you could have earned elsewhere, and accepted equity as the payoff. The company has grown, the last round set a strong price, and most of your net worth is now tied up in shares you can’t sell on a public market.
The IPO keeps moving. Meanwhile there’s a house to buy, a new company to fund, or a concentrated position you’d like to diversify, a risk our partner firm Different Investments explains in How Does Your Risk Tolerance Affect Your Portfolio Risk?.
Most holders wait, or try to sell on their own by asking around or listing on a platform. Waiting depends on timing nobody on your side controls. Selling alone means navigating transfer restrictions, rights of first refusal and buyer diligence without someone who does this every week.
What It Costs You
Concentration
Your financial future rides on one private company.
Opportunity Cost
Plans for the cash wait on an exit date that keeps slipping.
Market Exposure
Private marks tend to follow public markets, usually with a lag.
Process Risk
A sale attempted alone can stall on company approvals or a buyer who walks.
What Sell‑Side Advisory Is
Sell-side advisory is representation for the seller in a transaction. For private shares, that means preparing your position for sale, finding qualified buyers confidentially, negotiating price and terms, and working through your company’s transfer process to closing.
At Sell Side Securities™, sell-side advisory follows The Modern Handshake Deal™: technology finds the counterparties, and relationships close the transaction.
Searching for “sell side advisory” often brings up M&A for whole companies. Our focus is different: secondary sales of shares in established private companies. If you’re selling a whole business, the The Sell Side Network™ can introduce you to partners who run M&A processes.
At a Glance
- Best for Founders, employees and executives with vested shares
- Company value $500M+ enterprise value; most of our work is above $1B
- Position size $500K minimum
- Fees Competitive with industry standards
- Confidentiality Information shared only as needed
What Changes When You Have Representation
Guessing what your shares might fetch
Weigh real buyer interest before you decide
Reading transfer provisions alone
Know the approval steps before outreach begins
Fielding inquiries from strangers
Talk only with qualified, interested buyers
One buyer setting the terms
Negotiate with more than one counterparty where interest allows
Waiting on an IPO date
Plan around liquidity on a timeline you set
What’s Included
Position Review
Your shares, vesting, share class and the transfer provisions in your company’s documents.
Positioning
A clear summary of the opportunity for qualified buyers, shared under confidentiality.
Buyer Outreach
Confidential introductions to accredited investors and institutions in our network.
Negotiation
Price, structure and terms, with your goals at the center.
Company Process
Coordination of rights of first refusal and transfer approvals.
Closing
How a Sale Works
The selling side of The Modern Handshake Deal™.
01
Understand Your Goals
How much to sell, your timing, and the transfer rules in your company’s documents.
02
Tell the Story
Present the position with the context a serious buyer needs.
03
Find the Buyer
Confidential outreach to qualified buyers in our network.
04
Agree the Terms
Negotiate price and terms, and work through company approvals.
05
Close the Transaction
Documentation, settlement and the transfer of the shares.
Why Sell Side Securities™
Relationship-Led
The Modern Handshake Deal™ pairs technology that finds counterparties with relationships that close transactions. You work with people who know your position, not a listing form.
Confidential by Design
Outreach is discreet, and information about your position is shared only as needed with qualified counterparties. Company approval steps are explained before they happen.
Both Sides of the Trade
We work with sellers and with buyers, so we know what each side needs to reach a closing, and we keep the process moving when approvals take time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth paying an advisor to sell my shares?
That depends on your position and your goals. Our fees are competitive with industry standards and explained in full before you engage us. The first conversation is how we both find out whether representation makes sense for you.
Can my company block the sale?
Many companies hold a right of first refusal and must approve transfers. We review your documents first and explain each approval step before outreach begins.
I’m not sure I’m ready to sell. When should I start?
A conversation commits you to nothing. Because company approvals take time, it helps to understand your options well before you need the cash.
How much of my time will this take?
Mostly at the start, when we review your shares and goals, and at the end, when you sign documents. We handle outreach and coordinate the process in between.
I’ve already been approached by a buyer. Can you still help?
Yes. We can review the approach, test whether other qualified buyers are interested, and work through terms and company approvals with you.
Start a Confidential Conversation
Tell us about the position you hold or the one you’re looking for. We’ll reply by email to discuss whether a transaction is possible. Fit runs both ways, and there’s no obligation.