Direct Company Interests
Liquidity for the Builders behind the Growth
Life doesn’t always move in sync with your capital.
You’ve worked hard to build your company — but stock options and private shares don’t exactly pay the bills. We help founders and employees unlock cash from their equity today, without having to wait for an IPO or acquisition. Keep your upside, gain flexibility, and get liquidity on your terms.
Products ($1-10M)
-
As simple as it gets - we purchase shares from you at a negotiated price
-
We handle the cost of exercising your options and pay you the net amount - a good solution for high exercise cost transactions
-
When we disagree on today’s price for your shares, we’re happy to structure earn out or upside opportunities around company performance
-
Hold stock in multiple companies? Want some liquidity today, while preserving upside? A preferred return product might work best for you.
-
Tender offers for team members who have been building for a long time without a liquidity event.
David and Kathleen have invested in hundreds of VC backed startups. We understand the nuances of stock options and founder equity, and have connections to many top VC and Growth Equity shops.
We’re happy to scale deal sizes up to include team members, and always stay out of managements way as passive investors.
Why Ballast
Tailored Solutions
Every situation is different. We listen first, then build something that actually works for your needs. Want to hold upside? Need help paying for the option exercise? Not sure where to even begin the process? We got you.
Confidential & Discreet
Your business stays your business. We take privacy seriously and keep every conversation tight.
Agile & Focused
Some firms chase size. We chase fit. Big or small, we build the deal around you. We’re boutique for a reason — flexible, focused, and right-sized for personal liquidity needs.
Passive Investors
We don’t take board seats, we don’t bombard companies with requests - we aim to be a friendly partner, out of the way.
