BOLD for Founders: A First Bite of Liquidity, Not an Exit
BOLD (the Business Owner's Longevity Dividend) lets a founder take a partial cash-out — up to a 20% minority stake — without selling the company, giving up control, or agreeing to a forced sale timeline. It's built for owners who want options, not an exit.
What is BOLD, in one paragraph?
BOLD is a hybrid preferred investment made into an already-profitable, founder-run company. In exchange for capital paid at closing, BOLD takes a minority stake capped at 20% of fully diluted equity, accrues a preferred return instead of demanding monthly cash payments, and commits to a 10-year term with no mechanism to force a sale before then.
The founder keeps running the business exactly as before. There's no board seat for BOLD — only a non-voting observer right — and no earn-out tied to the purchase price. The cash the founder receives at closing is the full amount, not a contingent promise.
Who is BOLD built for?
BOLD is aimed at owners of profitable lower-middle-market (LMM) companies who have already proven they can build and run a real business, and who want to keep growing it for another decade rather than hand it off. It's for founders who see too much of their net worth concentrated in one asset — the company — and want to diversify some of it off the table now, on their own terms.
- Owners who want liquidity without giving up the operating seat
- Founders planning to keep growing for the next 700–1,000 days and beyond
- Business owners who want a capital partner, not a supervisor
How does a founder get started?
Entry runs through the Birthing of Giants curriculum and the Moneymakers Club, where founders work with a P.R.E.P. Architect on a 700-to-1,000-day value creation plan before capital is deployed. That multi-year relationship — "selection by acquaintance" rather than "selection by audit" — is what allows BOLD to pay a premium valuation that a standard 60–90 day diligence auction typically can't match.
Frequently asked questions
Does BOLD require selling my whole company?
No. BOLD takes a minority position capped at 20% of fully diluted equity. The founder keeps majority ownership and full operating control.
Will I get a board seat requirement from BOLD?
No board seat is required. BOLD holds a non-voting observer right only — it does not install directors or take negative-control rights over daily operations.
Is the cash at closing contingent on future performance?
No. There is no earn-out. The founder receives the full agreed cash amount at closing; it isn't a promise tied to hitting future targets.
What does BOLD expect from a founder in return?
Continued operating leadership and participation in the Moneymakers Club's 700-to-1,000-day value creation plan with a P.R.E.P. Architect, sized around Profits, Revenues, and Exit Prices.