We know: your company is a labor of love. But let’s be serious. It’s also a labor of capitalism. And at some point you’re going to want to turn that labor into wealth. Dividends? Sale? IPO? Henry Blodget and our expert panel will reveal the secrets to cashing out.

As in many areas of life, timing is key: cash out too soon, and you’ll leave pots of money on the table. Cash out too late, and you could end up with nothing (don’t delude yourself—it’s happened before).

And then there’s the way you cash out. A sale? For cash or stock? Flat price or earn-out? Do you stay with the company or hit the road? Do you go public—and wait the required 180 days? Then what? The panel will get to the bottom of this.