The standard &quot;your shares are worthless&quot; advice applies to startups...and in this context &quot;startup&quot; is used in a very narrow technical sense for companies that prioritize growth. Typically [in the US] this means that the company funnels <i>all</i> revenue [and investment] to expenses. If there&#x27;s a surplus in revenue, it is spent to increase the value of the company. Amazon is a prime example. Instead of turning a profit, it built the massive logistical infrastructure of data centers and warehouses. Founders and investors see returns based on increases in the value of their equity [capital gain] rather than as dividends [income]. Salary aside, Bezos makes money from Amazon by selling his shares; the price of his shares reflect the underlying value of Amazon&#x27;s assets [and presumably the discounted value of future revenue] through the lens of Wall Street.<p>Businesses with profit sharing are throttling growth [and that&#x27;s very often a good thing] because the $20k paid to an employee could theoretically be reinvested in assets for the business.<p>So what are your shares worth? Whatever you can sell them for. Read your shareholder agreement. It is typical for closely held companies to place significant restrictions on shares sold to employees...probably a good idea to talk to <i>your own</i> lawyer if you are thinking about selling.<p>Good luck.