No, there is no rule that founders must sell equal amounts, but how you handle it matters more than the raw numbers. Investors and your board usually care about two things: that no founder cashes out so much that their motivation drops, and that the founding team stays aligned. It is common for founders with different personal situations (a home loan, a family need, more or less other savings) to sell different amounts, and that is fine when it is talked through openly. Problems come from surprise, not from difference. If one founder quietly sells far more, it can breed resentment and raise questions with investors about commitment. So agree the principle together first, keep each sale modest relative to your stake, and let the board see a united front. The mechanics and approvals are usually the same for each of you, but the trust part is on you.
A curated summary to orient you, not advice. The resources below are the real value.
2 hand-picked resources, 1 link-checked. Pick how you want to dig in.
Why we picked it The clearest short piece on how to think about giving up and holding equity, and why a smaller slice of a bigger outcome is the whole game.
From paulgraham.com by Paul Graham
Open paulgraham.com →Why we picked it A calm explainer of what a secondary actually is, who has to approve it, and how the price gets set, before you raise it with your board.
From Carta by Carta
Open carta.com →The same ground, over in Raise money, our Starting Up track.
