For many business owners, high-net-worth families, and entrepreneurs, wealth has often been built through something outside of a traditional portfolio. It may have come from building a company, selling a business, owning real estate, taking calculated risks, or investing in opportunities before they became widely known.
Yet when it comes to managing that wealth, many investors are still presented with a traditional mix of public stocks, bonds, and standard portfolio models.
That creates a potential missed opportunity.
Private investments, private capital, venture capital, and alternative assets may offer a broader way to think about diversification, access, and long-term wealth strategy. Not as a replacement for public markets, but as a complement to them. In a recent Prevail conversation, Andrew Stafford, President of Prevail, and Kerry Lawing, CEO of Prevail, discussed how private markets can work alongside public markets and why Prevail built its private capital strategy with selectivity, relationships, and sector focus at the center.
Why Traditional Wealth Management May Not Be Enough
Traditional wealth management often starts with public market exposure. Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs can all play an important role in a financial plan. But for many successful investors, especially those who have built or sold businesses, that may only represent part of the full opportunity set.
Business owners understand private enterprise. Entrepreneurs understand innovation. High-net-worth families often look for strategies designed to help preserve, grow, and transfer wealth with more intention.
That is where private investments can enter the conversation. Private markets may provide access to companies, sectors, and opportunities that are not available through public exchanges. These investments are often less liquid and carry their own risks, but they may also provide a different source of diversification when evaluated carefully.
What Are Private Investments?
Private investments are opportunities in companies or assets that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange. This can include private equity, venture capital, private real estate, private credit, and other alternative assets.
In the transcript, Prevail’s leadership describes private markets as something that can work alongside public markets, not instead of them. Kerry Lawing explains that many investors understand the concept of alternatives because they may not always move in the same direction as public markets.
"A non-correlated asset may not move the same way as the stock market. That does not eliminate risk, but it can create a more layered approach to diversification."
For business owners and high-net-worth investors, this type of strategy may be especially relevant because many have already experienced private business value creation firsthand.
The Missed Opportunity: Access Without Strategy
One of the biggest challenges with private investments is that access alone is not enough. Many investors hear about private deals through friends, business networks, advisors, or local opportunities. But without a disciplined evaluation process, it can be difficult to separate strong opportunities from weak ones.
Prevail’s approach is built around selectivity.
For accredited investors and high-net-worth families, private investment strategy should not be based on excitement, trends, or access alone. It should include research, underwriting, sector analysis, relationship review, timing, and a clear understanding of how the investment fits into the broader financial picture.
Strategies Prevail Looks For in Private Markets
1. Focus on Relationships
Private markets are often relationship-driven. Kerry explains that Prevail does not take a transaction unless it is introduced through a relationship. That matters because private investment opportunities can vary widely in quality. A relationship-based approach can help create access to better information and more meaningful evaluation.
2. Look for Sector Strength
Prevail also discussed the importance of sector selection. A well-run company in a difficult sector may still face headwinds, while a company in the right sector with strong fundamentals may have a more attractive opportunity profile.
3. Evaluate the Inflection Point
Prevail also looks for companies at an inflection point. That means something meaningful is happening in the business, such as growth, market demand, product development, or strategic partnerships. Timing can matter greatly in private markets.
4. Understand the Role of Private Investments
Private investments should not stand alone. They should be evaluated as part of a larger wealth strategy including public markets, real estate, tax-aware planning, estate planning, and business succession.
Why Prevail Is Different
Prevail is not positioned as a traditional wealth management firm. The firm is focused on strategy, clarity, innovation, and long-term vision. This is not about replacing what already works. It is about asking a better question:
Is your wealth strategy built only around what is publicly available, or is it designed to evaluate opportunities beyond the traditional model?
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are private investments?
Private investments are opportunities in assets or companies that are not traded on public exchanges. They may include private equity, venture capital, private real estate, private credit, and other alternative investments.
2. Why do high-net-worth investors consider private markets?
High-net-worth investors may consider private markets because they can provide access to opportunities outside of traditional public stocks and bonds. They may also offer diversification potential, depending on the structure, strategy, and investor profile.
3. Are private investments risky?
Yes. Private investments can involve significant risk, including illiquidity, limited transparency, valuation uncertainty, and potential loss of capital. They should be evaluated carefully and may not be appropriate for every investor.
4. How does Prevail approach private capital?
Prevail emphasizes relationship-driven access, selectivity, sector focus, underwriting, and alignment with each client’s broader financial strategy. The goal is to help qualified investors evaluate innovative strategies beyond traditional wealth management.
