Our friends at Bham Now recently wrote this piece about Forge member Ryan Robinett with Multiply.
No matter what business you’re in, sales is part of it. That’s why you need to know Ryan Robinett, Principal and Founder of Birmingham-based Multiply.
A firm believer that “good salespeople are built, not born,” Robinett helps companies do more than they ever thought possible with the sales teams they have. Check out Multiply, or keep reading to find out more.
1. Who is Ryan Robinett?
Born and raised in Mountain Brook, where he and his wife are raising their two children, Ryan’s an Auburn grad with an MBA from UAB. After four and a half years at Accenture, he spent 12 years with Computer Technology Solutions (CTS).
When he joined in 2006, “CTS was a smallish IT professional services firm with one office in Birmingham.” He played a number of roles while helping to grow the company to a thriving regional firm.
Before long, Ryan was head of the Birmingham headquarters, then went to start and grow a new office in Chattanooga.
CTS’ success was noticed by CGI, a multibillion-dollar corporation based in Montreal, who bought them in 2017. At first, Ryan served as a VP operating in four states, but found he wasn’t enjoying his work as much as he wanted to.
So, he did what any good entrepreneurially-minded person does: he pivoted. This is where Multiply enters the story.
When Ryan asked himself what he most wanted to do next, he realized he wanted to help companies scale using the three-pronged approach that had worked for him at CTS.
“I boiled it down to three things that I really like—putting people in a position to be successful, equipping people to be successful and then seeing them achieve personal results which create corporate gains.”
Ryan Robinett, Principal of Multiply
2. What is Multiply?
Whether it’s helping a salesperson succeed, building a thriving team or helping existing sales teams, Multiply helps companies grow.
Helping companies scale
“Multiply is all about helping companies scale, which solves a universal problem.
I’ve helped companies that have eight employees, and I also work with some of the largest companies in Birmingham.
I assist them with organizational alignment as it relates to their messaging, their sales processes and the human capital management around preparing their sales team.”
Ryan Robinett, Principal of Multiply
Want to learn more? Visit Multiply at www.askmultiply.com.
Year 1 was a great one for Multiply, and there’s more ahead
Multiply’s had a great first year, serving Birmingham-based public utility companies, research institutions, financial institutions and more.
“I was part of a team that built a great services firm and formed Multiply based on the things I liked to do the most while scaling that company.
I look at 2019 as my first year for Multiply. I started in summer of 2018 and moved to Forge in December 2018. My first customers signed in January, which made for a great 1st year.”
Ryan Robinett, Principal of Multiply
Years 2+ promise to bring even more success: one thing to look for is the rollout of a tech solution that will sit in front of companies’ CRM (customer relationship management) software, that enables companies to better equip and manage their sales teams.
3. While Ryan Robinett’s a one-man show, he’s not alone.
While Ryan might consider adding employees someday, for now, he’s the only member of Multiply.
Because he works at Forge, though, he never has to work alone. Located at The Pizitz, Forge provides shared workspaces as well as office spaces for small businesses.
“When I was working in an office by myself, I couldn’t wait to hire people because I was lonely. Now I still work by myself, but Forge gives me the opportunity to have a coworker experience.
The other Forge workers and I share our day—the good things, the bad things. It checks the boxes of not just working alone, and you have people you develop camaraderie with and enjoy being around.”
Ryan Robinett, Principal of Multiply
Ryan likes that his Forge coworkers are all in different lines of work than he is, giving everyone the opportunity to learn new things and bounce ideas off of each other. Robinett also credits working in the shared space for increasing his productivity.
“There’s a motivation when you see people every day, and you want to tell them that your day is good,” Robinett said.
4. Ryan Robinett’s Birmingham-area favorites
We always love to ask people about their Birmingham-area faves, and Ryan didn’t disappoint with the top three things he and his family enjoy the most about the area.
Restaurant: Parish Seafood & Oyster House in Trussville
Haven’t heard of it? Ryan and his family like it that way. Parish’s is a dress-down kind of place where they’re not likely to run into the types of people who like to be seen out and about, and the seafood’s great.
Outdoor spot: Fishing two miles out on the Gulf of Mexico in a kayak
We realize this is a liberal interpretation of Birmingham-area, but we’ll go with it—because for some people, the beach is, in fact, an extension of their back yard, even if you have to drive a few hours to get there.
Ryan’s basically happiest when he’s out catching sharks or fish bigger than his kayak, and yes, he’s a fan of the Netflix series “Chasing Monsters.”
You can also catch him fishing at Lake Martin.
Local sports: all things UAB and The Birmingham Barons
As the incoming President of UAB’s Alumni Association, Ryan’s a fan of UAB sports, period. Well, that and Auburn football.
Also, he went to the first Barons game at the old stadium in Hoover, and the first one at Regions Field.
5. Have you ever thought about coworking?
If you’re currently trying to run your latest gig out of your recliner or your kitchen table, you may want to give coworking a try in 2020. It just might change your life.