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Ribbon Debuts at #161 on Inc. 5000: A Q&A with CEO Shaival Shah

August 31, 2022
/ by 
O'licia Parker-Smith
Ribbon Debuts at #161 on Inc. 5000: A Q&A with CEO Shaival Shah

Debuting at 161 on Inc 5000, Ribbon's CEO Shaival Shah sat down for a reflective Q&A.

Introduced in 1982, Inc. releases an annual list of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States. Today, Inc. 5,000 recognizes the most successful companies in America and what they reveal about the future of business in the nation. The list is created using 3-year growth data and rankings based on the fastest-growing companies by industry, metro area, revenue, and the number of employees. Companies that have been highlighted in the past include household names like Patagonia, Microsoft, and Fitbit.

With a 3-Year Growth of 3,172%, Ribbon has debuted at #161 on the list and #4 in the Real Estate category. This puts Ribbon well above the median growth of the list, which was 230%.

CEO and co-founder of Ribbon, Shaival Shah answers a few questions about what this honor means to the company and to him.

Q&A with Ribbon CEO and co-founder, Shavial Shah

Q: What does this achievement mean for Ribbon?

A: Making this prestigious list is exciting for where we are as a company and where we’re going in the future. It’s both a celebration of our innovation and of the hard work that our team does every day at Ribbon. It’s an honor to be in the company of other forward-thinking leaders and this recognition only raises the bar in serving our mission to make homeownership achievable during our nation’s housing crisis. 

Q: How does the Inc. 5000 list help with future company growth and notoriety?

A: Recognition like this is really important for us, and building legitimacy as a brand of course.  As the innovators in real estate technology, awareness and credibility are incredibly important to reach customers, partners and investors - this recognition goes a very long way to establish that.  More than anything, it’s a reflection that behind the numbers there are homeowners who Ribbon has enabled to realize a major life milestone. The opportunity to realize the great gifts of homeownership - intergenerational wealth, savings, stability for their family - that’s fundamentally why we do what we do. And this is, also, a celebration of the Ribbon team that has made this happen.

Q: Inc. 5000 recognizes the future of business. Where do you see the real estate business, and Ribbon’s impact going from here?

A: We created Ribbon to make homeownership achievable for every type of buyer. Our annual growth is more than just a number on a list, it’s families that we’re helping every day. Each step brings us closer to the type of marketplace that values all types of people.

I’m excited and energized by the work we’re doing to fight the inequalities in housing. Every month, we work with families and buyers to put down roots in their own communities—helping local economies. We’re helping agents and loan officers build their businesses and relationships during the good and tough times that are inevitable in real estate. 

Q: Not only did Ribbon rank in the top #200, but it also ranked #4 in real estate. How influential will the real estate industry be as we look at the future of business?

A: Real estate is a great investment for everyday families, one that continues to not be available to everyone. I saw this experience first-hand when my family immigrated to the US.

Owning a home helps consumers find stability while hedging against inflation, something we are currently experiencing in our country and across the globe.  

We see a world where homeownership becomes truly accessible to all people, helping build equity and generational wealth. Small business owners, first-time home buyers, and existing homeowners, these are all important and worthy buyers that we seek to support. 

The housing needs in this country are growing every day. We must ensure that big businesses aren’t able to buy up all the real estate in the US. Companies in the private sector (and hopefully soon in the public as well) that help real people gain access to these important stages of financial growth will continue to grow—especially in the real estate space.

Q: Is there a story you’ve heard or an impact the team has made recently that inspired you?

A: So many, but there’s one story that I come back to time and time again.

During the 2008 recession, there was a multi-generational family that lost a new construction home due to affordability.  For over 10 years, the previous owner kept tabs on the house waiting for it to re-enter the market. 

When the house finally entered the market, their agent suggested using Ribbon to compete with the different offers on the house. The buyers had spent over 10 years to rebuild their financial position and were finally able to secure a mortgage, but all cash buyers, mostly institutional buyers, swarmed the market.  With Ribbon, the buyers were able to make an all cash offer and beat out others, not only winning but securing the home at a discount to the market value. Now, their kids are especially excited to live in the house their grandparents had originally designed and built just for them!

That is why we do the work. That is what we at Ribbon hope to continue doing for families in their journey to homeownership. 

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