Forge's March Madness - Celebration of Women

March Madness: International Women’s Day Celebration Recap (March 8)

March was busy but nevertheless exciting if you are working at Forge or have been our guest! We opened our doors this past month to champion women and cultivate meaningful connections. We are so full from the impact of our networking events in March, and look forward to keep the momentum flowing throughout our coworking community and beyond our doors. As the community manager, these events are critical to the mission of our brand. We aim to be a resource to our community by cultivating opportunities that support business growth whether we are providing a space, a place for encouragement, industry insider, or resources. We are in the business of growing businesses! Below I will provide you a recap of our International Women’s Day Celebration and provide key takeaways from my point of view.

Event Recap

Over 100 women gathered at Forge’s annual event to highlight accomplishments, reconnect with old friends, and make new alliances. We held a panel discussion moderated by Jacqui Jones, CEO of One Degree Marketing. The panelists this year were Kim Lee, Founder and CEO of Forge; Sandra Hardy, Executive Director of Urban Hope Development , and Ashley McMakin, Owner and CEO of Ashley Macs. Our women trailblazers who sat as our panelist offered nuggets to our audience surrounding the topics: how to get started in discovering your best self, identifying your capacity as woman/business leader, and how to stay motivated in every season.

Shop ‘Til You Drop

Additionally, we featured a mini-market of women owned businesses allowing guest to have exclusive shopping experience and front-facing interactions with Birmingham’s rising entrepreneurs and creatives. Our mini-market featured beauty products, hair care, clothing, and artistic works. Women came prepared to support the local owned businesses by purchasing products and sharing in-person testimonies of their experience with the brands – who normally only receive digital interactions.

Surely the women founders and creators left filling encouraged and a rise in Monthly sales after this vendor opportunity!

Valyncia’s Event Takeaways

Your partner/circle is critical to your future.
Find Balance.
It is normal to have up and down seasons.
Recharge to optimize your outcomes.
What is normal for you, may not be normal to others – You can chart your own path.
Failure is not an option.
Do not be afraid to get your hands dirty.
Surround yourself with people who are more experienced to help you in your journey.
Just keep swimming.