7 Tech Tools Forge Members Can’t Live Without

7 Tech Tools Forge Members Can’t Live Without

At Forge, our members are constantly discovering new tools to help them work smarter, stay organized, and grow their businesses. So we asked them: What’s your favorite tech tool right now? The responses did not disappoint. From productivity powerhouses to design favorites and game-changing apps, here’s a roundup of the tools our community swears by—and why they love them.

 

#1 – Monday.com

“Our company uses Monday.com, which helps our teams with workflow management. It’s very helpful with organizing tasks individually and in a group setting.” – Drew

 

Monday.com is a project management and collaboration platform that helps teams plan, track, and manage their work in one centralized workspace.

 

Monday.com

 

 

#2 – Grasshopper

 

Grasshopper for client calls. I get 1200 calls a day so I couldn’t imagine them coming to my personal cell!” – K’la Inman

 

Grasshopper is a virtual phone system that allows small businesses to use a professional business number on their existing mobile phones, with features like call forwarding, voicemail, and custom greetings.

 

Grasshopper

 

#3 – Asana

 

“I’d be lost without Asana. That is where all of my “To Dos” & “Tasks” live that I need to execute or ideate on.” – Michael Testa

 

Asana is a project management tool that helps teams organize, track, and manage their work by creating tasks, assigning deadlines, and collaborating all in one place.

 

 

 

#4 – Loom

 

Loom for sharing processes/feedback with the team.” – Rosie Stafford Smith

 

Loom is a video messaging tool that lets you quickly record your screen, voice, and face to create and share video updates, tutorials, or walkthroughs—perfect for clear, async communication.

 

 

 

#5- Airtable

 

Airtable is a fantastic tool for tracking projects.” – Murray Lee

 

Airtable is a flexible, spreadsheet-database hybrid that helps you organize, track, and collaborate on everything from project management to content calendars, all in a visually intuitive interface.

 

 

#6 – ChatGPT

 

“Probably ChatGPT. It’s helped me speed up my data analysis by providing help on complex formulas, insights, dynamic OKRs/KPIs updates and more.” – Melissa Ralph

 

ChatGPT is an AI-powered assistant that helps you brainstorm ideas, write content, solve problems, and get answers—basically your smart, friendly sidekick for work and life.

 

 

#7 – Google Suite

 

“Google Suite because of all the different things that it offers to work and stay organized!” – Grace Lockett

 

Google Suite (now called Google Workspace) is a collection of cloud-based productivity tools—including Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, Drive, Calendar, and more—that help individuals and teams collaborate and get work done from anywhere.

 

 

 

Whether you’re managing projects, streamlining communication, or just trying to stay on top of your to-do list, these tools are helping Forge members do it all with a little more ease and a lot more efficiency. From well-known platforms like Google Suite to favorites like Asana, Monday.com, and Grasshopper, there’s something here for everyone. We love seeing how our community works—and sharing their go-to tools might just help you find your next favorite too.

 

Forge Member Spotlight: Derrick Magnotta

Forge Member Spotlight: Derrick Magnotta

Meet Forge Member, Derrick Magnotta!

 

Derrick is the COO of Quality Counts, Inc. – an employment screening company – they do background checks, drug testing, and medical exams for employers around the country. We love having Derrick as part of the Forge community!

 

What is your favorite part about your job?
“Problem solving, hands down. Every customer brings a unique set of challenges, and I love digging into those—figuring out their processes, pain points, and goals. Then I get to match that with our capabilities and experience to craft something tailored and effective. It’s like building a custom solution every time—and that never gets old.”

 

What made you decide to join Forge?
“I had been working from home a few days a week, but wanted to manage better work/life balance. When my office was at home, I could always work. Going to a clean, neutral third space helped improve my focus at work and improve my enjoyment of life at home.”

 

What is your favorite thing about Forge?
“It is bright, clean, and there’s always freshly brewed Domestique coffee. What else can you ask for?”

 

What is your favorite spot/place to work at Forge?
“I like to sit overlooking the window onto the street. It’s amazing how many people don’t know how to drive in a city.”

 

What are your favorite tech tools to get your job done or keep your life organized?
“The best tech tool for me is one that reinforces my daily rituals and keeps me focused. I use a personal Google Site as my home base—it’s where I link all my core systems, applications, and dashboards. Each day starts with a review of our performance dashboard from the previous business day—order volumes, error rates, fulfillment rates—so I can immediately get a pulse on operations. Having everything centralized in one place makes my workflow feel streamlined and intentional. It’s the first page I open every morning and the top item on my bookmarks bar. Other applications include our proprietary systems, Google Sheets for analytics and dashboards, ChatGPT (including a custom trained bot on my company’s SOPs), and Any.do for task tracking and scheduling.”
Is there a product you cannot live without?
“Endel! It generates sound based on mood to help me focus, gain energy, or decompress after the day.”
What is the last show you binge-watched?
“Veep (for at least the fourth or fifth time)”

 

What is your ideal weekend in Birmingham?
“My ideal weekend in Birmingham starts with a quiet Friday night—cooking pasta or pizza at home for my wife and just enjoying some downtime together. Saturday kicks off with a walk at Ruffner with our dog, Roosie, grabbing a coffee at Domestique, then meeting up with friends for wine at Red or White or a beer at a brewery. We’ll usually head to a second spot for dinner – ideally Hattie B’s. On Sunday, we sleep in, grab a taco from Taco Morro Loco, and hang out on our screen porch. Simple, low key, relaxed.”
Meet Forge Ambassador LaToya R. Mims

Meet Forge Ambassador LaToya R. Mims

Meet LaToya R. Mims- our newest Forge Ambassador!

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself

My name is LaToya R. Mims. I am a proud native of Birmingham, AL. I am married to my best friend, Henry Mims and we have two beautiful children, Harper (6) and Mason (almost 2).
Professionally, my background is in Clinical Laboratory Science and Infection Prevention, but I have recently shifted gears to really utilize my strengths of breaking down barriers in communication and truly fostering relationships to work in serving others, through my nonprofit.
I am an avid lover of volleyball and basketball, and have 12 years of coaching volleyball under my belt.

What brought you to Forge?

 

I was familiar with Forge because I previously utilized the Cahaba conference room and was impressed with how effortless the process to book a room was. So when Catrice, who is also an Ambassador at Forge, recommended the opportunity to serve as an Ambassador, I was very interested.

What are you looking forward to about working at Forge?

 

After meeting with Kim and learning about how the Ambassadors serve, I was truly amazed by the opportunities to network. So, I am really looking forward to participating in the panels and other community networking events.

What do you do when you are not working at Forge?

When I am not at Forge, I am putting in the work to build my nonprofit, The WildFlower Alliance, into a sustainable organization that will impact families for generations to come.
I also am a part of 3 different leadership cohorts, UAB Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and other related Disabilities (LEND), Partners in Policymaking Alabama (PIPA) and Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) LEND Scholars based in Connecticut, to truly invest in building my knowledge base of policies that impact individuals with Disabilities.

If you could choose to do anything for the day, what would you choose to do?

If I could do anything for a day, it would be to sit on a beach in front of the ocean and just be.

What is your favorite thing about Birmingham?

 

My favorite thing about Birmingham is our ability to evolve and thrive. We have seen and endured some remarkable times, historically that set a precedent. Birmingham is stronger today and our growth continual.
A Recap: Celebrate Women 2025

A Recap: Celebrate Women 2025

On March 7, Forge was buzzing with energy as we gathered to celebrate International Women’s Day with an inspiring morning of connection, conversation, and celebration. Our Celebrate Women event brought together an incredible group of women for an engaging panel discussion, networking, shopping, and more.

Celebrate Women Panel

Photo by Matthew Niblett

Forge Staff

The Ladies of Forge- Photo by Matthew Niblett

A Powerful Panel Discussion

 

The highlight of the morning was our panel of three accomplished Birmingham women business leaders, who shared their experiences, challenges, and insights on this year’s theme: Accelerate Action. We were honored to hear from:

  • Amber Hooks – Accounting Manager at Immediate and Co-Founder of Happenins in the Ham
  • Meredith Calhoun – Founder of Tessa Commercial Real Estate
  • Cierra Belser – Founder of Enspire Executive Solutions

 

Their stories resonated with the audience as they shared lessons on leadership, entrepreneurship, and pushing past obstacles to build successful careers and businesses.

 

Celebrate Women Event

Photo by Matthew Niblett

 

Swag Bags, Shopping & Giveaways

 

Of course, no celebration is complete without a little fun! Attendees enjoyed fabulous swag bags filled with goodies from local women-owned businesses.

 

Celebrate Women Swag Bags

 

Celebrate Women Swag Bags

 

Swag Bag Sponsors:

 

Our mini market featured a curated selection of vendors, allowing guests to shop and support local female entrepreneurs. To top it off, we gave away some exciting door prizes, adding an extra touch of excitement to the day!

 

Mini Market Vendors:

 

Celebrate Women Mini Market

Photo by Matthew Niblett

 

Celebrate Women Mini Market

Photo by Matthew Niblett

Celebrate Women Mini Market

Photo by Matthew Niblett

Thank You to Our Community

 

A huge thank you to everyone who attended, participated, and supported this event! It was an amazing reminder of the power of women coming together to share knowledge, uplift one another, and create meaningful connections. We’re already looking forward to next year’s celebration!

 

Stay tuned for more upcoming events at Forge!

 

Celebrate Women Event

Photo by Matthew Niblett

Meet Forge Ambassador Catrice Pruitt

Meet Forge Ambassador Catrice Pruitt

We are excited to introduce our newest Forge Ambassador, Catrice Pruitt!

 

Catrice Pruitt

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

 

A native of Fairfield, Alabama, Catrice is pursuing her Ph.D in Early Childhood Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She completed her Masters in Early Childhood Education at Alabama State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Miles College.
With 15+ years of experience in early childhood education, Catrice uses her expertise to mentor, motivate and educate child care directors, advocate for our youngest learners on Capitol Hill alongside the Women’s Foundation of Alabama and Voices for Alabama’s Children. She is also transcending into other ventures such as finance and health and well-being to help evoke community impact and economic power.

What brought you to Forge?

 

The opportunity to grow professionally and personally, while making new connections.

What are you looking forward to about working at Forge?

 

Learning more about co-working spaces and how to best meet the needs of clients in this setting. Also, making new connections and knowing what services are in the Magic City.

What do you do when you are not working at Forge?

 

Catrice works at a local nonprofit making quality childcare happen for our youngest learners. In her spare time, you can find Catrice active with several committees and focus groups, serving on several Board of Directors, leading several peer groups such as the W.E.D.N (Women Entrepreneurs & Directors Network), mentoring future leaders in 21st Century Skills readiness, reading and listening to audio books, and serving at my church.
You can also find her at local eateries, coffee shops, Barnes & Noble, and most importantly, spending time with her greatest joy, her daughter Erin.

If you could choose to do anything for the day, what would you choose to do?

 

Spend the day in another country enjoying the food and learning the culture.

What is your favorite thing about Birmingham?

 

The legacy of Birmingham and the people who helped shape it.
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