Forge News and Updates |
This article was written by Lauren Bedford for Bham Now!
Have you ever wondered what coworking is? Have you seen #workatforge floating around Instagram or Facebook? Do you work remotely or from home? Self employed? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be interested in learning about Forge coworking space.
What is Forge?
Forge is currently Birmingham’s first and only professional coworking space. Other coworking spaces in Birmingham include The Hub, MAKE Bham and Social Venture. Forge is currently the only coworking space that is geared toward professionals only. A coworking space is a space from which all kinds of people can work. This includes entrepreneurs, those who work remotely, and the self-employed creatives with big dreams. The facilities at Forge are state of the art and the space is stylishly decorated. Kim Lee, founder and CEO, is committed to those that call Forge their home 40+ hours a week and does everything she can to make sure they have what they need.
Forge is located in the Pizitz building and overlooks the Food Hall. The working space runs around the edges of the building. Next time you’re grabbing a drink at The Louis or breakfast from Alabama Biscuit Co., look up. See those people? They’re working in Forge.
Happy Birthday, Forge!
Forge recently celebrated its first year of business with a lunch party. There was balloons, champagne, lunch catered by Ono Poke and cupcakes. The Forge community came together for a celebration of the space and the founders. After just one year, the space was full of people celebrating and spending time together — a huge testament to the supportive environment found at Forge.
A Little Background
The fearless leader: Kim Lee, Founder of Forge
Lee has a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Samford, and a Master’s in Counseling from Covenant College. Her first job after graduation was for a window-washing company as a business-development team member. Though this seems like a sharp detour from a path that would lead to coworking, Lee cites this job as the place where she really fell in love with business in this way — business as service and hospitality.
“When we moved back to Birmingham and I went back to work, I discovered this concept of coworking. I thought to myself, ‘This, somehow, combines everything we love. We love building community, serving the city, growing the city, providing ways for people to work and building an ecosystem for small businesses.’”
Some people may come to lament the fact their job becomes monotonous, the same thing day in and day out. That is not the case when running Forge. Kelsey Sizemore, Marketing and Community Manager at Forge, feels like there is never a dull day — and that is one of her favorite things about working at Forge. She also notes one of her favorite things as the fact that she gets to meet so many different types of people based on all the unique people that call Forge their work home.
“I like the variety of getting to interact with a lot of people here. It’s fun that there are people doing a lot of really different jobs, so I get exposed to a lot of different things I never would have known about otherwise.”
Apart from the difficulty of finding the perfect downtown location, Lee basically had the idea from the start and has been able to execute her plan well. Although Forge opened later than she had originally planned, it has been an immense success and something that brings both her and Forge members joy and utility everyday.
How Does Bham Feel About Coworking?
The response from the community has been supportive and people are very interested in the concept of coworking. Not only that, but people are coming from all over to check out Forge. Many of the companies that work from Forge have noticed that their client meetings tend to be onsite simply because people really want to check out Forge and see what’s going on. That is definitely a perk of working from Forge — everyone wants to come to you!
The kitchenette on site features fruit-infused water, coffee, tea and snacks. The black / brown / white / gold color scheme is modern but still funky and creative. Natural light floods the workspace. Forge features three conference rooms, plenty of workspace, rentable desks and full offices available for rent. The location is unmatched, especially when the lunch hour rolls around. You can easily pop downstairs to the Pizitz Food Hall and choose from poke bowls, sandwiches, mediterranean food and more.
Lee is also dedicated to furthering the education of all Forge members. She hosts events like lunch-and-learns and happy hours that allow members to meet each other and learn more. Events held include marketing seminars, discussions on small businesses and more.
Forge Testimonials
“Working at Forge has reinvigorated my business. I am more motivated, productive, and fulfilled now that I have the balance of self-employment and workplace culture. The best professional decision I have made was to move to Birmingham and start my own company…the second was to develop this company while working at Forge.” – Suzanne Humphries, Interior Designer
“Since day one there has really been a sense of community and collaboration at Forge. There is something to be said for the creative and entrepreneurial spirit you find here, that you can’t find working from home or your typical office.” – Connor Hand, Agent Leads for Big Gen Inc.
“I’ve been working at Forge for a year now. I have found a strong sense of community working at Forge. The familiar faces and great business connections really have helped me as an entrepreneur and my company move forward. Kim and Kelsey have been so wonderful and helpful every single day. The events that happen at Forge are so helpful to the journey of a small business owner. I’m grateful to have them happening right there in my workspace. I can partake of continuing education while I eat lunch and still stay focused and on track with work. Working at Forge has been a game changer for my journey as a small business owner and I’m grateful to work there.” – Jacqueline Jones, Owner of One Degree MMM Marketing and Creative Agency
Forge News and Updates |
On September 18, we hosted our second pitch night at Forge. Your Big Idea is a place for entrepreneurs to share their new business concepts in front of panelists and an audience to receive valuable feedback. We love celebrating the growing small business community in Birmingham! We want to tell you more about these 3 new businesses.
1. It’s Poppin! Vintage
Keisha Paige Drammeh recently moved to Birmingham from Detroit and she’s settling into the entrepreneurship community here! In both Detroit and Atlanta, Keisha sold vintage clothing online but she’s looking to start something new in the Magic City. It’s Poppin! Vintage will be a sustainable cultural arts boutique for young kids. Keisha has a talent for finding used clothes and recycling them.
Vintage vs Modern: The Need for Sustainable Practice
- 64% of Americans reported they throw out used clothing instead of donating
- 62% threw clothing away because they didn’t think anyone would take them
- 26 million lbsof clothing & textiles go into land fills each year yet 95% could bereusedor recycled
Keisha focuses on recycle, reuse and repurpose! There are no art programs in Birmingham that specify in sustainable fashion so Keisha will be filling in this gap. She has secured a location in East Lake for these classes but she is still working through details to begin the program soon! Be sure to follow her on Instagram and see updates of her progress!
2. Access BHM
Kennan Henderson is the Founder and CEO of Access BHM– a new way to earn rewards for helping the Birmingham community! Birmingham citizens want to improve their community but they don’t know how. Access BHM is a way to generate local charity, philanthropy and activism. It’s also a method for promoting local businesses and entrepreneurs.
Join the Access BHM club to get access to everything from free meals around town, to free activities like local runs, bowling, rock climbing, daycare and even free access to some of the biggest and brightest events in Birmingham. Access BHM members hold the power to choose what events they host and sponsor each month. The top 3 ideas are voted on by members!
We can’t wait to see Access BHM as it grows! Check out there Instagram account here.
3. S(w)ervice
Thomas Walker started S(w)ervice– an auto-tech startup company that provides digital service experiences to independent auto shop owners and their customers. S(w)ervice makes auto maintenance easy! They help auto shops maximize engagement value by providing faster and easier customer experiences with auto valet.
4 Key Services that Solve the Digital Gap Between Auto Shops and Customers:
- On- Demand Auto Valet
- 1:1 Customer Communication
- Data and Social Insights
- Meaningful Outreach
S(w)ervice focuses on:
Revolutionizing the customer experience for automotive retailers.
Developing digital experiences that break socioeconomic boundaries.
Repurposing routine car maintenance transactions into a purposeful opportunity to serve.
Thank you Gatehouse Law for sponsoring September’s pitch night. We love hosting Your Big Idea and look forward to the next one on October 16! RSVP by clicking here. Your Big Idea is free and open to the public!
Forge News and Updates |
Forge Member Jacqueline Jones of One Degree MMM wrote a blog post to warn small business owners as they prepare for the holiday sale season. Pay attention entrepreneurs! You need this info:
We all know that holiday season comes at the same time every year. But for some reason, entrepreneurs and small business owners tend to treat it, each year, as though it’s a brand new concept.
Jacqueline Jones of One Degree MMM
While complaining about big box stores having their Christmas decorations up in October, they neglect to turn their attention to their own brand’s holiday plans.
Because the words holiday and sale are practically synonymous in the United States, let’s address where small business owners fall short in taking advantage of a seeming buffet of open wallets and thoughtless spending consumers.
5. Small Businesses Fail to Establish Their Marketing Process in Advance.
Figuring it out as you go along shows that you didn’t believe that your products would fly off the shelves or your services would book to capacity. In a perfect world, small business owners would establish a sales funnel that met prospective buyers at each level of their journey of interaction with their brand.
Marketing at each step helps to push your audience closer and closer to their final commitment. Further, it gives the business owner something to track to figure out where the sale gets lost in translation.
Establish your process and work on your sales funnel. If you don’t know how to pull this plan together, consult with a marketing professional to get on the right track!
4. Small Business Don’t Engage Their Audience Before The Ask.
Unfortunately, a large number of small business owners don’t speak to their audience until they have something to sell. That’s never really a good idea. It’s a worse idea in the busiest sales season of the year. Further, most small businesses primarily use social media as a way to promote and advertise their product or service. By now, we all know that algorithms favor those who are consistent.
Once you’ve made a plan for your sale, turn your attention to what you will do between now and that sale. Interacting with your customers will help build your relationship to both avoid being ignored because you only show up when you want money, and rank higher in platform algorithms. Interacting with your audience may even lead you to adjust what services or products you’ve chosen to highlight for your holiday sale. Put your ear to the streets early!
3. Small Business Don’t Invest in Promotion or Advertising to Increase Brand and Sale Awareness.
If only letting your circle friends know what you have to offer is enough for you to grow your business, GREAT! KEEP AT IT! If you are looking to scale your business and pick up new customers and clients during this busy sale season, start now figuring out what you can budget to support your fantastic holiday sale.
We’ve all heard the phrase, “You have to spend money to make money.” Well, it’s true. Social media, Google, and other platforms practically do the work for you. Your job as the marketer of your brand is to research to figure out what will work best, then put your money where your audience is.
2. Small Business Don’t Ask The Price That Generates Revenue.
The word “sale” can quickly make small business owners forget they have a bottom line. Getting caught up in the competition of it all makes brands feel forced to go lower and lower on the price curve. Stand your ground. Ask what you’re worth, even while it’s on sale.
The first step to accomplishing is having done the work of understanding your pricing in the first place. Since you’re starting early, if you haven’t done so, do it. Then stand tall and ask for the sale.
1. Small Business Wait Until The Last Minute To Make Holiday Sale Decisions.
You can’t possibly be surprised by this. This #1 mistake is the entire reason why this post exists. My team and I strive to help business owners level the sale season playing field single-handedly.
For this reason, I’ve introduced a new and limited-time consultation.
Check out the Small Business Holiday Prep Consultation available now through October 15!
Go on… GO BE GREAT! 
Forge News and Updates |
Hello! My name is Emily Jackson and I’m an upcoming senior at Samford University. I’m studying marketing and finance and had the pleasure of interning at Forge this summer. I knew nothing about Forge or its purpose before my internship! But my interest continually grew as I came to Forge and began meeting Forge members and attending Forge events. I wrote this blog post about what I’ve learned and why I could never work alone.
In a time where technology has made it very easy to be able to work from where you are, so many people choose to work from home. For many, that initially sounds like a dream, but for me that sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Not only would I distract myself from my work, but the extrovert in me would be drained and exhausted all of the time. Since working at Forge, I have realized I won’t ever have to put myself through that! The benefits of coworking far exceed working from home or a coffee shop. Here are my top five reasons for working out of Forge!
Community
- I’ve realized how valuable it is to network with other young professionals and meet new people! Forge is packed full of entrepreneurs, remote works and small business owners who are doing amazing things in Birmingham.
- At Forge, I’m not alone. Of course that sounds obvious, but I have realized that simply being in an environment with others around you is incredibly important. It gives you more energy than staying in your basement or home office to work!
Productivity
- I really need a quiet space to focus and be productive. Forge has just the right atmosphere with great playlists. It’s not as quiet as a library but not too noisy like a coffee shop- a great balance!
- The access to conference rooms is essential! If you are working in a group or meeting with a client, Forge has a variety of conference rooms you can book easily. After spending significant time in coffee shops, I realize how difficult it can be for a team to productively meet in a crowded atmosphere like that.
Growth
- The Lunch & Learn events at Forge can help you grow as an entrepreneur or simply as an employee or student. I’ve learned about stress management hacks for the modern entrepreneur and how legal affects your small business. Forge always chooses topics that are relevant to you and your business!
- At Forge you can easily receive feedback from the community around you. Feedback is so important for growth and at Forge you have the community surrounding you whenever you need to ask questions or get opinions about a certain project or pitch.
Location
- If you want to be in the heart of the action, Forge is the perfect spot for you. Being downtown in the Pizitz building is fun and energizing! With so much change and growth downtown, Forge is where you want to be.
- Let’s not ignore the close proximity to the Pizitz food hall! The food hall is packed with a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner options from around the world. Even if you have a packed schedule of work for the day, you can grab food downstairs in just a few minutes.
Atmosphere
- Forge strikes of a balance of being both relaxing and professional at the same time. You can feel confident bringing a client in for a business meeting at Forge rather than a coffee shop or your own home!
- The environment is bright and welcoming! With big windows around the whole second floor at Forge, you can be certain the sunlight will be much more energizing than your dark basement!
In conclusion, my experience with Forge has taught me how I like to work with others! I love knowing everything that Forge has to offer. Forge is an inspiring atmosphere filled with lots of creative people! I can’t wait to share about Forge with my fellow Samford students.
Forge News and Updates |
If you’re needing advice for your email campaigns, look no further. The team at 24 Communications wrote this blog post to teach you the words you need and the words you need to avoid. Also check out this video they made to go along with the post. The Forge team loves learning from our members like 24c. Read on!
We all know that words have power, but when it comes to your business’s email marketing campaigns, do you really know which words will encourage your subscribers to act, buy, and/or give?
Believe it or not, a few small tweaks to changing how you write your emails just might be the key to increasing engagement. By using more influential words, you can push your subscribers to take the action your email campaign intends to ignite. You’ve landed in your customers’ inboxes; now it’s time for some reciprocation.
The experts at 24 Communications are here to help you uncover the most powerful words and phrases to use for your email marketing campaigns – the ones that ensure maximum effectiveness.
How to use powerful words in your email campaigns
To better help you identify the most powerful email subject line words for your email campaigns, consider these helpful tips:
1. Lead with emotion
Avoid the overused click-bait jargon and aim to appeal to your audience’s emotions instead. Consider the pain points of your customer base and how they will feel when your product or service helps solve that problem. These are the emotions that will increase the power of your email content.
Think of adding some of these pain point healing words in your email campaign subject:
- Tired of feeling [X]
- Grr!
- [X] doesn’t have to be hard
- Make [X] fun again
- Ugh!
- Learn to love [X] again
- [X] survival guide
- [X] 101
2. Dig further into the pain point
If you prefer to cut right to the chase and want to leave emotion to the solution, dig into the pain point to show how you can make your customers’ problem or struggle painless. Instead of going with “wow” words, target specifically what your ideal customers care about.
Effective email campaign words that center around pain points and/or solutions include:
- Ready
- Beat
- Advance
- Save
- Develop
- Complete
- Avoid
- Change
- Escape
- Improve
- Gain
- Faster
- Easier
- Sooner
3. Keep it in the now
Call to action. Call to action. Call to action! We can’t stress it enough.
Words and phrases that inspire a sense of urgency instantly make your emails and subject lines more powerful. You can spark urgency without using all caps or a gazillion exclamation points. Try incorporating these words into your email campaigns:
- Now
- Fast
- Save your spot
- Limited time
- Before tickets run out
- Limited supply
- First come, first serve
- Be the first
- The clock is ticking
- Don’t miss [X]
- Before [X] is gone
4. Make it personal
Throw third person out the window. Your email campaigns become more compelling when you address your customers personally. The intimacy, so to speak, gives your message a personal feel.
This viewpoint can make your subscriber feel like you’re speaking to them exclusively, rather than a group of people. Try these words on for size:
- You
- Your
- Our
- Us
- All of us
- We
- Together, we…
5. Show them you care
A little goes a long way – in life and in your emails. Show your customers a little love by using appreciative words in your email campaigns and subject lines.
When you reach a new goal, thank your customers with a new deal, host a customer appreciation event, or send a kind email thanking new subscribers for signing up. And don’t forget to use these:
- Thank you
- Thanks
- You’re the best
- We appreciate you
- Couldn’t have done it without you
- Here’s a reward
- You deserve this
- Because you helped us [X], we’re giving you [Y]
- You’re awesome
- Because of you, [X]
- Thanks to you, [X]
More tips for effective email campaigns…
Don’t get lost in the inbox abyss of personal messages, promotions, spam sales, news pushes, and more. Here are some more words we suggest using in your email campaign subject line to help you stand out:
- Secrets
- Tips
- Effective
- Learn how to [X] with this guide
- The [X] you’ve been waiting for
Words and characters to avoid
Just steer clear whenever you can:
- Free
- Buy
- Purchase
- Order
- Urgent
- ALL CAPS WORDS
- Exclamation points !!!!!
- Dollar signs $$$
Keep in mind that the ‘rules’ for powerful words are not all black and white. In fact, the most powerful words for emails and their subject lines will vary by industry, and according to what’s being offered and who it’s being offered to.
What works for one business may not work for another, and what works for one brand’s personality may not work for another. The key really getting to know your audience base and what appeals to them. Use these guidelines and apply them to your business, then use your metrics to test, measure, and optimize the most powerful words for your email campaigns.
Need some more help? We’ve got your back! The experts at 24 Communications specialize in everything from email campaigns and newsletters to the development and implementation of marketing plans with copy and design that is maximized for sharable content. We find strategic ways to leverage your content across multiple platforms to maximize your brand reach.
Get in touch with the experts at 24 Communications today. We can’t wait to work with you!