Forge News and Updates |
Meet Forge Member, Glenny Brock!
Glenny is the Project Consultant for The Lincoln Theatre
In addition to your job title, tell us a little bit about what you do:
“The renovation of the
Lincoln Theatre is the first major initiative of
The Holland Project, a nonprofit organization founded by acclaimed actor and Bessemer native André Holland. Along with the renovation of the Lincoln, the only undestroyed Black theatre in Bessemer, future plans include renovation of the historic Woolworth/Albano building, just one block away from
The Bright Star.”
What is your favorite part about your job?
“I love and admire my colleague Mary Holland; I learn from her every time we talk. My second favorite part of the job is learning about the history of Bessemer.”
What made you decide to join Forge?
“We have A LOT to do — and we have incredible momentum right now, thanks in part to grant support from the Susan Mott Webb Foundation and the
Alabama State Council on the Arts. But we first worked at Forge way back in 2017, the earliest days of our organization and of Forge too.”
What is your favorite thing about Forge?
“I love coming to work in a historic building in downtown Birmingham to plan a future where many people work in historic buildings in downtown Bessemer.”
What is your favorite spot/place to work at Forge?
“I usually work in the oversized chairs or the elevated desk counter that overlooks the courtyard. I appreciate how that area is flooded with sunlight. Plus I get in hundreds of steps every time I want to go seek good counsel from Jacqui Jones.”
What are your favorite tech tools to get your job done or keep your life organized?
“The
Pomodoro app, playing the Shinkansen Train soundtrack. When I am strict with myself about 25-minute work intervals and five-minute breaks, I get a tremendous amount of work done.”
Is there a product you cannot live without?
“Right now the answer is Dr. Bronner’s peppermint hand sanitizer.”
What is the last show you binge-watched?
“THE GILDED AGE. I didn’t love it, but I couldn’t stop.”
What is your ideal weekend in Birmingham?
“The following delights in any order: a walk on the Vulcan Trail, a walk in Railroad Park, walk the entire length of Highland Avenue, ceviche at El Barrio, a slice at Zaza, cold beers on the Rojo patio, hot coffee at House 11 or Red Bike, buying tamales at Pepper Place Market, volunteering with the Alabama Theatre organ crew, and seeing a Sunday matinee at the Sidewalk Cinema.”
Forge News and Updates |
The workplace has changed — and so have your team’s needs. Gone are the days of one central office and daily commutes. Today’s best companies are building hybrid teams: flexible, distributed, and empowered to work wherever they thrive.
But even remote-friendly teams need a place to connect, collaborate, and feel like a team. That’s where Forge comes in.
Here are 10 reasons why coworking memberships at Forge are the perfect fit for your hybrid or remote team:
1. A Central Hub Without the Overhead
Think of Forge as your team’s home base — a flexible, professional HQ your team can use when they need it, without the cost or commitment of a traditional office lease.
2. Plans Built for Your Team’s Needs
Need regular meeting space? A few private offices? Or just a place for your team to drop in a few times a week? Forge offers customizable plans designed around how your hybrid team actually works.
3. Face Time, When It Matters
Zoom is great — until it’s not. Forge gives your team a consistent space to gather in person, brainstorm together, and strengthen working relationships that can’t be built in Slack threads alone.
4. Connection to Something Bigger
Your team won’t just be connecting with each other — they’ll also be surrounded by other professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives. That built-in community creates a richer, more energizing workday experience. Forge hosts monthly Members-Only events to foster a strong community.
5. Boosted Morale & Engagement
Working from home can feel isolating. Forge helps fight that by giving team members a space where they feel seen, supported, and inspired — which leads to better engagement and retention.
6. Attract & Retain Top Talent
The best employees want flexibility and connection. Offering a Forge membership shows you’re invested in building a work culture that supports both — which helps you stand out in a competitive hiring market.
7. Support for Focus & Productivity
Whether it’s a quiet desk, strong Wi-Fi, or fewer interruptions than a home office, Forge gives your team the tools to do their best work — on their own terms.
8. Private + Shared Space Options
Need to host a client meeting? Want a private office for heads-down days? Or prefer a more open coworking vibe? With Forge, your team can choose the space that fits their day’s goals.
9. Built for the Hybrid Economy
Forge was designed with the hybrid workforce in mind. We’re not just adapting to this new model — we’re helping shape it, with spaces that balance autonomy and connection, flexibility and structure.
10. A Better Way to Work Together
Forge brings your hybrid team the best of both worlds: the freedom of remote work, and the connection of in-person collaboration. It’s not just coworking — it’s a smarter, more human way to work.
Ready to make Forge your team’s HQ?
Let’s build a custom plan that fits the way your team works — and thrives.
We are currently offering (through July 31) a BOGO deal– buy one month and get your second month FREE! Interested? Schedule a tour now!
Forge News and Updates |
At Forge, we believe the best way to understand what makes our coworking space special is to hear it directly from the people who use it every day. From entrepreneurs to creatives, remote workers to small teams, our members choose Forge for all kinds of reasons—location, community, productivity, and more. We asked a few of them to share what drew them to Forge and why it’s the place they love to work.
📍 Location, Location, Location
“That sweet sweet location! It’s hard to beat downtown Birmingham.” – Ethan
Whether it’s the walkability, the energy of being in the heart of the city, or the short commute, location is one of the first things that draws people to Forge. Forge is located above The Pizitz Food Hall for easy access to delicious food all day!
💼 A Place That Just Feels Right
“The environment and location were what we were looking for.” – Austin
“It felt like the right place for our small but ambitious company.” – Hudson
Forge isn’t a one-size-fits-all space—it’s designed to support a wide range of businesses, from solopreneurs to small teams chasing big goals.
🏡 Finding Balance Between Work and Home
“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.” – Derrick
For many members, Forge offers more than just a desk—it offers boundaries, focus, and the kind of clarity that’s hard to find at the kitchen table.
👋 A Community of Like-Minded People
“I miss being around people when I work, so the opportunity to network and socialize is key!” – Daniel
Working solo doesn’t mean working in isolation. At Forge, members find community, connection, and opportunities to grow alongside other professionals.
🚲 A Fresh Start in a Creative Space
“I moved from Brooklyn to Birmingham in 2021. After working from home a couple of years, I really missed being in more of an office environment. Forge offered a nice, bike-able, commute, and a flexible environment for working around other creative, talented and driven folks.” – Seth
Whether you’re new to Birmingham or just looking for a new routine, Forge is the kind of place that helps you feel plugged in, inspired, and productive.
No matter your reason for joining Forge—whether it’s the energy of downtown, the need for a boundary between work and home, or the desire to be part of a supportive professional community—there’s space for you here.
Want to see if Forge is a fit for you? Come take a tour or try a free day of coworking. We’d love to show you around. Right now we’re running a BOGO deal: buy one month and get your second month FREE! This offer ends July 31.
Forge News and Updates |
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.
#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.
#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 News and Updates |
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.
Photo by Matthew Niblett
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.
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.
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:
Photo by Matthew Niblett
Photo by Matthew Niblett
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!
Photo by Matthew Niblett
