A Summer of Connection: Recapping Our Women’s Networking Breakfast Series

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A Summer of Connection: Recapping Our Women’s Networking Breakfast Series

This summer, Forge partnered with Malone Unlimited to create a space for women in Birmingham to connect, learn from one another, and have meaningful conversations about the realities of business, leadership, community, and life.

Our Summer Women’s Networking Breakfast Series brought women together over coffee and breakfast for four mornings from June through September. Each event featured local women with different industries, backgrounds, and experiences, but every conversation came back to a common theme: building meaningful careers and businesses while staying connected to the people, communities, and priorities that matter most.

June: The Business of Creativity and Care

We kicked off the series in June with The Business of Creativity and Care, featuring Claire Cassady Vaughn, Head of School at Advent Episcopal School, and Zoë Gowen, interior designer, entrepreneur, and founder of Zoë Gowen Interiors.

Though their work spans two very different industries—education and design—Claire and Zoë offered a look at what it takes to lead people-centered organizations. The conversation explored creative problem-solving, emotional intelligence, thoughtful leadership, operational realities, and the role each plays in creating sustainable growth.

It was a fitting way to begin the summer: a reminder that successful leadership isn’t just about what you build, but how you care for the people at the center of it.

July: The Business of What Matters Most

In July, Ryan Graham, founder of RamLea Partners, and Avani Patel, owner and jewelry designer at Avani Rupa Fine Jewelers, joined us for The Business of What Matters Most.

The morning centered around a question many women in business know well: How do you pursue success without losing sight of yourself, your family, your friendships, and your community?

Rather than focusing on the idea of achieving a perfect balance, the conversation explored making intentional choices, setting priorities, and staying present for the people and moments that matter. Ryan and Avani shared perspectives shaped by building successful businesses while remaining deeply invested in their relationships and communities.

August: Using Business to Meet Community Needs

Our August breakfast shifted the conversation toward purpose and impact with How Women Use Their Business to Meet Community Needs.

We welcomed Taylor Plosser Davis, Birmingham-based residential architect and founder of TPD Architecture + Design, alongside Regan Liggins, founder of Kent Lane Ventures LLC.

Together, they explored how businesses can become vehicles for serving more than customers. The conversation looked at the ways purpose can influence how women lead, make decisions, grow their organizations, and respond to needs within their communities.

It was an opportunity for attendees to think beyond traditional measures of business success and consider the impact their skills, resources, and leadership can have on the people around them.

September: From Busy to Polished

We wrapped up the series in September with a conversation especially relevant to women balancing full lives and full calendars: From Busy to Polished — Quick Beauty + Style Tips That Work.

LaRoyce Burroughs-Marsh, owner of d’Trespa Consignment & Vintage Boutique, and Precious Sanders, founder of beauty education brand Hey Precious, joined us to talk about self-care, confidence, beauty, and personal style.

With women often juggling businesses, careers, families, and countless other responsibilities, the morning offered both practical advice and a larger reminder: caring for yourself doesn’t have to be complicated or fall to the bottom of the list. LaRoyce and Precious shared their experiences and encouraged women to find simple, authentic ways to feel confident while continuing to lead, serve, and pursue their goals.

More Than Networking

While each breakfast centered around a different topic, the heart of the series was always connection.

We wanted these mornings to be more than another networking event where everyone exchanges business cards and heads back to work. They were designed to give women space to sit down together, hear honest experiences from other women, ask questions, share ideas, and build relationships within Birmingham’s business community.

Over four mornings, we heard from women working in education, design, coaching, jewelry, architecture, consulting, fashion, and beauty. Their paths looked different, but their conversations highlighted just how much women across industries can learn from one another.

We’re incredibly grateful to Malone Unlimited for partnering with Forge to bring this series to life, to each of our speakers for sharing their time and experiences, and to every woman who joined us for breakfast this summer.

At Forge, community has always been about more than sharing a workspace. It’s about creating opportunities for people to meet, collaborate, learn, and support one another—and this series was a great reminder of what can happen when we intentionally make room for those connections.

Thank you to everyone who spent their summer mornings with us. We loved connecting with you, and we can’t wait to continue finding new ways to bring Birmingham’s women together.