Member Spotlight |
MEET FORGE MEMBER, Ross Blankenship Founder and Principal, Tuesday Advisors
Q: In addition to your job title, tell us a little bit about what you do / what your company does.
A:Tuesday Advisors is my leadership coaching and consulting company. I have a PhD in consulting psychology and spend most of my time coaching business founders and leaders, helping them become more intentional and effective in their work. I do in-depth assessments for hiring/due diligence, onboarding, and leadership development, and work with teams to improve psychological safety, communication, and decision making. And the semester is almost over, but I also teach a course I developed called “Navigating Complex Decisions in Work and Career” at the University of Virginia.
Q: What made you decide to join Forge?
A: I work solo, so Forge was the perfect way to get some office space and still be around other people who are doing interesting things.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Forge?
A: The energy and the people. Also the Pizitz Food Hall (shoutout to Ashley Mac’s sammies that keep me going).
Q: What is your favorite spot/place to work at Forge?
A: My office.
Q: What are your favorite tech tools to get your job done or keep your life organized?
A: Various Google tools (Keep, Tasks, and Calendar) and the reminder app on my phone are the only way I get things done.
Q: Is there a product you cannot live without?
A:Honestly, I’m not sure there is. But I’ll say this, when I’m working my Apple watch is pretty crucial. The “Hey Siri remind me to ______” feature keeps me on track.
Q: What’s the last show you binge-watched?
A: Am I obliged to mention how much I enjoyed “Shrinking,” given my background? I’m also working my way through “Daisy Jones and the Six” right now and loving it.
Q: What’s your ideal weekend in Birmingham?
A: Kids sleep in on Saturday morning so my wife and I can drink coffee together, then pastries from Continental followed by some sort of outdoor activity with the whole fam (we have two daughters and two dogs), lunch around the kitchen island, exercise in the afternoon, then date night with my wife at the bar at Bottega Cafe.
Member Spotlight |
MEET FORGE MEMBER, Matt Cole Southeast Relationship Manager, 4africa
Matt Cole joined the Forge Community several months ago. Matt is the Southeast Relationship Manager for the non-profit 4africa. Matt initially joined Forge because he needed a place to work where is 18 month old could not interrupt him every few minutes. A big added bonus for Matt is that even though he works on a fully remote team, he now has a community of “coworkers.”
Q: In addition to your job title, tell us a little bit about what you do / what your company does.
A: 4africa is a non-profit organization that based out of Ft. Worth, Texas that focuses on leadership development and discipleship in Northern Uganda and South Sudan through the Leadership Academy of South Sudan. We currently have 100 students enrolled at our academy who are working towards university qualification and admission and who are focused on changing their country through their educational, spiritual, and leadership training. We facilitate the only university preparatory academy in the country of South Sudan and believe the future president of South Sudan will come from our academy. We will soon be breaking ground on another leadership academy in Northern Uganda and have the vision to pioneer these academies across Eastern Africa and perhaps one day, the entire continent. My role it share our story and secure financial partnerships with individuals, corporations, and churches throughout the southeast.
Q: What made you decide to join Forge?
A: I don’t work well at home and coffee shops were getting expensive to stay at one 8 hours a day so I began to look for a co-working space and after talking to and touring other options, FORGE proved to be the best option from excellence and value.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Forge?
A: The other people who work here are all very kind and professional!
Q: What is your favorite spot/place to work at Forge?
A: It was at one of the big wooden tables, but now it’s at my desk space that I am really enjoying.
Q: What are your favorite tech tools to get your job done or keep your life organized?
A: I love the app “Simple Mind Pro” which is a mind mapping app that I use both professionally and personally, as well as an app that I used called “Pause” to help recenter myself throughout the day. I also love using my big widescreen monitor and charging station on my desk for my phone, airpods and watch all at the same time.
Q: What’s the last show you binge-watched?
A: Blacklist
Q: Is there a product you cannot live without?
A: Iced Lattes
Q: What’s your ideal weekend in Birmingham?
A: Breakfast with my family, morning hangout at the park, afternoon nap to golf, evening walk, wine on the back porch after our son goes down to bed.
Member Spotlight |
MEET FORGE MEMBER, Mahogany Iman CEO, Harsen Brand
Mahogany Iman recently moved into an an office at Forge in order to have a home base for Harsen Brand, a luxury marketplace for all things fashion, home decor and office decor! Read below to find out more about Mahogany, the work she does with Harsen Brand, and what he loves most about Forge!
Q: In addition to your job title, tell us a little bit about what you do / what your company does.
A: Harsen Brand is a curated luxury marketplace for independent designers and lifestyle products.
Q: What made you decide to join Forge?
A: The opportunity to connect with like minded individuals.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Forge?
A: The staff, the ambiance and events!
Q: What is your favorite spot/place to work at Forge?
A: My office 🥰
Q: What are your favorite tech tools to get your job done or keep your life organized?
A: My macbook
Q: What’s the last show you binge-watched?
A: Wu Tang Clan – American Saga
Q: Is there a product you cannot live without?
A: My mind.
Q: What’s your ideal weekend in Birmingham?
A: Enjoying a mommy – daughter date, doing whatever my daughter desires
Member Spotlight |
MEET FORGE MEMBER, Murray Lee Executive Director, Mission to North America
Murray joined Forge several months ago after taking his new role with Mission to North America. Being a fully remote job, Murray knew that he had to have a place to work that was outside of his home and around people! Read below to find out more about Murray, the work he does with MNA, and what he loves most about Forge!
Q: In addition to your job title, tell us a little bit about what you do / what your company does.
A: Mission to North America (MNA) is the Presbyterian Church in America’s national organization that serves our denominational churches in the US and Canada in the areas of church planting and church vitality. As the Executive Coordinator, my job is to integrate vision with action across the organization.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Forge?
A: The people I get to meet! Different from my previous job, this role is completely remote. So unless I am traveling to meet with people, I only talk to people on Zoom. At Forge I get to meet and be around people!
Q: What is your favorite spot/place to work at Forge?
A: My dedicated desk is right next to my wife’s. No better spot at Forge!
Q: What are your favorite tech tools to get your job done or keep your life organized?
A: Airtable is a fantastic tool for tracking projects.
Q: What’s the last show you binge-watched?
A: Kim and I just finished Vikings Valhalla and it was meh…Now, Season 3 of Outer Banks
Q: What’s your ideal weekend in Birmingham?
A: Lazy Saturday morning with a big breakfast, then off to watch our kids play the sports they love! Davenports for dinner!
Member Spotlight |
MEET FORGE’S NEW COMMUNITY MANAGER, VALYNCIA JOHNSON
Read below to learn more about Valyncia!
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself?
A: I am Valyncia Johnson, a Birmingham, AL native. I have over eight years of experience in PR and Management. My portfolio encompasses diverse industries and brands offering visibility, infinity, and connectivity across multicultural audiences.
Q: What do you do at Forge?
A: I am the Community Manager and I am responsible for front and back house operations and management of Forge – including but not limited to brand awareness, communication planning, events with internal and external audiences. I support the Founder and CEO, Kim Lee, in meeting business objectives such as reducing churn and increasing member retention.
Q: What brought you to Forge?
A: I was introduced to Forge in 2019 when I was searching for an office space to do a personal brand shoot. I was immediately attracted to Forge, its offerings, and aesthetic. I saw the post that Forge was in search for their next Community Manager, and I felt that this was a perfect opportunity to merge my work and passion while growing my network.
Q: What are you looking forward to about working at Forge?
A: I am looking forward to serving other entrepreneurs, professionals, and the community through the resources and networking opportunities we offer.
Q: What do you do when you are not working at Forge?
A: When I am not at Forge, I enjoy to spend time with loved ones, travel, and network with others.
Q. If you could choose to do anything for the day, what would you choose to do?
A: If I could choose to do anything for the day, I would probably fly my loved ones to a destination of their choice, and have a family retreat.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Birmingham?
A: My favorite thing about Birmingham is the rich history, its striving for being an incubator for entrepreneurship and tech, and and our restaurant industry.
