Member Spotlight |
Read more below to learn more about Lance!
Q: What’s the last show you binge-watched?
A: My favorite show to watch is definitely Snowfall (HBO Max)! I had to binge-watch the old seasons to prepare for the release of the new episodes. Franklin Saint (main character) is a young CEO and businessman, so I love seeing how our stories are similar yet so different!
Q: Is there a product you can’t live without?
A: I can not live without my computer! I use it for personal things and business. Man, my Macbook is my heart, I love this thing!
Q: What’s your ideal weekend in Birmingham?
A: On a perfect day in Birmingham I start off the day relaxing at home then I meet up with some friends to go enjoy some of the things that the city has to offer. I usually go play basketball on Sundays and watch some sports. I love eating GOOD food, so I like to try new restaurants all over Birmingham.
Q: In addition to your job title, tell us a little bit about what you do / what your company does.
A: I am the CEO of Project EMS, Inc. we provide under-resourced students with opportunities to further their education through new and unique experiences, tutoring, mentoring, and scholarships. I love working with students (9th-12th grade) and mentoring them! I remember being that age and understanding how critical some of my decisions were.. so I love helping the next generation achieve their goals and achieve greatness!
Q: What is your favorite thing about Forge?
A: I love Forge because it feels like a family! Since I have been a member (July ’22) I have gotten to know a lot of other members and we all share our passions and figure out how we can work together to improve each other’s business. The staff are great and they make me feel right at home not to mention the events and free food.
Q: What is your favorite spot/place to go to at Forge?
A: I have developed a routine with speaking to my fellow community members that surround me by sitting at the community tables!
Member Spotlight |
Read more below to learn more about Elizabeth!
Q: What’s the last show you binge-watched?
A: The latest show I have binge-watched is the new Game of Thrones show House of the Dragon! So good!
Q: Is there a product you can’t live without?
A: One product I can’t live without is my AirPods. I listen to music all day!
Q: What’s your ideal weekend in Birmingham?
A: My ideal weekend in Birmingham would have to include dinner at Soho Social, live music at Avondale Brewery, and shopping in downtown Homewood. Breakfast at Sam’s Super Sandwiches and an iced coffee from Red Mountain Expresso is also required.
Q: In addition to your job title, tell us a little bit about what you do / what your company does.
A: I am an advertising specialist for AMZ Atlas. We work with our clients to help build their brand on Amazon’s platform. I work on the Ads team to manage all of our client’s ad strategies.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Forge?
A: My favorite thing about Forge is the community! Everyone here is so kind and welcoming, they make me look forward to coming to work!
Member Spotlight |
We love getting to know more about our members and what they do for our community. Read more to learn more about Chris and the non profit he recently founded!
Chris Nam of Project Sunflower
What is the name of your business and what do you do within the business?
Project Sunflower: Founder and CEO
Why did you start Project Sunflower?
I wanted to bring joy and happiness to healthcare facilities and also give students in the medical route an opportunity to get volunteer and community service hours.
Chris and some of his volunteers!
What have been some of the biggest challenges so far?
Students signing up to volunteer and not being responsive, funding, finding the right people with the right heart
What is the most rewarding part of Project Sunflower?
Seeing the smiles on people’s faces, whether it’s the people making the bouquets or the ones receiving them!
Project Sunflower brings joy to healthcare heroes.
Where do you see Project Sunflower in 5 years? 10 years?
Our vision for this project is for it to reach hundreds or thousands of universities across the nation or even the world, so that we can spread the same kind of joy to those in healthcare facilities around the world, and not just in the city of Bham.
What is your favorite thing to do in Birmingham?
On a nice Saturday morning, going to golf with friends and getting lunch! Cajun Roux and Masaman Thai Kitchen are some of my favorite restaurants, as well as Seeds Coffee for the best iced chai tea in town.
An example of their gorgeous bouquets.
Member Spotlight |
Tell us a little bit about yourself…
My name is Spencer Dixon, and I’m a recent graduate from the UAB Collat School of Business. I received my bachelors in Information Systems along with a minor in Entrepreneurship where I had the chance to work alongside multiple startups and local leaders in the Birmingham community. In addition to this new role at Forge, I am also on the management team at Warby Parker right here in The Pizitz. When I’m not working, I’m exploring Birmingham’s specialty coffee scene, hiking, and checking out local markets like Pepper Place and Art Walk.
What do you do at Forge?
I recently started as Forge’s first Business Development Intern. In the coming months, I’ll be working on member acquisition with new startups in the Greater Birmingham Area, optimizing conference room bookings, and working on various other projects for Forge’s short term and long term goals.
What is your future career plan?
With a background in Information Systems and Entrepreneurship, I plan on further developing my skills in data analysis and working towards an analyst role focused on growth strategy for startups. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Birmingham’s entrepreneurial community, and I’d love to start my own business one day.
What do you think is interesting about Forge?
Forge is a great centralized hub for startups, solopreneurs, and remote employees alike to network and grow their business right in the heart of Birmingham. Whether you need to have a large meeting for potential clients or partnerships or just need a place away from the home desk to get some work done, Forge provides access to a great variety of resources to promote productivity, community, and growth.
What is your favorite thing to do in Birmingham?
Exploring all of the different hiking trails around town! Red Mountain and Oak Mountain are two of my favorite places to go when we’ve got nice weather- which we’ve had plenty of lately. If you haven’t done the King’s Chair Loop at Oak Mountain, I highly recommend it. The overlook is one for the books and makes the steep trek up worth every step.
Is there a playlist or album you keep on repeat?
Rainbow Kitten Surprise’s “How to:” album is a long-time favorite of mine.
Member Spotlight |
When we give tours of Forge’s workspace we are often asked “What type of companies work in this space?” And we love sharing about the unique companies represented in our community. The Forge community is made up of podcasters, marketers, architects, lawyers, photographers, influencers, nonprofit organizations and much more.
If you’re wondering if you would fit into the Forge family, read on. We’re sharing about several of the companies who office out of Forge. I bet you too can find your place in our coworking space!
HomeFit
HomeFit is centered on the idea of creating customized fitness solutions adapted to the specific needs of each client. HomeFit’s team of Fitness professionals provide detail-oriented personal training services, and enable you to achieve your most-wanted fitness goals. They analyze your needs, goals, lifestyle, and motivations, then work with you to provide a program suited for you!
And here’s the best part… because of the daily time constraints that most of us experience, HomeFit works around your schedule and in the comfort of your own home or office. We loved learning about HomeFit when Matthew Foster, CEO of HomeFit joined Forge!
Ranked College Football
Forge Member Jake Gillikin is the Founder of Ranked– a brand new app for college football fanatics! In the Ranked app, you can filter games by rank, kickoff time, conference, game rating, and more. And even compare stats and trends side-by-side between teams and players. Users can set up notifications for teams and game info like spreads, tv channel, and kick off time. If you love college football, you have to check out Ranked.
Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards turns all your retail and restaurant receipts into savings. Simply scan any grocery, retail or restaurant receipt after you shop, and save on thousands of popular products throughout the store. Earn points on every receipt or eReceipt you scan. Then turn receipts into gift cards for online retailers, e.g. Amazon, Target, and others! We love having some of the Fetch team working out of Forge!
We loved this meme from Fetch’s Instagram account!
Focus Creative
Most companies mistakenly use stock or low quality images to showcase their business. Your business is a reflection of you – your hopes, your dreams, your visions. And Focus Creative can help you by creating great photos and video you can use in your business marketing efforts so the world sees your business as it really is. They offer professional photography plus visual and marketing consulting.
Focus Creative recently won the Campaigns & Elections Reed Award for “Best Use of a Social Platform” with their work on the Patrick McClusky campaign in Homewood. Forge Member Stuart Franco is the Owner of Focus Creative, and we love having him in the Forge community!
Check out Focus Creative on Instagram to see the brands they work with!
GoodJob
GoodJob simplifies the hiring process by serving companies qualified job-seekers who will fit their company’s culture. The GoodJob algorithm is highly accurate at predicting whether someone is a great match for your position. You can post a job with a short description and key details, and they’ll match you instantly with the top applicants on their platform based on their comprehensive recruitment system. We love having a few of the GoodJob team members working from Forge!
We know working from home can feel isolating. Are you looking to make a change? Schedule a tour of Forge! We would love for you to join the Forge community!
