Member Spotlight |
Meet LaToya R. Mims- our newest Forge Ambassador!
Tell us a little bit about yourself
My name is LaToya R. Mims. I am a proud native of Birmingham, AL. I am married to my best friend, Henry Mims and we have two beautiful children, Harper (6) and Mason (almost 2).
Professionally, my background is in Clinical Laboratory Science and Infection Prevention, but I have recently shifted gears to really utilize my strengths of breaking down barriers in communication and truly fostering relationships to work in serving others, through my nonprofit.
I am an avid lover of volleyball and basketball, and have 12 years of coaching volleyball under my belt.
What brought you to Forge?
I was familiar with Forge because I previously utilized the Cahaba conference room and was impressed with how effortless the process to book a room was. So when Catrice, who is also an Ambassador at Forge, recommended the opportunity to serve as an Ambassador, I was very interested.
What are you looking forward to about working at Forge?
After meeting with Kim and learning about how the Ambassadors serve, I was truly amazed by the opportunities to network. So, I am really looking forward to participating in the panels and other community networking events.
What do you do when you are not working at Forge?
When I am not at Forge, I am putting in the work to build my nonprofit,
The WildFlower Alliance, into a sustainable organization that will impact families for generations to come.
I also am a part of 3 different leadership cohorts, UAB Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and other related Disabilities (LEND), Partners in Policymaking Alabama (PIPA) and Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) LEND Scholars based in Connecticut, to truly invest in building my knowledge base of policies that impact individuals with Disabilities.
If you could choose to do anything for the day, what would you choose to do?
If I could do anything for a day, it would be to sit on a beach in front of the ocean and just be.
What is your favorite thing about Birmingham?
My favorite thing about Birmingham is our ability to evolve and thrive. We have seen and endured some remarkable times, historically that set a precedent. Birmingham is stronger today and our growth continual.
Forge News and Updates |
Here at Forge, we want to create an environment that fosters collaboration, innovation, and productivity. We believe that our services, staff, and space offer all of our members a unique working experience where we invite them to be the best version of themselves.
At Forge, we value your time and efforts as much, if not more, than you. However, coworking spaces can be distracting and loud at times, and we want our space to contribute to your work, not takeaway or distract you from it.
With that said, we love that Forge offers members open spaces to connect, work, and collaborate, but we must remember the etiquette of coworking space. Whether you’re a coworking space expert or a newbie, we believe these are great reminders of proper behavior and etiquette for any coworking space.
1. Use your headphones
We love that you’re listening to you Monday morning pump up playlists – music is motivating guys! However, I don’t think Gabriel from Chicago wants to hear your country rap blaring through your phone speakers. We also love that you’re talking to your grandma for the 3rd time this morning trying to help her take a screenshot on her iPad; however, the whole office doesn’t need a tutorial on screenshots. We want you guys to have the freedom to listen to music, podcasts, take calls, etc., but we respectfully ask that you do so via headphones or not utilizing speaker phone.
2. Don’t overstay your welcome
We love when you utilize conference spaces or working areas; however, we urge you to stay for your allotted time and not overuse it – these spaces are shared for a reason. We all have that one friend who tends to unintentionally stays their welcome. While we love their company, we do not really know how to kindly ask them to leave. Don’t be this friend. We’re not expecting that you leave before your time ends, but we encourage you to be mindful of how long you’ve been in rooms or phone booths.
The phone booths are the perfect little getaway for phone calls, but we ask that when you’re done to not stay hidden away for too long, online shopping is a dark hole – we get it. We only request that you are aware of your time in phone booths, plus online shopping can happen at your desk (it’s much easier on a laptop too!).
3. Keep your space tidy
Remember when you were a kid, and your mom was always on you about cleaning up after yourself or cleaning your room and making it presentable? Well, we ask the same of you when you use our space. Sometimes, if I left it messy for long enough, my mom would come behind me and tidy up or clean-up after me. At Forge, we are not going to be your moms – you have great ones already so no need for us! Jokes aside, all we ask is that you keep your working areas free from too much clutter, throw away your trash, and make sure the space is clean for the next person.
4. Be considerate
Coworking spaces are awesome (yes, we are a little biased). We want all of our members and guests to feel welcomed and loved. You play a role in that as well. We simply ask that you be considerate of other people, everyone’s time, our spaces, and the staff here.
We love that you’re here, and we hope that your experience goes above and beyond your expectations. We are going to do everything we can to make sure your time here is as comfortable and easy as possible. While we are doing our part, we kindly ask that you do yours, as a member, and remember these coworking space etiquettes.
Forge is a wonderful place to work and connect or network, even if virtually (thanks COVID), and we are so excited you are here! Please reach out to us if you need anything! We love that you chose us to be your working home!
Forge News and Updates |
Looking for a place to meet in Birmingham? Move your team to a conference room for your next off-site meeting. A change of scenery could help generate your next big idea. Maybe you need space for a board of directors or meet up group- look at this list we’ve compiled! Check out our list of the best conference rooms in Birmingham (in no specific order)!
Forge
Sitting at the heart of downtown Birmingham, Forge offers three beautifully designed conference rooms available for both members and visitors. At Forge, you have options of a smaller 4-person meeting room, a corner conference room, or a rooftop Penthouse conference room. Forge’s rooms have lots of natural light, audio and visual capabilities, and great views overlooking the Birmingham skyline. Book your meeting room today!
Forge Birmingham Conference Room
Forge’s soundproofed Podcast Room
Social Venture
Located in Woodlawn, Social Venture has four conference rooms available. Anyone can rent for 4-hour blocks or an all day rate. These four rooms can be broken down to fit smaller groups, or used to full capacity (holding up to 125 people!), perfect for workshops or training sessions for your team.
The Hub
The Hub is a collaborative coworking space located in Homewood. Whether you’re an entrepreneur eager to take your start-up to the next level, an established company seeking a vibrant work space for your remote employees, The Hub could be the perfect spot for you. They has meeting space for up to 15 people. The room is complete with a 40” HDMI Chromecast enabled screen, WIFI, lounge, greenspace and Seeds Coffee available upon request.
Birmingham Museum of Art
Looking to meet in a space with lots of culture, years of history, and a great location? The Birmingham Museum of Art has two meeting spaces available in 4-hour blocks. The museum has one boardroom style room and another meeting room that can be configured to fit many different layouts. The smallest of the two can hold up to 12 people, and the larger can fit up to 45.
With AV capabilities and lots of great spaces to take a break, the Birmingham Museum of Art is a great place to hold your business meetings.
Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook
Located in the heart of Mountain Brook, this beautiful 5-star hotel offers more than just a place to stay. The 400-person ballroom can be split up into three sections, each holding around 100 people. On the second floor, smaller rooms of 10, 20, and 30-35 people are available for anyone to rent. Call ahead to customize and book your space.
Worx BHM
Worx BHM is a sophisticated community with luxury private office suites and coworking space. With two different locations, they have great options for your group! One location is right off Lakeshore Blvd and the other is off Columbiana. Worx has two conference rooms available to book- one holds 16-20 and the other holds 12-16! People can email info@worxbhm.com or call 205-379-6023 to reserve a time slot.
Elyton Hotel
Located all the way up on the 16th floor, three rooms can be used separately or joined to form one larger meeting room. 1500 square feet make up the Empire room, made to hold up to 125 guests. This room can be split up and configured to accommodate smaller groups. A smaller pre-function area makes this space perfect for larger events and receptions.
If you’re looking for a spot to hold bigger board meetings, the Forge room is the perfect answer. Made to fit around 10-30 people, this room can be set up to fit any preference. Call ahead to reserve your room today! Check it out online here.
The Edge of Chaos
The Edge of Chaos is another great option for smaller groups. Right in downtown Birmingham, these two conference rooms are located in a perfect spot for business meetings. The smaller of the two is designed to seat 6, and the bigger can hold up to 12 people. With smartboard capabilities and affordable prices, The Edge of Chaos may be perfect for your business!
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Forge News and Updates |
Looking for a board meeting or offsite meeting for your group can be tricky. Most people will call a hotel to book a meeting room but there are several reasons why scheduling your meeting in a coworking space is much easier. Coworking spaces can usually accommodate a wide range of group sizes- from very small to large. For conference rooms, meeting space and event space, a shared workspace offers a superior experience compared to hotels for a few reasons.
4 Reasons Why Booking a Conference Room at a Coworking Space is Better:
Hotels are primarily focused on renting rooms and larger event space. But coworking spaces concentrate on creating a great experience in their meeting space for both the host and visitors. Coworking spaces have dedicated staff to plan and execute your meeting well. At Forge, our staff is available to help connect your device to our TV, make coffee, provide drinks and snacks and much more.
When booking a meeting space at a hotel, usually there will be multiple people you will be contacting. Coworking spaces make the booking process as easy as possible. Through the Forge website you can directly book a conference room and see the availability for each room on the synced calendar. Nonmembers and visitors can seamlessly book a conference room by the hour through the website.
Coworking spaces have innovative space and their staff thinks through each detail of what is required for a smooth meeting. At Forge, all of our meeting spaces are equipped with a TV (connectivity with Apple TV, HDMI cords and bluetooth) , whiteboards, and includes wi-fi. And the best part about it, you are not charged extra for the use of these items. If you want, you can easily add snacks, drinks and coffee to your reservation.
Don’t underestimate the importance of natural light in a workspace or meeting room! Natural light significantly improves productivity and overall mood. The Forge workspace is filled with natural light and we believe its vital. Using a conference room in a hotel room is usually dark with only overhead light and there is a significant difference with a bright, airy space.
Because we often have visitors returning to our conference rooms for offsite meetings or board meetings at Forge, we now offer a package for meeting rooms. By purchasing a package, you’ll get a discount!
- 10 Hour Pass for the Cahaba or Vulcan Room : $280
- 10 Hour Pass for the Penthouse Room : $400
- 5 Hour Pass for Cahaba or Vulcan : $150
If you need meeting space, you can book a room at Forge for group sizes from 4 to 30. We also have event space available for groups of up to 100 people. Book directly here! Or give us a call at 205-870-7558 and we can answer any questions.
Forge News and Updates |
With so much growth in businesses today, new and innovative ideas are leading to more startups and independent businesses. According to Huffington Post, 33% of the current workforce is independent or freelance, and this number is projected to grow to 40% by 2020. Because of this, more people are ditching traditional office spaces and overcrowded coffee shops and moving into the flexible atmosphere of a shared workspace.
With Birmingham quickly becoming a growing hub for entrepreneurs and small businesses owners, people are constantly searching for a more relaxed, enjoyable, and communal place to work.
The answer? Coworking spaces.
We’ve sifted through the options and compiled a list of the top coworking spaces in Birmingham.
1. Forge
Located right above the Pizitz Food Hall, Forge offers a unique layout that is both architecturally captivating and engaging with its members. Lots of natural light, free Revelator coffee, and a modern atmosphere overlooking the city gives Forge an edge over other spaces.
A membership at Forge includes a number of things: a flexible workspace, conference rooms, private offices, member events and best of all, a network of business leaders. With breakthrough sessions, Lunch and Learns, and Member spotlights, Forge encourages member engagement and creates a network that leaves a lasting impact on the community.
As the first professional coworking space in downtown Birmingham, Forge finishes as number one on our list. So head to the Pizitz, grab a bite to eat, and come work at Forge!
2. The Hub
Located in West Homewood, The Hub is a coworking spot that offers a communal work space, conference rooms, and event spaces.
Aside from free Wifi and unlimited Seeds coffee, The Hub offers a community. The Hub takes it a step further in redefining the value of collaborative coworking – with a lounge area, putt putt course, and communal garden, the Hub encourages collaborative relationships within its members. Their focus is on the people, making it a rich experience.
“We build together, create together, dream together, imagine, re-imagine, redefine, and give life to the unimaginable.”
3. MAKEbhm
A makerspace in the heart of Avondale is the perfect spot for creatives and artists looking for a place to work. With studios, class offerings, and retail spaces, MAKEbhm draws in creatives and gives them access to equipment they otherwise wouldn’t have access to.
Though primarily a studio space, MAKEbhm does have the option for a creative coworking membership. With an entire floor dedicated to coworking, members have access to the lounge area, conference rooms, community tables, and private offices.
MAKEbhm provides the free Wifi, coffee, tools, and space – you provide the inspiration.
4. Innovation Depot
Innovation Depot: Birmingham’s home for startups. With all 140,000 square feet dedicated to housing technology, startups, and entrepreneurs in the Birmingham area, Innovation Depot gives business owners a competitive advantage in growing their business.
Innovation Depot provides a coworking space for members to work alongside other entrepreneurs. With conference rooms and assigned desks available, members are able to take advantage of space and resources needed to promote their business. Want access to seminars and events, fast Wifi, and an affordable spot to work? Check out Innovation Depot.
