Member Spotlight |
Our friends at Bham Now featured Forge member Tiffany Martin and her new spin studio! Read on and find out why Tiffany chooses to work from Forge and what her studio has in store!
Ever been to an exercise studio in Birmingham that’s dedicated solely to spin classes? Not yet? Ignite Cycle owner Tiffany Martin wants to change that.
The Cycling Life
A University of Southern California graduate, Martin has always been into the gym scene and has worked in gyms and boutique studios all over the country. Before moving to the Birmingham, Martin and her husband lived in Boston. While there, she started teaching group fitness classes and cycling classes. It was during this time that she discovered her passion for cycling and how fitness can change lives.
“I fell in love with being an instructor and also being a rider. I love being able to create this amazing experience for people.”
Creating Her Niche
When Tiffany found out that her husband’s work would be relocating them to Birmingham, she decided it was time to find her niche in the job world. After some market research, she discovered that Birmingham has plenty of spin class enthusiasts, but no boutique cycling studios that are dedicated just to cycling.
“When I found out that there were no boutique cycling studios in Birmingham, I realized it was something I really wanted to create and bring to the area.”
Doing The Body Good
Tiffany’s studio will be named Ignite Cycle. Tiffany said the mission is, “to be a community for you to discover and become your best self, and cycling is how we do it.” Classes at Ignite will be full of music and fun! So fun that Tiffany describes the classes as a “party on a bike”.
“It’s a party on a bike, but it’s also a lot more than that,” Tiffany said. “It is that feeling where you’re somewhere and you’re dancing with a bunch of people—some you know— some you don’t. There is just this amazing energy among everyone because you are all moving together. Everyone is together feeling free, and with that feeling, you are doing something really good for you and your body.”
No Shame In This Game
Positivity is a huge aspect of Ignite Cycle. While working at other gyms and spin boutiques around the nation (Boston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Seattle), Tiffany found that there is often a sense of shame, rather than pride, present among fitness centers.
“The environment at Ignite Cycle will be positive,” Tiffany said. “It’s all about living your best life, appreciating your body’s ability to move, choosing the best things for you and enjoying what life has to offer and not feeling guilty or shameful about it.”
It’s this emphasis on positivity that Tiffany hopes will set the “Ignite experience” apart from other fitness experiences in the city.
“Instructors at Ignite will go through a six-week training program on safety, our method, and keeping the culture and brand consistent for everyone,” Tiffany said.
Tiffany plans to carry over her mission of positivity and motivation to her instructors as well.
When And Where
Ignite is set to open late this year or early 2019. The location will be announced soon, and we will bring you that information! Stay tuned for more information regarding when and where.
One thing is for sure, when you take your first Ignite class you’ll wonder if you can take a class everyday — and you totally can!
The Perfect Workspace At Forge
After completing her market research and coming up with the idea for Ignite Cycle, Tiffany began planning. She has spent the last year creating and developing her business model and brand while working out of Forge, a place she says she fell in love with because of its physical space and also the idea behind it.
Tiffany has worked out of the Forge space for a little over a month, and said that she feels like she can be very productive in the space.
What’s an ideal day like for Tiffany while working out of Forge?
“It’s a lot of community, coffee, and skittles,” Tiffany said. “The community is so great, it is really fun being aware of what other people are up to in Birmingham, and it is much more motivating than sitting on my couch with my computer. Forge also has a really great playlist, which is great to work to.”
Check out the original article here!
Forge News and Updates |
Forge is the first coworking space or “shared” office space in downtown Birmingham! According to Forbes, there are currently more than 11,000 coworking spaces in the United States. It was projected that by 2020 we would see more than 26,000 spaces hosting 3.8 million people! With the rise of millennial entrepreneurs, shared office space is more and more appealing for many reasons.
If you aren’t familiar with the idea of coworking, let us give you more information. Multiple businesses work from Forge whether they are in a private office or working with a membership in our common space. Every member has access to our conference rooms, phone booths, networking and educational events. Almost like a gym membership, Forge members pay a monthly membership fee for access to our space. Our membership costs range from $189-325 a month- far less than your average office space.
Keep reading! We’ll tell you why coworking is a great investment for your business.
1. Networking
Get ready to brainstorm and connect with other entrepreneurs who are working on projects and similar challenges. Also join in on the social events a coworking space offers- happy hours, food tastings and much more.
2. Flexibility
Coworking spaces are designed to accommodate growth! You can easily start with a smaller membership and move up to a full-time membership or private office if your company needs it. If you need to cancel your membership, you can! Generally it’s just less commitment for you.
3. Affordability
Coworking spaces cost a fraction of a traditional office space lease! If you need to add additional items like a mailbox, you can. If you’ve been working from coffee shops, I bet you’ll save money with the free Revelator coffee offered at Forge! Also things like cleaning and maintenance are handled by the company, giving you less responsibility.
4. Service.
Coworking spaces are familiar with the needs of a startup and provide resources to help your business grow. Forge’s Lunch & Learn event topics have ranged from Accounting to Online Marketing to Instagram for your Business. Forge staff is available to serve your business’ specific needs!
This infographic sums up a lot of the advantages to coworking. Avoid the distractions and isolation of your home office. Steer clear of the unreliable wifi and inconveniences of a coffee shop. Increase your productivity in a shared work space!
Hear from some of our visitors and members…
“What a fantastic place to meet like-minded entrepreneurs and grow your business network! Forge also has a variety of offices available for rent, including a penthouse workspace that was perfect for my team of 10 coming from out of town.”
Justin
“I have really enjoyed working at Forge. Forge allows me to focus better than I’m able to at home. I feel more connected to what’s going on in the city.”
Adam
“Since joining Forge, our business activity has sky rocketed, I’ve created relationships (professionally and cordially), and my productivity has never been better. Needless to say, being around a community of other hustlers can certainly rub off on your work ethic.”
Wade
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