This Founder Is Creating ClassPass For Coworking Spaces [Out Of Asia]

Gaurav Joshi

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Published: October 24th, 2022

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Gaurav Joshi

Founder, FlexFinder

Founders

Employees

FlexFinder

flexfinder.com

from Hong Kong

started May 2022

Founders

Employees

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Hi everyone, my name is Gaurav Joshi and I am the co-founder of work buddy in Singapore and FlexFinder in Hong Kong, two platforms that are vital aspects of the coworking space in both cities.

While mobile and hybrid working looks and feels more mainstream post covid, we were advocating this change long before that. In 2017, we conceptualized the idea of having a pan-island network of workspace locations in Singapore to give professionals a new approach to improving their work-life balance, that would allow for flexibility, freedom, and choice. However, we didn't know at the time that we were pioneering a shift in work culture and style that are everywhere now.

What's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?

I started my career for an Indian Conglomerate, back in 2005, acquiring real estate for their oil and gas retail operations. Then in 2007, I made a switch to Regus (now IWG) and have been part of the flexible workspace revolution ever since. First in India and then in Singapore in 2010. I took responsibility for recruiting a team of sales reps while having hands-on experience in selling to reach company targets; in over six years with Regus, I grew the Singapore business sixfold in both physical presence and revenue.

A hugely valuable element of my Regus tenure was coaching, an experience that I capitalized on in all my future roles.

Having worked on the operator side to meet client's requirements across the region, which included different sizes and models, I believed that while co-working spaces provided greater flexibility, there were limitations, as members still had to commute and commit to year-long contracts. I wanted to give professionals a new level of freedom, where they could access workspaces all over the city, anytime they needed to. And that’s how workbuddy was born.

Take us through the process of designing, prototyping, and manufacturing your first product.

I had a considerable head-start in this area because, by the time I set up FlexFinder, I’d had 15 years’ of experience in all aspects of the coworking business. I’d also navigated two challenging years of the pandemic with workbuddy, where I realized more than ever – far from merely disrupting the workplace solutions space – we were helping lay the groundwork for its future in an area that was growing and diversifying all the time.

By the time I started FlexFinder in Hong Kong, I knew instinctively we were in the right place. My role as a founder was influenced by the dynamic approach to work and success in the SAR, and I found this energy intoxicating – helped by the realization I had by now that a company’s immediate surroundings can be integral to its success.

The product (flexible office space) was ready-made in essence, with no need for further refinement or expansion – the industry is a fast-growing one in Hong Kong. We just needed to build the platform to help businesses find what they were looking for easily and efficiently. So at first, it was more a question of finding the right hires for the company, especially in terms of getting location experts who would look after bringing the best flexible office spaces onboard, workspace visits and fit-outs, rental negotiation, and legal matters for our clients. Because this is already a mature, tried-and-tested market, and thanks to our ambitious and hard-working staff, we managed this well and clients were quick to write testimonials praising our efforts.

Describe the process of launching the business.

Even though we launched FlexFinder against the backdrop of a rebounding pandemic in Hong Kong, I was still able to maximize my experience as both an operator and an employee of flexible-workspace companies. And as I alluded to earlier, it’s really during the Covid era that we have seen the principle of coworking become more popular than ever.

We used the power of social media, PR, content marketing, and word of mouth to help us with our launch, and soon received our first customers – and glowing client recommendations.

We have established an exhaustive directory of listings designed to help businesses find a perfect workplace. This took time as we needed to negotiate with each company and then onboard them. Since we also handle all the red tape that our clients need to then secure their spot, we needed to implement best practices for this – and not just in Hong Kong, as we have ambitious growth plans too.

The key learnings for me? Hong Kong is an expansive territory with a reputation for high rentals and small living quarters – but there’s much more to the city than just its central areas, and various-sized workstations are available much further away. The working landscape here contrasts with Singapore’s in pleasing and surprising ways. Just a few months in and I’m happy to say FlexFinder’s journey has been a great success so far.

Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?

We save people time and money. This has been our focus from the beginning and it’s what has helped us attract and retain customers. Working with us, a client doesn't waste time enquiring with so many providers and we make sure we get our clients the most favorable terms.

The sheer number and diversity of shared workplaces in Hong Kong can be bewildering – a testament to the industry’s rapid recent growth – but FlexFinder has already risen to become Asia’s leading digital aggregator for flexible-office listings, helping people choose more selectively and accurately the space that’s right for them.

Other strategies that have been useful were engaging with the media to help get our name out and build brand awareness. This is something that we regularly do and it’s especially important when you’re a new company that’s relatively unheard of. Word of mouth through our team members reaching out to their networks has also proven very successful since its launch.

When it comes down to it, what helps us retain customers is the breadth of locations we offer, the excellent customer service we provide, and our ability to get the best rates for our clients.

How are you doing today and what does the future look like?

Workbuddy recently celebrated its fourth anniversary. We survived Covid-19 and have seen the business pivot from being predominantly SME and start-up focused, to now working with large corporations that use our memberships.

Although FlexFinder is still in its early stages, signs are that we are building a presence physically, as well as online, and making a sizeable dent in the local flexible-office industry. Most exciting of all are our plans for expansion. We plan to reach out to other global cities, where we can have teams of location experts in place to advise, negotiate and secure deals on behalf of international customers in key marketplaces.

We are proud of the progress we have made in a short period, and to count large multinational companies among our clients – after all, the working world is changing fast, and it’s no longer just SMEs, freelancers, or entrepreneurs who are taking advantage of the shift in mindset towards shared office space and hybrid work.

As entrepreneurs we strive to excel in a particular field, and many of us fail initially because we tend to overlook one area of the business in favor of another which we might think is more important

Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?

Location, location, location has been a buzz-phrase in real estate for many years, however, it’s never felt so applicable as right now, in post-pandemic Asia, and in this industry. It’s the ethos that drives our companies forward, so when I set up FlexFinder in Hong Kong I knew that location would be (aside from cost) the single most important factor for working outfits of all sorts across the territory – especially during a pandemic when so many companies have adopted coworking as a model.

Unfortunately, it was that very same threat that stalled our progress temporarily when we first set out to compile our comprehensive directory of flexible-office spaces in Hong Kong. However, the knowledge we’d gleaned from Singapore over previous years allowed us to look forward with guarded optimism to a brighter future for companies using such workspaces – partly because we knew that with such a huge range of diverse coworking bases spread right across the city, it would only be a matter of time before we could make good on our ambitions.

Using the management skills I’d already cultivated in Singapore, I was adapting to an energetic working culture in Hong Kong which inspired me even when the public-health situation was feeling bleak.

What platform/tools do you use for your business?

Technology has been largely a blessing and occasionally a curse in my work. Of course, it was the rise in digital technology that, in a large way, facilitated the mass-market shift towards coworking in the first place, so it would be churlish to downplay the importance of high-tech tools in what I do; even more so to deny their inherent worth, because workbuddy is an app product.

Workbuddy was actually modeled on Class Pass, the large New York-based company that took over Guava Pass in Singapore. They deal with fitness and wellness, but we were trying to do something similar by creating a community for coworking spaces. For example, the workbuddy app gains you access to Marketbuddy, an exclusive platform for members which gives them access to other business community members and lets them enjoy exclusive perks and promotions, as well as listing their business and services to generate more business.

Technology is the force that has allowed our companies to flourish. But while both workbuddy and FlexFinder are technology-dependent offerings, a certain irony is also at play because what we’re aiming to do through both products is to bring people together personally and professionally to enhance work environments and productivity.

Our products are designed to enhance flexibility at work, so I try to live by the same ethos. I have a son whom I need to care for and look after, so the ability to jump in the car and transport him is paramount; on days like this, I prefer not to be at an office. I have many hacks which I use to minimize the intrusion of over-active media in my working days. During the working week I may still use LinkedIn (as I mentioned earlier) and of course, Zoom, which has become part of so many lives in recent years.

It’s important to remember that ultimately, it’s the experience that users are looking for and that the app is just a shortcut for getting there or the enabler. If you have good contingency plans in place, this will always help you maintain your user base and win you favor in their eyes. One of the most valuable moments on an interactive platform is receiving praise from clients, which is always celebrated.

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?

Some professionals say that reading helps them refresh and increase their focus and productivity during sustained bouts of concentration on work. So on commuting days, I’ve set aside the journey back home for reading and reading only. That habit has helped me to focus on the text, and I enjoy it in a rich, engaging way. In fact, once you are doing it regularly, it helps you get into that “deep work state” that many professionals find advantageous. My personal experience with reading has been the same.

I tend to read books mainly to increase my focus on the written word when I’m away from my desk, but I’ve also found some paperbacks relating to my field particularly enjoyable. I’m Outta Here: How Coworking Is Making the Office Obsolete by Drew Jones, Todd Sundsted and Tony Bacigalupo and is about a prescient time from 2009 that explores the early 2000s’ rise of coworking and how it began to change norms in working life. Other books celebrate sharing a community as much as workplaces themselves: The Art of Community: Building the New Age of Participation by Jono Bacon (2009) is an excellent read on how to foster a collaborative work strategy and is particularly relatable to technical/IT-related environments.

I’ve taken part in a number of interviews myself which have then been turned into podcasts, so I appreciate the value of this medium and its convenience.

Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?

As entrepreneurs, we strive to excel in a particular field, and many of us fail initially because we tend to overlook one area of the business in favor of another which we might think is more important. The business of coworking connects three different but interrelated disciplines: community building, finance, and marketing, all of which require equal attention and effort.

When you’re a start-up owner you have so many things to balance, requiring both creative and practical consideration (the “left” and the “right” side of the brain). Try to make a checklist of things to do in advance; I find it helpful to spend 15 to 20 minutes planning the day in the morning. This helps me to concentrate on priorities, so I don’t have to juggle in my memory the things that need to be done. Also, checking off tasks motivates you and gives you a feeling of satisfaction. I try to be like the swan who looks so elegant, yet nobody sees that underneath the water he’s paddling hard. There is a lot of mental work, foresight, and planning involved in my job, but if you love what you do then a work task never becomes a burden.

Although entrepreneurs can often be lone operators, those with staff also need to make hires from time to time and engage their teams. Outside of emails or phone messages, it’s important to make time to talk to people, who often prefer talking face-to-face instead of sending messages. It helps them to feel more valued, and in this way, you avoid unnecessary clutter and notifications. It’s a win-win situation for both sides.

Finally, be persistent and patient: no business is going to succeed right from the get-go, so be prepared to allow time to elapse before you start getting real results.

Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?

While we currently have the key positions taken care of, as a new company FlexFinder is only running on a small team at present. As a more established company, workbuddy has a larger team in Singapore. Watch this space for job availability, likely full-time, in the coming months as FlexFinder aims to expand in its launch city, Hong Kong.

Where can we go to learn more?

On our FlexFinder website, we strive to be as interactive as possible to allow potential clients to easily access information about the company. I’ve also written a series of blog posts that have been collected here. Elsewhere we keep our Instagram page updated sporadically with company news but do keep an eye out for LinkedIn as well, which will be regularly updated as the company grows.

workbuddy’s LinkedIn page serves to hold up a mirror to the company as well as to keep followers posted on our Singapore team’s latest movements. We also have a well-curated Instagram page under the handle @workbuddy_asia; our principal portal, though, is at work-buddy.com, where we have collected a host of handy resources. These include useful information on how to join up; testimonials from prominent clients; and a comprehensive series of blogs dating back to pre-pandemic times, which provide employee/member profiles, occasional advice columns, and rundowns of our favorite co-working spaces.

Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

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