Interview With Josh Gould, Co-Founder & Director at The Work Loft & Escape Break

Josh is a Brit who grew up in both the UK and France. He graduated in Marketing Management from the University of Manchester and began working in hospitality. After stumbling across real-life escape games he moved to the US to found a company called Escapology, that he recently sold.

After a successful exit from his first business, he founded a new escape game company in Singapore called Escape Break and has become involved in the coworking scene in Bangkok.

The Work Loft is a nicely designed premium workspace located in Silom, central Bangkok, adjacent to the BTS and MRT stations. The focus here is on supporting career progression, increasing productivity, and fostering collaboration. They offer private offices, dedicated desks, co-workspace, meeting rooms, event spaces, and more.

What are the best things about coworking compared to a traditional office space?

The best things about working at the Work Loft co-workspace are that you're able to meet new people all the time, you can work 24/7 all year long, you can relax in the breakout spaces, you can grab drinks from the cafe and bar, and the place looks cool! At the same time, there's no long term contract or high investment needed.

Do you host events for your community?

Yes! The Work Loft does frequent in-house events for Members and friends, as well as third-party private and non-private events. These include things like Coffee Tuesdays, Thai Language Learning, cocktail workshops, legal advice seminars, photography workshops, networking events, parties and more.

What is your favorite coworking space you have been to in a different city?

That's a hard question! There's a lot of great ones around. I would have to mention Central Working in London and also the exotic Hubbud in Bali. They're very different to each other although both great in their own way relative to their surroundings.

What is working best for your marketing right now?

That's also a tough question. We find that a broad mix is the best overall strategy. Our main areas that we focus on at the moment are social media, word of mouth (through excellent service), and some SEO work behind the scenes.

What is your biggest differentiator compared to other coworking spaces?

We provide great quality in a great location, right next to two of the major Bangkok roads (Silom and Rama IV Roads) and subway systems (the MRT Silom and BTS Sala Daeng). No one else at the same quality level as us has as prime a location in Bangkok right now.

What is the toughest decision you've had to make in the last few months?

I sold out of a company in the US with some business partners, and there was a big decision to make. Either open up our new venture in the UK or in Thailand. We opted for Bangkok as we had some great local connections and it seemed like more of an adventure!

If it was possible, what advice would you give yourself 10 years ago?

Get out of bed!

Favorite place to travel to?

The French Alps in the winter. Great food and drink, great scenery, and great fun.

What are some of the best things about your coworking community?

The Members, the events, the atmosphere, the cafe and bar, and the location!

What book are you most likely to give as a gift?

A 20 Pound W.H. Smith book voucher (I'm clearly from the UK).

What is your favorite app or online tool?

 LINE and Messenger.

What was the best event that you recently attended?

We went to the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals events. We met some cool folks, we love the organizers, and even won some prizes from a local taxi app company!

What advice do you have for new business owners?

Trust your gut instinct.

Twitter: @theworkloftbkk

The Farm SoHo

The Farm SoHo will wow you and your guests with its rustic charm and inviting environment. New York City's most engaged community of startup teams, developers, remote workers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs. They have converged to share ideas, innovate and learn in a collaborative and nurturing environment. Their story began in Missouri where they found a gorgeous barn that needed a second chance. They dismantled the barn and brought it to NYC and rebuilt in in their loft in SoHo.