When we first came across this new coworking space in Puchong, the first (albeit, somewhat cynical) thought we had was—really? A coworking business, in this day and age?
It feels like ever since the whole WeWork debacle went down, the coworking space industry in Malaysia has somewhat hit its peak, whereby core players such as WORQ and Colony have continued to stand strong, but the launching of newer, independent coworking brands has somewhat died down a little.
From my perspective, it seems like most people have either returned to the fully on-site work style, or would prefer to just work at home or in cafes.
But the 24-year-old founder behind Cloudsy begs to differ.
Blending psychology and coworking
Quite the private person, the founder of the business has opted to stay unnamed.
She shared with Vulcan Post, though, that she actually runs the place with her friends, who pooled their own savings together to start Cloudsy.
However, these friends are all overseas, save for the founder who runs the space in Malaysia. She is supported by part-timers as well as her own loved ones, though.
Having studied psychology, the founder began her working life at a training provider company. Here, she worked with a lot of corporates, and experienced various training courses for a range of soft skills, which helped with upskilling.
It also helped shed light on a need for a space like Cloudsy.
“During that time, I worked from home a lot and I would go to cafes, restaurants, and sometimes even bars because I couldn’t find a place to work that was cosy enough or quiet enough,” she expressed.
Of course, there are other coworking spaces. But the founder pointed out, “They’re always a bit more rigid, a bit more serious.”
This was how she and her friends chanced upon the idea of opening their very own coworking space. Her friends also intended to return to Malaysia, and would likely be working remotely, so why not start a place like Cloudsy that met their own needs?
Realising the idea
Having graduated during the pandemic, the founder entered the job market in quite a trying time.
The role she took on was always supposed to be temporary, as she dreamt of pursuing her masters. But she ended up enjoying working with her ex-boss quite a bit, and thus stayed in the company for about two years.
By the end of that, though, she decided it was time for a new adventure.
“With my personality, I wasn’t going to work (a normal job). I didn’t like the corporate structure, it always felt a bit too stressful, which is also the whole inspiration behind this space,” she explained.
“I think it’s a bit of a Gen Z mindset, I wanted my own freedom to do whatever I wanted,” the 24-year-old continued, “And creating this space with my friends was just that.”
She described Cloudsy as a place for “inspired coworking,” where people come to get things done, but in an environment that is not stressful. That last part is super important.
“When I was doing corporate training, something every HR person would ask, is whether there are any programmes to destress or help with burnout,” she said. “It’s very important, yet something that’s not looked at enough, which is why there are so many stressed out and burnt out people, even kids.”
Something different
Located in Puchong, Cloudsy is surrounded by a number of other cafes and coworking spaces, though.
The co-founder recognises that these coworking spaces are well-designed, but for her taste, they feel a bit “too much.” Walking into these spaces, you might be bombarded with different facilities and an environment that’s nice but a bit more pressuring.
“I’m supposed to be immediately be in work mode,” she said about these spaces. “But what if I want to take it slow? I don’t feel like I can do that there.”
So, Cloudsy was designed to be something different, tapping into the co-founder’s background in psychology. Here, you’re supposed to be able to both work and also relax.
From the hertz of the music to the effects of the scents, everything is intentional and meant for productivity in the right way.
A cafe segment
Beyond just a coworking space, Cloudsy offers “cafe-styled” coworking. Aside from a variety of drinks and pastries, a part-timer at the business also developed a menu that includes dishes like an ochazuke.
Looking ahead, they aim to introduce more functional foods on the menu to support their guests.
The cafe side does welcome walk-in customers who aren’t here for the coworking space, though the team doesn’t intend to hyper-fixate on promoting the cafe side of things. After all, Puchong is quite the food haven, with plenty of cheap grub around.
Walk-in guests who don’t pay for the coworking session still get to stay and work, but they won’t enjoy benefits such as discounts on the cafe’s offerings as well as access to the WiFi and plug points.
They wouldn’t be able to access the multifunction room either, where their visitors can get some well-deserved R&R or have a quick call or meeting, should it not already be booked up.
Experiencing the space ourselves
Going up the stairs that lead to Cloudsy, we found ourselves accompanied by an array of posters, hinting at the ambiance we were about to experience in the coworking space.
Buzzed into the space, we were offered a tray of three different cards with varying scents—all blended inhouse—to choose from. Your scent of choice for the day might just help you kickstart your day.
“It’s a way of ritual to set the mood for the day,” the co-founder explained to me.
This Cloudsy ritual includes not just the scent card but also a goji berry honey shot that’s aimed to promote clarity and refreshment. There’s also a towelette that can be dipped Into ice water so you can freshen up.
This thoughtful experience really sets the tone for Cloudsy. Paired with lo-fi jazz music and a cool, quiet environment, productivity is truly the agenda here. We particularly loved how big the wooden tables were, making it super conducive to work.
WiFi was fast and plug points were aplenty. There are two water coolers around so you don’t ever have to worry about going thirsty.
If you’re looking to really lock in, there are three cosy little cubicles you can hole up in.
I was able to try their ochazuke for lunch, which is only RM15.50 for coworking guests—quite affordable especially as they use salmon.
The only thing I didn’t quite like about the space might be the chairs, though. While not exactly uncomfortable, their height didn’t feel too ergonomically sound, at least for my build. If you’re sensitive to that, you might want to consider bringing your own laptop stand and keyboard.
Going back to the roots of coworking spaces
So far, business is still slow but it’s been steady, the co-founder shared. To reach a wider audience, the team has been collaborating with other communities and hosting events. They’ve been hosting a Sunday Slow Down event where people can socialise and network.
“We want to be the spot that people around the PJ and KL area can gather and take a step back from their busy lives, recharge and relax while finding new inspiration to move forward,” she said.
Somewhat going back to the original intention of coworking spaces, which is to create community, Cloudsy aims to continue giving customers a special and unique experience.
“I think my whole life has been building up to this space,” the co-founder mused. “Not because this is fate, but because I’m using all the things I’ve learnt when I was younger, and even things I’ve done wrong before.”
Featured Image Credit: Vulcan Post