Community Highlights: Meet Judy Thang of Studious Coworking Space

Today we’d like to introduce you to Judy Thang

Hi Judy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a graphic designer and marketing professional from echo park. My first foray into freelancing was at a coworking space called Kleverdog Coworking. I was the youngest, and everyone instantly became a big brother/sister, mentor and source of referrals. I was so fortunate to have a great launch to the notoriously difficult life of a creative/freelancer! The community there was overwhelmingly supportive and I met many talented people from all walks of life there. This is what inspired me to recreate my own community in Chinatown, inspired by the great experience I had.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The first six months were quiet and lonely. It was just Alex and me in our rented office, and aside from a few day pass visitors looking to network, it felt pretty empty. So, we decided to change that. We kicked off monthly community events to bring people together—Toastmasters for public speaking, MapTime for digital mapping, Potluck Stories for storytelling, and Fail Better Story Time for writers to get feedback on their work. The real crowd-pleasers, though, were Board Game Night and Mahjong Night, which regularly brought in 50+ people. With no marketing budget, these events became our best way to connect with the community. Things really started to take off when we partnered with local organizations like Golden Guide and LA in Common—groups that help small businesses thrive and give people a space to connect over shared passions like creativity, freelancing, writing, and food.

Building out our space on a tight budget was a challenge, but we didn’t want to take out a big loan. We wanted to keep things affordable for creatives and entrepreneurs like us. So, Moon and I got to work building furniture to fit our needs—modular, lightweight (we were upstairs with no elevator), durable, and easy to move for events. It became a community project. Our friend Rebecca, a pro painter and wallpaperist, helped us transform the space. When we moved downstairs, two friends helped with doors and walls, while one of our coworkers lent us power tools, which we learned to use through YouTube tutorials. As newbie carpenters, we built tables, shelves, installed windows, ripped out cabinets, and replaced the floor tiles. We even tackled the lighting ourselves, after the electricians quoted us over $3K for some simple changes. One of our proudest moments? Scavenging a phone booth from a closed down furniture store at Helms Bakery. Moon and I spent hours taking it apart (with a basic bag of tools), lugging it to the office, and reassembling it in our office…upstairs. It wasn’t easy, but it taught us how to figure things out on our own.

We’ve been impressed with Studious Coworking Space, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Studious Coworking was born from our shared experience at Kleverdog Coworking, where Alex and I spent years surrounded by a supportive, tight-knit community of creatives and professionals. The pandemic left a void—people were isolated, longing for connection. When Alex’s girlfriend, Moon, a talented interior designer from Vietnam, joined us, we found the missing piece to bring our vision of a new space to life.

Both Alex and I grew up in Chinatown, and we didn’t want to see this building turn into another upscale retailer or bar. My dad had a restaurant here, and I spent my childhood immersed in the local community, eating at different restaurants and shopping at the grocery stores that are now closed. So, we decided to open a coworking space that would support local creatives and entrepreneurs, and provide an inclusive community space.

Now, as we approach our two-year anniversary, we’ve built an amazing community of freelancers, founders, and professionals. We’ve supported those displaced by fires, hosted fundraisers for local causes, and continue to create a space where people can connect, create, and thrive. As a women- and minority-owned business, we’re proud to play a part in this vibrant community.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Hysteria: Two opinionated women to talk through everything from reproductive rights to romcoms. makes it easy to swallow the news at a difficult time like this.
LA in Common – A local group of founders and creatives that meet up in IRL and over zoom regularly to support each others’ creative and career endeavors and keep each other accountable.
LoveandLemons.com – my favorite food recipe blog. I cook almost every day and the office knows it! This keeps me motivated and inspired with new simple and healthy recipes.

Pricing:

• Coworking Membership starts at $200 a month
• Meeting Room rentals at $50/hr
• Event Space starts at $75/hr

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.studious.work
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/studious.work
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studious.work
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/91168385/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/studious-coworking-space-los-angeles