Secret World app pushes small local jobs as recession fears rise

Secret World app is highlighting microtasks and short local jobs as more people look for flexible ways to earn during economic uncertainty. The New York-based platform says those small gigs can help creators, businesses and everyday workers find work that traditional job boards often miss.

Why it matters: - Recession worries are pushing more people to look for short, flexible ways to earn without taking on a full-time job. - Secret World app is betting that small local tasks can fill that gap for creators, hustlers and everyday workers. - The company sees these jobs as a way to surface work that often stays hidden in chats, DMs and word-of-mouth requests.

What happened: - Secret World app said it is putting more focus on small local jobs that may take only minutes or a few hours. - The platform described itself as a local microtask and opportunity network where people, creators and businesses can post small jobs and discover nearby work. - The company framed the shift around growing recession concerns and rising interest in flexible income.

The details: - A small local job can include filming one short video for a restaurant, taking product photos for a store, or holding a camera for 20 minutes for a creator. - Other examples include helping with an event, moving boxes, picking something up, handing out flyers, editing short clips, running errands and setting up a pop-up. - Secret World app said some of these jobs may take five minutes, some 30 minutes, and others an afternoon. - The company is not positioning microjobs as a replacement for traditional employment. - Instead, Secret World app sees them as work that can exist alongside full-time jobs, freelance work and other income streams. - The company also pointed to small businesses that may need temporary help but not a full hire. - The National Federation of Independent Business has continued to show that many small-business owners report job openings they have difficulty filling. - Examples include a restaurant needing help for one evening, a boutique needing product photos, a gym needing event support or a retailer needing inventory help. - Secret World app said these needs can be too short to become standard job listings. - The company said its goal is to make those temporary needs visible when they are happening.

Between the lines: - Secret World app is also targeting the creator economy, where many jobs are broken into smaller tasks even when the finished project looks polished. - Those tasks can include filming, photography, editing, modeling, lighting and livestream support. - Goldman Sachs Research has reported that brand-direct deals are the largest source of income for creators in the survey data it analyzed. - That business-to-creator relationship is one reason Secret World app includes creators in its local opportunity network. - The company argues that very small jobs are often scattered across platforms and personal networks, which makes them harder to find. - Secret World app says a short project can also lead to repeat work or new contacts later. - The company calls that broader idea “Script Your Future,” describing how larger outcomes can start with small actions. - “When people are worried about money, even a small job can matter,” said Kaixiong Zhang, founder of Secret World app. “Sometimes the job is only a few minutes, but it can still introduce you to another person or another opportunity.”

What's next: - Secret World app said it will keep developing its network around Microtasks, the Creator Economy and Local Jobs as more people look for flexible ways to work and earn. - The company said its platform will continue to focus on connecting people to nearby opportunities as they appear. - Website: secretworld.ai

The bottom line: - Secret World app is trying to turn small, local, short-duration work into a more visible labor market at a time when workers and businesses are both looking for flexibility.