Secret World expands NYC platform for local businesses and creators

Secret World app is expanding in New York City with tools that let neighborhood businesses post jobs, paid tasks, deals, events and creator opportunities. The move aligns with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s small-business reform push and aims to make local commerce easier to discover and participate in.

Why it matters: - Secret World is trying to turn neighborhood commerce into a two-way local network, not just an ad channel. - The platform could help small businesses find nearby help faster and give creators more ways to earn from local work. - The rollout comes as New York City pushes new small-business reforms that aim to reduce paperwork and operating friction.

What happened: - Secret World app announced an expansion of its local business participation model in New York City. - The platform now lets neighborhood businesses connect with creators, independent workers and local users through jobs, paid tasks, deals and community opportunities. - The expansion follows Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s July announcement of OPEN for Small Business, a package of more than 50 regulatory reforms. - The city program is aimed at the city’s roughly 180,000 small businesses across the five boroughs.

The details: - Participating businesses can post hiring opportunities, small paid tasks, creator jobs, deals, memberships, events and other local updates. - Secret World is designed around a local creator community rather than a traditional advertising-only model. - A restaurant can seek a photographer or short-form video creator. - A barbershop can post a hiring opportunity. - A boutique can connect with a local model or content creator. - A neighborhood business can also share a deal, event or other local offer. - The platform is designed for creators and independent workers across many skills, including photographers, videographers, editors, designers, models, barbers, trainers, promoters, artists and food creators. - Many local needs are temporary, project-based or too small for conventional job listings. - Secret World is building a centralized place where those opportunities can be posted and discovered. - The platform also supports non-paid participation, including deals, memberships and events that can drive repeat visits and in-person traffic. - Local activity is organized through the Secret World Hustle Map, a live map that shows permanent businesses, temporary popups and small paid tasks. - Participating businesses can use the map to publish more than an address and hours, including deals, creator opportunities, hiring posts and events. - Temporary sellers and popups can also appear while active, giving the map a more current view of neighborhood commerce. - Secret World is initially concentrating development and business outreach in New York City because dense commercial corridors put businesses, creators, customers and temporary sellers within short distances. - Creator Cards let independent workers present their skills, work and existing online presence in one place. - The feature is meant for people whose work is spread across several platforms or personal networks. - The platform is intended to support direct discovery between businesses and creators without requiring an agency or large advertising platform. - The company is also developing tools that help neighborhood businesses make opportunities more visible while giving creators and local users more reasons to engage with nearby businesses. - More information about OPEN for Small Business is available in the official New York City Mayor’s Office announcement. - Additional information about Secret World is available at Secret World’s website.

Between the lines: - Secret World is positioning itself as infrastructure for hyperlocal economic activity, with businesses acting as participants in a creator community. - The company is drawing a line between participation-based discovery and advertising that mainly buys impressions or placement. - The timing suggests a bet that local businesses will want simpler ways to find talent and customers as the city pushes deregulation. - Secret World says it is not affiliated with New York City or the Mamdani administration.

What’s next: - Secret World plans to expand across additional New York neighborhoods as participation grows. - The company’s strategy is to build concentrated local clusters rather than spread businesses and creators thinly across the city. - A local area could eventually include restaurants, barbershops, cafés, retailers, gyms, creators, paid tasks and temporary popups within walking distance.

The bottom line: - Secret World is betting that the future of local business growth in New York will come from making neighborhood work, offers and creators easier to discover in one place.