SV Icons: Ania Smith, TaskRabbit

The future of gig economy

I was always questioning myself how to go about marketplaces - where you should hack both sides of the market and then figure out things like network effects, growing both sides, etc.

Luckily, we had a chance to learn this from the mastero of marketplaces, CEO of TaskRabbit, Ania Smith. The gig economy is experiencing massive transformation, so it was fascinating to learn what Ania thinks about the future.

Founded in 2008, TaskRabbit is an on-demand service that connects gig workers to jobs, such as assembling furnishings, repairing home items, or cleaning. It was acquired by Ikea in 2017.

The pandemic fundamentally changed Ania`s concept of labor, leading her to make a dramatic determination in April of 2022: make TaskRabbit a remote-first company. “We don’t force individuals to return to the workplace as a substitute for allowing connections to occur extra naturally,” Ania said during the dinner. The choice to shutter TaskRabbit’s offices came after a critical revelation: TaskRabbit’s 200,000 international gig staff aren’t alone in their need for flexibility. 

Ania believes we live in a time when gig workers can earn a comfortable five-figure salary, serving as an additional driver for people to learn things they would never consider before. At TaskRabbit, the typical hourly fee is $49 an hour, and in some cities like New York Metropolis or Washington D.C., the fee is nearer to $60 an hour, both of which are significantly above minimum wage.

Ania immigrated from Poland to the United States when she was 12. She believes that a marketplace like TaskRabbit would have considerably impacted her parents' ability to find flexible work. 

Ania execs to be more integrated with Ikea stores to offer shoppers a smooth full cycle experience.

Smith argues that the gig economy will continue growing to help workers find flexibility, autonomy, and customers to meet their needs.

Organizer: Georgi Koreli

Editor: Jacky Lin