The Second Shift
The Second Shift is a New York-based online marketplace, founded in 2015, that connects vetted female professionals with companies seeking flexible, project-based, part-time, parental-leave, and senior-level talent, charging a 20% fee to companies and 5% to members.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Second Shift does
The Second Shift operates a two-sided online marketplace that connects vetted female professionals, primarily those with 10 or more years of experience, with companies seeking flexible, project-based, part-time, parental-leave-cover, interim, or board-level talent. Founded in 2015 by Gina Hadley and Jenny Galluzzo and headquartered in New York, the platform runs a matching workflow in which companies post projects and members pitch; the company screens and verifies candidates, then handles invoicing, payments, and tax paperwork on both sides. Underlying technology is described as a matching algorithm with email alerts to members; no proprietary AI/ML, mobile applications, or public API surface is disclosed.
The company monetizes through a marketplace commission: companies pay a 20% markup on project cost (or 20% of annual compensation for full-time placements), while members pay a 5% fee on project payment, with no upfront joining or posting fees. Its go-to-market combines a self-serve website for both companies and members with a direct sales motion into Fortune 500 buyers, supported by content marketing (a corporate blog, a parental-leave best-practices guide sponsored by Google and Unilever) and significant earned media (New York Times, Fast Company, Today Show, Good Morning America, Financial Times). Named customers span financial services (JPMorgan Chase, Dow Jones, PJT Partners), technology (Microsoft, Twitter, Etsy, Clear, Compass), media (XO Group, Vox Media, Salon.com), healthcare (NYU Langone, One Medical), and travel/hospitality (JetBlue).
Following the October 2025 acquisition by Sinecure, Inc., The Second Shift continues to operate under its own brand with leadership and operational independence, now positioned as the on-demand, senior-level talent layer of Sinecure's Total Talent Solution framework. The company remains privately held, has not raised institutional capital beyond a $1.5 million 2018 round led by Clarim, and operates with a lean team of roughly nine listed members.
The Second Shift firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Second Shift
- Legal name
- The Second Shift LLC
- Website
- https://thesecondshift.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Second Shift is a New York-based online marketplace, founded in 2015, that connects vetted female professionals with companies seeking flexible, project-based, part-time, parental-leave, and senior-level talent, charging a 20% fee to companies and 5% to members.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Second Shift industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Talent Marketplace
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Contingent Workforce / Contractor RPO (Contractor Recruiting) (BPACABAK)
Keywords
Where The Second Shift is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Second Shift business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Marketplace Commission - Company Fee: Platform charges companies 20% of the project cost. For a $1,000 project, company is billed $1,200 ($1,000 + 20%). For full-time positions, companies pay 20% of annual compensation package.
- Marketplace Commission - Member Fee: Platform charges members 5% of project payment. For a $1,000 project, member receives $950 ($1,000 - 5%). Joining and viewing project opportunities is free for members.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Project-based work with marketplace commission |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Second Shift product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Second Shift operates a two-sided online talent marketplace that connects vetted, experienced female professionals with companies seeking flexible, project-based, part-time, interim C-level, parental-leave, and board-seat engagements. Companies post projects and receive pitches from qualified members, while the platform administers invoicing, payments, and tax paperwork. The company monetizes via a 20% company-side fee and a 5% member-side fee on each engagement.
Product overview
The Second Shift is a talent marketplace platform founded in 2015 that connects vetted female professionals with companies seeking flexible, project-based work. The core offering consists of the Marketplace platform, which handles matching through an algorithm, project management, and payment processing. The company charges a 20% fee to businesses and 5% to members, handling all invoicing, payments, and tax paperwork. Additional offerings include a Parental Leave Best Practices Guide (sponsored by Google and Unilever) and an editorial blog covering workforce topics. The platform supports various engagement types including board seats, parental leave coverage, interim C-level needs, and part-time roles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Second Shift Marketplace Online two-sided talent marketplace where companies post projects and receive pitches from vetted female professionals (10+ years of experience), and members apply and pitch on engagements. The platform supports hybrid, project-based, part-time, interim C-level, parental-leave coverage, and board-seat engagements, and handles invoicing, payments, and tax paperwork centrally. Companies pay a 20% fee on project cost (or 20% of annual compensation for full-time placements) and members pay 5% of project payment.
Quantifiable outcome
- 21% more likely to experience above-average profitability for exec-level gender diverse companies (McKinsey research)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Second Shift
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Second Shift technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Second Shift partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Second Shift competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Mom Project: Direct peer: a digital talent marketplace and community connecting women (especially mothers) with flexible, project-based, and full-time roles at enterprises. Closest comparable in mission, target talent pool, two-sided marketplace mechanics, and Fortune 500 buyer base.
- PowerToFly: Direct peer: marketplace and diversity recruiting platform focused on women in tech, connecting vetted female professionals with enterprise employers for remote and flexible roles. Overlapping buyer (enterprise diversity sourcing), talent curation model, and category positioning.
- Catalant: Direct peer: enterprise marketplace for vetted independent consultants and experts, typically for project-based engagements with mid-to-senior talent. Overlapping buyer (Fortune 500 project-based hiring), curation model, and enterprise GTM motion.
- MarketerHire: Direct peer: curated talent marketplace specifically for marketing professionals, matching vetted freelance marketers with companies for project and fractional engagements. Comparable marketplace mechanics, vetting philosophy, and project/fractional GTM.
- 1840 & Company: Direct peer: distributed talent platform providing vetted remote professionals to enterprises across functions. Similar enterprise sales motion, curated talent pool approach, and project/fractional engagement model.
- A.Team: Direct peer: curated marketplace that assembles vetted product, design, and engineering teams for enterprise projects. Comparable marketplace curation, enterprise sales motion, and on-demand expert team formation.
Emerging players
- Maven: Emerging peer: a women-focused professional network and talent platform that connects experienced women with career opportunities and corporate partners. Comparable in audience (women professionals) and corporate partnership monetization, though more community-led than marketplace-led.
Broad incumbents
- Toptal: Broad incumbent: premium vetted freelance talent marketplace serving enterprise clients with curated experts across functions. Highly comparable marketplace mechanics and 'vetted talent' positioning, though talent pool is gender-agnostic and serves a broader functional scope.
- Upwork: Broad incumbent: largest generalist online talent marketplace connecting businesses with freelance professionals across categories. Competes for the same enterprise project-based spend, with a much broader (and uncured) talent pool and significant technology investment.
Others
- Pavilion: Adjacent peer: professional community and talent network for business leaders, including a talent-matching component. Comparable in senior professional audience and corporate partnership angle, though primarily a membership community rather than a transactional marketplace.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Second Shift social profiles
Digital presenceThe Second Shift financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Second Shift leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
The Second Shift funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Second Shift M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Second Shift
What does The Second Shift do?
The Second Shift operates a two-sided online talent marketplace that connects vetted, experienced female professionals with companies seeking flexible, project-based, part-time, interim C-level, parental-leave, and board-seat engagements. Companies post projects and receive pitches from qualified members, while the platform administers invoicing, payments, and tax paperwork. The company monetizes via a 20% company-side fee and a 5% member-side fee on each engagement.
Is The Second Shift a public or private company?
The Second Shift is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Second Shift founded?
The Second Shift was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Second Shift based?
The Second Shift is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Second Shift make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Marketplace Commission - Company Fee is the primary driver. The others are marketplace Commission - Member Fee.
Who are The Second Shift's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Mom Project, PowerToFly, Catalant, MarketerHire, 1840 & Company and A.Team. Maven is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Toptal and Upwork. Pavilion is listed as an others.
Does The Second Shift have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Second Shift.
What industry is The Second Shift in?
The Second Shift's product category is Online Talent Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACABAK, Contingent Workforce / Contractor RPO (Contractor Recruiting). Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.