Blake's Side Hustle Gets Airtasker's Attention
Hamish Blake launched Hametasker, a platform offering to complete jobs ranging from construction to catering. The catch: tasks must be filmed.
The site targets jobs "from a couple hundred dollars up to say $5,000" that people would typically post on platforms like Airtasker. Blake's team is soliciting submissions: "If you require a skilled person we are here, if you were going to post a task on an online platform like Airtasker."
Airtasker Fires Back
Airtasker (ASX:ART) responded with a public counter-offer. CEO Tim Fung offered $1 for a stake in Hametasker, implying a $1 billion valuation based on the investment amount.
The Airtasker team walked through Sydney with signs reading "Hey Hamish, looking for a side hustle? We've got you!" before posting outside Listnr, where Blake hosts a podcast. Their Instagram pitch: "We've got plenty of tasks (55k+) that people need done."
What This Actually Is
This is a publicity stunt ahead of Airtasker's half-yearly results, due next week. The company went public in 2021 with cofounder Tim Fung still running operations.
Blake lost his Hubbl brand ambassador role when Foxtel wound down the streaming service after a $200 million investment. The filming requirement for Hametasker jobs suggests content creation, not a genuine marketplace play.
Why It Matters
Airtasker is using Blake's profile to drive attention before earnings. The "55k+ tasks" figure is the real data point here: volume metrics matter when the company reports next week.
For sales teams watching the gig economy space: this is marketing theater, not market disruption. Airtasker's move shows they are paying attention to social noise, but the fundamentals will show in the numbers next week.