• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, January 30, 2015

A year after launching the anonymous messaging app, Secret co-founder Chrys Bader is moving on.

“It’s become clear that the next chapter of Secret is beginning in a way that will be less about the kind of creation and design that I love,” Bader explained in a note released on Thursday. “It’s time for me to step down, let the team do what they do best, and focus on what I do best.”

Secret is clearly at a crossroads. Despite some enviable buzz and influential early adopters, the anonymous messaging appears to have lost much its initial momentum.

To date, Secret has signed up more than 15 million users, according to co-founder and CEO David Byttow. Yet, many of those users appear to be spending most of their time elsewhere. Things have gotten so bad that top measurement firms like comScore have ceased tracking Secret’s monthly activity.

Last month, Secret tried to get back on track by refreshing its design and adding some new features. Per the changes, users can now contribute anonymous posts to distinct groups, including their “friends,” the work colleagues, and those within close geographic proximity.

In addition, Secret added a private messaging feature so users can chat privately — though, staying true to its original model, both parties remain anonymous to each other.

The changes have “been a success on nearly every level,” Byttow says in new a blog post. Going forward, Byttow said Secret has even more “big plans.” Last summer, Secret raised another $25 million. Participants in the Series-B financing round included Index Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, Garry Tan and SV Angel.

The mobile messaging sector remains in flux. Secret’s most direct competitor in the anonymous message, Whisper, has recently run into its own problems, while new services continue to emerge.

For example, anonymous messaging newcomer Yik Yak recently raised $62 million with the help of Sequoia Capital and other top investors.

Apart from pursuing creative endeavors, Bader did not give any indication as the where he might go next.