Nvohk takes crowdsourcing to the next level by crowdsourcing, well, almost everything. Nvohk (Invoke) is the first community-managed eco-friendly clothing company, and probably one of the first community-managed companies in general. Members make key business decisions including logo design, product design, advertising, product mix, and other design related activities.
The basics go something like this – first, one must become a member for $50/year – from there it is possible to submit logo ideas, vote on certain business decisions, and win rewards and cash based on what you have done. It’s certainly an interesting and brilliant business concept, and will prove to be a very interesting experiment in business management, marketing, and design.
With all “co-founders” having an equal share in the business by submitting the $50 fee, they almost become de facto “shareholders.” By allowing the customers to have an extremely influential effect on the everyday business decisions, this becomes an easy way to get consumers to evangelize the brand – they are actually making the decisions and have a vested interest in the Company’s success.
If successful, this model could potentially lead the way for other small start-ups to take similar paths by ceeding some amount of control, creative or otherwise, to the masses.
-Mike
