January 2012
I really enjoyed reading Kickstarter’s Year of 2011 summary not least before it is beautifully designed. Such a treat for a business to indulge its fans in this way.
It is such a flourishing and joyous success story because it involves much more than the business’ own success. Indeed Kickstarter could not be a success story without the success of those people using for their enterprise: their incredible ideas; their inspiring and often stunning videos; their investment wins and product successes.
It’s a business that was created to enable other people to flourish, while it flourishes. It’s a business that has created enterprise in all of its glory and it has unlocked the potential of a vast pool of everyday people.
It is, in my view, a Shared Value business model because its customers gain value and flourish while it does. They actually depend on each other. And its customers are actually not customers, or consumers; they are creators, investors and active participants.
It’s a joy to see Kickstarter’s exponential growth in the last year and the attention it has received. Its success sends a clear signal to capitalism that the corporation of the future is not built on concentrated ownership, consumerism and shareholder wealth only. It is built on Shared Value business models and prosperity for all stakeholders.
