Half awake on a Saturday morning I flipped on a show called Quirky on the Sundance channel. I'm sure I'm the last one to this party but as a designer I am pleasantly surprised not just by the tv show but the business model of this company, Quirky.
Quirky Manifesto from Quirky on Vimeo.
It's not often I am inspired by anything on tv1 but this is company is worthwhile of some attention. With the tagline, making invention accessible, they have hit a sweet spot with a Kickstarter-like business model and complete transparency. I'm sure they have their detractors who will scream about the crowdsourcing element of a business like this, but it can't be argued that they are producing cheap or ineffectual products. This company is a perfect match for the newly so-called, the new Entrepreneurial Generation... but it's also a perfect match for me, a designer on a continual hunt for new inspiration.
1 Major exception for the writing of Aaron Sorkin.