Watch Crowd Rules

Crowd Rules was a business-themed reality show that premiered on CNBC in 2013. The show was hosted by the well-known news anchor Pat Kiernan, best known for his work on NY1. The concept of the show was centered around three small businesses competing for a prize package worth up to $50,000, provided they could impress a group of 100 strangers with their business models.

Each episode featured three businesses, each selected from a variety of industries, facing off against each other in a head-to-head competition. The businesses were each given one day to work on their pitches, with the help of a mentor, and then presented to a panel of judges made up of successful business owners and investors.

The fun part of Crowd Rules was the unique twist added to the show. Instead of the judges deciding the winning business, the judging was turned over to 100 regular citizens who served as the "crowd" for the show. The contestants would present their business, and the crowd would use a handheld voting device to vote for their favorite concept.

The judges would provide feedback on the business models presented and then allow the audience to pick the winner. The entrepreneurs were responsible for creating a pitch that would attract the crowd and show their business acumen. The selection process added an interesting dynamic to the show, making it more exciting and unpredictable.

Crowd Rules aimed to help small businesses achieve success with the assistance of experienced mentors and feedback from a large group of people with varying backgrounds. The business owners competed against each other to pitch their business ideas and impress the crowd to win the cash prize.

The show also helped entrepreneurs struggling with their businesses to connect with potential investors and business partners. Depending on the strength of their pitch or business model, some contestants on the show were able to secure business deals, partnerships, or financial investments.

The different challenges given to contestants ranged from showcasing a new product and testing it with the crowd to evaluating different business models and selecting which route to pursue. Each was presented with an opportunity to gain valuable insights to improve their business strategy and get a broader understanding of what it takes to succeed.

During the course of the competition, viewers were also given access to behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the entrepreneurs, which helped to give a deeper understanding of their motivations and what they hoped to achieve from their businesses.

Overall, Crowd Rules was an exciting and educational show that offered a fresh take on the traditional business reality programming intended to help small businesses to thrive using the expert feedback of highly successful investors while engaging the crowd's voice through the platform of television.