Every once in a while I’ll come across an idea or organization whose mission and message are so compelling, I’m tempted to cold call them right on the spot to see how I can help. What I can I say? I guess I’m just a sucker for awesome ideas and inspiring stories.

A few months back I came across one such group: Carrotmob. Based out of San Francisco and started in 2008, Carrotmob is a grassroots campaign that empowers consumers to proactively influence company decision-making through the products and services we buy. In their own words:

Carrotmob is a method of activism that leverages consumer power to make the most socially-responsible business practices also the most profitable choices. Businesses compete with one another to see who can do the most good, and then a big mob of consumers buys products in order to reward whichever business made the strongest commitment to improve the world. It’s the opposite of a boycott.

Based on the video below, it also looks like a lot of fun.

Ok, so even the guys over at Carrotmob admit the video might be “a little heavy on the dancing” – but who can say after watching the clip that they aren’t inspired to plan their own Carrotmob? In fact, in just over a year, Carrotmob has spread to 10+ cities in the U.S. and internationally, with the latest “mob” taking place this past weekend at a pizza joint in Portland, OR.

All I know is that as soon as I watched that video, I was hooked.

What’s even more exciting is that Brent Schulkin, the guy behind Carrotmob, has gone on to co-found another very cool for-profit, social activism venture called Virgance. Dubbed “Activism 2.0,”

Virgance is a company that seeks to promote world-changing activism campaigns using market-based methods that are effective, transparent, profitable, and scalable. We do online organizing to create offline positive change that is direct and tangible.

In essence, Virgance is working as an incubator for social change whose projects come in lots of different shapes and sizes:

• The first is Carrotmob (which you’re now all experts on).
• Next, Lend Me Some Sugar, a social networking application that links consumers with corporate philanthropy programs – letting companies better educate and involve their consumers in their giving (an idea that’s particularly interesting to me given my summer internship in corporate giving).
• Green Options Media, a collection of blogs and resources that help consumers make sustainability-centered choices.
• One Block Off the Grid (aka: 1BOG) – where “solar power meets consumer power”. 1BOG essentially organizes group discounts for neighborhoods looking to implement solar energy, making it more affordable and accessible.
• Greenfund, the ”first crowdsourced venture capital fund” where members can buy into the fund and vote for the projects that create the most social, positive impact (looks like this venture is still in the works so stay tuned for when it actually launches).

So, not only is Carrotmob a truly exciting idea, but it actually belongs to a family of projects that are all leveraging social media, social networking, and plain-old community building to empower and effect change. In short, Virgance and its portfolio are worth keeping an eye on.

For more info on Carrotmob and Virgance, follow them on Twitter: @carrotmob and @virgance. You can also become a fan of Carrotmob on Facebook.

(Oh, and just in case anyone from Virgance happens to be reading this: I graduate from business school next spring. You hiring?!)