Pat Joins CNBC’s Crowd Rules

Friday, 05 April 2013 | by Pat's Picks

I’ve been keeping a low profile for the past few days, but can finally reveal the details of the new show I’ve been working on. I’m one of two co-hosts for a new CNBC reality competition series called “Crowd Rules.”

The format is really simple.  Three small business must tell their stories in front of a crowd of 100.  With a $50,000 prize on the line, the entrepreneurs must convince the crowd that their business would get the biggest boost from a win.

The show debuts as part of the CNBC Prime schedule on May 14th at 9 pm.  And to answer a question that’s come up several times already, this is a once-a-week show that doesn’t change my schedule at New York 1.

My co-host is Austin-based jewelry designer Kendra Scott. She’s been a fabulous on-air partner with a great business success story.  She’s tough when companies need to hear it straight.  But she’s also supportive of the contestants when the heat gets turned up too high.

We’re joined each week buy a small business expert who travels to all three locations to meet the owners on their own turf.  With the help of their insights, we turn the final decision over to the audience.  In the end, it’s the crowd, of course, that rules.

Here’s a quick (really quick) preview of the show: