Change.org emerges as influential advocate But these were not impromptu rebellions that chanced upon success. They were carefully nurtured by Rattray's fledgling company, a social media site called Change.org that has emerged as one of the most influential activist groups in the country. "We're in the business of amplifying," Rattray said in an interview. We're trying to change the balance of power between individuals and large organizations. Rattray said his firm is profitable and is on track to bring in $100 million in annual revenue within three years. It makes money by running campaigns for advocacy groups such as Amnesty International in exchange for a fee. But ordinary users can create an online petition for free. The company, which has headquarters in the District and San Francisco, has exploded over the past year, growing from a staff of 20 to roughly 100 with offices across the globe. Though originally conceived as a nonprofit, Change.org is now part of an emerging group of so-called social benefit corporations, such as Patagonia, that seek both to make money and to do good. Fueling Change.org's rise is the wave of global unrest that has given birth to other viral movements such as Occupy Wall Street. But Rattray calls these movements "radically underoptimized." They have no leaders and no coordinated mission, and without that, he argues, little chance of long-term success. "The power unlocked when people have the capacity to more rapidly and effectively organize with others is unprecedented in human history," Rattray wrote in a recent e-mail to staff. But what's needed for this to be truly transformational is a solution that turns people-power from a force that is episodically realized to one that is deeply embedded in our political and social lives - something that makes people-power pervasive and sustained. Enter Change.org. The site allows its 6 million users to launch online petitions on virtually any topic and send them out to their social networks. More than 10,000 new campaigns are launched each month, though most garner only a handful of supporters. One recent letter, filed under "Human Rights," was titled "MTV Networks: Give Ashley Alexiss Her Own Show." Other petitions seek nebulous or unattainable goals, such as asking President Obama to end world hunger. A few campaigns, however, break through the noise, quickly winning signatures or articulating a compelling issue. Change.org's staff continually monitors the site for ones that have what they call a "strong theory of change": Is the letter gaining traction on its own? Is the request reasonable? Is it winnable? And - perhaps most important and intangible - could it inspire other people or organizations to action?