UWSAG talks to Megan Marsh
of American Awards

Owner: American Awards
Winner: UWSAG Top Ten! May, 2003 - June, 2003
Winner: UWSAG Award Seekers Pick! for May, 2003

1. What got you started in website design?
   
   "I started designing a website for a small Law Firm I worked for in my "real life" job. I am a very detailed- orientated person so going over a website with a fine tooth comb was right up my alley. I then took some "non-credited" courses at my Local Jr. college to get more in depth about what everything meant and why it was so important to understand the "basics". So it was basically two things that got me caught up in website design, 1). To keep the position at the small Law Firm :) and 2). My natural curiosity of how things work."
   
   
2. What do you hope to accomplish with your award program?
   
   "I hope to develop a program that visitors on the Internet can come to, apply for an award, get an honest evaluation and learn something while they visit American Awards. It would be great if American Awards became a household name LOL but that is a far reaching goal. I also want to make the program unique, which would make my awards unique. I have not found that "niche" yet, but I am always learning new things and trying new things so keep an eye on me."
   
   
3. What advice would you give other program owners?
   
   "Oh my... read everything you can about opening an Award Program. Visit other credible award programs, study their criteria, study their designs and creations. Take notes and sit down and plan out your site on a piece of paper. Lay out your criteria and develop it around what YOU know not what other award programs base their criteria on. Take it slow and dedicate the time it will take to develop your program. Determine if you will have the time it takes to keep your site updated, to also evaluate sites that have submitted for one of your awards, plus emailing Webmasters that have been DQ'd or won, and still be able to cook dinner for your loved ones. Do not get in the award givers community unless you feel you are ready. Also, make sure you have a good understanding of what Copyright, C.O.P.P.A., Privacy Policies and a Code of Ethics actually means and you believe in the ones you set for your award program."
   
   
4. What was the biggest problem you faced with your award program?
   
   "When I started out it was the design. I must have changed it 5 times within one week! Then it was my award graphics. My problem is, I had no graphic skills...still struggling with this one but working on it everyday. Once I finally made a design I could live with and had someone else design some awards, I am now focusing on my criteria. Like I said earlier, I want American Awards to be unique...so the biggest problem I am facing right now is finding that "niche" that makes me different then other programs. The majority of our Top Rated award programs offer something different to the award seeker. So in order to be different, I need that unique, fresh idea that others do not use. It is a struggle developing an award program when there are so many out on the Internet today, rated and non-rated. So you do not want to take anything from them, but you do want to add to the award community by offering something new."
   
   
5. If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
   
   "I think I would not jump in head first so fast LOL...If you noticed I started out making American Awards an "Award Index" site, hence the URL awardindex.com, I thought I could just walk in and have all these award programs want to come and get rated by American Awards Index! Who was I kidding!! The Award community had never heard of me or my silly little index. I saw all these German and Dutch award indices, so why not an American Awards Index. Then of course I found UWSAG and AS! and wondered "well, who are these people!", "they are stealing my idea!!" ha ha I have a good laugh over it now, but back a few months ago I didn't have a clue. So to answer your question, I should have studied and read more about what I was walking into."
   
   
6. What plans do you have for the future?
   
   "I would like to be the first female President of the United States :P not really.....Right now, in my personal life, I would like to finish my studies and get my Masters in Business Studies and then buy this cute little house down the street so my dog has a backyard. Then in 30 years retire. The future for American Awards, I would like to see it become a credible and stable award program on the Internet. I am a pretty simple girl with extravagant taste, so I would like to do some around the world traveling."
   
   
7. What else do you like to do?
   
   "I like to read "True Crime Stories", watch Movies, do a little cooking and very little house-cleaning. A great day for me is like on a Saturday...I can get up when I want too...put something in the Slow Cooker and let it cook all day so the aroma fills the house, get on the internet and update everything I am dedicated too, rent a movie from Blockbuster for the evening and once it gets dark.....fix me a plate of what I cooked that day and watch my movie. THAT, my friend is a great day."