We asked each of our sponsors to answer the same questions so that we could shine the Avi Choice Spotlight on them and share with our website and magazine readers.  Read on to see how each one answered and visit them inworld!  When you’re there, tell them AviChoice said HELLO!

Awesome Breed Creations – Stephanie Merrienboer

Note: though the interview is provided by Stephanie Merrienboer, Awesome Breed Creations is owned by Darcul Bellic

AC: Hello! Thank you for sponsoring the Avi Choice Awards ~ SLife. When did you arrive in SL the first time and what brought you to Second Life?
SM: I started in SL in late 2006. Someone had told me about it and I wanted to check it out. Guess I liked it, I’m still here.

AC: Can you tell us a bit about how you’ve spent your Second Life? Hobbies, interests.. things you’ve learned along the way ?
SM: Mostly I’ve worked my way through SL. I started out in various clubs and worked my way through most positions, then moved onto management. All of these various job taught me many things about how SL works.

AC: Tell us all about your SL business? When was it founded? How many organizers/founders? How many SLers do you staff, etc?
SM: Awesome Breed Creations was founded on February 24, 2011 and on April 21, 2011 it became an LLC. Currently ABC has 42 staff members that include Owners-Stephanie Merrienboer & Darcul Bellic, Managers, Art Department/Development, VSRs (Customer Service), Public Relations, Auction House Department, Racing Authority and Sim Staff.

Q: You have chosen to sponsor the Avi Choice Awards for the SLife Categories? Was there a special reason you chose SLife? Thank you for being part of our endeavor to shine a spotlight on some of the many people who make SL great, why did you choose to sponsor?
SM: ABC thinks Avi Choice is a lot of fun and gets the community involved in taking a look at the very talented and inspirational folks in Second Life and hopefully introduce them to new people or places they may not have known about before.

AC: Do you have any specific charities you support in SL? if so, who and why?
SM: Yes! ABC supports Relay For Life, Toys 4 Tots and NFMCPA-National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association. The ABC community has been so amazing and generous when it comes to these charities. We hope that our donations one day will help find a cure, help ease someones pain and put a smiles on many childrens faces at Christmas.

AC: Do you want to share a look at your life outside of SL with us? What do you or did you do for a living? Does your family support your SL aspirations?
SM: With this business being our RL business, SL and RL mix often for us. Our families do support us as well as we support each other in both RL and SL.

AC: Anything else you’d like us to know about you, a special mentor, friends or your business?
SM: ABC is honored to have been nominated as a breedable company, and very proud of our VSR’s for being nominated for customer service. None of this would be possible without our AWESOME community! We would like to Thank all of you!