Interview with ChemicalDolly, the Owner of “IMVU Avatar Picture Makers”

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Interview with ChemicalDolly, The owner of one of the most Popular IMVU groups

When did you start IMVU?
October, 2006.

How did you find IMVU?
Through Gaiaonline.com. It was a site advertisement.

How old are you?
23 years young.

When did you create the IMVU group”IMVU Avatar Picture Makers“?
November 25, 2007.

What made you start it?
At the time, I was a member of another Avatar Picture Maker group; it was flat-out chaotic. The owner had been disabled, so no one was in charge to keep the group straight. The members of the group were rude to each other and would steal other people’s artwork. I just got sick and tired of it, so I decided to make my own group.

When you first created the group, what were your intentions for it?
Mainly to help others create their own avi pics instead of having to pay for someone to make them. If they were not able to create their own, I would offer that service for free in the group, so either the members of the group or I would make an avi pic for them. I also wanted everyone to be friends and not so unorganized.

What was your plan of action to get members to join your group?
I went to the older avatar picture makers group, found some of the members who had posted problems with that group and invited them to my own.

What is the best thing your group offers?
I would have to say the free tutorials that are made either by the members of the group or myself using Photoshop or GIMP, and the Q&A thread where members can ask specific questions and other members or I answer and try to help them.

What is the worst thing about your group?
We have many members but over half of them are not active.

Are there contests? If so, tell us about them . . .
There are contests. I do two kinds of contests depending on what the prizes are going to be. The Group Wide contests are opened to everyone in the group and the prizes have ranged from 20k – 1k credits. Then, I also have a Limited Contest where 10 – 20 people are able to enter and the prizes range from 3k – 500 credits. I try to pick different themes for each contest. Just to name a few: “Halloween Comic”, “Inclement Weather”, “Magazine Cover”, “Think outside the box”, and ”Graffiti”.

What made your group so successful?
I would definitely have to say the members. Everyone is very kind and will help you whenever you are in need, even if you just aren’t in a good mood or have had a bad day. Since they enjoy the group, I would think they would want to share their experiences in the group with others, so they invite their friends.

How many members do you currently have?
5,574 (Over half are not active though).

How many posts do you currently have?
48,270 posts.

What are your future plans to do with your group?
Bigger contests with bigger prizes, and a more organized soapbox (I’m currently working on that). I will be making group-wide stickers and products to be placed in the catalog so members can support the group and new group banners to be placed on homepages are coming soon too.

Does your group have a BADGE? (If so please link it, so we can help support you.)
Not yet. We are currently working on getting one though.

Is there any more information you would like to share about your group?
Not only am I the owner, but I feel that all the members are owners and we are all equal. I made a thread for members where they can talk to the officers and myself on what they would like to be changed or added in the group. Many members go in there and we just discuss day-to-day things, whether it be problems, what we are doing that day, things having to do with school, or something else. We give each other advice and I think we are very close to each other. All the members in my group seem like family to me and each and every one of them are very special to me.

Is there any advice you would like to give to members of IMVU who are interested in starting an IMVU group?
Know what kind of group you want to do, try to make guidelines or rules that need to be followed in the group, make threads before inviting anyone, try to invite people you know who would most likely enjoy the group and always be courteous and respectful to all your members.

By: BabiiBunnie

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