AFP SpotLight Feature

Chris Sanderson
AMWSO/WebStudio-1.com

Many know Chris Sanderson from WebStudio-1 and AMWSO. AFP recently interviewed Chris to find out the 'real' story behind his journey to becoming a well-respected figure in Affiliate Marketing.

So what was the journey Chris took which led to his ascent in the world of Affiliate Marketing at the young age of 36? Chris hails from our friends across The Pond in the UK. When he was 16 years old, he left school and joined the British Navy. You can still see the influence his time in the Navy had on the AMWSO home page.

Two years later Chris left the British Navy to travel in the United States. Unfortunately, his stay here was cut a bit short, but more about that in just a moment. He worked selling magazines door-to-door for about four months. How could he know that years later he would once again be working selling magazines?

Chris traveled extensively in the US and during that time experienced many locales and cultures within the US. Initially, we were pleased to learn that he had spent some time in our fair city of New Orleans. We then learned that his time in The Big Easy was not among his fondest memories of his stay in the US. In light of what came next in his journey, this did not reflect on our fine city in a particularly positive light. Therefore, AFP has reserved the right not to include those details here and we have pledged to entice Chris back to New Orleans in the future in order to so he can experience the City, as it is meant to be experienced.

Chris was young and adventurous and had not exactly crossed into the US on very "correct" terms. While traveling on a Greyhound bus bound from LA to Miami, US border patrol stopped his bus for a routine check when crossing into Texas. Chris groggily awoke and dutifully complied with the request to see his papers, turning over his passport. He was not as informed at that time regarding Immigration Laws, so when questioned regarding where was his Visa, he thought rapidly in his semi-conscious frame of mind. He confidentially reported to Border Patrol that his Visa must have fallen out of his passport. This statement led to Chris' prompt escort from the bus.

Chris then experienced El Paso for six weeks courtesy of the United States Government in a deportation camp. Most people would probably not look back on such an event with very fond memories. However, Chris enjoyed his stay in El Paso "very much." Not only did he receive three meals a day but also it was during this time that he also learned and played American football, basketball and the finer rules of baseball. In the end, the United States Government extended him another courtesy and flew him home to Great Britain.

Upon his return to England, Chris worked in a pub and a casino for two years. He then spent a year working and teaching at a school for abused and neglected children before moving to Denmark to teach students from Mozambique and continue his own studies. He traveled world wide participating in educational outreach programs for children with Tvind. An interesting side note is that Tvind is considered by many (including the FBI) as a cult. He spent a few years engaged in these educational outreach programs traveling to such places as Angola, Norway, Zambia, Denmark, Bangladesh and India. He failed to enter Zimbabwe after arguing with local immigration officials. Is any one seeing a trend with Immigration Laws?

It was during an overland passage to India that Chris experienced another encounter with local authorities. He was traveling by bus through Iran and they stopped for fuel. While refueling the bus, they saw a rather remarkable sight: a camel in the back of a pick-up truck. One certainly cannot argue that this is a common sight for a Brit, so Chris really cannot be blamed for wanting to capture the Kodak moment. The problem seems to have been the Police Station that was in the background of the photograph. Apparently photographing Police Stations is against the law in Iran. Therefore, Chris and his group found themselves arrested in Iran. Obviously, everything turned out well since Chris is not running the AMSWO programs from an Iranian jail. The detention was brief and he found his arrestors very hospitable.

After Chris finished his work with Tvind, he returned to England and worked in pubs again for about 6 months.

He then moved to Thailand and taught for five years. It was while he was teaching in Thailand that he became involved with the Internet. Yes, we knew that it had to happen at some point. Chris began working with WebStudio-1.com and subsequently Mondera in 1999, although he was not working with the Affiliate Program at Mondera. He left Mondera for a while, but continued to have contact with them. Overtime, he recognized that the Mondera Affiliate Program was in need of assistance. In 2002, he returned to Mondera in the capacity of working with just the Affiliate Program, which has matured and grown under his leadership.

Currently Chris is Chief Operations Office/General Manager of WebStudio-1.com. Founded in 1996, WebStudio-1.com is located in Bangkok, Thailand and currently boasts over 50 highly trained staff. They specialize in web site design and applications for businesses worldwide. Their extensive client list includes Exxon, Accor Hotels, Audi, Mondera, British Council, and Chiva-Som. In 2002, WSO started providing Affiliate Management and Marketing services for their clients.

In January 2004, AMWSO (a subdivision of WSO) launched in order to provide improved support and focus for the Affiliate Marketing clients of WSO. Chris manages AMWSO. AMWSO is currently involved in the management of over 15 Affiliate Marketing Programs. Chris remains very "hands on" and actively involved with affiliates and AMWSO clients.

He is also very active in the Affiliate Marketing community participating on several Industry forums and in Industry Events. Under Chris' guidance, the Affiliate Marketing Community at Abestweb.com voted Mondera the Best Affiliate Program 2002. More recently, Chris and AMWSO managed programs received five nominations in the first annual Golden Link Awards sponsored by Linkshare. At the time of this writing, Linkshare had not announced the winners.

Chris continues to reside in Thailand. He is married with two children. Three dogs complete his family. He also runs the Ex-Patriot soccer league.