The U.S. Dell/National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Award Program was established in 2004 to recognize small businesses for their innovative use of technology to deliver a superior customer experience. In 2005, we launched the program in Canada and Mexico. This year Brazil and the UK are rolling out similar programs. For the third year in a row, we received hundreds of applications from all over the country for a chance to win $30,000 in Dell products and services, a lifetime NFIB membership, and a day with Dell executives including Michael Dell.

This year’s winner, Sew What? Inc., recently spent two days at the Dell campus. In this vlog, Megan Duckett, Sew What’s? founder and president, discusses what technology and the award have done to help grow her business and what it was like to meet with Michael. Megan and her team beta tested the new Dell PowerEdge 860 server and discusses productivity gains as a result of the product's performance.

Sew What? Inc. is a theatrical drapery manufacturer and custom sewing service based outside of Los Angeles. Their customers range from high-school theater productions to rock 'n' roll concerts to corporate trade shows–her drapes have graced the cover of Rolling Stone and the stages of Madonna, Sting and Elton John. Founded in 1998, Sew What? has grown from part-time sewing projects on Megan's kitchen table to 33 employees and a 15,000 sq. ft. warehouse. Due to a newly-optimized Web site in multiple languages and investments in paid search, Sew What? is expected to grow 65 percent this year and has more than 50 clients outside the United States.