More than a decade ago, with a shoebox of rolled spare change, John Hamilton launched the company that has evolved into WORKING LIKE A DOG. With a Don-Quixote type of entrepreneurial spirit and the skill to make databases perform like a champion border collie in an obedience trial, John set out to conquer the world.

All he needed was the BIG idea.

Instead of developing the BIG idea, John (with his analytical mind and all) figured that he had, in fact, married it. However, there was a bit of an obstacle. His wife, Debra, had absolutely no plan to join him on this self-employed battle that he was determined to wage. Debra had experienced the stellar view from the corner office, and knew the joy of an assigned parking space on a rainy morning.

Some people are born to sell, and some are great with numbers, and there are certain individuals, like Debra, who are naturally creative and possess the ability to help those aforementioned folks sell more and enjoy bigger numbers on their bank-account balances. In fact, buried somewhere beneath all of the black clothing in her closet, she had a dusty box of trophies and awards to prove it.

After pondering his obstacle, John decided that only one thing might convince his likewise animal-loving partner to be Lucy to his Ricky (you guessed it: a dog). John sensed that the time was right for the pitter-patter of little paws. It wasn’t just any dog that caused Debra incredible heartache to leave each morning, either. It was an Irish Wolfhound soon-to-be-a-princess puppy by the name of Aja.

If you have ever been owned by a dog, you may have guessed that puppy love changed the direction of John’s and Debra’s lives, both professionally and personally. As they started working together, surrounded by dog hair and chewed-up leather shoes, creativity just sparkled.

They dreamed up forward-thinking campaigns that enabled salespeople to land those impossible appointments (think Wizard of Oz and spinach cans), produced more than 700 dynamic flyers that delivered results, enchanted children with a personalized coloring book to help alleviate the confusion of moving, and so far have delivered more than 165 newsletter issues that are not the same-old-story.

Overlooking a glorious mountain you will find John and Debra working like (and surrounded by) dogs. There, mostly sleeping like logs, are their pack: Raven, who loves utilizing the doggie door as a drive-through for treats; Sam, the shepherd–border-collie mix rescued from running onto a major highway; Dash, the smaller but alpha male, who likes to help John dish up the food; Josh, his infinitely patient, but very stubborn brother; and Nikita, an Alaskan Malamute left homeless following a neighbor's divorce. Not to be ignored, Sheba, the sole feline in a houseful of canines, apparently believes that she, too, is a dog. And last, but by no means least, are the memories of beloved Aja, Macbeth, and Hawk, who continue to inspire Debra and John.

WORKING LIKE A DOG has been quietly producing first-quality publications and marketing programs for some of the nation’s largest and smallest businesses since 1994. They march to a beat of a different drummer, consistently delivering a remarkable newsletter experience. As a result, their client-retention rate is among the highest in the industry, which is something to howl about.