The Top Dog
Over the past 20 years as a married couple (13 of them spent working together), we are often told that we balance each other out. The balance between risk-taker (me) and over-analyzer (Bill) has kept us going as a business, and as a family, for the past 11 years. When we started Blue Dog Printing & Design in 2003, our daughter, Alex, was only 2 years old. Now at the age of 15, is able to contribute to the business by collating, stuffing envelopes, printing tshirts and binding books.
Being family-focused, we strive to maintain a family atmosphere in the office, as well as offering our employees flexible hours that work will with their family’s schedules. Beyond our “doghouse” family lies our extended family—our community. We have immersed ourselves in our community by becoming involved in several local organizations, one of which being the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce.
In August, we received a phone call from the chamber’s president, informing us that we have been voted Small Businesspersons of the Year. This unexpected news was instantly appreciated. This news made us stop and think about WHY we have recieved this honor. The one thing that quickly came to mind was the fact that we have managed to survive years of a downturned economy, while still maintaining our marriage (not easy!!!!!).
When finances were tight and anxiety levels were high, we managed to push through, and are here to stay for the long haul. Staying ingrained in our community had a lot to do with our ability to keep going.
It was with heartfelt gratitude that Bill and I accepted our award at the chamber’s Annual Dinner on September 9th. There, we definitely felt the support and appreciation of our fellow chamber members. We look forward to many more successful years in our community.
Photo credit: Visual Technology