Every great company begins with a spark of inspiration — a brilliant idea that sets the wheels of innovation in motion. It could be an idea that sparked in one person’s mind or a collective effort of passionate individuals with a common vision. Regardless of how it takes shape, every company begins with a unique vision and a set of goals that fuel its growth and success. And that’s exactly how Hounder was created.
Hounder is a digital design and development company with a focus on establishing quality relationships with its clients. The company became a reality after co-founders Joshua Northcott and Justin Hough picked up on a fairly significant gap in the digital market. Having both worked decade-plus careers in corporate spheres, Josh and Justin watched time and time again as their employers hired web agencies that seldom delivered the kind of quality they touted in their initial pitch and onboarding process.
Hounder would ultimately steer away from this less-than-ideal approach of traditional agencies, dedicating themselves to offering something new, fresh, and of a kind of quality their industry had never seen.
How It All Started for Joshua Northcott
Joshua, a web design and development expert, has a strong background in leading and advising on the business side of things while also helping to build, integrate, test, and customize digital products for clients.
Before working at Hounder, Joshua was the Director of the Web Department for Esri, the international GIS software company. While working there, he was in charge of managing and leading the web development department while also heading up the technical strategy behind platforms and coding frameworks. Much of his past work experience includes strategizing and designing for many sites and applications that have been featured in TED Talks, Wired Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal, to name a few.
The Joshua Northcott of Today
Since the inception of Hounder, Joshua has worked as the Chief Technology Officer. His duties include helping companies design and build incredible web experiences and products that lead to actual results. With his experience, he has been able to assist companies of many types and sizes, from small start-ups to 50,000-person enterprises.
How It All Started for Justin Hough
The other half of Hounder, Justin Hough, is just as experienced as his business partner. He has worked with a wide range of web systems and technologies, such as HTML, PHP, CSS, JQuery, and Javascript. Before Hounder, Justin began working as a telecommunications technician at Aguilar Engineering. He was in charge of various tasks, including maintaining equipment for phone and DSL lines while also working on developing a new cabling system. He also had a small stint working as a substitute teacher at middle and high school levels.
Before co-founding Hounder, Justin worked as a freelance web designer, managing databases and developing site designs. He later worked at Esri, where he met his future business partner.
The Justin Hough of Today
Justin is Hounder’s Chief Development Officer. Most of his time is spent completing complex tasks such as developing responsive design frameworks and architecting new sites. Justin also contributes to the open-source community through Drupal and Github, where he shares his skills and knowledge.
Both Justin and Joshua have put their heart and soul into their company. They have taken into account their past experiences at different companies and have managed to avoid the problems they faced while working there. To learn more about Justin’s work experience, click here, and to get to know Joshua, visit his LinkedIn.
