With a preternaturally positive outlook on life and as CEO of JH Specialty (asi/232445) – a mainstay on Counselor’s Best Places to Work list due to his employees’ off-the-charts job satisfaction – 40-year-old John Henry III doesn’t rely on profits to define what makes him happy.

It’s a business philosophy rooted in the Golden Rule. Henry, a tech-savvy entrepreneur, launched his first website for e-selling promo products after graduating from Indiana University in 2002, when others in promo were still questioning if they really needed email. Today, under Henry’s leadership, JH Specialty provides services, such as email marketing, SEO and website design – something a growing number of distributors are only now beginning to do. The diversified business model has helped propel the Midwestern firm into the high seven figures of revenue, while employing nearly 40 people.

“We can be the total solution for our clients – the partner they can outsource their marketing needs to,” says Henry, who jumped into promo as an undergrad, selling T-shirts to sororities and fraternities.

Henry’s ever-evolving SEO magic means JH Specialty’s flagship YourPromoPeople.com and related microsites generate ample engagement. Still, it’s the human touch JH follows up with that transforms one-off orders into lucrative business relationships.

“We have multiple stories where a rush order for less than $1,000 has turned into a six-figure account,” says Henry. “Technology is great, but it’s the people using the technology that make the difference.”

Henry encourages employees not to think of what they do as “selling product,” but rather about the end-results brought about by their solutions. “If you’re doing an order of thundersticks for a football game, think of the excitement that will deliver,” he says. “If you’re providing employee appreciation gifts, imagine the joy recipients will feel. We’re part of that, and it’s special.”

Henry says faith is the foundation for his upbeat outlook – a grounding that’s seen him, and JH, through difficult times. “We’ve had clients who represented as much as 50% of our revenue disappear due to reasons beyond our control, but we’ve never had to downsize,” says Henry. “We believe another door will always open, and it has.”