Tears of joy at the grocery store? Yep, made possible by two amazing people at Trader Joe's. Saturday’s Easter grocery shopping: a full grocery cart more than normal as one of my daughters was coming home for a visit. I approached the checkout. Stanford greeted me with a smile and a question, “Did I find everything ok?” He looked at my full cart and chuckled, “Guess you did!” As he scanned my items, we exchanged stories. Yess stepped over to join the conversation and help bag the groceries. In our conversations, I learned that Stanford, though technically retired, finds immense purpose in his work and enjoys customer interactions. Yess shared that she previously had worked in a funeral home and that Trader Joe's was the positive change she needed! I shared with both of them that Trader Joe's employees seem to always brighten my day. Both raved about the company culture! After I paid, I heard Stanford saying something about how employees are allowed to “comp” an item for a customer at their discretion, no questions asked. He walked over to the side of the store, carefully selected some flowers delivered them to me, and said… “Thanks for being you and bringing joy to us!” At that moment, tears of joy welled up in my eyes. It was an awesome reminder that when you share joy it comes back in waves.

The eagle has landed again! It is almost one year since the launch of my book, The Business of Joy, it was time to order a new haul of books. To my joyful surprise, they were delivered once again by my favorite UPS driver, Juan! A 31 year UPS veteran and 10 years in our neighborhood! Just for fun, I decided to see how my Amazon ranking was doing! WOOHOO! The Business of Joy has broken the Top 100 in Hospitality. The journey continues… let's share the Joy!

Meet Vivanna from Hill Park Cleaners! I had to make a quick run to drop off some sweaters! As I looked over to my left, there was this little Christmas tree on the counter.... I look closer... The tree was decorated with these little sweaters on hangers! The message..... JOY! Adorable! I explained to Vivanna about my passion project measuring joy and asked her if I could buy one of them. She smiled, and just said, "Here, you can just have it!" as she just took one off the tree and presented it to me! Now I have it hanging on my tree! Little moments of joy can happen anywhere, even at the dry cleaners! Vivanna, you made my day!

“You made my day!” Kyle M. Kiker joyfully said to me as I stepped out of his Lyft car – a perfect end to an unexpected journey of shared stories and inspiration. THE BACK STORY: This time, I was heading to the airport in Salt Lake City. As I settled into the Lyft, I was greeted by Kyle's warm smile. As we chatted, two things stood out to me – his resilience and relentless curiosity. After completing an active-duty Army tour in Kosovo, Kyle realized he wanted to better understand “why” and “how” these conflicts happened. So this curiosity led him to study political science in college. His career path zigzagged from political science to IT, eventually leading him to both military and civilian roles in Human Resources with the Army. In each career transition, he carried a wealth of experiences, using them to connect and understand people on a deeper level. His journey, marked by continuous learning and adaptation, was not just inspiring but a vivid reminder of our potential to evolve and make a difference. Thank you for your service, Kyle! WHY IT MATTERS: >>> We encounter people every day who have incredible stories to share. People like Kyle remind us that behind every face is a journey worth knowing. >>> Engaging with others transforms exhaustion into renewed energy. >>> It doesn't cost anything to make someone's day. >>> Joy doesn't just happen; it's created through connections, understanding, and shared experiences. Kyle, you made my day too.

Meet my new friend, Kim Hewitt! What happens when your daughter tells you about one the largest consumer GLUTEN FREE expos in the country while on vacation in Salt Lake City? (And your husband has GF sensitivity?) It’s a MUST DO, you taste EVERYTHING and you WATCH what people are doing and buying (that's my work side creeping in!). I noticed that so many had the same bread… I was on a mission to find that booth. I walked up to the Mrs. Hewitt’s booth which was buzzing with activity. People were joyfully tasting and buying, buying, buying! From the Rustic Rosemary bread and cookies to waffles and everything in between… these gluten-free products were to die for!  With multiple products now in my bag, I was a happy camper! I visited with Kim, the founder, and she shared her journey with gluten allergies and the mission of her company. She has a passion for making high-quality, great-tasting gluten-free products! GUESS WHAT? Mrs Hewitt’s products are available on Sysco!! If you are a restaurant operator – you need to check out these products, seriously! For everyone else, you can order from her website too! https://lnkd.in/gF_TRMdw

All of the gas lines are being replaced in my neighborhood - visualize sidewalks, alleys, and streets being excavated. In the midst of all of this, we had temporarily moved out for a kitchen remodel – more on that another day. We’ve moved back in, it's dinner time, and I go to turn on my super cool new gas Wolf stove, yes the one with the red knobs, but wait, what? - no gas. Instead of "calling" Atmos, my husband decided to go see if the workers were still there. They were! My husband asked if they could help, and they said yes! Bonus – he got a brief engineering lesson on the old pipes vs. new pipes. The crew worked until 8p that night getting our gas back on!!!! J.J. arrived to inspect the work inside and outside, then helped turn on the pilot light.  He was courteous, friendly, and helpful. He noticed the Wolf stove and we shared cooking stories and the love of cookbooks! His wife collects cookbooks! This positive interaction started when my husband chose to go talk to the workers vs calling. He went with a positive attitude, just seeking help. Not complaining, not ranting. The workers wanted to help solve the problem and they stayed late and put in the extra time to fix it. WHY IT MATTERS: Sometimes the service we receive starts with how we treat people. Hospitality is a two-way street – pun intended! Connecting not transacting!

My flight was over 2 hours late arriving in Atlanta (9:30 pm-ish). Then, there's the VERY long trek to the rideshare section of the airport. I'm frazzled and tired, yet greeted by Ryan sporting a huge smile! Already, in an uplifted mood, I jumped in the car, and off we go.  As soon as we get on the highway, ugh… it’s bumper to bumper, nighttime construction (JOY…. NOT!) 
Ryan, a first-generation American, is 34, married, and father to a 2-year-old daughter. He drives to pay it forward for a better life for his daughter just like his grandmother and mother did. Ryan’s grandmother migrated to New York from the Caribbean to provide a better life for his mom when she was young. When Ryan was a teenager, Ryan’s mom moved from NYC to Atlanta to provide a better life for him. During the pandemic, Ryan worked for an airline, and was let go, yet saw it as a blessing, not a roadblock or adversity.  He had stagnated in his growth at the airline and wanted to achieve more! He used some of the money to pay down his mortgage so he could live without the pressures. Ryan has strong faith and wonderful goals, and with his positive perspective, I’m sure he will be wildly successful. What a blessing for me to meet Ryan. I left the airport frazzled and tired that night (this pic of highlights that point- HA!), after the 45-minute #lyft ride with Ryan, I was uplifted and inspired. WHY IT MATTERS: Joy is a choice, even when adversity strikes - whether that be big things like getting let go from your job or little things like travel delays.

Tawauna was engaging all of the travelers, yes in the women's restroom of the airport. Each and every woman that walked in, Tawauna looked them in the eye, smiled, and said, "Have a blessed day!" Watching her in action, she was wildly great at her job! I definitely had to speak with this incredible woman.

 WHY IT MATTERS: One of the many favorite comments she shared: "I'm keeping it clean for all my queens." I absolutely loved this. In a job that many might not want, Tawuana takes pride in her job and shares her joy. How can you find more joy in your job and share the joy with customers and coworkers, like Tawauna?

It was one of those mornings where nothing was going as planned or on time, so I barely got out the door to make my flight. Arriving frazzled, as you can see in the pic, Marissa greeted me with a contagious and joyful smile that in an instant transformed my attitude and my day. In talking with Marissa, she is working her way through school at SMU, studying engineering, and first generation to attend college. She’s proud to say that her “story began” at Dallas College when she got her associate degree while working 3 jobs.  She’s focused, determined, and has goals.   WHY IT MATTERS: You can tell when someone enjoys their job. For Marissa, it isn’t just the interactions with the customers that she enjoys. It’s that she feels supported by Freedom Park in many ways – the flexibility, career path opportunities, and even the social gatherings like lunches and breakfasts. Joyful customer experiences start with joyful employees. Marissa is one of those joyful employees! Well done! How can you better support your frontline employee’s goals?

I dreaded going to my regular place in the mall for glasses. When I arrived, it was packed, and unclear how long the wait would be. No one welcomed me or said anything, and after about 15 minutes and trying on several frames, I left empty-handed and disappointed.   I was ready to buy glasses and sunglasses. I knew the brand Warby Parker but really didn’t “know” the brand.  In my car, I googled it and found a location close by.      Josue greeted me immediately and picked out five frames that were perfect for me. I landed on these frames and even picked out some sunglasses too! Josue loves what he does, and it showed in his exceptional customer service. He is still in college and is thinking about becoming an ophthalmologist.   Warby Parker and Josue made my experience enjoyable and fun! I'm a customer for life and now a brand fan! WHY IT MATTERS: Are you losing business because of a bad wait experience? Whether it's restaurants, retail, or healthcare, what are you doing to ensure that your customers have a good experience while waiting?

When was the last time you actually talked to and thanked your restaurant delivery driver! WHY IT MATTERS: Good things happen we make human connections! It’s time to stop transacting and start connecting!

Like many other days, I had an out-of-town business trip and went through the airport drill. Sat down in my seat, popped open my laptop to send a few emails before it was time to go. Head down staring at my computer, I started to hear some laughter.    I look up gleefully to see what was going on - joy was in the air.     It all was emanating from Tia, one of our flight attendants. I watched as the smiles happen and connections were made between strangers vs. passengers just “being” in their seats.   As everyone was settled in, Tia took her seat in the jump seat right in front of me.  I leaned over and quietly told her that her joy was contagious and what a difference she was making in spreading happiness and joy to passengers.     We immediately connected and bonded as we talked about the need for more joy and less fear in the world. WHY IT MATTERS: Every once in a while, a stranger comes into our lives at just the moment we need them the most. I had one of those days today. We have a family member who is very ill which is weighing heavy on my heart. It turns out that before being a flight attendant Tia was an oncology nurse. Tia chooses joy over fear every day for her own life and has helped many of her patients and family members find peace. It’s the little things we can do that make a BIG difference, like Tia - one flight, one passenger, one moment at a time! Joy is a choice.

Mark works for Aimbridge Hospitality Homewood Suites by Hilton as Task Force General Manager. While staying there, I mentioned my #journeybacktojoy work and he recalled how much he could relate to "living through the pandemic" especially navigating those early days. So, I surprised him with a signed book. WHY IT MATTERS: It's stories like this that make it so "worth it" to have written this book. Joy is a connector between all of us! Feeling very joyful.

The eagle has landed! 17 boxes of 'The Business of Joy' have arrived!!! 

I could tell Juan wasn’t used to getting his picture taken… but of course, you know I had to ask!!! Some things are perfectly predictable! HA!

 WHY IT MATTERS: UPS thank you!!! Your driver was awesome! When I told him what was in the boxes, he was excited too! Just another small step on the Journey Back to Joy!