2026 Leadership Lunch @ The Colony Annex Building, Speaker: Paula Ward

Mark your calendar to join The Colony Chamber of Commerce monthly for our leadership lunch.  The lunches are held on the third Thursday of the month at various locations.  Each month we highlight a student and teacher sponsored by DATCU.  An exceptional student is also highlighted by Platinum Auto Glass.  You will also receive updates from the Chamber, City and LISD.  Every month we have a topic of interest to business.  

JANUARY PROGRAM: 

The Power of Surprise and Delight: How to Be Remembered in a Crowded Market
Overview
In today’s noisy and competitive market, people are not just choosing products or services. They are choosing how those experiences make them feel. This session reveals the brain science and business strategy behind creating emotional connections that clients remember, trust, and talk about.
Whether you work in real estate, insurance, a service-based business, or any client-facing profession, you will learn why clarity in your brand story attracts the right people and how thoughtful, unexpected gestures help them remember you long after the transaction ends.
Key Takeaways

• The Science Behind Surprise Moments: A quick and clear look at how the brain responds to small positive surprises. Dopamine influences memory. Oxytocin increases trust. Serotonin reinforces pride and satisfaction.
• The Power of Simple Gestures: Why Surprise and Delight does not require a big budget. It requires intention and timing.
• The ROI of Emotion: Emotionally connected clients are six times more likely to repurchase, five times more likely to forgive a mistake, and four times more likely to refer you.
• Your One Action Step: Choose a single, small, unexpected idea that you can implement immediately to create a memorable moment for your clients.

“Your story gets people in the door. Surprise and Delight makes them stay and tell others.”
 

PROGRAM SPEAKER: Paula Ward from Paula Ward Photography.

Paula Ward
Photographer, Story Strategist, and Client Experience Expert
After a 26-year career leading marketing and storytelling strategy at Frito-Lay, Paula Ward shifted from corporate storytelling to personal storytelling. Through Paula Ward Photography, she now helps families capture the meaningful moments and stories that define their children’s lives, and she helps small businesses uncover and communicate the unique story behind their brand.

Today she brings both worlds together. Paula draws on her corporate experience with large-scale consumer strategy and blends it with the deeply personal, relationship-centered work she now does as a small business owner. The result is a practical and human approach to Surprise and Delight that any entrepreneur can use to create stronger client connections and long-term loyalty. She will help us understand how the right story attracts the right clients and how intentional, memorable moments transform those clients into enthusiastic advocates.