Business in Dallas-Fort Worth is on the upswing. But there's a big difference between a busy economy and a happy one. And a mounting mountain of work isn't always meaningful.

I asked Dallas business owners, professionals and executives if their work now is more fulfilling. And if it is, are they steering their companies toward projects of significance rather than simply looking at how much money each job brings in?

Most are, in fact, working harder and enjoying it more. And there seems to be a direct correlation between their happiness index and success quotient.

"This time last year, the climb was so great and steep we were hanging on for dear life and loving every minute of it. It was the beginning for some of the greatest, most fun clients we have ever experienced.

"Honestly, we have never chased the almighty dollar. I'm not trying to come across as pious or anything. But if we had that mentality, we would write all 66-month leases to make the most profit on the lowest payments.

"Last year was a record both in total sales and guests served. So far, we are ahead of that. This coupled with seeing our restaurants full of happy guests is very fulfilling.

"Our company was founded on the belief that we can perform site selection better than anybody. We have evolved into a company that assists more than 160 communities, 1,500 retail clients and 100 health care clients.

"My only goal when I started this company was survival. We were lucky to find a successful niche, and now our business is one of the fastest-growing in Dallas. But there is no time to sit back and enjoy our success.

"Our retail customers are being hurt by gas prices. Yet we are busier than ever because we're expanding product lines, adding talented people to our sales and design departments, and working with new artists such as Debbie MummÖ to create more proprietary lines.

"Businesses and individuals are once again giving gifts and flowers to commemorate meaningful events, reward outstanding achievements and show appreciation to family, employees and co-workers.

"If you don't find passion and satisfaction in the products that your company produces and sells and the level of service that you provide, you have nothing to look forward to every day."

"My contemporaries are generally more concerned about personal satisfaction these days. But I suspect the contributing factors are more about being past halftime in their business careers and on the actuarial tables than the state of the economy.

"Our first quarter was the best ever, which is remarkable because our business is traditionally tied to the construction industry and the first quarter usually is slow.

"But last fall, we focused our marketing efforts on customers who could do projects early in the year. We reminded them to plan ahead and save some money.

"Are we pickier about our customers? No. We are still a long way away from being able to turn away business. And there's too much uncertainty about gas prices, the economy, increased competition and even the weather.

"Since my products are so well liked by consumers, my biggest hurdle is getting distributors and retailers to let me to present my product line to them. Unfortunately, pickles are not a high priority for these decision-makers. If I can get in front of them, get them to eat my pickles, I can sell to them.

"Not to be a contrarian, but I think we have an ‘uncomfortable' economy for reasons that are almost unfathomable: a nuclear Iraq, a nuclear Korea, India, immigration, border security, no school prayer, Arabs running our ports, Social Security, unfunded pensions, gas prices, Wal-Marts, who is a foreigner, Abrahamic societies, public schools, private schools, school boards, religion in schools and out of schools, Jerry Jones, tattoos, aid to Israel, airline security, al-Qaeda, the Supreme Court, CEO pay, liability lawyers, traffic, obesity, exercise, stretching and the Wright Amendment.

"The '80s were all about easy and fast money and land by the chunk. The '90s were about finding deals, doing deals and flipping deals. Maybe this decade, the '00s, is about finding what makes the deal work for everyone.

"It is about the value we create, stupid, to paraphrase Ronald Reagan. I am confident that the money will be there if I add value to the customer, the community and our people with whom we are spending priceless moments of our lives.

"We are developing projects in different parts of the country where the elements of work and living are combined. We want to work with communities to look at the way these larger projects can contribute to mixed social structures and more efficient transportation patterns.

"I love the art of the deal. It's like a puzzle with many twists and turns. The longer you do it and the more successful you are, the more opportunities come your way.

"We are incredibly busy, and about 75 percent of it is fun. There's always grunt work and other tedious things. That's the ‘work' part - and 25 percent is an acceptable number."

"There's nothing more fulfilling than satisfying a restaurant full of customers. We're blessed with enough success to be opening a bunch of new outposts - Cantina Laredo and III Forks.

"Our challenge is to find, make and sell [music and video] content through new outlets created over the past few years: specialty retail, digital Internet download, satellite TV and radio download, wireless download for both video and music content are all taking shape.

"There will always be a demand for entertaining content. The question is where will people search for it, and what medium will they use to purchase, store and play it?

"We just signed a 45-album distribution deal with Universal. That, combined with all the new outlets, is going to make for a fun, sleepless and exciting year ahead."

"There's plenty of [construction] business out there, but pricing, conditions or even the client may not be conducive for success. Consequently, we filter opportunities to make sure those we take in are quality opportunities.

"The discovery of a $5,000 company check to Gilda's Club during a recent IRS audit - yes, they thought we had paid for a personal visit to a men's club - reminded me of how wonderful it is to not only make money, but to use it to help others.

"Are we busier than last year? Absolutely. We are being slammed by mall traffic, and our Web site on some days buries us in orders and shipping.

"We are always interested in profitable work, but we also understand that it sometimes takes a helping hand to get significant projects off the ground.

"For instance, we have volunteered to help the Dallas Museum of Natural Science determine whether its new site next to Victory development is environmentally clean, and we are helping it identify other sources of funding to develop the site.

"One big potential project of personal significance to me is the Trinity Lakes and Amenities project, which will truly enhance the look and feel of our great city. It will give us the ‘sizzle' the mayor has been talking about, and it will be an amenity that will help promote Dallas as a destination city.

"We are in fierce competition for this project with six other firms. If we get it, I will be personally involved with the project of a lifetime."

"Hispanics in our great Metroplex have the dinero for dinner. Pizza Lista, which means ‘ready pizza,' is a perfect example of this. You don't have to call ahead - just pop in and out with dinner. We introduced Pizza Lista about 12 weeks ago at Pizza Patron, and it now accounts for roughly 30 percent of sales. We're talking 30 percent of 20,000 pizzas a week in Dallas alone.

"I know this because Joel Padilla and I are celebrating the first anniversary of buying his first Pizza Patron restaurant from me. We are enjoying a bottle of tequila on my boat on Lake Texoma. I am writing this from my Blackberry, which I will now conclude, and raise another shot to a ‘fiesta' and a ‘happy economy.'."

"The economy and technology create a relentless and frenetic pace all about 24/7. We're finding our backs against the worldwide wall with demands. If you do it faster one time, that becomes the norm.

"Our firm has expanded to meet expanded demand. We've purchased new equipment, added technology - all focused on helping us produce more, faster and better.

"We hate to turn work away as we all recall those painful '80s so vividly, but we are cautious of clients who want to short cut research or the investigative problem-solving process. We ask more questions of our potential clients about their expectations, schedules and budgets to ensure that we can join in a mutually rewarding partnership.

"A recent example: A potential client wanted design ideas and preliminary concepts from the contenders at no cost. That would have been selling our ideas for free and arriving at solutions with only a partial understanding of the problem or opportunity. We declined to participate."

"My cosmetics company launched nationally about 18 months ago. I'd hesitated about doing this because I've seen customer service dwindle in the cosmetic industry with hardly any training given to sales associates.

"I did not want to sacrifice my strong customer service and educational approach to beauty by choosing distribution channels that would not represent my products in the same manner as my Makeover Center.

"People keep adopting more into their lives - some of which they may prefer not to have, like taking in-laws that can no longer drive to doctor appointments.

"Being able to do things for senior citizens is very fulfilling. Some have appointment books and social calendars that could keep me busy full time. I have a 90-year-old client who keeps me on the go - quite inspirational and wonderful to learn from."

"Not one of my companies is such that I could just chase the money, because not one of them generates enough to get rich off of. They are lifestyle companies with high associated costs to maintain our level of service.

"Last year, we simply held on. This year, the mood of customers has changed. They are more optimistic about the economy and have learned to live with the fear of terrorism and the war.

"We have initiated change at all three companies, because I felt our customers and guests are ready and willing to move with us. I don't believe I could have pulled this off last year at the same time.

"For example, at Sebastian's Closet, we moved away from being a ‘suit-and-jacket' clothier and to more casual and hipper lines, as well as adding ladies apparel.

"Our overriding goal is to wow every restaurant guest with every dining experience. If you complicate your mission, everyone will lose sight of the organization's purpose.

"Having said that, we are a public company owned by our shareholders. Unless we improve our returns by a sizable amount each year, our company will not be considered a success.

"We are in the people business, so we strive each day to allow ethics and standards drive our decisions. Our company is the busiest we've been since September 11th, and our consulting assignments are geared toward growing leaders, being better corporate citizens and redefining service.

"As a privately held merchant bank, we have the luxury of choosing the deals we work on. In a ‘happy economy' like the current one, there is plenty of capital available for deals and we have more choices.

"We check out the people involved in the deal very carefully. But even if they check out in terms of track record, management ability, honesty, etc., perhaps the most important criterion is what we call the ‘jerk factor.' If a person is a jerk, we don't want to work with that person.

"For example, we've invested in a company building middle-class homes in Mexico. Another, which we call our ‘save the world deal,' is generating electricity through fusion. We like the economics of these deals, but the potential social benefits are lagniappe.

"We're busier than we were a year ago. We're involved in interesting deals. We're dealing with people we like and admire. We're constantly evaluating and resetting our priorities regarding which deals to work or pass on. We always consider how much money we can make. And we think that some of our deals are significant in a broader sense.

"Statistics say about 58 percent of the families in North Texas do not own a home, so there is much opportunity for us. If you have a passion for selling homes, work in volume and do not relent, you will succeed.

"Our company is busier than this time last year, but that is nothing to brag about, because three, four, five years ago we were as busy as today. But then 2004 and 2005 were weird years.

"We will be busier this time next year because some immigration reform will take place. The real estate industry will have to adjust and, by doing so, will enjoy a ‘happy economy with meaning.' The industry will make money while making a difference."

"I see a slight increase in my environmental practice, which is my passion. I sense less arguing about risk allocation and more risk taking. Folks are interested in environmental compliance as well as environmental cost savings.

"I heard on the radio this morning that happiness is about knowing what money can buy and what it cannot. If our community has learned this through its ups and downs, then we're headed for a better than good economy."

"There are substantially more business leads in our core markets than in 2005. Our projects are more rewarding both financially and in design challenges.

"We look at each opportunity, evaluate our chances to win, ask ourselves if it's desirable work and then pursue those projects with the highest overall potential as a profitable portfolio builder."

"We are much busier, but it not all about how much money goes in the bank. Money allows me to do things that I couldn't afford a year ago - adding people, services and products to help our authors be more successful.

"I can now afford to invest more in my clients and my employees. A happy economy makes for a happy employer, who makes for a happy employee, who makes for a happy client. I just love happy endings."

"Yes, we are busier than we were this time last year with charitable and business events and new restaurants opening all over town. We are overjoyed with the response to our classes that show how to pair our cheeses with wines and beers. Even our cheese-making classes sell out weeks in advance."

"For me, personal happiness has been inextricably linked to my approach to failure. In 2001, I was totally focused on trying not to fail, but I was.

"The moment I realized that it wouldn't be the end of the world if I did fail and that I would rather aggressively go down ‘my way,' my decision-making became clearer, what we did became fun again and our business improved immediately.

"A sign of the times: At the end of last year, we resigned one of our larger client relationships simply because it was making our people miserable."

""Rather, it's our responsibility to our l,600 associates and staff and their families, the desire to embrace massive industry changes and ensure continued growth of the company.

"Yes, my work is very fulfilling. I get to create a place with heart and soul, where moms can stroll their babies; couples can celebrate their anniversaries, and where music plays with rhythm - a place with character. Eight years ago, Legacy Town Center was an empty field.

"I could build a big-box retail building, turn around and sell it for a great profit, but I would rather do what I do and be proud of the place I created with enthusiasm."

"Employment stats are up, and executives and recruiters are uttering the words ‘war for talent' again. There are more job openings at all levels, and employers are actually hiring.

"Yet employees and job seekers are cautious and tense about their careers. ‘This job' and ‘my future' can change in a flash of a corporate initiative. That clearly makes many nervous and uncomfortable.

"We're hired to provide career-transition assistance to employees losing jobs and coaching for employees identified for greater roles inside their companies. The mixed emotions are found with both groups."

This is cache, read story here