Every Last Word

Dallas Innovates’ signature series capturing what leaders across North Texas are saying — in their own words — about innovation, impact, and what’s next.

The Last Word: DFW Sports Stars & Legends Team Up for North Texas Giving Day

by | Sep 17, 2024
Texas Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe leads a star-studded sports team of players and legends from the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Stars, Dallas Mavericks, FC Dallas, and Dallas Wings in encouraging even more donations on North Texas Giving Day.
MORE
The Last Word: Innovating Brunch with ‘a Thai Twist’ at Grandscape’s Tande Thai
by | Sep 16, 2024
Imjard and Tande Thai Executive Chef Matt Baum have launched a new weekend brunch that offers guests "a unique fusion of brunch favorites infused with vibrant Thai flavors" from Imjard's roots in Thailand.
MORE
The Last Word: On the Founders of Fort Worth’s Goldee’s BBQ Making Food & Wine’s 2024 ‘Best New Chefs’ List
People wait in line up to 5 hours to get into Goldee's, a BBQ restaurant in a rough-hewn wood shack in Fort Worth. So you know something special is smokin' up there. But now the line may get even longer—because Goldee's three co-founders made the 2024 Food & Wine Best New Chefs list this week. 
MORE
The Last Word: Dallas-Based LTK’s Amber Venz Box On Competing With Tech Giants
by | Sep 11, 2024
Dallas-based LTK is proving that North Texas startups can go toe-to-toe with Silicon Valley giants. In a recent interview with Axios, Amber Venz Box discussed the company's impressive growth in the creator economy space.
MORE

The Last Word: Group Behind Flower Child and The Henry Opens Doughbird in Dallas’ Inwood Village

by | Sep 9, 2024
Doughbird, a new restaurant from Phoenix-based Fox Restaurant Concepts, opened Friday in Dallas' Inwood Village near Inwood and Lovers Lane—joining a lineup of Fox's "sister restaurants" in the city including Flower Child, The Henry, Culinary Dropout, and North Italia. With an offbeat menu featuring a "fun spin on ordinary American classics," it's the fifth location and first in Texas for the concept. A cozy design scheme is the backdrop for wildly varied dining options—from Detroit-style pizzas to prime rib steak sandwiches to steak frites.
MORE
The Last Word: Ken Schaefer on Fort Worth’s ‘Unique’ Collection of City Nicknames
by | Sep 6, 2024
Most cities are fine with one famous nickname. But Fort Worth stands apart by having a lengthy string of sobriquets, including the ones scattered across the skyline above. Schaefer, who's worked with the city on past marketing campaigns, told Fort Worth Report this stem's from the city's "unique" desire to nurture several brand identities.
MORE
The Last Word: CRE Lawyer on AI Algorithms and the Antitrust Landscape
by | Sep 5, 2024
The use of AI and algorithms in business practices is drawing increased scrutiny from antitrust regulators. According to a recent report in The Business Journals, attorney Jerrold Bregman highlighted the legal territory these technologies present.
MORE
The Last Word: Future One Rangers Way Resident on Why He Wants to Live Near AT&T Stadium
by | Sep 4, 2024
Most people who look out their window are lucky to see a tree. But residents who move into the upcoming One Rangers Way—a $100M, 300-unit luxury apartment project from the Texas Rangers and the Cordish Companies—will get a sports-related eyeful in multiple directions. The project is located several field-goal kicks from AT&T Stadium and across from Choctaw Stadium and nearby Globe Life Field, and close to the looming hubub coming with the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
MORE

The Last Word: o9’s Stephan de Barse On the North Texas Unicorn’s ‘Minerva’ Mission to Advance Women in Supply Chain and Digital Tech

by | Aug 28, 2024
“Across many professional industries, women have made strides in breaking down barriers; however, supply chain and digital technology are two sectors that are often seen as being male-dominated.”

Stephan de Barse Chief Revenue Officer o9 Solutions

… … on launching Minerva, an initiative set to boost gender equality in the sectors....

MORE
The Last Word: Ross Perot Jr. on Southwire’s Massive New Facility at AllianceTexas
When North America's leading wire and cable company invests in a nearly 1.2 million square foot facility, it's a statement. Southwire, an $8 billion company with over 9,000 global team members, officially opened its newest and largest distribution center with a ribbon cutting and tour last week. 
MORE
The Last Word: Law Firm Leader Paul Genender On Dallas’ ‘Supercity’ Status
by | Aug 26, 2024
In June, the Dallas-based TXSE Group announced plans to launch the Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE), focused on Texas and the Southeast U.S., with $120 million in funding lined up from BlackRock, Citadel Securities, and other investors. That's led to national buzz about "Y'all Street" and growing global awareness of the city's financial and corporate momentum. 
MORE
The Last Word: Strut Partners’ Don Allen On AI Market Success vs. Ping Pong Perks
Leaders light up LinkedIn thread on ex-Google CEO's work-life balance comment.
MORE

The Last Word: Texan by Nature On Its New Conservation Impact Report, By the Numbers

“Texans are rarely all hat and no cattle.”

Taylor Kennedy Frenchi Program Manager – Nature and Health Alliance Texan by Nature .…sharing the organization’s 2023 Conservation Impact Report on LinkedIn

Texan by Nature, founded by former First Lady Laura Bush in 2011, has released its 2023 Impact Report. The numbers tell the story:

11 million acres impacted by Conservation Wrangler and TxN Certified projects Over 5.5 million people reached through these projects 43 conservation leaders recognized $2 million directed to on-the-ground conservation efforts 6.8 billion media impressions 726 trees planted through business member projects

Texan by Nature isn’t just counting trees, though....

MORE
The Last Word: Why Dallas’ Knox/McKinney Chuy’s Is Moving to Greenville Avenue
by | Aug 20, 2024
For 31 years, Chuy's has had an Instagram-ready location at Knox & McKinney in Dallas. That's 17 years longer than Instagram has existed—but the clock is now ticking. The Austin-based restaurant brand plans to move the location two miles east to 1520 Greenville Avenue in April 2025, according to the Dallas Morning News. Thankfully, the Elvis statue will go along for the ride. And hopefully so will the hubcap ceiling, the pet photo wall, and the countless art works and sculptures that make this spot special.
MORE
The Last Word: Cosm’s Jeb Terry at a ‘Shared Reality’ Preview at Grandscape in The Colony
by | Aug 19, 2024
Terry welcomed an invitation-only crowd Saturday night for a preview experience of Cosm at Grandscape in The Colony. Officially opening on August 31 with a College Kickoff Weekend, the venue and its 87-foot diameter, 12K-plus LED dome will make people feel like they're magically close to the action of live sports and artistic events—from college football and NBA games to Premier League matches, UFC fights, performing arts events, and more. On Saturday night, the crowd got a taste of what "immersive shared reality" is like—and came away wowed.
MORE
The Last Word: The Last Word: Richard Riccardi On Why Mentorship Isn’t About Creating Clones
by | Aug 16, 2024

“Mentorship is not cloning a Mini-Me, but supporting others in their journey to become the best they can be.

Richard Riccardi
Writer, 52 Steps Forward
Co-founder, DFW CPG
Investor

.…on...

MORE